"Where have you been?"
His toes hit the side of the door, making him stumble.
"You scared the shit out of me!" Royce snorted, throwing the straw hat at Dion.
He glared at his assistant who is still leaning on the wall with his crossed arms, scrutinizing his boss from escaping.
"And?" Dion walked closer and intentionally grabbed the fake mustache below Royce's nose.
"Ouch!!" Royce exclaimed with his squinting eyes tearing from the pain of wearing that fake mustache.
"Are you trying to ruin my handsome face?!" He snorted.
"And you are trying to ruin my reputation from the director, Mister Cox,"
He helped Royce remove his checkered polo and the wig he used for disguise. He hung it on the dress cabinets. He didn't mean what he said but Royce is already..in fact, always going out of the line.
"You are going to finish the advertisement shoot today, Mister Cox." Dion said with a hard tone.
"I will not let you escape my eyes," he said with a warning.
Royce chuckled upon hearing that. He couldn't blame his assistant for keeping him beside him. He has a lot of mischievous activities behind the camera and Dion never let anything out.
He pulled a chair and fixed his hair in front of the vanity mirror.
"You haven't answered my question. Where have you been that you needed to ditch the commercial you are shooting?" Dion asked.
"Oh?" Royce looked at his empty hands. "I was about to buy us coffees," he realized that he had nothing as an alibi.
"Oh yeah?" Dion pierced him with his sharp eyes. "Do you think you can use that alibi to lie to me?"
The truth is, Dion was worried because the paparazzi outside might notice Royce. It will break the internet if the international actor is seen outside doing things he shouldn't be doing.
"Did you meet someone? Tell me now who it is. Don't lie to me. I need answers now."
A smile escaped from Royce's lips. He still remembers seeing Carole unexpectedly from the restaurant. It was like luck for him. Though seeing her in distress with big bags under her eyes wasn't pleasing to him at all.
"I just walked around because I got bored here. The director keeps on pushing me to the red haired lady. I don't like it." Royce answered.
Dion fell silent. He knew that one thing Royce didn't like is when the crew keeps on pushing him with different leading ladies just because they worked together. Since he is an international actor, they thought that leeching on Royce will make their career famous.
A knock on the door broke the silence. A man wearing a production crew uniform entered and greeted them both. His eyes widened after seeing the handsome man facing the mirror.
"Mr. Royce! Finally, you're here!" He said it like the thorn inside his throat was already pulled out. The director is shouting and throwing tantrums already because Royce was nowhere to be found earlier.
"The Director has been looking for you. We were looking for you. I will tell them right away!"
The crew man left the room in a hurry, leaving both Dion and Royce looking at each other because of the sudden burst of energy.
"See the consequences of your action? You are putting other people at risks here, Mr. Cox"
Dion scolded his boss, pitying that crew man who looked so distressed because of the Director's rage. Royce didn't argue and accepted his defeat this time.
"Okay Mister assistant, I apologize." Royce said, putting his hands in the air like a criminal.
Then a smirk stretched across his cheeks. "If the Director fired them, tell me. There are a lot of vacant positions in my company," he said proudly.
***
Carole stayed at her table with the calling card in her hand. Is this a blessing or a curse to her? Is this the luck she was waiting for today?
The numbers already registered to her mind as she was reciting it repeatedly inside her mind while sipping her coffee.
She didn't want to lose this opportunity today. Who knows, maybe this one can give her a nice job enough to support herself and the baby inside her womb.
She smiled unconsciously, getting her appetite back to eat the slice of cake beside her drink. She sighed and looked through the glass wall of the cafe. The busy cars reflected through her brown eyes.
Finally, she has decided.
She picked up her phone and dialed the numbers from the card. It took five seconds before someone answered the call.
"Hello, this is NYY Company. Grace speaking. May I know your name?" A sweet voice welcomed Carole.
Carole was taken aback by the sudden welcoming voice she could hear. She gulped and replied.
"This is Carole Hale. I would like to know if there is any position in your company." She picked up the card and looked at the name. "Uhm, Rene recommended your company to me. Are you hiring?" She asked.
"Y-Yes Mam!!" Grace said immediately. "I would like to get your contact number and what date you are available for the interview," she said.
"A-Already?" Carole blurted out.
"Yes, Mam! We are going to schedule your interview immediately! We would like you to know more about our company. Especially our benefits." Grace said.
"Okay," Carole said.
Grace asked more questions from Carole before the call ended. When she put her phone down, a sweet smile was on her face. She couldn't believe that finally, after months of searching she now had the job she needed.
Carole put her hand on her baby bump and looked at it as if it was the most precious thing in the world. To her world.
"I will do everything for you," she whispered.
Her eyes were about to tear up. Maybe being pregnant will really indeed make you emotional. Carole giggled at herself along with the new hope in her eyes, thinking about the future of the baby inside her womb.
She put her eyes back through the glass window and tried to find the old man who offered her help, but he was already nowhere and impossible to be found. She wanted to at least thank him for the help.
It is indeed a miracle meeting that old man. Carole promised herself that when she saw that old man again, she would treat him to a fine restaurant.