"Why not?" He replied casually. His gray eyes were fixed on her. "You're talented, Charlotte. I've seen your previous work and it's incredible. I thought you might be interested in these scripts."
Charlotte's fingers touched the cover of one of the scripts, her mind racing. It had been so long since anyone had believed in her talent, let alone encouraged her to step back into the spotlight.
But was Damon doing this just to help her?
That sounded impossible.
It would make more sense if Damon wanted her to become an actress again so that Charlotte could pay back every cent he had spent on her.
Living expenses, new clothes, nice things he had given her.
Even though Damon hadn't said anything, Charlotte knew better than anyone that there was nothing free in this world.
Still, Charlotte doubted she could become a bright actress like she was.
"I ... don't know what to say," she admitted softly, looking up at him.
Damon nodded. "No pressure. Just think about it."
"Mr. Sullivan is right, Mrs. Dawson." A middle-aged woman with glasses said to her, "It would be such a waste not to use your extraordinary talent again."
Charlotte narrowed her eyes and looked at her name tag, which said Tatiana, the show's director.
While the men sitting next to her were introduced as Liam, the Head Producer, and Nathan, the Vice President Director.
She couldn't believe her eyes, why would these important people gather in the conference room just to convince her?
Nathan spoke, "Despite being hiatus for years, you still have a solid fan base, even after all this time. He continued, "We've run the numbers, checked the analytics, and there's a huge demand for your comeback. The fans have been asking for you and this project is the perfect opportunity to give them what they've been waiting for."
Charlotte tapped her fingers on the table, feeling overwhelmed by the situation. "Honestly, I'm flattered by your dedication to me. But I haven't been on the big screen in years and I'm not sure I can live up to these expectations."
Besides, people might accuse Charlotte of using Damon's power to get the role if she failed to portray her character well in the movie.
Tatiana chuckled. "Don't worry about that, Mrs. Dawson. We're not coming here empty-handed." She placed several sheets of paper on the table. "We've hired some great acting teachers to help you hone your talents."
Even though Damon said he wasn't pressuring her to come back, Charlotte felt otherwise.
They were all ganging up on her, as if they didn't want to hear her say no.
Their preparation was topnotch that Charlotte wasn't able to dodge the bullet at all.
"This isn't just about business, Charlotte," Damon finally spoke, his deep voice filling the room. "This is about giving you what you deserve. Your ex-husband took everything from you, and it's my turn to give you back everything that's yours."
Julian had taken everything from her, her confidence, her career, her self-esteem.
Damon wasn't just offering her a role in a movie, he was offering her a chance to rebuild the life she thought was lost forever.
Maybe what made her hesitate wasn't herself, it was just a nagging voice in the back of her head.
Damon, "I really want you to take this opportunity, but if you're still uncomfortable, I'll respect your decision."
Charlotte looked at the documents on the table, the scripts, the contracts, the resources they had prepared for her.
Other actors might not get as many privileges as she did.
But that was the problem.
Charlotte felt like she was receiving food that she wasn't able to chew.
If she wanted to come back to the big screen, then she had to be sure she was ready to do it.
"I want to join the audition, like other actors." Charlotte said firmly, "It's been so long since I did this, so I need motivation to sharpen my skills again. That's why I want to audition, and receive honest critiques, no sugarcoating."
Damon smiled. "Glad to have you back, Mrs. Dawson."
• • •
After the quick meeting, Damon left Charlotte to think about what kind of movie she wanted to do for her comeback.
She had looked at the three scripts she liked best, but she still couldn't decide.
Even when she and Damon returned from the office, Charlotte was still reading all the scripts over and over again.
"The audition is still in two months, you can think about your decision carefully," Damon reassured her.
Charlotte flipped through the paper several times. "That's the problem. I don't think two months is enough time for me to practice."
"I can postpone the audition."
She immediately lifted her face and declared, "No! What's the point of auditioning if I'm not fair from the start?"
Charlotte knew he wanted her to make money as soon as possible, but the money would be meaningless if she got it by cheating.
But aside from that problem, Charlotte had just realized that the car wasn't going to the Crimson Moon mansion.
"Where are we going?" Charlotte asked.
Damon's lips curled into a small smile, his eyes flicking to the road ahead. "I'm taking you to register your name as my Luna."
Charlotte's eyes widened in disbelief. She didn't understand why so many things had happened to her in one day?
The car finally came to a halt in front of a large, dark building on the outskirts of the city. Unlike the human government, the Nocturnal Order only operated after sunset.
Charlotte took a deep breath before pushing through the glass door and stepping into the lobby. Her heels clicked on the marble floor as she and Damon approached the receptionist.
A beautiful vampire greeted them with a smile. "How can I help you tonight?"
Damon replied firmly, "I would like to register Charlotte Dawson as Luna of the Crimson Moon Pack."
He didn't have to say his name, but the receptionist had already recognized him.
She typed Charlotte's name on her keyboard and wrinkled her forehead as a red color appeared on her computer screen. "I'm sorry, but I can't proceed with your registration if one of you is still married to another person."
Charlotte frowned. "I filed for divorce from my husband, Julian Warren. He was supposed to sign the divorce papers yesterday."
The receptionist shook her head. "Last night, Mr. Julian Warren refused the divorce papers, saying it was just a misunderstanding."