-Timeskip-
[General POV]
-Philippines-
"It took me some time, but I finally finished the song." Edward said to the thousand of fans who came for his make-up concert. The crowd waved his banners around, his posters, even fluttered the t-shirt with his face on as the camera moved past them.
The song was finished 3 months earlier, but he postponed the release till the time he could return to the country.
[Binibini– Zack Tabudlo]
"♫♪ Binibini~, Alam mo ba kung pano nahulog sayo~ ♫♪"
{Miss~, do you know how I've fallen for you?}
The Philippines crowd turned silent, mesmerized by his soft, sweet voice. Most of the girls there swooned as they saw his sincere effort in crafting the song. It made them feel special.
Edward continued crooning as the fans swayed their hands to the song. Regret boiled up in Hudgens' chest as she heard the song. "I should've learned Tagalog!"
" ♫♪ Naramdaman lang bigla ng puso ♫♪"
{Just a sudden feeling of the heart}
" ♫♪ Aking sinta ikaw lang nagparamdam nito ♫♪"
{My love, you're the only one that gave that feeling}
Suddenly, a drizzle poured down from the sky. It fell onto the crowd inside the open air stadium, however no one reacted to it. Some began to put on raincoats as they enjoyed the song.
" ♫♪ Kaya sabihin mo sakin ♫♪"
{So tell me}
" ♫♪ Ang tumatakbo sa isip mo ♫♪"
{Things that are going through your mind}
The slow build up began to climax. The crowd had heart in their eyes as they watched as Edward got drenched by the rain, his hair falling perfectly covering his face and his white shirt stuck on his body, revealing his muscle lines.
" ♫♪ Kung mahal mo na rin ba ako ♫♪"
{If you love me now as well}
♫♪ Isayaw mo ako ♫♪
{Dance with me}
Edward sang expressively, enchanting the audience.
" ♫♪ Sa gitna ng ulan mahal ko ♫♪"
{In the middle of the rain, my love}
" ♫♪ Kapalit man nito'y buhay ko ♫♪"
{In exchange, I will give you my life}
It was a legendary performance in the Philippines, something that would be talked about for years in the country.
" ♫♪ Gagawin ang lahat para sayo ♫♪"
{I will do anything for you}
" ♫♪ Alam kong mahal mo na rin ako ♫♪"
{I know you love me too}
Edward continued singing the song as the crowd swayed their body, dancing together with him. After the concert, he went on a tour in the Philippines. People on the street, even the old ladies knew who he was. It became chaotic everywhere he went, but he didn't mind it.
Edward signed over 5000 signatures for his Filipino fanclub that came to meet him in the span of 3 days. After fully conquering the country, Edward went back to the United States to film for his Percy Jackson movie.
…
Edward Newgate's new album would feature 12 main tracks and 8 bonus tracks. The album, "Mood Swing," took the world by storm after its release.
The tracklist included:
I LivedSomeone to YouSweater WeatherI Ain't WorriedJust the Way You Are24K MagicDemonsWhen I Was Your ManCounting StarsRunaway BabyRudeSomeone You Loved
Bonus Tracks:
Darte Un Beso (Spanish)Night Dancer (Japanese)Bling Bang Bang Born (Japanese)Binibini – Philippines (Hidden) (Hidden)
The first day released sold around 10 million copies, and the pre-order numbers reached almost 60 million.
A media commentator said in a podcast, "If the first album is a success, the price for the second one will be increased. But he didn't do that. He kept the price at 19.90, which is a stupid thing to do."
The guest– a well-known figure in the music industry, immediately disputed him, "He kept the price for his fan's sake. We can see that he's not greedy for their money–"
"Because he already has his own money!" the commentator argued.
The entertainment figure argued heatedly "And that is a great thing! For his acting fee, he only took 60,000 dollars, which is the industry Mi.Ni.Mum! Money isn't a factor for him, and that's a great thing. He can pursue his passion without any concern– That is, performing!"
The fans loved the new album. All 12 songs became a worldwide hit, which elevated his album prestige greatly.
In Japan, Edward recorded an interview to market his album wearing a thick sweater as he faced the snow in the snowy alps in Switzerland. Crossing his arms together, Edward looked at the Matterhorn with a reddish nose and cheek, apologizing to the fans.
"I wanted to come back to the US and go on a talk show, but my schedule won't let me. If there's any talk show host willing to come here, I'd be glad to pay for your travel." Edward joked slightly as he talked to the camera.
But then, Conan O'Brien entered the shot wearing a talk show host suit and aggressively walked towards Edward holding a microphone.
The skit greatly enhances Conan's popularity. The interview took place inside a warm cottage where they drank hot chocolate together and talked about the album.
Conan asked, "How did you come out with the title, 'Mood Swing'? I listened to the entire album–twice, so I understand it, but how did you come out with it?"
Edward smirked and replied, "Because I'm a teenager going through puberty right now."
Conan snapped his fingers and said, "I knew it! The mood changed a lot in the album."
"So did my body. I even got a zit yesterday." Edward joked.
…
Inside a mansion in Lake Como, Italy. Edward wore a suit akin to that of a mafia don, sitting on the couch with one leg crossed over the other. The Godfather theme song played in the background as Maggie stomped into the room, holding a piece of paper.
"Two hundred thousand? He only offered me two hundred thousand and wants me to be fully nude?! Guess who he's casting as the lead? Himself!"
"What do you expect? He's a sleazy movie director. I already told you not to go to the audition," Edward replied before flinching and resetting his persona.
With an Italian hand gesture, he said broodily, "He insulted my family. Now I have to get involved. Tomorrow morning, there will be a horse's head on his bed—"
Before Edward could finish, Robin—the mature, tall, extremely gorgeous, tanned-skinned Russian—walked into the room and interrupted him. Robin had used her previous Nico Robin appearance for her android body, which even Edward found powerless to resist.
Edward immediately became listless as Robin entered. "O—Robin, I thought you were coming tonight."
"I finished the negotiations early. We have permission from the Italian government, but they have a request: one, to limit the range of the network to only their country; two, I have to have dinner with the representative."
Edward raised an eyebrow and asked, "Is he stupid?"
"Very. That's why every bone in his hand suddenly broke when he tried to touch my thigh," Robin replied with an innocent smile.
Edward nodded in satisfaction. "Great."
Robin continued with the report, "I managed to fast-track the filming approval in the city."
Edward was confused. "But we didn't have any requirement for that, though?"
"I made an arrangement with the official. The approval status is pending. We might not need it now, but if we need it in the future, it will be approved instantly," Robin said casually, crossing her legs and supporting her head with her left hand.
"Nice, Robin." Edward nodded in satisfaction. At Christmas 2011, he received another useful gacha prize—Mechanical Life Tinder.
It upgraded his androids into mechanical lifeforms. Just like human beings, his ten androids became their own unique species, capable of evolution and critical thinking. It also connected his soul to the androids, making it impossible for them to betray him.
Robin experienced insane growth after becoming a mechanical lifeform. Now, Edward no longer had to instruct her; she would find the best path for the company herself.
This led to Edward's presence being less necessary, and it was no longer required to conclude deals with the world government's representatives.
Robin was appointed as the CEO of the new branch company—DeepSearch (AI), Ohara Foundation—an education firm and scholarship provider, and she was also responsible for the mobile network company.
Her sudden appearance, combined with her exceptional beauty, led to many speculations of a romantic involvement with Edward and unfair hiring practices, but after witnessing her terrifying skills, everyone dismissed those sentiments.
As Robin and Edward discussed the business with each other, Maggie became baffled.
'Wasn't I the one who talked to him first? Did they completely forget about me? Did I disappear into the background?' Maggie was questioning reality at that time.
"One of the groups on the watchlist you gave me has started moving. The King's family. They are… targeting you."
Edward listened to Robin's report with a solemn expression. The King's family was one of the villains in The Blacklist TV series.
The King family dynasty dates back centuries, building their great fortune on slave labor and less-than-legal means. They were infamous in the criminal world for their grand black market auctions, where they sold highly valuable and illegal commodities, such as stolen art, radioactive materials, weapons, and even persons of interest, to the highest bidder.
"They were even daring enough to kidnap Redmond Reddington to sell him as an auction item," Edward scoffed, a condescending look on his face.
"Robin, since they have been doing this for centuries, how much do you think their wealth has accumulated?"
Suddenly, an interesting idea struck Edward.
Robin chuckled cheerfully and said, "I'll take care of them." She pulled out a piece of paper from her bosom, making Maggie flustered at her 'obscene' act.
"Hey! Why are you keeping stuff there?!" Maggie exclaimed.
Both Edward and Robin turned to her with shocked expressions. "You're still here?" Edward asked.
Maggie almost ripped her own hair out upon hearing that and then stomped away, "Forget it! I'm going to search for your dad!"
"Call the girls too! It's almost time for dinner," Edward said, exuding a maternal aura that irked Maggie greatly.
'I hate to admit it, but the main reason I'm here is for the food! And he's the greatest chef around!' Maggie controlled her fist, slowly putting it down before walking out of the mansion.
Robin, with a rageful look, said, "This is the list of items for this auction. It seems they need to be dealt with soon. They are even auctioning a child."
Edward looked at Robin in astonishment and pointed at his own face. "Are you calling me a child?"
"Not you, Eddy. The 11-year-old Bulgarian boy, son of a whistleblower. Since his father died, the King's family put him up as an item for the Zmiya gang to buy. They will enact their revenge on the son instead of the deceased," Robin explained.
Edward nodded. "Well, let's destroy them. The Zmiya gang and the King's family."
Suddenly, Edward spotted a familiar name on two of the item lists. One of them was the Davidov Stradivarius, a violin made in 1712, stolen from its owner, Roman Totenberg, 29 years ago. The whereabouts of the violin had been unknown ever since.
The last item was someone he recognized. 'Barbara Palvin? Why is she here?' Edward was greatly confused. Barbara Palvin is a Hungarian supermodel known for her outstanding beauty.
The only explanation Edward could think of was that she had encountered some unsavory characters on her path to becoming a model. Discovered at the age of 13, Barbara had maintained a steady stream of bookings, even becoming the cover of L'Officiel, Vogue, Marie Claire, Glamour, Elle, Allure, GQ, Harper's Bazaar, and Numéro.
Without the King's family intervention, Barbara could have become the ambassador for L'Oréal Paris, which is why Edward vowed to eliminate as many villains as he could remember from The Blacklist and Chuck.
'They were unsalvageable monsters anyway. Let's just consider them trash and clean up a little.'
Edward's eyes suddenly lit up, and he leaned forward to Robin. "Hey, since it's about stealing stuff, I think 'Agent Twilight' would be a great addition to the team, right?"
Robin sighed. The mechanical lifeform capable of ruining an entire city sighed, largely due to her creator's unique hobbies.
Agent Twilight was an alter ego Edward had created based on Loid Forger, in which Edward disguised himself using face masks to steal from the evil in the world.
It was an enjoyable pastime for Edward, but he didn't know that Robin had labeled his endeavor as an 8th grader syndrome (Chuunibyou) moment from his puberty.
On a side note, Twilight had climbed to the top 3 of the FBI's most wanted list, especially after he stole from the head of the CIA— a member of the shadow government in The Blacklist TV series. In fact, he had stolen from five people in the shadow government, causing losses of over 50 billion dollars.
Even if they were powerful people, they cannot recoup the losses as it was earned illegally, which made them very hateful towards 'Agent Twilight'.
…
A few days later, Barbara Palvin woke up in a hospital ward.
'Huh? Where am I?'
Her mind was in chaos after being put under a date-rape drug for five days following her kidnapping. The last thing she remembered was someone knocking out her manager and placing a damp rag drenched with chloroform over her mouth and nose.
After checking the calendar, her breath nearly stopped. She sat up immediately and ran her hands over her body to check if anything was wrong. Her hands trembled as she clutched her knees, fear washing over her.
Suddenly, a familiar face entered the room. "Hey, are you alright?" Edward came to meet her himself. Barbara was astonished and stammered, "Ed—Edward Newgate?"
"You must've been scared out of your wits. Don't worry, nothing happened to you. The kidnappers were caught before they could do anything."
"Lies." Barbara's lips quivered as she gazed intensely at Edward. "How are you involved in this?"
Edward shrugged. "I'm telling you the truth. They couldn't do anything to you because you were part of the commodity they wanted to sell. They have a rule not to touch the product before the client, so you were saved when the FBI raided the whole scene before anyone could buy you."
Barbara was in disbelief. She clenched her fists, almost crying from frustration.
'I shouldn't have trusted that bastard!'
She had been lured into this mess when she and her manager were baited by a guy pretending to be a staff member of a prestigious modeling agency in Seoul. It was supposed to be a turning point for her career, but now she felt her entire image was ruined.
Collecting herself, Barbara looked at Edward and asked carefully, "I'll ask again, how are you involved in this?"
"Oh, I got caught too," Edward said casually, leaving Barbara stunned.
"What?" she asked, shocked.
Edward wasn't lying. To figure out the venue for the auction, he had allowed himself to be kidnapped. The location would only be decided on the night of the auction, so no one could know anything beforehand.
Thirty minutes after Edward was caught, his entire security detail was mobilized, along with the FBI, CIA, and Interpol.
But when they arrived, it was too late. Everyone inside the mansion with a criminal track record was already dead, including the King's family.
The representatives had lost their memories of that day, and no one could recall what they were doing. The representatives were ordinary people, so Edward didn't 'off' them, but he did make them tell him who they were working for.
Edward had hypnotized the father and two sons, making them reveal every single asset they had acquired. He transferred everything away under a pseudonym and completely cleaned up the operation.
Barbara's gaze softened when she heard that Edward was a victim too. He recounted the story of his vacation in Lake Como, where he had been kidnapped while ordering gelato ice cream and crepe.
Barbara began to cry afterward, and Edward comforted her. Her manager was killed by the kidnappers, she lost one of her best friends.
"Are you going back home? I can take you home with my plane." Edward offered, slightly pitying her. Barbara shook her head and said, "I think that's the only option for me now that I have to retire."
"Why do you have to retire?" Edward asked, puzzled by her decision. Barbara replied, "My manager is the CEO of my agency. I only trust him. And with the articles that will come out from this incident, my image will crash."
Her answers made Edward even more confused. "There will be no articles that will come out though." He said casually.
The FBI, the CIA, and the Interpol all wanted to cover up the incident to avoid public's scrutiny. After all, there were records of their agents working together with the King's family. Edward copied every single transaction record they had before the authority came, so he knew how to blackmail them into covering up the incident.
'I have to protect my image too. If it gets leaked that I got kidnapped again, people will start to think that it's a marketing stunt.'
Edward stared at Barbara and realized that she was still scared.
'Hmm, I guess I can help a bit more.'
"Do you have anything on your schedule for next week?" Edward asked. Barbara was confused, "Huh?"
Next week, the Hollywood media would be in Frenzy as Edward brought Barbara as his date for a charity auction to raise money for Aids research located in Los Angeles. It was a charity with multiple celebrities supporting them, so the event has paparazzis all over it.
TMZ headline: [Edward Newgate and Barbara Palvin– Dating Rumors?!]