Chapter 2022
Giselle’s eyes danced with mischief as she sauntered over and sat across from the director, her voice tinged with curiosity. “I heard you have been working on ‘Ballad of Valor’ for years. I haven’t seen any new flicks from you lately. Looks like all your eggs have been in this one basket, huh?”
“That’s right,” Colton replied with a gleam in his eye. “I love the ‘Ballad of Valor’ story. I’ve been hands-on with the script. I’m telling you, this movie will be a hit.”
Colton became quite chatty when the topic turned to ‘Ballad of Valor.
After wrapping up his last film, he had hit a creative wall, unsure what genre to tackle next or how to break new ground.
Then ‘Ballad of Valor’ came along the tale of a female entrepreneur, a script that had taken years to perfect.
“But isn’t casting a rookie for such a pivotal movie a bit risky?” Giselle prodded.
Her question was met with Colton’s deep, scrutinizing gaze.
Feeling the weight of his stare, Giselle quickly put on an innocent face, waving her hands dismissively. “Oh, don’t get me wrong, Colton. I’m not saying Ms. Dunhill isn’t up to snuff. It’s just… Your choice has me puzzled, that’s all. I just wanna get where you’re coming from.”
Reminded of the moment he saw Ivy in that commercial, Colton could not help but smile with satisfaction. “Ivy might be new to acting, but the moment I saw her, I knew she was the one for the role. She’s got this fire that I’ve been looking for in my lead!”
“Really? She’s that perfect for the part?” Giselle’s jealousy simmered beneath the surface, unvoiced.
Without hesitation, Colton nodded firmly. “She’s the ideal choice in my mind. And I have total confidence she’ll nail the part.”
“Yeah, I trust you, Colton. You’ve got a knack for coaching actors to brilliance.”
Giselle bit back her jealousy and resentment, offering insincere praise.
She could not believe that Ivy, a novice, could outperform her on her first gig.
She was eager to see how Ivy would fare and was waiting for Colton to regret not casting her as the lead in ‘Ballad of Valor.’
“Colton, I’ve got another gig, so I should head out,” Giselle said with a smile, rising from her chair. “Wanted to catch up, but my schedule’s jam-packed. Next time you start a new project, you better think of me, okay?”
Relieving at her departure, Colton replied, “Absolutely, it’d be an honor to work with a star of your caliber!”
“You’re too kind, Colton! See you next time.” Giselle turned and walked away, her smile vanishing the moment she was out of
sight.
–
Now, she truly recognized Ivy’s threat a newcomer who had caught Colton’s eye and even had the Balfour in her corner.
She would never underestimate her again.
Ivy left the office with a carefree swagger, the Howard family’s chauffeured car waiting outside. She hopped in without a second thought.
Once settled, Ivy noticed the car was not moving and asked, “Hey, why aren’t we driving off?”
The driver seemed oblivious to her query, remaining silent in his seat.
After a little while, with the driver still idle, Ivy was about to leave the car and find her own way home when the back door opened, and Balfour slid in.
“Let’s go.”
At his command, the driver immediately started the car, not even giving her a chance to exit.
As it turned out, the driver had not moved earlier because Balfour had instructed him to wait for his arrival before driving off.
“Why the rush earlier? Couldn’t wait for me?” Balfour’s voice was deep and steady.
Ivy, seething with annoyance, did not even want to engage in conversation.
