Chapter 260: Sorry I Took Your Spotlight  

"189, 190, 191..." 

In the apartment gym, Luca was doing pull-ups, shirtless, his muscles tight and well-defined. His back formed a V-shape, and his skin glistened with a light sheen, making him look incredibly attractive. 

"Uncle Luca, your body is amazing! If I live with you long enough, my hormones will definitely go crazy," 

Fanny said as she did planks on the floor, snapping photos with her phone while drooling at the sight. 

The photos captured Luca's flawless physique—smooth, fair skin with beautifully shaped muscles, perfectly proportioned. Unlike bodybuilders, his body wasn't overly intimidating but just right, making it impossible not to want to stare. 

"Whoo!" 

After two sets of pull-ups, Luca let go of the bar and exhaled. 

His entire body felt alive with energy. His pecs, biceps, and abs were bulging, feeling as firm and hot as freshly baked buns. It gave him a strong sense of power. 

He loved this feeling. Every time he finished a workout, looking at his toned muscles gave him a real sense of achievement. 

"Uncle Luca, don't put your shirt on just yet! I need a few more pics," 

Fanny said, holding up her phone. 

"Stop fooling around. When you're working out, you need to focus. Concentrate on each muscle for the best results," 

Luca said, wiping the sweat off his chest, then pressing down lightly on her waist. 

"Hey!" 

With just a little pressure, Fanny collapsed onto the ground. 

"Uncle Luca, you're bullying me!" 

She bit her lip, pretending to look pitiful. 

Luca flicked her forehead. "I'm just keeping you on track. If you want to be a big star and perform hundreds of concerts, your body has to be in top shape. Ask Britney. Even with her packed schedule, she still carves out at least 15 hours a week to work out. You're not even in the industry yet, so now's the time to master the basics." 

Fanny scrunched her nose and grinned. "Uncle Luca, Britney's body is smoking hot, and she knows a ton of dance moves. I bet getting into bed with her is... ouch, okay, I'll stop!" 

She covered her forehead and quickly shut her mouth. 

"Quit the nonsense. Back to your workout!" 

Luca put his finger down and headed to the shower. 

Around 10 a.m., after dropping Fanny off at school, he drove to 666 Fifth Avenue in Manhattan for the Zara clothing launch. 

Zara, a top Spanish fashion brand, is well-known for its trendy streetwear, selling clothes, accessories, shoes, and perfumes. 

Before his reputation tanked, he had signed an $80,000 contract with Zara, attending events in L.A., Las Vegas, and now New York. 

"Luca, over here!" 

Ed waved from a seat in the lobby. 

"Hey, Ed! How did the talks go?" 

Ed shrugged. "Not great. They took your opening spot and gave it to Ben Hill." 

"Ben Hill?" 

Luca smirked. That guy's everywhere. "It's fine. I don't care about the opening as long as the paycheck stays the same." 

"Are you sure?" 

Ed grinned. 

Luca chuckled lightly. "I've got thick skin; a small setback like this doesn't faze me." 

"Glad you understand." 

Ed sighed, relieved. He'd been worried Luca might quit over being sidelined, but it turns out he had nothing to worry about—Luca could handle it. 

After a quick chat, Luca made his way backstage. 

New York, being the heart of American fashion, had an even grander atmosphere than L.A. 

There were many familiar faces backstage today. 

David Gandy with his blue eyes, last year's top earner Noah Mills, and bad boy Eric Rutherford were all there. 

He also spotted Thomas, whom he hadn't seen in a while. They exchanged nods. 

"Hey Luca, long time no see!" 

David Gandy was leaning back in a chair, smoking a cigarette while a makeup artist shaved his beard. 

"Yeah, David, you look even better without the beard!" 

"Haha, I think so too!" 

"Hey, Luca, I heard you lost the opening spot?" 

Noah Mills called out from beside a clothing rack. 

"Yep, guess I wasn't a good fit." 

Luca shrugged and greeted a few more people before sitting in his chair. 

"Don't sweat it, man. It's just the opening." 

Tony reassured him as he fixed Luca's hair. 

"Nothing I can do about it. Too much drama around me right now." 

"Yeah, you're too popular," 

Tony laughed, then helped tidy his hair. 

Suddenly, a smattering of applause broke out backstage. 

"What's happening?" 

Luca glanced in the mirror and saw Ben Hill walking in with three assistants, looking very full of himself in a suit and glasses. 

"Ben, congrats on landing the opening!" 

"Ben, I heard you're on the cover of the next issue of *GQ*. Impressive!" 

"Go, Ben!" 

The backstage chatter got louder. 

"Thanks," 

Ben Hill smiled modestly and walked over to the preparation area next to Luca, giving him a sideways glance with a smug smile. 

"Sorry I took your opening spot!" 

Ben said, clearly gloating. 

"No worries, I'm still the top earner, right?" 

Luca grinned. 

"Only by 300k. I'll catch up soon." 

"But 300k is still a gap, isn't it?" 

"Hmph!" 

Ben scowled and sat down. A moment later, he snapped at an assistant. 

"Why is my preparation area number 2 when I'm the opening model?" 

"Apologies, Mr. Hill. I forgot they changed the lineup," 

a staff member explained. 

"Well, fix it!" 

Ben stood up, arms crossed. 

"Mr. Kelly, could you please switch seats?" 

The staff member asked apologetically. 

"Does it really matter where we sit?" 

Tony grumbled, putting down his scissors. 

"Of course it does. Our Mr. Hill is the opening model, and opening models have privileges," 

Ben's assistant gloated. 

"Privileges?" 

Tony scoffed and whispered something to the staff member, who nodded and switched the numbers on the seats. 

"Mr. Hill, it's been fixed. You're now number 1." 

The staff said. 

"First is first. It's the truth, and that can't be messed up!" 

Ben declared dramatically. 

"Yes, Mr. Number 1," 

the staff member said sarcastically as they walked off. 

"Heh," 

Tony chuckled and whispered to Luca, 

"Don't let this guy steal the top spot from you. He's way too arrogant." 

"I'll do my best," 

Luca replied, though he was starting to feel the pressure. It was getting harder to stay on top. 

"Luca, want to make some money?" 

Thomas suddenly asked, leaning in. 

"Money?" 

Luca raised an eyebrow. It had been a while since he'd seen Thomas, but he looked to be doing well, reportedly making a lot of cash lately. 

"Yeah, I know a few brands that love you. Want to meet them tonight?" 

"Tonight?" 

"Yep, they'll be at the party later!" 

"Alright then!" 

Meanwhile, Ben Hill smirked. 

Later that afternoon, after the Zara launch, they attended a cocktail party where Luca, in a fresh suit, met some brand reps. 

What happened next left him completely stunned. 

(End of Chapter)