Chapter 151: A messy situation

Tom woke up the following morning with a slight headache...

"Oh, my head!" He mumbled under his breath.

It had been a rough night. Every time he closed his eyes, Adrian’s voice would return - that lazy and amused tone, telling him the recording was gone and tomorrow might not be too kind to him. The empty place where the Goldy evidence should have been sat in his mind like an open wound. By the time morning came, his body felt rested only in the shallow way of a man who had forced his eyes shut and lost anyway.

The System opened as soon as he sat up;

[Good morning, Host.]

Then the panel appeared, the system had begun its own activities like it didn’t know its host was battling a headache.

```

[DAILY TASK COMPLETE]

Previous day tasks cleared.

```

Chests began spinning across his vision. One after another flashed by until the rotation slowed and stopped on a darker, heavier chest than the ordinary ones.

[Special Chest acquired.]

[Would Host like to open it now?] The system asked.

Tom was still half caught in thoughts of Adria but he nodded anyway.

The chest opened.

```

[SPECIAL CHEST REWARD]

Runway Imprint

Effect:

Host can imprint choreography, poses, walking patterns, and shoot directions after limited exposure.

What others need repeated practice to hold, Host can understand and lock in much faster as long as host activate the imprint.

```

"Oh..." Tom’s eyes opened slightly wide in surprise as he stared at the panel for a second. Of all the things the System could have given him after a night like that, it had handed him something aimed straight at the modeling schedule waiting for him today.

Despite his mood, he was grateful for the gift of the system.

Before Tom could say anything, not that he had much to say by the way, the System spoke again.

[There is no daily task for today.]

Tom’s brows lifted slightly in surprise again.

[This is support,] the System continued. [Host has a busy schedule. The System is clearing minor obligations so Host can concentrate.]

"That’s so considerate." Tom muttered. Then he stayed quiet, he expected the system to say more... But he got silence.

He rubbed a hand over his face and cleared his throat. "You’re not going to say anything about Adrian?"

[That is outside the System’s jurisdiction to handle completely.] The system replied in a calm tone. [Host must deal with enemies using his own judgment. Ideas must come from Host. The System may provide information or advice when necessary, but the solution should not be handed over.]

Tom was quiet for a moment, then exhaled. "That’s fair. I can’t complain." He swung his legs off the bed. "I’ll think of how to deal with Adrian. If I need information or advice, I’ll ask."

[That can be done.]

Tom nodded then walked into the bathroom and bathed, letting the hot water drag some of the sleepless roughness from his body. When he came back into the bedroom, a set of clothes was already laid out on the bed. A new suit from the ones he bought recently, arranged with the kind of care that did not belong to random staff work.

He knew Bree had arrived. She had definitely snuck into the room when he was bathing and did that. She had made sure he would leave the house looking ready for the day.

"Very diligent." Tom mumbled in a pleased tone.

Then he dressed. Afterwards, he checked himself in the mirror and was assured that he looked like one of the guys from the company with his tailored suit. He nodded pleasingly and headed for the living room.

~~~~~~~~~

He walked jnto the living room and was welcomed by the delicious aroma from what was being arranged on the dinning table.

The dining table was being arranged into another full breakfast spread. Aria moved around the table with quick hands, setting out the last of the dishes. The moment she noticed him, she straightened.

"Good morning, sir." she said quickly. And this morning, she didn’t seem to be in her usual flirty mood.

Tom’s eyes moved over the table and the living room and realized that Sienna was nowhere around.

"Where is Sienna?"

"Ma’am instructed us to prepare your favorite meal. Mashed potatoes, meatloaf, glazed carrots, and vegetables. She said it was a day to celebrate you being alive." Aria told him.

Tom stopped for a second As he wondered; Celebrate him being alive?

She was angry enough to walk away from him the previous evening without explanation, yet she had still ordered his favorite food in the morning. The contradiction sat clearly enough for him to read. Whatever was going on in her head, it was not simple dislike and not simple care either.

"I see," he said.

"So where is she?" He asked again.

"She has gone out." Aria replied.

He nodded then sat down and dug into the food without wasting time. The food was good, familiar, and prepared with more attention than a routine breakfast deserved. He did not waste it. When he finished, he rose, collected himself, and left the house for the day’s schedule.

~~~~~~~~~~

Bree drove him to L×L.

The company was already active by the time they arrived. Today was not a light appearance day. It was training. Bree led him toward the section prepared for runway and movement work, then stopped near the studio entrance.

"I’ll wait here," she said.

Tom nodded and went into the changing room.

The space was larger and more sophisticated than an ordinary changing area; it was lined with cubicles and bright enough to make every detail clear. Four other models were already inside. Each man stood near his own space, unpacking or adjusting clothes with the easy confidence of people who believed they belonged there more than he did.

Tom’s eyes scanned the area for familiar eyes and he saw there Lahey was not among them. The other four were.

"Hi," Tom said as he entered.

None of them answered.

The silence was clearly purposeful. Not distraction. A clean refusal to acknowledge him.

Tom did not react beyond a slight pause. He walked past them, found an empty cubicle, and checked the items prepared for him: boxers, singlet, footwear. Simple training clothes. He reached in to bring them out.

Then, without warning...

Something burst.

"What the heck?" Tom mumbled and peered at the items.

A soy sauce bottle had been hidden between the clothes. The moment he disturbed the pile, it burst and spilled hard across the clothes and over his hands. Dark liquid soaked into the singlet and boxers at once, sharp-smelling and messy, ruining the set before he had even changed into it.

Tom looked down at his stained hands and the ruined clothes, then slowly lifted his gaze toward the rest of the changing room.

None of the other models looked directly at him. But the satisfaction in the air was thick enough to read.

"What a way to start the morning..." Tom’s nose scrunched in irritation.