Behind The Spotlight Chapter 180
Whenever Emma tried to throw a fit, Lawrence would say, "I'll lose all of my love for you if you act like a spoiled child."
Surprisingly, that method worked far better than he ever expected. Since then, Lawrence realized that his role was closer to that of a teacher or a parent, patiently guiding her behavior. He was the only person Emma would listen to.
So far, Emma was learning that stalking people and throwing objects at them was bad...
Lawrence worked extremely hard. He had to juggle his acting career while being a husband and an emotional caretaker. There was even a time when Emma almost threatened Lawrence's co-star due to a misunderstanding during rehearsal, but he immediately intervened and prevented it from happening.
While listening to Lawrence talk about his situation, Collin noticed the actor's talent glowing brightly, almost blinding compared to before. His Box Office Romance Actor talent was dazzling. Even his Comedy Actor talent was shining yellow, with visible sparks of potential.
'... I don't know what's happening, but I can see that Lawrence is close to enlightenment. His second talent, Comedy Actor, already has a hint of Gold.'
The idea of someone unlocking another talent excited Collin more than money ever could. He felt genuinely excited for Lawrence and his future. Perhaps Lawrence's decision to participate in this real-life acting had allowed him to truly contemplate what "acting" meant beyond scripts and cameras.
As for the outcome, both of them hoped it would be positive, even if the road ahead remained difficult.
"Ewww! Who is this guy?"
Collin and Lawrence heard a commotion and instinctively turned around. They saw a chubby man sitting in the pool, inhaling the scent of coins with an expression of bliss. People avoided him, clearly uncomfortable with how creepy he looked.
"Niko's here too? I guess Vivian is also present," Collin muttered.
"Niko?" Lawrence asked.
"Yeah, that guy in the pool is Niko. He's the music producer who composed Princess Chantal's album."
"That guy?" Lawrence was genuinely surprised.
"That's right," Collin confirmed.
"I feel like I've seen him before." Lawrence narrowed his eyes, digging through his memories.
"Ah, right. I almost forgot. He's an avid customer of the pizza shop I worked at five years ago. He really loves our pizza, although he acts strange whenever he receives change, especially coins," Lawrence explained.
"So where's Emma? Does she know you're here?" Collin asked cautiously.
"Of course not. I made an excuse and said I was attending a commercial shoot. My assistant testified without hesitation," Lawrence chuckled. If Emma found out he was at a party with women walking around in bikinis, she would probably lose control.
Sometimes, he just wanted to rest and relax like a normal person.
"Um, Lawrence, I think Emma's here." Collin paused as he noticed a woman standing at the entrance gate, smiling innocently.
Lawrence flinched. He checked himself instinctively and found nothing, no tracking device. It seemed Emma had tracked his car instead.
"... Collin, see you around. Next time, find a good doctor for me. I might have a tracking device inside my body," he said, half-joking and half-panicked.
"I'll call you within three days."
"I trust you."
"By the way, Happy New Year," Collin said sincerely. It was only a few hours before the new year and the new century arrived.
"You too. Happy New Year." Lawrence waved goodbye. The first thing he did was hug Emma and kiss her. The glaring woman instantly melted, clinging tightly to him. Lawrence was truly in for a tough time.
"Niko, do you know where Vivian and Princess Chantal are?"
Collin approached Niko and asked. Unfortunately, Niko merely glanced at him before returning his attention to the coins.
It seemed Collin would have to find them himself. He entered the mansion and found even more people partying. The place was deafening, with music echoing through every corner. People of all ages were holding paper cups filled with alcohol.
Collin frowned, feeling deeply uncomfortable. He didn't like formal parties, but he hated frat-style parties the most. They lacked boundaries. At least formal events had a sense of order and rationality.
He saw people kissing openly and carelessly all around the place.
'What the fuck is happening here?'
He searched the ground floor but couldn't find Princess Chantal. Naturally, he went up to the second floor. The mansion was massive, and Collin wasn't confident he could locate them before midnight.
Fortunately, he spotted Vivian sitting outside a room, smoking a cigarette alone. Her expression was dark. Like Collin, she was dressed formally, wearing an elegant dress. They both stood out among the chaos.
"What is going on? Why are people partying like this? I thought it was a formal event?" Collin asked.
"You should ask your client. She changed the party at the last minute and invited all these people. I don't even know how she got them," Vivian replied, slowly exhaling smoke.
"So where are Chantal and Isabella?"
Vivian pointed silently at the room in front of her. She had tried to talk to Princess Chantal, but the singer seemed to be under the influence, either alcohol or drugs. She refused to listen. As for Isabella, she simply went along with Chantal, smiling recklessly.
"I have no idea what's happening with your client. Does fame really change people?" Vivian asked quietly.
"Yes, I think it does." Based on Collin's experience, fame elevated a person's status and change them sometimes drastic. It was inevitable.
Everyone changed, without exception.
Vivian sighed.
"She doesn't listen to me. I think you need to talk to her. Also, she befriended Gabriella Wallmart. You should tell her to be careful."
"Gabriella who?"
"It seems you don't know. You're still a newbie in the music industry. Gabriella Wallmart is the daughter of the Wallmart family, a powerful dynasty. One of the richest families in the country. They own Wallmart, the largest supermarket chain."
"I see... so what's the problem?" Collin asked, now alert.
"Gabriella might be young, but she owns a record label. It's obvious she's interested in signing Princess Chantal," Vivian explained.
Princess Chantal still had four albums left under Moonrise Music, contractually binding. Whether she continued with the label afterward would depend entirely on her choices.
Of course, all rights to her first five albums and their songs were legally owned by Moonrise Music.
"It may take a few years, but Princess Chantal might eventually change record labels. That would be painful for Moonrise Music, and that includes you, since you're a shareholder," Vivian said, biting her lip. She clearly disliked the idea of someone trying to steal their superstar.
"Once Princess Chantal comes out of that room, I want you to talk to her. You're her agent, and she listens to you."
"I'll do what I can," Collin replied seriously.
"Do your best."
---
[Thank you for your support. This novel has 70 chapters on Patreon.]