Chapter 439

Translator: NovelBin

Director Bill Roettner’s sudden interruption during the script reading caught everyone's attention. His critique was straightforward: Miley was displaying too much affection in her gaze toward the Beast too early in the story.

"Did you get mixed up, Miley?" he asked with a hint of amusement. "Right now, Belle should be feeling fear or at least some degree of shock when she sees the Beast."

Everyone knew this part of the story well—at this stage, Belle was meant to be startled, even terrified, by the Beast. But from the way Bill saw it, Miley’s gaze toward Woo-jin was anything but fearful. Instead, her eyes were filled with affection, an intensity that didn’t fit the scene at all.

Miley, caught off guard by the remark, cleared her throat and nodded. "Oh, I must have gotten ahead of myself," she said, playing it off with a slight laugh.

“Preparation is good, but let's not rush it. Let's go back a few lines and start again,” Bill directed.

As Miley nodded, most of the actors and crew, including Bill, didn’t think much more of it. But there was one person who found the situation more intriguing.

*‘Oh, really? Last time, she denied it so fervently,’* thought Maria Armas, narrowing her large, expressive eyes at Miley. She kept her gaze fixed on her co-star, who was now playing it cool, casually brushing her hair and focusing intently on her script. Inwardly, though, Miley was far from calm.

*‘What was that? How did I look at him just now?’*

Confusion reigned within Miley, as she realized she had just looked at Woo-jin not as her co-star playing the Beast but as a man she felt something deeper for—and in front of hundreds of people in the script reading room, no less. She buried her attention in her script, hoping her brief lapse went unnoticed.

Across the table, Woo-jin, whose face remained impassive, caught a hint of something odd.

*‘Did she really look at me like that?’*

He dismissed the thought. It was difficult for him to imagine anyone looking at him with such tenderness in the middle of a script reading, and besides, he hadn’t noticed any such expression from her at all.

But then Miley, seemingly flustered, glanced at him and quickly averted her gaze. Woo-jin’s instincts sharpened.

*‘Ah... is she also playing it cool?’*

He nearly broke character, almost smiling at the notion.

With Miley’s minor slip-up smoothed over, the script reading continued without incident. Woo-jin, Miley, Maria, and the rest of the cast delivered their lines with ease and precision, their performances impressing the onlookers. Even the song rehearsals afterward went smoothly, with everyone displaying commendable dedication and skill.

As the day wore on, the *Beauty and the Beast* script reading finally concluded in the late afternoon.

Most of the cast stayed back, the lively atmosphere evolving into plans for a group dinner. But, without much ado, Miley made her exit quickly, offering polite goodbyes before slipping out. No one pressed her to stay, and Woo-jin barely blinked as she left.

*‘Maybe I’ll just DM her later.’*

As he watched her retreat, Maria Armas approached Woo-jin, leaning in and speaking in hushed Spanish.

“You and Miley are dating, aren’t you? She insisted you weren’t, but it’s pretty obvious.”

“No,” Woo-jin replied bluntly in Spanish, his demeanor cool as ever. “You’re mistaken.”

Maria watched as he walked off, muttering to herself, “Not likely. There’s definitely something going on.”n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

Meanwhile, back in Korea…

While it was late afternoon in LA, morning had just begun in Korea. At the Netflix Korea meeting room, the *Beneficial Evil* team was assembled, including director Song Man-woo, writer Choi Na-na, and lead director Kim So-hyang. But this meeting wasn’t for Part 2 of the series—they were gathered to discuss the upcoming Emmy Awards.

“We’ll depart on the 20th and head directly to the hotel after landing in LA,” Kim So-hyang explained. “Interviews with media outlets begin the following day.”

She went over the pre- and post-Emmy schedules.

“After about a week, we’ll get to the main event: the Emmy Awards, held at the Microsoft Theater in LA.”

The Emmy Awards was the central topic of discussion, as this was a monumental moment for the team. As *Beneficial Evil* was the first Asian production nominated for ten categories, the anticipation was high. Director Song Man-woo, with his signature mustache, spoke up.

“We’re trying to stay in touch with Woo-jin to see if he can join us for our schedule.”

Kim So-hyang shook her head. “It’ll be difficult. He’s incredibly busy. He’ll continue filming until the Emmy day, then join us directly at the ceremony.”

A few days later, headlines in Korea read:

*“[Photos] *Beneficial Evil* Team Heads to LA for Emmy Awards Nominations in 10 Categories!”*

After a week…

It was now August 1st, Monday. Outside the massive Microsoft Theater in the heart of LA, a crowd had already gathered despite the early hour. From the sprawling main hall to the red carpet stretching to the neighboring building, photographers and journalists jostled to claim prime positions.

Though it was still morning, over a hundred journalists had taken their places, not just from the U.S. but from around the world. Their objective was simple: secure the best spot to capture the world’s most prestigious television awards ceremony—the Emmys—set to begin that afternoon.

As the hours passed and the sun began to set, the crowd swelled. By 3 p.m., more than 500 journalists were lined up along the red carpet, with reporters and broadcasters from various nations. It was a cacophony of sounds and voices, with journalists squabbling over spots:

“Hey, that’s my place!”

“What are you talking about? Did you pay for a spot on the red carpet?”

“What did you say?!”

It was a chaotic scene, amplified by the sheer number of people eager to capture this year’s Emmy Awards.

At 4:30 p.m., as photographers, journalists, and broadcasters crowded together, tensions flared even higher. The red carpet area, lined with Emmy staff and officials, became a focal point as live broadcast teams prepared to cover the event globally, reaching an audience of millions.

Then, at 5 p.m., a new commotion swept through the crowd.

“There he is!”

“Hey! Leo! Leo!!”

“Hey, don’t push! Leo, look over here!”

As the first celebrity, a famous Hollywood actor, arrived on the red carpet, hundreds of cameras exploded with flashes, making it feel as bright as day.

The actor, calm and poised, greeted the crowd, lighting up the red carpet with his charm.

One by one, celebrities began arriving, dazzling the carpet with their tuxedos, suits, and glamorous gowns. But alongside these Hollywood stars were others—famous directors, producers, and special guests, all invited to the Emmy Awards.

The crowd swelled further, with thousands of onlookers joining the hundreds of journalists and camera crews, creating an electric atmosphere.

Suddenly…

At the entrance of the red carpet, a cameraman for an American network frowned, focusing his camera on an odd figure stepping out of a limousine.

“What…who is that?”

His shout drew the attention of hundreds of reporters and cameras. The reaction was the same from everyone who turned to look.

“Who is that?”

“Is it some random gatecrasher?”

“No, he came out of a limo!”

It was an understandable response.

The man’s appearance was unlike anything seen at the Emmys: a red jacket and pants, a blue shirt, a yellow vest, worn brown shoes, and mismatched red and blue socks. His long, slicked-back hair matched the color of the carpet, a deep, intense red.

The man stood silently on the carpet, his presence stark against the sea of tuxedos and gowns.

It was an unmistakable madman’s look.

“Who is that? An actor?”

Reporters snapped photos, and broadcasting stations filmed the scene, clearly unsettled by the unexpected sight.

But then, a journalist shouted in English.

“It’s Kang Woo-jin! It’s Woo-jin!”

As the mystery man—the Joker—ran his hands through his red hair, his face came into focus, unmistakable now. Hundreds of cameras went into a frenzy.

“It is Woo-jin! But what…what is he wearing?!”

With a stoic expression, Woo-jin took his first step onto the red carpet.

The Joker’s entrance at the Emmys had begun.