"You really can't blame brother Ben , Luke. The situation is hard these days. Everybody is a good actor. So, if we make one mistake, we get eliminated. Do you know , how careful and vigilant I become during my acting ?" Fred smiles while sipping his cold coffee.
"That's the problem Fredy. He is not being careful. He is making mistakes. He doesn't even know that I asked you to take him in your drama and for him , you had to almost beg to the director." Luke replies frustrated.
"So what Luke ? It was not a big deal for me. After all, we were classmates and you helped me a lot in school." Fred holds Luke's palm to comfort him. "Don't blame Ben."
"I didn't want to. But he blamed me, he doubted me first. Asking me where I was. Ben has changed a lot , Fredy. You don't know."
"Luke, if he asked you about last night, you should've mentioned me and took me to meet him. Maybe, he would be angry at me, but he wouldn't doubt you anymore."
"No Fredy , you already did a lot for him. Now, I can't let you be insulted by him. Also, you already have a lot of pressure on you."
"It's all my fault. I shouldn't have called you." Fred lowers his head "It's just the way Alan insulted me that day .... I never thought he would scold me in front of the entire crew. I just asked the director to alter the scene a little."
"You are too good to be in this industry, Fredy. You meant good. You wanted to make sure the heroine's comfort but nobody else care about other's comfort na.." Luke passes a tissue to Fred. "And bringing you one pizza after your good work, was my duty. It's not your fault."
Fred wipes his tears with a smile "how I wish I could leave this industry and run my own business like your mother. ALas, only Ben has such option. He is lucky to have you."
Luke chuckles "He doesn't seem to think that. Anyways, you don't need to help Ben anymore, he needs to find his own way."
"Don't say it like that. I will help him again, if I get the chance."
***
"What help ?" Fred rolls his eyes at the director.
"About that boy , you asked to cut his scenes. I did what you said but now CEO is upset with it. Help me to clear this mess."
"Why would brother Alan be upset with this ? He is a nobody."
The director shakes his head "You aren't understanding. Maybe, he complained to Mr. Scott about me. Mr. Scott even gave him an invitation to his new show. And now he wants the cut scenes to be uploaded."
Fred stands up from his seat in alert " You wouldn't upload a single clip of him."
"But Mr. Scott ordered .."
"I don't care. Not a single clip of him or else you will be out of entertainment industry." Fred shouts.
The director clenches his jaw in anger "then what am I suppose to say ? Mr. Scott , your fucking boyfriend has threatened me to supress that newbie ?"
Fred glares at the director "Don't you have brain ? Say you deleted the clips or you lost the clips because those clips were unnecessary."
The director controls his anger. "I don't think Mr. Scott will buy it. I will give it a try but if I go down, I will take you down with me, remember that."
Fred throws his entire make up box on the ground as soon as he director leaves. "Ben Arnold , you wouldn't let me live peacefully...huh ? You have to poke your nose in everything I want ?"
Fred looks into the mirror with bloodshot eyes "I , Fredrick Thompson will not lose to you this time. I will have every fucking thing I want this time, including Luke Thomas."
Fred takes his phone and leaves the set without informing anyone. He takes a cab and rides to Zoom Entertainment main office.
***
"Mr. Scott , Mr. Fred is here at the office !"
Alan looks up from him laptop "at this hour ? Ok , send him in."
"Ok !" The secretary walks out of the cabin and informs Fred to go in.
Fred smiles sweetly at the secretary before walking in. "Big brother .."
"Didn't you have a shoot today ?"
"I did ! The shooting is cancelled."
"Why ?" Alan frowns.
"One of the co-actor got sick." Fred excuses confidently.
"Oh ! Then why are you here ?"
"To have lunch with you !" Fred sits in front of Alan.
Alan looks at Fred with raised eyebrows"lunch ?"
"Yeah ! Let'eat something of your choice. I will order. What do you want to eat ?"
Alan looks back at his laptop "no need. I promised to have lunch with Alina in her hotel. You order whatever you like."
"Oh ! About that ..big brother, did you find any participants to join the cooking show in my place ?" Fred asks curiously.
"Why do you ask ?"
"No if not. Then I can join."
"You said you can't cook and you don't want to embarrass yourself in front of the camera!"
Fred grits his teeth with a tight lip smile "yeah , I did. But this show is for the promotion of sister Alina's hotel. And if I can help her, I will definitely do that.."
"You are late..the audition was yesterday." Alan stands up from his seat "I will be leaving... "
"I will come with you." Fred stands up too. "I must pay a visit to sister Alina and tell her why I couldn't join..please, big brother."
***
Alina almost stabs her food as soon as she sees Fred tagging along Alan. "This bootlicking bitch , never gives up."
David chuckles. "Let's bet , he came here for you. Sister Alina. .. you aren't angry with me .. are you ?"
"sister Alina, brother David.. long time no see." Fred joins the table where other two was sitting. Alan joins at last.
Alan looks at his sister "what urgent matter, you wanted to discuss?"
Alina stabs her food again.
"Eat first !" David replies in place of Alina.
"Sister Alina, you aren't angry with me, are you ?" Fred asks with a sweet voice "trust me, I really can't cook. But I will learn, I promise."
David grins. "It's fine ! This show is better without you."
Smile disappears from Fred's face.
"I mean , you are better without this cooking show. Your job is to act , right !"
Fred gives a forced smile "yeah ... But I can be a judge , if you need me. I have tasted delicious dishes from all over the world."
"With my brother's money!" Alina adds.
"Huh ?"
"I mean , today is my brother's treat. We are going to eat with his money, ok ? " Alina smiles at the waiter who was standing beside her.
Fred smiles thinly "then .. can I look at the buffet ?"
"Those are for the participants!" The waiter informs Fred.
"It's ok ! I will just have a look."
***
Ben was looking at the buffet with a bored expression. He is not really hungry but ...
"Congratulations!"
Ben comes out of his thoughts hearing a familiar voice "Fred ?"
Fred smiles "yes ! I was just checking the buffet and saw you. I thought I should congratulate you for replacing me."
Ben frowns "Replacing you ?"
"Yeah , this cooking show .. this invitation was originally for me but I am so busy with my shooting , that I couldn't join it. We were searching for a replacement for so long .." Fred smiles "and we got you !"
Ben smiles with a frown "oh really ? Then thank you, I guess !"
"Hey no need to thank me. You just work hard. Maybe, in this way you can get some new fans. I will also suggest your name , next time I reject any shows. Also, guess what they promised me that they wouldn't eliminate me soon. So , even if you cook shit , you will still qualify."
"Oh !" Ben whispers.
Fred smiles in satisfaction seeing the gloom face of Ben "keep this information a secret , secret between us !"
Ben nods slowly "then ... I shall get .. going."
Fred grins "yeah yeah .. go and work hard .. your luck in your favour now. First, your boyfriend requested me to give you a part in my drama , then you replaced me on a cooking show. Wow man, you are eating my luck ! But be generous, don't eat my entire luck na ?"
Ben halts "you met Luke ?"
"Oh I did , in one of his office parties. Didn't he tell you? I was chief guest there. He even asked me to help you. You didn't know ? How romantic !"
"You are saying that I got the role in that drama because of you ? Because he asked you ?"
Fred gives a playful pout. "Don't say it like that. You are saying like ... You are existing in this industry because of me !"
"I never said that. You are saying that." Ben looks at Fred dead in the eyes.
Fred smiles "no no, You got me wrong. I am just here to congratulate you for your achievement. Just imagine, Out of all the actors, Alan gave you the show after I rejected. Congrats !"
Ben stands rooted in his place even after Fred left the buffet. His eyes turn red. Just a few hours ago he was excited about his new work and new opportunities , turns out he was being a fool.
"Mr. Ben !"
Ben turns to look at his back.
Alan looks at the boy in front of him with a titled face "Is there anything wrong ? You look like , you have seen a ghost !"
Ben shakes his head a little.
Alan nods "lunch finished ?"
Ben just nods without any words. He is not in the mood to say think you to Mr. Scott anymore. Mr. Scott was not doing him any favour. He needs a replacement, he gave it to the boy who will do anything just to be in front of the camera.
"Here !" Alan holds a bowl of icecream sundae in front of Ben "have this !"
"Why ?" Ben looks at the sundae raised in front if him "has Fred rejected this too ?"
Alan frowns "excuse me ! What ?"
Ben comes out of his daze. He didn't said those words loud. Did he ?
"What do you mean by that ?" Alan's face becomes cold suddenly.
Ben looks at Alan in fear. "I don't ... Eat ice-creams ! You can .. give it someone else... I need to go. Bye , Mr. Scott !'
Alan frowns as he sees at Ben's running out of sight. He looks at the ice-cream bowl in his hand. He puts the bowl down and walks towards the exit.
"I will be leaving early." He infroms David and Alina on his way out.
Alina looks at David in confusion "what happened to him ?"
David shruggs.
Alina sighs "I am not going to give Fred a lift. You will."
Meanwhile Alan who was sitting in his car with a very bad mood , gets a notification on his phone suddenly. He ignores it.
But soon another notification came with a vibration. He looks at his phone screen for sometimes before cicking on it.
Update about my cheating boyfriend -
Those who were asking for updates , tie your seatbelt. I have a lot to share.
I had an argument with my boyfriend. I didn't mention the cheating part as you suggested but I told him that he was lacking in our relationship. But he started shouting about my contribution in our relationship.
He was talking about financial contribution. To make it clear, we live in a two bedroom apartment and house rent is close to $900 and add another $100 for electricity. He pays for it. We initially decided that he will pay the rent and I will handle the food expenses as I am a struggling actor.
It happened two years ago and in these two years my progress is slow. I am still struggling but with time I started spending more than just food expenses here and there. Now, I cover medical insurance, electronic loan, clothing, laundry , maid's salary and all that. It's just I never pointed those out or made a list.
So, now he thinks .. I am not doing enough or spending enough. He wants me to quit my job and help in his mother's restaurant. He thinks I can't make it.
Yesterday I couldn't accept these words, we had a fight and I left the apartment to stay in a office quarter. But today something happened that I am doubting my ability too.
Alan reads the first update completely then he clicked on the comments.
"Told you , he would Gaslight you and make you feel guilty. It"s never like "how can I cheat ?" It's always like "how can you catch me cheating ?"
"Bro, if you are paying for all that, then don't even compromise.. you are giving more than him."
"I'm glad that you left the apartment."
"Break up ! You can do better than him."
Alan scrolls the series of comments that appeared just in ten minutes. He frowned and looked for the second update to know what happened today .
Update 2 - my boyfriend was helping me ? I am not good enough?
Today at office quarter , I met one of my co actor (just call him F) accidentally. He was my classmate in school and we debuted at the same time. But he is very much famous now.
Anyways, when I met him .. he congratulated me for replacing him in his show. It turns out the cooking show I am doing right now, it was actually meant for him. He rejected it and I was just a replacement to fill the space. I got selected not because of my pasta.
Alan suddenly sits straight emitting a cold aura. He reads further.
"He even told me that , that the show is staged and even if I cook trash , they would still keep me. As they promised that to F.
At this point , I was already doubting myself. But the he added that .. I got my previous drama ......( my scenes were eliminated in the final cut. No use for me) ...... because my boyfriend asked him to help me.
He asked the director to take me in. In clear words 'I didn't pass the audition with my own ability.'
Now, I don't know where my boyfriend stands ? Is he worried about my career that's why he is being rude ?
Does he also think I am good for nothing?
Or am I really good for nothing? Was he really cheating on me after helping me to get a show ?
I feel stressed.
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