Behind The Spotlight Chapter 178
"How's life?"
As Lila and Collin stepped into the elevator, Lila asked Collin about his life. Collin pushed the button and briefly glanced at her.
"Me?" Collin was a bit surprised that Lila asked about him. Being an employee, he regarded Lila as his boss, and bosses usually didn't give a fuck about an employee's life, especially in a corporation driven by numbers and results.
"Well, life is doing great." Collin smiled lightly. His situation was getting better. From the moment he awakened a unique power to see talent, which he called "golden vision," life had been going great, almost unreal compared to his past struggles.
"That's great to hear. I'm happy for you."
"Thank you."
Collin could feel the sincerity in Lila's voice, which made him appreciative.
"How about you? You've asked me about my life, so what about yours?" Collin knew he was stepping over the line, but since the elevator seemed to be moving down slowly, he decided to ask Lila about her life, hoping he did not offend her.
"Well, my life is also doing great in terms of finances. But other than that, I feel lonely. It's hard to find a romantic relationship when you're so busy working. Besides, it seems like men don't like me at all."
"Really? You're stunning and attractive." Collin found it confusing that Lila couldn't find a lover given her confidence and charm.
"Are you flirting with me, Mr. East?" Lila giggled, clearly amused by his blunt honesty.
"No, Ma'am." He instinctively answered with respect.
"Alright. You're doing great, and your performance over these past few years has been outstanding. Keep up the good work."
"I assume I will get more company shares next year if I work better, right?"
"It depends... if you pass my criteria." Lila looked him up and down with a teasing glint in her eye.
The elevator opened, and the two exited the building. As they stepped outside, they heard a commotion, people rallying and screaming, their voices echoing across the street.
People were holding signboards and rallying on the road. They filled the street, making traffic more congested. It was a human tsunami.
"Repent! Repent!"
"The End Is Near!"
"Pray for our lives!"
"The One Piece Is Real!"
"Eh? What is going on here?" Collin asked, surprised and slightly alarmed.
"Is there a riot?"
"This is different." Lila shrugged and walked away. Collin followed her to the parking lot, still glancing back at the crowd.
"These people are rallying because they believe that next year will be the end of the world. To be precise, they believe the year 2000 will never arrive. Once midnight hits on December 31, 1999, the world will end," Lila explained calmly. She had heard about this rumor before, but this was the first time she had seen people rallying in such large numbers because of it.
"That's scary." Now that Collin's life was going well, the thought of the world ending felt like a huge regret. He hadn't even had the chance to enjoy his money yet. He hoped the propaganda was fake and exaggerated.
"It is scary. But if you think about it, if the world really ends in two weeks, then everyone will experience eternal peace. No one will suffer anymore."
"Lila, that's fucked up."
"Is it? I'm sorry." She chuckled. She had been lonely most of the time after her mom passed away. Since then, depressing scenarios sometimes played in her head, especially during quiet moments.
"That's not the right way to see it."
"Then why don't you help me change my views?" She stepped closer, and Collin stopped in place, caught off guard. Lila was so close that they could hear each other's breathing. She raised her head slightly since Collin was quite tall.
"You seem like a nice person."
"I don't think so. I just want to see my loved ones happy, nothing more."
"That's exactly why you're a nice person. You've always been a nice person."
Lila had to stand on her toes just to pat Collin's shoulder before walking away. She stepped into her Lamborghini and sped off, leaving him standing there.
'... He didn't think that I was flirting with him, right?' Lila asked herself as the car left the building.
Fortunately, the rally was limited to their street, so her car was able to leave without delay.
...
...
...
December 24, 1999.
This year, movies such as The Born Identity and The Boss Proposal took top spots in the yearly box office rankings, surprising many critics.
In fact, The Born Identity was the highest-grossing movie of 1999, earning $783 million at the worldwide box office. It defeated The 6th Sense.
As for The Boss Proposal, it ranked in the top five, grossing $452 million worldwide, a massive success.
With these two movies, Collin couldn't help but receive countless congratulations from his co-workers. Even though he wasn't the face of these films, he was the agent of the two lead actors, making his contribution undeniable.
His position in the company was solidified, and he was no longer considered a rookie. Well, with eight years of work experience, he wasn't really a rookie to begin with.
Furthermore, Collin had been receiving many invitations from actors and actresses expressing interest in working with him, hoping to benefit from his reputation.
Collin found it surprising. Most of the time, it was the other way around, agents chased good prospects. But now, actors and actresses were coming to him. Even some washed-up celebrities expressed interest, believing that Collin could revive their careers.
Meanwhile, Collin and his clients returned to their hometowns to celebrate Christmas, taking a rare break.
Jennifer returned to her hometown in an expensive car. Her driver-bodyguard opened the door for her, and Jennifer thanked him with genuine gratitude.
"Thank you, driver. You can leave now. I know your family is waiting for you. Just leave the car at the house." Jennifer said to her bodyguard, whom she still called "driver" out of habit.
The driver-bodyguard left shortly after.
"Jennifer!"
Her mother excitedly hugged her, having missed her daughter dearly. Jennifer smiled and hugged her back.
Jennifer's father also stepped forward and embraced her with pride.
"Your mom and I miss you."
"Me too, Dad. I miss you and Mom as well."
The family had a simple Christmas Eve. This year, they wanted to celebrate quietly, just the three of them. Jennifer prepared gifts for her parents, and they were happy. But more than anything, what they wanted most was simply to see their daughter and spend time with her.
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