Rise of the Billionaire actress

Daniel watched as she visibly struggled for words, failing every time to produce something. His smirk graduated into a full-blown smile seeing her antics around him.

” Miss Deloise,” He called her, ” I’m sorry we had to meet under such…circumstances, ” He hesitated a little, lacking proper words to explain his stunt. Afterwards, he continued, ” Glad to finally meet you.” He reached out his hand for a formal meeting.

Deloise grabbed his hand with both hands and shook excitedly, ” Nice to meet you too, sir! I’m a big fan of yours!” She said with sweaty palms, ” I can’t believe it’s you!”

” Glad we cleared that up,” he smiled, ” you may go now, straight to the Royal Arts,” Daniel ordered, and the driver maneuvered the car through the roads, next stop, Royal Arts Academy.

During the journey, the duo spoke on various topics in conversation, each more passionate than the last, they never seemed to run out. Soon, they got to the Royal Arts Academy gates, and Deloise held back tears.

She was finally at the school of her dreams!Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDrâ/ma.O(r)g!

She never thought that one day she would be going through the gates of Royal Arts, not to talk of meeting a big star the day she entered New York City. Indeed, this was her destined land. It all felt unreal.

In a few minutes of stepping foot in New York, she managed to do, and experience things she nursed only in dreams.

” Are you ready for a new world?” Daniel asked the young actress beside him – staring at the school in awe. His question felt like a double-edged sword, and he nursed a glint in his eyes, one of a kid who couldn’t wait to peel off his candy.

Deloise didn’t hear him, lost in the glory of the school environment. She’d never imagined the school to be so beautiful. The pictures online did no justice! It was that beautiful.

The car soon slowed to a stop, jolting Deloise out of her reverie. Suddenly, she didn’t know what to do. She’s been thrown into a new world. One that made her stomach churn in the sweetest way.

Daniel resumed a stoic look, came down the car and shut the door behind him. The sound from the door resounded in Deloise’s ears, and in a second, she was out of the car, looking for the man who’d brought her all the way here.

Deloise attempted to get her belongings from the car trunk, but Daniel encouraged her to leave them behind. Saying something along the lines of – it would be taken care of.

Daniel checked his time, which read half past one. Perfect. He had enough time to carry out his vendetta before the rest arrived.

” C’mon, let’s go. There’s a lot to cover.” He said with hastened steps, forcing Deloise to get into pace with him.

Daniel led her to the office of the director and closed the door. The director wasn’t around. They had thirty minutes till he was to join them – twenty minutes too long for what he wanted to confirm.

Deloise looked at him confusedly, he brought her into someone’s office and went quiet. What was she supposed to do with that?

Still on the thought, a script was suddenly thrown towards her.

” You’ve got five minutes. Get ready and meet me at the end of the hallway.” Daniel finally spoke, every trait of friendliness gone. ” Let’s see just how much you want all of this,” Daniel remarked and walked out of the office, leaving a stunned, surprised and determined Deloise.

She came over here, throwing caution to the wind and beating the odds. There was no way she’d lose it all now.

Deloise picked up the script and glanced through it. She distinctly remembered when she shot this particular scene. How she worked it over in pain, determined to shut everything out.

This time, she would do it, and with a clear motive. This was the ticket to her long-term dream, and she didn’t come this far just to come this far.

With that, she prepared herself. Heart, soul and mind, ready to give all that she had, notwithstanding her already tired state from her journey. Within the quickest of time, Deloise rushed out of the office, clearly remembering the direction given to her.

As soon as she crossed the doors, she bumped into the most attractive man she’d ever seen. And for a moment, she stared into his unusually clear green eyes until she was snapped out of her reverie,

” Scram.” A cold voice said to her with the meanest look.

Stunned at the sheer rudeness depicted, Deloise committed his face to memory and without a word, walked away, straight into the deciding hall of her life.

******

Aaron Steele angrily walked into the director’s office, seething at his recent findings. He couldn’t believe he’d been swindled into accepting and auditioning for a script written by that wench!

His anger accelerated at the fact that the Damned director knew about the little fact and intentionally decided to keep him in the dark until he was done and dusted with the deal.

The worst part was that he signed the documents! Feeling like he’d bagged something great only to be met up with the news of her most recent job. When Aaron found out that Ms Ema was the playwright of the script he’d just auditioned for, everything turned red.

The newspaper he got the information from wasn’t speared and neither was the director going to be spared from his fury. He had decided he wasn’t going to be a part of the production, signed or not! And he was going to see to it.

Met with the absence of Mr Austin, Aaron slammed the door behind him, pacing around the office space in wait for when he was going to arrive. He’d earlier called him and somewhere in between his raised voice and deafening anger, the director asked to meet up with him at his office.

In a terribly poor countenance, he’d marched his way over to the office, giving everyone a cold shoulder. Usually, he tried to be less of a jerk to people, especially in the Royal Arts but it wasn’t his best day.

Aaron took a seat on the couch, his feet impatiently tapped the marbled floor, as he awaited the presence of the director. He made to call him again, to find out where he was, but decided against it.

He didn’t want the director thinking he’s been taken for granted or insulted so he decided to wait it out and talk in person. As though on cue, the door of the office opened and Mr Austin strolled into his office, adorned in a suit.

The director smiled upon spotting Aaron’s poor countenance. ” Aaron, my boy! How’re you doing?” He said with a grin, reaching out his hand for a handshake but received no reply from Aaron- who remained seated, mute and sulking.

” Don’t tell me you’re still pissed about that, c’mon boy, that deal is THE deal! Forget about whatever baggage and treat it as a job, which it is.” Mr Austin tried to reason with Aaron. ” Listen to me man, when you met me to manage you, even as a student, I never agreed until you proved to be a worthy investment. Don’t let anything stop you.” He advised.

” You don’t get it! I’ve done everything I can to avoid being affiliated to her or them! I chose a new path for myself, and you know my story!” Aaron lashed out, getting angrier as the clock ticked, ” you knew about it and still put me on! This isn’t just about the brand, it’s way deeper than that and yet you chose to deceive and blindside me!” Aaron bellowed at Mr Austin, who could now understand the erring of his ways upon seeing the reaction.

” I overstepped and I apologize.” Mr Austin said solemnly, knowing any other thing would only tick off the bomb that was Aaron. ” Forget about the deal, we can sort out a replacement. Lucky for you, the director and producer of the project is in the building, so let’s make it formal, shall we?” He proposed, readying himself for the backlash he was surely going to get for the sudden development.

” Fine.” Aaron said, with a still voice. ” I apologize for my reactions and still want to be in partnership with you, Mr Austin.” He said in a formal yet polite tone.

” Don’t get soft on me boy, you were blowing a pulse less than a minute ago.” Mr Austin remarked amusedly, causing Aaron to unsuccessfully conceal a smile. The tiff from earlier flushed down the toilets as they regained their usual banter.

” As much as I feel like we’d regret losing this role, I’m just going to let it be.” Mr Austin said, causing Aaron to shake his head. He knew that he was never going to hear the end of it but he had already made up his mind.

Together, they walked out of the office, headed towards the show room at the end of the hallway. Mr Austin wondered why Mr Daniel decided to meet him in the showroom, when his office was opened.

Daniel’s early appearance for the meeting also surprised him but when he remembered what was at stake, he understood his impatience to finally meet the one he’d so vehemently stuck out for.

Mr Austin couldn’t help but admit he was also looking forward to meeting the lady. Assess her for himself and know if she was truly deserving of the spot and the hype.

As they approached the end of the hallway. The door was crowded by onlookers who were stopped by a security official, hindering them from disturbing whatever it was happening in the showroom.

Aaron and Mr Austin exchanged glances, wondering what the ruckus was about. The director penned it down to the fact that there was a world class star and actor inside the room.

” Everyone! To your business please.” Mr Austin spoke in a firm tone, and the students complied, murmuring on the little they witnessed.

The area emptied and Mr Austin turned around, only to find Aaron out of his sight. He briskly walked inside the showroom, hoping that Aaron hadn’t taken law to his hands and met with Daniel without his company.

Upon entering the showroom, Mr Austin spotted Aaron, standing still and looking at a perceived empty space directly in front of him. He further walked in to take a better look and was stunned to see an ongoing audition.

Apparently, Daniel couldn’t wait for the rest of the panel’s arrival before beginning a personal test run on her ability. Mr Austin joined the speculators, and observed the scene playing out before him.