Thug and Idol: 10X Rewards Second Identity System

Some time earlier.

The Greenpawl family almost always had breakfasts together. It was family bonding time, especially since Michael Greenpawl, the head of the family, often was too busy with business matters and meetings to have lunch at home.

His wife, Eleanor Greenpawl, had retired from her model career, but still had an active social life and often spent evenings at various events.

With Jane's singing career steadily on the rise ever since her teen years, breakfast was the only time when Jane could see both her parents at once with a guarantee.

Today's breakfast had a very tense atmosphere. Instead of quiet talking, there was only silence and Jane's dark glares.

This has been happening since yesterday, when Jane returned from the Californian Young Star contest in tears and hid in her room until now.

"Daughter, are you feeling well this morning?" Eleanor asked first. "Maybe you should go back to sleep."

Jane grit her teeth.

"I'm fine, mom."

Unlike Eleanor, Michael didn't beat around the bush and expressed his concerns directly.

"Jane, don't beat yourself up because of some state-wide contest. You got approval from the audience, and it's the most important. It proves that you can have bigger success in the future as a pop-star."

At this, Jane snapped.

"Don't you say this, father!" she slammed her palm on the table hard enough that some coffee spilled out of her cup. "Don't you dare to say this! I know what you did!"

Eleanor gasped.

"Jane!"

Michael frowned.

"What are you talking abo—"

Jane stood to her feet and pointed a finger at Michael.

"You sent actual gangsters to attack other contestants! The business you are a CEO of—is it even legal? Or were you actually secretly a gangster yourself all that time? Does mom know?!"

Both Jane's parents froze in their spots.

It was Eleanor who reacted first.

"Jane, don't shout at your own father!"

"Quiet, Eleanor. I can speak for myself," Michael said. He looked calmly at his daughter. "I don't understand why you are so unhappy. Of course, we wouldn't tell you about the illegal business—that would only endanger you. And of course, we will do anything in our power to help you out.

What parent wouldn't?"

Jane was taken aback.

"But—But father! All that time I thought I got somewhere because of my hard work and talent—did you help me there, too? Did you?"

"Of course," Eleanor said. "But you wouldn't have gotten as far as you did if you were just talentless and lazy! You don't understand how hard it is to get anywhere in show business, Jane. Even if you are extremely talented and hardworking, you can easily be left on the curb without extra help."

"So you did it! You did! I can't believe it!"

"How did you find out, Jane?" Michael asked. "Did Carlos tell you? Or someone else?"

Jane opened her mouth to reply that it was Tristan Gemello, but then paused.

She wasn't so stupid.

"I can't tell. If I do, you will probably get him killed! And what if you implicated me and my reputation, father? What then?!"

In her heart of hearts, Jane still wanted Tristan to love her. Because he was so handsome and charming, she already convinced herself that him telling her about her family's secret dealings was a good thing to her. As for his rejection of her—well, he probably was simply angry because he was accosted by Greenpawl's thugs!

"I'm going to fire Carlos," Michael muttered. "If this was found by anyone, then he did a terrible job…"

"Even if this was found out, we'd come up with something," Eleanor said convincingly. "Public can forget about people's crimes incredibly easily with the right misdirection."

Jane's hands dropped at her sides.

These revelations—she just couldn't take them. All the while, her parents acted like they did nothing wrong. And did they? Or didn't?

"You know what? I'm not hungry anymore."

"Jane!"

But she already stormed out of the dining hall to hide in her room again and brood.

It wasn't long before Jane realized she was actually still hungry and order some food to be brought to her room.

By noon, she began moving past the revelations with her family, although she didn't feel like actually forgiving them yet. Instead, she wanted another person to forgive her.

'What can I do to apologize before Tristan?' Jane thought. 'A gift? No… gifts are for men to give. But I'm sure that if we spent more time together, he'd realize that he was wrong about telling these things about me!'

Over the next few days, she was still thinking about this, while gradually returning to her ongoing musical career. Unlike many actual young artists from the contest, Jane has been slowly but steadily growing in fame since she debuted at 16.

By now, she had 200 thousand online followers! Although now Jane wondered how many of them were fake.

Only her parents could tell, and Jane had been avoiding them since that conversation.

Either way, it was a much higher number than that of Tristan. His followers measured in only dozens of thousands, even with a boost in popularity from the contest.

Jane had already reposted his posts on her own page, hoping he would at least react to it somehow… but he didn't.

Now she went to her manager and asked him to do something for her.

So what if this will probably be unprofitable? She didn't care!

The manager had no choice here, either.

***n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

Present day.

"Jane?!"

"Jane?" echoed Nel. "Is this the girl who won the Audience Choice Award? Do you know her well?"

Tristan pursed his lips and shook his head negatively.

"What does she want?"

"She invites you to feature in her next music video. It seems like a very altruistic offer from her, and it will certainly boost your popularity. Especially if you can perform in Jane's favorite genre."

Tristan scowled.

That woman!

Did she have no dignity, either?

Instead of slithering away and hiding in shame, she was actually trying to butter up to him!

"Hah, it looks like you have really charmed her, Tris! Are you going to take Jane on that offer?"