**Chapter 153: High-Level Meeting**

The early bird catches the worm.

As the sun rose, Century City was already bustling with activity. This area, located on the west side of downtown Los Angeles, is not only the city's most densely packed business district but also the beating heart of Hollywood itself.

Movie studios, music companies, talent agencies, PR firms, and other related industries all converged here. Despite the fact that over 50,000 people poured into Century City daily for work, fewer than 6,000 actually lived in this power center.

William Morris, the oldest talent agency in Hollywood, was situated right in Century City, witnessing the ebb and flow of people. After a century of refinement, it had become a landmark in the area. Even though Creative Artists Agency (CAA) now grabbed all the headlines, this place remained a pilgrimage site for agents entering the industry.

365 days a year, no rest.

Including today.

"Edgar..."

"Edgar!"

The calling voice approached from a distance, forcing Edgar Cook to cover the phone's receiver. He raised his voice to respond to the source of the sound, "I'm on a call with a producer..."

But clearly, the other person didn't care. Without even looking at Edgar, they shouted, "Partner meeting room, three minutes."

After delivering the message, the person quickly left to catch up with Harry Smith, who was busy texting—Harry didn't look at Edgar either, his focus entirely on his current task. The two of them turned and walked away.

Edgar rolled his eyes in exasperation but took a deep breath to keep his composure.

Donald Morin, the agent assistant at the neighboring desk, raised his eyebrows in an exaggerated manner and teased, "Others would kill for a chance to attend."

Edgar smiled, "How about you go in my place? I could use the time to wrap up some work here, budget meetings."

Donald's smile froze, and his expression became somewhat awkward before he retreated, "Heh, you're just saying that. If I actually went, I'd be the one making a fool of myself, getting treated like a circus monkey."

Edgar didn't bother responding. He took another deep breath and returned to his phone conversation, putting on a smile, "How about this—I'll summarize what we just discussed and email it to you. That way, the details will be clearer, and we can discuss the specifics based on the list next time. How does that sound?"

After quickly wrapping up the call, Edgar hung up.

He then looked up at Donald, "I'm serious. Do you think I'll get to speak in there? Or even get a chance to make an impression? No, I'm just a secretary."

He paused and repeated, "Secretary."

With that, Edgar grabbed his notebook and quickly headed to the meeting room.

It was all true.

Although Edgar had been promoted to junior agent several months ago and had signed three actors during that time, officially entering the agent business, the situation had not fundamentally changed.

The three actors he signed were all blue-collar actors, suitable for certain specific roles. In their case, things were straightforward—they were the plug-and-play type for any movie or TV show, never short of work. While their performance fees were low, their workload was consistently stable.

To be honest, they were more stable than those young actors with striking appearances. Acting truly became a job for them. Maybe they would never achieve great fame, but making a living wasn't an issue, just like any other office worker.

However, the problem was this:

Their work was stable, negotiations for each collaboration were relatively easy, and since they didn't require additional management tasks from their agent, Edgar's income wasn't high. He still had to handle his original assistant duties.

At William Morris, or more precisely, at any traditional agency except for CAA (Creative Artists Agency), this was the norm. Unless a junior agent managed actors who could play significant supporting roles or multiple actors who could ensure a stable income, they would still have to juggle their assistant duties, handling trivial tasks for senior agents and partners.

Of course, they didn't mind either. These trivial tasks not only earned them an assistant's income but also allowed them to interact with producers, directors, and stars. Insider information flowed freely, and opportunities often hid within.

And so, Edgar found himself in his current situation.

Despite being promoted to junior agent, he didn't have his own office. Not only did he sit with the assistants, but he also had to handle some secretarial tasks for senior meetings.

For instance, the partners' meeting.

At first, Edgar stood outside this inner circle, eager and full of anticipation, just like other assistants. He yearned to enter those high-level partner meetings, hoping that maybe there was an opportunity hidden inside, or perhaps one of the partners would recognize his potential.

But once he finally entered the meeting, he realized he was just playing the role of a recording device, a mere tool. No one even looked at him. He bet that more than half of the attendees didn't know his name.

Outside the meeting room, he was a junior agent, beginning his own career, working for himself, creating a bright future.

But inside the meeting room, he was still insignificant dust.

Who would want to give up their career to become a typist?

Moreover!

Right in front of him, Edgar already had his own work that needed proper handling. Who knew? Perhaps that very task could be the turning point in his career. But now, he had to set it aside temporarily to play the role of a secretary.

*Sigh.*

Yet...

What else could he do? This was the path he had to take.

Edgar longed to have his own exclusive artist, a potential rising star who could break through the barriers. Just one person could completely overturn his situation. That desire burned fiercely within his chest.

He let out a breath. Whether he liked it or not, Edgar still pushed open the door to the partners' meeting room, silently walking to the back of the room, ready to take notes.

One person. Two people. Three people...

In no time, the meeting room was almost full. Edgar was a little surprised; this wasn't a common occurrence. It was clear that today's meeting held significant weight, but he had no idea what the agenda was.

Were there any rumors within the company recently? Or was there some important, large-scale project that could mobilize everyone?

Edgar's mind started racing, but he couldn't come up with an answer.

And even if it was a big project, it wouldn't involve him anyway. He was just a spectator; all the excitement didn't concern him.

*Creak.*

The glass door of the meeting room opened, and a man in a dark blue suit entered. His physique wasn't strong, but he was well-proportioned and solid, filling out the suit perfectly. His short, neatly cut hair was heavily streaked with gray, yet he didn't appear old; instead, he exuded a refined and seasoned elegance.

He walked in without stopping, straight to the point. He raised a photograph high and displayed it to everyone present.

"Whose client is this?"

*Cough.*

Edgar almost choked on his own saliva.

(End of Chapter 4)