I was the craziest actress in Hollywood. Because I was bound to a "Superstar System." If I didn't focus on my career, the system would literally make me explode! 1 Other people come to Hollywood to be movie stars. I came to be a Special Forces operative. [886 photos posted, 3 dance studio videos, 2 recording studio videos, and 8 daily vlogs in two months. Is Chloe Thorne in Hollywood to be a Navy SEAL?] [That’s not all! My girl Chloe has 3 upcoming movies, 2 reality shows in the pipeline, and zero scandals since her debut. I heard she’s starting a new shoot tomorrow. I seriously suspect she has a system.] When my agent, Monica, read those two top comments out loud, I was right in the middle of picking the script for my next project. "Chloe, you've been working non-stop since you debuted the year before last. Don't you want to take a few months off this year?" Monica advised me. I wanted to rest too, but if I rested, my system would throw a fit. It would kill me. That's right! I actually have a system. Ever since the finale night of the talent show, I was automatically bound to the "Superstar System." The main quest of the "Superstar System" is: [Win the Academy Award for Best Actress within three years.] [Quest Success: Reward of $800 billion.] [Quest Failure: Explode and die.] [Please note: While progressing through the main quest, side quests will be randomly triggered.] Tell me, do I dare to rest? "No," I refused decisively. "Monica, didn't director James Cameron send over a script? Why don't I see it?" Monica pursed her lips: "The female lead for Cameron's project has already been decided." "It's Olivia Vance." Olivia Vance. My former teammate from the limited-time girl group that had already disbanded. On the night of the finale, I beat Olivia by a single vote. Olivia was a product of capital; she had numerous financial backers behind her. They were supposed to guarantee her first place, but I came out of nowhere. I had too many organic votes from the public, so many that even the organizers couldn't suppress them. So I debuted in first place, and she took second. For the past two years, she had been secretly competing with me. Although she stole quite a few leading roles from me, unfortunately, the persona her backers gave her was the "Only Pure White Jasmine in Hollywood." Therefore, her acting roles were limited, and I could still snatch some good scripts that slipped through her fingers. But this movie by James Cameron, Shadows, I absolutely would not yield to her. Because two months ago, I completed my third side quest. The system gave me a crucial piece of information. James Cameron's movie Shadows will be nominated for the 78th Academy Awards, and the actress playing the female lead will win Best Actress. Which means—the Oscar. The 78th Academy Awards ceremony is in December of this year, exactly the third year of my main quest's time limit. I had to get the female lead role in Shadows, even if it killed me. "Monica, is Director Cameron in L.A. right now? I want to invite him to dinner." Monica paused for a moment: "Director Cameron has a dinner meeting with Olivia at 9 PM tonight." I frowned: "Monica, if I hadn't asked, were you not planning to tell me?" "Chloe, you've developed too fast these past two years." "The agency talked to me a couple of days ago. They want you to rest for a year, slow down your pace." Understood. Olivia was applying pressure. Unable to keep up with my pace, she could only resort to such despicable methods to force me to stop. "Monica, you should be able to get the address for Director Cameron's dinner tonight, right?" Monica remained silent for a long time, picked up her phone, and forwarded me a location pin. 2 At 9:15 PM. Wearing stilettos, I pushed open the door to VIP Room 1. When Olivia saw me, she was visibly surprised. "Director Cameron, what is the meaning of this?" "You invite me to dinner and call..." Before Olivia could finish her sentence, I threw a glass of water right in her face. "Bitch! You homewrecker, I'll teach you to steal my man!" Olivia was stunned, frozen in place. I followed up with slap after slap to her face. Slapping her cheeks bright red. "I saw you and David coming out of the hotel!" "Do I have to catch you in bed to get you to admit you're a homewrecker?" "Chloe Thorne! Are you crazy?" "What homewrecker?" "Is there something wrong with your brain?" Olivia, finally reacting, covered her face, her eyes red, feeling incredibly wronged. I calmed myself down and sat down next to Olivia. I grabbed her hand and apologized sincerely. "Sorry, Olivia. I made you act out a scene with me without you knowing." "But, your acting seems a bit rusty." Olivia was furious. She shook off my hand and glared at me viciously: "Who knew you were acting?" I looked at James Cameron, who was sitting there perfectly composed, with a hint of surprise in my tone: "Director Cameron, is this the female lead you chose?" "A female lead who doesn't even remember the highlight scene from the script?" James Cameron took a deep breath, looking up at me: "Chloe, there's no denying your acting is very good, and you fit the female lead in Shadows perfectly." "But Olivia is the female lead designated by the investors. I have no choice." "Also, who showed you the script for Shadows?" "I did." Before I could answer, someone else beat me to it. The door to the private room was pushed open again, and a broad silhouette appeared along with a cold, deep voice. "Has Director Cameron considered changing investors?" We both looked in the direction of the voice. James Cameron immediately stood up, a hint of trepidation in his voice: "Mr., Mr. Sterling?" "What brings you here?" Arthur Sterling smoothly sat down next to me, his expression nonchalant: "Ms. Thorne asked me to come, so I came." Arthur Sterling. The most powerful and influential businessman in the New York elite circle. He started from nothing and single-handedly crushed all the flourishing enterprises in the city during his prime. He fought his way out from among thousands of companies. To this day, he can command the wind and rain in any circle. In the sixth month after my debut night, I triggered the first side quest. The quest was: Within three months, fan engagement must reach 80%, and New York elite Arthur Sterling must actively initiate the strategy process towards you. Actively initiate the strategy process? Meaning, fall in love with me? I stayed up all night researching "Arthur Sterling." When I found out he had half the entertainment industry in the palm of his hand, I posted 88 beautiful photos for marketing the very next day. For those three months, I trended countless times and was active on Twitter almost 24/7. Under my diligent efforts, finally, in the third month, the task was completed. That night, I received a call from an unknown number: "Is this Ms. Chloe Thorne?" "Mr. Sterling would like to invite you to dinner." "I'm sorry, my schedule is full recently. Please contact my agent." Yes, I refused. Even though latching onto Arthur meant I would never have to worry about resources for the rest of my life. But there was a rumor that Arthur once had a girlfriend who was kept like a caged bird. After getting together with Arthur, she was restricted from taking intimate scenes and couldn't interact with any opposite sex. I couldn't do that. I wasn't willing to give up my career to become someone else's accessory. After that day, I found an opportunity. I met Arthur on a very formal occasion. It was when I won my first Best Singer award, and it was also the first time Arthur, as the organizer, came to present an award to a singer. I knew with my eyes closed that Arthur was there for me. On the glittering stage, he personally handed the shining golden trophy into my hands. I bowed slightly, leaning close to his ear: "Mr. Sterling, I'm sorry, I really couldn't make time last time." "You know, other people come to Hollywood to be female stars, but I came to be a Special Forces operative." "Can I buy you dinner next time?" Arthur looked up and met my eyes for a second: "On call, anytime." 3 The next time I contacted Arthur was exactly 1 hour before arriving at the private room. I called him from the production van. "Is this Mr. Sterling?" "Ms. Thorne, it is." "Are you free tonight? For dinner?" "I can be." "Then," I was a little nervous, "Would you mind if I used you for a bit?" The other end of the line went silent for a few seconds. Then, a deep male voice sounded: "Let's hear it." I told Arthur my entire plan. Two minutes after hanging up, he sent a file and two voice messages: — Shadows.docx — "I'm not in the city; I'll arrive a few minutes later than you." — "Call me if anything happens." Arthur wasn't in the city? He was out of town? And he rushed back for me? I admit, in that moment, I was nervous. "Director Cameron, does the industry really not care about acting skills anymore?" Arthur's gaze was cold, his voice lazy but carrying a hint of sarcasm. "Mr. Sterling, I can't decide this either." "If I don't use the actor they designated, the investors will pull their funding, and I won't be able to shoot this movie." James Cameron frantically explained to Arthur. Olivia, sitting next to me, started to look uncomfortable, her face showing distress. After all, no one in all of New York didn't fear Arthur. "I'll have them withdraw their investment. I'll take over." "The opening ceremony is set for tomorrow." "The female lead is Chloe Thorne." The business was handled before we even ate. When Arthur does things, he really is all about high efficiency and cutting the crap. "Good! Good!" "I was planning to send the script to Chloe anyway." "If she isn't the female lead, this movie of mine really would be ruined." James Cameron hurriedly agreed with Arthur, kissing up to me. Arthur ignored him, casually checking the watch on his wrist. Then, he leaned in, close to my ear, and whispered: "I have something to do. I'm leaving first." The warm breath brushed my ear, making it feel hot. I thought since Arthur had done me such a huge favor, he would definitely ask for something in return. I had even prepared my excuse for politely declining him tonight. But he just left without another word. It seems that in this high society blinded by money and luxury, there are still people who live with clear heads. 4 After Arthur left, I held Olivia's hand again, pretending to be sympathetic: "I'm sorry, Olivia. Director Cameron said you weren't up to par." "I'll be taking this female lead role." "Oh, and I forgot to tell you." "There was only one slap in the script. The rest were payback for the stunt double on your last movie." Olivia had a slapping scene in her last movie too. She could have easily gotten it right in one or two takes, but she intentionally messed up over a dozen times. It caused the stunt double to suffer soft tissue damage to her face. Most importantly, this stunt double wasn't just anybody. She was the one who debuted in 9th place the year we did, our former teammate. The "Only Pure White Jasmine in Hollywood" sure was pure white. Olivia was furious, but she didn't dare raise a hand to hit me. Because with her fragile little frame, she absolutely couldn't beat me. She could only resort to insulting me with her words resentfully: "Chloe, you speak as if you're so much nobler than me!" "I have financial backers, don't you too?" "Did he just whisper in your ear to go wait for him at the hotel and tell you to hurry up?" "Arthur did you such a huge favor." "Aren't you going to get played to death tonight?" I sneered: "Olivia, everyone in the industry knows you have a suite on the top floor of the Pegasus Tower." "Every Tuesday night, the lights on the top floor stay on all night." "Whenever I got off work late and passed by there, I used to think, as a fellow woman, if I had enough power, I definitely wouldn't let you become a plaything for capital." Olivia didn't seem to fully grasp what I was saying. "What do you mean?" I changed my tone, unable to hide the smirk on my lips: "But then I thought about it, it seems no one forced you back then." "You proactively climbed into the beds of those executives yourself." "Looks like you brought it upon yourself." Olivia went crazy. She grabbed whatever was on the table and threw it at me. I quickly stepped back, dodging her attack. "Olivia, you're still exactly the same as you were back in the factory. When you lose an argument, you just go crazy." Teaching her a little lesson was enough; I didn't plan on dragging out the fight. So I shifted my gaze to James Cameron: "Director Cameron, I will be on time for the opening ceremony tomorrow." "I hope we have a pleasant collaboration." As I left, I heard James Cameron sigh: "Olivia, why did you have to provoke her?" 5 After that day, Arthur never contacted me again. I was pressed for time and the tasks were heavy. Operating on the principle of "less is more," I didn't actively contact Arthur either. The shooting schedule for Shadows was set for 4 months, and 3 months had already flown by. The shooting progress was very smooth. I figured it must be under Arthur's protection. The last month was entirely outdoor location shoots. Today was a scene where I fell off a cliff by the ocean. I had to jump into the sea from an 8-story-high cliff. Even though I had wire protection, in this stormy weather, I was still a little nervous. [Scene one, take one.] The moment the clapperboard snapped, filming officially began. Wearing a white wedding dress, I looked at the camera with tear-filled eyes, then ran desperately towards the edge of the cliff. The rain mixed with the tears on my face. The moment I leaped over the cliff and soared through the air, the entire movie was elevated to its climax. But, when this perfect take finally ended, what welcomed me wasn't the director's praise and the crew's cheers, but the freezing, bone-chilling seawater. I don't know what went wrong with the wire, but the moment I lost my balance— It snapped. Before I could even call for help, I was knocked unconscious by the waves. ... When I was about to slip into nothingness, I heard someone calling me: "Chloe!" "Chloe!!" His voice was strange yet familiar. I wanted to open my eyes, but my eyelids felt so heavy. Ultimately, I couldn't open my eyes. I only heard him gently say in my ear: "Chloe, you must stay safe." 6 When I woke up again, I was in a psychiatric hospital. My hands and feet were tied to a hospital bed. "Is anyone there?" "Why am I tied up?" "Monica! Monica!" ... I yelled for a long time before a nurse in a white coat finally came in. "What are you yelling for?" "You can leave when you're cured. If you don't cooperate, we'll give you a sedative." "I'm not sick!" "Who diagnosed me? I just had a little accident on set. There's nothing wrong with my brain!" "Let me make a phone call; I'll have someone come pick me up!" The doctor in the white coat sneered: "See, you're talking nonsense already, and you still say you aren't sick." Then, she slammed a file she was holding onto the table next to me: "Who told you to offend someone you shouldn't have?" "The boss said, if you sign this agreement, you can leave immediately." "Otherwise, stay in this psychiatric hospital for the rest of your life." "What agreement?" I stopped struggling and forced myself to calm down. The doctor untied my hands and feet. I picked up the agreement and laughed in anger when I saw the name of the first party. The person who set this trap for me was the backer behind Olivia, the chairman of the Pegasus Group—Marcus Pegasus. This agreement laid out three demands. After my contract with my current agency expires, I will sign with Pegasus Entertainment. In any resource conflict between me and Olivia, I will unconditionally yield to her. I must visit the suite on the top floor of the Pegasus Tower once a week. My hand clutching the agreement tightened inch by inch. This wasn't an agreement; this was an insult. I tore the agreement to shreds and threw it in the doctor's face. "Tell Chairman Pegasus, I'd rather die than submit." The doctor scoffed: "Doing it the hard way, I see." I had been in the psychiatric hospital for a week. Aside from the doctors on routine rounds, I hadn't seen anyone else. Logically, if my agent Monica couldn't find me, she would have called the police that very day. What's more, I had so many dedicated fans and was under intense public scrutiny. How many people had Marcus Pegasus bought off? What exactly was the situation outside right now? Taking a step back, the investor for this movie was Arthur Sterling. How did Marcus Pegasus dare to make a move on me? Could it be that something happened to Arthur? Then who was the person speaking in my ear after I fell off the cliff? ... The more I thought about it, the more confused I became. I frustratingly ran my hands through my hair. "System, System!" I called out in my mind. I wanted to ask this "Superstar System" if I was still on track with the main quest. I felt like if this kept up, I wouldn't become a superstar. I'd become a super psycho. I called out to the system dozens of times, but didn't hear a single response. Could it be that after the fall, it automatically detached from my body? I didn't know... My head hurt so much it felt like it was going to explode. 7 Another week passed, and I finally found a way out. The window in the hospital room bathroom was a little loose. I used a chair to smash the latch open. At 2 AM, I climbed out the window in the dark. The whole building was terrifyingly quiet. Looking around, I realized I was the only one on this floor. The night was a bit cold, and the eerie wind blew straight into my hospital gown. I hunched my shoulders and ran towards the first floor with steady, light steps. I figured that once I escaped this hellhole, I would immediately borrow a passerby's phone to post on Twitter. As long as I stirred up public opinion, Marcus Pegasus wouldn't dare act so recklessly again. But imagination is beautiful, and reality is harsh. When I reached the first floor, I looked at the main door secured with three padlocks, and a deep sense of powerlessness washed over me. I circled the first floor again and again. When I confirmed that this was the only exit, I felt a bit desperate. I walked back the way I came, step by step, but every floor was sealed with a grid of wire mesh security grilles. Just like that, I climbed all the way to the top floor. One door on the top floor wasn't locked. I pushed the door open and walked to the edge of the parapet under the dim light. I climbed onto the parapet and sat on it. The view from the top floor was excellent. Looking up, I could see the city lights in the distance and a sky full of stars. Looking down, I could see my bottomless, uncertain future. After trying so hard for so long, it seemed that with my own strength, I still couldn't fight against capital. Now there were only two paths laid out before me: Either become Marcus Pegasus's plaything and money-making tool, or jump from this 8th floor and end it all. Either way, I was not going to stay in this psychiatric hospital for the rest of my life. Actually, I already had an answer in my heart. There was only one path I could take. Just jump! Otherwise, if I'm discovered later, I won't even be able to die if I wanted to. I placed my hands on the parapet and stood up. [DANGER ALERT!] [DANGER ALERT!] [DANGER ALERT!] [Detecting suicidal tendencies in the host. The system is about to detach from the host's body.] Hearing the voice inside me, I smiled self-deprecatingly: "So you're still here. Since even you can't resolve this situation, it looks like my quest really has reached its end." "System, next time find a host with a bit more capability!" "Don't end up with an ending like mine." I closed my eyes, and tears slipped from my eyelashes. "Chloe!" Just as I was about to jump from the roof, a roar pulled me back from the brink of death. This voice was exactly the same as the one I heard when I fell off the cliff. I turned towards the sound and saw a helicopter hovering above the roof. It slowly descended and landed steadily. I clearly saw the person sprinting out of the helicopter. "Arthur?" While I was still in a daze, he had already pulled me down from the parapet. "I'm sorry, I dragged you into this," he apologized to me in a low voice. I looked up and caught a glimpse of the powerlessness in his eyes. Whether in public or private, I had never seen him look so defeated. "It's okay." "It's going to be okay." "Everything will be okay." I comforted him with three sentences in a row. Actually, it wasn't just to comfort him; it was also to comfort myself. Arthur carried me onto the helicopter. The helicopter took off, taking me away from this torturous place. 8 Rain pattered against the helicopter windows, and the cabin was deathly quiet. "What happened? Tell me," I spoke first. A cynical smile leaked from the corner of Arthur's mouth: "I was set up." I learned from Arthur that three months ago, he was backstabbed by his best friend. Problems kept popping up in his company one after another. The night I called him, he was in a neighboring city dealing with the company's financial issues. For the past three months, he had been flying non-stop domestically and internationally, drinking glass after glass at business dinners. Despite such difficulties, he still helped me secure Shadows. Hearing this, I was somewhat moved. I, who swore to only focus on my career and forsake love, actually felt a pang of sympathy. I thought, if I hadn't completed the side quest concerning Arthur back then, would he not have encountered all this? Arthur said Marcus Pegasus wanted to acquire all properties under his name. He refused, so Marcus Pegasus reached his claws out to me. The issue with my wire happened because Marcus Pegasus had someone tamper with it. When he received the video of my fall sent by Marcus Pegasus, Arthur was on his way to the airport. He said thank god, thank god he arrived in time. After giving me CPR, I regained consciousness. I gently touched my lips. CPR? I had absolutely no memory of it. Arthur said that when he saw I had regained consciousness and noticed my agent Monica nearby, he left. He originally thought Marcus Pegasus's revenge ended there. Who knew all he wanted was more than just to give Arthur a warning. He also wanted my life. It seems even Monica had been bought off by him. I also told Arthur about what happened in the psychiatric hospital over the past two weeks. When he heard about the agreement, I could see the anger practically overflowing from Arthur's eyes. "How much longer can you hold out at the latest?" I asked, counting the days. "Right now, the cash flow is completely broken. I can hold out until the end of the year, at the absolute most." "That's enough," I said, falling silent for a moment. "You must wait for me. I'll figure something out." Arthur kept his head down and said softly: "Chloe, with your profession, you can't earn the capital I need." "Trust me." I looked at him with a firm gaze. Arthur didn't speak. We fell into silence once again, each preoccupied with our own thoughts. A long while later, I noticed the helicopter was about to enter the airspace over New York. "Where are we going?" I asked. "My house," Arthur replied. "No, let's go to the White Mansion Villas." Arthur and I exchanged a look: "That's..." "Monica's house," I interjected. Arthur frowned involuntarily: "Monica has already been bought off by Marcus Pegasus. If you go to her..." "I have leverage on her," I paused for two seconds. "I need a phone." Arthur blinked, didn't ask further, and handed over his own phone. "Passcode," I asked softly. "0207." My eyelashes fluttered slightly. February 7th, my birthday. After unlocking the phone, I logged out of his ID and logged into my own. I should be thankful that I had backed up all the evidence back then. "Can I open your photo album?" I asked for permission beforehand, afraid of invading Arthur's privacy. Arthur's gaze fell on my face. After a long pause, he said: "You may." With his permission, I opened the photo album, and pictures of me came into view one by one. If these weren't all photos taken from a third-person perspective, I would have thought my own selfies had all synced over. Unable to contain my curiosity, I clicked on a few photos. This one is... The debut night two years ago. This one is... The set of my first web drama. But at this time, I hadn't triggered the first side quest yet. I snapped my head up and looked at Arthur. His gaze had long since shifted away from me, looking out the window. Could it be that he fell in love with me not because of the reward after I completed the quest? "Arthur, when did you start liking me?" I asked, my voice carrying a barely perceptible tremor. "Very early. A very long time ago."
? Continue the story here ?? ? Download the "MotoNovel" app ? search for "424291", and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel