My Beloved Has Risen from Death’s Embrace

“Are you the little tramp who stole my gig?”

“Looking all young and flirty, must have slept around to bag this opportunity, huh?”

“Barely out of school and already selling out in showbiz.”

Judy burst into the room spewing filth from her mouth, her words so vile that even the crew of the music video shoot, who were usually thick–skinned, couldn’t muster the courage to intervene.

Xanthea had never met her before and was clueless about what was happening. Realizing she was the target, she frowned and her eyes narrowed, “Excuse me? What did you say?”

Judy shoved the makeup artist who was busy with her eyebrows. The artist’s hand shook, and the pencil streaked a line across Xanthea’s jawline, leaving a mark. She bent over repeatedly apologizing, “I’m so sorry, Ms. Nightshade, it wasn’t intentional!”

“I said you’re a slut-”

“Slap!”

Judy couldn’t even finish her sentence before Xanthea, rising abruptly, delivered a fierce slap that skewed Judy’s head and sent her staggering back a couple of steps.

A collective gasp filled the makeup room. Everyone was stunned. Judy was known for bullying others, but no one had ever seen her on the receiving end. And here was Xanthea, not just retaliating but landing a slap right across Judy’s face.

Xanthea was just a young girl; where did she get the courage and confidence to do that?

Before anyone could recover from their shock, an even more astonishing scene unfolded.

Five bright red finger marks quickly appeared on Judy’s cheek. She stumbled back, incredulously raising her head to look at Xanthea, almost snarling as her face turned red with rage and she screamed, “You little bitch, you dared to hit me!”

“And what if I did?”

Xanthea grabbed a bottle of makeup remover from the table, unscrewed the cap, and walked over to Judy. Towering over her, she grabbed Judy’s! poured the entire bottle over her face.

“Consider it a favor, cleaning out that foul mouth of yours.”

She poured the makeup remover onto Judy’s face with an expressionless face, as casually as if she were watering plants at home. Despite the cruelty of her actions, her poise was elegant and detached, instilling a mix of awe and fear.

Isabella watched the dazzling sharpness that Xanthea exuded and couldn’t help feeling alarmed.

This was Xanthea, the young heiress of the Nightshade family, born into luxury and adored by all. Her innate nobility and pride were something Isabella could never emulate, just like in the dance competition where they both performed ‘the Swan Lake‘. Even though Isabella danced just as well, all eyes were on Xanthea.

“Ah ah ah!”

Judy was sputtering and choking on the makeup remover, struggling desperately. She lost several strands of hair before finally breaking free from Xanthea’s grasp.

Disheveled, with makeup smeared and her haughty demeanor washed away, Judy was visibly shaken by Xanthea’s commanding presence. Desperate, she played her last card, “You–you dare do this to me! Just wait, my husband is upstairs in a meeting. Once he comes down, he’ll make you pay!”

Upstairs?

At that, everyone in the makeup room gasped.

This building, aside from hosting the cultural festival music video shoot, was also the venue for the ongoing executive meeting of the Crestwood’s elite–the Lockwood Group! Nôvel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.

Could it be that Judy’s benefactor was a board member of the Lockwood Group? No wonder she was so brazen all the time!

For a moment, everyone looked at Xanthea with pity.