Chapter 54: Irina

[Chapter 54: Irina]

"I'm leaving."

"Okay."

"I'm really leaving."

"Go ahead."

"Hmph." Taylor turned and walked towards the front door.

Ryan noticed Taylor's mother standing at the entrance, and the two shared a nod, acknowledging each other.

After only a couple of steps, Taylor turned back. "What time are you coming over tomorrow?" she quietly asked, referring to Abigail's birthday party.

"Probably around eight."

"Alright, then I'll head over early." Taylor nodded.

...

Ryan returned to his car, which had changed from a muted olive green to a more flashy dark red. It wasn't just a color change; this was a higher-end four-wheel drive version, providing far more power than before.

While buying something extravagant wasn't quite in the budget yet, Ryan decided on this upgrade for now.

On the way back after dropping Taylor off, Ryan received a call from Mary Jane. He opted to answer.

"Hello?" her voice came through, slightly puzzled.

"I'm the one who went to Redneck Mud Park with Taylor last time..."

"Ryan, right? I've been hearing your songs a lot lately. You're really popular," she immediately recognized him.

She was older than Trey, which surprised him; he thought younger folks were the only ones who listened to this kind of music.

Considering her job as a party promoter, he figured she probably caught his songs in nightclubs. With that knowledge, it made it less likely she would refuse his request.

"Sure! I'll set it up right away and get someone to fly to Nashville. You can take a look first." Her eagerness was quite clear.

Ryan felt a pang of skepticism about her motives. Still, given her profession, her enthusiasm seemed understandable.

"Preferably a Slavic girl..." Ryan recalled the music video and made a more specific request. The model in the video had that Slavic vibe.

"She needs to be stunning, unforgettable at first glance, and ideally quite tall. And most importantly, the cleaner the better," he reminded her.

"Those first two points won't be a problem, but the last one is going to be a bit tricky," she replied.

"But if there's someone new that fits, I'll hit you up right away. Let me send you a few profiles to review first," Mary proposed next.

Ryan didn't refuse.

...

Once back home, Ryan opened his computer, and Mary's email had already come through.

The material resembled the model cards on the Next official site, but clearly, it wasn't quite "high fashion." They looked more like part-time models.

Too ugly, pass.

Too heavy, pass.

Has tattoos, pass...

Ryan barely spent a second on each photo. He swiftly eliminated the vast majority of the thirty-plus young women Mary had sent over.

Wait!

He scrolled back to a picture he had just skimmed.

In the photo, a woman stood slightly at an angle against a desolate backdrop. She wore a white knitted cardigan with nothing underneath, her hands casually wrapped around herself. Her dark brown hair waved in the gentle breeze, her gray-green eyes looking at the camera, her high nose profile accentuated by a sultry smile.

This matched the vibe of the model from the music video closely, and in terms of physique... Ryan took a closer look.

This woman was even more striking than the one in his memory.

The information that accompanied the photo was detailed -- nationality, 5'10", 121 pounds, 75C which was marked as "real," no tattoos or piercings, but there was no name listed. That made sense; even if a name was attached, it would just be a stage name, never a real one.

Ryan called Mary and selected two other candidates in addition to this one to avoid putting himself in a passive position.

"Sure! When are you free? I'll arrange everything in advance," Mary agreed promptly.

"As soon as possible. My radio tour had only completed the first stage."

...

Trey walked in as he hung up.

"Get in the kitchen and cook for me," she commanded.

He had said that to Abigail as a way to sneak out early, and he hesitated, responding: "I finally got home; you wouldn't starve while I was gone, would you?"

"Yeah, waiting for you to return," Trey smirked.

"Maybe tomorrow instead," Ryan suggested.

Trey then playfully slapped Ryan's shoulder.

"Do you still want me to shoot a MV for you?"

"Who do you want to take pictures with?" Ryan winked.

When filming the music video, Trey was paid to do things, which is not wrong.

Trey frowned and, seeing that Ryan wouldn't budge, she just walked away.

...

Later that night, in a dark room of a high-end hotel in Nashville, a silhouette of a man stood by the large window, illuminated by the outside lights. Next to him, a shadow moved, the height only reaching half of the man's. A moment later, the shadow gradually stretched, rising to the man's nose level. It turned out to be a woman getting back up.

"Are you satisfied now?" she asked, wiping her mouth with a napkin, her accent thick with a Russian flavor.

Ryan opened his eyes and looked at the woman beside him named Irina Shayk. He realized it was pointless to mention the names of the other girls; she was determined to secure this opportunity. Not to mention, she had certainly impressed him right off the bat. After all, the interview didn't even take five minutes before it escalated, and it stayed that way until full darkness fell outside.

"I'll reach out before we start filming," Ryan said.

"Thank you for this opportunity. I really like your music; your voice is amazing, and you're even more handsome and taller and more 'energetic' than I imagined..." Irina said with her hands folded, pouring on the flattery.

"My voice is amazing?"

"Absolutely! You wouldn't have swept across Europe if it weren't!" Irina affirmed confidently.

If he didn't know for a fact he hadn't sung a note himself, Ryan might have believed her.

Looking at the time, he realized there was still an hour until eight, so Ryan sat down to chat with Irina.

That's when he learned that she, along with two other Slavic models, had paid for their own tickets and accommodation and even offered Mary an additional fee just for a chance at the audition.

Ryan had made a splash in just two months, completely unaware of how fiercely competitive it was among aspiring models, magazine girls, and young actors seeking exposure, let alone landing a gig to shoot a video for a track like Tremor.

"You can stay in the room tonight," Ryan reminded her.

Irina nodded and proceeded to freshen up while Ryan ensured he was dressed properly before stepping out.

...

Abigail's coming-of-age party was quite a lively event, with a crowd of friends, family, and classmates. Taylor, as a star, naturally drew everyone's attention, while Ryan was not without his fair share of stares.

Especially during the cake-cutting moment, Abigail insisted on sharing the first slice with Ryan. It was just then that she flared her nostrils, a shadow of anxiety flickering across her features...

Taylor stood among the crowd, her eyes fixed on Ryan and Abigail, a green-eyed monster brewing within her.

But throughout the entire party, she kept silent, not saying a word to Ryan.

As night fell and the party concluded, guests began to leave, and Taylor bid farewell to Abigail.

"You have to stay tonight!" Abigail said, her previous smile vanished as she turned on Taylor earnestly, her tone suddenly more forceful.

*****

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