The Manipulated Villainess

"Thank you for your hard work. You did a really great job." A professional photographer praised Aston with a friendly smile.

They just finished shooting for the next issue of Cear Magazine in which the actor would be gracing the cover. When the news was reported weeks ago, it created quite a buzz as it had been a long time since the actor agreed to a photoshoot.

The shooting was followed by an interview where the actor answered the questions about his career, his current project, his plan for the future and many other things.

"Your fans are very curious about why you finally agreed to this photoshoot. As everyone knows, you always concentrate on acting and didn't put much importance on other things. Can you tell us why?" The interviewer, who was a young woman in her late 20s asked Aston Kang.

"To be honest, I always do things only when I feel like it. I'm quite lazy." Aston said with light laughter. "I tend to stay away from doing things which I'm not happy with as much as possible and my principles are never shaken. Even today, I do this photoshoot not because it's my work, but because I feel like it and I'm happy to be doing this." He frankly responded.

The strong image of Aston Kang which people really loved was that he never hesitated to speak his mind. It often led him to criticisms but he was respected for always being real while speaking.

"You're still the Aston Kang that we knew." The interviewer said with a smile. "There's one more thing which we really wish to know. Two years ago, you were one of the best rising actors in the drama industry. At that time, you were offered a lead role in screenwriter Hannah Lim's new project. She is the top screenwriter whose every work is promised to be a hit."

Aston's narrowed his eyes and secretly squeezed the chair where he was sitting. He started to feel the pressure.

"Screenwriter Lim is known for giving the rising actors a chance to be on the top by giving them a lead role in her dramas and she chose you to be her Male Lead at that time. But you declined the offer and you are the first and only person till date to decline the offer from the top screenwriter. May I ask you why you do that?" The interviewer continued and asked him.

The interviewer added more information by saying, "The drama was about a poor orphan who rose to the top after enduring many years of struggle and poverty."

"The main lead which you were offered had a harsh childhood life. His own mother attempted to kill him because she had no money to raise him but he was saved by the police. He then did everything to survived and started his own business at a young age despite many struggles. The rest becomes history as we saw in the drama."

"The role was later offered to Samuel Yoo, who was also your good friend and it became a huge hit. The success of the drama still made many people wonder why you decline the offer. Can you please tell us why?"

Aston appeared to be sitting calmly yet his inside was never calm since the project was mentioned by the interviewer! He continued to squeeze the chair, knowing that the pressure which gets thickened each second, could burst out anytime!

Cold sweat was quickly formed at the side of his face and he unconsciously bit his lips. His eyes had no movement at all as if he was glued to the things before him but... his mind was not in that room. It was back to many years ago which he still remembered as clear as yesterday.

"Mr. Kang. Mr. Kang." The interviewer's voice snapped Aston out of his continuous repercussions.

He slowly loosened his hand and faked a smile. "Can we rest for a few minutes? I'm not feeling well."

"Sure. We can stop here if it's too much for you." The interviewer politely replied and with that said, the actor rose from his seat and immediately went to the restroom.

Five minutes passed and all Aston did was washing his face with cold water again and again. "Snap out, Aston Kang!" He patted both sides of his cheeks with his palms and yelled at his reflection on the mirror before him.

He lowered his hands to turn off the tap but he can't even do it properly because his hands were out of his control when they started shuddering!

'You must die!'

The cursing words echoed on his ears and tormented him until it made him lose his mind.

"Stop it!" His right hand balled into a fist and he hardly bangs the mirror, which cracked due to the strong force with blood from his hand slowly flowing down the damaged mirror.

He looked at his reflection on the cracked mirror and stared at himself right in the eyes. "I will not die." He whispered to himself like he always did for the past seventeen years.

He thoroughly cleaned his wound with water and left the set right away as if nothing happened, knowing that he had to attend an important meeting.

* * *

Nicole was very startled when her secretary escorts Aston to her office. It's not that she was not expecting him, but his appearance doesn't resemble the playful man in her memory.

She noticed the difference as soon as he takes off his sunglasses. He smiled at her like always but... the smile was far from convincing.

She scanned him keenly and noticed his injured hand that was left untreated and of course, the end of his right sleeve which was slightly red in blood. She looked at him as if she saw some character of a horror movie.

The moment Aston saw her expression, he regrets right away for not listening to his manager. The manager asked him to changed his white buttoned shirt because of the blood-stained but he refused because he thinks of nothing else but to meet her as fast as possible.

He narrowed his eyes to take a good look at himself and when he saw messed up look, he realized how thoughtless he was!

He thought that he would be okay but the truth was right before his eyes. He was so far from being okay. He deliberately made his fake smile wider, hoping to hide his feelings but it doesn't work.

The woman was not a fool.

The secretary left and the awkward silence continued which scared the man. He never showed his weakness to anyone! He always made sure to hide it well.

But why? Why was he in such a hurry to meet her? This was not the side of him which he wanted to show her!

Aston hung his head low, feeling embarrassed at his current situation. But his embarrassment was exceeded by one feeling.

The dreadful feeling of being afraid that this pathetic scene would be implanted on her mind, which might change his image on her. Well, if he ever had a positive impression on this woman, he didn't want it to be ruined, no matter what it takes.....