CHAPTER 179: WELCOME TO PARIS

Within two days of its release, My Cocaine in Your Urine hit the Top 10 on global charts.

The numbers were eye-watering, at least for Hyerin, who was busy calling her friends to brag about it.

A day later, cruise ship Osteria arrived in Civitavecchia.

After bidding Yoko and Julia goodbye, Averie and his group departed for Rome for half a week of sightseeing.

’I’ll have to tone down the things I say from now on.’

His awful impression had caused many misunderstandings on the ship. A lot of people looked at him strangely. These were the people who had watched his music video and knew the murder victim’s name.

’That detective is still suspicious of me.’

But the French authorities had long excluded him from the list of suspects despite having seen the song.

Their suspicions fell on a missing passenger, a lady.

’Julia must’ve been questioned about his cheating.’

With a jubilant expression plastered over his haggard face, Averie chose to enjoy what remained of his vacation.

And at the beginning of March, as Winter bid goodbye and Spring brought hopes for a beautiful start, Averie found himself surrounded at the London airport.

Following the success of Episode 2: Vision of Royalty, Episode 3: Fallen Castles and Episode 4: Crime of Fast Cars garnered attention across the Commonwealth.

Crime of Fast Cars, where Quinn introduced the audience to the illegal world of street racing, registered the highest ratings of any episode.

It was clipped and uploaded on SilkTube enough times that it had Averie sick of seeing it recommended.

The episode had prompted Ari, Peter, and a few others to incessantly barrage him with texts questioning whether it was staged.

It wasn’t a drama show to be excited about, but it did receive the love of a less fanatic audience.

Even in London, Averie could no longer live as a common man.

He would get accosted in the streets. And always, someone would ask if they were filming, as if the idea of finding Quinn walking down the street was an odd thought.

Averie attributed the sentiment to his on-screen persona’s hijinks.

And the night he arrived in Paris, Episode 5: Bribe or Punishment

aired.

It was the final episode in a hastily put-together mockumentary.

It showed Quinn, having fallen completely into addiction, trying to lessen his sentence by bribing the judge and the prosecution.

The episode ended the series with an unexplained and divisive ending.

It caused discussions online, but none of it interested Averie.

His only concern was the upcoming filming for his first movie.

The production company had provided a hotel room for him and his staff to stay in.

And Averie had proudly made use of its beautiful walls by hanging the painting gifted to him by Chaoxiang Cao.

He had brought it all the way back from the UK. It was a reminder of his last few months and a future that would surely be different.

Very few people knew him in Paris, and that’s how he preferred it.

’Fewer distractions.’

***

In the study of Director Jean-Louis Groux, a woman sporting a white shirt and black cardigan sat facing the spectacled man at his desk.

With her arms crossed in front of her chest, she tapped her heels anxiously.

"I am still upset," she said with as little movement from her lips as possible.

The good director examined her. It was clear to his eyes that the talented actress was unable to hold back her frustrations.

"I do tend to upset," Director Groux replied, nudging his glasses further up the bridge of his nose. "Yet must you be at my throat in the middle of the night?"

"If I weren’t here, I wouldn’t be able to sleep."

She was irritated, less so with the man and more with the situation he had created.

"I heard you chose your female lead."

The man slowly nodded. "Madame Monet recommended someone."

The impatient taps of her heels quickened. "Her recommendation was enough for you?"

"I wouldn’t be so reckless. I met the person in question and was satisfied. Madame’s eye for talent has never betrayed anyone."

The woman twisted her eyebrows in a knot. "Madame is old—"

"Watch your mouth," the director snapped, a sharp glare pointed towards the woman like an awl. "This industry and its beneficiaries owe her a great debt. It is not your place to speak badly of her."

The woman stewed in the torrent of emotions swirling about her. It was agonizing to be called out, but she was not one to apologize.

Why would she?

Why would Josephine Petit—currently one of the hottest actresses in the Western world—apologize?

"I thought I had made it abundantly clear that I wanted the role."

"And did I not inform you of my decision?"

Josephine shook her fuming head. "I have never wanted a role so dearly."

As much as Director Groux despised her bearing, he sympathized with that sentiment. The hunger for a role was a good quality in any actor.

He liked her zeal, her attempt to show her unappreciation of the situation.

"And who is this actress?" Josephine asked. "You haven’t even mentioned her name. I was willing to lower my rates, but I doubt any other top actress is doing that for such a risky project."

’The older ones would.’

But the director needed someone fresh, young, and talented.

And she knew there wasn’t a single person who had all those qualities.

’Such a novel role...’

She had wanted it for a while, and she knew any director would be willing to pay up to annul the contract if a better talent were to take interest.

’So, are you saying there’s someone better than me who’s willing to work on this project?’

The director’s gaze drifted away; it didn’t seem like he would freely share any knowledge.

"Then, who is this lead actor? Auclair or something?" Her face twisted in a gnarly knot of disappointment. "Some upstart comedian whose name I’m only hearing now?"

She was worried that the good director was willing to accept any actor for one of the lead roles just because of poor funding.

"Have you seen him act?"

"Of course not," she said as if it were an inconceivable thought.

The director returned his focus to the papers in front of him.

"Dame Margaux Delcour has accepted a minor role. With what meager funds I’ve been graciously provided, I’ve done my best to accommodate such stars. It is with great difficulty that I’ve obtained the signatures for the lead roles."

He spared her a burning glance.

"If you have any reservations, speak now. I would rather not search for a replacement any later."

Josephine bit her lower lip.

"When have I ever broken a contract?"

At that moment, the director’s phone rang.

He picked it up energetically.

"Good evening," he said.

And with every word that reached him from the other end, the light in his eyes brightened.

"I’m glad to hear it."

His heart was beating fast. There was something in that voice that made him excited. It was forceful and full of charisma.

"Then, I’ll see you soon."

He threw Josephine a glance seeped in a myriad emotions.

"Welcome to Paris, Monsieur Auclair."

***

With black circles under her eyes, Sophie Moon was at a pier, her hands caressing the splintered wood of the railing.

Asking around, she had found out that some crazy guy had driven his car through there.

She felt around the place and found a piece of paper tucked between some wood.

Scenes between the two show her growing dependence on Asmodeus and her need for his approval as she tries to keep him pleased.

It also shows Asmodeus’s unlikely attachment to Sarah outside of sexual matters. He seems to enjoy her company when he isn’t in bed with someone or handling business.

All the while, Leviathan begins obsessing with Sarah, too, watching the two through his binoculars.

It was just like her dream. She had finally found another piece.

The camera cuts to Beelzebub and Belphegor. They are talking about Asmodeus’s mother. Belphegor, being the youngest, mentions that he never saw Asmodeus’s mother and never heard him mention her.

So, Beelzebub tells him about her. She was a classy prostitute who had a brief encounter with their father while he was abroad. It resulted in Asmodeus’s birth.

No one knew why, but when their father found out, he brought Asmodeus to live with the family and gave him the surname Binsfeld.

Unlike the rest of his brothers, he grew up without a mother. Belphegor jokes that it explains his obsession with women.

The screen shows Asmodeus. He refuses to take part in the power struggle when approached by Satan. This event was witnessed by Sarah.

Manipulated by a conspiring Mammon, Satan is angered. He wants to hurt Asmodeus. The end shows Mammon’s delight at how easy it is to manipulate his dumb older brother.

This felt like a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to take over Asmodeus’s brothels and gambling dens. He is laughing about it while Leviathan is watching him secretly from a distance.

She looked around the place. "But why here?"

’Who would dump their car here anyway?’