The receptionist quickly stood up when she saw who was coming out.
Bianca spun around, her eyes growing wide in surprise.
It was Natalie King!
The tall bodyguards went first, followed by a bunch of assistants, making a lot of noise as they fanned and offered water to her.
“Miss King, come this way, please!” The receptionist suddenly seemed super friendly and nice.
Natalie lifted her head proudly, wearing a smooth red dress and lovely curly hair. Her light makeup made her small face even prettier, making her look so beautiful and captivating that everyone couldn’t help but stare and get excited.
As Natalie passed by Bianca, she glanced at her but then turned away and went straight into the building.
“Why’s Natalie here?” Bianca asked, confused.
The receptionist crossed her arms and snorted disdainfully. “Natalie’s here for Mr. Vincent Lopez, no doubt. She’s like his favorite actress ever. They say she’s already chosen for the lead role. And hey, she looks like one of those Phoenix Entertainment artists. Didn’t you know?”
Bianca was shocked for a moment. Natalie was managed by Zoey, but Zoey hadn’t said anything that Natalie already got the main role in Vincent’s new movie.
“And what about the male lead? Did they pick someone for that?” Bianca asked, not backing down.
“The male lead was decided a while back; it’s Nicolas Foster, the actor who won awards three times. They’re announcing it today. Why didn’t you, as an agent, know about this?” After that, the receptionist didn’t want to talk to Bianca anymore. She leaned back in her chair and went back to playing with her phone.
The best actor and actress were working together, leaving no space for others…
Feeling disappointed, Bianca turned around. Suddenly, a voice called out from behind. “Mrs. Lopez!”
Bianca turned back and saw Paige Lopez coming towards her.
“Bianca? What brings you here?” Paige’s eyes lit up when she saw Bianca. She came closer and reached for her hand.
The receptionist was surprised. How did Bianca know Paige? And they seemed to be getting along well!
“Mrs. Lopez, it’s been a while,” Bianca said with a polite smile. “I’m here for Mr. Lopez. I didn’t expect to see you.”
“He’s been busy getting ready for a new movie and forgetting to eat. I was worried about his health, so I made some food and had it sent over.”
“You two seem really caring towards each other,” Bianca said with genuine admiration in her eyes and a heartfelt tone that wasn’t fake flattery.
Since that party, Paige had felt a connection with Bianca. She saw something special in her, unlike other women who just used her. Bianca was honest and real, making Paige feel comfortable.
Paige smiled and put her arm around Bianca’s shoulder. “My husband is inside. Let’s go see him together.”
Watching Bianca and Paige being so close, the receptionist felt regret. She shouldn’t have been rude to Bianca earlier. She hoped Bianca wouldn’t tell Paige, or she might lose her job!
Bianca followed Paige into an office and saw the famous director Vincent.
He was in his fifties, looking kind and friendly but serious when it came to work.
“Honey, this is Bianca Scott, the agent who helped me a lot before. I’ve talked about her,” Paige said, sitting next to Vincent and including Bianca in the conversation.
Bianca smiled modestly. “You’re being too kind. I just did what was necessary last time. Mr. Lopez, it’s nice to meet you.”
Vincent had heard from Paige about Bianca’s great behavior at the party. Impressed by her humble attitude, he nodded in approval.
“So, what do you need?”
Getting right to the point, Bianca said honestly, “I want my artists to get the main roles in your new movie. But I heard you might have already picked someone.”
Vincent put his pen down and leaned back. “Nicolas Foster is already set for the male lead role. As for the female lead…”
Bianca got excited, sensing a chance.
“You picked Natalie King for the main actress, didn’t you?”
When Vincent heard Natalie’s name, he sighed tiredly. “Natalie used to be full of talent and eager to improve. But fame has made her less passionate about acting. Honestly, I’d prefer someone else for the role.”
“Who’s that?” Bianca asked curiously.
“Sophia Johnson,” Vincent revealed without hesitation.
Bianca hadn’t thought about Sophia in a long time.
Sophia used to be a huge star in showbiz. Her movies and TV shows were famous, and she won lots of awards, all before she turned twenty-five.
She became super famous nationwide really fast.
But five years ago, when she was at the top, she surprised everyone by announcing her marriage and disappearing from the spotlight as quickly as she came into it, leaving fans shocked.
As time went on, people stopped talking about Sophia.
“I really wanted Sophia for my movie, but she left, and I can’t stop feeling regret,” Vincent admitted, looking at Bianca. “The main role in this movie was made for Sophia. I’ve tried to reach out to her many times, but no luck. If Sophia comes back, she’ll be the star of the movie.”
Vincent’s words stayed with Bianca even after she left his office. She knew she didn’t have a big-name actress and had little chance against Natalie for the main role. She thought, if only she could convince Sophia to come back and work with Phoenix Entertainment.
If Vincent, with all his power, couldn’t convince Sophia, what hope did others have?
In the afternoon, Bianca searched hard for any news about Sophia, but it was like she had vanished. All Bianca found out was that Sophia had married into a rich family, and her husband wanted her away from fame, so she suddenly disappeared.
By evening, wearing a soft nightgown that showed off her shape, Bianca relaxed on the couch, watching an old interview about Sophia.
The sound of the door lock clicking suddenly made her jump.
She looked nervously at the door as Dave came in, wearing the same white shirt and black pants as the night before.
Bianca thought she’d be alone and was only in her night clothes, so she was surprised.
Quickly, she grabbed a blanket from the couch and wrapped it around herself.
“Why didn’t you tell me you were coming back?” she asked.
Dave smiled as he saw Bianca blush with panic.
“Sorry, I forgot to tell you,” he said.
He sat down next to her on the couch, and Bianca noticed he looked tired. His shirt was wrinkled, and his hair was messy.
He rubbed his temples and sighed. “I haven’t been sleeping well lately. Home is the best place to be, right?”