Nicky checked into a standard room at the Super 8 motel, her bag of leftover lobster and steak in hand. She politely asked the front desk if there was anywhere nearby to find cheap clothes and was directed to a flea market two blocks away. After stashing the food in the mini-fridge, she headed out—the work vest she'd been wearing had been through seawater, warehouse dust, and kitchen grease. It was dirty, wrinkled, and if she didn't change, tomorrow's haters would roast her for looking "trashy."
The flea market was a maze of folding tables. Nicky stopped at a stall selling secondhand clothes, spending $20 on two cotton t-shirts and a pair of well-worn soft jeans, plus another $15 on grippy canvas sneakers. It was all she could afford—every asset the original owner had, from luxury bags to everyday blouses, had been seized by the courts. She remembered the plot: the court had given a 180-day deadline to repay the debt. In the original story, no one could clear $137 million that fast. Once the deadline passed, everything left would be auctioned off. The original Nicky, trapped and hopeless, had chosen to walk into the ocean—the exact moment she had transmigrated into this world.
Back in her room, Nicky took a hot shower, finally peeling off the grimy work clothes. Wrapped in a towel, she stood in front of the AC vent to dry her hair and tossed the lobster into the microwave. The system's one-time body upgrade after her transmigration hadn't just given her stamina for manual labor—it had also cranked up her metabolism. She got hungry faster and ran on empty quicker.
The reheated lobster was still firm, the steak still warm. Nicky devoured half of it before she finally felt grounded. Leaning back on the couch, she addressed the air: "Xiao Wu, settle tonight's heat. How much lifespan and cash can I get?"
Beep—Hello, Host. Calculating heat value… Exchangeable for: 10 days lifespan. $5,280 USD (converted at live rate).
Nicky's eyebrow rose—more than she'd expected. She connected to the motel's free Wi-Fi and opened TikTok. Sure enough, several trending topics featured her:
#WaitingForNickyToMoveBodies
#NickyUnhingedLivestreamCompilation
#NickyDishwashingForClout
Each had thousands of comments. Smirking, she went through and liked every negative video—hate-clicks still counted. She even found a dedicated hashtag: #NickyAntiFanClub, filled with vile comments, badly photoshopped memes, and wild rumors, like one claiming she'd "thrown hot water on a rookie on set."
"If you hate me this much, let me give you more reasons." Nicky opened up her comments to everyone. The moment she refreshed, the count jumped to 999+. Her screen flooded with venom.
User @HollywoodInsider_: Nicky is such a diva! She screamed at a newbie just because her coffee was too hot. Disgusting! 🤮
User @AntiNickySquad: I heard she used family money to steal roles! Now she's faking "hard work" for clout. Pathetic! 🤡
User @LunaForever: She should just disappear. Nobody wants to see her face. 🚮
User @TruthSearcher: Why is she still getting attention? Stop giving her views! 👎
Nicky's fingers flew across the screen, replying to each one:
— To @HollywoodInsider_: Getting your info from gossip blogs? Is your brain just for decoration? 🧠➡️🗑️
— To @AntiNickySquad: My family's company is bankrupt. Maybe check the news before you make up stories? 📉🤦♀️
— To @LunaForever: Yet here you are, watching. 😘
— To @TruthSearcher: You clicked, you commented… thanks for the engagement!
She was enjoying herself when her phone rang. "Leo" flashed on the screen.
"Oh my god, Nicky! Turn off your TikTok comments! Now! Please!" Leo's voice was strained, on the verge of panic. He'd clearly just seen the firestorm.
"Why would I do that?" Nicky took a bite of lobster, sounding utterly relaxed.
"Why?!" he nearly shrieked. "Do you even want a career in this industry? No director will touch you if you keep this up! "
"Once I pay off the debt, I'm done with this industry anyway," she stated plainly.
"Then do you want to pay it off or not?!" he yelled. "You're already public enemy number one! You're digging your own grave! "
"Was I ever beloved?" she shot back. "You think helping an old lady cross the street or donating a few bucks will erase the 'diva who stole roles' image? "
Silence on the other end.
"If I can't change it, what's the difference between 'infamous' and 'notoriously infamous'?" Nicky leaned back on the couch, her logic crystal clear. "More heat means more money, which means a faster payoff. You should be less worried about how many people are cursing in my comments and more worried about being on time to pick me up at 5 a.m. for the stream. "
Leo was speechless. Finally, he stammered, "…You're not wrong, but my anxiety is through the roof. "
"Anxious about what?" Nicky finished the last of the steak and wiped her mouth. "Haters are still followers. The more they rant, the higher I trend. Once the debt's cleared, who will even remember this? "
She hung up before he could respond, citing she needed to "prepare for tomorrow's stream." Watching the comment count continue to climb, a slow smile spread across Nicky's face. So what if it was hate? If it paid the bills, she'd take all the negativity the internet could throw at her.