AN: I'm back. Time to climb the rankings. So, gimme those powerstones.
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Thirty minutes later...
Castle, Alexis and Martha were still sitting in the cafe, though the mood at the table had shifted from casual lunch to full existential crisis with a side of coffee.
Alex had already left after telling Alexis to breathe, take her time and not jump into panic mode. The shoot would not even begin until next year. She had months to think. And if she says yes, he could provide coaches and trainers to help her. Maybe she can come to the set and watch how the shoot actually takes place.
Alexis stared at her untouched smoothie. "Supergirl. Me. As in… me. Wearing a cape. Flying and punching aliens. Me." She looked like she was trying to process a math equation that suddenly involved her face on billboards.
Castle leaned back with the smug look of a dad who had witnessed destiny tap his kid on the head with a glittery baton. "Kiddo, Alex Wilson has an eye for talent. The man hunts promising people like a cheerful, well-dressed talent predator."
Martha gave him a pointed look. "Richard, please choose a better metaphor."
Castle nodded. "He discovers talent. Better?"
"Much better," Martha said.
He picked up his cup, set it down, then picked it up again. He was too excited to sit still. "Every person he has launched or worked with is famous now. Not just successful. Famous. His track record has zero flops and zero controversies. And not to forget the Oscars."
Alexis slumped forward until her forehead touched the table. "This feels unreal. I was not even trying to be an actress. I do not have a plan for this. I do not even know if I want this."
Castle placed a hand on her shoulder. "Sweetheart, the decision is yours. We will support you no matter what."
Martha lifted her chin. She had been quiet for a while, absorbing everything with the elegance of a seasoned performer who had seen careers rise and fall. Now she crossed her legs and looked at Alexis with a soft expression that carried decades of wisdom.
"Darling, you have been adrift for a while now," Martha said gently. "You have been searching for a direction... a goal." She squeezed her hand.
Alexis bit her lip. "I know. I keep thinking everyone else my age already has a plan. A real plan."
Martha shook her head. "Plans are overrated. Opportunities are not." She leaned in, lowering her voice. "Maybe this is your calling. Maybe life is handing you something extraordinary. You do not need to decide your entire future today. But you should at least try. If you say no without even exploring it, you might look back in thirty years and whisper I should have said yes."
Alexis swallowed. "But what if I fail?"
Martha smiled with a small shake of her head. "Then you learn. You grow. And you stand back up again. But I believe in you."
"You really think I could do it?" she asked, looking at Martha and then back at her dad.
Castle smiled proudly. "I know you could do anything."
Alexis stared at the table for a long moment. Her heartbeat felt louder than the cafe music. She had never imagined being an actress. She had never imagined being Supergirl. Yet the moment he said it, something inside her lit up. Not a full fire. But a spark.
She closed her eyes. For the first time, her future did not look empty. It looked possible.
"I don't want to overthink and make a bad decision like I did last time and I definitely don't want future regrets. So, I think I'm just going to do it. Yeah, I'll do it," She said with a nod. "I don't know if I can pull this off, but I want to try and give it my all. And the good part is, I have one year to prepare."
...
[A few minutes before the photoshoot]
Angela sat in the makeup chair like she was trying not to explode from excitement. Her hair was curled into soft waves. Her dark purple dress hugged her figure in all the right places. The black hat tilted over one eye gave her a look somewhere between couture royalty and someone who definitely wins every argument before it begins.
The makeup artist stepped back. "You're ready."
Angela took one look in the mirror.
Her jaw dropped. "Holy… I look like I pay my bills early."
A knock came at the door.
Alex stepped inside, still in his black button up shirt with sleeves folded to his forearms. He looked at her from hat to heels with a professional calm that hid the fact he was genuinely impressed.
"You look incredible," he said.
"Thanks," Angela's pulse jumped. "So... Is everything ready?"
"Yeah. I came to check on you before we start."
"Am I good?" She turned slightly, showing off the dress.
Alex stepped closer and fixed a curl that had wandered off. "Perfect. Let's get started."
...
[Main Stage]
Assistants hurried around adjusting soft lights. One guy dragged a green screen the size of a garage door. Another tested a fog machine. A stylist double-checked the dress.
Alex walked to the center, lifted his camera, and tested the frame.
"Light number three, lower it one foot," he called out.
A lighting tech nudged it down.
"Good. Keep it there. Fog machine at ten percent. Not too much. I want atmosphere, not a weather alert."
Angela stepped onto the stage.
For a moment, she froze. The lights. The quiet hum of the crew. The empty space waiting for her.
This is it. Her time to shine.
Alex lowered the camera slightly. "Ready?"
She exhaled. "Yes."
He smiled. "Then let's make a cover."
The shoot began.
Alex directed the first pose. "Turn your body slightly left. Shoulders relaxed. Tilt your chin up a little. Good."
He took several shots.
Angela held the pose calmly but inside she was really nervous and excited because she wasn't expecting Alex to do the shoot personally.
"Now look toward the light. Not at me," Alex said.
She shifted. The light caught her cheekbone perfectly.
Click.
Alex lowered the camera for a moment. "That's gorgeous. Next, hands on the waist. Keep your posture sharp."
Angela did it, tightening her core so fast her abs filed a complaint.
Click click click.
"Good. Now soften your eyes. Less intensity. Think confident but warm."
She inhaled through her nose, relaxed her shoulders, and narrowed her eyes gently.
Click.
"Perfect. Hold that."
Click click.
"Alright. Hat adjustment. Just a bit." Alex walked over, nudged the brim of her black hat two centimeters. "There. That frames your face better."
Angela nodded, cheeks warm. "Thank you."
"Now try sitting pose," Alex said, pointing at a high stool.
She sat, crossed one leg over the other, and rested her hands on her knee.
"Lift your chin. Turn your gaze to the right corner."
She did.
Click.
Alex frowned at the screen. "Hold on."
Angela panicked. "Something wrong?"
"No. You just look too good and now I have to get the angle exactly right. Stay there."
She blinked. "Oh. Okay."
He circled around her, kneeled a little to get the shot upward.
Click click.
Alex pointed at the light guy to raise the second light a bit higher. Then resumed the shoot again. "Good. Stand again. Let's do motion shots. Walk toward me slowly. I'll tell you when."
The dress flowed beautifully when she moved.
"Alright Angela. Walk."
She stepped forward with a calculated, elegant stride.
Click click click.
"Again. Bigger motion with the dress. Use your hand to sweep it slightly."
Angela caught the fabric and gave it a graceful lift as she walked.
The dress fanned out.
Click.
"Beautiful. Again."
They worked through twenty different poses: elegant stances, sharp angles, close ups, full body silhouettes, hat tilt variations, half turns, soft smiles, strong gazes, fingertip touches, leaning against the frame, and a final dramatic pose where Angela lifted her chin and placed one hand near her collarbone, which made her look really sensual.
Alex looked at the preview.
He grinned. "That one is the cover."
Angela asked with a little smile. "R... really?"
"Absolutely. C'mon. Let's review the pics and choose a few," Alex said as he nodded toward the computer. "You really gotta see how perfect you posed for this shoot."
Angela followed Alex to the workstation where the monitors displayed every shot in crisp detail. The moment the first image loaded on screen, her heart thudded loudly. She looked sharper, more confident, more captivating than she had ever imagined herself to be.
Alex leaned slightly forward, scrolling through the shots. His focus was absolute. "This one is strong," he said, pointing at a pose where she stood with her shoulders angled and her eyes directed at the light. "The posture is clean. Your expression is balanced. It feels natural."
Angela tried to respond, but her voice stayed stuck in her throat. Hearing him analyze her photos with such precision made her pulse quicken.
He switched to another frame. "And here," he said, zooming in slightly. "Your eyes are softer. That makes this one more inviting. The composition here is almost perfect."
Her fingertips curled against her leg. "You really think so?"
"I do," Alex replied with steady confidence. "You took direction well and it shows in every shot."
They went through each image, selecting a few top ones. Alex pointed out small details she had never noticed before. The angle of her wrist. The subtle tension around her lips. How the dress moved. And finally, he gave her some advice on how she could improve even more.
A few minutes later, after a little makeup touch-up and dress fixing, it was time for a small reshoot. Alex made small adjustments to the lighting during the reshoot and guided her into a few more poses.
They retook three expressions for comparison. One calm and elegant. One sharper with stronger eyes. One more sensual with her chin slightly tilted and her lips parted just a little. Angela felt her breath catch during the last one. The moment she held the pose, Alex lowered the camera for a second as if assessing the tiny nuance before taking the shot.
Click.
He checked the preview. "This one is excellent," he said. "Very controlled expression. You are doing great."
Angela felt the warmth rise in her chest.
They finished the comparison shots and reviewed them again on the monitor. The sensual photos looked refined and artistic without crossing any lines. Angela stared at them quietly, surprised that she could look so composed under pressure.
"I'll mail you the final photos in a day or two," Alex said as he saved the selections. "Good work today."
She finally allowed herself to breathe out. "Thank you. I really tried."
"It paid off. You did great."
Angela smiled. It was small, but it came from somewhere very real inside her.
Alex closed the files and turned to her. "Take a few days off. Rest up properly. The bridal lineup shoot will be in New York with a much bigger set and zero green screens. It will take time to prepare the location and stages, so you will have space to recover."
Angela nodded. "Got it."
"Good. I will send you the schedule once everything is confirmed."
The crew around them was already starting to pack up, rolling cables and folding equipment.
..
[11 PM]
The parking lot was empty, minus the cars of the night crew.
Alex stepped into the lot, keys in hand, mind already halfway home. But he stopped when he saw someone by the far corner of the lot.
Angela stood beside a black company sedan, hood raised, her face caught between confusion and mild betrayal. She poked at the engine like it was a puzzle that had personally offended her.
He walked over. "Need help?"
She looked up. "It's busted. I don't know how or why. I was about to start the engine and it just made a weird choking noise and died."
'I really need to stop buying cars from these fuckers and go for BMW. This is the third bust this week,' Alex leaned in, looked at the engine, then gently closed the hood. "Yeah. That's not starting tonight."
She huffed softly. "Great. Perfect timing."
Alex gave a sympathetic nod. "How about I give you a lift? It's already late, the shooting incident around this area is still unresolved and I'm not letting you stand out here waiting for a cab. Since this is a company car, I'll have someone fix it in the morning."
Angela hesitated. "You sure? I don't want to bother you."
"You're not," he said simply. "Keys."
She handed them over. He locked the car and texted the security team. Then he gestured toward his own vehicle.
"Come on. You look like you're two minutes away from falling asleep on the pavement."
She managed a small laugh. "Kind of."
They walked to his car. The cool night air wrapped around them, calm after the long day of bright lights and constant posing. Angela slipped into the passenger seat while Alex settled behind the wheel. She entered the location on the GPS.
The moment he started the engine, soft ambient music filled the car. Angela leaned back with a tired exhale. "I didn't realize how drained I was until now."
"It was a full shoot and you already did that ramp walk earlier," Alex said as he pulled out of the lot. "You handled it better than most professionals."
"That means a lot coming from you."
He glanced at her for a moment. She really did look tired. But there was something else too. A quiet glow of accomplishment under the exhaustion. Not to mention, Alex was driving her to her hotel.
"You earned some sleep," he said.
She smiled faintly.
Traffic was light. Streetlights slid across the dashboard as they drove through the quieter part of the city. For a moment the only sounds were the hum of the engine and the soft rhythm of the music.
Angela broke the silence first. "Thank you. For today. And for the ride. And for… everything, I guess."
"No need to thank me," Alex said. "You put in the work. I'm just making sure you get home safely."
She looked out the window, her voice barely above a murmur. "Still feels nice."
They drove a few more minutes before Angela spoke again, softer this time. "Do you ever get used to this? The long days? The pressure? So many people depending on you?"
Alex took a moment to think before answering. "You don't get used to it. You learn to carry it better. And you remember why you're doing it in the first place."
Angela nodded. "Makes sense."
A red light stopped them at a quiet intersection. Outside, a bakery sign flickered lazily in the darkness.
Angela looked at him, her voice gentler than before. "And why are you doing it? All this?"
Alex turned to her with a small smile. "Because I love creating things that make people feel something. And because I see potential in people. Like you. And I hate to see that potential rot. I know I can't help everyone, but I try my best. Then there are hundreds and thousands of people depending on me. I guess that's what keeps me going."
Her breath caught slightly, but she didn't look away.
The light turned green.
They continued toward her neighborhood, the city growing calmer as they drove deeper into the residential streets.
A few minutes later, Alex slowed the car. "This is your stop, right?"
"Yeah," she said quietly. "Right here."
He parked by the sidewalk. Angela unbuckled her seatbelt but didn't open the door right away. She looked at him with a soft, tired smile.
"Goodnight, Alex."
"Goodnight. Get some rest."
She nodded, stepped out and closed the door gently. Alex waited until she reached her building entrance. She turned once more, gave a small wave, then disappeared inside.
Only then did he pull away, heading toward his penthouse...
"She's a nice girl," Alex mumbled to himself. "Hardworking too..."
[POWERSTONES AND REVIEWS PLS]
Support link: www.patr eon.com/UnknownMaster
[6 advance chs] [All chs available for all tiers] [No double billing.]
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