Accidentally Slept With The Ruthless Billionaire

Chapter 628: That Wasn’t Acting

Sophia walked onto the stage and started her performance. She embodied the master personality comfortably, her emotions shifting from joy to anger to sorrow in perfect rhythm. Then, without warning, she shifted into another persona, untamed and unpredictable. The air in the room became heavy. The audience barely breathed.

Then she paused. Her eyes darted toward Michael at the side of the stage. For a brief moment, her emotions suddenly slipped away.

She had fought so hard to leave him in the past, to erase every memory. Yet the thought cut through her defenses. Who was the woman he had a child with?

Bianca saw the change in Sophia, and a knot of worry tightened in her chest. From her seat, she whispered, "Something’s wrong with Sophia’s performance…"

Bianca's fear had come true.

Michael’s presence was clearly bothering Sophia.

From the side, Bianca clenched her fists, her chest tight with worry as she watched the stage.

Sophia slipped for a moment, but she quickly pulled herself together, shifted into another side of herself, and finished her performance.

The room went silent. The audience online was quiet, too. Then the comments started pouring in.

“I have to admit, Sophia’s performance was captivating… but something felt strange. Something wasn’t natural.”

“Looks like Sophia won’t be getting a high score. What a pity.”

“Wasn’t she the one who won Best Actress? Was that really her best? Honestly, I think Mylo did better. Don’t you agree?”

“To be fair, this role is new for her. She’s never taken on a character like this before.”

Brenda, with her sharp eye, had noticed it right away. She quickly remarked. “Your performance wasn’t perfect. Something was clearly on your mind. But you caught yourself and fixed it before the end. That shows your experience. Still, I can only judge what I saw.”

She raised her panel. The cameras zoomed in. Seven points. The same score as Mylo.

From the sidelines, Blake’s smug smile returned, his earlier frustration gone. His eyes slid toward Dave, full of self-satisfaction.

“It seems fortune is on my side after all,” he muttered.

The investors who had been short-selling Phoenix Alliance Group’s stock, along with those betting on their downfall, erupted in cheers. This was exactly what they wanted.

Sophia walked back to her seat, her face tense. She knew the score was fair. She had messed up this time.

Bianca quickly went to her side. “It’s okay, Sophia,” she said while patting Sophia's shoulder. “You did your best.”

Sophia lowered her eyes, guilt pressing in on her chest. “Bianca, I’m sorry.” Michael’s presence had bothered her from the start, and it had completely thrown her off.

Bianca shook her head. “You don’t have to apologize.” She paused for a moment, then said, “But if it’s affecting you this much, maybe it’s time to stop avoiding it. Face it before it drains you even more.”

She gave Sophia a small, teasing smile before standing and walking away, leaving her deep in thought.

Dave had been right. This was Sophia and Michael’s battle. She could guide them, support them, but in the end, they had to face it themselves.

Now, every eye turned to Reese. Sophia’s stumble had only made the pressure on her even heavier.

“I won’t lose,” Reese whispered, a promise only she could hear.

For six months, she had given everything for this moment. She trained until her body nearly broke, pushing past exhaustion. No one had worked harder or longer than her.

“Come on, Reese!”

The sharp voice cut through the silence. Blake had stood, his words slicing the air. For a moment, Reese froze.

A smirk curled on his lips. He wasn’t cheering her on. He wanted to shake her, to break her focus, and destroy her spirit.

Brenda’s eyes snapped toward him, her patience gone. “Please stop disrupting the contestants,” she said, her voice tight with irritation.

Reese shut her eyes and drew in a long breath, forcing herself to let go of everything. Blake’s voice, his presence, all of it faded into nothing.

Then she began, and within minutes the audience was caught in her spell.

She slipped effortlessly between two opposing personalities. One moment, she was a woman clinging desperately to love; the next moment, she was shattered by betrayal. To the crowd, it was two sides of a fractured soul. But to Blake, and to those who knew, it was a reflection of their past.

At the end, Reese collapsed into sobs that tore through the room, only to lift her head with a chilling, unnatural smile. The sudden change sent a shiver through every person watching.

The crowd trembled.

“Reese, you’re amazing! That wasn’t acting. It was like watching two completely different people!”

“No question, Reese is the winner! Brenda would have to be blind not to see it!”

Blake’s eyes went wide with disbelief. He had failed. He truly thought he could shake her.

Brenda stepped forward, excitement shining in her eyes. She took Reese’s hands and held them tight. “I declare Reese the champion of this competition! On behalf of Universal Pictures, I will be signing a contract with her agency.”

The venue erupted with gasps and cheers.

But Brenda raised her voice again. “And I have another announcement.” She turned toward the other three contestants. “All of you are exceptional. Universal Pictures has decided that all four finalists will be given opportunities to work with us.”

The room erupted. The audience, the online viewers, and even the press, glued to their screens, none of them had seen this coming.

Everyone had assumed there would be only one winner. Instead, all four finalists now had a chance to enter the most prestigious circles in the industry.

And at that moment, the biggest winner was Bianca. Both Reese and Sophia were part of Emerald Artists Agency. Their success wasn’t just theirs; it was a huge triumph for her entire company.

Amid the uproar, Blake shot to his feet. Dave caught it instantly. With a slight nod, his hidden bodyguards slipped into position.

Without warning, the live stream was cut. But inside the venue, no one knew a thing.

“No! I object!” Blake’s furious voice thundered. “This is unfair! What’s the point of a competition if everyone wins?”

Brenda’s had had enough. Her voice boomed across the hall like a crack of thunder. “Enough! Cut the cameras! I have something to say!”

She turned on Blake, her eyes blazing. “You’re the one who kidnapped me!”