The Villain Who Stole Hearts
Chapter 118: Recording finished

Chapter 118: Recording finished

Meanwhile, some of the female viewers in the livestream were frantically rewinding and taking screenshots.

Veil’s previous move had been too fast—so fast that normal playback couldn’t capture it at all.

Fortunately, after several attempts, they managed to freeze the frame at the perfect moment—a single still image filled with irresistible allure.

"Oh my god! His body is unreal. Those six-pack abs are so well-defined but not overly exaggerated. The muscle lines are more proportionate than most fitness trainers. It’s like his figure was drawn by an artist—absolutely flawless!"

"Ahhh~ I think I just got a little wet down there... I can’t help it. I need Veil to comfort me right now~"

"Ugh, girls, I’m so annoyed! I just got my nails done this afternoon, and now I’ve ruined one of them trying to screenshot my hubby’s abs. He better pay me back!"

"..."

Back at Honeydew Cottage, none of the guests had the slightest clue about the chaos unfolding in the livestream chat.

After some friendly banter, Jack glanced over at Veil with a playful smirk.

"Such a peaceful summer night... It’s the perfect time for a song. What do you say, Veil? Can you sing?"

There was no denying it—Jack was one of the most easygoing people in the entertainment industry. Maybe he genuinely liked Veil’s personality, or maybe he just wanted to help give him some airtime. Either way, he was handing Veil an opportunity to shine.

In variety shows, screen time was precious. But just having screen time didn’t mean you’d get to perform. You needed real talent—talent that could win fans, not just looks that faded with time and overexposure.

Jack was testing the waters, curious to see whether Veil had any actual skills.

Veil gave a modest smile.

"I can sing a little. It’s just... there’s no guitar, and singing a cappella might be a bit dull."

"I’ve got a guitar!" Zoe immediately raised her hand.

She got up and ran into the cottage, returning moments later with a small acoustic guitar in her arms. Shyly, she offered it to Veil with a sheepish smile.

"I’ve been learning to play recently... but it’s hard. Otherwise, I could’ve accompanied you."

Veil smiled, said nothing, and took the guitar. His hands settled into position with practiced ease. With his maxed-out guitar skills, his fingers brushed the strings, and a bright, rhythmic tune filled the room.

He started with an upbeat melody, his voice smooth and resonant:

"On the swing outside, only butterflies stop by—

While my thoughts have long drifted to her side..."

His voice gradually deepened, drawing everyone in:

"Love can only be complete in memories—

Tears in the corners of my eyes, but who will ever see them?

If this is the final page before we drift apart...

Can I rewrite our story, just one last time?"

As the song progressed, the room fell silent. Everyone held their breath, fully captivated by the raw emotion in Veil’s voice.

It was as if his singing had taken them back to their school days—to junior high or high school. To that familiar yet distant face they once loved from afar.

Who hadn’t experienced a secret crush?

Who didn’t miss those days when the classroom was the only place you got to sit near her? The purest time, the simplest feelings...

The older you grew, the more you longed for that innocent kind of love again.

...

Anna’s eyes shimmered with warmth, as if the girl in Veil’s song—the one he had loved silently—was her.

Jack sat there in stunned silence, the corners of his eyes reddening. The melody had stirred memories of a girl he, too, had once loved from afar.

Veil continued, his voice like a story unfolding:

"Raindrops stall between earth and sky,

Like tears lingering in my eyes—

Maybe this is the last time we’ll meet.

All the moments we shared...

Yet there’s no time to relive them—

Even our last embrace quietly faded away.

The tide drowned out our sunset goodbye,

Leaving only the look in our eyes.

Under the starlit sky,

I just want to hold onto the warmth before it dies..."

Strum—

With a gentle sweep of his fingers, Veil brought the song and the guitar to a close.

No one spoke.

Everyone remained frozen in place, still immersed in the world Veil had just painted—a teenage boy’s quiet love, his bravery, and the bittersweet regret that came with it.

But suddenly, it was over.

The memory, like the song, had come to its end.

Jack rubbed his slightly red eyes and grumbled,

"That’s it? Veil, how could you? The mood was perfect, and you hit us with something that emotional? Don’t you know how dangerous nostalgia is when you’re getting older?"

Luke Brown looked puzzled.

"I’ve never heard that song before... Wait, with lyrics that good, it should be famous already!"

Jack’s eyes widened.

"Veil—don’t tell me you wrote that yourself?"

Veil offered a warm smile.

"It’s called ’Regret.’"

The song had existed in the parallel world he came from. In this world, it had never been written. He’d kept it tucked away in his memory, and now, for the first time, he let it out. There was no need for elaborate explanation—it would only sound like an excuse.

Anna was stunned, her wide, beautiful eyes still fixed on him. Veil’s voice, cheerful yet tender, still echoed in her ears.

She couldn’t believe it—this junior of hers could sing? And he had that kind of voice? And he could play the guitar?

Suddenly, Anna realized she knew so little about Veil.

Or maybe... she hadn’t pressured him enough.

Veil wasn’t the type to show off. If you didn’t push him, you’d never know what he was hiding.

Zoe cupped her face with both hands, gazing at him dreamily. Her bright eyes had completely lost focus.

"Encore!" Noah shouted excitedly.

Veil shook his head.

"Better not."

After all, the point of being on this show was exposure, not showing off. He’d already taken the spotlight once tonight—doing it again might come off as trying too hard.

He wasn’t here to become a celebrity. He just needed to increase his visibility and showcase a bit of his talent and capability—it was all for the bigger picture.

Since crossing into this world, he hadn’t made a single meaningless move. Any woman of fate, he wouldn’t miss—not one. And in the end, weren’t they all the same, whispering they wanted him even while they lay in his bed?

With knowledge of the future plotlines, he could set up everything in advance. That was the smartest, most efficient way to do things. Roy, Caden Voss—weren’t they all taken down by his design?

Dorian Wilson wouldn’t be an exception either. Just another "child of fate" in the entertainment industry.

What Veil did worry about was what came next. He didn’t believe every fate-bound protagonist would be this easy to defeat. There might come a day when even with the Villain System, he’d meet an opponent he couldn’t handle.

But there was no point worrying about that now.

Focus on the present. Lay the groundwork. That’s what mattered.

...

Under the soft moonlight, the first episode’s recording quietly came to an end.

Back in the livestream chat, the comment flood only grew more intense:

"That song was incredible! The lyrics hit me right in the feels—it’s like he took my teenage memories and turned them into music. Was that written and composed by Veil? There’s nothing online about it!"

"Yeah! I searched too—nothing. It really must be original! I want to hear it again!"

"I can sing it!"

"Brain: I know this song now.

Mouth: No you don’t."

"Too real! I thought Veil was just some rich guy. Turns out he’s a walking treasure chest. Killer abs, original music... This man is a goldmine! I really hope he’s in the next episode!"

"Please! Hubby needs to stay on the show!!"

...

The director stepped into the small cabin and glanced at Jack and Luke Brown, who were tidying up inside.

"Today was our first live broadcast. The peak concurrent viewers just now hit thirteen million!"

Hiss—

"So many?" Jack was visibly stunned.

They had initially estimated maybe three or four million viewers at most—which would’ve already been incredible.

After all, this was the show’s first live-streamed episode. Even with Anna making an appearance, a few million extra would have been a great success. But over ten million?

And it wasn’t just ten million. It was thirteen million watching live?!

The director nodded. "Veil’s appearance was a major game changer. Every time he does something unexpected, it sparks a wave of discussion. It’s like he was born for the entertainment world—he knows exactly how to trigger the audience’s curiosity. And more importantly, every surprise he brings doesn’t just attract new viewers—it keeps them watching."

He had just reviewed the live feed analytics. Every spike in viewership correlated directly with something Veil had done.

And that was without even factoring in his face, which instantly hooked female viewers the moment he appeared on screen.

Even the guys watching couldn’t help but wonder—What else is this guy hiding?

"If Jack hadn’t suggested it, who would’ve known Veil could play the guitar, write lyrics, compose music, and deliver a song that stunning?"

Luke Brown cut in, pointing to the core of the issue.

"Director, you mean... you want Veil to stay on as a regular cast member? I’ve got no problem with that. Veil might come across as a bit cheeky on the surface, but he’s incredibly thoughtful underneath. Like when Noah asked for another song—some people thought he had nothing else to sing, but I believe he just wanted to give Zoe and Noah their time to shine in that moment."

Jack chuckled as well.

"I’d love for Veil to stick around. If he doesn’t leave, Zoe will definitely be thrilled."

Today alone, Zoe had blushed more times than she had during all three previous seasons combined.

The director threw his hands up.

"Guys, I’m not just asking if you agree—I’m asking how the hell we get him to stay. You’ve seen it yourselves—Veil clearly doesn’t need the money. Offering him a higher appearance fee won’t cut it. Honestly, I’m more inclined to believe he could buy out our whole production team than accept a paycheck from us."

Luke Brown and Jack exchanged glances, both letting out helpless smiles.

...

Lying in bed, Veil hadn’t even fallen asleep yet when his phone buzzed with a message.

Eyes still shut, he reached for the phone and glanced at the screen. It was from Anna.

Anna: "Are you asleep?"

Veil tapped a quick reply:

"Not yet."

Anna: "I’ve got a few endorsement photos here. Can my little junior help me take a look?"

"Sure."

As soon as he sent his reply, a photo popped up on the screen—followed by several more in rapid succession. They were swimsuit-style shots, clearly intended for a beachwear campaign.

Hiss—

Staring at Anna’s curvaceous figure on screen, Veil couldn’t help but feel he’d just contributed, in a very small way, to global warming.

He was barely keeping it together.

This was a trap.

A classic honeytrap.

He’d asked Lyra for a photo before—but Anna had just sent hers without even needing to be asked?

Was she trying to fast-track the flirtation process?!

Image.jpg

Sensual collarbones. Endless legs. An hourglass figure that curved in all the right places. And every outfit was branded—Chanel lingerie.

Why the hell was Anna endorsing something like this?

Veil immediately sobered up. The thought of Anna’s seductive photos being plastered across massive screens for every fan to gawk at made him feel inexplicably annoyed.

Sure, Veil could be a flirt, but he still had principles.

He quickly sent a message:

"Senior, I thought you never endorsed lingerie brands before. Why the sudden Chanel deal?"

Anna: "You just called me ’senior’?"

Veil sweated.

"Anna..."

Anna: "Hmph! That’s better. It’s not like I want to, okay? But I haven’t had any decent film offers lately. If I don’t make a move soon, my fanbase will start shrinking. Unless... well, unless I drop a new album, or land a strong film or TV role. Then I wouldn’t even consider doing endorsements like this."

Veil understood her implication right away. Bringing up his song "Regret" had clearly piqued her interest.

She wanted his help.

And Veil was more than willing to give it. He knew countless songs that would become instant hits. With Anna’s vocal talent, she’d nail any one of them.

But a song only had one singer. Compared to a lead role in a film, it didn’t hold the same long-term weight.

If only he could get his hands on a script from Dorian Wilson—the Child of Fate from the entertainment world.

Forget it.

Dorian was probably too swamped these days. Veil could barely get a hold of him.

Might as well do it himself.

Veil took out a Memory Fruit and swallowed it. With a single thought, an entire novel he’d once read appeared in his mind like a tangible book, every word and punctuation mark crystal clear.

"What the fuck..."

Even Veil had to curse.

The Memory Fruit was insanely overpowered.

Sure, he had read Legend of Heroes before, but who could recall a full novel down to every letter?

And now, not only could he remember the full plot—he could actually bring the entire story into this world.

Back where he came from, that novel was better than Hollywood-level content.

With this fruit, Anna didn’t need to wait around anymore.

With this fruit, she definitely didn’t need to go selling lingerie ads for Chanel!

Don’t be ridiculous!

They chatted a bit more into the night, and Veil finally drifted off to sleep.

---

Early the next morning.

Veil, groggy-eyed and freshly washed, shuffled down the stairs.

Zoe was already downstairs waiting for him. When she saw Veil coming down, she quickly ran into the kitchen and brought out a bowl of warm milk.

"Veil, you haven’t eaten yet, right? This is milk stewed from the sponsor’s dairy product."

He took the bowl from her hand. The milk had been simmered over a low flame, making it slightly thick and rich. A creamy aroma wafted up—so inviting it instantly roused his appetite.

"Thanks, little sis." Veil reached out and gently ruffled Zoe’s hair.

"Mmm..."

Zoe closed her eyes, savoring the moment.

Just that small gesture erased the grogginess of her early morning wake-up.

So warm. So soothing.

Like everything was suddenly okay.