Though paralyzed, still radiantly charming!

Chapter 95: Did I come on too strong?

Abigaile sat on her bed in a thin nightgown, painting her toenails red.

Her feet were dainty, almost girlish, and when she slipped into sheer stockings and struck a few provocative poses, her fans went wild—like beasts howling with desire, throwing money at her for her photo shoots.

“Men,” Abigaile scoffed, her eyes flashing with disdain.

She was just a middle-class girl who had made a name for herself in cosplay with the help of a professional team, and then skyrocketed to fame through her adult film work.

But the entertainment industry was brutal.

Every year, new faces emerged, willing to push boundaries further than she had, and oozing more sex appeal.

To stay relevant, Abigaile knew she needed more exposure and buzz.

Ding dong.

Abigaile frowned slightly. This was her private number, and messages here usually meant trouble.

Like some relative wanting their kid to break into showbiz.

“So annoying.”

She picked up her phone and saw the message was from an unknown number.

“Abigaile, I’m a fan! Hope this message doesn’t bother you, I’m Ethan.”

A spark of excitement flashed in her eyes. “It’s him!”

Just two days ago, she had hidden behind a curtain for half an hour during a show recording to stage a ‘chance’ encounter with him, even enduring mosquito bites.

She had given him her number on purpose, waiting for him to make the first move.

Men, that’s how they are.

To make him her devoted follower, she needed to keep him at just the right distance, making him feel their connection was special.

Abigaile set her phone down again, resisting the urge to reply immediately. She had to wait at least half an hour.

She quickly called her agent, Gracie: “Gracie, that Coach Biggie is contacting me.”

“Okay,” Gracie’s voice carried a note of concern. “Are you really planning to stir up a scandal with him? You know that 90% of your fans are nerdy guys, right? This could lead to them unfollowing you.”

“It won’t be a scandal,” Abigaile was well aware of her fan base. “I know he’s seriously ill. I’ll visit him, encourage him, and befriend him. Moved by my kindness and knowing his days are numbered, he’ll keep his feelings for me hidden in his heart.”

“It’s a touching story, isn’t it? I’ll just be unrequitedly loved. My fans will be moved by my kindness, and it’ll also draw his followers to me. His account’s already hit a million followers and is still growing.”

Gracie was silent for a long moment on the other end. “Isn’t that a bit idealistic? If he’s really that sick, does he even have the energy for romance?”

“No problem,” Abigaile’s eyes gleamed with confidence. “Handling men like him is a piece of cake.”

“Alright, just be careful,” her agent didn’t object.

After hanging up, Abigaile jumped off the bed and faced her wardrobe, filled with various outfits.

Besides well-known anime characters, there were costumes of teachers, flight attendants, doctors, nurses—professional attire of all sorts.

The chameleon goddess, she stood out among adult film actresses by effortlessly embodying different characters and switching between personas.

“Ethan, become my nourishment,” she muttered, then rolled her eyes, feeling the line was a bit cheesy. Resting her chin in her hand, she pondered a better line.

Checking the time, she quickly grabbed her phone and began drafting a reply.

After editing her message, she stared at the screen for a long while, then opened her photo gallery.

…

In the hospital room.

Ethan’s face lit up with surprise as he quickly opened the message.

Coach Biggie’s popularity was beyond his expectations.

This made him uneasy. To avoid drawing more attention, he needed to keep a low profile.

But low profile meant no income.

To make more money, he’d have to start exploiting these celebrities.

Abigaile’s phone lit up with Ethan’s message.

“Sorry, Mr. Ethan, I was trying on a new cosplay outfit and couldn’t have my phone with me, so I just saw your message.”

There was a cute apologetic emoji attached.

“Easier to talk to than I thought,” Ethan squinted his eyes. Abigaile had started in adult films, and while she was pretty enough to be considered a celebrity, she was just on the edge.

Her enthusiasm was a good sign. It meant his plan to ‘milk’ this situation might just work.

Then, ding dong, another message came in with a picture.

In the photo, Abigaile was dressed in a blue and white custom-made dress with a matching cap, portraying a popular video game character. Her natural beauty shone through, her long, pale legs both innocent and charming.

“I wasn’t lying, just took this original shot, Mr. Ethan. You can’t share it, okay?”

“Hmm, no, no,” Ethan glanced at the picture and quickly lost interest. He had just started dating an older woman.

Now, all he could think about were her long legs in sheer black stockings.

He needed to find a way to coax her into a footjob.

Cute young girls couldn’t compare to a mature woman in black silk stockings.

But he had to admit, Abigaile was beautiful, and her popularity wasn’t without reason. Even her unedited photos surpassed those of other actresses who relied heavily on photo editing.

“I have a plan that could help boost your followers. I hope we can discuss it sometime.”

Ethan didn’t feel like beating around the bush.

In the adult world, it was all about quid pro quo. If she was easy to talk to, all the better.

But after sending the message, he didn’t get an immediate reply.

Meanwhile, Abigaile was pondering over his message, chin in hand.

Not bad.

Sending a cosplay photo and mentioning it was an original was meant to make him feel she was different, while also showcasing her physique and looks.

From the speed of Ethan’s messages, it was clear he had been planning to meet her for a while.

Boosting followers was such a basic excuse, just like those guys who approached pretty girls offering them a job.

Abigaile knew all about these male tactics, a flicker of annoyance crossing her eyes.

She hadn’t expected Ethan, with his clean-cut looks, to use such a clichéd line.

She quickly composed her response: “Thank you for your kind offer, Mr. Ethan, but I believe in respecting my fans first and foremost. Those who like me will naturally follow me, and those who don’t won’t stay fans for long based on a momentary hype.”

Worried her words might be too stern and kill the conversation, she quickly sent another picture of herself in the game character cosplay, hands on hips, making an angry face.

“Please don’t say things like that again, Mr. Ethan~ I really will get upset, I promise!”

Ethan stared at the message, dumbfounded. “Wow, idols these days are really principled, huh?”

Maybe Abigaile was truly unblemished despite the muck of the entertainment world.

Just like those characters in novels, right? In the midst of the entertainment industry yet pure as a lotus.

“Okay,” he replied and then tossed his phone aside.

If they weren’t on the same page, there was no point wasting each other’s time.

He started searching online for female influencers. With his current peak popularity, he needed to cash in. After all, one shouldn’t put all their eggs in one basket.

Abigaile stared at her phone, waiting. But after a long while, all she got was a simple “okay.”

“Did I come on too strong?” she wondered.