Alex pulled his phone from his pocket and glanced at the screen. His gaze paused for a moment when he saw the caller ID - Lucy. He answered, his voice low and steady.

“What happened?”

On the other end, Lucy’s urgent voice rushed through.

“Captain, Marco’s brought back the notebook. You need to return to the office right away.”

Alex fell silent for a second, his eyes shifting to Adrian, who was still standing beside him, his face unreadable. Finally, Alex gave a small nod and replied,

“Okay.”

He said nothing more, simply turned and left the stairwell.

Adrian adjusted the blue neck scarf at his neck until it sat neatly again, then drew in a deep breath before following after Alex.

Inside the office, Marco and Elija had already returned, both looking worn out after a long night. Silas was still out with the others, chasing down Julian’s movements from the night before.

The technician, Maya, soon arrived. She didn’t waste words, just quietly set up a camera, pulled on rubber gloves, and accepted the zip bag containing the notebook from Marco.

It was bound in dark brown leather, the edges frayed and corners worn, fine cracks spidering across its surface with age. The leather tie was faded but still firm, keeping the yellowed pages bound together, like a bundle of memories no one wished to reopen.

Maya carefully opened it. On the very first page, a color photograph was tucked neatly between the sheets. It showed a girl of sixteen or seventeen, strikingly pretty, with shining eyes and long, soft hair cascading down her shoulders. Her smile was radiant, like spring sunlight. On the back of the photo, in graceful black ink, was written a short line: “Helena, seventeen in full bloom.”

Everyone stared at the picture in silence. Lucy, after a moment, couldn’t help but sigh.

“Helena was so beautiful… it makes sense she’d dream of becoming a star.”

But Los Angeles - what kind of place was it? The capital of glittering illusions, where beauty was abundant and dreamers flocked from every corner of the world, chasing after a fleeting halo of light. Like flowers in a mirror, like the moon’s reflection on water - visible, but never within reach. Out of all of them, how many ever truly stood under the dazzling spotlight in their own right?

After flipping through a few early pages, Maya offered a preliminary conclusion.

“This is a diary, dated about a dozen years ago. The handwriting is consistent, it’s the work of a single person. The ink has faded slightly, even bled through in places because of the paper’s age, but the entries are still clearly legible.”

From the very first pages, one can clearly sense that the diary’s owner was a young woman brimming with ambition while also carrying the responsibility of raising her younger brother. She had just set foot in a strange city - dazzling and prosperous, yet rife with gossip and scandal..

With a mixture of anxiety and hope, she wandered the film studios day after day, struggling to make a living through small, obscure, and exhausting background roles. And somewhere along those lonely days of hardship, the figure of another man gradually appeared in her writings. He too was an extra, and he too carried within him the dream of becoming a star.

“Date: … / … / …

Today Bryce confessed to me, and I was truly happy.

He’s such a good person, he’s helped me so much ever since I first set foot in LA. In the beginning, when I didn’t have any income yet, he even lent me money so I could send some back to Florida. He’s warm, like an angel!

He said he wants us to strive together, and that one day we’ll become the brightest celebrity couple under the Hollywood sky.

I’m really lucky to have such a wonderful boyfriend.”

“Date: … / … / …

We played zombies together in a film. Our makeup looked absolutely ridiculous.

Bryce even teased that after seeing my face with that makeup, he could skip lunch, just in time to save money. He’s really funny.”

“Date: … / … / …

Today, I almost got hit by an explosive. Thanks to Bryce pulling me away, I escaped disaster, but his hand ended up injured.”

“Date: … / … / …

Bryce is amazing. Somehow, he managed to get an invitation to Director Justin Harper’s party. I heard Nathan Greer will be attending tonight too.

Oh God, it’s Nathan Greer!

When will Bryce and I ever become as famous as him?”

“Date: … / … / …

I don’t know… I don’t know why I woke up in Nathan Greer’s bed.

I’m sorry, Bryce. I never meant to betray you. I truly don’t know how it happened.

I only remember you had just stepped out for a moment, and then… and then… I don’t know why it turned out this way!”

“Date: … / … / …

Bryce said that as long as I help him with one thing, he’ll forgive me. We’ll be happy again, just like before.

Should I help him? I’m really scared.”

“Date: … / … / …

I’m not dirty! I’m not dirty!

Didn’t I do everything for you?

I helped you get the role, you promised you’d love me again, just like before. That was our agreement! Why do you call me filthy?”

Maya paused, drawing a deep breath to steady herself. Because from this point on, the diary opened the gates of hell before the eyes of a naïve young girl, once filled with love and dreams.

“Date: … / … / …

Bryce told me to meet Gavin Moore alone. I really don’t want to. Doing so feels like betraying him. It tortures me inside.

But… Bryce said if Gavin Moore agrees to become his manager, he’ll be so happy.

And just thinking of him smiling makes me happy too!”

“Date: … / … / …

Why? Why would you do that? Weren’t you angry enough with me already because of Nathan Greer? Why did you put me in his bed again? And more than that… you and Gavin together with him…

Don’t you see how sick that is?”

“Date: … / … / …

I’m so tired. I just want to leave.

But you said you recorded everything! You said if I tried to run, you’d let everyone see it, even my little brother.

I’m terrified. I don’t want Luc to see his sister, the one he loves, looking filthy and disgusting like that.

Bryce says he does it because he loves me, because he’s afraid I’ll leave him. Am I supposed to believe him?”

“Date: … / … / …

It’s them again. The three of them.

Is this what Bryce calls love? Why don't I feel it at all?

They say they own me, that I have to obey whatever they command.”

“Date: … / … / …

They told me I wasn’t obedient enough, that I needed to be trained, disciplined.

It hurt so much. I cried, I begged, but no one cared.

They just kept forcing me to do those disgusting things, over and over, coldly giving orders.

They told me I was filthy, that I deserved it, that I didn’t even have the right to cry or to hope for kindness from anyone.”

“Date: … / … / …

I was in so much pain, bleeding so much. But they ignored my pleas.

When I woke up, I was in the hospital. Bryce was sitting there, holding my hand tightly. He smiled at me again, treated me gently, just like when we first fell in love.

You still love me, don’t you? If not, why would you care for me like this?

Maybe this is the ‘reward’ for being an obedient pet, just like they said.

If I listen from now on, will you always treat me this gently?”

“Date: … / … / …

These past few days, I’ve actually felt happy.

Bryce bought me beautiful clothes. We even went out on dates.

Ever since Bryce got a little bit of fame, it’s been so long since we last went out together.

He even took me to see the movie he was in. It was just a supporting role, but he was brilliant.

It’s a pity I don’t get to act anymore. But that’s okay. Bryce will live out our dream on the big screen for both of us.”

“Date: … / … / …

Bryce and Gavin want me to meet some directors. Nathan wants me to entertain investors for his new film too.

I’m terrified. I don’t want to. But… I can’t disobey.

If I’m not obedient, I won’t be loved anymore.”

“Date: … / … / …

They’re all perverts!

It hurts so much. I want to fight back, but if I resist, the punishment that follows is a hundred times worse.

I’m exhausted. I don’t want to obey anymore.”

“Date: … / … / …

At last, Bryce landed the first leading role of his career, in the film of that director I met that night.

He was so happy, and he bought me more beautiful clothes. Among them, there was this pure white fur coat, like the very first snow of winter. It was stunning. I loved it, but I didn’t dare to wear it. Because I’m too dirty. I’m afraid I’ll stain it.”

“Date: … / … / …

Yesterday, while entertaining one of Gavin’s superiors, I suddenly started bleeding heavily. I was terrified.

The doctor said I had a miscarriage.

They’ve forced me to have abortions so many times, and now this accident… The doctor told me I can never be a mother again.

What am I supposed to do? I’m so useless. I can’t do anything right. And now, I’ve lost even the most basic role of a woman.

Does my existence even have any meaning anymore?”

Maya’s voice broke as she read. She had to turn her face away, hiding her tears so they wouldn’t fall onto the diary pages.

Through every line, the tragic life of a young girl unfolded like a slow-motion film. Once a radiant bud, reaching toward the sun, she had been violently plucked, trapped inside a glass cage, left to wither and fade away.

The entire office fell silent, the only sound the muffled sobs of Maya and Lucy.

Helena, a girl once full of dreams, manipulated and broken by monsters who brainwashed her until she lost her sense of self, her very identity. She had done nothing to deserve such cruelty.