521 A Visitor Card
Selma Payne’s POV:
Cynthia was still slightly confused about how her idol suddenly became a suspect. The autographed photo that had made her happy for a few hours quickly became a time bomb. She did not know whether to throw it away or keep it. Tilly’s lively signature on the photo was so glaring at the moment.
“Is she really a spy?” Cynthia asked in a muffled voice, “Isn’t she a pureblood werewolf who was born and raised in the pack? Even if she betrays us, will she ever have the chance to come into contact with foreign enemies?”
I touched the child’s head and softly said, “I’m not sure yet. Although Aunt Dorothy did see some clues, it doesn’t directly prove that Tilly is the spy. Perhaps she is indeed innocent, and she just unintentionally came into contact with the real spy.”
Cynthia didn’t believe such a naive explanation but didn’t ask any further. She just silently hid the photo in the corner of her suitcase.
I hoped to think of a good way to persuade this depressed child. However, I knew that if I spoke, I could only tell Cynthia an even crueler truth – Tilly might not be a spy, but whether she was ‘Tilly’ was another question. Being a dog in the manger was a method that had once caused me to suffer a huge setback.
The tour lasted three days, and soon, the Midnight Opera House troupe was leaving. Mara was reluctant to leave. She really liked the Spring Rain Pack and didn’t want to leave her old friends so soon.
Besides saying goodbye to us, Mara also left a small gift for Cynthia: A one-year visitor card.
“I heard you’re very interested in opera, little girl.” She gently touched Cynthia’s soft hair on her forehead. “Watching an opera is a wonderful experience, but I think working behind the scenes is also an unforgettable experience. You’re welcome to visit the opera often. Everyone likes you -not as a princess but as a child.”
This precious card lifted Cynthia’s depressed mood. She sweetly pounced into Mara’s arms and bid her farewell.
Before I left, Mara thought about it and told me some things that happened at the opera company.
“Tilly had been acting a little strange recently. Don’t look at me like that. I’m not a fool, girl. A Crown Princess will not personally inquire about an opera actress to satisfy her daughter’s interest. In short, listen to me. Tilly has been a little strange recently. She’s been mumbling something about someone watching her.
“At first, the troupe thought they had encountered a crazy fan, but the investigation was fruitless. Then, Tilly suddenly returned to normal, but in my opinion, it seemed even more abnormal – she seemed to be living under the flashing lights all the time, almost rigidly following the ‘character’ described to the media and fans, but the people around her are her friends and colleagues who are very familiar with her, so she did not need to do this at all.
“Although I don’t know why you’re paying attention to her, I’m guessing that if you’ve sent someone to monitor her, she probably has already discovered it. When she realized that the eyes surrounding her didn’t come from the crazy fans, she was very likely to have noticed it. So pay attention to the information you receive, Selma. Your subordinates will not lie to you, but Tilly will.”
Mara suddenly displayed unprecedented alertness and coldness, which made me feel rather unfamiliar. I suddenly realized: Mara was a year older than me. She was no longer the flustered little girl in the opera club.
“Don’t you think that this is hard to accept?” I asked, “I’m monitoring your colleague and using you to get information on her.”
Mara chuckled and said, “What kind of exploitation is this? Good girl, maybe you don’t usually pay attention to opera actors, but if you log into the support websites created by some fanatical fans, you’ll find that what you want to know is no secret at all, compared to those perverts who even want to know the color of Tilly’s underwear every day. Thousands of people have already known it before you.
“Besides, I trust you more than Tilly, Selma. I know you. Although we’re not as close as when we were students, I still understand your heart. If you pay too much attention to Tilly, there must be something about her that you have to pay attention to. And considering your status, I’m afraid this isn’t something the werewolves would be happy to see.
“So, if it’s of any help to you or the werewolves, I don’t mind being ‘used’ by you a few more times. Don’t think too much about it, Selma.”
Mara left with the Midnight Opera House, and the media broadcasted 70% of the news. On the TV screen, Tilly was so radiant and moving. Her every smile and wink were reflected in myriad amorous feelings under the flash. Thinking back to Mara’s warning, I couldn’t help but feel a chill in my heart.
Was Tilly still ‘Tilly’? Perhaps everything was just a coincidence that the actress was burdened with being an idol, or was the spy taunting the person monitoring her?
