Hollywood: Behind The SpotLight Chapter 8

Behind The Spotlight Chapter 8

Arnold's conversation with the CEO ended, and he put his phone back in his pocket with a self-satisfied grin that scread "mission accomplished."

Unlike the typical phones with thick bodies, Arnold's device was smooth and slim, clearly chosen for both style and function. His phone was one of the latest models released by Mokia, designed to slip into his pocket without creating an awkward bulge.

As an agent, Arnold had to project an image. His status wasn't sothing he could afford to downplay. In this industry, appearances mattered, and even a phone was a part of the image.

Despite earning seven digits a year, he actually felt guilty about spending a couple thousand on a brand-new phone.

"The CEO agreed. She wants to et you. You've got a copy of the script and proposal ready on your desk, I assu?"

Collin was genuinely surprised that Arnold had managed to convince the new CEO to et with him on such short notice, and with such confidence. Collin's palms had already started to sweat. They were talking about the CEO here.

"Yeah, it's on my table. I've been keeping it ready, just in case an opportunity popped up."

"Take it to the top floor and present it to the CEO personally. Don't ss this up."

"Thanks, Arnold. I an it, really."

"Most of the ti, producers are the ones responsible for pitching business proposals to investors. It's literally their job to handle financing and logistics. But you guys don't have a producer yet. You're an agent, so this isn't exactly your field, but I think you've got guts."

"Yeah, I have to do it anyway, even if I'm nervous as hell."

"That's the spirit, kid. Go fight for your dream."

Arnold gave Collin a solid tap on the shoulder before walking off toward his office with his usual confident, uncaring attitude.

"I have to talk to the producer to negotiate Jolyne's salary. I can't help you convince the CEO this ti around."

Collin was already grateful that Arnold had arranged a eting with the CEO. That alone was a miracle, considering Arnold's stingy reputation. He knew it was almost impossible to find soone willing to invest in a project without expecting sothing tangible in return. $200,000 wasn't easy to secure unless one had serious connections or valuable collateral.

Furthermore, the director was essentially a nobody. No filmography, no festival awards, no na recognition. No sane person would hand over $200,000 without a proven track record.

They could apply for a bank loan, but that required collateral or, at the very least, a good credit score. Collin's score was low since he was in debt and had missed multiple paynts over the past year... Such a sad life.

He returned to his desk and picked up the docunts with trembling hands, trying not to show how nervous he felt. It was a copy of the script and a detailed business plan he and Wyatt had spent considerable ti preparing, editing, and refining.

Based on their calculations, they believed that $200,000 would be enough to create the film on an indie level, if everything was managed tightly and without waste.

Collin stepped into the elevator and pressed the button for the 10th floor, inhaling deeply as his heart pounded in his chest. This was his first ti going to the top floor since joining the company. That level was usually reserved for high-level business etings and was the personal workspace of the CEO, who operated in near-isolation from the rest of the staff.

Only ten minutes had passed since Arnold had instructed him to head upstairs, so thankfully, Collin believed he wasn't late. Any delay might have broken his nerves entirely.

At the top floor, he found the CEO's executive assistant, another new face in the company. Young, polished, and clearly trained to handle high-level corporate interactions.

"Excuse , I'm here to et the CEO about a project proposal."

"Are you Sir Collin East, perhaps?" the female assistant asked, glancing at her monitor to confirm his identity.

"That's right, I'm Collin East."

"I'll take you to the office. Please follow ."

"Thanks for your help."

The woman opened the door with a professional smile, stepping aside to let him through. Collin took a deep breath as he entered the office like he was stepping onto a stage for the first ti. He had walked countless runways in near-nude outfits, but this was different.

He deliberately avoided looking around, worried that he'd seem like a rookie overwheld by wealth. Instead, he fixed his gaze on the woman seated at the desk. The woman was poised, composed, and radiating quiet authority.

She had short, black wolf-cut hair and deep blue eyes, a rare combination. Her gaze felt sharp and observant. She wore a neatly pressed white blouse, elegant and professional without being showy.

Collin couldn't tell whether she wore pants or a skirt from where he stood, but he didn't dwell on it. He was far too nervous to care about anything beyond the upcoming conversation.

"Mister East. It's nice to et you. I'm the new CEO of Apex Network Talent, Lila Seraphina."

The woman stood and extended her hand. Her grip was firm, but not intimidating. For the record, she was wearing a black pencil skirt, tailored perfectly to complent her blouse.

"Hello, Ma'am. I-" Collin stamred, caught off guard by the CEO's commanding presence. She was stunning, far beyond what he had expected from soone in a corporate role. The old CEO had been overweight, in his sixties, and barely showed up unless there was a crisis.

'Seraphina? A unique surna, perhaps a Latina?"

But that wasn't why Collin stuttered like a fool. When he looked at her, he had a strange sensation. As though he had t her sowhere before. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't rember where or when.

"Okay, let's start our eting. Arnold said you have a business proposal you'd like to discuss. Sothing about a new film project?"

"...Excuse , but have we t before?" Collin blurted the question before he could stop himself and imdiately regretted it.

Lila chuckled softly, the kind of laugh that sounded genuinely amused.

"Collin, I don't think that kind of pick-up line is going to work on . You'll need sothing better than that."

"I'm sorry. I just thought I'd seen you before... maybe at an event or sothing."

"Maybe or maybe not. I don't recall eting you, though. Sorry to disappoint."

Snapping out of his awkward daze, Collin pulled himself together. He couldn't afford to screw this up with nervousness. This eting might be their only shot at getting the project launched.

He was eager to launch Wyatt's project to test his theory about the strange phenonon he'd been experiencing. He was increasingly convinced the hallucinations weren't random or stress-induced. The words floating above people's heads seed to signify their talents. A kind of supernatural marker or divine label.

The best way to prove it was to see if Wyatt, whose golden label glowed, could actually create a box office hit. To confirm that his "talent" was real.

[I'll post another chapter later.]