Layla's POV:
The moment Hugo screamed, asking why I hated him, I could feel the weight of the misunderstanding settling around me. Did those girls actually tell him it was me who had ordered them to hurt him? My mind raced, and I was about to explain myself when the director rushed over, his angry footsteps echoing in the hallway. My heart sank as he began berating me, and for a moment, I thought this was it—the end of everything.
But then, unexpectedly, Hugo interrupted the director's shouting.
"Wait!" he called out, stepping forward. "Before you get too angry... she wasn't the one who hit me."
The director stopped mid-sentence, clearly taken aback. Hugo continued, his voice calm but firm. "It was a group of other actors. They ran away before they could explain themselves, but they said it was her who ordered them. But I don't think that's the case."
I watched, stunned, as Hugo defended me, his voice holding conviction. In that moment, I realized he was the only one I could count on when things went south. He wasn't just a pretty face. He actually cared.
The director, still skeptical but now willing to listen, gave Hugo a questioning look. "Why do you think it wasn't her?"
"If it was her," Hugo said, shaking his head, "why would she have chased them down afterward? I was just scared earlier. I couldn't think straight."
The director seemed to consider that for a moment, and then his posture softened. "You make a good point."
With that, the situation was defused. The director apologized to me, and after a few more questions about the other actors involved, we were allowed to go. Shooting for the day was canceled, and I thought I could finally go home and breathe. But then, I heard it.
"Hugo!"
Both Joshua and I yelled his name at the same time, and when I turned to look at him, I saw the same thing in his eyes—crazed possessiveness. My stomach churned.
Hugo's POV:
The tension was palpable as both Joshua and Layla simultaneously called out my name. I turned, my heart racing, only to be met with something unsettling—an intensity in their eyes, a kind of manic possessiveness I hadn't expected.
[ Umm, system... is he like the female lead? ]
{ No. He's like that towards Layla in the original script, but you see, he's a sadist. When he saw your crying face earlier, it triggered his desire for control over you. And you know what that means... }
[ Oh hell no. I can deal with one crazy person, but two?! ]
Before I could react, Ben's voice interrupted, and I felt a firm hand on my shoulder.
"I'm sorry," Ben said, stepping between me and the others. "But Hugo has a modeling gig he needs to get to. Is there any way he can raincheck on dinner?"
I was taken aback by how quickly Ben stepped in. I thought this was going to be a full-blown fight, but Layla shocked everyone by responding with a smile.
"Of course, Ben. I know you're the only one I can trust to protect Hugo," she said, her tone unusually calm, even warm.
Everyone around us was silent, surprised by how easily she'd agreed to his request.
"How about tomorrow? Ben is also invited, of course," she added.
I opened my mouth to protest, but the words slipped out before I could stop them. "How about after my shoot?"
Layla seemed pleased by my suggestion, and we exchanged numbers before parting ways. As I climbed into the car, my mind was still reeling. What had just happened? Why had she agreed so easily? Was there something I was missing?
Once in the car, I turned to 096 and asked, [Why was Layla so okay with Ben taking me instead?]
{ Well, it's a long story... }
The system's voice seemed to drop, as if preparing for something heavy. After Hugo's death, his family discovered that Ben was the only one who truly cared about him. He visited Hugo's grave every year on the anniversary of his death, and over time, they learned that Ben had been deeply in love with Hugo for over seven years. When the female lead was imprisoned in the family's dungeon, Ben would often visit her, telling her all about Hugo's good deeds before and after his death. He even paid to keep the orphanage open after Hugo's death, because the male lead wouldn't have done that.
The reason the female lead isn't threatened by Ben is because, in her mind, she's already accepted him as Hugo's first husband and herself as his first wife.
I let the weight of the information sink in. So, Layla had known all along, hadn't she? She was already okay with Ben, and now, maybe, with me as well.
[ ... ]
{ Are you okay, host? }
I paused, thinking. I think I'm in love.
{ With who? Ben? }
I hesitated before answering. Yes, and Layla. I know they'll love me until my death, and even after.
The system was quiet for a moment, then responded in a softer tone. { Host... Ben was also reborn. He just doesn't plan on telling you how he feels... even now. }
[ He doesn't have to tell me. I'll tell them tonight at dinner. ]
{ Alright. Your total point balance is now 1,000,400. What would you like to get with them? We have a system store you can browse through if needed. }
[ No, buy me the modeling skills and any other skills I'll need for daily life. Oh, and how much is it to transfer two souls to my space after death, with their own mini-systems? Also, I want three matching rings: one masculine, one feminine, and one in between. ]
{ The soul savers cost around 20,000,000 points each, and the skills you want for daily life will cost around 10,000. The rings will cost around 500 points each. }
I thought for a moment. [ Alright, buy the rings and skills, and save points for the next 40 days until I have enough. ]
{ After you learn the new skills, as long as you work hard, you'll be able to make the amount you need in 10 days or less. }
[ Okay, then. Tell me what I need to do. ]