As Jason Carter walked into the ballroom, the atmosphere shifted instantly.The glittering lights of the VisionStream Media Annual Gala reflected off the chandeliers, but somehow, all attention turned toward him.
Even the top influencers of the company, usually bathed in attention, suddenly felt dim compared to Jason's quiet charisma.
And then—
A soft chime sounded in Jason's mind.
System Prompt:Zoey: Affection +2
Lena: Affection +5
Bella: Affection +6
Rachel: Affection +5
Cindy: Affection +5
Jason sighed inwardly.It really is a content company full of beautiful women… probably over eighty percent of them here tonight.
He let his eyes wander casually across the hall.He spotted Zoey — petite, glasses, that shy-librarian vibe. He'd met her before at the Westwood Creator Club.
The others were vaguely familiar, but the only one he really knew was Cindy. After all, she was VisionStream's hottest female streamer this quarter — and she happened to bring Jason the highest revenue.
Still, even Cindy's beauty capped at a solid 8.9 out of 10. Most of the others hovered around 8.1 or 8.2.Guess those filters and soft lights on livestreams really do half the work, he thought with a smirk.
If the women's eyes glimmered with curiosity and a bit of admiration for the mysterious new man who'd just stolen the spotlight… the men saw him as a walking provocation.
Most male streamers stayed quiet, not daring to start anything.After all, someone who could make two S-tier influencers hold his arms like that clearly had something backing him.
But then—someone stepped o.
Tristan Gray.
He moved smoothly to stand beside Alice, placing a hand gently on her shoulder like a protective knight.
His tone carried that carefully practiced "gentleman" energy influencers loved to project:"Man, when a lady takes the initiative to greet you, the polite thing to do is respond warmly — not brush her off. That's not how a gentleman behaves."
Tristan's hair was shoulder-length and perfectly styled, his black suit cut to perfection, the picture of a modern artist. He had that soft-spoken charm that made women lean in when he talked.
Several female streamers nearby exchanged impressed glances — even giggles.Tristan had been one of the platform's fastest rising stars that year, right behind Cindy and the male streamer who'd recently gone overseas.
His act of "defending a lady" only added to his reputation.
The male streamers, on the other hand, were thrilled.Jason had been too showy since the moment he arrived — and seeing Tristan challenge him was the kind of drama they lived for.
Two alphas in the same room. Let's see who gets burned.
But before things could escalate—
Ethan, Jason's friend and old classmate, stepped forward without hesitation.He wasn't about to let Jason get ganged up on, even if the opponent was a top-tier influencer.
Still, someone else beat him to it.
The General Manager, rushed through the crowd and nervously spoke up:"Tristan, maybe watch your tone. This is Mr. Carter. It'd be… in your best interest to show some respect."
That sentence dropped like a glass shattering in the middle of the dance floor.
Even Alice, who'd been the focus of Tristan's "chivalry," froze for a second before waving her hands quickly."No, no, this was my fault! I got a little too close — it had nothing to do with Mr. Carter."
The crowd went still.
Even those who hadn't been paying attention now turned their heads.Anyone with half a brain could sense it — there was something very unusual about Jason Carter.
Who exactly was this man?
And why did the General Manager — a man who usually ignored influencers altogether — look afraid of him?
Tristan Gray was one of VisionStream Media's most popular influencers — his influence inside the company was practically on par with the General Manager's. Under normal circumstances, he would have to treat him with courtesy.
But now, the same manager was warning him to be polite to Jason Carter?
The entire hall was buzzing.
And even Alice — the girl Tristan had been trying to "defend" — wasn't angry about Jason brushing her off. Instead, she nervously spoke up for him.
That alone made it clear Jason Carter wasn't just some ordinary guy.
Ethan blinked, stunned.Wait a second…So all that respectful attitude earlier from the GM — that wasn't aimed at him at all, but at Jason?
Which meant all that confidence he'd been showing off earlier was just… a fox borrowing the tiger's power?
But why? He'd been at VisionStream for years and had never even heard of Jason Carter. The guy was new, wasn't he? How could someone who joined so recently be treated with such deference?
Meanwhile, Grace, Olivia, Angela, and Zoey, who stood near Jason, simply exchanged amused looks. They all knew the truth — and to them, Tristan Gray's attempt to show off was nothing short of a comedy.
Tristan, hearing the GM's warning, just smirked with mild disdain. But when he noticed Alice nervously defending Jason, that smirk slowly faded.
He had stepped up for her, and yet here she was taking Jason's side — even calling him Mr. Carter.
It was like he didn't exist.
Tristan's voice turned sharp."A woman tries to greet you, and you ignore her completely. Then she still defends you? Man, that's not just rude — that's pathetic. What kind of man acts like that?"
He wasn't really demanding an apology anymore. What he wanted was attention. He wanted to steal back the spotlight Jason had taken from him the moment he walked in.
And if he could charm Alice in the process, all the better.
This was VisionStream's annual gala, filled with influencers, talent scouts, and execs. Making a scene here could boost his image — and catch the eye of plenty of women watching from the sidelines.
But Alice's anxious expression deepened."Jason wasn't being rude," she said quickly. "I was the one who approached too suddenly. Tristan, please stop — this has nothing to do with you."
Her voice trembled slightly. She didn't understand why Jason kept his distance from her, but even then, she wouldn't dare question him.
She wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed, but even she could sense Tristan wasn't defending her — he was digging his own grave.
What was the point of being a popular streamer if you couldn't even tell when you were overstepping?
His voice hardened, carrying across the room."Tristan, don't let your popularity get to your head. Do you even know who Mr. Carter is?"
A murmur rippled through the crowd.
Tristan's confident posture wavered just slightly, but his pride refused to let him back down. To retreat now would mean losing face.
And sure, maybe this Jason Carter had some background — but could it really be bigger than his own?
He was VisionStream's golden boy, after all — and few people knew that he was distantly related to the company's CEO, Lewis.
Tristan smirked."So this Mr. Carter has some background. Even so, it doesn't excuse bad manners. I, Tristan Gray, can't stand people who think they're above common courtesy."
Jason leaned against a nearby high table, watching the whole thing unfold with an amused expression.So that's what this is about, he thought. Trying to act noble and win over Alice?
He almost wanted to laugh.If Tristan wanted her that badly, he could have her. Jason had no interest in that kind of trouble.
Jason still hadn't even revealed who he really was — not that it mattered. Perhaps the GM had misunderstood and thought Jason wanted to stay low-key after his earlier conversation with Ethan. But at this point, attending the gala, there was nothing to hide anymore.
Just then, Olivia, standing a few feet away, noticed Jason's faintly amused expression and smiled to herself. She was about to step forward to smooth things over—
But the double doors swung open with a clack.
A tall man in a sleek navy suit strode in — Lewis, the CEO of VisionStream Media.
Every conversation in the ballroom stopped.
"Boss!" Several voices chorused in near unison. Both male and female influencers straightened up instantly, their smiles snapping into place.
Even Tristan's confidence faltered. He immediately stepped forward, adjusting his tie and offering his hand with a practiced, professional smile."Mr. Lewis—"
But Lewis didn't even glance his way.
Instead, he walked straight past him — and stopped right in front of Jason Carter.
"Mr. Carter!" Lewis said warmly, with a slightly apologetic grin. "You didn't drive tonight, right? Weren't you coming by bike? How'd you get here so fast? Your fitness is seriously impressive — I underestimated you and miscalculated the timing. I should've been down to greet you personally. My mistake, my mistake!"
The room went silent.
Every eye turned toward Jason Carter — the man they'd thought was just some random guest — as the CEO of VisionStream himself spoke to him with respectful humility.
Tristan froze, his mind blank.
Even he was smiling now, shaking his head slightly as if to say, I warned you.
Ethan blinked again, the realization hitting him like a freight train.Holy hell… Jason isn't just someone with background — he's the background.
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