Possessed No More: The True Star Returns to Claim Her Throne

Chapter 164: Remembering Lines Is a Basic Skill

"Sigh... I only found out a few days ago that people have been intentionally smearing her online. She’s never gotten any good roles or opportunities, which is why she wasn’t very famous before.

It wasn’t until this variety show, because it’s live, that she could finally show what she can do and gain some popularity."

Iris Weldon had already asked someone to bring over the family’s tablet. With two phones and the tablet all running, they watched the livestream while also looking through Riley Perry’s old short videos. For some reason, Iris found that the more she watched, the more she liked her.

"Lane, I hear celebrities have these ’fan groups.’ Can you help me join one? I’ve never been a fan of any star before. It feels quite new and exciting."

She got the idea after seeing someone with a Riley Perry fan tag post a comment. She couldn’t help but laugh as soon as the words left her mouth.

Auntie Lee nodded quickly, overjoyed inside. ’Now that we’re both fans of Sweetie, the madam surely can’t fire me for watching Sweetie’s livestream, right?’

’Hehehe, I’m a genius!’

"Of course, Madam. I’ll help you join right away. Actually, it’s thanks to you that I started liking Sweetie in the first place."

Iris Weldon was surprised. "What does it have to do with me?"

Auntie Lee quickly pulled up a no-makeup photo of Riley Perry on her phone. "Madam, look. Don’t you think Sweetie looks a bit like you?"

Iris Weldon took her phone. "Like me?"

Auntie Lee efficiently went and came back with a mirror. "Madam, see for yourself. When you both smile, you both have a pair of dimples. The shape of your lips is more or less the same, too. But the biggest resemblance is in your eyes. It’s just that Sweetie’s eyes are a bit brighter, almost captivating, while yours look especially gentle and give people a warm feeling."

She hadn’t noticed before, but now that Auntie Lee mentioned it, Iris Weldon had to admit there was a strong resemblance between herself and Riley Perry.

Auntie Lee continued, "And you’d never guess, our Sweetie is a top student who graduated from Kingsbridge University! She got into college as the provincial valedictorian. You can just imagine how high her IQ is..."

Iris Weldon suddenly clutched her chest, a certain thought in her mind growing stronger and stronger. She picked up her phone, exited the livestream, and directly dialed her daughter’s number. The call connected quickly. "Mom, you needed me for something?"

"Dawn, dear, are you busy right now?"

Dawn York glanced at the executives in the meeting who were forced to listen to her take a personal call. "It’s fine. I’ve already paused the meeting. Mom, just tell me what’s on your mind."

"I need you to investigate a celebrity named Riley Perry. I want to know everything about her."

Dawn York’s expression changed instantly. "Mom, you mean...?"

"It’s just a suspicion. I’m not sure yet, so I want you to look into it for me. It might not be what I’m thinking."

"Don’t worry, Mom. I’ll get on it right away."

After the call ended, Dawn York stood up immediately. "The meeting is paused. We’ll resume in ten minutes."

She called her assistant, left the conference room, and once back in her office, she instructed in a low voice, "Investigate Riley Perry. I want all her records, from childhood to the present day."

The assistant was about to leave.

But Dawn York called him back. "Wait. And while you’re at it, collect a hair sample from her. Be quick about it."

The assistant paused. "...Yes, President."

’Everyone in Dragonspire’s high society knew that the Valentine Family’s little princess had gone missing over twenty years ago and was never found. Now the President was suddenly ordering him to investigate this celebrity named Riley Perry. It was highly likely that Riley Perry was the Valentine Family’s long-lost princess.’

’He just didn’t know if, after the investigation was complete, the President intended to bring her back to the Valentine Family, or simply... dispose of her.’

’But none of that was his business. He was just an ordinary employee; he did whatever the President told him to do.’

「In the Valentine Family’s living room.」

After hanging up, Iris Weldon found herself liking Riley Perry more and more as she watched, her heart beating stronger and stronger. "Lane, do you really think we look alike?"

Auntie Lee replied, "I asked Wendy and the others, and they said the same thing."

Iris Weldon grew even happier. She wished she could just grab Riley Perry right then and there for a DNA test. She had a feeling this was her own daughter, the one she had been searching for for over twenty years.

"Lane, how do you do this firework thing?"

"That’s for gifting. You give them to the streamers you like, but you have to load money onto your account first."

"I know about gifting. Here, here, help me do it. I want to send a gift to my daughter, too!"

’Even if it turns out Riley isn’t her biological daughter, I still want to be her ’mom fan.’’

And so, Riley Perry’s livestream gained another wealthy super fan. A barrage of "Spaceships," as if they were free, spammed the screen, accompanied by a message: "Riley, my daughter, you’re amazing!"

The viewers in the livestream took one look and scoffed. Who was this loaded lady? She dropped thirty spaceships right off the bat and was still sending more gifts after typing her message.

’Damn, why can’t we ever run into a rich woman like that!’

One netizen posted directly in the public chat: [Big sis, look at me! I was born with a weak stomach; I’m perfect for living off a woman.]

[The guy above me, your abacus beads are smacking me in the face. Have some shame, will you? I’m different. I’m a 245-month-old baby, desperate for a mother’s love. Mommy, please love me just once!]

Iris Weldon frowned when she saw these comments. "What on earth are these people talking about?"

Seeing the madam’s dead-serious expression, Auntie Lee struggled to keep from laughing. "Madam, you don’t need to pay them any mind. They’re just praising you for being rich. There’s no ill intent."

Iris Weldon’s frown finally relaxed. "Am I considered rich? I guess I’m just okay."

In any case, it wasn’t like she was short on money.

Auntie Lee was speechless. ’I’ll never understand how rich people think,’ she thought.

Just then, Riley Perry was starting the fifth round.

"This round is very simple. We will play a three-minute audio clip. As long as our guests can repeat it with at least eighty percent accuracy, they will pass."

Then the staff began to play the audio: "Glib-gar-lun-zam-jee-ka-moo..."

It was a clip of totally disconnected sounds, without a single real word, making it impossible to even know where to begin memorizing.

With a tense expression, Holly Summers listened intently, trying to memorize as much as she could. ’I have to do better than Riley Perry,’ she thought. ’I’m determined to crush her in this round.’

Riley Perry simply listened.

「Fifteen minutes later.」

The staff asked the two of them to recite what they’d heard.

Holly Summers began: "Glib-gar-lun-zam-jee-ka-moo..."

"I’m sorry, Holly, your recitation accuracy was only 27%. You’ve failed the round."

Holly Summers’s face fell instantly. ’Fifteen minutes... I listened to it five times, and I only got 27 percent right? This is so embarrassing.’

The staff member then asked, "Riley, do you want to give it a try?"

Riley Perry nodded and began to recite it at a calm, steady pace. Three minutes later, the staff member stared at the score on the screen in astonishment. "Riley’s recitation accuracy is 100%! She passes the round! Oh my god, how did you memorize all of those sounds?"

Riley Perry replied, "As an actor, memorizing lines is a fundamental skill."