Defying Fate: The Unstoppable Eileen novel Chapter 364

The little devil on the screen was spewing fire non-stop, like a malfunctioning toaster. Clearly, Master Egbert was seething with anger. He lingered on the screen twice as long as usual, and Eileen wondered when he'd finally disappear. A message popped up above the devil's head: "Be afraid! I'm terrifying!"

Eileen rolled her eyes, sighing, "Okay, okay, I'm scared," she said with mock fear, hoping it would be enough. And just like that, the little devil stormed off, and the screen returned to normal.

Eileen let out a long sigh of relief. "Well, that's that. He's gone, and my two-hour happiness coupon has expired. I had a gut feeling today was just... off."

Egbert reached out and ruffled her hair affectionately.

Later that evening, Eileen was perched on the bed in Room 609, skimming through some files on Egbert's tablet. Her brow furrowed as she pointed at a photograph. "Who's this?"

Egbert sat down next to her. The military had traced a rogue hacker's server back to an apartment complex in Crestonia. They suspected it belonged to Eileen's elusive mentor. Despite surrounding the building, the hacker had slipped through their fingers, and the data had been wiped clean. The only clue left was a necklace found beneath a desk, containing a photo of two young boys.

The boy on the left had a cherubic face, with a bright smile and eyes that sparkled like two twinkling stars. Eileen pointed at him, skeptical. "Is this... my 'mentor'? How could someone so adorable be that devil of a master?"

Egbert swiped to a document detailing an orphanage. At the bottom was an introduction of the smiling boy. His name was Halley, no last name—just another kid who grew up without one.

Eileen paused, "An orphan, huh." She nodded, "That explains it. His behavior screams 'no parental guidance.'"

Egbert merely sighed, "Well, if you say so."

She then pointed at the other boy, who looked like he'd been doodled on by a mischievous sibling—freckles, a sausage nose, crossed eyes, and wild pigtails. "And who's this mess?"

Egbert hesitated, "That's NightKing. They grew up in the same orphanage. He's a year older than your mentor."

Eileen was stunned. "So they're the same age? How did they end up as mentor and student?"

She looked at the photo, feeling oddly touched. "My mentor must really care about him, carrying this picture around. Childhood friends, perhaps?"

Egbert gave her a blank stare.

"Send me this picture, will you? I want to keep it," Eileen asked.

Ten minutes later, she posted it on Twitter, her version of a family heirloom. She'd added her own artistic flair: her mentor now sported a cartoonish mustache, pig nose, and pink eyeshadow, while NightKing had been further adorned with exaggerated features.

She pinned it to her profile, ensuring it would be the first thing anyone saw.

Turning to Egbert, she grinned, "Mind retweeting this? Let's make it viral."

Egbert chuckled, flicking her forehead gently, "You little rascal."

Her followers were quick to react, flooding the comments with their banter.

—"Good morning world, good riddance, Eileen."

—"What are you doing in America, sightseeing? Aren't you supposed to be at Belmont? Any chance of winning?"

—"Heard the first screening of Eyes on the Rendezvous at Belmont was packed! It's got a 9.1 rating now! Even if it drops, an 8 is still fantastic! The Alley only managed a 9!"

—"I can't wait to see Eyes on the Rendezvous. When's it coming to theaters here?"

—"Forget it, even if it does, it'll be the edited version. Better catch the full release overseas if you can."

—"What are these pictures? Eileen, you goof, did you have kids without telling us? And twins?!"

Eileen groaned, "Seriously? Do they think my genes would produce these two?"

Egbert tried to hold back a laugh.

"And now that Eyes on the Rendezvous is getting all this buzz and I'm the lead actress, everyone's looking at me. But here's the real kicker—what is this movie even about?"

Feeling slightly miffed that she hadn't seen the final cut herself, Eileen huffed. Everything seemed out of place, and she couldn't quite shake off the feeling of unease.

Eileen had originally planned to go see "Eyes on the Rendezvous" the next day. But plans changed when Galen announced they were going to be on a reality show instead.

As they rode in the car, Galen explained, "It's a national favorite in the USA. Once 'Eyes on the Rendezvous' finishes up at Belmont, it's going to be released nationwide. We need to do some promotion to boost ticket sales. The New York City TV station has been kind enough to lend us their most popular show for publicity. So, I expect you all to be on your best behavior. Especially you, Eileen—no slouching or acting too casual. Sit like a lady, keep your knees together!"

Eileen jiggled her knee and asked, "Even in pants?"