The office building was tranquil when the sound of hurried footsteps echoed through the halls. Amanda Seyfried was hurrying up the stairs. She had gone down to the first floor, ready to leave, but had to go to the restroom. Finding the "cleaning in progress" sign blocking the way, she quickly returned to the second floor, her golden ponytail swinging behind her.
Amanda was both anxious and in a rush, and combined with her need to relieve herself, she was distracted. Turning a corner, she nearly collided with a woman who appeared out of nowhere.
"Sorry," Amanda said, maintaining basic politeness.
The woman, however, could have been more courteous. "Watch where you're going!" she snapped.
Amanda paused, looked up at the blonde woman, rolled her eyes, and continued towards the restroom.
The woman followed behind, seemingly headed to the restroom as well.
Inside the restroom, Michael Davenport had just finished washing his hands when he caught a familiar figure entering out of the corner of his eye.
"Hello, Mr. Davenport," the blonde bombshell greeted, pushing out her chest.
Michael, with his excellent memory, nodded in acknowledgment. "Hello, Miss Blake."
He didn't think much of it, assuming she was there to use the restroom. But Jessica Blake took a couple of steps forward and suddenly asked, "Can I get that role?"
A publicized budget of $11 million for the lead role was thrilling to think about.
Michael pulled out a paper towel to dry his hands and replied vaguely, "We haven't decided on the cast yet."
This was true; they had not yet finalized the role of the eighteen-year-old daughter.
Jessica Blake suddenly laughed, "I understand, I understand."
With that, she took two more steps closer.
Michael frowned slightly, feeling puzzled. What did she understand? He hadn't directly told her she had failed the audition to save her some face.
Jessica Blake stepped within three feet of Michael and suddenly bent down.
Such transactions were everyday among small-time actresses, and with her natural assets, she had always succeeded before.
Michael quickly stepped back and reminded her, "Miss Blake, please have some self-respect."
Jessica Blake giggled, pointed behind Michael at the men's restroom, and suggested, "Shall we go inside? Lock the door, and no one will see."
She took another step forward.
When Julia Roberts managed to land roles this way, Jessica believed she could too.
In the hallway, Amanda Seyfried reached the restroom entrance and saw what was happening inside. She was stunned and instinctively covered her mouth to stifle a gasp.
Behind her, the blonde woman also turned the corner, glanced inside, and smiled knowingly.
They were all in the entertainment industry and knew exactly what was happening.
Michael quickly pushed Jessica Blake's hand away, his expression serious. "That's enough! This ends here. You can leave now."
Jessica Blake looked at Michael, her eyes full of disbelief.
Was there really a producer in Hollywood who didn't take advantage? Unbelievable. Despite her excellent assets, she had been rejected? Could it be... could it be...
Jessica Blake's gaze towards Michael changed. Did he not like women?
Hmm, possible.
But she hadn't given up and tried again, "I..."
Michael cut her off directly, not considering saving face anymore. "No need to say more. I can tell you right now: you didn't pass the audition. That's it."
Jessica Blake's face instantly turned sour. She pretended not to see the two women at the door and quickly turned to leave.
Amanda Seyfried looked at Jessica Blake and then at Michael, and her impression of this young producer significantly improved.
For an American girl, especially one who had started modelling and shooting commercials early, Amanda understood a lot by thirteen. She had seen the bad behaviour of some male producers and heard many stories about Hollywood.
Michael Davenport seemed different, appearing decent and self-respecting.
As Michael approached her, Amanda Seyfried quickly greeted him, "Hello, Mr. Davenport."
Michael nodded at her and stopped, saying, "Amanda Seyfried, right?"
Amanda quickly nodded, "Yes."
"Tell your mother you passed the audition," Michael said calmly. "I won't be calling you. Have her come by tomorrow to discuss the terms."
Amanda Seyfried smiled brightly, "Really?" She took a deep breath, "That's fantastic!"
Feeling curious eyes on him, Michael looked over and saw a tall blonde woman with a proportionate and curvy figure, appearing to be in her early twenties.
He only glanced at her before turning back to Amanda. Amanda hurriedly expressed her gratitude, "Thank you, Mr. Davenport."
"You're welcome," Michael replied, waving his hand.
Not lingering, he headed straight back to the office.
"Oh!"
Amanda suddenly remembered something and rushed into the ladies' room.
The blonde woman looked at Amanda Seyfried with slight disdain, then turned to Michael, her expression shifting to curiosity and contemplation.
He seemed to be a producer. Was there such a young producer in Hollywood? Could he be the one from the horror film crew on the same floor?
It was said to have a budget of millions of dollars, a mid-budget film.
Such a project was beyond comparison to TV shows like "Roswell."
Michael returned to his office, thinking about Jessica Blake. He realized he might need to change his approach. This wasn't the subtle East; sometimes, being straightforward worked better.
As for Jessica Blake's actions, he wasn't surprised. Entertainment circles worldwide were similar in this regard.
After a glass of water, he picked up a professional book to continue learning.
In the afternoon, Michael continued hosting auditions with James Wong. By now, only the role of the older daughter remained uncast.
Finally, Michael chose an eighteen-year-old American actress named Michelle Williams.
After the auditions, he handled some paperwork. As he prepared to leave, the sky had utterly darkened, and the office building was quiet, with most people gone.
Turning into the stairwell, he saw a blonde woman coming down from the third floor and couldn't help but look.
She was tall and beautiful, someone he had seen at lunch but seemed to have changed clothes.
They had briefly met before, and Michael nodded at her with the natural allure of beauty.
The blonde woman also nodded and smiled, greeting him, "Good evening."
Michael smiled back, "Good evening."
The blonde woman introduced herself, "I'm Katherine Heigl."