From Villain to Virtual Sweetheart: The Fake Heir's Grand Scheme(BL)
Chapter 81: Jacklin’s New Approach

Chapter 81: Jacklin’s New Approach

Carrying the shopping bags between them, Micah and Darcy climbed the stairs to the third-floor apartment. The old narrow stairwell smelled faintly of damp concrete and someone’s burnt dinner from a few floors down.

The metal railing wobbled when touched, and Micah eyed it warily as he followed behind Darcy, clutching the plastic bag tightly.

Once inside, Darcy kicked off his shoes and carried the heavier bags straight into the kitchen, already unpacking. His movements were quick and efficient, like someone used to doing everything around the house.

Micah hovered near the kitchen, holding his own bag awkwardly, unsure where to go or what to do.

"You just gonna stand there?" Darcy asked without looking up as he sorted groceries on the counter. Then he grabbed a bunch of green vegetables and tossed them lightly toward Micah. "Go wash them."

Micah fumbled and caught the vegetables against his chest with a startled blink. "Oh. Okay."

He dropped the bags on the counter and shuffled to the sink, still holding the vegetables against his chest, as if he had never touched parsley and lettuce in his life.

He twisted the tap, water gushing out, and he reached for the first tools he spotted. The dishwashing liquid and a stiff brush. He squirted some soap over the leaves and began to scrub.

Darcy turned just in time to see the horror show begin. "Wait, wait, wait! What are you doing??!" he exclaimed with a wide-eyed stare.

"Washing the vegetables?!" Micah tilted his head, confused.

Darcy rushed over and snatched the brush from Micah’s hand like it was a weapon.

"This way? Do you want to take the skin off them or something?! Just rinse them under running water!"

Micah scratched the back of his neck. "Oh..."

"Have you ever done any work in the kitchen?" Darcy asked, returning the brush to its holder.

Micah shrugged, offering a helpless smile. "Nope, my mum never let me."

"Pampered to the core..." Darcy mumbled. "Go sit down on the couch and relax. When dinner is ready, I’ll call you."

Darcy feared if he let him stay in the kitchen, disaster would follow.

Micah gave a salute and obediently stepped out of the kitchen. He plopped down on the couch with a soft huff, settling into the cushions as he glanced back toward the kitchen. From this angle, he could see Darcy moving swiftly, washing, chopping, and peeling.

With the efficient way he worked in the kitchen, Micah knew it wasn’t just a hobby for Darcy to cook.

He tore his gaze away from him, shutting down his line of thoughts.

He pulled out his phone, thumbing it on. Notifications exploded on his screen, Cora again. Micah could guess what it was all about. That game. He didn’t want to think about that match again. Ever!

He needed something to lift his mood.

He switched to SugerPlumFairyIsLeo’sWife’s WeChat account and scrolled down.

The Majestic King chat group was fully active. Still talking about Leo’s manager.

LeoLuvsMe: Have you heard about Leo? Twilight Entertainment still hasn’t posted anything. Not about Leo, not about the manager!

Leo’sFirstConcubine: yeah, it’s complete silence.

LioNessQueen: I texted him, no reply, though.

KingRuleOverMe: should we call the police?

HisMajestyMuffin: Are you even family? I think the shock was too great and made our Leo shut himself at home.

Leo’sThirdConcubine: his silence is only giving those awful yellow magazines more fuel to smear him!

TheKing’marshmallow: Yeah. They’re switching tactics now. I don’t even know how to defend him anymore.

CozyLioness: Let’s stay calm and trust our Leo.

SugerPlumFairyIsLeo’sWife: Maybe he is gathering evidence to fight back against his manager and company?!

Micah paused, his fingers hovering over the screen. His lips pressed into a thin line as he remembered that night. With the things unfolding, Leo would be a damn idiot if he didn’t use this chance to terminate his contract with Twilight Entertainment. He knew he had been looking at Leo through rose-coloured glasses, but after seeing Leo drugged and ready to be slaughtered, he wished Leo would break away from that company.

Meanwhile, across the city, Jacklin chuckled as she read SugerPlumFairy’s comment.

"Ah! She is so smart!"

Beside her, Emile, her little cousin, raised his head from his phone, one brow arched in curiosity. "Who?!"

Emile, eighteen and already exuding rich-kid boredom, didn’t act his age. With tousled chestnut curls, pale skin, bright blue eyes that always seemed to be half-lidded in boredom or smugness, and an oversized hoodie swallowing his slender frame, he looked like a prince who had wandered off from his palace.

He had grown up abroad, bouncing between European cities with his parents, both senior executives overseeing the La Rivière branches scattered around the world. Two months ago, he had shocked everyone by insisting on returning to his home country. Claimed he wanted to reconnect with his roots. Jacklin hadn’t bought that excuse for a second.

Now, he was her responsibility, thanks to her little uncle, who had tossed him into Jacklin’s care.

Jacklin didn’t even look up from her screen. "My friend. You don’t know her."

Jacklin was not too keen to tell him about Asena. It would be better if it remained secret until they succeeded.

"Hmph," Emile flopped back on the couch, kicking his sock-covered feet. "What’s with this rule? I don’t want to sleep in a room with three smelly, sweaty guys!"

"Oh, then don’t," Jacklin said sweetly. "You can still go to uni abroad. Your parents will throw a party."

"No way. I want to live here!" Emile shook his head stubbornly.

Jacklin finally glanced at him, her expression flat. "Be honest, why are you really here?"

"I told you. I want to study in my homeland!"

"Yeah, yeah... you have said that a thousand times..." Jacklin rolled her eyes and turned back to the fan chat.

She smiled as she typed to SugerPlumFairy.

LioNessQueen: Asena, would you like to come with me to visit Leo?"

She, of course, knew Leo better than anyone else. After all, Jacklin had been the one to discover him, the one who gave him his first break. She wasn’t just some longtime fan. This was personal. And now, it was her responsibility to demand an explanation from Twilight Entertainment. She hadn’t pulled strings just to see her idol used as a stepping stone to hype up another actress.

If Leo hadn’t been sharp enough to sidestep that stage set-up, Jacklin didn’t even want to imagine the fallout.

And beyond helping Leo, she could use this opportunity to "accidentally" run into her little uncle and watch Asena’s reaction up close.

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