Jace's phone buzzed in his pocket.
He glanced at the screen. The same number.
Then he looked at Callen.
Callen's body trembled, not just from the beating but also from disbelief. 'How does he know? The police shouldn't have told him… not with something as severe as sexual exploitation…'
Jace's lips curved into a cruel smile. "Well… why don't you hear it yourself?"
He answered.
"Hello, Mr. Jace." The same female officer's voice, calm and polite.
"Yes," Jace replied evenly. He tapped the speaker button and brought the phone near Callen.
"After reviewing the contract you sent us," the officer continued, "we have concluded the photos were taken as part of a clothing advertisement."
Callen's bloody lips parted. "A-Adver… tisement?"
"And the two-million transfer as payment for the advertisement has also been confirmed through bank records. So we declare you as innocent."
The words stabbed him deeper than Kyra's slaps. His voice cracked into a raw scream. "NO! He can't be innocent! He forged it. Yes, this fucker must have forged the contr—"
Jace's palm smothered his mouth, cutting his roar off mid-word. His fingers dug into Callen's blood-slick face.
With a wicked smile he whispered, "Fucker, they can't hear you, I have turned off the mic."
Then he shoved him down. Callen's back hit the rubble, shards biting into his skin.
"Hello? Mr. Jace?" the officer asked again.
Jace straightened, brushing his sleeve clean.
His voice shifted, smooth and mocking. "Officer, you know how the entertainment industry is. Rumors spread out of jealousy. And sometimes jealousy may lead to… false accusations."
"O-Of course. We're sorry for the inconvenience. We'll ensure the person who filed the complaint receives the appropriate punishment."
"Ah, you don't have to," Jace chuckled. "But thank you. Because of officers like you, we can all sleep peacefully."
"W-We're simply performing our duty."
He ended the call.
Silence pressed the van.
Jace looked down. Callen lay sprawled across shattered glass. His chest rose and fell in shallow jerks, blood leaking from the corner of his mouth. He couldn't even lift his arms.
Jace's smile turned menacing, satisfaction dripping from every line of his face. "Kyra, hire some men to deliver him to the hospital. I'll inform Director Amelia that Actor Callen will be… unavailable for a few weeks."
Callen's eyes fluttered open, red and swollen. Rage still simmered, but now something colder gripped him. Fear. His heart pounded faster than his broken body could handle. For the first time, he realized Jace wasn't just cruel. He was calculating. Untouchable.
Jace turned for the door. He spoke for the last time, mockery filling his voice. "Oh, don't worry. I won't release the video of you punching me. At least… not yet."
Kyra pulled the door open.
Jace glanced back once, his smile twisted, enjoying the fear etched into Callen's ruined face. "Well then… see ya."
The door shut behind him.
Kyra stayed, gloves changing with smooth precision, preparing to clean.
Outside, Jace's steps slowed.
A translucent screen flickered before his eyes.
His brow furrowed. 'It's been a while since I saw this… but…'
[ Analyzing… ]
Jace's initial plan was to become executive producer, slowly influence the script, then turn his villain role into a charismatic antagonist. Ride the fame. Approach target Juliana Everen. And complete the mission.
But Callen had changed the game. His temper, stupidity, was too easy to exploit. Jace reshaped the script entirely, twisting the spotlight toward himself, while nurturing Noelle to become the face of his company.
Killing two birds with one stone.
But Noelle wasn't a target, even if she was, the system should have reacted when he slept with her.
Jace's frown deepened.
The screen brightened.
[ Performance Assessment Complete ]
[ Desire Investment System congratulates the user for completing the first Hidden Mission. ]
Jace blinked. "Hidden… mission?"
[ Hidden Mission: By fulfilling one of your desires, (malice), the system has registered it as a completed mission. ]
His eyes widened, then narrowed in amusement. Excitement curled through him.
[ Performance Grade: B ]
[ Reward Issued ]
His phone vibrated; he opened his banking app.
Balance: $10,800,040
A low laugh slipped from his throat. He pushed his hair back, grin spreading. "The system really knows how to serve its customers."
Satisfaction filled his chest. Ambition sparked higher. His conquest was only beginning.
Back on set.
Jace stood before Amelia, Valentina, and Noelle. "Actor Callen will be unavailable for some weeks," he explained. "We had… an unavoidable fight."
Amelia's eyes widened. "Mr. Jace, are you alright?"
"I'm perfectly fine," Jace said smoothly. "And don't worry. Callen promised me he'll comply from now on."
Relief washed over Amelia and Valentina, their shoulders easing.
But Noelle's gaze lowered. A shadow of sadness lingered in her eyes.
Jace noticed. "Noelle."
She jerked faintly. "A-Ah, yes, Sir?"
"I can just call you Noelle, right?"
"S-Sure." Her voice was soft.
Jace's smile held. 'Let's take it slow.'
He sat beside Amelia, watching the shoot.
"Cut," Amelia called, adjusting the camera. She turned toward him. "Mr. Jace, following your revised script, the next scene is a bedroom scene. And since Ms. Noelle mentioned your new clothing brand, how about promoting it through this?"
Jace blinked. He'd been so busy planning how to crush Callen he had overlooked such an obvious opportunity.
"That would be perfect," he said smoothly.
Amelia smiled, signaling to the crew.
Lights dimmed. The set shifted, a romantic atmosphere built with soft shadows and silk sheets.
"Episode Eight, Scene One. Action!"
The camera rolled.
On the bed, Jace leaned over Valentina, draped in pure white robes. A faint glint of smugness played across his face, exactly as the scene required.
Valentina's body arched beneath him, wrapped in a sheer purple nightgown. The thin fabric traced every curve, her breasts outlined clearly through the cloth. Her breaths came heavy, lips parted in a faint smirk as her character demanded.
Then a system screen cut across Jace's vision.
[ New Target Selected ]
[ Profile: Valentina Ray. Age: 26. Actress under exclusive contract with K.F. Entertainment. Currently single. Four past breakups. Enjoys making her partner beg for sex. (Pay to unlock more) ]
[ Please choose Risk Level: High – 1 week. Medium – 1 month. Low – 6 months. ]
[ Funds Authorized: $1,000,000. ]
Jace's smirk deepened. 'I didn't plan for this… but I won't refuse some side change.'
Lust and desire burned in his red eyes.