Chapter 70
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Pujimaki
Yes, My writing sucks .
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Behind The Spotlight Chapter 70
"…"
Collin sighed long and deep.
'Dear God, why are you doing this to me? Today's drama is too much for my poor sanity.'
The fact that today's audition alone could fill more than four chapters was insane and borderline ridiculous.
Collin decided to follow Dee, leaving Madison behind with tears in her eyes. The situation felt so awkward, like some kind of love triangle straight out of a bad soap opera. He swore never to experience anything like this again as long as he lived.
In the first place, he'd been purposely avoiding romance because he wanted to focus on rebuilding his life without distractions. He knew he was still too fragile mentally and emotionally to handle love.
Once he and Dee found a place to talk away from prying eyes, she turned around and smiled at him, mischief sparkling in her red lips.
"Collin, I've been thinking about this for a while. And I want to say yes, finally."
"Yes?" Collin tilted his head, confused. He had no idea what she was talking about or why she suddenly looked so happy.
"Yes!"
"What do you mean 'yes' all of a sudden?"
"I'm saying yes to your confession. I want to be your girlfriend." Dee spread her arms, attempting to hug him with wide, open sincerity.
Collin stepped back, dodging her embrace like it was the plague.
"Collin?"
"Dee, that confession was almost two years ago, in a completely different time and place. Why are you bringing it up now, of all moments?"
"Because I've been thinking about it every now and then. I know I hurt you, and I feel bad for what I did. I have feelings for you… but back then, the circumstances just didn't allow us to be together."
"This isn't because you want to use me to convince Wyatt to cast you, right? Because I won't play along with that."
"Don't think so lowly of me, like I'm some manipulative whore. I'm not that kind of person."
Collin stared at the top of Dee's head, focusing… and to his surprise, no words floated above her like they usually did.
'Does this mean she's being honest right now? Not being deceitful like usual?'
Dee's expression seemed sincere, so sincere it bordered on vulnerable. It was true. After all this time, she had real feelings for Collin. After thinking things through, she realized he was the best man she'd met in her chaotic life. He checked all her boxes, status, charm, income, and now he was successful and respected.
So the idea of dating him wasn't a problem anymore. In fact, it was appealing. She had no reason to lie to Collin now. This time, her feelings were real.
Unfortunately, Collin didn't feel the same.
In fact, just hearing those words again made him furious.
'So she wants me now that I'm "valuable"?'
This was the second time today that someone tried to return to his life only after seeing how far he'd come. And his patience was wearing thin.
"Dee, listen carefully and don't interrupt. I don't love you. Not even a little. I also have no intention of dating you, not anymore, not even in your dreams. And I won't recommend you to Wyatt. Please, don't talk to me again for your own dignity. You had your chance, and you rejected me. We are done forever. Now, I'm rejecting you with no hesitation."
"Get the fuck away from me, you skank who only has big tits and a fat ass, like that's all it takes to be loved. You have the most disgusting behavior I've ever seen, wrapped in fake smiles and lip gloss. You treat every man like an object to use and throw away."
"For the love of Christ, look at yourself in the mirror, really look, and understand how big of a hypocrite you are. You're even worse than Madison, and that's saying a lot."
Collin didn't hold back. His voice echoed like a final verdict. He had no reason to sugarcoat the truth. To him, Dee was nothing more than a bitter memory, a woman from two years ago who had left a scar.
As for her feelings now, Collin didn't care.
Just like how she didn't care when he confessed to her back then.
"Huh?" Dee was stunned, visibly shaken. This wasn't anything like the reunion fantasy she had imagined. Her mind struggled to process it. She truly believed that Collin would accept her, after all, he was in love with her before, right? And now he was even more her type. She never thought two years would change him this much.
Collin could see something crack in her like a mirror under pressure, but he turned and walked away without even a backward glance.
Even if Dee's feelings were real, he still wouldn't date her.
Because Collin saw her as a huge liability.
The 30-minute break came to an end, and the hallway buzzed with noise again as the production crew returned to the audition room. This time, Collin wasn't allowed to join due to potential bias that might influence casting decisions.
There were only two key female roles being cast that day: the nagging, cheating wife and the stripper. Two pivotal characters for the film's conflict and fan service.
Wyatt knew the odds were against him, but he decided to fight for his picks with all the persuasion he had. Fortunately, he managed to convince Henry and the Uni-versus Pictures representatives to cast Jennifer and the woman he had slept with without raising too many eyebrows. He wiped his forehead and let out a silent sigh of relief.
At least he kept his promise… and avoided unnecessary drama.
Out of all the actresses, only Jennifer had enough credentials to be cast without question. She'd been in the industry for over a decade, built a solid resume, and worked on multiple projects.
Not to mention, she starred in The Accidental Wedding Crashers, which made her far from a nobody.
The production team had also considered casting the sexy red-haired woman, but she lacked the resume for a supporting role. She was still a gamble.
As for the nagging wife, they just went along with Wyatt's recommendation. The actress he pushed forward had done well enough, barely passed their standards. She wasn't their first or second choice, but they decided to cast her anyway… just to avoid conflict.
And with that, the audition finally came to an end.
.........
......
...
"I want to say we should end this negotiation quickly and painlessly because I just want to go home and take a damn nap but I guess that's just a dream," Henry Greyson said, rubbing his forehead in exhaustion.
The audition had ended an hour ago, yet Henry was still working like the break had never happened. Producers and directors rarely got real rest once a project started and it was beginning to show in his face.
"Just a reminder before we start, since you already know the project budget, you know how much we can offer. Don't ask for anything huge or unreasonable. Otherwise, this meeting ends here."
Henry didn't need to explain further. Collin nodded in understanding.
If his numbers were right, at least $9 million of the budget had been used just to hire Henry and Wyatt, which already stretched things thin. That meant only $11 million remained for everything else.
The production team could technically ask for a bigger budget, but that would betray the deal they'd made with Uni-versus Pictures and risk losing the trust they'd just earned. Overspending could disappoint the studio, especially since this was their first collaboration on a major project.
As the producer, Henry would take the blame. And worse, his chance of working with that studio again might vanish.
"Don't worry, Henry. I won't ask for anything big or unreasonable. You know me, I keep things fair."
"I know you too well. That's exactly why I'm afraid of what you'll try to pull. I can trust you when it comes to picking people, you've got an eye for talent, but money? That's another story."
"…"
Collin sighed long and deep.
'Dear God, why are you doing this to me? Today's drama is too much for my poor sanity.'
The fact that today's audition alone could fill more than four chapters was insane and borderline ridiculous.
Collin decided to follow Dee, leaving Madison behind with tears in her eyes. The situation felt so awkward, like some kind of love triangle straight out of a bad soap opera. He swore never to experience anything like this again as long as he lived.
In the first place, he'd been purposely avoiding romance because he wanted to focus on rebuilding his life without distractions. He knew he was still too fragile mentally and emotionally to handle love.
Once he and Dee found a place to talk away from prying eyes, she turned around and smiled at him, mischief sparkling in her red lips.
"Collin, I've been thinking about this for a while. And I want to say yes, finally."
"Yes?" Collin tilted his head, confused. He had no idea what she was talking about or why she suddenly looked so happy.
"Yes!"
"What do you mean 'yes' all of a sudden?"
"I'm saying yes to your confession. I want to be your girlfriend." Dee spread her arms, attempting to hug him with wide, open sincerity.
Collin stepped back, dodging her embrace like it was the plague.
"Collin?"
"Dee, that confession was almost two years ago, in a completely different time and place. Why are you bringing it up now, of all moments?"
"Because I've been thinking about it every now and then. I know I hurt you, and I feel bad for what I did. I have feelings for you… but back then, the circumstances just didn't allow us to be together."
"This isn't because you want to use me to convince Wyatt to cast you, right? Because I won't play along with that."
"Don't think so lowly of me, like I'm some manipulative whore. I'm not that kind of person."
Collin stared at the top of Dee's head, focusing… and to his surprise, no words floated above her like they usually did.
'Does this mean she's being honest right now? Not being deceitful like usual?'
Dee's expression seemed sincere, so sincere it bordered on vulnerable. It was true. After all this time, she had real feelings for Collin. After thinking things through, she realized he was the best man she'd met in her chaotic life. He checked all her boxes, status, charm, income, and now he was successful and respected.
So the idea of dating him wasn't a problem anymore. In fact, it was appealing. She had no reason to lie to Collin now. This time, her feelings were real.
Unfortunately, Collin didn't feel the same.
In fact, just hearing those words again made him furious.
'So she wants me now that I'm "valuable"?'
This was the second time today that someone tried to return to his life only after seeing how far he'd come. And his patience was wearing thin.
"Dee, listen carefully and don't interrupt. I don't love you. Not even a little. I also have no intention of dating you, not anymore, not even in your dreams. And I won't recommend you to Wyatt. Please, don't talk to me again for your own dignity. You had your chance, and you rejected me. We are done forever. Now, I'm rejecting you with no hesitation."
"Get the fuck away from me, you skank who only has big tits and a fat ass, like that's all it takes to be loved. You have the most disgusting behavior I've ever seen, wrapped in fake smiles and lip gloss. You treat every man like an object to use and throw away."
"For the love of Christ, look at yourself in the mirror, really look, and understand how big of a hypocrite you are. You're even worse than Madison, and that's saying a lot."
Collin didn't hold back. His voice echoed like a final verdict. He had no reason to sugarcoat the truth. To him, Dee was nothing more than a bitter memory, a woman from two years ago who had left a scar.
As for her feelings now, Collin didn't care.
Just like how she didn't care when he confessed to her back then.
"Huh?" Dee was stunned, visibly shaken. This wasn't anything like the reunion fantasy she had imagined. Her mind struggled to process it. She truly believed that Collin would accept her, after all, he was in love with her before, right? And now he was even more her type. She never thought two years would change him this much.
Collin could see something crack in her like a mirror under pressure, but he turned and walked away without even a backward glance.
Even if Dee's feelings were real, he still wouldn't date her.
Because Collin saw her as a huge liability.
The 30-minute break came to an end, and the hallway buzzed with noise again as the production crew returned to the audition room. This time, Collin wasn't allowed to join due to potential bias that might influence casting decisions.
There were only two key female roles being cast that day: the nagging, cheating wife and the stripper. Two pivotal characters for the film's conflict and fan service.
Wyatt knew the odds were against him, but he decided to fight for his picks with all the persuasion he had. Fortunately, he managed to convince Henry and the Uni-versus Pictures representatives to cast Jennifer and the woman he had slept with without raising too many eyebrows. He wiped his forehead and let out a silent sigh of relief.
At least he kept his promise… and avoided unnecessary drama.
Out of all the actresses, only Jennifer had enough credentials to be cast without question. She'd been in the industry for over a decade, built a solid resume, and worked on multiple projects.
Not to mention, she starred in The Accidental Wedding Crashers, which made her far from a nobody.
The production team had also considered casting the sexy red-haired woman, but she lacked the resume for a supporting role. She was still a gamble.
As for the nagging wife, they just went along with Wyatt's recommendation. The actress he pushed forward had done well enough, barely passed their standards. She wasn't their first or second choice, but they decided to cast her anyway… just to avoid conflict.
And with that, the audition finally came to an end.
.........
......
...
"I want to say we should end this negotiation quickly and painlessly because I just want to go home and take a damn nap but I guess that's just a dream," Henry Greyson said, rubbing his forehead in exhaustion.
The audition had ended an hour ago, yet Henry was still working like the break had never happened. Producers and directors rarely got real rest once a project started and it was beginning to show in his face.
"Just a reminder before we start, since you already know the project budget, you know how much we can offer. Don't ask for anything huge or unreasonable. Otherwise, this meeting ends here."
Henry didn't need to explain further. Collin nodded in understanding.
If his numbers were right, at least $9 million of the budget had been used just to hire Henry and Wyatt, which already stretched things thin. That meant only $11 million remained for everything else.
The production team could technically ask for a bigger budget, but that would betray the deal they'd made with Uni-versus Pictures and risk losing the trust they'd just earned. Overspending could disappoint the studio, especially since this was their first collaboration on a major project.
As the producer, Henry would take the blame. And worse, his chance of working with that studio again might vanish.
"Don't worry, Henry. I won't ask for anything big or unreasonable. You know me, I keep things fair."
"I know you too well. That's exactly why I'm afraid of what you'll try to pull. I can trust you when it comes to picking people, you've got an eye for talent, but money? That's another story."