NOVEL NEXT Chapter 956 Being Quirky
"His voice… it was like a siren's call. But it wasn't just his singing; every song was crafted so perfectly for him, layered with emotions that stirred the soul. He was an unpolished gem."
"So instead of letting a small agency snatch him up with some exploitative contract, I brought him to UE and introduced him to our Music Director. The director was immediately captivated by Logan's talent."
"But remembering Lucas's unwarranted hostility, I knew something was wrong. I warned both Logan and the music director to be careful. Later, when I discovered that Logan was still living under the same roof as Lucas, I urged him to move out. I even had his gadgets scanned for malware… And guess what I found?"
Hera's tone grew suspenseful, as if she were revealing a mystery step by step. But even as she explained everything, she left out the truth of how she knew so much.
She couldn't exactly tell them they were all characters inside a novel, nor that a transmigrator had attached herself to her—the cannon fodder—and opened her eyes to the truth. That secret would shatter their worldview… or worse, trigger the storyline itself to erase their memories.
After all, these men weren't just anyone—they were the male leads and even the main villain of this world.
Rafael, who seems to have thought of something, asked. "What have you found?"
Hearing his curious question, Hera's smile widened, her eyes crinkling with amusement. "You'll find out once you've done your research with Gerald," she said, playfully shutting down his curiosity.
This was something Rafael had to uncover piece by piece if he truly wanted to understand the situation. As for her, she only needed to sit back and enjoy the show.
Sure enough, frustration flickered across Rafael's face. He was so close to the answer, yet no one would give it to him. His fingers flew faster across his phone as he messaged Gerald, not expecting Hera to tease him this much. Still, her hint gave him a clearer lead to follow and a stronger sense of direction in his investigation.
The others, meanwhile, could only watch from the sidelines. Some were jealous; Hera's kindness and her obvious soft spot for Logan made it sting even more, but they had no real say in the matter.
This issue had nothing to do with them, and they couldn't contribute even if they tried. Hera had already given Rafael the greatest advantage: access to her intelligence network, a resource he could wield however he pleased. That alone was enough to make the others quietly envious.
[Rafael: Hello there. This is Rafael Briley. My little minx told me I can ask for your help.]
[Rafael: I mean… Hera told me I can ask for your help.]
[Rafael deleted a message.]
[Rafael: Let me rephrase that. This is Rafael Briley from Star Ocean Entertainment. We've met before, though I don't expect you to remember me. Hera mentioned I could ask for your assistance in investigating Lucas Freed's past, from his childhood up until the recent scandal. I hope we can work well together.]
[Gerald: Good evening, Mr. Briley. No worries, I already got a screenshot.]
[Gerald: ★>d(,,･ε´-,,)⌒☆ ]
[Gerald: As for the investigation, leave it to me. I'll send everything I dig up as soon as possible. And yes, I remember you, after all, you and your group left quite an impression.]
[Gerald: Just make sure to take good care of our Young Miss more.]
[Gerald deleted a message.]
[Gerald: I just hope you'll take good care of Miss Hera from now on.]
[Rafael: I took a screenshot too.]
[Rafael: ( ʘ ‿ʘ )]
[Rafael: Anyway, Hera already revealed her identity to us. That's the only reason she let me ask for your help directly. Otherwise, she would've contacted you herself and simply handed me the completed investigation report afterward.]
[Gerald: Ah, that makes sense.]
[Gerald: Then it's official, you are now our Majesty's concubine.]
[Gerald: Allow this humble eunuch to act and aid your royal consort in investigating this matter.]
[Gerald: (人 •͈ᴗ•͈ )]
[Rafael: I never imagined Mr. Gerald would be this quirky.]
[Gerald: Likewise.]
Rafael's lips twitched as he stared at his phone screen. He had never expected the infamous stone-faced, sharp-tongued Gerald to be this quirky and playful. It almost felt like he was talking to a mischievous child.
Then again, it was his own slip-up that started it all, calling Hera "little minx," a nickname reserved only for private moments in bed or when he was teasing her. That single mistake had opened the door for Gerald to act this way toward him.
Still, Gerald's role wasn't far off from his playful analogy. As Hera's close aide, much like Cindy, he really was like an imperial eunuch in ancient times, carrying out every command of the emperor. The thought alone made Rafael's lips twitch even harder.
Casting a sidelong glance at Hera, he quickly shifted his attention back to his phone and sent another message to the manager overseeing Lucas.
[Rafael: Put a hold on everything related to Lucas for now. I'll handle this personally, so you don't need to get involved.]
[Manager: But sir, the PR team is already managing the situation. Are you saying we should stop that, too?]
[Rafael: Yes. Everything. Tell the PR team to step back and pull the plug on those marketing accounts you paid to steer the netizens. Lucas needs to stay out of sight for now, no appearances, no statements, until this is resolved.]
[Manager: Sir, are you planning to shelf Lucas? That would be a waste. He has real talent, and we've already invested a lot in him. If he stays quiet now, people will assume he's guilty.]
[Rafael: And what's the alternative, let him keep running his mouth online? Engaging with netizens will only drag our name deeper into the mud and make us look like we're throwing dirt at the other side. Is that what you want for the company's image?]
[Rafael: Whether Lucas gets shelved or not will be decided after the investigation. For now, silence is our best move. Isn't Logan staying quiet as well? Let this blow over. There's no need to burn more money on damage control, only to risk dragging ourselves down further if it turns out Lucas really was in the wrong.]
[Manager: Sir… are you saying you actually suspect Lucas of plagiarizing? That can't be! If it's true, we're finished, the scandal will bury us, and the company will suffer massive losses!]
[Rafael: That's why I told you to keep him from going out or running his mouth online.]
[Rafael: Instead, release a statement saying we're launching an internal investigation to prove the company's innocence. Make it clear we take this seriously and don't condone misconduct, but word it vaguely enough that Lucas won't feel cornered, while the public sees our stance. That way, if this explodes, people will know we acted separately from him, valued his talent, but had no part in his plagiarism.]
[Manager: Sir… that's cunning, I like it. Why didn't I think of that? This way, we protect the company's reputation and distance ourselves from Lucas.]
[Rafael: Exactly. That's why I'm the CEO, and you're the manager.]
[Manager: (-_-;)]
After receiving Rafael's message, the manager's eye twitched. He didn't know whether to be amused by Rafael's blunt comment or annoyed by it. After all, it was true, he was only a manager and couldn't be compared to the CEO, but hearing the truth laid out so plainly still stung.
Setting that aside, he began to mull over Rafael's words. The mere thought that Rafael suspected Lucas of plagiarism was no small matter.
Earlier, the reason he had steered netizens toward believing it was Logan who plagiarized was simply because he had never once entertained the idea that Lucas could do such a thing. Lucas had always seemed so reliable, so trustworthy, and kind.
But now that Rafael had planted the idea in his mind, he couldn't afford to think so naively anymore. His eyes sharpened as the weight of reality sank in. If SOE, the very company he worked for, were dragged down by Lucas's scandal, his own livelihood would suffer as well, and that was something he couldn't allow.
If it truly turned out that Lucas was guilty and both he and the company had failed to act, then once the truth came to light, they would be dragged down alongside him.
No, they needed to move first. By launching their own investigation, they could win the netizens' goodwill and sympathy, and even if the worst came to pass, the company would stand apart from Lucas's wrongdoing. Acting first could only strengthen their reputation.
And so, after weighing everything carefully, he wasted no time taking action. First, he called the PR team and ordered them to halt all operations immediately. Next, he contacted the head of the marketing account he had hired to steer the narrative online, paid the promised amount in full, and closed that front as well.
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