Chapter 1
Alex Stone walked into the room with a long face. He just bombed the audition for that big-budget blockbuster everyone was talking about.
I was already reaching out, my mind searching for the right words to comfort him, when his thoughts slammed into my head.
[Almost there. Just a little more, and she'll take the bait.]
[If she agrees to this, it's the ultimate proof. It means she loves me for me, not for my money or my fame.]
[Once she passes the test, I'll drop the act and tell her everything. I'll show her I'm actually Alex Stone, the biggest star in the country. I'll sign her to my agency, put her in my movies, and make her the happiest woman.]
I froze, my arms hovering in the air. I thought I was losing my mind, caught in some bizarre auditory hallucination, until Alex actually spoke.
The words that came out were even more monstrous than the thoughts in his head.
"The casting director," he started with fake misery, "told me the role is mine, but only if you're willing to spend the night with him."
He looked at me then, pleading, "Look, Emma, I really need this. This role is my big break. Would you be willing to do this for me?"
*****
I froze on the spot.
Somehow, Alex Stone had voiced exactly what he was thinking.
[Why isn't she saying yes? A chance with a top-tier star like me doesn't come around twice.]
[I've spent two years hiding who I am, putting up with all this crap, just to test her. Emma Lane, you're the one I chose after all this.]
[This is the last test. If she passes, I'll know she truly loves me, that she'd do anything for me. She'd better not let me down.]
I stood there, stunned, my knuckles turning white as I clenched my fists.
The Alex in front of me was a completely different person from the humble, kind boy I remembered.
I had met him when I was just starting out, working as an extra on a film set.
It was scorching hot on the outdoor set. At 104°F, I just couldn't take it anymore. I fainted right there.
Alex was the only one who broke from the crowd of extras when the director yelled "action."
He didn't even hesitate. He just threw me on his back, carried me to the hospital, and took care of everything.
That day, it felt like a hole I never knew I had in my heart was finally filled.
When I found out that Alex, a top student from a prestigious acting school, was stuck working as an extra, my heart broke for him.
I helped him with his resume, recommended him to casting directors, and even gave him money from my own part-time jobs.
To protect his pride, I always said I was just "investing" in him.
His inner thoughts were a brutal reminder that I had been a complete and utter fool.
He spent years playing the part of a broke actor just to see if I was sincere.
I gave him my youth and my heart, only to find out I was living in a scripted reality. It was all for nothing.
When I didn't answer, Alex reached for my hand. I flinched away.
He looked hurt, his voice trembling as he said, "Emma, Mike Lawrence is one of the biggest directors in the industry. I worked so hard to get an audition for the third male lead in his new movie.
"I nailed the audition, but they still turned me down..."
He took a deep breath, his eyes welling up with tears.
"Mike hinted that if you don't go and 'chat' with him, I don't have a chance at the role...
"Emma, don't worry. I would never, ever let you do something like that for me."
He looked so torn.
But his voice held a hint of hopeful expectation.
Seeing him trying so hard to hide his emotions, I felt heartbroken.
When I first met him, he was always the type to bottle everything up.
People don't change that drastically overnight.
So the voice I was hearing might not even be his real thoughts.
I took a breath and asked, "Don't they usually email you the audition results? I want to see what his feedback was."
Alex's eyes widened in shock.
He was freaking out!
"Emma, what is your problem?"
His voice was suddenly sharp and accusatory as he raised his voice.
"You know how much this audition meant to me. The least you could do is offer some comfort, but instead, you want to rip open the wound and make me look at it."
He sounded heartbroken, but I held my ground.
"Getting a callback to audition for Mike in person is a huge deal. His feedback could be incredibly helpful for your career.
"Don't I at least have the right to see it?"
He opened his mouth to argue, but nothing came out.
My heart sank. I was just about to call him out on it.
Then, he pulled out his phone, opened his email, and handed it to me, his eyes downcast.
"Emma, you've really disappointed me."
I took the phone. There it was, at the top of his inbox, an official rejection notice from Mike's production company.