Affluent Reawakening: The Chronicles of a Reluctant Heart

Chapater 5: King Game

In February 2008, inside a dance studio with a backdrop of blue skies and fluffy clouds, the agent of SM Entertainment opened the door and announced, "Vicky, you've got a fashion show coming up in a few days, and we're arranging for a coach to help you practice your catwalk."

The moment the words were spoken, the practice room erupted into a racket loud enough to nearly lift the roof.

"Congratulations!"

"You're really becoming a star, aren't you..."

"You're a big celeb now with gigs coming to you!"

Amid the crowd, Victoria reacted with exaggerated excitement, causing everyone to burst into laughter. She couldn't hide her own thrill at the news. Girls' Generation, the group she was a part of, had debuted less than a year ago and was only somewhat known.

Apart from company-arranged performances, everyone was hustling on variety shows to increase their visibility. A gig coming to them was like a pie falling from the sky.

Soon, Victoria tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and tentatively asked, "Dear, can you tell me which show it is so I can get ready for it..."

"It's by an agent company called King Game, I think?" The agent seemed a bit unsure, "The details were worked out by the business department, so I don't have all the specifics."

"But from what I heard, as soon as they inquired, the business department recommended you straightaway. Make sure to seize this opportunity!" The agent threw a punch into the air encouragingly, "Fight on!"

"Fight on!" Victoria's eyes shone with resolve. Artists in the uptown are known for their intense work ethic due to fierce competition.

After the agent left, the lively chatter resumed in the practice room.

Suddenly, from the corner, a petite girl with the nickname "Sunny" sprang up, her excitement setting off a wave of chatter, "Let's look it up! Practicing can wait a few minutes."

The suggestion was met with enthusiastic agreement, but soon, everyone's gaze drifted toward the quiet figure by the window. She had pale, tender skin that looked like it might hold water if pinched. Sitting alone by the window, gazing outside, she seemed to have a gentle sadness in her eyes, like a squirrel watching winter approach.

Feeling everyone's eyes on her, Charlotte turned around and gave a quirky smile, "Go ahead and search, why stare at me?"

No sooner had she spoken, Sunny had already happily darted off to grab a laptop.

At that time, the word "leader" still held some weight in Girls' Generation...

The whole group eagerly gathered around the laptop, buzzing with excitement. A silhouette quietly approached the window, chestnut curls cascading over her shoulders, her fitted short-sleeve shirt accentuating her proud curves, and her blue jeans outlining long, shapely legs that were neither too thin nor too plump.

"Keeping worries to yourself for too long can make you sick," she said, her clear eyes filled with concern as she addressed Charlotte. "Hey, Charlotte, sometimes it's better to talk things out, right?"

Charlotte Winston was known for her quirky and lively spirit, especially when she first debuted as the leader of the group. She was always the embodiment of liveliness, a person whose mere glance could uplift someone's mood. But something seemed to have changed since the middle of last year. Though Charlotte remained upbeat on stage and in front of cameras, she had become unusually quiet offstage, often found alone by the window, lost in thought. Her eyes, once bright as black gems, now carried a touch of melancholy.

"What could possibly be bothering me?" Charlotte replied with a forced laugh as she looked at Jessica walking over. "I'm fine, really. I just enjoy being in my own world."

"Really?" Jessica's eyes held a hint of skepticism.

Charlotte blinked, her eyes clear and bright.

"Okay, I believe you," Jessica conceded, though she still harbored doubts. Since Charlotte had started to show signs of sadness last year, her singing had improved dramatically, almost frighteningly so. Could this be an awakening of her artistic soul?

As Jessica pondered this, a commotion erupted from the laptop crew. They had been searching for information on the King Game fashion show but were beginning to doubt its existence. A well-known fashion show wouldn't miss the chance for online exposure.

Then, the sharp-eyed Yuri spotted a link on Instagram and asked, "Vicky, could this be the King Game you're talking about?"

Sunny clicked on the link, and a bold headline popped up for everyone to see: "The Ultimate in Seduction: King Game!" It was accompanied by suggestive images that left little to the imagination.

There was a moment of stunned silence in the practice room, and then Victoria ran out in tears.

...

Noon.

In a rental house not far from uptown commercial district, Sebastian had just returned from the renovation site and was checking the stock market on his computer. The dim light reflected a greenish glow on his face.

"So... it's really not working out?" Sebastian was disheartened. He had chosen all the stocks in his account based on his instincts, ignoring everything else. The result was not promising—it seemed he might not have a knack for trading stocks.

"Do I really have to cheat to make money?" he pondered, scanning his account information in frustration.

Finally, amidst the swathes of green, he spotted a dash of red. "See? I do have some talent," he said with a confident smile. After all, Rome wasn't built in a day, and no one is born knowing how to trade stocks.

But his smile didn't last even a minute. The stubborn red turned to nothing as the pharmaceutical company he'd invested in disappeared from the list. After some frantic searching, he Googled and discovered that the company had just declared bankruptcy and delisted.

...

"Maybe I really don't have a talent for this?" Sebastian felt dispirited. It was then that he received a call from Patrick.

"I hope you're not calling with bad news," Sebastian said, already in a foul mood. Although he'd only been using the stock market to distract his family, discovering he might not have a skill for it was still annoying.

On the other end, Patrick Anchor could sense the impatience in his voice and chuckled nervously, "Well, it's not exactly bad news, just a little... complication!"