Gangster to Idol

Rhea shook her head, her eyes darkening with resignation. "It's not that simple."

Her voice softened, and a bitter smile crossed her lips. "Lexter belongs to Nova Entertainment—one of the giants in the industry. He has connections everywhere, even with the RRR production team. He's one of their top performers. If I reported him now, I'd be the one in trouble, not him."

Cain felt a surge of anger bubbling in his chest, his hands balling into fists at his sides. He wanted to say something, anything to fix the injustice she was facing, but all he could manage was a quiet, "I see . . ."

He hated how helpless he felt. Lexter had the backing of a massive corporation, and no matter how skilled or determined Cain was, he was just one person—another contestant in the endless sea of rising stars.

In this world of power and influence, the strong crushed the weak without a second thought. He knew that better than anyone.

In the gangster world, matters like this would've been settled with fists—swift, brutal, and without hesitation. But here, in the cutthroat world of idols, things weren't so simple. It wasn't just about brute strength anymore. Power was more subtle, concealed beneath layers of subterfuge, manipulation, and image.

His fists wouldn't solve this; status and being a big idol with influence would. This was a battlefield of reputations and influence, where a single misstep could end a career just as easily as any brawl.

Here, Cain had to play a different game, one where the stakes were even higher.

But hearing Rhea's quiet despair stirred something deep within him. He'd lived his life by his own rules, fought for everything he had, and he couldn't stand by while someone like her, who worked just as hard, got swallowed by the darkness of the industry.

His mind raced. What could he do against someone like Lexter? Against Nova Entertainment itself? For now, all he could do was offer her some small comfort.

"You don't have to face this alone, you know," Cain said quietly, his gaze softening as he looked at her. "If he crosses the line again, tell me and I'll handle it."

Rhea blinked, surprised by his words, but there was something in his eyes—and she didn't doubt him for a second.

"Hoi, stop making promises like that to girls," Fifi's voice cut through the tense silence, her usual playful tone replaced with something sharper. "If you don't really care, don't give them hope. You'll regret it later."

Cain blinked, caught off guard. "What are you even talking about?"

Fifi fluttered closer, her small frame radiating an unusual seriousness. "Saying things like that to a girl who's vulnerable . . . you don't even realize how dangerous that is, do you? You're giving her something to hold onto, something she might believe in."

"What?" Cain's brows furrowed, genuinely confused. He had only said a few comforting words to Rhea—it didn't mean anything. It was just . . . words.

Right?

"You think you're just offering comfort, but to someone like her, those words can mean everything," Fifi continued, her voice softening. "You might not realize it now, but you're playing with her feelings. And one day, you'll wish you hadn't."

"Huh? How did comforting someone turned into something so serious all of a sudden?" Cain muttered, his frustration rising. He shot a sharp look at Fifi, tempted to swat her away for being so overly dramatic.

All he did was say a few kind words—nothing more. How had it turned into something so heavy? Fifi was blowing things out of proportion, as usual.

The elevator dinged, announcing their arrival at their floor. The doors slid open, and Cain stepped out, not saying another word as he walked down the hallway.

Rhea followed, her eyes lingering on his broad back. She wasn't sure what their relationship was—if they were even friends. But in that moment, she was certain of one thing: C.C. wasn't just any other guy to her anymore. He was something more, something different.

"I'll be heading this way," Cain said, his voice cool and calm.

Rhea's heart skipped a beat, panic rising in her chest. "Ah, I-I'll be heading this way," she stammered, pointing in the opposite direction.

The moment the words left her mouth, she mentally cursed herself. Why did I say that? This was her chance to spend more time with him. She could have lied, said she was going the same way. Now, all she could do was watch as the opportunity slipped through her fingers.

Cain gave a simple nod, oblivious to her internal turmoil. "See you then," he said, already turning away.

As he casually walked off, his tall frame disappearing down the hallway, Rhea could only stand there, frozen, watching his back grow smaller with each step. Her chest tightened, a frustrated sigh escaping her lips.

Good job, Rhea. Way to go, she thought bitterly, her shoulders slumping in defeat. She had let her nerves ruin what could've been a moment, and now, all she had left was regret.

=== 🎶 ===

Meanwhile, back at the RRR building, Lexter was seething with fury as the clinic nurse treated his bleeding lip and swollen cheek, already turning a deep shade of purple.

"Nurse, how long will this stay?" Lexter's voice was tight with frustration. "I can't afford to look like this next week."

The nurse gave him a cursory glance as she applied ice to his injury. "As long as you keep using ice and take this medicine, the swelling should go down in a couple of days. The bruising will be manageable by next week, but you'll need makeup to fully cover it up."

She paused, raising an eyebrow in judgment. "Did something happen? That looks pretty serious. Did you get into a fight? Fighting is strictly prohibited, you know. But since it happened on your break, it's not technically against the rules.

Still, there could be repercussions if it happened in this building."

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|| A/N ||

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