I strolled down the street, enjoying the admiring glances and whispered comments that followed me as I walked. It was a little strange to feel so much attention focused on me, but I couldn't deny that the transformation I had undergone had its perks. People were staring—some with awe, others with envy. Still, the attention wasn't all that mattered. When I arrived at the company, I was surprised to find myself denied entry. Apparently, it wasn't all about looks after all.
"They didn't have me in their system," I muttered, frowning as the security guards gave me a once-over. "Well, this won't do."
I stood there for a moment, thinking. Then, an idea struck.
"System," I called out, "I need hypnosis skills."
"Host, the hypnosis skill is only 300 points," 098 chimed in. "You can also purchase a bonus package that includes acting and singing skills for only 100 points!"
I raised an eyebrow. "Can't I have them for free?"
"No," 098 replied, as if amused by my attempt. "How do you think we make money? If we gave you everything for free, there'd be no point to this system."
"Fine," I sighed, conceding. "I'll take it."
"Thank you for your purchase, host. You now have 400 points remaining."
The moment I bought the skills, I made quick work of using the hypnosis to influence the guards. It wasn't the most elegant solution, but it worked. I was granted entrance with little more than a blank stare from the security team. I couldn't help but feel a bit cheated, though.
"Tee hee, host didn't know those skills were free!" 098 teased, its voice light and mocking.
I ignored the system's smug tone and headed toward my manager's office. If I remembered correctly, his name was Ben. He had been one of the only people in the company who hadn't abandoned Hugo when he was being chased out. In fact, Ben had even helped him financially and offered to let him stay with him. He seemed like a decent guy, the kind of person who didn't abandon people in their time of need.
I knocked on the door and walked into the office, where I found a middle-aged man with average looks, wearing glasses. His face broke into a smile when he saw me.
"Good morning, Ben. How are you today?" I greeted, offering a warm smile of my own.
Ben chuckled. "Quite good, thank you for asking, Hugo. You're surprisingly kind today—did you catch a cold, or are you just not thinking I'm too unprofessional to stand with you anymore?"
I blinked, not quite understanding his teasing at first. "Errr... of course not. I was only joking. Ha... ha."
Ben gave me an amused look but quickly shifted the conversation. "Jokes aside, you have three roles to act in this week. They are: a minor villain in a school romance, a cannon fodder character in a sci-fi action movie, and a minor role in a zombie apocalypse love story."
I sighed, feeling the weight of my schedule pressing on me. "Ah, thank you! I'll work really hard."
"You better," Ben warned, handing me my schedule. "You'll start filming the school love story tomorrow. Make sure to look your best and make a good impression."
I nodded, taking the schedule and leaving his office. My stomach growled—lunch was calling me. But as I walked toward the canteen, I heard a suspicious noise coming from the waiting room. Curiosity got the better of me, and I quietly leaned against the wall, peering through the keyhole. What I saw made my stomach churn.
Inside, I saw a girl and a boy... well, you know, doing it. I blinked in shock, my mind processing what I was seeing. And then, my eyes widened in recognition.
Layla.
Wait, Layla? The innocent, pure girl who had been abandoned in the orphanage, who had become a famous model? What was she doing here, in this place, doing that?
I continued to watch, partly out of curiosity and partly because I needed to make sense of the situation. But then, I looked closer at the man.
Jackson.
No... not my Jackson.
My heart sank as memories I thought I'd buried resurfaced. The bitter recollection of Jackson's betrayal, of his coldness as he killed me and went on to be intimate with Emily... The tears welled up, threatening to fall.
"Host!"
I jolted, snapping out of my thoughts. Oh right, I wasn't in my past life anymore. This wasn't my Jackson. This was someone else entirely. There was no reason for me to cry.
I wiped my eyes quickly and turned to leave, but then—
Bam!
I collided with something solid. Or, rather, someone. I staggered back slightly, my face almost pressed into a man's chest. My hands brushed against his rock-hard abs. And, to my shock, I could feel something else... something pressing against me. His crotch. I froze for a second, feeling the heat rise to my face as I realized what had just happened.
"Uh, I'm so sorry, sir!" I stammered, stepping back in embarrassment.
The man just chuckled, unfazed by the awkwardness. "No worries, but I'm glad you like what you see."
With a wink, he turned and walked away.
I stood there, my heart pounding in my chest. "What... just happened?"
I quickly turned to 098. "Who was that hot man?"
"That is Joshua Evergreen," 098 responded smoothly. "The top actor for Angel Enterprise. He's the main villain in the film you'll be doing tomorrow."
Joshua? The villain? I'd be working with him?
Excitement and nerves flooded my chest as I tried to steady my racing heartbeat. "Wait, does this mean I get to see him again?"
"Indeed," the system replied, almost too knowingly. "You'll see him again. You should be careful, though. Don't let him fool you."
My mind flickered with the warning. Was this what I was supposed to do? Was I really here to make everyone hate me? Layla, Michael, and now Joshua?
"Why don't you do Joshua?" the system asked, its voice almost teasing.
I blinked. "No! I can't make him hate me!"
"Why? Do you... love him?"
"What are you saying?" I replied, flustered. "No, I just... I have my reasons, okay?"
The system didn't respond, but I could feel the knowing tone behind its silence. "Okay, whatever you say. But don't you love Jackson?"
I froze. "No! He... he killed me. Why would I still like him?"
The system let out a quiet hum. "You have a point."
I sighed, trying to shake off the uncomfortable feeling. My taxi ride to the studio gave me a chance to read over my script for the movie. I was playing Alec Simmons, a minor villain who harassed the main character, Maria Maxwell, a girl with a tragic past. Maria had suffered much, being mistreated by her family due to her status as the illegitimate child of a wealthy family. But this story was about her triumph, as she fell in love with Claudio Sorra, a powerful businessman, while battling against her cruel sisters.
Alec only had a few scenes, but I could already tell that my role was going to be... interesting.