"That young man is really good," Isabella muttered to herself, sitting alone on her office sofa. "Damn, I'm still sore."
She stood up with a wry smile and moved to her desk chair, pulling up the video file of the audition. As she watched the two of them fighting and tangling on the screen, the heart that had just calmed down began to feel faintly restless again.
Leaving the Starlight Media building, Peter breathed in the fresh city air. He looked at the bustling streets, the towering buildings, the streams of people—everything felt novel and exciting. Although it wasn't much different from the city he knew in his previous life, everything in this world was new, a clean slate.
He had taken his first solid step. Peter made a silent promise to himself. In this life, he would seize every opportunity. This world was filled with beautiful women and endless chances, including the impossibly hot Isabella. He was determined to conquer them all.
After flagging down a taxi, Peter headed back to the Grandview Academy of Arts. Besides the school dormitory, he had nowhere else to go. The house his parents had left him had been mortgaged and sold off long ago.
The campus of the arts academy was a paradise, with stunning, long-legged beauties everywhere you looked. It was no wonder the entertainment industry scouted so heavily from these colleges.
Just as he reached the dormitory building, a sweet, familiar voice called his name. "Peter! How did the contract meeting go?"
He turned to see a girl with a fresh, beautiful, girl-next-door vibe. When he got a closer look, his mind reeled. Isn't that Zara? At the same time, memories of their friendship flooded his mind. They were students in the same year, and they had been close. She knew his contract was about to be terminated. She must have been waiting to comfort him.
"Peter, don't be sad," she said, her big, earnest eyes blinking up at him. "You're so talented, you'll definitely be able to sign with another company!" Apparently, she thought he had been fired.
Coming back to his senses, Peter looked at Zara, who wore just a little makeup that highlighted her youthful charm. "No," he said with a grin. "I'm staying."
"Ah?" Her face lit up with surprise, which quickly turned into joy. "That's great! You're staying? How? No…" She started firing off questions.
"It's a long story," he said, puffing out his chest a little. "Isabella and I landed a movie role."
"A movie? You got a role?" Zara's voice was tinged with envy. She hadn't found a company yet and had assumed Peter would be unemployed just like her. She hadn't expected him to pull this off. Zara was a girl with no background and no resources; getting roles was next to impossible. Although she was beautiful, in a school full of bombshells, she didn't particularly stand out. You either got a lucky break or you played the game.
Now it was Peter's turn to comfort her. He shrugged nonchalantly. "It's not some big part. It's just a sex scene."
"A sex scene?!" Zara's eyes went wide with shock. Then, a snort escaped her lips, followed by a loud, unrestrained laugh. "Hahaha, you actually took a sex scene!" Her laughter was infectious. "Do you even know how to do that? I don't think they teach that in class! Who's it with? Is it a big scene? Will there be… sacrifices?" She dissolved into another fit of giggles. "Oops, I never expected this from you, kid… hahaha!"
Her laughter didn't stop, causing several passersby to cast curious glances their way. Peter sighed. "Alright, alright, stop laughing at me."
"Then tell me everything!" she said, trying to hold back her laughter, but failing miserably. The thought of her best friend filming a large-scale sex scene was just too much. Her laughter grew even louder.
After finally catching her breath, she wrapped her arms around his, refusing to let go, begging him for the details.
"I haven't even read the script yet," Peter admitted, pulling the folded manuscript from his pocket and opening it.
The next moment, his eyes landed on the title: Desire, Betrayed.
Peter froze. Good God, that movie is just starting to film now?! He had been vaguely worried that the role would be opposite some rich, overweight cougar looking for a thrill. It seemed his worries were completely unfounded. A jolt of pure excitement shot through him. The sex scenes in that movie were legendary—bold, explosive, and artistically brilliant.
And his co-star was Vanessa.
The Vanessa, in her twenties. An actress who could be called the best of the best, not losing out in the slightest to women like Isabella or Zara.
This gamble… was about to pay off in blood.