Asher stood behind him, gripping hard enough to nearly dig into his skin.
"Let go of me." Noah tried to break free.
But Asher didn't release him. Instead, he yanked harder, spinning Noah around and shoving him against the nearby wall.
Noah's back slammed into the wall with a dull thud.
Asher's body pressed forward, the distance between them so close Noah could feel his breath.
"Let go!" Noah pushed against him with all his strength.
But Asher didn't budge.
One hand gripped Noah's waist with crushing force, as if trying to embed him into the wall. His other hand rose, thumb slowly tracing Noah's lips.
The touch was light, yet carried a certain aggression.
Noah's entire body went rigid. He wanted to pull away, but his back was against the wall, his waist locked in Asher's grip there was nowhere to go.
Asher stared at him, gaze dark, thumb stroking Noah's lips again and again.
"You should really reconsider."
His voice was low, close to Noah's ear, carrying a hint of threat:
"I can make you soar..."
He paused, his grip on Noah's waist tightening, thumb pressing harder against Noah's lips:
"Or I can make you disappear completely."
Noah felt all the blood in his body rushing upward.
Fear, anger, and an indescribable sense of humiliation.
And a heartache he couldn't quite define.
Asher's hand on his waist was like an iron vise, that possessive force making it nearly impossible to breathe.
Noah clenched his jaw and shoved Asher away with all his strength.
This time Asher let go, stepping back.
Noah turned and ran out of the private room, into the elevator, slamming the button for the first floor.
---
Noah burst out of the hotel and stood at the entrance, gasping for air.
The night wind was cold against his face, but it couldn't dispel the fear in his chest.
His hands were shaking. The sensation of Asher's grip still lingered on his waist, the warmth of that stroking touch still ghosting over his lips.
Asher's words echoed in his ears.
"I can make you soar, or I can make you disappear completely."
Noah flagged down a taxi and climbed in.
"Where to?" the driver asked.
Noah gave his address, voice hoarse.
The car started moving. Noah leaned back against the seat, eyes closed.
His mind was chaos.
What had just happened felt like a nightmare.
The things Asher said, the things he did...
Were they real?
Noah opened his eyes, staring at the rapidly retreating streetscape outside the window.
The person who had once illuminated his darkness this was who he really was.
All that anticipation, all that admiration, all those beliefs that had once sustained him...
All shattered.
---
Meanwhile.
Asher stood before the floor-to-ceiling windows in the private room, lighting a cigarette.
He gazed at the prosperous city before him, a smile curling at his lips.
Refused?
No matter.
He had plenty of time.
Asher took a drag, pulled out his phone, and called his assistant.
He paused, voice calm yet carrying a certain coldness:
"Shut down all of Noah's recent opportunities. Though there probably aren't many anyway."
"Also, have someone leak some information online. About him."
"I want him to know..."
Asher's gaze darkened, smoke wreathing around him:
"The price of refusing me."
The voice on the other end acknowledged.
Asher hung up and stood by the window, staring at the city's night view.
He would come back.
Asher was certain of it.
Because Noah had no other choice.
---
Back home, Noah shut himself in his room.
He sat on the edge of his bed, staring at the floor, scenes from today flashing continuously through his mind.
Asher's gaze.
Asher's hands.
And those words "I want your body."
Noah felt like something was lodged in his chest.
He couldn't believe it.
How could this be?
How could Asher be this kind of person?
Noah hugged his knees, burying his face in his arms.
He didn't know what to do.
Refuse Asher, and then what?
Would he really... disappear, like Asher said?
Noah recalled Asher's final look.
Cold, dark, carrying a certain threat.
He was afraid.
Noah lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, mind in complete disarray.
All night, he couldn't sleep well.
Every time he closed his eyes, he saw Asher's face.
Remembered that kiss.
Remembered everything that happened tonight.
---
The next morning, his phone suddenly rang.
Noah opened his eyes, head heavy.
He grabbed his phone it was his manager calling.
He answered. "Hello?"
"Noah!" His manager's voice was urgent. "Check online! Something happened!"
Noah's heart lurched violently.
"What?"
"The trending topics! Check now!"
Noah hung up and opened the trending list.
Number eight:
[Noah Acts Like a Diva]
Noah's heart skipped. He clicked in.
The comment section was full of insults.
[Heard Noah had a terrible attitude during an audition, yelling at staff]
[Some D-list idol getting cocky? Landing one role and already acting superior]
[This kind of character and he still wants to make it in the industry?]
[Such a temper, and he doesn't even know his place]
Noah stared at the comments, hands trembling.
He scrolled down, seeing someone had posted a so-called "leak."
[According to reliable sources, Noah threw a tantrum during an audition because he wasn't satisfied with his makeup. He yelled at the makeup artist and even threw things. The staff didn't dare speak up.]
Below were screenshots from anonymous accounts claiming to be "witnesses."
[I was there. Noah's temper is really terrible the makeup artist was scared to tears]
[Always heard he was difficult. Now there's proof]
Noah couldn't believe what he was seeing.
All of this was fake.
He'd never done any of these things.
His phone vibrated again his manager calling via voice.
Noah answered.
"Noah, what's going on?" His manager sounded frantic. "Did you get into a conflict with staff during your audition the other day?"
"No." Noah's voice was cold. "All of this is fake."
"But online"
"I said, it's fake." Noah cut him off.
His manager was silent for a few seconds. "Noah, the company wants you to come in immediately."
Noah closed his eyes, took a deep breath. "I understand."
He hung up and sat on the edge of his bed, staring at his phone screen.
This smear campaign...
Asher did this.
He'd actually made his move.
Noah got dressed and left home.
---
Starlight Entertainment's office was in an old building in the older part of the city.
The exterior walls were somewhat weathered, the glass not particularly clean, the elevator the old-fashioned type with faded buttons.
Noah walked in. The receptionist saw him, expression complicated, as if wanting to say something but holding back.
"Noah, Director Hayes is waiting for you in his office."
Noah nodded, entered the elevator, and pressed the floor number.
The elevator doors opened. He walked to the director's office and knocked.
"Come in."
Noah pushed the door open.
Director Hayes sat behind his desk. Seeing Noah, his expression was sour.
"Sit."
Noah sat across from him.
Hayes stared at him for several seconds, then spoke, tone unfriendly:
"Noah, did you offend Asher?"
Noah said nothing.
Hayes continued. "The stuff online did Asher's people leak it?"
Noah was silent for a few seconds. "Possibly."
"Possibly?" Hayes's voice rose. "Noah, do you know what level Asher is at? You've offended him—this isn't just about you!"
Noah looked up at him.
Hayes slammed the desk. "If Asher goes after you, the company gets dragged in too! You understand? We're a small company we can't afford to provoke someone like Asher!"
He paused, tone growing harsher. "You better figure out how to fix this! Go apologize to Asher, do whatever it takes, but you cannot let this continue escalating!"
Noah stared at him, voice calm. "Apologize? What did I do wrong?"
"I don't care if you did anything wrong!" Hayes stood. "All I know is if Asher keeps targeting you, the company gets dragged down! Noah, you better think clearly is your future more important, or the company's interests?"
Noah looked at him, suddenly finding it somewhat absurd.
"Asher is targeting me, not the company."
"But you're the company's artist!" Hayes pointed at him. "If something happens to you, the company is affected!"
Noah stood. "Then let's terminate the contract."
Hayes froze. "What?"
"Terminate the contract." Noah's voice was cold. "That way the company won't be implicated."
Hayes stared at him, then suddenly laughed a mocking sound. "Terminate? Noah, do you know how much the penalty is?"
Noah clenched his fists.
Hayes continued. "Three million. Can you afford that?"
Noah fell silent.
Three million.
He couldn't afford it at all.
Hayes, seeing his reaction, smiled even more mockingly. "If you can't afford it, then behave! Go apologize to Asher, do whatever it takes, but you must appease him!"
Noah stared at him, voice soft. "What if I don't?"
"Don't?" Hayes sneered. "Then wait to be blacklisted. The company won't give you any more resources. All your opportunities will be cancelled. Noah, what do you think you can do without the company?"
Noah looked at him, saying nothing.
Hayes waved dismissively. "Get out. Come back when you've thought it through."
Noah turned toward the door.
"Noah." Hayes called out.
Noah stopped.
"Don't do anything stupid. After offending Asher, you won't get anywhere in this industry."
Noah didn't look back. He pushed through the door and left.
---
Walking out of the company building, Noah took a deep breath.
The anger from earlier still churned in his chest.
Three million.
He couldn't afford it.
Noah stood on the sidewalk, unsure where to go.
Home?
But what good would going home do?
This smear campaign wouldn't just disappear.
And the company...
Noah closed his eyes, feeling an overwhelming sense of powerlessness.
He stood on the street for a long time before finally hailing a taxi.
He went to a building in the city center.
---
Twenty minutes later, the car stopped in front of a towering building.
Glass curtain walls reflected the sunlight, the facade silver-gray and modern-looking.
Noah got out and looked up at the building.
He walked into the lobby.
The lobby was spacious, crystal chandeliers hanging overhead, everything looking upscale.
Noah walked to the elevator and pressed the button for the fifth floor.
The elevator doors opened. He stepped inside.
The elevator was fast, reaching the fifth floor in seconds.
The doors opened. Noah walked out and found the familiar door.
[Dance Rhythm Dance Studio]
He pushed the door open and entered.
The studio wasn't large, but it was clean. The mirrors were new, the floor polished and smooth.
Somewhat different from how he remembered.
But this place...
This was where he first started dancing.
Before becoming a trainee, he came here every day.
Alone, facing the mirror, practicing over and over.
Back then, he didn't know if he could become an idol, didn't know if he had a future.
But he loved dancing.
So he kept dancing.
Noah walked to the rest area and sat down.
He stared ahead, mind blank.
Didn't know what to think, didn't know what to do.
Just sat there.
Time passed, second by second.
Outside, the sky gradually darkened. The sunset's afterglow streamed through the windows, bathing the entire room in warm orange.
Noah still sat there, unmoving.
Not until the sky went completely dark and the studio's lights automatically turned on.
Only then did Noah come back to himself, stand, and walk out.
The hallway was quiet, only his footsteps echoing.
Noah walked to the elevator and pressed the button.
The elevator descended from above, numbers counting down.
...7...6...5.
Ding.
The elevator doors opened.
Noah looked up.
And saw Asher standing inside.
Their eyes met.
Noah's entire body froze.