Noah stood before that address for a long time.
The evening sun slanted across the building, its glass curtain wall reflecting a golden glow. This was one of the most exclusive private residences in the city center dark gray metal and glass, clean and cold lines exuding the kind of arrogance that kept the world at arm's length.
He took a deep breath and clenched his fists.
His palms were slick with sweat.
He'd barely slept the night before, turning over and over in his mind what was about to happen. At three in the morning, he'd even considered sending a message to say he wasn't coming.
But he didn't.
Because he knew if he didn't show up, his career would be over for good.
And if he did...
Noah closed his eyes, forcing himself not to think beyond that.
He pushed open the glass door and walked into the lobby.
The décor was even more opulent than he'd imagined. Marble floors polished to a mirror shine. Crystal chandeliers casting prismatic light across the space. The air carried a faint trace of sandalwood, so quiet he could almost hear his own heartbeat.
There was only one person at the front desk, dressed in a black suit, looking every bit the professional.
Before Noah even reached the counter, the man looked up, his gaze landing on him with precision.
"Mr. Noah."
The man inclined his head slightly, his tone respectful yet carrying the flatness of someone who had seen it all before. "This way, please."
Noah froze.
He hadn't given his name, yet they already knew who he was.
Asher had arranged everything in advance.
Noah followed the man through the lobby to the elevator.
This elevator was different from any he'd seen no buttons, just a metal panel with a camera and a fingerprint scanner.
"Please." The attendant gestured for him to enter.
Noah stepped inside. The doors closed behind him.
Alone in the elevator, his heart raced unnaturally fast.
A mechanical female voice echoed through the cabin:
"Facial recognition in progress..."
"Recognition successful. Welcome, Mr. Noah."
The elevator began to rise.
Noah stared at the doors, a wave of dizziness washing over him.
His facial data had already been entered into the system.
The numbers climbed.
Higher and higher the elevator rose, while Noah's heart sank lower and lower.
Regret was setting in.
Why had he come?
Why had he sent that message?
Why had he delivered himself to this man?
But it was too late for regrets now.
Ding.
The elevator stopped.
The doors slid open.
Noah stood frozen, his legs heavy as lead.
Before him stretched a vast space, minimalist yet obscenely luxurious. Dark floors. Dark walls. Floor-to-ceiling windows spanning an entire wall, the city's nightscape sprawling beyond a sea of lights burning beneath his feet.
In front of those windows sat a set of charcoal leather sofas.
And there was Asher.
He wore a black silk robe, the collar hanging open to reveal a slash of collarbone and the sculpted lines of his chest. A glass of red wine dangled from his fingers, his posture casual and languid like a predator lounging in his territory, waiting for prey to walk into his trap.
When he saw Noah step out of the elevator, he raised his head, a smile curving at the corner of his mouth.
"You came."
His voice was low, carrying an indescribable laziness and satisfaction.
Then he gestured with his wine glass toward the opposite sofa. "Come. Sit."
Noah's legs felt weak at the elevator threshold.
He looked at Asher that face, beautiful and cold and a complicated surge of emotion rose in his chest.
Fear. Anger. And a thread of inexplicable tension.
But he still moved forward.
Each step felt like walking on cotton unreal, unstable.
Noah sat on the edge of the sofa, a coffee table between him and Asher.
On the table lay a document. White paper. Black text.
And a pen.
Asher took a sip of wine, his gaze settling on Noah, appraising him from head to toe.
"Read it." He nodded toward the contract on the table. "Then sign."
Noah glanced at him, then picked up the document.
His hands were trembling, but he fought to control them, to keep Asher from noticing.
The first page contained standard clauses, the language cold and formal.
The second page detailed the specifics.
Noah read word by word, his eyes growing wider with each line.
---
Party A: Asher
Party B: Noah
Contract Duration: Three months
Party B's Obligations:
1. Be available on call. Regardless of time or location, Party B must arrive at the designated location within two hours of Party A's notice.
2. Party B shall not refuse any request from Party A. This includes but is not limited to accompanying Party A to events, providing companionship, and other needs as specified by Party A.
3. During the contract period, Party B shall relocate to Party A's designated residence for cohabitation and shall not leave without permission or refuse.
4. Party B shall not engage in intimate relationships with any third party, including but not limited to dating, romantic involvement, or physical contact.
5. Party B shall maintain strict confidentiality regarding this contract and shall not disclose its contents to anyone.
Party A's Obligations:
1. Party B will sign a five-year artist contract with Onyx Entertainment, receiving the company's top-tier resources.
2. Party B will assume the lead role in Desire Kiss, effective immediately upon contract signing.
3. Party A will recommend Party B for a lead role in a television drama, specific project to be determined.
4. During the contract period, all of Party B's living expenses shall be covered by Party A.
---
Noah stared at those clauses, blood rushing to his head.
On call at all times.
Cannot refuse any request.
Move in together.
What kind of contract was this?
This was... an indenture.
"Finished?" Asher's voice drifted over, casual and careless.
Noah looked up, fixing him with a tense stare. "Why do I have to live here?"
Asher watched him, amusement flickering in his eyes.
He set down his wine glass, leaned forward, and laced his fingers over his knees as if admiring something entertaining.
"Why?" A smile curved his lips. "For convenience, of course."
He paused, his gaze lingering on Noah's face for a few seconds before he spoke, his voice low but perfectly clear:
"Convenient for f*cking you."
Noah went rigid.
He stared at Asher, feeling like something had slammed hard into his chest.
"You..." Noah's voice wavered. "What do you take me for?"
Asher leaned back against the sofa, his posture still relaxed, like he was discussing an ordinary business transaction. "I told you. This is a deal. You give me your body, I give you the resources you need. Each gets what they want. Fair and reasonable."
Noah's grip tightened on the contract until his knuckles went white.
He wanted to tear it to shreds, throw it in Asher's face, and walk out of this hellhole.
But he couldn't.
If he didn't sign...
His eyes dropped back to the clauses.
A contract with Onyx Entertainment.
The lead role in Desire Kiss.
A recommendation for another drama lead.
These were enough to change everything.
Noah closed his eyes and breathed deep.
Then he opened them and looked at Asher. "You've already destroyed my reputation. Won't that affect Desire Kiss? Will audiences even accept me?"
Asher smiled.
It was a shallow smile, yet brimming with confident calculation like he'd anticipated this question all along.
"Buzz," he said.
"What?"
"Buzz." Asher rose and walked to the window, his back to Noah. His silhouette cast a dark reflection against the glass, stark against the brilliant lights beyond.
"Desire Kiss needs buzz. And so do you." He turned, meeting Noah's eyes. "These past few days, the public frenzy your name has been searched, discussed, shared by countless people. Whether they're attacking you or defending you, your buzz has already taken off."
He walked back to the sofa, looking down at Noah. "The moment I step forward and say you're innocent, all that dirt becomes evidence that you were maliciously framed. You're no longer the perpetrator. You're the victim."
"Public opinion will flip. More people will sympathize with you. More people will pay attention to you. Before Desire Kiss even starts filming, your name will already be hot." Asher's smile deepened with meaning. "That's the value of buzz."
Noah stared at him, emotions churning.
So that's how it was.
From the very beginning, Asher had calculated everything.
The smear campaign, the public uproar it wasn't just to force Noah's hand.
It was to manufacture buzz for him.
To generate publicity for Desire Kiss.
Ruthless.
And brilliantly shrewd.
"So." Asher extended his hand, pointing to the pen on the coffee table. "Sign quickly. Don't waste time."
Noah looked at the pen. At the contract. He was silent for a long time.
Finally, Noah picked up the pen.
He lowered his head and wrote his name on the last page.
The sound of the pen tip scratching across paper was startlingly clear in the quiet room.
Like the pronouncement of fate.
When he finished signing, Noah stood.
He held the contract and walked, step by step, to stand before Asher.
"Done." His voice was soft, laced with suppressed emotion.
Asher looked at him but didn't reach for the contract.
He simply stared at Noah, his gaze traveling from his eyes to his lips, down to his throat, then back up to his eyes.
That look... like he was savoring a feast already laid before him.
The next second...
Asher's hand shot out and clamped around Noah's wrist.
Before Noah could react, he was yanked forward, crashing hard into Asher's arms.
The contract slipped from his fingers, pages scattering across the floor.
And his back slammed against the cold glass of the window.
The chill seeped through his thin shirt, making Noah shiver. But Asher was already pressing close, one hand braced beside his ear, the other gripping his waist, trapping him between that hard body and the glass.
"You..."
Noah tried to speak, but Asher's lips were already descending.
The kiss came fierce and relentless, carrying the force of long-suppressed aggression.
Asher's lips were hot, the pressure bruising, prying open Noah's mouth without hesitation. His tongue swept past Noah's teeth, tangling with his, as if he meant to devour him whole.
Noah's mind went blank.
Then fear finally surged up.
He shoved at Asher's chest, struggling desperately.
But Asher was too strong.
His body was like a wall, immovable. The hand at Noah's waist only tightened, nearly pressing him into the glass.
Noah couldn't breathe. Suffocation crashed over him in waves.
This kiss was more violent than the one at the audition. More possessive.
Asher's hand slid from his waist upward, following the curve of his spine, finally pressing against the back of his neck, forcing his head back to receive the suffocating kiss.
Noah tried to twist away, but every struggle was effortlessly overpowered.
Time dissolved.
Finally, Asher pulled back.
Just barely.
Their foreheads nearly touched, breath tangling, ragged and uneven.
Noah gasped for air, his eyes rimmed with red.
His lips were swollen from the kiss, still carrying Asher's scent and warmth.
Asher's gaze was deep and dark, like something dangerous burning beneath the surface.
"You made me wait a long time." His voice was low, rough with restraint and something else entirely. "I've never waited like this for anyone."
Noah's body had gone limp. He sagged against the window, held upright only by Asher's grip.
He wanted to say something.
Let me go.
I'm scared.
Let me leave.
But the words stuck in his throat, refusing to come out.
He could only look at Asher with those damp eyes, his pupils reflecting the man's cold, beautiful face.
Asher watched his reaction the fear and trembling in those eyes.
He didn't let go.
His hand slid from the back of Noah's neck, trailing down his throat, his collarbone, finally coming to rest on his cheek.
His thumb brushed lightly over Noah's slightly swollen lips, the touch impossibly gentle like he was caressing something precious.
"Since you've signed..." Asher's voice dropped to a murmur, right beside Noah's ear, breath warm against that sensitive skin.
Noah's body trembled involuntarily.
Asher felt it. The smile on his lips deepened.
"You'd better cooperate."
He drew back just slightly, holding Noah's gaze, a warning in his eyes:
"Otherwise..."
He paused, his thumb pressing against Noah's lower lip, just enough to make that soft flesh yield.
"Don't say I didn't warn you."
Noah was shaking all over.
Not from cold.
From fear. From anger. From humiliation.
And from something he refused to acknowledge that strange, unsettling thrum that stirred deep in his body whenever Asher touched him.
He wanted to push Asher away. To flee this place.
But his body seemed nailed to the window, utterly drained of strength.
Asher took in the sight of him, a flash of satisfaction in his eyes.
Then he released him and stepped back.
Noah lost his support and started to slide down, but forced himself to stand straight.
He thought Asher was going to let him leave.
But Asher only walked to the sofa and sat down.
Then he looked at Noah, his tone utterly casual, like he was stating the most ordinary thing in the world:
"Go shower."
Noah froze.
"What..." His voice came out hoarse.
Asher gestured toward a door at the end of the hallway. "Bathroom's that way."
He looked at Noah.
"Hurry up. Don't keep me waiting."
Noah stood rooted to the spot, finally understanding what Asher meant.
Tonight...
It wasn't just about signing a contract.
From the moment he'd written his name, the deal had already begun.
Noah's face drained of color, his legs nearly giving way.
But he knew there was no turning back now.
He summoned every ounce of strength to steady himself.
Then, step by step, he walked toward the bathroom.
Every step felt like walking on the edge of a blade.
Behind him, Asher raised his wine glass, took a sip, his gaze never leaving Noah's retreating figure.
That slender silhouette disappeared at the end of the hallway.
Asher set down his glass, a faint smile curving his lips.
He'd waited so long.
Finally...
He had him.