'I can't watch anymore. It was such a simple, unremarkable scene, yet watching it made me feel completely immersed, like I was really there. My body actually heated up. In all my years as a director, this is the first time I've had such a physical reaction to an audition!'
...
「The Sinclair Consortium's main conference room.」
Cole Sinclair listened to his subordinates' reports with a stony expression. The meeting, which should have been quite serious, was instead permeated by a bizarre atmosphere.
Finally, after the head of the development department finished his report, Cole Sinclair offered no comment and abruptly ended the meeting, which had originally been scheduled for two hours.
Striding back to his office, Cole Sinclair slammed the files onto his desk and rushed into the adjoining lounge. There was a particularly large mirror inside, and only then did he finally notice it: a distinct lipstick mark on his face!
'Damn it! I actually ran a meeting for over an hour with that woman's lipstick mark on my face!'
He grabbed a wet wipe and vigorously scrubbed the lipstick mark off his face, his heart seething with a rage that made his teeth ache.
A moment later, the man emerged from the lounge, brimming with fury, and unleashed it on his special assistant, who was doing his best to go unnoticed. "Why didn't you remind me?"
Henry Hayes struggled to hold back a laugh as he carefully explained, "Well, sir, you came in from home with that big lipstick mark already on your face. I just assumed it was some kind of romantic fun between you and Miss Perry!
Don't worry, I'll be sure to point it out if it happens again."
'Romantic fun? A next time?'
Cole Sinclair was so exasperated by his special assistant that he actually laughed.
"Henry Hayes. You're really something else."
Special Assistant Hayes put on a terrified expression, but inwardly he was blooming with delight.
'As a twenty-eight-year-old single man, I'm already considered 'getting on in years.' My boss has never had a single close female acquaintance, so a lot of people in the company group chat say that he and I are a couple. After all, I'm the person closest to him.'
'Heaven knows I'm as straight as an arrow! The kind of woman I like is a sweet, delicate girl like Miss Perry!'
'I'm not bad-looking, I have a good job and a high salary, but I can't even find a girlfriend! It's all because of those damn company rumors. The women here don't dare try to steal the CEO's 'man'!'
'I ask you, how is that fair?'
'So when the CEO asked me to prepare a sponsorship agreement yesterday, I was absolutely ecstatic!'
'That's why I intentionally didn't remind him today. It's his fault everyone thinks I'm gay! And the bottom, no less!'
'Now, no one will ever think he and I are a couple again.'
Cole Sinclair: !!!
"Your bonus for this month is gone. Get out!" 'And stop grossing me out!'
Henry Hayes lowered his head, an expression on his face like losing money was the end of the world.
'In truth, I don't really care. It's just one month's bonus; it's not like I can't afford to lose it. If I don't clear up the rumors about our 'relationship,' what's the point of earning so much money anyway?'
'There's no one to help me spend it!'
Cole Sinclair glanced up. "If you don't get lost now, next month's bonus is gone too!"
Henry Hayes: ...
Henry Hayes scrammed.
...
「The Audition.」
All five had finished their performances, but Director Quinn's expression betrayed nothing.
"Shannon Sutton is the top star of The Elysian. She not only has to be beautiful, she also has to know how to sing and dance. Which of you can do that?"
Talia White was the first to step forward. "Director Quinn, for the singing, we can just dub it in post-production, right?"
Jordan Joyce frowned but didn't say anything.
"We can indeed dub the vocals in post-production," Director Quinn said. "So, if you can't sing, you don't have to perform. That's fine."
Riley Perry glanced around. The other three didn't move, so she stepped forward.
After a bow, Riley Perry smiled at Director Quinn and said, "Director Quinn, I'd like to give it a try."
'I might not know the pop songs from the last three years, but I definitely know the classics.'
Director Quinn clicked his tongue inaudibly. 'During the acting portion, her expression was utterly captivating, but now she's so prim and proper. She really is a completely different person on and off camera.'
"Then go ahead." 'He was also curious to hear what a sweet, bewitching voice like hers would sound like in song.'
A staff member brought over a microphone stand. Riley Perry walked over calmly, rested one hand on it, and began to sing, "Sweetly, oh, how sweetly you smile~" Her hips swayed gently to the rhythm, yet her eyes were like pools of spring water, clear and bright. Her voice was just as the lyrics described—cloyingly sweet. Forget General Halloway; who wouldn't be completely captivated by such a performance?
Screenwriter King hastily averted his eyes, subconsciously crossing his legs to hide his body's reaction.
Even Director Quinn, a man famously devoted to his wife, found himself struggling to remain composed.
The faces of Talia White and the other actresses paled. 'What the hell kind of singing is this? This is a succubus stealing souls!'
When the song ended, Riley Perry stood perfectly still. The bewitching quality in her voice was gone, replaced by pure sweetness. "I've finished singing, Director Quinn. Should I dance as well? I'm not particularly good at ballroom dancing, but I'm willing to learn."
Director Quinn finally looked up, his expression still calm. "That won't be necessary. Does anyone else wish to perform?"
The other three all shook their heads.
"Alright then, you may all go home and wait for our decision."
Riley Perry gave a faint smile, thanked them, and was the first to exit the room.
After she left, Director Quinn turned to the screenwriter. "What did you think?"
Dominic King was a renowned, A-list screenwriter in the industry and a long-time collaborator of Director Quinn. The moment Quinn asked, the screenwriter understood his meaning. "It has to be her. She's the only one who embodies both innocence and allure, and can switch between them perfectly. When I see her, I feel like I'm really seeing the legendary top star of The Elysian, whose fame once echoed throughout all of Seaborne."
'Just being the top star of a club isn't worthy of her. If she had really lived during the Republican Era, she would have been the kind of femme fatale who could bring down an entire country.'
'Suddenly, inspiration struck. I have to write more scenes for Riley Perry. It would be an absolute crime for a woman that beautiful not to have more screen time.'
'No, I'm going to write a whole new script with her as the protagonist. I have a feeling this new drama will be a massive hit!'
The producer also chimed in, "She certainly has a lot of Spiritual Energy. Most importantly, her line delivery is superb. She could do voice-over work directly."
'You could already see her acting chops from the performance earlier. Add her singing voice to that... *cough*... it would be a real waste if she didn't play Shannon Sutton.'
Jordan Joyce frowned. "Riley Perry has a lot of scandals attached to her name."
'Honestly, she's a much better fit for this role than Talia White. Especially that face... it's like a goddess's masterwork. She's perfect for playing these 'unrivaled beauty' types of characters.'
"Who in this business doesn't have some dirt on them?" Director Quinn retorted. "As long as it's not about sex, gambling, or drugs, it isn't a major problem."
'Is Jordan Joyce himself so clean? Aren't there plenty of rumors about him online?'
'If I let gossip dictate my casting, I'd never get any filming done.'
Jordan Joyce didn't dare to speak again. Director Quinn's reputation in the industry was known to all: once he chose an actor, no one could change his mind. If he said any more, he would definitely get on Director Quinn's bad side.
'It wasn't worth it, not for a minor fifth-female-lead role.'
The investor remained silent, and the producer seemed to think it was fine. As the male lead, Jordan had made his objection. Since Director Quinn hadn't changed his mind, there was no reason to bring it up again.
When Riley Perry came out, Nana nervously rushed up to her. "How did it go?"
"They told me to go home and wait to hear back."