The Trending Topic Herself: The Villainess is the Superstar!-Chapter 32: Maya Monroe, Fierce as a Tiger

"Maya!"

Maya was woken up by a low, gloomy growl.

She opened her eyes to see Ian’s face filled with anger, his eyes narrowed slightly, looking like he was ready to slaughter her.

Maya was still groggy and not fully conscious. Her only thought was not to lose her temper at Ian, otherwise, he wouldn’t let her off easily.

"What time is it? It’s only four o’clock. Who gets up this early? If you want to work hard, just go ahead, don’t drag me into it. I’m really sleepy..." Maya glanced at the alarm clock, thinking Ian was dissatisfied with her laziness. But really, it’s only four o’clock, who gets up so early without reason?

The raging anger evaporated when he saw her innocent and confused eyes. Ian threw off the covers and got up from the bed.

A slight pain pierced his throat, he lightly pounded his head, and his scattered thoughts became clear instantly.

Maya’s sleeping position was terrible. He endured her sleep-talking and the way she tangled and clung to him, but he didn’t expect Maya to actually strangle his neck with great strength.

Ian pushed Maya away, but she clung to him like seaweed, over and over again, making Ian feel like if he didn’t wake Maya up, he’d be strangled to death by her.

Ian was wide awake now, gulped down a glass of cold water, and the burning pain in his throat eased a bit.

Vincent came as usual to pick up Ian for the company.

"Ian, you don’t look well, didn’t sleep well?"

Vincent moved his gaze down from Ian’s handsome yet slightly tired face, and what he saw made him speechless. Vincent’s eyes widened: "Ian, didn’t expect you to be so wild! That’s a huge mark on your neck..."

Vincent stopped talking, his expression complex.

Some mature-rated scenes flashed through his mind, mumbling to himself: "Didn’t expect Maya to be so fierce, like a wolf or tiger, and you just let her do it!"

Vincent looked at Ian with a mix of shock and a hint of admiration. Not just anyone could handle Maya... For his other half, Vincent wanted someone gentle, someone sweet would also do, so they could enjoy romantic times. How can you talk about love with a tigress!?

Ian’s eyes showed some annoyance, he yanked his tie: "To the company."

Vincent quietly glanced at Ian, wondering to himself why Ian was suddenly so irritable...

When Maya opened her eyes, it was already ten o’clock, and Ian’s figure was long gone. She had fallen back asleep after saying two sentences to Ian in the morning and had no idea when he left.

Maya habitually checked her phone, saw a text from Ryan, asking her to get ready as Scott would pick her up to return to the set in the afternoon.

Being on set wasn’t as comfortable as being at home. When meeting the lead actress, Kiki, she had to follow the script, no lazy sleep-ins allowed. Maya sighed, lingered in bed for a while longer before getting up.

Ryan said it would be at one o’clock in the afternoon, so Maya dawdled, dragging her bag and leaving right at the last minute.

"Hello, Miss Monroe, good afternoon!"

"Afternoon."

Maya sat in the back seat, finishing a bag of sunflower seeds in no time, her throat feeling a bit uncomfortable, maybe the seeds were too salty.

"Scott, stop at the supermarket up ahead and get me some bags of sunflower seeds and a bottle of juice."

Scott saw Maya’s serious expression and thought it was something important. Oh well, for Maya, snacks were indeed the most important.

*

The early winter in Kyston was a bit cold, with a biting wind, so Maya put on another thick coat.

The actors on set were all very busy, most seriously reading scripts, analyzing and understanding their roles.

Maya took the milk tea Scott handed her, cooled it a bit before taking a sip.

"Miss Monroe, some reporters will visit later to warm up for the airing of ’Wandering Beyond the Horizon.’ Here’s the script Ryan prepared for you. The reporters’ questions will be similar to what’s on here. You should memorize it, just say something close enough when the time comes."

Maya didn’t even glance at it, directly pushing it away: "I can talk just fine without this. Isn’t it just saying a few sentences? Trust me, no problem!"

Scott looked troubled: "Miss Monroe, better take a look..."

Although Maya’s acting had improved a lot, her personality remained the same, even lazier and with a more fiery temper than before. Scott couldn’t help but worry.

Scott gently tried persuading for a while, but Maya insisted not to look.

"Scott, no need to persuade me. I told you, what I say is better than these prepared lines. The audience needs something fresh."

Hearing "something fresh," Scott felt a pang of anxiety. Maya could make mistakes even with routine things, and freshness was even more risky!

"Maya is just lazy, why bother persuading her? Just wait until she fails, and then she’ll appreciate you," Madeline passed by casually.

"Do you live by the sea? Mind your own business," Maya glanced at her.

Madeline’s steps hesitated for a moment, snorted coldly, and continued forward, several assistants following her.

When reporters interview, they consider not only status but also reputation, so Maya was slightly behind in the order.

As the lead actress, Kiki was interviewed quickly, with Madeline by her side. It wasn’t hard to think that they might be promoting a sisterhood image.

"Kiki, this is your first time as the lead actress, how does it feel?"

Kiki smiled shyly, her delicate and pretty face a bit timid, perfectly suiting her character: "As a newbie, I feel like I’ve learned a lot. Many seniors in the crew guided me, and improving my acting is my greatest gain."

The reporter smiled: "Kiki and Madeline seem to have a great relationship. As expected, beauties tend to stick together."

Madeline remained gentle and polite on screen: "Kiki is hard-working, she stays up late memorizing scripts every night. She’s very friendly to everyone around her, and I truly see her as a sister..."

Maya, also in the resting tent, watched Kiki and Madeline act all sisterly in the distance, finding it amusing.

To keep audience anticipation, it’s prohibited to reveal costumes from the show during interviews. Kiki and Madeline wore regular clothes, but each groomed more beautifully than the other, vying for that one shot.

Tied in a sisterly allegiance, it’s easier to spark comparisons and contrasts.

Maya grabbed the milk on the table, watching the two being interviewed, raising her eyebrows.

The realities here were indeed more intriguing than the stories depicted in books.