The Return Of the Invincible Heiress-Chapter 369

"Chasing the Horizon" had finished filming two years ago.

However, due to extensive post-production effects and scheduling issues, it was only now being released.

Avery knew that in this movie, Joy played the role of a complex, morally ambiguous refugee.

Her appearance was transformed gaunt, with darkened skin. She often hid behind a veil and dressed in exotic attire. It was a stark contrast to her usual appearance.

If Avery hadn’t already known that Joy was the female lead, she might not have recognized her at all.

Furthermore, the director was known for maintaining an air of mystery around his films.

During production, all details including the plot, stills, and character makeup were strictly confidential. Every crew member had to sign a non-disclosure agreement before joining the project. Joy was no exception.

From the beginning of casting until the film’s release, the public had no idea who the lead actress was only that her stage name was "Naire."

Naire never participated in any promotions, public appearances, endorsements, or media invitations.

At the premiere, the director stated,

"Naire has an extraordinary gift for acting and is a natural talent, but she has no intention of joining the industry. Acting is merely her hobby.

She wishes for privacy in her daily life, so neither I nor the crew will disclose her identity. Just know that in real life, she is simply an ordinary person."

Because of all these factors, Avery didn’t stop Alaric and the others from watching Chasing the Horizon.

Throughout the two-hour screening, Joy’s character was almost always veiled. On the rare occasions when her face was visible, it appeared as if covered by a thick layer of dust.

Her eyes, however, stood out bright and profound, revealing nothing yet leaving a deep impression, impossible to decipher.

Even Avery couldn’t help but admire how Joy brought the character to life with just her eyes.

Being able to convey emotion through only the eyes was surely a sign of pure talent.

After the movie ended, the credits began to roll.

The ending song was beautiful, but with a six-minute-long credit roll, some audience members began to leave once the theater lights came on.

However, quite a few young viewers stayed seated some to finish listening to the song, others in hopes of a post-credits scene.

Alaric and Arthur were among those who waited.

"The actress playing the lead did an incredible job especially in those scenes where she was mistreated or exacting revenge. Her eyes were so intense, I actually felt a little scared to look right at them," Arthur said, clearly impressed.

"With her performance, she’s bound to win a newcomer award, or maybe even Best Actress."

"Even with all that dirt on her face, you can tell she has really striking features," Alaric added with admiration. "I bet she’d look stunning if her face were clean."

Alaric sighed. "Too bad I waited till the very end and still didn’t get to see her real face without all that makeup and grime."

Arthur nudged him with a grin.

"If you’re that interested, you could always ask Zayn for help. He probably has a way to track her down, and who knows, maybe he could even arrange a dinner. Then you’d get to see the woman up close."

Zayn, already standing and ready to leave, replied,

"I’m not going to seek her out without a good reason. Besides, she has no plans to stay in the industry, and it wouldn’t be right to intrude on her."

Alaric scratched his head. "I was just joking. I’m busy with training and don’t have time to meet girls."

Jaden, Brandon, Maria, and Josie also went out.

However, Avery felt the ending song was very nice. She wasn’t in a hurry to leave, so she continued sitting and listening.

She only stood up when the song ended.

At that moment, Alaric suddenly pointed at the movie screen and shouted,

"That girl looks like Zilvia!"

Avery quickly looked up.

A photo of the crew and the words "Thank you to all members of the crew" appeared on the screen.

The photo was probably a group shot of the lead creators, and there were around 40 to 50 people. If shown on a television screen, the people would likely appear too small to see clearly.

But in the IMAX theater, where the screen exceeded 70 feet in length and height, everyone in the audience could easily see the photo.

Joy, dressed simply and without makeup, stood off to the right in the third row an unassuming spot.

Yet her striking features and undeniable presence made her shine unmistakably. Even among award-winning actors, top stars, and seasoned veterans, she was the most eye-catching one there. With a single glance, Joy stood out above all the rest.

Therefore, even though the photo appeared for only a few seconds, anyone looking closely would definitely notice her.

"She looks so similar to Zilvia!" Arthur was also stunned. "She also looks like Avery..."

He and Alaric looked at Avery in unison.

Avery smiled. "Really? I don’t think so at all."

Arthur and Alaric looked back at the screen.

However, the screen had already gone black.

The entire movie was over.

Arthur and Alaric tried hard to recall the fleeting glimpse of the girl, but the few seconds they saw her were too brief to remember clearly. All they had left was a vague impression.

Avery smiled. "You guys must be hungry too, right? Let’s go eat."

Then she quickly changed the topic.

"There are a few movies with good reviews this Christmas. Which one are we watching tomorrow?"

Alaric immediately said,

"I’m determined not to watch any comedies. They’re too dumb. Why don’t we go for a sci-fi movie?"

Arthur raised his hand.

"A sci-fi movie sounds good. Let’s watch one tomorrow."

As they spoke, they walked out of the theater and met up with Jalen and the others. They went to the private room downstairs to eat.

However, Avery didn’t know one thing.

That night, Alaric and Arthur were playing games in the same bed.

After losing several rounds, Alaric tossed his phone onto the bed and sat cross-legged.

"Hey moron, I can’t stop thinking about that photo at the very end of the movie. How about we go see it again tomorrow and get a better look at that girl?"

Arthur was about to scold him but realized Alaric was being serious. He quickly sat up and said,

"I’m also curious. Tomorrow, when we go, we’ve got to get a good picture of that shot. We need to make sure it’s clear."

"Of course," Alaric said, grabbing Arthur’s phone and slapping him on the back.

"Use your phone to take the photo! My phone’s only worth a little over a thousand dollars, but yours costs over 200 thousand! If the photo comes out bad, you’d better apologize with your life!"

Arthur shuddered a little, then asked cautiously,

"Do you think I’ll get bad karma if I play mobile games every day with a phone that costs over 200 thousand dollars?"

After fully realizing the value of the phone, Arthur held it like a family heirloom, staring at it for a long time before finally deciding to continue using it for gaming.

"It can’t be helped. My gaming skills aren’t as good as others’, so I have to rely on hardware to win," Arthur thought.

Alaric stared at him speechlessly.

Then he hit Arthur even harder.

"Take that, you show-off! I’ll beat you to death! Let’s see how you flaunt your wealth after this!"