Love or Die: CEO’ s Daily Dose of Swoon (Cordelia)

Chapter 76

Merry’s eyes were bloodshot from crying, her finger pointed accusingly toward the classroom door as she screamed, “Get out! Just get out!”

Leila, sauntering out with a provoking smile, tossed back, “Well, I took the day off because the director and Bland have a scene to run through with me. So, I’ll be on my way.”

At the mention of Bland running through a scene, Merry froze.

Once Leila had left, Merry couldn’t hold back any longer. She buried her face in her arms on the desk and sobbed.

Cordelia, strolling down the hallway, tucked her baseball cap into her bag before poking Merry’s shoulder. asking, “What’s up?” Content bel0ngs to Nôvel(D)r/a/ma.Org.

Merry turned around, her hand wrapped in gauze, and choked out, “Lia, my luck’s rotten. On my way to school, some jerk on a bike knocked into me and scraped my hand.”

That hand was supposed to be in the spotlight during filming!

She’d suffered such a nasty injury that the director had scrapped her from the role, giving it to Leila instead.

Cordelia was taken aback, feeling it was too much of a coincidence, “Who did that?” she asked.

Merry hung her head dejectedly. “Some stranger, I guess. It’s not a bad wound, but the skin broke. They helped me bandage it up and then took off.”

It all seemed like a streak of bad luck.

Merry was down all day. During the lunch break, Latham came into the classroom to console her. “It’s a bummer this time, but you mentioned applying to the Ontoky City Film and Animation Academy. That’s a good path too. Hang in there.”

Merry nodded.

The film crew had booked the school for a week, so every afternoon, students had the chance to be extras.

After classes, Cordelia, engrossed in a physics problem set, glanced up as Merry turned to her and muttered, “Lia, heading to the set?”

Cordelia gave her a look.

Merry was in evidently a low mood, her shoulders slumped. “I’ve thought it through. I can’t miss out on seeing my idol because of Leila. Who knows if I’ll ever get another chance?”

Cordelia reluctantly eyed her physics paper, then sighed, “Let’s go then.”

She couldn’t leave Merry alone, especially if she might break down again.

The scene they were shooting today was Bland and his on–screen sweetheart at piano lessons, so the crew

used the school’s music room..

By the time they arrived, a crowd of students had gathered.

Leila spotted Merry and chirped, “Hey, perfect timing! Could you help me find which costume size fits me? We’re pretty much the same size, and I’m running late with makeup!”

Merry stiffened.

As Cordelia anticipated a refusal, Merry took a deep breath and agreed, “Okay.”

Following her into the makeshift dressing room, Cordelia couldn’t help but ask, “Why help her?”

Merry’s eyes brimmed with unshed tears as she rummaged through the costumes, trying them against her frame. “Helping her helps my idol. If we get this scene done faster, he can rest sooner. You don’t get it, they

shoot for 18 hours straight sometimes, with only four hours to sleep. It’s brutal.”

Cordelia remained silent, not quite grasping Merry’s devotion.

After finding the right costume, Leila strolled in. The dressing room was reduced to just the three of them.

Slipping on a wig, Lella transformed into a long–haired version of herself, a spitting image of Merry. She began changing into the school uniform prepared for the scene.

Suddenly, Merry’s phone pinged.

Glancing down, she found a photo from an unknown number. It showed Leila with short hair, talking to a man.

Merry’s hands trembled as she looked up at Leila, disbelief etched across her face. “You did this?!” she heckled.

Leila, half–dressed, responded with feigned confusion, “What are you on about now?”

Merry shoved the phone in her face. “Explain this! This guy is the one who hit me with his bike today!”

Leila contracted her pupils, denying everything, “You’re accusing me over a picture? Merry, you’re naive. This proves nothing.”

Enraged and shaking, Merry realized her once–in–a–lifetime chance to be close to her idol was ruined by Leila.

She lunged forward, ignoring her wounded hand, and grabbed Leila’s arm. “Because of my injury, you got your chance! Leila, I’m too familiar with these tricks!”

Leila kept up her denial, smirking. “Merry, I suggest you let go. Your blood’s seeping through the bandage, you’ll stain the costume. What happens if I can’t film either? Think about what that means!”

It meant Bland would have to film for an additional day.

Leila knew damn well what Bland meant to Merry, her beacon of hope for all these years.

Merry would concede anything when it came to Bland. She released her grip, biting down on her lip hard.

Leila dusted off her sleeve, leaning in close to Merry with a lowered voice. “About the bike accident, you’ve got no proof, tough luck. Merry, after all these years, you’re still so rash.”

She headed to the door, but then turned back with a taunt. “Don’t worry, I’ll work well with your idol.”

Her hand reached for the doorknob.

But in an instant, her hair was yanked back with force, pulling her backward. Cordelia executed a swift over-the–shoulder throw, and Leila’s face smashed onto the floor!

Cordelia pinned her down by the back with a knee, immobilizing her. With a cold expression, Cordelia gripped Leila’s wrists.

Leila panicked, feeling the rough texture of the concrete beneath her palms. “You can’t hurt my hands! If you do, who’s going to act?”

Cordelia was unfazed as she dragged Leila’s palms backward, causing them to scrape against the floor and

bleed.

Leila’s scream pierced the air, a sharp, “Ah! Help!!”

Cordelia let go, smoothly standing up before the staff burst into the room.

“What happened here?” one of the staff exclaimed, eyeing Leila with concern.

The pain had stolen Leila’s voice, leaving her unable to articulate her agony. Cordelia, with feigned innocence, replied, “She took a nasty fall.”

Through gritted teeth, Leila accused, “It was you! You hurt me!”

Cordelia retorted, “Do you have any proof?”

Before Leila could muster another word, Merry, who had been startled into silence, found her voice and chimed in, “I can vouch for Cordelia. Leila fell all by herself!”

The dressing room was devoid of cameras. Leila, struck by an invisible blow, was left with a bitter taste in her mouth, unable to express her torment.

The staff, rather uninterested in the squabbles, had only one pressing concern.

“So, who’s taking the stage now?”

With two of three potential leads nursing injured hands, the choice had unwittingly been narrowed down to the last one standing…