Chapter 4 – First Encounter with Aiden Cross
1929 Words
That morning, Los Verano was blindingly bright. The Starforge Entertainment building rose like a massive block of polished steel, reflecting sunlight with enough intensity to make anyone squint. Evie stood at the entrance, gripping a tiny voice recorder like it was a life raft.
A press conference for an album launch.
An A-list celebrity.
A jungle of media.
And her—someone who had just transmigrated into this world, pretending to be an intern for a local news outlet whose name she couldn't even remember.
"It's fine. Just stay in the back, record a few lines, and don't draw attention."
She told herself that, even though her heart was pounding like she had just escaped a police chase.
She genuinely only wanted to observe this new world quietly. But clearly, the universe had no intention of letting her be "quiet."
The moment she stepped into Starforge's main lobby, Evie felt as if she'd been thrown into the center of a flash-bulb hurricane. Reporters shoved past one another. Staff members ran in every direction. Giant LED screens displayed ads for Aiden Cross's new album—Stardust Requiem.
Aiden Cross.
The number one singer.
The award-winning actor.
A man with enough fans to shake the continent if they all jumped at the same time.
Evie sighed.
"Please let me not run into him. Just keep your head down… stay far away…"
She pulled a lukewarm cup of coffee from the side pocket of her bag. Without caffeine, she would die. Mentally, at least.
But this particular cup—because of her shaky hands, the crowded room, the slippery floor, and the sheer chaos of this world—seemed to be waiting for the perfect moment to betray her.
Evie found a safe spot near the wall, but only ten seconds later, a group of cameramen rushed past and bumped into her.
She stumbled—
The coffee cup flew out of her hand.
"Wait—!"
The cold coffee traced a tragically beautiful arc through the air… then transformed into catastrophe.
And that catastrophe splashed directly onto the person who stepped out at that exact moment.
A tall man with a calm, controlled presence, dressed in a dark gray vest suit.
His hair was slightly tousled—perfectly styled to look effortless. His aura was like private moonlight.
His face… so flawless it looked edited by the universe itself.
Aiden Cross.
The coffee slid from his shoulder down the front of his vest, leaving an unmistakable brown stain on a fabric that probably cost several months of a normal person's salary.
The entire lobby froze.
No flashes.
No footsteps.
No breathing.
Only Evie—her face pale, like a sheet of paper learning how to die quietly.
Aiden looked down at the stain, then lifted his gaze to her.
His eyes weren't angry, but they were so cold she felt as if she had just splashed coffee on his entire sky.
Evie stammered,
"I—I'm sorry! I didn't mean to—"
He didn't respond. He only turned his head slightly, enough to avoid the smell of coffee. A staff member hurried over with tissues, but Aiden waved them away.
The entertainment industry loved drama.
And this—an unknown girl, panicking, throwing coffee at the world's biggest star—was too perfect.
Camera shutters erupted like gunfire.
Voices whispered like wildfire:
"Who is she?"
"A stunt for attention?"
"An anti-fan? Some dirty paparazzo?"
"Oh my god, that's a limited-edition suit!!"
Evie wanted to run. To disappear. To dig a hole right into the glossy marble floor.
But her feet wouldn't move.
Aiden finally spoke.
His voice was deep, low—someone who didn't need to raise his tone to command a room.
"What's wrong with you?"
Evie clenched her hands to keep them from shaking.
"I just… someone bumped me… I didn't see you—"
"Evidently," he said, voice flat as a dead lake.
If he had yelled, she might've been less frightened. But this icy calm—it felt like a blade sliding across her throat without drawing blood… yet painfully sharp.
Aiden turned to his staff.
"Clothes. Five minutes."
Then he walked away without looking back.
Evie remained frozen, hands still cupped as if she were still holding the coffee.
"I'm dead… I'm ruined…" she whispered.
But that was only the beginning.
Less than three minutes later, her phone vibrated nonstop. Notifications flooded in:
#EvieCoffeeIncident
#WhoIsShe
#CrazyGirlAttacksAiden
#AidenDeservesBetter
The speed of the Starforge fandom was like an epidemic.
Evie took a slow breath.
"That's… intense. Fans in this world… are way too powerful…"
Before she could finish the thought, a tall figure stopped in front of her.
A woman in a black suit, hair in a tight bun, dark red lipstick—someone who looked like she could choke a person with a single glare.
Lena Cooper.
Aiden Cross's top manager.
Known for three traits: strict, merciless, and allergic to nonsense.
Hands on hips, Lena snapped,
"Who are you?"
"I—I'm Evie Hart. I'm an—"
"Don't care. Do you have any idea how much trouble you've caused?"
Evie swallowed hard.
"It was an accident… truly…"
Lena scanned her from head to toe, like she was inspecting a speck of dust on expensive carpet.
"Millions of viewers will watch this press conference tonight. And you chose to open it by making Aiden look ridiculous."
"But… he didn't laugh…" Evie whispered.
Lena narrowed her eyes.
"That's not the point."
Evie instantly shut her mouth.
Lena pointed toward the staff corridor.
"You stay far away from Aiden Cross. You do not approach him again. Understood?"
Evie nodded violently.
"Understood! Absolutely understood!"
But Lena didn't walk away yet.
She leaned in, voice cold and sharp:
"I don't know where you crawled out from, but if you cause trouble for Aiden again… I'll end your career before it even begins."
Evie went rigid, a chill crawling down her spine.
She hadn't been in this world long.
And in her very first encounter, she had accidentally turned the biggest star on the planet into an unwilling victim.
"Perfect…" she muttered bitterly.
The chaos wasn't over.
And Evie didn't yet know—
that one tiny accident would twist her entire destiny.
The noise in the hall shifted into a strange, buzzing static. Evie stepped back, searching for a quiet corner to steady herself. She wasn't sure whether her face was pale or burning red—she only knew every breath felt heavy under the weight of hundreds of eyes.
A new announcement flashed across the giant LED screen in the center of the lobby:
"AIDEN CROSS – ALBUM PRESS EVENT STARTS IN 10 MINUTES."
Instantly, the crowd moved with rehearsed precision.
Only Evie stood frozen, feeling like she'd just signed her own social death sentence.
Her fingers brushed the recorder in her pocket.
Gathering information on Starforge, on whatever secrets surrounded Aiden… had just become ten times harder. She had no idea how much her life had changed because of this one accident.
She straightened her shirt, exhaled slowly, and decided that no matter what happened, she had to finish today's assignment.
Keep her distance from Aiden? Fine. She would happily stay a mile away from him.
She just needed to survive this press conference.
The main hall on the third floor was large enough to host an awards ceremony. Bright white lights, a raised stage, a repeating Starforge logo backdrop, rows of neatly lined press seats.
Evie slipped in and took a seat at the very back.
But she'd barely sat down when a few people turned to look her way. Some recognized her—not because she was anyone important, but because several phones had livestreamed the moment she spilled coffee all over Aiden Cross.
A blonde reporter leaned toward her colleague.
"Is that the coffee girl?"
"Yeah, that's her. Look at her shirt," another whispered.
Evie lowered her head.
This was absolutely not the way she wanted to become known.
The door opened. A staff member announced:
"Aiden Cross will be here in just a moment. Please remain seated and keep noise to a minimum."
A wave of excitement swept through the room. Cameras clicked on. Phones rose above the crowd. Test flashes lit up the space.
Evie held her hands together under the table.
She hoped—prayed—that Aiden wouldn't notice her.
But the universe was never that kind.
When Aiden entered, the room instantly fell silent.
He didn't need an introduction or a spotlight. His presence alone was enough. A brand-new black suit, flawless posture, that familiar emotionless expression, and those sharp eyes.
No one mentioned the coffee incident.
No one dared.
All questions focused on the new album, the tour, his return after three months out of the spotlight.
Aiden answered every question precisely, without unnecessary words.
Evie watched from the back.
He didn't look the same as he did online. Or on stage. He looked… tired. Or maybe he was hiding a c***k beneath that perfect exterior.
She lowered her gaze and scribbled a few notes, mostly to keep her hands from shaking.
Then, as she looked up again, Aiden's eyes swept over the room.
And stopped on her.
Evie froze.
He… recognized her?
His gaze wasn't as furious as earlier when she'd spilled coffee on him.
But it wasn't indifferent either.
It felt like a silent warning—or a notice that he hadn't forgotten.
Evie bent her head, pretending to write.
Don't attract attention.
Don't look back at him.
She repeated it like a mantra.
The press conference lasted nearly an hour. When it ended, Aiden left the stage immediately, avoiding any chance of one-on-one interviews. Staff surrounded him like a protective barrier.
Evie waited until the crowd thinned before getting up. She tried to slip away, but when she reached the main lobby…
She stopped dead.
A group of fans gathered around a giant screen playing a newly uploaded video:
"Intern attacks Aiden Cross with coffee?!"
"She totally did that on purpose," a blue-haired fan scoffed.
"Look at her aim—no way that's an accident," another added.
"Some girls will do anything to get attention," a male fan muttered.
Evie pulled back instinctively, as if showing her face would trigger round two of her mental execution.
She turned to leave, but—
"You."
A sharp female voice cut through the noise.
Evie turned.
Lena Cooper stood there, arms crossed, expression as unpleasant as ever.
"Who allowed you to be here?" Lena asked coldly.
"I'm… just doing my job."
"Your job?" Lena's eyebrow lifted. "Causing a scene in front of the entire press corps?"
Evie clenched her shirt, forcing her voice to stay steady.
"It was an accident. I swear."
"I don't care whether it was an accident."
Lena stepped closer, her voice low and razor-sharp. "From now on, I want you far away from Aiden. Don't make me repeat myself."
Evie stayed silent. Nothing she said would help now.
But Lena wasn't done.
She leaned in so only Evie could hear.
"If you go near him again—even one step—I'll make sure you never attend another Starforge event in your life."
With that, Lena turned and walked away, her heels striking the floor like the sound of a sentence being delivered.
Evie stood there, fists tightening at her sides.
She hadn't come to cause trouble.
She didn't want to be near Aiden at all.
But what was happening was far beyond her control.
And something in her gut told her…
This was only the beginning.
- Writer
