Transmigrated as a Cannon Fodder Reject, Then Became a Movie Star-Chapter 75: Report

Watching him, Erisia finally understood why the Kealith in the story had been both feared and admired. He was the kind of person who made decisions that saved companies—and ruined competitors—without flinching. The kind that made you question whether ruthlessness and brilliance were two sides of the same coin.

While discussing projections and mergers, Erisia discreetly called up the Echo System in her mind.

[ Echo System: ]

[ Subject: Kealith Asheborne ]

[ Current vitals: ] 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝒆𝒘𝙚𝓫𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

– Heart Rate: 74 bpm (stable)

– Blood Pressure: 122/78 mmHg

– Cortisol Level: Elevated (mild stress response)

– Oxygen Level: 98%

– Neural activity: heightened focus

[ Observation: Subject exhibits controlled physiological responses despite cognitive strain. ]

She exhaled softly. Still as calm as ever.

Boredom creeping in, she glanced back at her phone. As she scrolled, a sponsored post popped up between random reels and aesthetic photography.

@StudioVerveNYC

✨ CASTING CALL ✨

We’re looking for fresh faces for our upcoming "Concrete Bloom" editorial shoot.

No agency required. Just bold energy and a love for fashion.

Comment "🌸I’m ready🌸" or tag a friend to be considered.

#VerveCasting #NYCFashionShoot #ConcreteBloom

Erisia blinked. No agency required? That was rare—especially in New York, where even "open calls" usually meant they must have representation.

Her thumb hovered over the comment box. Her page was mostly a mix of selfies, a few viral clips from the pool incident, and some artsy photos she’d posted during her "rebranding" phase. Hardly professional—but still.

What was the harm in trying?

She typed:

"🌸I’m ready🌸"

And hit send before she could overthink it.

After Erisia hit send, she took a slow breath in, then out. For some reason, her chest felt oddly tight. Maybe it was nerves—though she couldn’t quite explain why. It was just a comment, after all. A simple "🌸I’m ready🌸."

Still, the thought of someone at a real modeling studio scrolling through her page, clicking her photos, judging every frame—it made her uncomfortably aware of every post she’d ever made. She groaned quietly and set her phone down beside her.

Whatever this was—nervousness, mild regret, or secondhand embarrassment—she wasn’t in the mood to deal with it. So instead, she focused back on the conversation in the room.

Kealith’s tone had shifted from harsh and analytical to steady and more neutral. It seemed he’d stopped dismantling proposals—at least for now. The secretary was speaking again, her voice even and practiced.

"Sir, this is the project you expressed a favorable impression of," she began, gliding her stylus across the sleek tablet in her hand. "The concept originated from the Head of Research and Development. They’re proposing an adaptive data framework for inter-system continuity—mainly for corporations that use mixed-tier tech infrastructures."

Kealith leaned back slightly, resting his fingers against his temple as he listened. His expression was calmer now—not cold or cutting like before, but focused.

"Go on," he said.

"The prototype is currently in internal testing," she continued, tapping the screen to expand a live report. "Early results show stability under dynamic loads, but the infrastructure cost is still about thirty-five percent above projection."

"Unless they find an investor willing to gamble on something unproven," Kealith finished for her.

The secretary hesitated. "Yes, sir."

He nodded once, thoughtful. "Schedule a meeting with the R&D head next week. I want a presentation—not what they hope the system will achieve, but what it’s already done. Concrete results."

"Yes, sir."

He shifted his gaze to the man standing beside her, who was scrolling quickly through his own tablet. "And you—make sure the marketing department isn’t already preparing a campaign for something that doesn’t exist yet. I’m not funding fiction."

The man straightened immediately. "Understood."

Erisia, watching from the couch, couldn’t help a faint smile. He was still just as blunt, but this time there was approval in his tone. Earlier, his words had been sharp enough to sting.

A few minutes later, the discussion wound down. The secretary signed off her notes on the tablet while the man double-checked something on his screen. When they were done, both of them bowed slightly.

"We’ll have the updates ready by tomorrow, sir," the woman said.

"Good." Kealith’s tone softened a fraction. "You can go."

They nodded and left, closing the door behind them.

As soon as the secretary and the man were almost at the lounge, they both glanced at each other before entering, closing the door behind them.

"Who do you think that was?"

"Who was that woman in Mr. Asheborne’s room?" they both asked at the same time, then paused before composing themselves.

"The president has never gotten close to any woman before—and I’ve never seen her before," the man said, lowering his voice.

"Yes," the secretary agreed, slipping off her jacket and relaxing slightly. "Mr. Asheborne is known for not being close to any woman. And he didn’t seem to mind her being there... even while we were reporting."

"She acted as if she were a close friend or family member," the man mused, frowning. "But she’s none of that. So who is she?"

The secretary flopped down onto the couch, raising a brow. "Exactly. Who could she be? Especially since Mr. Asheborne didn’t seem to mind her presence—"

"Wait!" The secretary suddenly sat up, snapping her fingers. "I heard Mrs. Asheborne was recently looking for a companion for the president..."

The third person Erisia had seen earlier was a young woman in a cream-colored blouse tucked into black trousers. She was short—at least compared to the secretary, who was in heels—and had a petite build. Her dark hair was gathered into a messy bun, barely held together by a handful of clips.

That morning, when Zia arrived at the company, she hadn’t even sat down before her boss, Ms. Daisy—the president’s secretary—told her she’d be accompanying her to the hospital to report the latest company updates. Upon seeing Zia’s disheveled hair, Daisy had frowned and muttered that it looked like a bird’s nest before proceeding to fix it herself with a few clips.

Zia was an intern turned permanent staff member, and she’d been working at Asheborne Tech—the central division of the Asheborne Conglomerate—for a year now, only five months as Ms. Daisy’s assistant.

Now, in the lounge, Zia hummed quietly to herself as she prepared tea at the counter, the faint aroma of chamomile and oolong filling the air. She balanced the tray carefully, walking toward the seating area.

Her boss and Mr. Frank must have returned from briefing the president, she thought, so she decided to bring them tea before resuming her own tasks.

When she reached them, they were so engrossed in their conversation that they didn’t notice her standing nearby.

"...But I didn’t think Mrs. Asheborne would actually choose any lady for the president," Daisy was saying. "So I didn’t believe it."

"What don’t you believe, Ms. Daisy? Did something happen?" Zia asked curiously, setting the tray down on the coffee table.

Daisy startled slightly, then sighed. "Oh, Zia, you scared me." She reached for a teacup. "We were just talking about the young woman in the president’s room. You saw her when she passed too, didn’t you?"

Zia nodded quickly. "Yes. She was really pretty. Especially the outfit she wore—it looked casual and hot at the same time. I thought she might be a family member."

"Family?" Frank scoffed lightly. "Mr. Asheborne doesn’t have any family members who’d visit except his mother—and she’d have announced it herself."

Daisy shot him a warning look. "Careful. You never know who could be listening."

Frank raised his hands defensively, then took a sip of tea. "I’m just saying, it’s unusual. The president usually keeps everyone at arm’s length. But with her... he didn’t even ask her to leave during our report."

He hesitated before adding, while Zia listened curiously, "She didn’t look uncomfortable either. Maybe she’s used to being around him?"

Daisy tilted her head thoughtfully. "Maybe. Or maybe Mrs. Asheborne’s companion idea wasn’t just a rumor after all..."

Frank leaned forward, lowering his voice conspiratorially. "You really think that woman could be the one Mrs. Asheborne picked?"

Daisy frowned, but her expression betrayed her curiosity. "I don’t know. But whoever she is—if she managed to sit quietly through one of his briefings so casually, she’s either incredibly brave or incredibly special."

Zia blinked, her curiosity piqued. "Special how?"

Daisy smiled faintly, swirling her tea. "Let’s just say... if the president didn’t mind her being there, that’s already a miracle."

There was a beat of silence before Frank chuckled under his breath. "Well, if she is the companion Mrs. Asheborne picked, I just hope she knows what she’s gotten herself into."

Zia’s eyes widened slightly. "You make it sound scary."

Daisy gave a dry laugh. "It is. Mr. Asheborne doesn’t do ’close.’ Not with employees, not with women, not with anyone. If she’s really staying by his side..." She took another slow sip. "Then things at Asheborne Tech are about to get very interesting."

•••

Asheborne Tech was a leading innovation and infrastructure firm specializing in advanced AI integration, cybersecurity systems, and adaptive data frameworks for large-scale corporations. Known for merging cutting-edge technology with efficiency, the company operates across multiple sectors—from defense contracts to smart-city development—cementing its reputation as both a technological powerhouse and a corporate predator in the global tech arena.