Evelyn leaned closer to her, lowering her voice. "They're a group of film directors. Very well-known but not in a good way. They have this awful habit of manipulating celebrities."
Ryan nodded, adding grimly, "They approach famous actors with scripts. If the actor refuses the role, they twist the words and make it public, calling them arrogant, rude, or ungrateful. They've ruined careers before, especially of those who stood up for themselves."
Alina's brows furrowed as she listened intently. "That's terrible," she whispered.
Evelyn sighed. "Exactly. That's why we never give them appointments. Mr.Arden knows what kind of people they are. He's always careful about the projects he takes."
Ryan exhaled, still glaring toward the staircase. "And now they're here, trying to find him. They think they can just walk in and pressure him into saying yes to their script."
For a moment, silence filled the small space at their table. The distant music and laughter from the lower floors faded into a dull hum.
Alina's fingers tightened slightly around her napkin. "Do they really do that?"
Ryan nodded grimly. "They've done worse. Once, they leaked a conversation from another actor who rejected their film. They made it sound like he insulted their project. The poor guy was trolled online for weeks."
Evelyn added quietly, "They thrive on attention. And Kai Arden's name is the biggest prize right now. They'd do anything to drag him into their mess."
Alina glanced toward the entrance of the floor, her heartbeat quickening. She didn't know much about the film industry, but she could tell from Ryan's tone that this was serious. Kai wasn't just a celebrity to these people; he was a brand, a symbol of power, and they wanted to use that.
The restaurant was still alive with laughter and chatter, every floor filled with employees celebrating the success of Kai Arden's exhibition. But on the third floor, where the main table was, things were no longer as calm.
Evelyn's face had turned serious, her eyes darting toward the staircase where the four middle-aged directors had just arrived, scanning each table like vultures looking for prey.
She leaned closer to Ryan and Alina, lowering her voice urgently. "Where is Mr.Arden?"
Ryan looked around, then exhaled. "No idea."
Evelyn's eyes widened slightly. "Thank God he isn't here. If those bloody directors meet him now, they'll create a whole scene. It'll ruin the entire night for him, and look at everyone, they're so happy. We can't let them mess that up."
Alina's eyes followed the men slowly moving across the floor, their smug smiles making her skin crawl. Then she said calmly, "Don't worry about it. I'll handle them."
Ryan frowned. "Handle them? How?"
Alina smirked a quiet, confident smirk that immediately caught Evelyn's attention. "You said he loves being in the news, right? Fine. Then tonight, we'll fulfill his wish."
Evelyn blinked. "Alina…"
Alina had already leaned forward, whispering her plan to both of them. As she spoke, Ryan's expression shifted from confusion to amusement, and Evelyn's lips curved into a wicked grin. When she finished, both of them looked at her like she was the most brilliant troublemaker alive.
Ryan chuckled under his breath. "Oh, this is going to be fun."
Evelyn nodded eagerly. "Absolutely. That man deserves it."
Alina leaned back in her chair, brushing a strand of hair away from her face, her voice calm but sharp.
"Just wait and watch… this man won't step out of his house for the next four days. He'll be so embarrassed; he'll hide his face in shame."
Evelyn laughed softly. "You really are something, Alina Carter."
Meanwhile, the directors finally reached the third floor. Their shoes clicked sharply against the marble floor as they walked, heads turning from table to table. They scanned the crowd with predatory eyes.
"He should be here somewhere," one of them muttered irritably. "His entire staff is here."
"Where is he?" another grumbled, checking each table impatiently. "How can the host disappear from his own dinner party?"
The waiter approached politely, carrying a silver tray. "Sir, your drink?"
One of the directors raised an eyebrow. "We didn't order it."
The waiter tilted his head slightly toward a corner of the floor toward Alina. She sat elegantly at her table, her posture perfect, a faint, inviting smile playing on her lips. Her beauty was effortless, soft yet magnetic. The emerald satin of her dress shimmered under the chandelier light, the neckline modest but graceful, her long hair cascading like silk down her shoulders.
The director followed the waiter's gesture, and when his eyes landed on Alina, he froze for a second. Then, like a moth drawn to flame, he smirked and adjusted his collar.
"Well, well…" he muttered to his colleagues. "At least the night's not a total waste."
Taking the glass from the tray, he thanked the waiter and walked toward her. At another table, Ryan and Evelyn were pretending to be deep in conversation, though their eyes were fixed on the unfolding scene.
"Are you sure about this?" Ryan whispered, trying not to laugh.
Evelyn grinned. "Oh, I'm more than sure. This is going to be golden."
The director reached Alina's table and stopped beside her. "Thank you for the drink," he said smoothly, his tone dripping with arrogance. "May I?" He gestured toward the empty chair next to her.
Alina smiled politely, tilting her head just slightly. "Of course."
He sat down, clearly proud of himself, leaning back with the air of someone who thought the world belonged to him. "You work for Kai Arden?" he asked, eyes scanning her from head to toe.
"I do," she replied, her voice calm, her smile polite but unreadable.
"Well, I must say…" he leaned a little closer, lowering his voice, "he's got excellent taste in employees."
Alina's smile didn't falter, but her eyes glinted coldly. "That's very kind of you to say."
For a few minutes, she entertained his shallow conversation, listening to him boast about his "upcoming projects," his "connections," and how "he personally discovered many famous stars." Each word made her dislike him even more.
Finally, she placed her napkin down and said, "Excuse me for a moment. I need to use the washroom."
The director nodded eagerly. "Of course."
As Alina stood and walked away, she turned her head slightly over her shoulder, her eyes meeting his. She gave him the faintest smirk, an unspoken invitation. That was all it took. The director adjusted his suit and followed her, his steps quick and eager. But just as he passed the center of the floor, a voice called out behind him, loud and clear.
"Mr.Beau!...." He froze at Evelyn's voice. She stood up from her table, hands on her hips, a knowing smirk on her face. Her voice carried across the floor....I think you got your periods."
The entire restaurant went silent for half a second, then laughter burst out from every direction.
The director spun around in confusion. "What?!"
Then he saw it. On the chair he had just been sitting on was a perfect mark of dark red lipstick. Exactly where he had been seated. The color, the placement, everything looked real enough to make anyone's mind jump to the same embarrassing conclusion.
The laughter grew louder. Cameras flashed. A few employees covered their mouths, trying not to laugh too openly, but others couldn't help it.
"Oh my God!" someone gasped between giggles. "Did you see that?"
Another voice chimed in, "He got his period?"
Evelyn was wiping tears from her eyes, struggling to catch her breath. And standing near the staircase, Alina, who had stopped mid-step, turned slightly, her lips curling into a victorious smile. Her eyes sparkled with mischief as she watched the man's face turn from confusion to horror.
The director stammered, "Stop it! Stop filming! Delete those videos right now!"
But it was too late. Several phones were already up. A few employees even pretended to take selfies with him in the background while recording everything.
Alina bit her lip to stop herself from laughing too loudly, but her shoulders shook. The entire restaurant had erupted into laughter.
Evelyn raised her glass toward Alina and whispered under her breath, "To our little genius."
Ryan nodded, still smiling. "He's going to hide at home for a week after this."
The laughter was still echoing faintly when the director, red-faced and humiliated, stormed out of the restaurant. The employees tried not to giggle too loudly as he passed, but the corners of their mouths betrayed them. Phones were quickly slipped into pockets, a few whispers exchanged, and then, as if on cue, everyone returned to their seats, pretending nothing had happened.
At their table, Alina, Ryan, and Evelyn couldn't stop laughing. "Oh my God," Evelyn gasped between fits of laughter, wiping the corner of her eyes."Did you see his face?!" Alina nodded, laughing so hard she had to clutch her stomach. "I thought he was going to faint! And that lipstick mark looked too real!"
Ryan leaned back, chuckling. "Remind me never to make you angry, Alina Carter. You're dangerous."
"Only when someone deserves it," she said, her eyes sparkling mischievously.
As her laughter began to fade, Alina switched her chair to the one the director had sat on and plopped down dramatically with another small laugh. "Poor chair," she said softly, still giggling.
But before any of them could say another word, a quiet hush spread across the floor. He was back. Kai Arden.