1041-1045

*Chapter 1041: Human Error*

Boom! Boom boom boom!

All of North America was once again in an uproar, with every single media outlet, large and small, covering the event without exception.

In 2003, online media was slowly starting to rise, but traditional print media and television stations were still reigning supreme. News still primarily centered around newspapers, and their dominance remained unshaken.

On the North American continent, at the top of the media hierarchy, The New York Times held the highest seat of authority. Its credibility and influence were unquestionable. While papers like The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, and The Los Angeles Times had their own advantages in specific sectors and readerships, no one could surpass The New York Times when it came to overall coverage.

Not only did the general public pay attention to The New York Times, but so did industry insiders.

Among journalism students, there was a running joke:

Journalists in the central U.S., when faced with a major event, didn’t immediately seek out sources or gather information. Instead, their first reaction was to read The New York Times. Only after understanding its perspective would they begin forming their own.

Though it was a joke, there was a lot of truth in it.

Different camps, different positions, and different groups would all check The New York Times' viewpoint before making their own statements. Some might agree, others might oppose, some might revere it, while others scoffed—but they always read it first. This fact alone demonstrated the standing of The New York Times in North America.

Because of this, making the front page of The New York Times carried enormous weight, even on its website. Only the most significant events earned that honor.

And today!

The homepage of The New York Times website proudly featured Spider-Man 2.

Although it was only the website and not the print edition, it still swept across North America like a tidal wave.

Major news! Absolutely major!

The keywords—Spider-Man 2, Anson Wood, on-set accident—had already dominated the headlines, surpassing even the hottest summer blockbusters. Now, with The New York Times investigating and offering an in-depth analysis, the news reached unprecedented heights.

—"It wasn’t a mere accident, but human error."

In the article, after conducting a thorough investigation, Nicholas concluded as much.

Of course, Nicholas couldn’t make unfounded claims in a prestigious media outlet. Every detail had to be sourced and verified.

Nicholas conducted an exhaustive investigation into the film crew, peeling back the layers of the incident to reconstruct the full sequence of events from eyewitness accounts. He then examined the developments that unfolded after the accident, eventually focusing on TMZ's recently released photos of Spider-Man's costume.

According to testimony from the set, the scene and the angle in the photos pointed to only one possibility: they were taken the day Anson had the accident. That was the first and only time the crew had shot that scene.

From a professional standpoint, the lighting, angles, and composition all confirmed that the shutter was pressed right before Anson’s tragic fall.

Everything matched the flash that witnesses had reported from the set.

In the end, Nicholas boldly and directly concluded:

“It was a human-caused accident.”

And the culprit? A paparazzo who had sold the photos to TMZ. Further digging suggested that this paparazzo might be the same one who had dared to sneak into the hospital and attempt to photograph Anson again.

The truth, often harsh, was staggering.

Although everyone knew that this was an age of extreme celebrity culture, where paparazzi would go to any lengths for a story and society’s moral compass had faltered, some actions still crossed the line.

Earlier, when reports surfaced about someone breaking into Anson’s hospital room and disturbing his recovery, Lucas had offered a $100,000 reward for information on the intruder. Even though public opinion overwhelmingly supported Anson, there were still some cynics making dismissive comments.

Things like: "It's not like he's paralyzed, why can’t they take photos?", "Would he be so angry if he were in a coma?", "Public figures should expect no privacy," or "His constant complaints about being a victim are getting tiresome."

But now, those voices had fallen silent.

It turned out the accident was caused by a paparazzo trying to get unauthorized photos of Anson, and that’s why Anson’s condition remained uncertain. The culprit, unrepentant, had even gone so far as to sneak into the hospital for more photos.

This had crossed a line.

Even public figures shouldn’t have to endure such mistreatment.

What made matters worse was that Anson had not appeared in public since the incident. Although his spokesperson, Sony Columbia, and the crew all claimed he was resting, the situation didn’t look promising.

A nightmare was slowly reawakening—

In 1997, Princess Diana had died in a car crash in Paris.

Conspiracy theories ran wild, but the public narrative blamed the paparazzi who had relentlessly pursued her, forcing her to try to escape, resulting in the fatal crash.

At the time, paparazzi faced widespread condemnation, and the “celebrity-obsessed” society became the target of countless discussions in the media.

Now, the same story was unfolding again—

All for the sake of an exclusive shot of Spider-Man's costume.

Absurd, ridiculous, laughable.

Back then, Princess Diana's crash had happened in the summer. Now, six years later, in another summer, Anson had become the paparazzi's new victim.

Who knows? Maybe Anson was clinging to life, which would explain his absence, Lucas’s furious outburst, and the crew's complete refusal to speak to the press.

Fear was like a seed, falling into different minds, taking root in the soil of their thoughts, and growing into various stories—

And the panic was spreading.

Things had spiraled out of control.

The assistant, utterly shocked, was frozen in place, unable to believe what she was reading. Like a robot, she turned to Eve, “So, this is what you were waiting for?”

“You knew this would happen?” the assistant asked, swallowing hard.

Eve remained calm. “Of course. Why else would I leave so many breadcrumbs? What, did you think they’d all be carried away by ants? The only thing I couldn’t be sure of was which media outlet would pick it up first.”

“Turns out... The Los Angeles Times still couldn’t pull it off,” Eve remarked with a sigh.

The outside world was in chaos, yet Eve still had the presence of mind to make jokes.

The assistant asked, “So, is it time?”

Eve shook her head. “Not yet. Wait another 24 hours. This is just the signal.”

The assistants exchanged confused glances.

Eve sighed, feeling a bit disappointed. If it were Anson or Edgar, they wouldn’t need an explanation. But thinking about it, it made sense—

That’s why they were just assistants, while Edgar was Edgar, and Anson was Anson.

Eve paused for a moment, realizing with a slight smile that her opinion of Anson had risen quite a bit.

And when had that happened?

It was a good question.

*Chapter 1042: Scapegoat*

Eve was in an excellent mood.

The moment she'd been waiting for had finally arrived. There was no need for Eve to personally reach out to familiar media outlets to make noise; everything fell into place naturally, with no trace of manipulation or planning.

And to top it off, the attention came from The New York Times, which carried an amplification effect of its own. It was the best platform Eve could have dreamed of.

Initially, she thought that if American Weekly had been the first to catch the scoop, that would have been the best-case scenario. But to her surprise, The New York Times had unleashed a comprehensive and indiscriminate strike.

The impact far exceeded Eve’s expectations.

Now, everything was in place. With the right timing, Eve could pull the trigger whenever she wanted, fully in control of the situation.

This meant Eve was 90% sure they could dominate the narrative. The only reason she wasn’t 100% confident was due to the inherent caution of PR professionals.

So, even though her two assistants seemed a bit slow to respond, it didn’t dampen Eve’s mood.

“The signal is just starting to come through. The timing? Far from perfect.”

“First, all the focus is on this. No other news can compare, so we can’t maximize the effect yet.”

“Second, the public, like you, is still in shock and disbelief. They haven't had time to process it. No matter how shocking the news is, reactions are slow right now. It won’t have the effect we want.”

“Third, and most importantly, we need people to get angry. Whether it’s sympathy, rage, or another emotion, we need to lay the groundwork for our next move. We’re like Dementors feeding on fear. Right now, we need that energy.”

“Patience. Stay patient. After all, the ones who should be terrified and on edge right now aren’t us.”

Assistant #1: …

Assistant #2: …

Eventually, one of them asked, “But who?”

This time, Eve didn’t answer directly. She hopped off the desk, pulled a cigarette from her purse, lit it, and took a drag. “Some big shots.”

Eve exhaled a puff of smoke.

...

Michael Lynton was also smoking.

He slowly blew out a long stream of smoke, his expression becoming blurry in the swirling haze. But the weight of the situation couldn’t be hidden.

Everything was going as expected.

In the blink of an eye, the news had spread far and wide, and public opinion was unanimously rallying behind Anson, standing firmly by his side.

People began to demand justice for Anson, one question after another—

People needed someone to blame, but the vague term "paparazzi" wasn’t enough to contain their anger.

So, others became collateral damage.

NYPD—why hadn’t they made any progress in the investigation? How could a case with such high public interest drag on with no arrest? If even this was delayed, what about everyday citizens?

The Spider-Man 2 film crew—how could the paparazzi infiltrate the set and take such damaging photos, escaping without consequences? Has the crew still not figured this out?

Mount Sinai Hospital—how was the hospital ensuring the safety of VIP patients? If VIPs were at risk, what about ordinary patients?

It didn’t stop there. Even Sam Raimi and Kirsten Dunst were caught in the crossfire, with netizens going wild.

Naturally, Sony-Columbia Pictures wasn’t spared either.

So far, public criticism focused on Sony-Columbia’s inaction—

“Sony-Columbia, have you forgotten? When the Spider-Man costume was stolen, you offered a $25,000 reward, showing strength. Now, not only has your Spider-Man been injured, but the new costume has been exposed. And you’re just going to sit quietly? How is that okay?”

Everyone was united, all defending Anson.

Imagine, at such a critical moment, if the public found out that Sony-Columbia was auditioning for Anson’s replacement. They wouldn’t care about the studio’s economic concerns; public outrage alone could bury Sony-Columbia.

Thankfully, Michael acted quickly, halting the auditions in time.

Crisis averted.

Logically, Michael should have been relieved, but instead, his temples were throbbing.

Unease.

An unshakable sense of unease crept in.

One beat, then another, pulling at his nerves. His scalp tingled, and his heart raced with uncertainty and anxiety.

Michael had a nagging feeling that this wasn’t the peak of the storm.

But how could that be?

The current wave of public opinion had already reached unprecedented heights. People were even comparing Anson to Princess Diana.

Six years ago, they hadn’t been able to protect the beloved Princess Diana, and all they could do was lay flowers outside Buckingham Palace.

Six years later, they refused to let history repeat itself.

“Protect Anson.”

Gradually, people began to chant this slogan. Although it hadn’t gained much support yet—after all, Anson wasn’t Princess Diana, just… Spider-Man—you could still feel the rising tide of public sentiment.

To say that the public’s outcry against “entertainment to death” had reached historic levels would be no exaggeration. It had even crossed into hatred.

So how could things escalate further?

Michael understood this logic. He analyzed the situation, but the unease remained.

His temples continued to pound, his nerves stretched to their limits, as though they might snap at any moment.

But Michael stayed calm and focused, knowing it was the only way out of this crisis.

No, he couldn’t just sit back and wait for disaster.

Michael still couldn’t quite figure out what would happen next, and the source of his unease eluded him.

But Michael wasn’t the type to sit idly by. Even though he couldn’t see the storm brewing, it didn’t mean he couldn’t strike back.

The best defense is a good offense.

And Michael hadn’t given up on replacing Anson.

It wasn’t personal; it wasn’t about Anson. It was about Amy. Whoever played Spider-Man didn’t matter. If Amy had chosen them, then that person was Michael’s enemy, and they had to be replaced.

This was the fastest way for Michael to gain control of Spider-Man 2, secure his position at Sony-Columbia, and win the upper hand.

Michael’s brain began working rapidly.

This plan needed to be carried out carefully, not too hastily. But waiting too long wasn’t an option either—better sooner than later, quicker rather than slower.

So, the first step—

Michael took a deep drag from his cigarette, then slowly exhaled. A calm smile appeared on his otherwise refined face.

His anxiety slowly subsided because he was back in control. No longer would he passively wait or take hits without responding.

That was the good news. Once he made a move, his opponent would have to react, and the game would shift with each move.

Now, since the public needed someone to blame, a ruthless criminal, a villain embodying “entertainment to death,” then…

He would give them one.

It was that simple.

After all, the public—they were always foolish, easily manipulated, deceived, and used. If the mastermind could stir up people’s emotions, Michael could just as easily redirect their anger.

*Chapter 1043: Full of Nonsense*

Harry Percy was living a life worse than death.

He couldn't eat or sleep peacefully, constantly on edge, as if he were sitting on pins and needles. His days were filled with paranoia, as if he were trapped in hell, unable to calm down, like a bird startled by every sound.

TMZ had succeeded.

Since the reveal of Spider-Man 2’s new suit, the website’s traffic skyrocketed to record highs, even crashing their servers. A full year of hard work had finally paid off, and TMZ had officially gone mainstream. For the first time, the name "TMZ" was plastered across the front pages of major newspapers.

The thing they had been longing for had finally happened.

But it wasn’t just about the traffic. The economic benefits from ads, sponsorships, and brand recognition exceeded all expectations.

Everything was falling into place.

Indeed, uploading that photo was the right choice.

However, Harry couldn’t feel happy about it. He was too anxious.

He was constantly worried that the alias "Marvin Daniel," which he had made up, would be exposed.

Now, all the anger and curses were directed at Marvin Daniel, who had become a symbol of everything vile and reprehensible. Even a thousand fingers pointing in condemnation weren’t enough to reflect the hate coming from all directions.

Harry kept silent, terrified of revealing his true identity by accident.

He was carrying a massive secret, one that was almost devouring him.

At times, Harry even resented TMZ’s newfound fame, fearing that it only increased the chances of him being exposed. Everyone was asking the same question: Who exactly was Marvin Daniel? Even within the paparazzi circles, curiosity was growing.

"Marvin Daniel" remained silent.

To the public, it looked like the suspect had gone into hiding, perhaps scared and laying low. That wasn’t surprising.

But to Harry’s fellow paparazzi, something didn’t sit right. This story was huge—so much so that it could be seen as a badge of honor. Every paparazzo would be dying to claim such a scoop, even if it meant facing some backlash.

All the criticism? It was practically a compliment to their line of work.

If Marvin Daniel was scared of Lucas Wood’s revenge and was keeping a low profile, that made sense. But for there to be no whispers, no rumors in the paparazzi world about the person behind the story?

That wasn’t normal. Something was definitely off.

The public’s demand for TMZ to reveal Marvin Daniel’s identity was growing louder. But TMZ stood its ground, stating that they wouldn’t pursue the identity of their source, only focus on verifying the news.

Harry, however, could feel the suspicions growing, as professionals in the field knew better. His secret was at risk of being exposed, and the fear was suffocating him.

He wished it would just end.

At times, he thought it would be better to just come clean and get it over with. Maybe then, he’d find some relief.

But fear always pulled him back, and he clung to the faint hope that his secret might stay hidden, continuing to suffer in the dark.

Every second was pure agony.

And then, the turning point came—

“I’m Marvin Daniel, that’s just a pseudonym. My real name is Jason Owner, and I took that photo.”

Someone stepped forward, claiming to be the mastermind behind the leaked Spider-Man suit. And his story? It was incredibly convincing.

"Jason Owner" said he was a temp worker on the set, responsible for setting up props and transporting equipment. He heard rumors that the media was offering a huge price for a photo of the new Spider-Man suit, and, tempted by the money, he snapped the picture, never imagining it would cause such chaos.

After the incident, he was wracked with guilt and decided to come forward to clear the air and face the consequences.

His story was clear and believable.

And suddenly, the narrative shifted.

What was once a story about the paparazzi crossing moral lines to chase headlines was now a tale of a temporary worker who, driven by greed, made a bad decision. It was still a tragedy, but the severity of the situation seemed less outrageous.

The incident was now being seen as an "accident."

Harry: ???

Who was Jason Owner?

Others may have been fooled, but Harry knew the man was lying. Not a single word he said was true. But now that there was a scapegoat, should Harry just lay low and stay quiet?

Was this a good thing or a bad thing?

The good: There was now someone else to take the fall, lifting suspicion off Harry, and maybe, just maybe, he could finally get some sleep.

The bad: Was this scapegoat in it for fame? Or was there someone else pulling the strings behind the scenes? And if so, why? And what about Anson—would he expose the truth?

Harry was confused, and things were only getting more complicated.

The world was spinning, and Harry had no idea what storm he was caught in. He just knew that he was losing control of the situation.

And then, just as Harry was caught in indecision, “Jason Owner” couldn’t keep up the act for long. His story, which seemed flawless, soon started to fall apart.

The props? The set design?

Setting aside the fact that everything had already been prepared on set and there was no need for temp workers to be transporting equipment that day, how would a temp even afford professional photography gear?

That was the key.

Experts could tell that the photo of Spider-Man’s new suit was taken with professional skill. The angle, the composition, the lighting—it was all too good. No amateur with a phone could pull that off.

Jason had claimed he just took a quick snap to sell it for cash, but the final product was way too polished.

Some even argued that Jason might just be a passionate photography enthusiast. Maybe he was a natural talent.

But the more they dug into Jason’s background, the more the story veered off course.

At first, it seemed like the public had found someone to blame, someone to direct their anger at. But now, Jason’s words and his story were being questioned. Not only were conspiracy theorists convinced there was more to the story, but even the general public was starting to sense that this was just the tip of the iceberg.

And the voices of suspicion kept growing louder.

The whole situation was spiraling into chaos.

No one had seen this coming—not Michael, not Harry, not Anson, and not Eve. One unexpected event after another was derailing everyone’s plans.

And then, it didn’t take long for the truth to come out, thanks to the relentless efforts of the paparazzi.

For the first time, Harry Percy’s name was brought into the public eye.

Chapter 1044: A Two-Pronged Approach

*"American Weekly." "Entertainment Weekly."*

These are the two best-selling gossip and entertainment magazines in North America. Both are industry leaders and fierce competitors, constantly trying to one-up each other.

Unlike the supermarket tabloids, which are notorious for fabricating stories out of thin air, these two magazines, while still full of gossip and sensationalism, maintain at least some journalistic integrity. They often rely on shocking headlines and explosive stories to grab attention, but they do have a basic bottom line — truth.

Or rather, they make efforts to investigate and research their stories, avoiding wild claims without evidence. It's not that they are committed to lofty ideals of journalism; they just know that if gossip becomes too absurd, it loses its appeal to the public. Without truth, gossip becomes indistinguishable from fiction.

After all, why are supermarket tabloids never taken seriously?

Why, even though "The Sun" consistently tops sales charts in the UK, has the gossip-focused "News of the World" gradually lost traction?

But that's all beside the point.

The key here is that "American Weekly" and "Entertainment Weekly" are both digging deep, trying to uncover exclusive scoops that will make waves.

For both media outlets, the fact that The New York Times uncovered that the paparazzi were responsible for the Anson accident was a slap in the face — a direct challenge to their expertise.

The New York Times should stick to serious journalism and stay out of entertainment news. If The New York Times starts taking entertainment news seriously, where does that leave professional entertainment outlets like them? Are they just supposed to sit around doing nothing?

Frustrated and embarrassed, both magazines kicked into high gear.

On one side, "American Weekly" began investigating the character of Jason Owen.

Their investigation revealed that Jason Owen was indeed a temporary worker in the prop department for the Spider-Man 2 crew and had worked at the New Jersey set. However, Jason had no interest in photography and was clueless about it.

More importantly, on the day of the accident, Jason was in Pittsburgh — far from New Jersey. There was no way he was "Marvin Daniels."

While this revelation was significant, it lacked a real bombshell.

So "American Weekly" dug deeper and discovered that within the last 24 hours, Jason had suddenly paid off his car loan — a hefty sum of $50,000, which was an unusually large amount for a temporary worker.

Due to legal limitations, "American Weekly" couldn't continue the investigation themselves without crossing a line, so they handed the evidence over to the NYPD for further probing. But based on what they had gathered so far, it appeared Jason had close ties with Sony Columbia.

Boom! Boom, boom, boom!

Sony Columbia?

Wait a second — what does Sony Columbia have to do with this? Why does Sony Columbia have close ties with a temporary worker on the film crew?

This sudden twist was so unexpected that it left everyone in shock.

Could it be that Sony Columbia paid off Jason Owen to take the fall for the photo leak? But why? What would Sony Columbia gain from this?

If Sony Columbia orchestrated the whole thing, why not just have the real photographer come forward instead of using a stand-in?

The questions kept piling up, fueling all sorts of conspiracy theories, with Sony Columbia suddenly caught in the middle of a storm.

On the other side, "Entertainment Weekly" used expert help to unmask "Marvin Daniels."

With the rise of the internet and the anonymity it offers, people have hidden their true faces behind data, making online crime a growing issue. Hackers, in particular, have become a focal point of attention at the turn of the century.

The key is that people think they can perfectly hide online, revealing the ugly, twisted side of their souls without having to face consequences. This has led to a surge in cyberbullying and online crime. But in reality, every move leaves a trace online unless you're a hacker skilled enough to erase it. For the average person, those traces are like breadcrumbs, leading right back to them in the eyes of experts.

Starting with the photos TMZ released, "Entertainment Weekly" hired a professional hacker. In less than three minutes, they were able to uncover the identity behind the online persona "Marvin Daniels."

It was Harry Percy.

One of TMZ's co-founders and a notorious figure in the paparazzi world, Harry Percy was the real person behind the leaked photos of Spider-Man’s new suit.

No wonder TMZ refused to reveal the identity of "Marvin Daniels." No wonder TMZ didn't confirm or deny anything when Jason Owen came forward.

Now, everything started making sense.

And this was just the beginning.

According to feedback from the Spider-Man 2 crew, the flash from Harry Percy’s camera when he took the suit photos was the direct cause of the accident.

Moreover, surveillance footage from a traffic light outside Mount Sinai Hospital showed that when the break-in at Anson's hospital room occurred, Harry Percy was seen fleeing the hospital.

"Entertainment Weekly’s" brilliance was that they didn’t directly accuse Harry Percy or launch an outright attack. Instead, they laid out the evidence like a court case, piece by piece, and left the judgment to the "jury."

But in reality, the evidence itself was already biased, making the conclusion inevitable. The "jury" was already leaning in a certain direction.

This approach gave the appearance of journalistic integrity and impartiality, making the story even more convincing, with all the weight of the evidence pointing toward Harry Percy.

Shock! Scandal!

"American Weekly" and "Entertainment Weekly" — the two best-selling entertainment magazines in North America, indisputable leaders in their field — unexpectedly teamed up in this competition. They approached the story from different angles but reached the same conclusion, uncovering different aspects of a larger, darker truth.

Together, their influence became more than the sum of their parts, creating a massive wave that shocked the public. The depth and madness of the situation went beyond what anyone had imagined, revealing the dark underbelly of Hollywood's fame and fortune.

There was no escape.

Although everyone knows that paparazzi have no limits, this level of recklessness was still shocking. And although people understand the obsession with entertainment, witnessing a paparazzo endanger Anson’s life not once, but twice, was mind-blowing.

They had almost become accomplices!

The situation took a sharp turn.

From online discussions to traditional media, from internet forums to industry insiders in Hollywood — no corner was spared from the explosive revelations.

*Chapter 1045: Worse Than Death*

An explosion—massive, overwhelming, and all-encompassing.

It was even fiercer and more chaotic than just an explosion, because it wasn't limited to entertainment. Voices rose from every corner of society—politics, media, and various fields—expressing their own views.

"Entertained to death"—this had become a societal problem. Over the past half-century, it had become a worsening illness, continuously breaking moral and ethical boundaries, even crossing legal lines and threatening lives. This was no longer just entertainment news.

Without a doubt, this was one of the hottest topics of 2003.

The situation was spiraling out of control—something no one had anticipated.

Yet, the truth remained unclear:

What was going on between Jason Owen and Sony Columbia? Why had Jason taken the fall when Harry Pacey was the mastermind? Was there some shady deal between Sony Columbia and Harry? Had Sony Columbia allowed Harry access to the film set?

It was a tangled mess.

There were endless possibilities, and this uncertainty only fueled the public's outrage. They demanded the truth, they demanded justice, and their anger became a tidal wave, surging relentlessly toward Sony Columbia and Harry Pacey.

The pressure was immense.

As one of Hollywood's top production companies, Sony Columbia became an enormous target. Countless voices demanded an explanation. But taking on a giant like Sony Columbia wasn’t easy.

Harry Pacey, however, was a different story.

Though a much smaller target—a mere paparazzo, insignificant amidst the chaos—his vulnerability made him easier to "hurt."

Not literally hurt, but the public could demand apologies, call for punishment, and these demands were achievable—much more easily than taking on a massive corporation.

So, as media outlets like American Weekly and Entertainment Weekly split into two factions, the public focused on Sony Columbia, while the paparazzi zeroed in on Harry, hoping to break him and uncover the full truth.

Especially with Lucas Wood’s $100,000 bounty still up for grabs.

The vultures were gathering.

...

Harry Pacey thought the last few days had been hell, worse than death itself. But now, he would give anything to turn back time—24 or 48 hours. Compared to now, those days had been paradise.

For the past few days, Harry had been tormenting himself, but now, he was up against the entire world.

He wasn’t exaggerating—he truly felt like he was fighting the world alone.

What had he been thinking back then? Using a fake name, hoping to fool everyone? Looking back, "Marvin Daniel," the name he used, was straight out of Home Alone, the name of one of the idiot burglars. If someone connected the dots like Anson had, it wouldn’t have been hard to figure out.

And then there were the hackers.

They had traced his home address, leaving him no room to deny anything. How stupid had he been? He hadn’t even bothered to upload things from a café or a public place, exposing himself completely while he stewed in self-doubt.

What a joke.

Now look at him.

The entire apartment was pitch black, every window tightly covered. The blackout curtains and blinds were closed, shutting out the outside world completely.

He didn’t even dare turn on a lamp.

Harry knew that dozens of paparazzi were lurking outside his apartment, watching his every move.

He had spent years stalking others, but now he was the one being stalked. The feeling was like being thrown into a frying pan, his skin sizzling as every inch of him was slowly cooked from the outside in.

Any little noise, and the swarm would pounce.

Harry was on edge, unable to sleep or relax. The anxiety was driving him to the brink of a nervous breakdown.

And the worst part? He knew exactly what those paparazzi were up to.

They were digging through his trash, combing through his history, looking for any way to bypass legal boundaries and sneak into his apartment to snap a close-up of him.

He was like a wounded animal, barely clinging to life, while vultures circled above, waiting for him to drop so they could feast on his corpse.

Harry didn’t think he could hold on much longer.

Click.

He opened the fridge, and a cold, bluish light spilled out, cutting through the darkness. Harry squinted against it, his face contorted as he looked inside.

One tomato, half a slice of bread, three eggs, and a bottle of water.

That was all.

He was running out of food. If he stayed here any longer, he’d be out of options.

There was a way out, of course. He could go out and buy groceries. He wasn’t under house arrest. But he knew that the moment he stepped outside, the paparazzi would swarm him like sharks, not stopping until they ripped off an arm or a leg.

Harry knew exactly what was waiting for him, and that’s what terrified him the most.

Just imagining it made him shudder.

Click.

He slammed the fridge shut, leaning against the door as his knees buckled, sliding slowly to the floor.

Despair washed over him. What should he do? Should he beg Anson for forgiveness? Could Anson help him fix this? Was it too late to apologize?

He had known Anson was dangerous, yet he still provoked him. And not just once—he had even gone to the hospital to taunt him afterward, walking right into the trap.

Stupid. So incredibly stupid.

Harry lay on the floor, wanting to cry but finding his eyes completely dry. He curled up into a ball, shaking uncontrollably.

He never imagined he would end up like this. So what now? When would this nightmare end?

Rustling.

A faint noise came from outside the door, making Harry’s nerves snap tight. He shot up, frantically searching for the source of the sound. Any little movement could push him over the edge.

Who—or what—was out there?

A second later, knock, knock.

The knocking came like a clap of thunder, shattering the silence. Harry clutched his ears, curling up even tighter, trembling violently.

"Harry..."

The voice outside was that of the devil.