Kiss Me if You Can Novel Completed - Chapter 24

“A blackmail letter?”

In front of everyone, Mark showed the note, his face hardened. The original had been handed over to the investigative agency, so all they had left was a copy. The crude blackmail message, made by cutting and pasting pieces from various magazines, wasn’t very long.

<God’s judgment on the Extreme Alphas!>

Josh turned the paper over front and back before passing it to Seth, who was next. Seth handed it to Henry, and Henry to Isaac. After everyone had seen the note in turn, Mark spoke.

“We filter out all the fan mail and anti-fan pranks that come to the office, but this one is different.”

“There’s no address on the envelope.”

Mark nodded at Josh’s observation.

“Someone put it in the mailbox. But it wasn’t caught on CCTV. How could that be?”

Seth muttered with a serious face.

“Among the people who visit here, who…”

Everyone had the same thought and fell silent. Mark continued.

“Currently, everyone who enters and exits the mansion has been with us for at least a year. The agency said they hired them after thorough background checks… Still, just in case, we should list everyone as a person of interest.”

“Could it really be the work of some religious group?”

Mark shook his head at Isaac’s question.

“It’s difficult to conclude that based on just this. It could be a disguise, or one of those targeting him could be from that side. Putting all that aside, the most urgent thing right now is how to safely get through the upcoming party.”

“The party?”

Seth immediately asked back as soon as he heard Mark speak. He then realized, “Ah.” Everyone looked at Seth, who was clutching his head in distress, with sympathetic eyes.

Chase was scheduled to attend a party for the promotion of an upcoming film. It was natural, as his role was a supporting one close to a lead.

A blackmail letter at a time like this, of all times.

Josh sighed inwardly. Furthermore, there were constant terror attacks on Extreme Alphas. Keith Pitman, the owner of the production company and an Extreme Alpha, had also been attacked. As he was a considerable celebrity, it was perhaps natural for him to be a target, but Chase Miller’s case was several times more dangerous.

While Chase stayed inside the house, everyone lived comfortably and enjoyed peace, but that was over now. Mark spoke with a serious face.

“First, let’s discuss what to do at the party. The venue is Mr. Pitman’s mansion, and…”

Everyone listened intently to his words without saying a word. As the conversation drew to a close, Mark added.

“Did everyone bring their tailcoats? Make sure you have your clothes ready, and if not, let’s rent them all at once tomorrow. How about it? Alright, anyone who doesn’t have one.”

He raised his hand and looked around at everyone. No one raised their hand. Mark then said with a disappointed face.

“Damn, is it just me?”

Henry irritably said to him, who let out a small curse, “Damn it.”

“What’s with the tailcoats? Why do we have to look like peacocks? Can’t we just wear the suits we work in?”

“They told us to dress up like that, so what can we do?”

Mark answered indifferently. Suddenly, Isaac and Josh’s eyes met. He smiled.

“Josh looks good in a tailcoat, so I’m looking forward to it.”

“Josh looks good even when he’s naked.”

Everyone looked at Seth at his nonchalant remark. Before Josh could even speak, Isaac asked first, with a hardened face.

“How do you know that?”

Henry frowned and leaned back as if disgusted. Seth, however, looked flustered and said.

“What? Those looks. We all went on vacation together before, to Miami!”

“Ah.”

“Aha.”

Here and there, people suddenly recalled memories and turned their heads indifferently. Isaac looked at Josh with a much more relaxed face.

“Right. We went surfing then.”

Josh agreed, with a wistful expression as if recalling a memory.

“Yeah, it was fun.”

At that time, before they had Pitt, the members had spent quite a lot of time together, including vacations. Josh thought they had made good memories, but Henry had a different opinion.

“How long ago was that? I’m never going with you again, you bastard. You drag women and men everywhere you go.”

“Josh is handsome and has a good body, so what can he do?”

Isaac, who had suddenly spoken, added jokingly.

“He’s a bit short, though.”

“Thanks.”

Josh retorted sarcastically. Seth then laughed and agreed.

“Right, that’s Josh’s only flaw.”

These bastards. Josh didn’t hesitate to lightly slap the back of Seth’s head, not hard enough to hurt. Seth then playfully glared at Josh before adding.

“Thanks to you, we also had a lot of dates. I like going with Josh? Women talk to us first, so we don’t have to work hard to pick them up.”

“That’s definitely an advantage. If I weren’t married…”

Isaac immediately looked at Mark. He, who had chimed in, quickly cleared his throat.

“I need to call home.”

Josh took his eyes off Mark, who was hurrying away, and noticed that Henry’s expression was very displeased. For some reason, he was glaring at Isaac with an angry face. Had Isaac said something offensive? He racked his brain but couldn’t think of anything.

He subtly glanced and saw that Henry looked ready for a fight with Isaac. Should he stay and break it up? He hesitated for a moment, but it was a useless thought. Contrary to expectations, Henry stood up abruptly without a word and tried to leave. Of course, he didn’t forget to throw a remark at Josh at the end.

“It’s your turn in the monitoring room.”

“Got it.”

Josh answered simply, then added with a smile.

“Good night, Henry.”

He silently looked at Josh. Like most Alphas, a somewhat complex expression floated on his handsome face.

A moment later, Henry turned and left with a short curse. Josh then stood up, and his eyes met Isaac’s.

“…? Do you have something to say?”

Suddenly, he remembered that Isaac had been about to say something but stopped. Isaac opened his mouth, then turned his gaze towards Seth. Seth was just reviewing the security plan they had just made. Isaac looked back at Josh and smiled as usual.

“No, next time.”

“…Okay.”

Was it something private?

Josh didn’t bother to pry and just turned and headed to the monitoring room.

“Oh.”

He checked the screens one by one and then paused. The camera showing Chase’s bedroom was not in good condition. When he reported it to Mark, Mark replied as if he already knew.

[It’s been strange for a few days. I saw before that the recording was cut off… I’m thinking we should check it at some point. The other day, Laura said it might be better to get rid of the CCTV in the bedroom, as it’s too much of an invasion of privacy, so Laura would be uneasy about it. What if it gets leaked… There’s no one among us who would do that, but we also have to consider their position, as they can’t fully trust us.]

The cut-off recording probably referred to the day Josh had artificially deleted it. Josh feigned ignorance and said.

“Laura’s right, anyway there are other cameras, and there’s no need for the bedroom…”

[Well, anyway, that’s why I haven’t fixed it. I’m thinking of just turning it off. I’m a bit uneasy about getting rid of it completely…]

Without reaching a conclusion, Mark hung up the phone. Josh quietly stared at the screen. As Mark said, the camera showing the bedroom occasionally flickered, and the image quality wasn’t very good.

He thought for a moment, and then Chase appeared, coming out of the bathroom.

He was completely naked.

For a moment, Josh was utterly captivated. Even through the terrible screen, his perfect physique and face were unmistakably clear.

He casually threw the towel he had used to dry his hair at his feet and sat on the bed. Chase, who had been motionless for a while as if lost in thought, suddenly raised his head. Even though it couldn’t be true, Josh had the illusion that their eyes met through the CCTV.

Chase opened his mouth. As his lips moved as if whispering something, the screen suddenly went black.

“What?”

Josh unconsciously shouted and stood up abruptly. He blinked several times, but the screen remained completely black, unchanged. He looked back and forth between the door and the screen, torn for a moment.

Should I run over there? Nothing like that will happen, right? Wait, that was rut. He’s not in that state at all right now.

Even though he knew Chase had just taken a shower.

Still, just as he turned his body. Just as he had gone out, the screen suddenly came back on. Josh paused and fixed his gaze. Chase on the screen was already lying in bed. A thin sheet was draped over his body.

“…Ha.”

Josh slumped into the chair with a stifled sigh.

…What should I do?

With a blackmail letter having arrived, he couldn’t suggest turning off the camera. But seeing him like this every time was close to torture.

Feeling both guilt and self-loathing, he rubbed his face frantically. In the end, Josh told Mark that he would take over the outdoor security for a while. That way, the risk of being swayed by pheromone scents would be much lower, and it was beneficial in many ways. Though it made him more tired.

And a few days later, the day of Keith Pitman’s party finally dawned.

From morning, tension hung in the air at the mansion. It was as if they had prepared for a full week just for this one day.

Many people came and went from the mansion. Hair experts, colorists, massage therapists, and all sorts of specialists clung to Chase from head to toe, decorating him like a peacock.

“It’s something even a celebrity wouldn’t want to do.”

Isaac shook his head, as if just watching it was tiresome. Josh felt similarly, but for a slightly different reason.

Does he even need all that? If it were him, even if he just woke up and went to the party, people would praise him.