“Your office is ready, Ms. Sterling. Would you like to see it?” the assistant asked brightly.
I nodded. As I passed Sarah, I paused. “I believe
I heard you wanted to see me?”
<
11:04
She bit her lip. “No…I…”
41
“Don’t worry,” I smiled. “I’ll be interviewing all
the employees. I’ll get to you eventually.”
After reviewing X Entertainment’s internal
documents, I learned just how much money they
had wasted on Sarah. Many talented young
actors had been sidelined, denied resources,
because of her.
I implemented major changes and recruited new
talent.
Sarah initially refused to cooperate. I simply
showed her a stack of photos. “I’ve seen your
file. The company spent a lot of money covering
up those photos of you partying with
influencers and…young companions. If your
want to terminate your contract, you need to
reimburse the company for those expenses,
plus the losses from your endorsement deals.”
<
11:04
She ended up paying and leaving the company
in disgrace.
Jason hadn’t been to the office in a while. He
had no new projects, and his contract was about to expire. His fan club disbanded, and directors, wary of the backlash, were hesitant
to hire him.
Then one day, Rhonda called, her voice frantic.
“Amy, Jason…he fell. He broke his leg. He’s
refusing to see anyone but you. Amy, he
doesn’t seem…well. Could you…come see
him?”
Alex happened to be in Seattle that day,
working with me on relocating X
Entertainment’s headquarters.
“I’ll go with you,” he said.
“Are you sure?” I hesitated.
<
“Never kick a man when he’s down,” he said
quietly. “But sometimes, they need closure.”
At the hospital, Jason lay in bed, his leg in a cast, looking pale and listless. I took a script out of my bag.
“There’s a low–budget web series looking for a supporting actor. They think you’d be a good fit. You can audition when you recover.”
“Amy.” he looked up, his eyes filled with pain.
“Is work all we have to talk about now?”
I glanced at his injured leg. “You…”
“Ouch…”
I turned around. Alex was rubbing his forehead,
a pained expression on his face.
“What’s wrong?” I rushed to his side.
<
“A sudden headache.”
“Is it because you didn’t sleep enough last
night?” I asked anxiously. “I told you not to…
but you insisted…”
“Yes, yes, my fault…”
“Does it hurt here?”
“Mmm, so much…”
“Should we see a doctor?”
“Hurts…”
“Ms. Sterling.”
I turned, surprised. Jason was staring at me, his
face whiter than before.
“I’ll…consider the script.”
<
“Okay. Get some rest.” I turned back to Alex,
pulling him towards the door. I wanted to get
him checked out.
“Ms. Sterling.” Jason called out again.
I looked back.
“My contract…it’s expiring soon. I won’t be…
renewed, will I?”
I shook my head.
“You should move on, Jason.”
He was silent for a moment, then smiled
bitterly. “I just…wanted to try one last time.”
“But I guess…I already lost.”
Jason left the country and never contacted me
again. He disappeared from the public eye.
<
11:04
41
I moved X Entertainment’s headquarters to
Seattle and finally lived in the same city as Alex.
Ray’s TV show, recast with two talented
newcomers, became a huge hit. My company
thrived. I promoted new talent, giving
opportunities to those who truly loved acting.
One evening. I was mixing
rinks at home when
Alex came home from work.
“Want a drink?” I asked.
He glanced at the script in my hand. “Is that for the company’s next project?”
“Yeah, a romance.”
“A romance, huh?” he asked. “The kind with a second male lead?”
“Yep,” I said, continuing to mix the drinks. “The hero mistreats the heroine, and then the second lead shows up. But this second lead isn’t gentle.
<
11:05
41
I looked up, meeting his amused gaze.
“So, Mrs. Lancaster…do you like your second
lead, even a little bit?” he asked, his tone a playful warning.
I smiled. “You know, readers usually say
someone like you shouldn’t be called the
second lead, but rather…”
“The hero who arrived a little late?” he raised
an eyebrow.
“How do you know all this stuff?”
“You have to read the comments. Besides, I’m a
quick learner.”
Did this man even work? Or did he spend all
day reading novels in his CEO office?
“So, do you?” he asked again.
Ueld sebad ma
<
quick learner.”
Did this man even work? Or did he spend all
day reading novels in his CEO office?
“So, do you?” he asked again.
He’d asked me this question countless times,
day and night, since we got married.
“Do you want a drink?” I tilted my head.
He nodded.
I handed him the blue cocktail I’d made for him.
I took a sip of my pink drink, stood on tiptoe, and kissed him softly. The flavors of Blue
Curaçao and Cherry Brandy mingled, a perfect
representation of the cocktail’s name: Two
Hearts. Two hearts intertwined, deeply in love.
