As the ceremony started, Beckett could feel that everyone's eyes were on him. He was positioned in the VIP seat because aside from receiving an award for his performance in an action movie, he and his team were also invited as special guests by the organizers of the awarding show.
Unfortunately, Jeru couldn't attend due to some prior commitments. So Beckett ended up being alone in his seat, while the one next to him remained vacant.
The ceremony continued, and Beckett was struggling to maintain his focus. He checked his phone from time to time, not just to see what other artists were doing on stage, but also to check if he had any messages from his staff.
Being a model and a part-time actor wasn't his only job. It wasn't even his main job since the income from that wouldn't be enough to sustain his luxuries and desires. When comparing his earnings from modeling and his company, his showbiz industry income would seem like spare change.
Nevertheless, Beckett didn't let go of this industry. He might feel suffocated at times, unable to show his true emotions because of the constant scrutiny, but he didn't care.
The main reason he entered this field was the connections he could establish as a model. That was the driving force behind his decision.
"Shit!" Beckett snapped out of his thoughts when someone suddenly sat on his lap.
It was a woman wearing a white polo shirt and black pants. Her long black hair was tied up, still the ends reaching her waist, and her hair brushed against Beckett as she moved.
"Sorry!" she shouted while still facing away from him, not even getting up from her seat on Beckett's lap.
Given their current position, Beckett could see how smooth and delicate the woman's neck was, how sweet her scent was, and how curvaceous her behind was.
'Goodness gracious,' Beckett thought to himself, trying to contain all the emotions rushing through his body.
"Enjoying sitting in my lap?" Beckett teasingly asked her, causing the woman to quickly stand up as if she had been burned.
Her mouth fell open when she saw that the woman was even more beautiful up close.
His suspicions earlier about her were correct. She had fair and smooth skin. Her nose was sharp, and her cheeks and lips had a rosy hue. At that moment, it wasn't just the woman who seemed dumbfounded standing in front of him.
His masculinity was also prominent. He crossed his legs on the other, especially since the attention of most reporters was on him. He didn't want rumors circulating that he was interested in a mere event organizer.
"I-I'm sorry, sir Beckett—Ah!"
The woman screamed when Beckett pulled her closer. This time, she sat on him with her body facing him. Vivianne gasped as she felt something against her thigh, but she couldn't speak to ask what it was.
Vivianne Allamino, one of the organizers of the awarding show, was too stunned to speak.
"Careful, lady," Beckett warned in a serious tone before shifting his gaze to the people walking in front of them.
Vivianne also looked in that direction and gasped when she saw that everyone's attention was on her and Beckett. She quickly moved away from him, her face turning as red as a tomato.
Little did she know, Beckett found her cute. He pursed his lips, trying to suppress his smile, but his gaze never left Vivianne. His attention was only diverted when he noticed the reporters approaching closer.
"Go," Beckett commanded before pointing at the reporters with his gaze.
"P-Pardon?" Unfortunately, Vivianne didn't understand what he meant. She furrowed her brow, trying to decipher Beckett's intentions.
"Pretty stupid," Beckett murmured under his breath. It was soft enough that Vivianne couldn't hear it. "The reporters would be here in less than a minute. Do you want them to ask you directly why you sat on my lap earlier?"
"N-No."
Vivianne shook her head repeatedly before quickly leaving. Beckett continued to gaze after her until she disappeared backstage. He wanted to keep looking at her because of her extraordinary beauty and the effect she had on him.
But he didn't tolerate stupidity. He disliked people who acted foolishly, and that was the characteristic of the woman he had spoken to earlier.
The reporters eventually approached him, and as he expected, they asked about the girl who sat on his lap. They wondered if she was one of his desperate fans trying to get his attention, but Beckett immediately denied it.
"It was accidental. She slipped as people started walking in front of us," Beckett answered. "I let her be since it wasn't intentional, and the girl looked nice. She didn't take advantage of me, and I appreciate her for that."
He wasn't sure if the girl had done it intentionally, but because she was attractive and sexy, he let it pass.
His answer received various reactions from the reporters. Some were thrilled, while others, especially the female reporters, felt jealous. Sitting on the lap of the great Beckett Clainfer was a privilege.
"I'll appreciate it if you don't publish what happened today to the press..." he said, grinning widely. He also licked his lower lip. "Hmmm, should I answer one question in exchange?"
The reporters immediately agreed. Beckett didn't expect that he would engage in this kind of conversation with the reporters for the sake of a stupid girl. Even though Fiona called out to the reporters to let him prepare for his speech later, the girl didn't leave his mind.
He didn't know what to think, whether he should pray to see her again or not. Until now, he was annoyed by her gentle and calm demeanor... But there was a part of him that wanted to see her.
"For the best rookie actor award... Beckett Clainfer!"
Beckett smiled pretentiously as he walked toward the stage. The audience greeted him with a round of applause. The sound was loud, but Beckett suddenly stopped when he heard the whistle again, the same one he heard outside earlier.
His smile faded as he froze in place. People wondered why he had suddenly changed his mood, while others were captivated by how handsome he was despite not doing anything.
Amidst the noise, he could hear the whistle.
It was subtle. If he hadn't focused on listening, he wouldn't have heard it over the noise. He couldn't understand why he was hearing it again now.
Beckett wasn't sure if he was still in his right mind or if his mind was playing tricks on him because he was determined to find that person. He felt lost, devastated, and frustrated…
"Hey, hey!"
Suddenly, someone snapped him out of his thoughts. That someone tapped the side of the stage and whispered as if she was waking Beckett from his imagination. He blinked twice and turned his head to the right.
There, he saw the woman who had sat on his lap earlier. Her face looked sour and worried, but when she saw that Beckett had snapped back to reality, she smiled.
Vivianne didn't receive any command from someone to distract Beckett from his thoughts. Before she knew it, she was tapping the stage frequently to wake Beckett up. Vivianne knew these actions well, as her mother would do the same when she had a panic attack.
In a flash, Beckett regained his usual charismatic expression and continued walking until he reached the stage. Vivianne smiled at him before returning backstage.
"Sorry for worrying you, everyone. I had a light headache as I just came back from France," he explained.
He could see the concern from the people as he said that. He smiled before delivering a memorized speech that he had said countless times before.
"First of all, I wanted to thank everyone who voted for me to get this award. I know I still have a lot to learn, but thank you for believing in me," Beckett said as one of the hosts handed him the trophy. "I wouldn't be here in front of the stage if not for my fans. I love you all."
It was a short, scripted speech, but Beckett's fans went wild upon hearing what he said. They almost worshiped him, especially the young fans who would do anything to buy his magazines.
Yet, they didn't know the secrets behind Beckett's flawless reputation.
After the awarding show, Beckett immediately went to the Dweller Cartel—A drug den that he owned.
"How's the newest invention?" Beckett asked when he arrived at the laboratory where the latest drugs he had invented were being made.
With his bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering, he knew how to create drugs. One of his friends also helped him with the drug formulation until he mastered it.
"Everything is going well, sir," Jeremy, the head of the drug processing team, replied. "We just need to test it, and then it can be distributed."
"Make sure to do it clean and clear. I don't tolerate stupidity, do you understand?" Beckett warned, and Jeremy nodded twice.
This was his main source of income—his drug dealing schemes. He owned one of the largest drug warehouses and was also one of the most well-known drug dealers in the country.
He had clients locally and internationally, and ironically, some of his top clients were actors and models. If someone recognized him, he would eliminate them and make it look like an accident or suicide.
The police were trying to find him under his alias "Mob," but they couldn't locate him.
And he wouldn't let them.
After realizing that everything was running smoothly at his warehouse, Beckett headed to a high-end bar. He wore a face mask and a black cap as a disguise. His main goal was not to drink until he passed out, but to find someone to have sex with.
"Damn it, I need good sex right now," Beckett muttered as he scanned the place, looking for the best woman whom he thought could please him for the night.
But his eyes stopped when he saw a woman sitting at the counter, casually drinking alcohol as if it were water.
"What is that woman doing here?" Beckett furrowed his brow as he realized that he knew that woman.