The clink of silver spoons clashing against fine porcelain plates was the only background music in the magnificent dining room. The morning sunlight of New York streamed in through the large windows, reflecting on the long marble table in what felt like a vast desert to Scarlett. She sat on the edge of her chair, her back stiffly erect, while her fingers crumpled the cloth napkin in her lap until her books turned white.
Across from her, Julian Theodore Caldwell sat with the grace of a distracted king. The man didn't touch his breakfast. He just sipped his black coffee slowly, his dark blue eyes, a color that Scarlett had only seen through the cinema screen in Carmel, now looked directly at her. However, there was no twinkle of heroism there. There was only an icy cold judgmental gaze.
"So," Julian's voice broke the silence, heavy and low. "How long will this 'oversleep hero' plan last, Grandma? Are we now opening a halfway house for everyone who passes by on the streets of Manhattan?"
Scarlett choked on air. She looked down, trying to focus on the omelette on her plate which suddenly looked like a big enemy. On the one hand, her heart was beating crazy; the man in front of her was Julian Caldwell. The man whose film poster she stuck to her bedroom wall, the man whose acting always managed to make her cry. But on the other hand, the fact that her idol turned out to have a mouth as sharp as a razor made her want to disappear immediately.
"Julian," Victoria cleared her throat, her voice remaining calm but with a tone of undeniable authority. She put down her teacup with a precise clunk. "Scarlett is my guest. She saved me from an accident that could have taken my life. Your manners seem to have been left behind on set."
Julian snorted sarcastically, leaning back in the expensive leather chair. "Saved you? Or was she just smart enough to know that a lonely old lady in a Loro Piana coat was a golden ticket to a penthouse on the Upper East Side?"
"Mr. Caldwell," Scarlett finally said, although her voice was a little shaky. She dared to look Julian in the eye. "I don't know about that. I don't even know who Madam Victoria is. At Carmel, we were taught to help people in danger, not check the price tags on their clothes first."
Julian raised an eyebrow. There was a very slight flash of interest, almost imperceptible, at the girl's boldness. This girl from a small beach town had a backbone, he thought.
"Carmel? Ah, a beautiful little town with very... idealistic rules," Julian smiled, but the smile didn't reach his eyes. "Unfortunately, this is New York. Here, nothing is free. So, tell me, what is your real goal?"
"Julian, enough!" Victoria hit the table slowly but firmly. "Scarlett lost everything for helping me. Her wallet was stolen while she was making sure I was okay. She will stay here until her business is finished. That is my final decision."
The atmosphere at the dining table became increasingly tense. Scarlett felt like disappearing into the pores of the marble floor. Inside, she screamed. What am I doing here? She remembered her small but warm room in Carmel, the smell of sea salt that greeted her every morning, and the peace that now felt millions of miles away.
She came to New York to pursue a dream, not to become a burden or a subject of debate for a rich family. However, the harsh reality that she did not have a single penny in her pocket kept her imprisoned in this luxury. She felt unworthy, felt like dust on a jewel.
Julian, meanwhile, was quietly observing his interlocutor. Behind his cynical mask, there was something bothering him. Scarlett didn't look like the groupies or treasure hunters he usually met at industry parties. Her slightly messy honey brown hair, her healthy tanned skin, and the most disturbing thing: her eyes. Scarlett's eyes were clear, honest, and full of wounds that she tried to hide with great pride.
He's different, Julian's mind rejected the confession as quickly as it appeared. Or maybe she's just a much greater actress than I thought.
After a tense breakfast, Victoria pulled Julian to the private library on the second floor.
"You're going too far, Julian," said Victoria matter-of-factly as the door closed.
Julian snorted, standing by the window looking out at the view of Central Park. "Grandma's too trusting. New York would swallow a girl like her in one fell swoop, and I don't want Grandma to be taken advantage of."
Victoria walked over, touching her grandson's arm gently. "You've been in front of the camera too long, Julian. You're starting to see everyone as co-stars with ulterior motives. Scarlett saved me without hesitation. She needs help, and you know exactly what it's like to be a stranger and alone in New York."
"I don't want to help her," Julian argued stubbornly.
"No, you have to help her. Besides, you need a friend like her in this house," Victoria smiled faintly, full of secrets. "And I have a plan for her. She wants to become an actress. I want you to really help her."
Julian laughed dryly. "Helping her? I don't even want to see her at the dinner table tomorrow."
"We'll see, Julian. Remember, you inherited my stubbornness, but you also inherited my heart. Don't let your loneliness turn you into a monster I don't recognize."
In the afternoon, Scarlett escaped to the spacious guest room balcony. The New York wind started to feel cold as the sun began to set, leaving a dramatic orange color in the sky. She hugged herself, wearing a sweater borrowed from Victoria that felt too big on her slender body.
She recalled the incident on the street yesterday. The image of the man who snatched her bag, the pain when she fell on the asphalt, and Julian's cold gaze this morning. Tears almost fell, but she quickly wiped them away. "Don't be a crybaby, Scarlett. You've arrived here. You shouldn't give up just because one actor is arrogant," she whispered to herself.
Suddenly, the sound of footsteps could be heard behind her. Scarlett gasped, almost dropping the small flower pot nearby.
"A beach girl like you shouldn't be daydreaming on the balcony when it's this cold," the deep voice sounded again.
Julian stood there, leaning against the sliding glass door. He was wearing a casual black t-shirt, but his aura still felt intimidating. In his hand, he held a thick black folder with an embossed gold logo: JTC Management.
Scarlett immediately straightened her hair which was messy because of the wind. "Mr. Caldwell... I'm just looking for some fresh air."
Julian walked closer, every step he took made Scarlett feel like the space around her was shrinking. He stopped right in front of Scarlett, handed the folder.
"Grandma forced me to give this to you," Julian said coldly, although there was a hint of reluctance in his voice. "This contains a list of agencies and a closed audition schedule for next month. JTC is my management. Just consider this compensation because you saved Grandma."
Scarlett accepted the folder with trembling hands. "Thank you... but I didn't ask for this."
"I know you didn't ask. But I don't like being in debt," Julian looked at Scarlett deeply. A long silence fell between them. Scarlett could smell the man's masculine citrus and leather, as well as a hint of coffee.
For a moment, Julian's eyes softened when he saw Scarlett's nose which was red from the cold and the remains of tears that had not completely dried. There was a strange urge in his heart to touch the girl's cheek, to see if her skin was as soft as it seemed.
"Why are you looking at me like that?" Scarlett asked quietly, feeling awkward under the actor's intense gaze.
Julian immediately withdrew his emotions. He put his hands in his trouser pockets. "I'm just assessing whether you have potential. But honestly? In New York, kindness alone won't get you a leading role."
Julian turned to leave, but he stopped in the doorway and glanced briefly.
"My advice. Don't get too comfortable in this house. This place is not for the soft-hearted. Once you have enough money, pack your things."
The sentence sounded like a threat, but to Scarlett's ears, it was something else, like a warning with a double meaning.
Scarlett stood frozen on the balcony, hugging the black folder tightly to her chest. She was afraid of the man, she was amazed at her talent, and without realizing it, curiosity began to grow in her heart like a seed that was forced to bloom in the snow.
Meanwhile, behind the door of his own room, Julian leaned back and took a deep breath. He looked at his own palm which had almost touched Scarlett.
"Damn girl," he muttered under his breath, a faint smile accidentally tugging at the corner of his lips. "You're going to make things very difficult for me."