Two weeks later, Thea collected her things and said goodbye to Zoey and Matt, leaving the mansion without looking back.
Cody never came out to send her away. He didn’t even say anything.
He thought the departure was also hard for Thea. He didn’t want his appearance to bring her any hard feelings.
He knew things would never work out between Thea and himself if he showed up. Thea would only feel even sadder.
He didn’t know that Thea Todd fled away from her nursing job like a happy little bird.
With the money she earned, she could finally start to chase her dream without worrying about starving to death.
She found a small apartment near the movie-making base. After cleaning up her new place, Thea went to the bathroom and wiped off all the makeup used to disguise her pretty face.
Working as an old-age nurse was as much a money-making job as an acting-skill practice.
Thea was happy with the outcome. After wiping off all her makeup and splashing soap water against her face, Thea looked up in the mirror again. Her clear blue eyes stared back at her without the shields of the brown contacts she’d been wearing for a year. Her skin was flawless and smooth. Her lips were full and rosy.
“Hello, Thea Todd. It’s nice to see you again.” Thea grinned at her beautiful reflection in the mirror.
****
The base near her apartment was filled with film studios. She sent out countless resumes and finally got a reply from a movie informing her about an audition.
The audition went well. After that, the director asked her to a corner to have a conversation.
“You have a lovely face. We can definitely use a beauty like yourself,” the director was a fat man, his eyes lingering lewdly on Thea’s chest, “There’s another role that could be suitable for you.”
“What is it?” Thea asked.
The director nodded, “A beautiful prostitute. She died helping the hero escape. She seduced the villain, and she was red to death in the end. She doesn’t get many lines, but she would definitely make a huge impression. Why don’t you try her lines a bit later? Go get changed and come back to the audition room again.”
Thea frowned, “It’s just line-reading, right? Why do you want me to get changed?”
The director didn’t seem happy, “Why? You don’t even wanna get changed? This is a great character. Other actresses will fight for it if you don’t want it.”
Thea bit on her bottom lip, “Fine. I will change.”
The director smiled, nodding at his assistant. The assistant took Thea to the dressing room. Thea felt a bit weird. The assistant urged her to take her clothes off after she entered the room, saying she was wasting everyone’s time.
Thea nodded and put her purse on a table. And then, she suddenly remembered something. She walked toward the shelves facing her and touched the top of it as she tiptoed.
And then, she touched something between the thick piles of clothes. It was a mini camera.
“Hey! What the heck are you doing?!” The assistant only realized what had just happened now, but everything was already too late.
She tried to snatch the small camera away. But Thea held her hand high as she walked out of the room.
Thea was so pissed off that she threw the camera directly in the director’s face, “Why did you put a camera in the dressing room? You sick pervert!”
All the other girls in the audition room looked pale.
“He put a camera in the dressing room? I just changed there!”
“What the heck is happening?”
“A girl found a mini camera in the dressing room.”
“What? How could they do that?”
“This is so gross.”
“Shut up! All of you!” The director hissed, “If I catch any of you whining about the camera or calling the police, I will use my connections in this industry and make sure none of you will get any chance of showing up in any movies. You can kiss goodbye to your Hollywood dream and go back to your little town and live your boring life!”
The room fell silent. None of the girls dared to confront the director. They knew he was telling the truth. In this industry, the people you know and the connections you have basically determine your success. No one would dare to offend a director.
Thea was completely grossed out. She ran out of the audition room and halted a taxi.
After going back to her apartment, she threw herself in bed directly. She thought she had prepared for everything. She didn’t expect the industry to be rotten to this extent.
A call suddenly came in as she buried herself into the bed.
Thea picked it up.
“Hello? Is this Miss Todd? I’m the role-selecting director of the new show The Old Time. We just received your resume, and we think you’re perfect for one of our roles. Do you wanna come over for an audition?”
Thea was so excited that she jumped up from her bed, “Really? Where… Where should I go?”
“I’m sending you the address later. Would you come right now?”
“Of course, of course… Please send me the address. I’ll be there soon.” Thea smiled.
She was still feeling desperate a minute ago, but now, she is alive again!
Thea went to take a shower and put on simple makeup before leaving her apartment. The director said she needed to make it to the set by 2. This was an important opportunity. Thea would never want to miss it.
****
“Paris… Are you sure it’s okay for us to use the director’s name to summon Thea Todd here? We’re not breaking any laws, are we?” Paris Dunn’s assistant asked his boss nervously.
Paris Dunn was the most popular new face in the movie industry. She had gained great popularity among the audiences since her first-day debut. And she was the leading female character in the TV show under making, The Old Times.
“Why? Our crew doesn’t have enough funding, right?” Pairs were applying lipstick on her lips, facing the mirror as she answered her assistant, “The director will thank me for getting him a great investor. Thea Todd would even get a small role in the show if she spent one night with Mr. Dogg. I’m helping everyone.”
“Should… Should we inform Mr. Dawson then?” The assistant asked with a shaky voice.