Chapter 131: No Problem with Acting, Problem with the Person

[Chapter 131: No Problem with Acting, Problem with the Person]

"I was only a few seconds late!" Amber yelled as she hurried to catch up with Ryan.

Ryan acted as if he hadn't heard her.

When Amber saw Ryan disappear down the hallway, she couldn't help but mutter, "Fuck," her brow furrowing in frustration.

"Ruined it! You made me late, bitch!" Amber cursed as soon as she got into the car.

Behind the wheel sat a middle-aged woman with long black hair. From a distance, she could easily be mistaken for a man.

"It was traffic; we left early! Don't be mad," the driver said, reaching out as if to comfort Amber.

"Get lost!" Amber slapped her arm away, landing a hit right on the driver's face.

"Don't be angry, dear," the driver responded unfazed, maintaining her attempt at consolation.

Amber continued to rant and rave, tossing a stream of profanity as soon as the car started.

"I'm coming early tomorrow! I must land this role!" Amber declared vehemently.

She had reviewed parts of the script and thought it was a significant improvement over the trash she had worked on previously. Even though it was noted that Ryan was the lead writer, she firmly believed there was a big-name ghostwriter involved. Her instincts weren't entirely wrong, as the show, 2 Broke Girls, was originally developed by Michael Patrick King, the mastermind behind Sex and the City, who was currently preparing for the sequel to the film.

Amber had done her homework on Ryan. The DJ had shot to fame unnaturally quick, debuting in March. Not long after, his track Harlem Shake swept the nation. Then there were photos of Ryan and P. Diddy, and then there was the collaboration between Ryan and Leona Lewis. Not long after that, Leona appeared on the closing ceremony of the Olympics.

The rapid chain of events felt too convenient, causing Amber to rationally deduce that a significant figure was undoubtedly backing Ryan. As for the rumored romance between Ryan and Taylor, she considered it merely a publicity stunt.

At a Dior fashion event previously, she had overheard a middle-aged woman bragging about how Ryan had once modeled for her, prompting Amber to strike up a conversation. Just days later, she received a casting call from that very woman, and without hesitation, she agreed to audition for Ryan's series.

Ryan clearly had connections, and such an opportunity was not to be missed. She had prepared extensively for this role, and to have it wasted due to traffic was infuriating.

The more she thought about it, the angrier she became! Amber continued to blast insults at the driver.

...

The next evening, Ryan and his team wrapped up most of the auditions.

"That girl who was late is still waiting outside," Julie reminded.

"She got here early and hasn't eaten all day," Trey added.

'Not eating? That's not my problem,' Ryan thought.

"How about we give her another chance?" Julie suggested, trying to take the initiative. Seeing Ryan didn't refuse, she called Amber into the room.

"Amber Van Ree from Texas, height 5'8", age 22," she announced, reporting her changed surname.

"Your records indicate your last name was Heard..." Julie glanced down at the paperwork.

"Just took my girlfriend's last name," Amber replied, shooting a look at Ryan. Compared to Daddario, her gaze was far more lively, complemented by her stunning looks that would likely leave most men speechless.

Can you use surname even if you're not married? That was a new rule for Ryan, and it opened a whole new world for him.

Trey directed Amber to begin her audition.

Once again, she performed alongside Daddario, and it was evident Amber had worked hard. Her expressions and movements perfectly portrayed the richness of Caroline, mixing a bit of spoiled attitude seamlessly. The comedic effect was impressive, even better than Teresa Palmer's audition the day before.

As her regular audition time elapsed, Julie asked her to perform additional scenes.

"The camera has recorded your performance. Wait for feedback; we will notify you regardless of whether you pass or not," Julie said.

"When can I expect news?" Amber asked Ryan directly.

Just as Trey was about to speak up, Ryan chimed in, "By the latest, right before we begin filming."

Amber nodded and left without further comment.

...

Soon after, the two women began discussing.

"I think Amber was the best out of all the 'Caroline' auditions," Trey noted.

"And she's stunning; I doubt there are many actresses who can match her beauty," Julie agreed.

They looked at Ryan, who remained noncommittal, leaving the decision up in the air.

"I need to think about this thoroughly. Daddario, what's your take?" Ryan recalled Amber shooting flirtatious glances his way. Out of all the actresses, she made the most small gestures, suggesting she might be trouble.

"I don't care," Daddario hesitated, reluctant to take the spotlight. Yesterday's Teresa was already quite attractive, and Amber seemed even more so.

...

As Ryan left the office with Daddario, he spotted a car stopped in the middle of the road. Through the front window, he could vaguely make out what was happening inside.

The woman in the passenger seat had long blonde hair facing away from him. From behind, it was apparent that it was Amber, and she was repeatedly swinging her fist as if hitting the driver. Curious, Ryan approached and knocked on the window, bringing their actions to a halt.

He noticed the driver was a black-haired woman whose mouth and eyes were bruised -- not fresh injuries, likely from the previous night.

Amber whipped around to see Ryan, her furious expression vanishing in an instant, effortlessly morphing into a meek demeanor as she quickly rolled down the window.

"It's nothing; we were just playing around, right?" Amber shot a glance at the woman beside her.

"Right, right," the woman quickly confirmed.

Ryan waved them off, telling them to move along and not block the road.

...

"That girl has issues," Daddario commented as they watched the car drive away.

Ryan agreed; her acting was solid, perhaps even exceeded expectations, but her personality? Who knew what kind of antics would follow if she got the lead role?

Caught in a dilemma, Ryan wrestled with the choice between Teresa and Amber.

Just then, his phone rang; it was Sean, the manager from the nightclub.

He explained that due to a double testing issue, the club entrance was chaotic, and many ticket holders couldn't get in, getting stuck outside.

"It's just starting; this is normal. Stick to the rules and don't let anyone in, not even one," Ryan assured him.

...

Florida University.

In the dorm room, Paul was sitting with a group of friends around a computer, the screen displaying two selfies of women side by side.

"I think the one on the left is prettier," the friends chimed in. Paul clicked on the left photo.

"Still the left one," they reiterated from behind him.

"Right one's not bad, either," Paul countered, hesitating but ultimately choosing to follow the crowd.

"Right one! Fuck, that one's a knockout!" The group unanimously shifted their choice to the right, their enthusiasm noticeably louder than before.

"Isn't that a female star? What's her name again?" Paul leaned in to get a closer look.

"Amber," someone from the back answered.

"She uploaded the photos herself? She also has an account?" Paul laughed at the revelation.

Ryan was certainly doing well for himself.

"Paul, didn't you say you could get activation codes? What's up with that?" someone queried.

"Still waiting around," Paul joked, explaining how those codes were in high demand. Women were snatching them up, and men were clamoring for them too, eager to see what the hype was about. While there were some "spies" leaking screenshots out to the public, mirror sites were quickly taken down, only increasing the general frenzy.

Paul had previously asked Ryan about it, but he was told it was women-only access. Paul couldn't bear the thought of asking directly.

"Hey, I'm back! When are we heading to the Bad Room?" someone walked in, and the group had been so bored waiting for him that they had opened the rating site in the meantime.

"Let's go now!" Paul jumped to his feet.

...

Soon after, they arrived at the club entrance. Compared to the initial chaos, Paul now felt a bit more seasoned, having brought several classmates before.

"What's going on?" Paul noted an unusual level of congestion by the door and sensed something was off. There had been crowds before, but nothing like this; most people were stuck outside.

As he got closer, he realized that everyone had to wind through a long queue to undergo a saliva test before getting in. Those who tested positive were required to take a second urine test. While the results didn't take long, this significantly slowed down the entry process.

"What is this? This is crazy," one of the friends complained.

"Hey, what did you say?" Paul shot back, glaring at him.

"Come on, Paul; you're Ryan's classmate, and you know the security here. Get us in through the back door," someone else suggested.

"Not a chance! Everyone needs to stick to the testing rules."

"I'm not going..." one classmate who had already partaken expressed reluctance.

"Then get out of here!" Paul nodded, pleased to distance himself from those guys. He fully supported Ryan's strategy.

*****

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