Addicted to you-Chapter 45: Saeki’s offer

Before Saeki could respond, another guest nearby blinked in surprise. "You're a Zhi? I thought Yeri was the only one around her age from that family."

Venice froze for a heartbeat—but quickly recovered with a light laugh. "Ah, I'm not from the main family. Just... a distant relative." fɾeeweɓnѳveɭ.com

"Ah..." The guest nodded slowly, though confusion lingered in her eyes.

Saeki didn't seem to notice—or care—about the awkward moment. He shook Venice's hand briefly and offered a polite, practiced smile. "Nice to meet you. By the way, where's the birthday girl? I haven't greeted her yet."

Venice's smile faltered.

There it was again. Yeri.

Why did everything have to circle back to her?

Venice bit the inside of her cheek, but before she could say anything, Saeki was already scanning the crowd.

"I should find her," he said casually, already stepping away.

Venice followed, her lips pressed tight in displeasure.

---

Soon, Saeki and Tristan stood on either side of Yeri, flanking her like bodyguards at a press conference.

Saeki greeted her with a courteous handshake. "Happy birthday, Miss Zhi. You look stunning."

Tristan grinned, more casual. "Not bad. You sure know how to throw a party."

Yeri smiled faintly, already wanting the conversation to be over. "Thanks. But it wasn't me—my mom did all the planning. Honestly, I didn't expect either of you to come."

"We were curious," Saeki said, his voice calm, almost businesslike. "By the way, have you ever considered going into the public eye? Modeling, acting, hosting, singing—you name it. I run one of the top agencies. I could help you get started."

Straight to business, as expected of him.

One of the main reasons Saeki had agreed to tag along with Shin to this party was because of Yeri. He'd seen a photo of her once and couldn't shake the feeling—she had something. That rare spark.

Now that he was seeing her in person, he was convinced. She had it. The "it" factor that made people unforgettable.

Yeri blinked, unsure if he was being serious or just polite. And when someone like him said he was "curious," what did that even mean? Did he expect a magic trick? A spontaneous performance?

Before she could form a response, someone else had already taken it harder than her.

Venice's eyes flickered. The moment she heard Saeki's offer, the blood in her veins spiked. Her stomach twisted with rage.

Again. Always Yeri.

Why was it always Yeri?

This time, she wasn't going to let Yeri steal something she didn't deserve. This opportunity should have been hers.

"Young Master Jie, that's impossible," Venice cut in with a soft, airy laugh as she stepped closer, her movements graceful. "You probably don't know, but Yeri has a very weak constitution. The entertainment industry would be far too demanding for her. Even if she were interested, I doubt Uncle Klaus would approve."

She paused, then added with honeyed sweetness, "Actually, I'm a freshman in mass media. Since you're an expert in the field, do you think I have potential?"

Her smile was bright, her voice even sweeter.

Saeki gave a polite nod. "If you have the insight and perseverance, why not?"

Of course, he could see through her. In the entertainment industry, he had met every type—ambitious, manipulative, desperate. Venice was hardly unique.

To be fair, she had a decent appearance. If she truly had the passion and grit, she could make it in journalism or media. But right now, she wasn't his focus.

Yeri was.

The public always craved new faces. And Yeri had that elusive glow—something you couldn't train or fake.

"Really? I'll definitely work hard!" Venice beamed, her tone a touch too eager. "Uhm, Young Master Jie, would you mind giving me some advice? Maybe some tips for someone just starting out?"

Saeki stayed courteous, offering a few general words out of politeness. After all, she was Yeri's cousin. Or so she claimed.

Meanwhile, Yeri and Nina exchanged a quick glance. They didn't say a word, but the look said enough. They weren't going to embarrass Venice, no matter how obvious her intentions were.

Yeri had never been the type to flaunt family drama in public.

Still, Saeki wasn't finished. "What about you, Yeri? Have you thought about it?"

Yeri offered a soft smile. "Thank you, but I'm not interested. I actually want to be a biologist."

Venice's face twitched almost imperceptibly. "That's a good choice, Yeri. Maybe if you know more about plants you'll be a bit healthier."

Yeri didn't even look at her. As long as Venice didn't cross a line, she was happy to pretend she didn't exist.

Saeki sighed inwardly, a little disappointed. He really had hoped to recruit her. "Well, if you ever change your mind, call me."

He handed her a business card.

Venice stared at the card like it was her lifeline. Her jaw tightened as she bit her lip, the sharp taste of blood hitting her tongue.

Yeri accepted the card politely, without hesitation.

Venice was seething. She couldn't snatch it away—it would look desperate. And worse, Yeri didn't even acknowledge her. Not once.

She wanted Yeri to snap, to say something she could twist into a scene. Then she could cry "bully" in front of these prestigious guests. But Yeri's calmness felt like trying to punch a pillow—no resistance, just quiet humiliation.

Then an idea sparked in Venice's mind, and her face brightened. "Young Master Jie, do you attend a lot of parties like this?"

Saeki gave a curt nod. "Occasionally."

"Oh, same here! I love charity galas," Venice chimed in quickly, trying to match his tone, her voice too rehearsed to be natural as she shifted closer to Yeri.

Meanwhile, from across the room, Carpet—the golden retriever—was getting plenty of attention from guests, especially the children.

But Shin was watching him closely. With his intense gaze, even the dog seemed to sense danger. Carpet's body stiffened.

Sensing the gaze of a predator, Carpet trusted his instincts. Tail down, he trotted toward Yeri in search of comfort, his little paws pattering softly against the floor.

Venice, meanwhile, was still rambling, swirling her glass of red wine like she owned the room.

As she stepped in front of Yeri again, her heel caught on the floor. She stumbled forward, the wine tipping dangerously.

Just as the wine was about to spill on Yeri's dress—two golden paws pushed forward. Carpet leapt at Venice, knocking her slightly sideways.

The wine missed Yeri and splashed all over Venice instead.

It happened so fast that everyone around them froze. Venice shrieked, and Carpet then bounded toward Yeri, tail wagging.

Yeri staggered slightly as the large dog jumped on her, knocking her off balance due to her long dress. But before she hit the floor, a strong arm caught her from behind.

"You okay?"

Yeri turned to see Tristan's smiling face, his arm around her waist. He quickly let go.

"I'm fine. Thank you," she said, trying to steady herself.

Shin rushed over, grabbing Carpet, who had suddenly gone calm and obedient. His eyes, however, weren't calm at all—they burned with irritation as he glanced at Tristan as if wanting to chop him into thousands of pieces.

Tristan scratched his nose awkwardly, standing between Yeri and Levi. His look said, 'If I didn't catch her, she'd have hurt herself lying on the floor. Don't glare at me like I stole your woman.'

But Shin wasn't the type to think rationally in moments like these. As far as he was concerned, they were all rivals.

He had been following Carpet, but the dog had moved too fast.

"I get it now!" Nina clapped, standing beside Yeri. "Carpet probably thought someone was blocking his way and nudged her."

Venice stood up, soaked in wine, her dress ruined. Hearing Nina's explanation made her want to scream.

Nudged? Was she blind? That dog pushed her!

This was supposed to be Yeri's downfall. That wine was meant for her!

Perhaps it was because she was truly upset, or maybe it was the exhaustion from scheming all day, but this time, her tears weren't fake. With her hair in disarray and her appearance both pitiful and embarrassing, she looked genuinely distressed.

"It's fine," she sniffled, wiping her eyes. "Carpet is always like this to me. I don't know why he treats me this way. Earlier, while I was preparing for the party, he jumped on me all wet."

Yeri raised an eyebrow. Was Venice implying she trained the dog to attack her? Seriously?

Even in this state, Venice managed to twist things. If she was this creative, maybe she should be a writer.

Not only will she earn money but perhaps it will be her gateway to stardom.

Nina rolled her eyes—quietly, of course. No one seemed to notice, maybe not even Yeri. But she was sure Venice had aimed for Yeri with that wine.

"It wasn't intentional," Yeri said, brushing off her dress. "You saw it too—Carpet almost knocked me down."

"You... you're right," Venice said with a fragile smile, as if agreeing out of pressure.

Still, this was the moment she'd been waiting for. Now she could paint Yeri as arrogant and spoiled.

And just as she expected, whispers began to spread:

"She spoils that dog too much."

"Why would she bring it to a formal debut party?"

"That dog needs proper training."

Venice almost couldn't stop herself from grinning.

However, her joy didn't last long—shattered by just a few words from Shin Keir.

"This breed is known for being playful and friendly. But your dog is well-trained. What's his name?" Shin asked, completely ignoring Venice as he gently patted the dog's head.

The retriever sat obediently, like a military canine in training, perfectly still and alert.

Yeri's attention shifted to Shin. In fact, the entire crowd turned their eyes to him.

"His name is Carpet," Yeri muttered, eyeing Shin with mild suspicion, unsure if he genuinely liked dogs.

Tristan chuckled. "Who names their dog Carpet? You've got a great sense of humor."

"I like it—it's unique. Mine's named Lulu," Saeki chimed in cheerfully.

"Young Master Keir, you have a dog?" Yeri asked, surprised. She didn't recall seeing one during her visit to his villa.