I’ve always had a stutter, and my reactions are a beat slower than everyone else’s. It was a discussion about merging family assets. My brother, Harrison, asked me, "Who do you like? I’ll arrange it." I looked at my childhood friend, the current top superstar sitting across from us, and my face flushed red. "I... I’m t-thinking..." "Alright, say no more. I get it," Harrison interrupted. He didn't even wait for me to finish, assuming I was hesitant. He turned and left. That night, a video of Asher West, the hottest actor in Hollywood, drunk and crying like a boiling tea kettle, went trending worldwide. "Her brother said she doesn't like me! Even if it’s an arranged marriage, it won't be me!" Me: ? I just wanted to say I was thinking it might be hard for him! 1. Asher is trending again. When the news broke, I was squatting in the wind, eating a salad. There were too many fans following his schedule this time. I had been camping out since I got off the plane just to secure this spot. Next to me was Bella, a die-hard fan of Caleb Cross for seven years. She had saved up for a long time just to see Caleb this time. Seeing the trending topic, she curled her lip. "So annoying. Who wants to see that plague god anyway?" I craned my neck to peek. It turned out Asher’s birthday was coming up. A wealthy fan had dropped a fortune to rent out all the digital billboards in Times Square to celebrate. Passersby took photos, and it hit the trending tab immediately. Checking the comments, Asher’s fandom was exploding: [My fave is too powerful!] [It’s our Lady Citrus again! Rich and generous!] [Sharing a fandom with Lady Citrus is truly a blessing...] DoubleCitrus—that’s me. I’m known in the fandom as the rich auntie. I’ve been supporting Asher since his debut. Every time I spend, I spend big. The fans affectionately call me "Lady Citrus." Bella huffed. "Great, the Plague God's fans are going to be insufferable again." "Plague God" is the anti-fan nickname for Asher. Caleb Cross is filming in LA this time, playing the second male lead in a huge IP adaptation. The male lead is Asher. They have similar status in the industry, so they were already considered rivals. Now, acting as lead and second lead in the same show sparked massive debate. The two fandoms have been tearing each other apart since the cast announcement. Bella hates Asher with a passion. My phone buzzed in my pocket. Clutching my fan merchandise, I struggled to pull it out. Seeing the caller ID, I panicked and fumbled to hang up. "What's wrong?" Bella looked over. "N-nothing," I stammered. The screen lit up again. It was a text from Asher. Asher: [Your brother said you're at the studio lot in LA. Where are you?] Afraid Bella would see, I shoved the phone back into my pocket. Suddenly, there was a commotion ahead. "Caleb is coming out!" Someone shouted, and the fans screamed, pushing forward frantically. Bella launched herself from a standing start, sprinting to the front the moment Caleb appeared. My reaction was too slow. I couldn't squeeze past them. Someone bumped me hard, and I tumbled straight into a roadside ditch. The other fans were too busy snapping photos to care. I shouted twice, but no one looked back. Eventually, I crawled out of the pit alone. Too late to rub my sore hip, I immediately checked the camera I had been protecting like a baby in my arms. Not a scratch. I giggled. Brushing the dirt off my clothes, I checked the photo of Caleb I had captured in that split second. Perfect. It’ll be easy to Photoshop. 2. Half an hour later, downstairs at the hotel. Asher, wearing a black puffer jacket, a mask, and a baseball cap, saw my mud-covered state and his face instantly darkened. "What happened to you?" I hugged my camera and merch happily, my face practically screaming I went out to party. "I went to see Caleb. He’s so handsome!" Asher’s face under the mask grew even darker. "So, your brother said you were chasing a star. You’re chasing Caleb?" "Y-yeah." I nodded honestly. Asher and I hadn't seen each other for almost two months. He’s a top star now, constantly running schedules. Sometimes we don't see each other for months. Last time was Christmas. He squeezed in a meal with me, then flew overseas overnight. This drama is his first major production after transitioning his image. The competition for the lead role was fierce. Asher fought hard for it. Because of this, he cleared his schedule and arrived in LA half a month early. I didn't want to disturb his filming, so I hadn't texted him much lately. I intended to keep this trip a secret from my brother, Harrison. But Harrison found out when I bought the plane ticket and immediately snitched to Asher. Learning the truth, Asher laughed out of anger. "Okay, fine. Harper Sutton, why did you even come to find me then?" "Harrison told me to." I answered truthfully. Although I claimed to have online friends, Harrison never felt at ease about me. He told me to find Asher once I got to LA. I always listen to my brother. Ding— The elevator doors opened. I walked in quickly. Seeing Asher still sulking in the lobby, I waved at him. "Come in, I'm starving." He walked in reluctantly but kept a foot of distance between us. Just as the doors were closing, a woman rushed in. "Hold the door!" I instinctively stepped back and bumped right into Asher. The woman heard the noise and looked over. I spotted it instantly—she was holding Caleb Cross merchandise. Reflexively, I grabbed Asher. "Huh?" Asher stumbled, about to speak, but I shoved his head down. When the woman looked again, she only saw a tall man burying his face in my neck, like a lover seeking comfort. She quickly averted her gaze, looking the other way. "What are you doing?" Asher mumbled, confused by the sudden move. He tried to struggle, but I held him down. "Don't move," I whispered conspiratorially in his ear. "It's a Caleb fan." "Do you have to... this isn't appropriate..." Hearing that, Asher stopped moving. Two seconds passed. He suddenly let out a soft hmph. Then, he leaned into me, resting his chin obediently on my shoulder. I tried to step back, but he wrapped his arm around my waist. The bridge of his nose brushed my ear through the mask. It tickled and felt hot. He was practically pressed against my face as he articulated, word for word— "You think this isn't appropriate?" Ding— The elevator finally opened. The woman, forced to watch the "couple" make out for the whole ride, practically ran out. I shoved Asher away immediately. "Y-you were too close!" We were alone in the elevator. Asher pulled down his mask and suddenly smiled. "Why are you nervous?" ? Nonsense! My face turned bright red. "I... I am not!" 3. I was a premature baby. I’ve stuttered since I was little, and my reaction time is slower than average. My parents were busy with work, so Harrison basically raised me. On my first day of elementary school, my brother told me earnestly, "It doesn't matter if you don't understand the teacher. The family donated money to the school. Just eat well and make some friends." I nodded vaguely, noting it down. Later, it proved Harrison was overthinking it. I couldn't make friends at all. Other kids didn't like playing with a stutterer. They didn't play with me, but because of my family's wealth, they didn't dare bully me either. I was young then and didn't know what isolation was. I just thought the school lunch was delicious and the teachers were nice. If the kids didn't play with me, I’d play by myself. Asher transferred in during third grade. He caused a sensation as soon as he arrived. I heard rumors that his mother was a "homewrecker." Asher was an illegitimate child. I didn't really understand what that meant. But I could tell he was isolated like me. When he first arrived, Asher was quiet. Rather than being isolated, it seemed more like he had isolated everyone else. Until one P.E. class, some boys, jealous of Asher, yelled at him to fetch the ball. Asher ignored them at first. Then the group of boys made up a rhyme, calling his mom a fox (a homewrecker) and him a little fox. Asher snapped and charged them. Even back then, Asher had exquisite features, a budding beauty. And I happened to appreciate beauty. Seeing Asher get punched in the face, I got angry. I ran over, picked up the soccer ball, and smashed it hard into the lead fatty's face. Half an hour later, the three of us stood outside the principal's office, waiting for our parents. Asher stood with a stoic face, hair messy, wiping a bloody nose. I stood beside him, puffing my cheeks, while the fat kid covered his head and wailed. I was annoyed. "D-don't cry!" "Cry again, and I'll h-hit you again!" The kid stopped howling. Asher looked at me in surprise. "D-don't be afraid." I held his hand. "My family... is super rich!" Harrison rushed over just in time to hear this and nearly blacked out. After figuring out the situation, he glared at Asher. "So you're the kid who made my sister fight?" "Brother!" I didn't stutter when calling Harrison. "He's handsome!" Harrison's face looked even worse. Neither of Asher's parents showed up. He stood alone in the hallway, head down, looking small and lonely. The fat kid's parents came in furious, wanting justice. But seeing Harrison in the office, their faces instantly changed to fawning smiles, eager to settle. The next day, I found Asher again, holding a cake made by our chef. Maybe because of the camaraderie from the fight, Asher didn't scowl. He asked what I wanted. "I... I heard, if you have a Boss, no one bullies you..." I tried hard not to stutter. Asher looked annoyed, seemingly thinking of how to reject me. Until I continued— "So... so, you be my Boss!" Asher: "?" He looked at me for a few seconds. I hurriedly pushed the cake toward him. "Ice... ice cream cake. It's yummy." I wanted to say, if you accept me as your boss, you get ice cream cake every day. But when he opened the box, it was a mess. It was hot, and I forgot the ice packs. The cake had melted. Asher looked disgusted. But he took the spoon, and under my expectant gaze, took a bite. "Okay." He agreed. From then on, I had a henchman. Later I learned Asher had transferred because of fighting at his old school. Classmates whispered that he was a mad dog. I didn't know how to handle a henchman. So I asked my brother. Harrison thought I wanted a puppy, so he bought me a stack of Dog Training Manuals. The manuals worked. My relationship with Asher grew closer. Though occasionally, Asher would ask, "Do you really like shaking hands that much?" "Yeah." I nodded seriously, extending my hand. "Paw." Asher had no choice but to shake my hand. In middle school, we were in different classes. On the second day, a teacher called on me, exposing my stutter. After that, some annoying boys would mimic me during breaks. At first, I was too oblivious to care. But soon, the whole grade was talking about the stuttering girl in Class 1 who was loaded. When word reached Asher, he picked a time after school and took me to corner those boys. "You're bullying my boss?" Asher was tall by then. Glaring at them in the corner, he really did look like a mad dog. "Apologize to her." "S-sorry!" He scared the boy into a real stutter. Asher got angrier. "Apologize properly!" After that day, no one dared laugh at my speech. I practiced for a long time until I could speak normally in front of people. Only occasionally, with strangers or when nervous, would I still stutter. 4. Asher is so petty! I walked quickly into the room. Behind me, Asher asked casually, "Room service? or do you want to go to the restaurant?" "Don't talk to me." I pulled out my camera memory card angrily. "Busy editing photos." Silence behind me. After I edited a set of Caleb photos and admired them for a while before posting, I noticed the room was too quiet. I turned around. Asher had fallen asleep on the sofa. Rumor had it he’d been filming night shoots for days. Today was his first break. I walked over, squatted down, and snapped a photo with my phone. Looking at Asher’s sleeping face, innocent as a baby, I smiled with satisfaction. I opened Twitter and switched to my alt account. My DMs were instantly at 99+. The newest one was from just now— [Lady Citrus, did you see the new paparazzi shots of Asher?!] Of course, I saw them. Not only did I see them, I saved them all. Happily, I started a new post and attached nine high-res edited photos of Asher, as usual. DoubleCitrus: [Today's welfare pics~] I ignored the rapidly increasing likes and shook Asher awake. "Asher, I'm hungry. Let's go eat." Asher has a bit of a temper when waking up. He opened his eyes impatiently, saw it was me, and closed them again. "Mmm... give me five minutes." Ten minutes later, hotel restaurant. I was debating between steak or pasta when a familiar voice sounded in my ear— "Hmm? Isn't this Asher?" !!! I whipped my head around. Caleb Cross, who had just left surrounded by fans, appeared right in front of me, fresh as a daisy. Asher nodded at him coolly. "Yeah. Coincidence. You're eating too." Then he turned to me. "Whatever. Order whatever you want. Give me what you can't finish." Is that the priority right now?! Caleb’s gaze landed on me. Hearing Asher’s words, his look became meaningful. "And this is?" I winked frantically at Asher. Asher finally introduced me reluctantly. "Harper Sutton. My friend." "Ah, Asher's friend." Caleb smiled, his eyes studying me. "Hi, I'm Caleb Cross. I'm filming with Asher, playing the second lead." I know! I know! "Hi, hi." I excitedly reached out to shake his hand. Mid-air, Asher intercepted it. "Can you fix this habit of shaking hands with everyone?" Asher coolly held my hand and pushed the ice cream the waiter just brought toward me. "Your favorite ice cream." Then he glanced at Caleb. "Sorry, we need to eat. You have someone waiting for you too, right?" Caleb took the hint and nodded. "Right. Won't disturb you then." Before leaving, he turned and smiled at me one last time. I watched him walk to a corner table, reluctant to look away. The steak arrived. Asher started cutting it. I ate my ice cream, babbling. "Caleb is so handsome when he smiles..." "I saw him during the day, but there were too many people." "Up close, he's ten thousand times better looking than his photos!" "It's so great. Just coming out for a meal with you and I meet my crush. I'm so happy..." Suddenly, my vision went black. Asher was annoyed. He covered my eyes with his hand. "Asher?" "I can't see." Silence. "Yeah. Don't look." I tried to resist, but he grabbed my hands. I opened my mouth to bite him, but he stuffed a spoonful of ice cream in. Grapefruit flavor. The citrus burst in my mouth. Sour, bitter. But after swallowing, the aftertaste was sweet. "Harper." My vision returned. Asher let go and pushed the cut steak toward me. "How much do you know about him to say you like him?" I forked a piece of steak. Chew, chew. "Like is like. I know everything about him!" Asher paused. "Oh. And you too." I smiled proudly at him. "I know everything about you too." "Since we’ve known each other for so many years, I probably know you better than any fan." Asher didn't speak. He just stared at me for a long time. Then he looked away and chuckled dryly. "There's plenty you don't know..." I finished my ice cream. I looked at Asher with puppy eyes. Resigned, Asher pushed his portion toward me. "What's the difference between your like for him and your like for this ice cream?" That's different, surely. I thought about it. "Ice cream comes first." Asher seemed to smile again. "Yeah. It's good you stay like this." I took a bite, tilting my head. "But you and Harrison barely make it to a tie for first with the ice cream." "Oh, I'm truly honored." Asher said flatly, taking a spoonful of the ice cream I had eaten from. "Come back and say that when you can tell the difference between me and ice cream."
? Continue the story here ?? ? Download the "MotoNovel" app ? search for "389522", and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel