CHAPTER 563: MICAH AND THE MOUNTAIN OF TROUBLE (PART TWO )

The outside set was alive with motion. The sunset cast everything in a warm gradient of gold, pink, and amber. Above them, streaks of violet were already creeping into the sky, hinting at the approaching night.

The director, Evelyn, stood near the monitors, practically glowing with satisfaction. The lighting team adjusted massive reflector panels to catch the last, rich rays of sunlight.

When Micah finally returned from makeup, Emile’s brain simply shut down. Micah looked ethereal.

He wore a black bodysuit that fit him perfectly, his hair had been lightly styled to fall around his face in airy strands. The hazel in his eyes shimmered under the setting sun, making him look like a winter fae prince stepping out of a sci-fi novel.

Before Emile could recover, another figure emerged from the tent.

Ilyas. Tall and dazzling.

Under the white bodysuit tailored to perfection, his posture was straight and commanding. The setting sun draped him in honey-colored light, making him almost blinding.

Emile felt his confidence crumble into fine powder. How were these two real? How could any normal human stand between them and survive?

Director Evelyn clapped her hands, calling everyone to focus. "We’ll continue yesterday’s scene. This is the final moment, the warm shift in emotion after both characters fall in love with the human girl, their master."

There was no actress, of course, the ad was shot in a first-person perspective. The "girl" was the camera, and the actors had to express everything without a partner to bounce off.

The difficulty was sky-high.

But Micah stepped into place like he was born there. He adjusted the angle of his chin, let his eyes soften, let the wind lightly brush his hair. When the camera rolled, he looked directly into the lens, into the "girl", and the entire world seemed to shift around him.

He didn’t act with exaggerated movements. It was subtle. A delicate twitch of his lips, a warm brightness rising in his eyes, a slight relaxing of his shoulders, gentle, sincere affection blooming in real time.

The crew went dead silent.

Emile’s jaw slowly dropped. Micah... was good. Too good.

The sunset slowly melted behind the mountains, turning gold into rose, then into muted purple. When the final sliver of sun sank away, Evelyn called, "Cut! That’s a wrap!"

Micah exhaled, shaking off the gentle demeanour like stepping out of a costume. He changed clothes quickly, then grabbed Emile by the wrist.

"Come," he said. "Let me introduce you."

They walked over to Evelyn, who greeted them warmly. Micah introduced Emile as a fine arts student, and Evelyn’s eyes lit up with genuine interest.

Ilyas watched them from a short distance. He didn’t approach, only observed Micah with a faint frown. Micah kept showing up with new people, yesterday a big shot, today someone who looked like a startled bunny. The variety made it impossible for Ilyas to get a read on him.

After the disaster his older brother had caused, Ilyas had stopped reporting anything about Micah. He didn’t want to give that man another excuse to target him.

But his silence only made his older brother more uneasy.

In desperation, Chief Assistant Harper dragged Willow to the set.

He had tried to block the silver-haired young man from participating in the project, abusing his authority within management. He never expected the director to throw a tantrum insisting on Micah being the main character.

In the end, he’d been forced to swallow his pride and compromise. He managed to keep his younger brother on the project, but now Ilyas was giving him the cold shoulder after learning what he had done

To Harper, Micah screamed danger.

First, he befriended his younger brother, who never warmed to strangers, and now he’d hooked up with the vice director as well.

Harper couldn’t sit still. He needed to see for himself what was happening on set.

Stepping out of the car, Willow’s eyes went straight to one person.

The moment Willow laid eyes on Micah, in costume, hair styled, looking like a celestial creature, her entire body stiffened.

Her little brother had tricked them. And secretly appeared in the Ramsy advertisement??

She was ready to march forward and lecture him into the ground, but the crew was everywhere, camera operators, lights technicians, makeup artists, assistants, too many eyes.

So she hid in the shadows. Grinding her teeth. Recording her stunning little brother secretly.

Micah, completely unaware of impending doom, walked toward the parking area, cheerful and relaxed, chatting with Emile and Ilyas.

"Let’s go out to eat to celebrate," he said brightly.

Then he froze.

Willow stood there. Arms crossed. Expression thunderous.

Micah’s soul left his body.

He gulped. What was his older sister doing here? What was with his luck? What if she scolded him in front of everyone? Saying how could Ramsy’s heir stoop so low?

What face would he have to show afterwards? No no. He couldn’t let her talk here.

He practically sprinted toward her. "Sister! What a surprise," he said with a strained smile.

He had no choice, Chief Assistant Harper and Ilyas had seen him with her before. Ignoring her would make everything worse.

Willow smirked coldly. "I should be the one saying that."

Micah shrank a little. "Hehe..."

Emile peeked from behind Micah. "Hello, sister Willow..."

Willow’s expression instantly melted, warmth flooding her sharp eyes. "Oh! Cutepie is here too."

Micah’s face darkened. "Cutepie?" he repeated, half disgusted, half baffled.

Willow smiled sweetly. "Aria named him that. He’s such a sweet boy."

Emile blushed, swooning as if he might faint. "Sister... you’re embarrassing me..."

Micah felt nausea rise. His expression turned blue. Inwardly he gagged. Emile! This little fox was acting up again, fooling even his older sister.

Ilyas watched the interaction carefully. He turned to his older brother, who looked resigned. Both men silently reached the same confusing conclusion:

The cold, busy, dignified vice director Willow...

Knew Micah. Knew Micah’s friend. And talked to them like family. What exactly was going on?