CHAPTER 299: CHAPTER 299: MALE LEAD

Mary hugged him back, but her tears started to fall again.

Because deep inside, she feared it was already too late. That May was gone forever... and she would never get the chance to say:

"I’m sorry."

..................

The next morning, the sun was shining softly over the city.

Theodore stepped out of his apartment dressed in a crisp white shirt and dark jeans.

His hair was neatly styled, and his bag was slung over his shoulder. He looked fresh, confident, and ready for the day.

He walked down the hallway of the Waters family apartment building and pressed the button for the elevator. As he waited, he checked his watch. "I’m right on time," he muttered to himself, smiling.

The elevator dinged, and Theodore stepped inside.

When he reached the ground floor, he walked outside to the parking lot and headed toward his bike. It was a sleek black and silver model, something his dad had gifted him a few months ago. He ran his hand along the seat, smiling with pride.

"Let’s go," he whispered, hopping on.

The engine purred to life, and Theodore zipped through the streets.

Today, he wasn’t just another actor going for a shoot; he was the male lead of a film that might just be a big hit.

Recently, he had been working closely with Jonah and Micah. Both were trying to lock in IPs and find casting directors for the book-to-film adaptations they had taken on.

Theodore had already chosen his script; it was a hilarious yet heartwarming story of a poor man who becomes a millionaire through wit, charm, and a lot of funny, sneaky tricks.

Before, Theodore wouldn’t have even been considered for the third lead in such a project.

But now, things had changed. His luck had turned. His confidence was up. And more importantly, he had connections, real ones. With just one phone call, he had gotten the male lead role.

But even though he got it through influence, Theodore was determined to prove that he deserved it.

He arrived at the audition studio and parked his bike. After greeting a few people, he headed inside the bright building where the auditions were being held.

The casting director spotted him and smiled.

"Theodore, good timing," he said. "Come sit next to me. We’re about to see the auditions for the female lead."

Theodore nodded quickly. He still couldn’t believe it, he was sitting next to the casting director, watching actors audition. Not standing in line nervously. Not waiting for hours. But calmly watching as a lead actor.

One by one, girls entered the room. They gave their introductions and acted out emotional scenes. Some were good, others okay.

But then the door opened again, and she walked in.

Theodore’s heart skipped a beat.

She had long, wavy black hair that shimmered like silk. Her gentle brown eyes sparkled under the lights.

Her skin was pale and flawless, and she wore a simple outfit that still made her look like a character straight out of a fairytale.

Chloe.

The moment Theodore saw her, his mind went blank for a second. He knew her, of course, he did.

She was a rising star, someone he had admired from a distance for a long time.

They had worked together a few times before, and she had always been kind to him.

Unlike others, she never looked down on him when he was struggling. She encouraged him, cheered for him, and even told him, "You’ve got something special."

Back then, Theodore had started to feel... something. Something like a crush.

But he had stopped himself.

After all, Eleanor was in his life, and he didn’t want to be the kind of guy who played with people’s feelings.

But seeing Chloe again, so beautiful, so confident, standing in front of the camera... it was hard to look away.

She looked at Theodore and smiled softly. There was no awkwardness. No coldness. Just warmth in her eyes. Then she turned to the casting director and said politely,

"Hello. I’m Chloe Matthews. I’m here to audition for the role of Ava."

The casting director nodded, flipping to her form. "Alright, Chloe. Let’s see your take on the emotional scene where Ava finds out her father betrayed her."

Chloe nodded and stepped into position.

Then...she began.

Her eyes filled with tears. Her voice trembled just enough. Her hands clenched tightly at her sides as she said the lines, full of heartbreak and disbelief. It didn’t feel like acting. It felt real.

Everyone in the room went quiet.

When she finished, the casting director leaned back, smiling widely. "Well," he said, "that was amazing."

The director leaned forward in his chair, still smiling as he looked at Chloe.

"You were perfect," he said.

"From your skin tone to your accent, from the way you spoke to the emotions on your face, everything matched Ava’s character exactly. Honestly, it feels like the writer had you in mind when he created her."

Chloe’s eyes widened a little in surprise. Her cheeks turned red as she smiled shyly.

"Thank you so much," she said softly, tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear. She looked down, trying to hide her blush, but it was clear she was happy.

Theodore, still sitting beside the casting director, couldn’t take his eyes off her.

As he watched Chloe smile with pink cheeks, he whispered under his breath, "She really is not like the others..."

He meant it, too. Unlike many actresses he had met before, Chloe didn’t act fake or proud. She was calm, gentle, and humble, even after getting the lead role.

The casting director stood up and clapped his hands once. "Alright," he said loudly. "We’ve found our Ava. Thank you, everyone. The auditions for the female lead are now officially closed. We’ll now move on to the second female lead."

He, Chloe, and Theodore stepped out of the room and walked toward the hall, where other actresses were still waiting. The casting director gave them a polite smile and added,

"Thank you for coming today. We appreciate your time."

Whispers and grumbles started to spread through the crowd.