Elsa froze for a split second, then felt a wave of irritation wash over her.
She had fallen for that jerk again.
Elsa: Favorability -30.
But the moment her eyes landed on the man standing at the bow of the boat, her heartbeat betrayed her resolve.
Jason stood there casually, one hand resting on the railing, dressed in a dark, old-fashioned robe tailored with modern restraint. The long sleeves fluttered slightly in the breeze, his posture relaxed yet confident. Against the backdrop of water, the classical style clung to him perfectly—as if it had been made just for him.
It stabbed straight into her aesthetic.
Elsa: Favorability +20.
"Damn it…" she muttered under her breath.Why does this guy have to be this handsome?
Handsome, absurdly rich, effortlessly charismatic. Any one of those would have been enough. But no—Jason had all three, and to make it worse, he was a complete playboy. Not only did he have a girlfriend, he had several. If modern society didn't suit him, he might as well declare himself a feudal lord and be done with it.
Gritting her teeth, Elsa still couldn't stop herself from watching him.
Her gaze shifted, sharp with competitiveness, toward the woman standing beside him on the same boat—Sophia.
At first glance, Elsa had thought she was confident in her own looks. She had always been. But the more she examined Sophia, the more a quiet sense of inferiority crept in. The woman's beauty wasn't aggressive; it was clean, refined, and effortlessly eye-catching. Standing beside Jason, she looked disturbingly… fitting.
Elsa felt even more frustrated.
Why did a man like Jason Carter get surrounded by so many beautiful women?
Soon, the boat glided to the pier ahead. Jason and Sophia stepped off, walking up the stone stairs onto the bank. Almost immediately, they were swallowed by the dense crowd onshore. Even when Elsa stood on her toes, she could no longer see them.
A strange emptiness settled in her chest.
Her thoughts drifted backward, uninvited.
Back then, because of her mistake, Jason had bought a flawed piece of porcelain at an auction. She had been terrified, ready to be blamed—or worse. Yet he hadn't scolded her at all. Instead, he'd calmly comforted her, even joking to ease her nerves.
And that bracelet.
He had fastened it onto her wrist himself, his fingers steady, his expression indifferent yet gentle.
Looking back now, his image hadn't collapsed at all.
From beginning to end, Jason had never claimed to be devoted. Never promised exclusivity. Maybe he really did just like classical culture—and along with it, the idea of multiple partners, polished and packaged in modern terms.
Elsa: Favorability +10.
Jason, walking ahead with Sophia, heard the familiar system prompt echo in his mind.
He paused for half a second, then understood—Elsa must have arrived as well.
The wildly fluctuating favorability made him slightly speechless.
Women were complicated.
Too complicated.
He didn't bother guessing what Elsa was thinking. It wasn't worth the effort.
Jason and Sophia continued strolling through the garden, stone paths winding between water features and carefully arranged pavilions. The blend of sightseeing and steadily rising favorability made the experience unusually satisfying.
They hadn't gone far when a sharp, arrogant voice suddenly cut through the air.
"Hey! Don't go any further! Didn't we say this area is being used for filming? Are you deaf?"
Another voice followed, even harsher.
"If you disrupt the shoot and delay the celebrity's schedule, can you take responsibility for that? Do you know how much this location costs per day? More than you'll make in a year. Step back—everyone step back!"
Two burly bodyguards stood ahead, arms spread wide. They pointed aggressively at the visitors, cursing without restraint. When a few people didn't move fast enough, the guards shoved them backward without hesitation.
The pushed tourists stumbled, faces dark with anger and humiliation. But seeing the guards' size and their aggressive posture, most people instinctively retreated.
Power always had a way of silencing resistance.
"What's going on?" someone muttered behind Jason."So arrogant…"
Jason slowed his steps slightly, his eyes narrowing as he looked toward the commotion.
"Damn it, just because he's a celebrity?"
Someone in the crowd couldn't hold it in any longer.
"Ego my ass," someone scoffed.
"And we're not even in the zone yet," another voice added angrily. "What does it have to do with them if we're walking around here?"
Not everyone was complaining, though.
A cluster of young women, even after being pushed back, still spoke up with righteous conviction.
"Did we disturb? Then it's our fault."
"Didn't you hear them tell you to move? Honestly, you people deserve it for affecting."
"If you want to stroll, can't you pick another spot? I'm speechless. Truly."
In the blink of an eye, the crowd in front of Jason and Sophia had completely retreated. The two bodyguards now stood directly before them, faces full of disdain.
"Didn't you hear us telling you to step back?" one of them barked. "Are you deaf, or do you not understand human language? If you influencers want to take photos, go somewhere else."
Sophia frowned slightly.
Scenes like this were exactly why she disliked appearing in public. She hated confrontation. If she backed down, it felt suffocating; if she argued, it felt undignified.
Before she could react, Jason took half a step forward, positioning himself subtly in front of her. His expression remained calm, with no intention of retreating.
Almost simultaneously, two men who had been quietly following behind stepped forward. Their movements were sharp and disciplined, instantly placing themselves between Jason and the bodyguards.
"Who are you cursing?" one of them said coldly. "Who do you think you are?"
The two burly bodyguards froze for a split second, then sneered.
"So what if we curse you? You—"
They reached out to shove them.
They never got the chance.
In a flash, the two men moved. Like hawks catching prey, they seized the bodyguards' wrists, twisted them back with precise force, and locked them in place. The difference in skill was obvious. Despite their muscular builds, the bodyguards were completely helpless. Pain shot through their arms, their faces turning pale as they cried out.
"Let go! Let go! We were wrong!"
The two men didn't loosen their grip.
"Sir," one of them asked calmly, turning his head slightly toward Jason, "how would you like to handle this?"
Jason didn't respond immediately, so the two men continued restraining the bodyguards without mercy.
At that moment, Olivia appeared beside Jason as if out of thin air. Her tone was professional and low."Jason, that actor is signed under Star Glow Pictures."
Jason raised an eyebrow."Star Glow Pictures… sounds familiar. Do we have any dealings with them?"
"No direct business ties," Olivia replied. "But you and Lewi, the boss of Star Glow, are both members of the Club. Last time the club held a private car showcase for you, one of the cars was provided by him."
Jason nodded slowly."In that case, give him a chance."
Understood.
Olivia immediately stepped aside and made a call. When it connected, she spoke without wasting time.
"Hello, Mr. Lewi. This is Olivia, Jason's secretary."
On the other end, Lewi's voice instantly became animated—almost alarmed."Jason is looking for me? What's the matter?"
"We're currently at .....," Olivia said calmly, briefly explaining what had happened.
The change in Lewi's tone was obvious. Panic bled through his voice."I'm terribly sorry. Is Jason there? I'll apologize to him personally. No—don't wait, I'm not far away. I'll come over immediately. I'll have the crew prepare a private seating area for him right now. Please ask Jason to wait just a moment—I'll be there as fast as I can."
Lewi had every reason to panic.
Even though he was already a high-tier member of Star Club and only one step away from becoming a Supreme VIP, there were still levels among the elite.
Jason had become a Supreme VIP the moment he joined—and the power he later demonstrated was rumored to be worth ten of them combined.
Recently, word had spread that Jason had single-handedly shorted Infinity International, a billion-dollar company, and then forcefully acquired Infinity Media—worth over three billion—simply because they had offended him.
In other words, a company valued at three billion meant nothing to Jason. He could crush it within minutes. Star Glow Pictures, barely worth over a billion, was insignificant by comparison.
More terrifying still, nearly a third of the Star Club's members had directly benefited from Jason and were fanatically loyal. Most of the remaining members were desperate to curry favor with him.
When Infinity Media later sought partnerships, club members had practically tripped over each other to cooperate.
A tycoon with terrifying wealth, ruthless methods, and unmatched connections—provoking someone like that was practically asking for death.
You're filming a drama and bullying tourists, fine.But daring to bully him?
Lewi didn't hesitate. The moment he hung up, he called the film crew. As soon as the line connected, his furious roar echoed through the phone as he began cursing without restraint.
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