"Olivia?"
"Where are you, Phoenix?" Olivia's worried voice came from the other side of the phone. As someone who's been working with Olivia from the beginning of her career, Phoenix could easily tell what was going on.
"What's wrong?" Phoenix asked. The last thing she wanted right now was to hear bad news but now it didn't seem like she had any choice but to hear whatever the news was.
"The role you're being casted in Arizona was just given to Natalie. I've been trying everything I can to reach the director but he just wouldn't listen to me, saying that's all that needs to be done." she hissed through her clenched teeth.
Was he trying push his career into the suicidal stage. The director knew well that the reason most of the investors chose to invest in the business was because Phoenix was acting in it.
"But that's meant to be my big movie for the year. Why would he just give it to Natalie?" Phoenix trembled, images of what happened last night flowing through her head. She didn't have to ask twice because she knew it was either Ryan's doing or someone else's. "I'll come over to talk to him myself."
"Are you sure? I mean, will Ryan let you?" Olivia asked, careful with her words. She knew pretty well that Ryan controlled everything about Phoenix and if this was to happen, he would brush it off and blame it all on Phoenix's incompetence.
Phoenix hesitated for a few seconds at the mention of Ryan. Of course she was still tied to him. The only reason she could defy him there was just a fake confidence and the fact that she had Draven there. But would he just stay there for her through everything? He owed her nothing.
She glanced over at him, noticing he was still looking in her direction with a slightly raised brow. "Don't worry, I'll be there soon."
Hanging up, she turned to him with a pleading smile. But before she could speak up, he beat her to it. "You want to get somewhere else?" He asked her and she nodded politely.
"X agency please. I want to have a word with one of our directors." She requested and he did as she had asked.
Arriving in X agency, he remained in the car according to her request, letting her head into the agency herself. All eyes were on her as she headed towards the elevator hurriedly, hoping to have a word or two with that manager concerning whatever reason it was he cut her out.
"You're here." Olivia breathed a breath of relief as she saw Phoenix. "I was worried sick when you just left yesterday without a word. And now, Ryan had asked him to replace you with Natalie since early this morning. Did you two get into a fight?"
"What do you mean, Ryan?" She asked, already suspecting the name but since Olivia didn't mention it earlier, she thought something else might be the cause.
"Director Hang is in his office and he just kicked me out. He said Natalie came with a written letter from Ryan requesting the change of leads for Arizona. Since Ryan is a major investor, it was approved on the spot." Olivia explained as Phoenix headed towards Director Hang's office.
This was so uncultured of them. There was meant to be at least a little meeting to inform the other investors in the movie but it was done without a second consideration.
"I thought I said I'm not having a word, Oli–"
"It's me Director Hang," Phoenix announced, striding towards his table with mixed expression. "What is the meaning of this? Someone can't just walk in asking you to change leads for a movie and you'll do as they say. Where is your dignity?"
Hang slouched in his chair, covering the back of his mouth as he yawned. "Listen, Phoenix. The only reason I casted you into this role in the first place was because Sir Ryan requested it and that's what he's been doing for all your previous roles too. Over seventy percent of our investors said that you should be replaced with Natalie. And there's nothing I can do about it. I mean, Arizona is one of our highest projects."
"How–"
"Also, the majority of them invested because Ryan stood in. No one wants to invest after Master Anderson for reasons known to them but Ryan convinced them all so you see there's nothing I can do about it." Hang cut her off, rubbing the back of his neck as he stood up. "But you can visit the investors if you'd like your role back. I mean, you can do a few pleading even though you're a married woman."
Phoenix clenched her fist as she trembled. She wanted to burst into tears but she had promised herself she won't shed a single tear for Ryan no matter what he does to get back on her good side.
She knew all Natalie had been doing was spreading her legs so she could hijack a big moment like this. She was a fool to not have noticed since all the while Natalie had been flocking around her. It was all for Ryan.
"If you'll excuse me, Director." She turned to leave, not even bothering to say a single word.
"I mean, you might not even go as far as pleading to other investors if you can crawl into Master Anderson's bed. I mean you're not far from it." Hang said, staring at his phone. This made her pause to look back at him. "Who knew you'd openly be an unfaithful wife."
"W-what are you talking about?" Phoenix looked back at Olivia who was typing on her phone the instant she pulled it out.
Olivia shoved the phone in her face to show her the trending news right now, released just a few minutes ago.
"Lights, Camera… Affair? Phoenix spotted three times within 24 hours with movie mogul, Draven Anderson…"