The director's shout echoed across the set, "You've done great, Luna!" The crew, impressed by her performance, surrounded her with smiles and congratulations. Luna, the talented actress from a wealthy family, could hardly contain her pride. She'd nailed the shot, and everyone around her was satisfied with her performance. As the applause died down, her phone rang.
It was her mother.
"Luna, honey, are you coming to dinner tonight?" her mother asked warmly.
Luna hesitated. She had been planning to skip it, using work as an excuse, but her mother insisted. "We actually have something important to discuss. It's a family meeting."
Luna was no stranger to these meetings, but she had always kept her distance. Having lived independently since she was 12, she'd never been fully immersed in the family's corporate world, despite her upbringing. Now, at 20, she had grown used to doing things on her own terms. But tonight, her mother's persistence wore her down.
"Okay, I'll come," Luna finally agreed, reluctantly.
After the shoot wrapped up, she headed home, quickly changed, and prepared for the dinner. As she got ready, she called her boyfriend.
"Hey, baby, how's your day been?" Luna asked cheerfully.
"On my way home," he replied, his voice casual.
Luna sighed, "Bad news. I won't be at home tonight. I have to meet my parents. They've got something to discuss."
"Oh, you didn't tell me about that," he said, his tone suddenly flat.
"I'm sorry, I should've mentioned it," she explained. "It's just that they insisted on this dinner."
"I guess I'm just not as important to you, huh?" His words hit her like a slap.
She was taken aback. "What? No, that's not what I meant…"
But before she could clarify, he hung up. Luna stared at the screen for a moment, the tension in her chest rising. She'd tried to explain, but he wasn't listening.
Brushing it off, Luna left for her parents' house, where the familiar blend of warmth and expectations awaited. The evening started with light conversation—her mother joking about how much Luna had grown, how she was becoming more like her father, and so on. It was the usual, easygoing family chatter, but Luna sensed something was off.
Then, her father got serious, his voice turning steely. "Luna," he began, his eyes never leaving hers, "we've been discussing the future of the company, and we want you to take charge."
The room fell silent, and Luna's heart skipped a beat. The offer she had dreaded since childhood was now on the table.
"I... I can't," she said quickly, trying to brush it off. "I'm not ready for something like that."
Her father didn't relent. "It's time. You're the only one who can lead it."
Luna's mind raced, her independence and dreams flashing before her. But her parents wouldn't budge.