From Villain to Virtual Sweetheart: The Fake Heir's Grand Scheme(BL)-Chapter 608: The Guest List (part three/ Leo)

Outside the auction venue, a black van sat quietly among a line of luxury vehicles, its tinted windows reflecting the glow of the city lights. Inside, the air smelled faintly of leather and cold night rain.

Leo leaned back against the seat, his head turned slightly as he stared at his reflection in the darkened window. The glass showed a familiar face, yet it also felt strangely foreign. His eyes looked brighter than he remembered. The tired expression he had worn for weeks had been erased, replaced with determination and hope.

The past few weeks had been nothing short of a rollercoaster. At first, it had been insults, endless ones. Mockery from strangers who didn’t know him at all. Headlines tearing him apart word by word, stripping away his dignity until there was nothing left but a villainous farce. He had gone from a famous actor to a public joke, someone people spat on for entertainment.

Then, just as suddenly, the tide had turned.

Clips resurfaced. Truth leaked. The accusations crumbled. Overnight, he was no longer the villain but the victim. A symbol of resistance against a rotten entertainment company. People praised his courage, his silence, and his endurance. Fans he didn’t even remember having came rushing back, louder than ever.

It should have felt vindicating. Instead, it felt unreal. His life had been yanked back and forth like a toy in the hands of the powerful forces, and no matter which side they were on, he had still been the one played with.

Leo knew a powerful figure must have been backed him up, otherwise, there was no way the tide could be turned this easily and effortlessly.

He exhaled slowly, fogging up the glass for a brief second before it faded.

His gaze drifted to the woman sitting beside him. She sat straight, legs crossed neatly, looking at her tablet. Her posture was composed but not stiff, the kind that came from habit rather than effort. She wore tailored suit pants and a dark blazer, simple and professional, with no flashy accessories. Her hair was tied back neatly, revealing calm eyes that had clearly seen more of this industry than he ever had.

Liana Shannon.

He had heard of her before he ever met her. She was a legendary manager, someone whose name carried weight even years after retirement. People said she stepped away when her artist moved abroad, unwilling to start over with someone new. After that, she disappeared quietly, leaving behind speculation and regret.

Leo had never imagined that someone like her would one day sit next to him, quietly reviewing documents on a tablet as if managing him were the most natural thing in the world.

She came from an artistic family, one that people whispered about with envy. Her parents were renowned stars, and her siblings were a famous director and a powerful producer. Everyone had expected them to break away, to build something bigger, flashier, their own empire.

Yet, strangely, every single one of them had stayed loyal to La Riviere Media for years.

Until now.

Liana looked up from her tablet, sensing his gaze. Her eyes met his briefly, and she offered him a small, reassuring nod.

"Nervous?" she asked lightly.

Leo blinked and shook his head. "A little. But I’m more excited than anything."

"Good." Her expression eased before she returned to her screen.

Leo leaned back again, memories creeping into his head.

That day was still vivid in his mind. The day Liana Shannon had appeared in front of him out of the blue.

He had been standing near the door, jacket half on, keys clutched in his hand, ready to leave. Luca had been blocking his way, arms spread wide like a human wall.

"Move," Leo snapped.

"No," Luca shot back, jaw tight. "You’re not going anywhere."

"I said move. I don’t have time for your childish prank."

They had been arguing for hours already. Voices raised, patience long gone. Leo had been stubborn, determined to sign the Twilight contract despite everything. Luca had been desperate, fear flickering in his eyes every time Leo took a step closer to the door.

When words failed, Luca resorted to something more aggressive. He grabbed Leo’s wrists. Hard. Leo had stared at him in disbelief, shock flashed across his face before anger followed. "Let go."

"I can’t," Luca said hoarsely. "Not this time."

They struggled, furniture scraping slightly across the floor. It wasn’t a real flight, just desperation clashing with desperation, but still it hurt.

And..then the doorbell rang, and both of them froze. The sound cut through the tension like a knife.

Luca loosened his grip slowly, eyes flicking toward the door. Leo pulled his hand free, chest rising and falling as he glared at him.

Luca straightened and reached for the handle as if he were waiting for it.

Leo had looked at him suspiciously but when the door was opened, he wasn’t prepared for what he saw.

A woman stood outside, posture straight, expression calm. Beside her was a man in a neat suit holding a briefcase.

She introduced herself with a business card. Liana Shannon.

Of course, Leo didn’t need the card. Even without it, he knew exactly who she was. Shock had rooted him in place. For a moment, he had wondered if he was hallucinating. Then she told him why she was there.

Suddenly a new company, not the La Riviere media, had been established and they wanted him to be the first artist to sign.

He couldn’t even think it was a joke. Who would send such a legendary manager as a prank?

He was stunned, curious who was behind the new company. Why did they decide to recruit him of all people? Someone the entire industry had blacklisted? His name was toxic. Directors avoided him. Brands wanted nothing to do with him. Didn’t they get scared by the rumours? He was considered useless, an actor with a terrible reputation.

Had they lost their minds? Everyone in the entertainment industry had blocked him, never intending to use him again. So how did they plan to profit from him?

Then a dark thought had invaded his mind, cold and unsettling. Could it be they decided to use him for something shady? But then why was there a need to send such a famous manager?

Leo’s head throbbed, overwhelmed with the bizarre situation.