Chapter 275: Stress

Mina sat in front of the piano, her back straight and her face relaxed. Even though she was really playing, she made sure to animate her gestures to make them appear interesting on camera. She was careful not to move too delicately, because her character was not a delicate woman. Instead, she looked to where the actors who played the judges sat, and smirked; trying to look sinister but looked seductive instead.

When Mina's scene was concluded, she patiently waited for Director Porter to dismiss her and she immediately changed her clothing. Once she was comfortable, she returned to her actual job and factored in the amount she was able to save the production by completing her scenes early. She was interrupted by Jay, who looked surprised to see her adding information to her clipboard.

"Do you actually work for him?" Jay asked, she was referring to Director Porter.

"Of course," Mina said without looking up. "Why else would I be here?"

"You two are not dating?" Jay asked and Mina flashed an irritated expression. "So, is he single?"

"Ask him," Mina said.

"Do you think that would be a good idea?" Mina shrugged.

"You are asking the wrong person." Jay considered Mina's words for a while before disappearing. Her father had already warned her, but she was still interested.

----

Jay wandered around the set, watching some of the film hands arrange the props required for the next day and stealing glances at the director who was working with a few of the extras on B-roll footage. Karen and her manager approached and initiated conversation. The women wanted Jay to work with the actress personally for the remainder of filming.

Apparently, the stylist they had brought with them was also from Rouge Entertainment, but they had always been unhappy with the way she styled the newly debuted actress. Karen started to tell Jay that she believed the woman was trying to sabotage her career, but she was hushed by her manager. In response Jay made a zipping motion across her lips.

----

Matthew went to the place where he knew he would find Mina, only to discover the girl spaced out, once again. She was running her hands through her hair which she had pulled out of the bun. He knew she was stressed about something, and he hoped she was not already considering quitting, but as he thought about it, the less likely that seemed. If Mina wanted to quit, she would just quit.

"Did something happen when you acquired the investment?" Mathew asked, afraid of what Mina's answer would be. His question startled the woman, who had not noticed his presence.

"What? No, nothing. I told you, I filled in as an interpreter in a confidential matter," Mina said. She was a little too defensive and Matthew began to doubt her story.

"Mina, we can always go to the police," he said sympathetically, but Mina shook her head.

"Director Porter, thank you for your concern, but I'm being honest. I am stressed, but Oric Lamar is not the cause."

"Are you expecting?" Matthew asked. He knew just enough about women to know that there were three top reasons they could be stressed: family, men, or pregnancy.

"Wow, people are so unoriginal," Mina said. "I'm stressed because I have a lot on my mind."

"Are you sick?" he asked, and Mina tilted her head.

"I don't know yet," she said in a whisper.

Matthew had worked with a sick actress in the past. Her career had only just started and was extremely promising, but just three years into her success, she was hospitalized, and later died. When that actress first heard the news of her illness, she was a lot like Mina, distant, and spaced out, but on camera she was magnificent.

Apart from Peter, Matthew seldom cared for people who worked for him or under him, but that actress's death hurt him. That woman, like Mina, was beautiful and well mannered. There were plenty of people who Matthew wished could have taken the woman's place instead.

"Do you need a few days?" Matthew asked, and Mina shook her head.

"I still have bills to pay," she said with a smile. Matthew was generous with his salary, but he was not generous enough to offer Mina paid time off after just three days of employment.

"Well, you're done for the day," he said. "You can leave whenever you're ready." Mina did not need to be told twice. She jumped up and practically flew out of the studio.

----

Dom was sitting in his car dozing in and out of sleep. He hated following Mina around simply because it meant that he had to wait for her all day. When they were together it was not bad at all, but sitting in a quiet car with nothing to do, was torture.

Dom heard a loud slap at the side of his window and pulled his weapon, pointing it straight at the source of the sound. He would have one hundred percent opened fire had it not been for the terrified expression that replaced the grin on Mina's face.

"Mina what the fu-" Dom started to say, but the girl literally turned on her heels and ran. Dom killed the engine of his car and started to give chase. He was fast, but the girl was quick, and she got far in the time it took him to unfasten his seatbelt, which had jammed in his haste to release it. "Mina stop! It was an accident," Dom shouted.

Mina darted into an alleyway, ignoring Dom. She could not hear what he was saying, and she did not care, he had pointed a gun at her, and her mind told her that he was ordered to do it. Mina's chest started to burn, and she could feel herself losing momentum, but she squeezed into a small path between two buildings. Dom had only just managed to catch up to her, but he was too big to follow.

Mina slowed her speed, trying to pace herself for the long distance she assumed she would be running. She had studied several aerials of the area, and she knew exactly where she was and where she would end up. She had not planned to make a run for it, but to lose Dom as an ally meant she was in trouble.

When Mina emerged on the other side of the alley, she slowed to a brisk walk making herself blend in with the crowd. It was just after school dismissal hours and there were several students roaming the streets. She zigzagged between the young men and women, doing her best to blend in, which would have been easier, if the country did not require schools to enforce uniforms.

Mina was shorter than most of the male high schoolers so anytime she approached a large group of them, she used their height as a cover. Since most of the boys were preoccupied with chatting, none of them noticed the strange woman creeping beside them. Well, almost none of them.