I'm not the Son-in-law

Chapter 3: "Dreams Do Not Come True"

Marcus Xu was immediately taken to the dean’s office, while Reyster and his friends were sent to the hospital.

"You've been doing well. Why are you causing trouble now, with only a few months before graduation?" the dean groaned, frustration etched on his face.

"It's not me. It was Reyster and his friends who—" Marcus began, but the dean cut him off with a wave of his hand.

"I don't want to hear it," the dean said sternly. "I'm sorry, but you can't graduate because of this incident."

Marcus's mind raced, but he kept his face impassive. He knew the dean was likely making hasty decisions because Reyster was a relative of the school director.

"Seriously?" he said, feeling the injustice searing through him.

"This is a serious matter. I will make sure you won't get expelled, but your graduation this year is not possible," the dean stated firmly, his tone brooking no argument.

"Are you sure about that? I wasn't the one in the wrong here," Marcus argued, his voice steady but edged with steel.

"It doesn't matter if you're wrong or right. You beat Reyster Sebastian! You should be more worried, as he might sue you," the dean replied, his eyes narrowing.

"But it was all because of Reyster! He mocked me and my brother! They came to beat me! I am just good at defending myself!" Marcus countered, his scowl deepening as he saw how easily things seemed to favor Reyster.

"You don't have any proof of that," the dean stated.

"I do," Marcus said calmly.

The dean's eyebrows shot up. "What?"

"I carry around a recorder, and my motorcycle has a camera. Everything was recorded, including this conversation," Marcus explained, his confidence unwavering. "Reyster also bullied my brother; I recorded him confessing to that. I think it's me who should sue him."

The dean's jaw dropped as he stared at Marcus, unable to believe how prepared he was.

"It's already 2024. Do you think poor people would still let rich brats bully us willingly?" Marcus said, locking eyes with the dean, his determination burning brightly.

"This student is smart. Let him graduate," Thalia Milrose, the university director, interjected, appearing behind Marcus with an amused smile.

"Good afternoon, Director Milrose," Marcus greeted confidently, knowing he had nothing to hide.

"It's indeed a good afternoon," Thalia said with a wide smile. She tapped Marcus's shoulder and added, "You can go now. No need to worry about anything more. Starting today, no one will bully you."

“Is that really it?” Marcus asked, his gaze piercing the director, suspicious of her sudden intervention.

“Yes. I promise no more trouble will come to you until you graduate,” Thalia assured him.

"That's good. Thank you," Marcus responded, his tone measured but his eyes still wary.

He quietly left the dean's office, hoping the director would keep her word. It was strange that none of his evidence had been confiscated, but he chose to trust in the director's assurance for now.

To his relief, the remaining school year passed peacefully.

Confident in the director's promise, he deleted all the evidence he had against Reyster a few months after graduating. However, he soon discovered that no company would hire him. With Reyster’s connections, Marcus was blacklisted from every audition, agency, and entertainment company.

Two years later, Marcus continued to stay in the same frustrating situation.

He stood in line for yet another audition, determined to break through the barriers that had been erected against him. As he introduced himself to the stern production staff, he could sense their immediate skepticism.

“Hi, I'm Marcus Xu. I'm here to audition for the lead role,” he said with a hopeful smile.

“Hmm, Marcus Xu? Sounds familiar,” a staff member responded. “You have no agency yet, and you're auditioning for lead roles?”

“Well, I haven't decided which agency to sign with yet,” Marcus lied, knowing full well no company would offer him a contract.

“He's lying. His acting is probably bad. Look at his portfolio,” another staff member chimed in, mockery dripping from their words.

“The only nice thing on his profile is that he graduated from Larvo and he has a few roles as a child actor, but reputation-wise—who are you?”

“He must be a defect who slipped through and got a diploma.”

The mocking grins intensified, but Marcus held his ground. He smiled as he handed over his audition form once more. “Thank you for your concern. I'm still in the process of choosing the right agency, but I believe my talent speaks for itself. May I proceed with the audition?”

“What a confidence. Don't try to fool us. We know you don't have an agency because you’re trash,” the staff scoffed.

“I doubt you even have agencies to choose from,” another staff member sneered, laughing in his face.

Marcus squared his shoulders, refusing to let their words dampen his determination. He took a deep breath, ready to prove them wrong.

“Why are you so rude to me before I can even show my talent?” he asked, his voice steady and polite despite the simmering frustration.

“We're aware of what you did at Larvo University. Larvo is famous. Of course, everyone in the industry knows what kind of newbies will join us, and we don't need violent kids like you,” the staff said.

“That incident happened because—” Marcus began, intending to explain, but the casting director interrupted, stepping into the conversation with a scrutinizing gaze.

“What’s going on here?” he questioned, eyeing Marcus from head to toe.

“Hi, I’m Marcus Xu. I’m here for an audition,” Marcus replied, mustering all his energy to maintain a smile.

“I'm afraid we've already made our selections for the lead role,” the casting director said skeptically, dismissing Marcus with a wave of his hand.

“But—” Marcus tried to protest.

“You're just a nobody, so stop bothering us,” the casting director interrupted, dismissing Marcus before walking past him.

Laughter and mocking gazes from the staff followed, further fueling Marcus's frustration.

“Can you just give me a chance?” Marcus persisted, unwilling to give up.

“Should I call security for you?” the casting director threatened.

“No, I’ll go on my own,” Marcus said, his shoulders slumping as he turned to leave. However, he paused, disbelief washing over him as he witnessed two more individuals being welcomed for auditions.

“These bastards,” Marcus cursed under his breath, crumpling his audition form in anger.

“Hey! Didn’t you say the audition was done?” Marcus exclaimed loudly, drawing the attention of everyone in the room.

“Did you just speak to me rudely?” the casting director retorted.

“Yes, I am. Why entertain two more when you won’t even give me a chance?” Marcus questioned, his voice rising.

“Are you seriously asking that?” the casting director shot back.

“Seriously, you’re casting me aside just because of rumors from my school,” Marcus argued, his frustration boiling over.

“Rumor?” the casting director snorted. “Reputation is crucial in this industry. Perhaps it’s time for you to consider a different career. There are plenty of opportunities out there where you might fit in better.”

Marcus had no retort. He knew he had nothing to fight back with.

“You’ll regret this,” Marcus said with defiance as he walked away, his chin held high. Though he had little to be proud of at that moment, he refused to let them look down on him even more.

Back home, Marcus cautiously walked inside their small apartment, hoping his brother wouldn’t notice his arrival. However, their place was too small for him to go unnoticed.

“How did the audition go?” Miguel asked

“Same as usual,” Marcus groaned.

“Shouldn’t you give up now?” Miguel asked, putting down the flat iron he was using on his uniform.

“Give up? Do you want all the money you spent on me to go to waste?” Marcus retorted, snatching the flat iron to take over.

“Don’t blame yourself for that. We thought the university would provide you with great opportunities, but it seems to be doing the opposite,” Miguel said, unaware of the complete details of what had happened between Marcus and Reyster.

“It’s my fault for punching Reyster, but I still graduated. That should count for something,” Marcus replied reluctantly, tired of revisiting the same topic.

“But that one mistake is haunting you now. Will anyone still be willing to take you in?” Miguel questioned.

“It’s my dream. Do you want me to give up that easily?”

“Yes, I want you to give up. I’m not getting any younger. Do you think I can support you forever?” Miguel’s frustration boiled over, his voice rising. He paused, turning away to collect himself before facing his brother again. “You can chase your dream all you want, but first, find a stable job so I won’t have to worry about whether you’ll starve or not.”

Marcus fell silent, the weight of his unfulfilled dreams pressing heavily upon him as he bitterly ironed his brother’s uniform. The shame of not achieving anything, despite Miguel’s full support, weighed heavily on him.

Miguel Xu wasn’t just Marcus's brother; he had become his guardian after their parents passed away. Miguel had been incredibly supportive of Marcus's dream, but as the harsh realities of pursuing an acting career set in, that support began to wear thin.

“I don’t want to keep burdening you,” Marcus said weakly, his voice barely above a whisper. “But I can’t abandon my dream either.”

“Marcus, I know you’ve got the talent, the looks, and the physique. Who else would you take after?” Miguel acknowledged. “But even with all that, talent isn’t enough when your reputation has been tarnished.”

“What am I supposed to do then? Performing is all I know,” Marcus grumbled. “And I’m blacklisted from production jobs too because of that son of a—”

“You were the one who lost your temper and resorted to violence; don’t act like a thug,” Miguel scolded him.

“Whatever,” Marcus muttered.

The room fell silent as Marcus continued ironing. When he finished, Miguel spoke again. “Come to the hotel tonight. They need extra actors for a performance.”

“But your hotel’s performances use masks. How can I convey emotion with a mask on?” Marcus protested.

“Stop acting like a spoiled kid. You’re 25 now; it’s time to start earning your own money. I won’t accept those meager part-time earnings anymore,” Miguel said sternly.

His firm gaze lingered on Marcus, conveying a silent expectation for him to wake up to the reality that dreams don't always come true easily.

“I won’t give up!” Marcus said to himself with determination, refusing to yield. But he still showed up for the job Miguel recommended, not wanting to disappoint him further.

After the performance at the hotel, Marcus sulked in a corner, filling his plate at the buffet.

“Great pay and free food, but this won’t satisfy me,” he muttered.

He stayed in the corner, but suddenly, a foreigner approached him.

“You’re one of the actors who performed just now, right?” the foreigner asked.

“Yeah, why?” Marcus replied, still chewing.

“Can you do me a favor? Just sit still while wearing a mask. You don’t have to do anything else. I’ll pay you $10,000,” the foreigner offered.

“$10,000? That’s tempting, but it sounds like a scam. Is there something else I need to know, aside from just sitting still?” Marcus asked bluntly, wary of taking on shady tasks.

“You really just have to stay still,” the foreigner insisted. He then pulled Marcus up. “You know Gregory William, son-in-law of the William group? Stay still and act as Greg for me.”