Playing the Villainess, He Fell for Me

"...It was too dark. I couldn’t see."

Simon Lockwood’s face was impassive as he spoke. He leaned in, lowering his head to carefully untangle the few strands of her hair caught in the zipper.

He was so close, his gaze lowered and his expression focused and earnest. His long eyelashes cast shadows over his serene, dark eyes. As Joanna Kennedy watched him like this, an almost imperceptible glint flashed in her eyes.

Something inside her was stirred, and for a moment, her mind went completely blank.

Back in the bar, Liam Valentine was smiling faintly...

Joanna Kennedy finally understood where that inexplicable feeling came from.

Liam Valentine... was surprisingly similar to Simon Lockwood.

If she said it out loud, people would probably think she was crazy.

Liam Valentine wasn’t the kind of man you’d call handsome at first glance. His features were too ordinary, with no single element that stood out. But his remarkable presence and physique made up for it, elevating his plain face into something extraordinary.

Simon Lockwood, on the other hand, had delicate, deep-set features and a clean-cut, youthful charm. He was the kind of man who could make your heart race and your cheeks flush with just a single glance.

Their looks were polar opposites, yet when Liam Valentine smiled, his gaze lowered slightly, Joanna Kennedy could only think of one thing—’Simon Lockwood must look just like that when he smiles.’

Gentle and serene, with a refined air and a hint of almost imperceptible aloofness...

A resemblance in spirit is always an elusive thing, sometimes even more difficult to explain than a physical one.

He pulled the zipper down a few centimeters and gently freed her hair from its teeth. Simon Lockwood let out a sigh of relief, his tone a little unnatural. "Did that hurt?"

When he received no answer, Simon Lockwood lifted his gaze and met her dazed stare. He, too, froze for a second before the corners of his lips curled into a slight smile.

’So... dazed...’

A light but firm poke to her forehead brought a ticklish sensation. Joanna Kennedy snapped out of it, lowering her gaze to hide the emotions swirling in her eyes. She rubbed her forehead and said slowly, "It didn’t hurt..."

"You didn’t pull any out, did you?" she pouted, her tone playfully indignant. "If you pulled out one strand, you owe me ten, you know~"

Simon Lockwood: "..."

He could practically see her perky little tail wagging. He deadpanned, "I pulled them all out."

What’s the greatest fear of today’s youth? Going bald, of course!

Joanna Kennedy panicked. She frantically checked her hair, grumbling, "How could you be so cruel? It’s not like I have that much hair to spare!"

She was genuinely distressed, looking as if she was about to crouch down, find the fallen strands, and try to stick them back on her head.

Simon Lockwood took a deep breath, turned on his heel, and walked away.

Seeing him leave only made Joanna Kennedy more frantic. She trotted after him, her mouth still going a mile a minute with a stream of petulant muttering...

「Inside the bar.」

Anna Yates had returned the way she came and was now sitting on a sofa by the dance floor, sipping her drink without much interest. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed a girl in a cocktail dress approaching.

"Excuse me, is anyone sitting here?" The girl’s voice was clear and sweet, and she was pretty to boot.

Anna Yates stared at her for a moment, surprised. "You’re Valentine?"

"You know me?" Valentine smiled, her eyes widening slightly.

Anna Yates answered honestly, "The movie you were in just came out, right? I saw it."

In fact, she had bought out an entire screening. It was Joanna Kennedy’s debut film, after all; she had to show her support.

In The Awakening Petals, Valentine played the role of a nobleman’s daughter who was engaged to a young general. She didn’t have much screen time, but she wasn’t so obscure as to be unrecognizable.

"Haha, I was just a minor character. It wasn’t my movie," Valentine said matter-of-factly. "A background character, really. No thoughts of her own. Just there to fill out the world and move the plot along."

"Everything exists for a reason," Anna Yates said with a smile, tossing out the platitude casually.

She couldn’t figure out why this actress, whom she’d never met before, was seeking her out. She asked directly, "Did you need something from me?"

"Mhm." Valentine nodded, her expression innocent. She suddenly leaned in, startling Anna Yates, who was just about to frown.

The next second, Valentine blinked her big, beautiful eyes and asked in a peculiar tone, "Miss, do you know what an NPC is?"

...

Joanna Kennedy was trying to figure out how to tell Simon Lockwood about what had happened at the restaurant when her phone rang. It was Anna Yates.

The call went through, but the other end was silent. Joanna Kennedy glanced at her phone in confusion. ’The call connected, right?’

"Anna, why aren’t you saying anything?" Joanna Kennedy asked, puzzled.

"I did talk. You just didn’t hear me." A bright, cheerful voice came through the phone, its tone lilting upward at the end. For some reason, Joanna Kennedy thought the voice sounded a little distorted.

"Oh, I see..." Joanna Kennedy didn’t think much of it. "The reception must be bad. Anyway, what’s up? Why the sudden call?"

"It’s nothing. I just wanted to test the effect."

There was still a smile in Anna Yates’s voice, and she sounded very happy. "And it looks like the effect is pretty good."

Joanna Kennedy was confused. "What effect? What are you doing?"

’Why do I feel like I don’t understand what she’s talking about?’

"Hehe. It’s nothing, really." Anna Yates giggled, then added as if she just remembered, "Oh, by the way, something came up. I have to head back to Aethelburg first thing tomorrow morning. Don’t miss me too much!"

"So suddenly? Did something happen—"

Before she could finish, the line went dead. Joanna Kennedy stared at her phone, speechless for a couple of seconds.

With a CLICK, the door to the other room opened. Joanna Kennedy had no more time to dwell on it. She put down her phone and sat up straight.

Simon Lockwood had just finished up some company matters. He came out and saw her sitting there, looking impossibly well-behaved. He instantly knew what this was about, but his expression remained impassive.

Joanna Kennedy stared straight ahead, but out of the corner of her eye, she tracked his every move, on high alert.

Simon Lockwood got some water. Simon Lockwood closed the curtains. Simon Lockwood drank the water. Simon Lockwood got into bed. Simon Lockwood started reading a book...

Joanna Kennedy: "..."

’He’s actually ignoring me?!’

Joanna Kennedy deflated, her ramrod-straight posture sagging. Then she shot back up, stomped over to the side of the bed, and just stood there without a word.

Her searing gaze was fixed on him, making her impossible to ignore.

Simon Lockwood: "..."

Simon Lockwood lowered his book and looked up. "Done playing nice?"

Joanna Kennedy’s eyes widened slightly before her gaze darted away. "Who was playing nice...?" she muttered stubbornly.

After two seconds of silence, Joanna Kennedy peeked over and saw that Simon Lockwood had actually picked up that stupid book and started reading again.

Joanna Kennedy: "..."

"Simon Lockwood, how can you be like this? I’m talking to you and you’re reading. That’s so rude," Joanna Kennedy accused.

She looked utterly indignant.

Simon Lockwood obligingly put down his book. "I’m listening."

"I..." Joanna Kennedy faltered, at a loss for words.

Simon Lockwood prompted, "Why’d you stop?"

"I haven’t figured out how to say it yet..." Joanna Kennedy glared at him for two seconds before her shoulders slumped in defeat.