Chapter 44 Fake Gift
Hahahahahahaha
Olivia frowned.
She had been bracing herself for the family’s reaction, but instead, Darling’s merciless laughter filled her head.
Her embarrassment surged so fast her eyes stung.
That shameless girl…
She must have ruined this body completely….
The thought cut off when memories surfaced, Emma excusing herself politely, never allowing herself to make such a mistake.
The food instantly tasted different.
The twins were staring at her.
The room was painfully quiet.
Then,
The twins burst into laughter, fanning their face with their hand to ward off the non existence smell.
Olivia’s face flushed crimson.
How was this even happening?
She wanted to blame someone, anyone, but there was no one to blame.
Still, Olivia Smith never ran out of excuses.
Even if none existed, she would invent one.
“I need to check the expiration date of the foodstuff,” she said stiffly, clearing her throat. “Hmm… hmm.”
Caroline chuckled softly. “It’s okay, honey.”
She understood. Emma must be mortified.
Truthfully, Caroline blamed herself. If not for Emma’s recent changes, they would have laughed it off instead of freezing like this.
Olivia resumed eating, though her mood remained sour. The twins stopped laughing immediately after her excuse.
Once she finished, she stood and walked out of the house.
She didn’t issue instructions. She was used to eating and leaving, the cleanup was never her concern.
The twins would handle it.
The memory of how loud the fart had left her body replayed in her mind.
Her eyes squeezed shut. Her teeth clenched. A quiet groan slipped out.
She headed toward the backyard.
The space was wide enough, perfect for training.
She could tell her flexibility remained intact in her mind only, because Emma’s body had been pushed to exhaustion for too long. Stiff. Underused.
Dry leaves covered the ground. The house sat close to forested land.
Emma never knew the full story, but after losing their previous home when her father died, Caroline had brought them here, claiming it was one of her husband’s properties.
Judging by the structure, Olivia suspected it had once belonged to a farm owner. A temporary residence. Storage housing. Something along those lines.
Emma’s guess had been logical.
Something about this place was wrong.
Olivia stretched.
Pain shot through her body.
She cried out.
It felt like her bones had shifted.
“Lazy idiot,” she muttered, holding her waist.
She needed a training schedule. This body had to be reshaped, disciplined.
Her expression hardened.
Black pants. Green T-shirt. Shiny hair with a soft curl.
In two or three days, she had gone from a princess to a poor girl struggling for survival.
The upside?
Money wasn’t a problem.
With her knowledge, she could make money online anytime.
If not for the need to follow this body’s existing path and stay close to Brian, she wouldn’t waste time playing clown for the world.
Still… being on television had its perks.
She liked being seen.
She liked admiration.
She wondered briefly if this was all a dream.
—
A few hours later
The sound of Emma William's ringtone soon resounded.
Olivia woke up with a frown. She told herself to change the ringtone later on.
She had returned to her room to nap after eating, training would have to wait.
Charlotte’s name flashed on the screen.
Her dislike was immediate.
She answered anyway.
“Yes?” Olivia said flatly.
Silence.
Then Charlotte spoke. “Emma, come outside.”
“I don’t want to.”
“What has gotten into you? Come out. I’m outside your house.”
Olivia rolled her eyes and stood.
The moment she stepped into the corridor, Amy appeared.
“Sister Emma,” the girl panted, “Aunt Charlotte is outside.”
It was around 8:30 p.m.
Olivia still couldn’t fully engage with the family. The familiarity felt unnatural.
If this body didn’t instinctively tolerate closeness, she wouldn’t even bother pretending.
She walked past Amy. The girl followed.
Outside, Charlotte’s sharp gaze immediately assessed her.
Olivia’s frown deepened.
Amelia stood beside Charlotte, holding a gift bag.
Emma’s memories surfaced instantly, reminding her that the gift is frequent.
She hated this.
“Return that immediately!” Olivia snapped.
Amelia flinched.
“Emma, what is the meaning of this?” Charlotte demanded.
Amelia extended the bag back to Charlotte, hands trembling.
Charlotte didn’t take it.
“Drop it on the floor,” Olivia ordered.
Amelia hesitated, then obeyed.
The bag hit the ground.
“Come here,” Olivia said to the twins.
Charlotte stared, stunned.
The girls approached slowly.
“You are not beggars,” Olivia said coldly.
“Your sister worked for everything you have. Not because of anyone else, because of her own effort.”
The twins nodded fearfully.
“Don’t accept fake kindness from anyone. Understand?”
“Yes,” they whispered.
“Go inside.”
They ran.
Charlotte finally found her voice.
“Who are you?”
“The girl who stopped being stupid,” Olivia replied calmly.
Charlotte laughed in disbelief.
“Emma…” Her gaze dropped to the bag. “Fake gift?”
“That hurts?” Olivia asked coolly.
“Threatening her with her sisters’ names, then bringing gifts afterward?”
Her eyes locked onto Charlotte’s.
“You call this real? what's more fake than this?”
Charlotte was taken aback by Olivia’s words.
“This new attitude won’t get you anywhere, girl,” she snapped. “It will only bring your downfall. You sound possessed. Listen to yourself, you’re talking about your own life as if it doesn’t belong to you.”
“Host,” Darling’s voice rang sharply in Olivia’s mind, “for going out of character, I have decided a punishment for you.”
Olivia nearly laughed.
Was it the floating bunny threatening punishment, or the woman in front of her who was making her palm itch?
If Charlotte pushed any further, she might earn a slap before the system ever got its chance.
Charlotte wasn’t done.
Olivia had been about to respond, but when she saw Charlotte open her mouth again, she decided to wait. She wanted to see just how far the woman would go. Perhaps she was itching for trouble.
“I’ll assume you’re stressed,” Charlotte continued, her tone firm. “And based on what you said earlier, I apologize for threatening you. We’ve discussed this before. I only want what’s best for you.”
She paused, watching Olivia closely.
“You were being stubborn. I admit I was wrong, but you can’t speak to me like that.”
Charlotte crossed her arms. “It wasn’t easy getting you those roles either. Ask around. Most new artists without connections don’t get opportunities this easily. It’s either connections, luck… or your body.”
Her eyes sharpened.
“Emma, let’s not go down this road. We’ve been doing fine all along.”
Olivia wasn’t stupid.
She knew Charlotte wasn’t entirely wrong.
Charlotte did work hard. She did push opportunities her way. And ambition itself wasn’t a crime.
But Charlotte’s kindness had strings attached.
She saw Emma’s potential, not as something to nurture, but something to control. She liked playing savior, pretending she had plucked Emma from the dirt.
If she were truly kind, she wouldn’t have stood by watching Emma struggle alone, lifting goods, enduring insults, without lifting a finger to help.
Olivia would’ve done the same thing in Charlotte’s place.
The difference?
She never pretended to be good.
Charlotte wanted to be both predator and saint.
That was what Olivia despised.
Still… Charlotte apologized.
And Olivia wasn’t unreasonable.
She exhaled, forcing the urge to slap her back down.
“Apology accepted,” Olivia said coolly.
Charlotte stared at her, reassessing.
Something was off.
She wanted to believe Emma was simply changing, but she’d seen enough people in her life to know how convincing an act could be. Some people only humbled themselves when money ran dry.
But Emma’s career was on the rise.
After this movie, everything would change.
Brian wasn’t just a star, he was an icon. People didn’t just admire him; they worshipped him.
If Brian killed someone, his fans would blame the victim.
If he was framed, the framer would become the villain.
If a woman got close to him, she’d be branded a seductress trying to ruin their idol.
Charlotte had seen the chaos under Sammy’s fan pages.
Sammy’s fans didn’t even know the scandal had been orchestrated by her own assistant under Sammy’s order. They retaliated against Brian’s fans, fueling the fire.
Now Sammy was drowning in backlash, called every ugly name imaginable, while Brian remained untouched.
Some fans were already claiming Sammy had acted out of jealousy because she wasn’t chosen as the female lead.
Everything had spiraled out of control.
And somehow, it all benefited Emma.
Her popularity would surge. Fans would rally behind her just to spite Sammy, to prove Brian’s “choice” was right.
Charlotte knew this was an opportunity.
Sammy had helped them without intending to.
Of course, Charlotte knew Sammy was behind it.
After this movie, Emma would stand where Sammy once stood. People would demand to see her paired with Brian again.
Even if Olivia’s attitude had shifted, Charlotte was smart enough not to provoke her now.
They needed each other.
“What?” Olivia asked flatly, noticing Charlotte’s lingering stare.
“Let’s talk in my car,” Charlotte said.
Olivia didn’t argue.
Inside the car, Charlotte explained.
She had secured an endorsement deal, perfume, a newly launched cologne brand that also dabbled in jewelry. A young company, but already gaining traction.
They hadn’t wanted Emma at first. She wasn’t popular enough.
But when Charlotte presented the file, proof that Emma was starring opposite a man they’d dreamed of endorsing their product, the CEO agreed instantly.
They’d tried Brian before.
Michael rejected them before the offer even reached Brian.
The pay was good. There was potential for a long-term contract.
This was the beginning.
No one complained about Emma’s looks or figure. And Charlotte was confident she could “manage” any additional requirements.
She believed she’d chosen a star.
Those were her thoughts.
Olivia yawned.
“Are you done?” she asked lazily.
“Yes,” Charlotte replied, unsettled by her indifference.
“Well,” Olivia said coolly, “I’m not interested in being a clown.”
Charlotte’s heart skipped.
“What?”