Chapter 3

After a long silence, Ryan finally turned around, but his gaze looked elsewhere: "Emma, you're overthinking this."

"Maya said I'm the first." I looked directly into his eyes. "That's not a coincidence, is it?"

Ryan's jawline tightened: "Because you... meet the requirements."

"What requirements?"

"Requirements for someone who can cooperate with this kind of arrangement." His voice sounded somewhat unnatural. "You're an actress, you understand what this business needs."

I stared at him for several seconds. Something felt off, but I couldn't pinpoint what. His gaze... too evasive.

"Fine." I finally nodded. "I'll sign."

Not because I completely believed him, but because of that $500,000 and everything I was about to lose.

Ryan visibly relaxed, returning to professional mode: "Lisa will arrange everything."

My hands were still trembling slightly as I signed the confidentiality agreement and consulting contract. It felt like I was selling my soul, but I told myself this was only temporary.

"The moving company will arrive within two hours." Lisa efficiently collected the documents. "The Malibu house keys and car keys are here."

Two hours later, when the car drove along the Malibu coastline, my heart nearly stopped.

"Holy shit..." I pressed against the window, eyes wide at the sight before me.

This wasn't a house—this was a work of art.

The $12 million oceanfront mansion stood quietly on the cliff, its floor-to-ceiling windows reflecting the golden Pacific sunlight, the infinity pool seeming to extend directly to the horizon. I swallowed hard, a thought flashing through my mind: Am I actually going to live here?

"Miss Blake, we've arrived." The driver politely opened the door.

I stumbled out of the car, legs weak. Those Netflix celebrity house tours looked like slums compared to this!

"You're here." Ryan emerged from the front door in perfectly tailored casual wear, looking exactly like the master of this mansion. Well, he was.

"This... this is really your house?" My voice trembled.

Ryan smiled coolly: "Welcome to your new workplace. Come in, I'll give you the tour."

Workplace? My internal balance instantly shifted. Right, this is just work.

The moment I stepped into the living room, I was completely speechless. Soaring ceilings, Italian marble floors, and that... God, was that a private screening room?

"Living room, dining room, kitchen." Ryan introduced mechanically. "Gym on the basement level, screening room on sub-level two."

"Private screening room..." I mumbled, eyes glazed.

"For reviewing dailies." Ryan added. "Your guest suite is on the second floor, with an en-suite bathroom and walk-in closet. My master bedroom and office area are on the third floor—please don't disturb."

I snapped back to attention: "So we have... separate bedrooms?"

"Of course." Ryan avoided my gaze. "This is business, nothing else."

"Then... what are the rules for this arrangement?" I asked tentatively.

Ryan stopped and turned to face me: "Very simple. In public, you're my girlfriend. Private time is your own. Other than that, it's like any ordinary... business relationship."

An ordinary business relationship with a $500K monthly salary and a Malibu mansion? I thought sarcastically, but kept it to myself.

"There's a Tesla Model S in the garage you can use." Ryan continued. "The passcode is your birthday."

"How do you know my birthday?"

"Company HR files." He answered too quickly, as if covering something up.

After the tour, Ryan disappeared into his third-floor office area, leaving me alone in this enormous golden cage.

I sat down on the sofa and picked up the remote. The 85-inch 4K TV immediately lit up, showing Pride and Prejudice, the Keira Knightley version.

"Elizabeth's emotional arc is too shallow." I began analyzing the TV. "Her prejudice against Darcy changes too quickly, lacks psychological depth. It should be performed like this..."

I stood up and began mimicking the scenes on screen.

"Mr. Darcy, your proposal shocks me, but I must refuse." I performed passionately to the air. "Not because of your social status, but because of your character flaws..."

Mid-performance, I suddenly remembered my current role. If I was going to convincingly play his girlfriend, I needed to understand rich people's lifestyle.

My method acting instincts fully activated.

I rushed to the garage and saw the gleaming Tesla Model S.

"How do rich people display casual elegance in cars?" I muttered to myself, settling into the driver's seat.

From the passenger side glove compartment, I found a GoPro.

"Perfect! I can record my research process!"

I set up the GoPro on the dashboard and began "practicing" for the camera.

"Hi darling, how was your meeting today?" I smiled charmingly at the lens. "I've been so bored waiting for you at home..."

"No, too fake." I started over. "Hey baby, you're back? I was just reading scripts by the pool..."

Just as I was getting into it, I heard Ryan on the phone upstairs.

"Yes, Sophia, tomorrow's meeting is postponed until next week... What? You don't want to come back to work? What kind of deal did Marcus offer you?"

Sophia? Who's Sophia? My gossip radar immediately activated.

I quietly moved toward the stairs, trying to hear more clearly.

"I understand your choice, but you know my projects always need the best..." Ryan's voice carried a hint of resignation.

My jealousy acting instincts were triggered. Standing in the middle of the staircase, I began to "rehearse":

"Oh hi, I didn't know you were talking to HER. Does Sophia need another favor?"

"Is there some history between you two that I should know about?"

"Emma?"

Ryan's voice suddenly came from upstairs, startling me almost into falling down the stairs.

"I... I was just looking for the bathroom!" I explained awkwardly.

"The guest powder room is next to the kitchen." Ryan came down the stairs, his expression unreadable. "What were you just... rehearsing?"

"Nothing! Just... potential audition scenes." I blushed like a tomato. "Jealousy scenarios are pretty common, you know, to keep my acting skills sharp..."

Ryan stared at me for several seconds. "You don't need to rehearse jealousy. This is just a business arrangement."

"Of course." I nodded frantically. "Professional habit."

At dusk, I stood by the floor-to-ceiling windows watching the sunset, unable to resist more "research."

"If I'm a rich man's girlfriend, how should I appreciate this kind of sunset?" I struck various poses. "Melancholic gazing, or satisfied smiling?"

"Or like this..." I crossed my arms, adopting a lonely posture. "A bird trapped in a golden cage..."

Tears actually started flowing.

"God, my emotional authenticity is getting better and better!" I cried while getting excited. "This trapped feeling is so real!"

"Emma?" Ryan suddenly appeared behind me. "Are you... crying?"

I hastily wiped my tears: "No no no! I'm just practicing emotional scenes for potential auditions! This heartbreak expression is really challenging!"

He looked like he wanted to say something, but finally just said: "Dinner has arrived."

The dining room was set with exquisite Italian cuisine, Michelin-star quality. As I ate, I thought: I'm basically a high-end escort now, except the service I'm providing is performing as a girlfriend instead of... other things.

This thought made me feel even heavier.

"This risotto is delicious." I tried to break the silence.

"You don't need to force conversation." Ryan said. "This isn't a date."

Right, this isn't a date. I reminded myself—this is a business transaction.

After dinner, Ryan disappeared again. I wandered around the house aimlessly, discovering that the smart home system was truly intelligent. The lights automatically adjusted, the sound system knew my music preferences, and even the coffee machine...

Wait.

The coffee machine was set to exactly the strength I preferred. I remembered always complaining about weak coffee at the studio.

"Is this a coincidence?" I murmured to myself.

There were other small details. The pillows in the guest room were the firmness I liked, the shower gel was a brand I used, and even the Netflix account had movies I typically watched saved.

"Just how much does he know about me?"

Late at night, while searching for a phone charger, I accidentally entered a room on the third floor.

Moonlight streamed through the window, and I could see this was Ryan's study. There was a huge pin board on the wall covered with photos.

Moving closer, my heart nearly stopped beating.

Those photos... were all of me.

Not surveillance screenshots, not official stills, but candid shots of me working at the studio. Me reading scripts during coffee breaks, me chatting with Maya at lunch, me laughing with my eyes crinkled like crescents at the wrap party...

Some photos I didn't even remember being taken.

"What does this mean?" I stared at those photos, complex emotions surging through me.

Was he stalking me? Or...

Footsteps sounded on the stairs.

I frantically fled the study, my heart pounding like thunder.

Closing the guest room door, I leaned against it gasping for breath.

What did those photos mean? Why was Ryan collecting pictures of me? What was really hidden behind this fake dating contract?

I remembered Maya's words: "You're the first."

If this is just business, why would I be the first?

If this is just for damage control, why does he know so much about me in such detail?

I lay on the king-size bed, staring at the ceiling.

Tomorrow, I had to figure out the truth behind all of this.

But for now, I could only lie in this golden cage, imagining the stories behind those photos...