CHAPTER 298: CHAPTER 297: HOLLYWOOD AND HOPE

Victor leaned back in his chair, eyes narrowing just a fraction, as if calculating a different approach. He let the silence stretch, then exhaled through his nose.

"Well," he said finally, his voice lighter, "that’s the fire I like to see. Passion. Determination. Maybe we can channel some of that." His gaze slid to the girls, lingering just a little too long. "After all, fresh talent... is the lifeblood of this business. And you four have the kind of presence that turns heads before you even open your mouths."

The compliment hung there like perfume... sweet on the surface, cloying underneath.

Victor’s smile stayed fixed, but behind it, his thoughts were sharpening. The kid was sharper than he’d expected. Confident. A little too confident. That "future" line had stung... not because it wasn’t true, but because it was. He’d spent his prime burning through every advantage he had, clawing his way up in a town that didn’t care how many people you stepped on, so long as you delivered. And now here was some fresh-faced nobody, sitting in his office, tossing barbs like he belonged here.

He hated that.

Still, there was no profit in open hostility... at least not yet. You didn’t last long in Hollywood without learning how to let someone talk while you measured the angles to cut them down later. The smarter play was to keep the conversation warm, lure the kid into thinking they were on the same side.

Besides, his attention was drifting. The girls... they were something else. Not just the polished beauty under layers of makeup you saw on literally every street in LA, but raw, unshaped presence. Sophie had a spark... the kind that popped in a camera lens without her even trying, she was walking temptation. Daisy had that bright-eyed, wide-open eagerness that made people want to lean in. Hannah, had the kind of beauty you want to claim and dominate. And Elara... she was different. Guarded. The kind who needed coaxing, which made the payoff that much sweeter.

Victor’s gaze lingered on them just long enough to let his mind wander, imagining what a little careful "mentorship" might unlock. Opportunity wasn’t always about scripts or deals... sometimes, you know it was about knowing how to position someone where they could... shine.

And in Hollywood, nothing shined without someone paying for it.

So, he let out a warm-sounding laugh that didn’t quite reach his eyes. No way was he letting some smart-mouthed kid get under his skin in front of an audience... especially this audience. He had a reputation to keep, an image to project. To be get their trust and show his professionalism.

With an almost theatrical wave of his hand, he changed the subject, his voice dropping into that half-whispered, conspiratorial tone people use when they’re about to share something you "shouldn’t miss."

"You know... the thing about Hollywood is, it’s not just a city. It’s a world. A promise. Every corner, every rooftop bar, every soundstage... they’re all dripping with opportunity. You bump into the right person at the right time? Your life changes forever."

The girls’ eyes widened slightly, the way they always did when the magic of the word "Hollywood" was dangled in front of them. No one could ever resist fame and fortune. Victor saw it and leaned in just enough to keep them hooked.

Of course, that was the sales pitch. The truth? Helping them in Hollywood was a joke. First of all, he didn’t have the kind of pull he pretended to. And even if he did... why waste it? What he could do, and had done plenty of times, was simpler: sleep with them, keep them close with promises, maybe even blackmail them if they got restless.

He’d already run that play with more than a few. Beautiful girls arrived in LA by the busload, eyes wide, hearts pounding with the dream of making it big. But Hollywood wasn’t kind. Many ended up in the hands of men like him... men who saw those dreams as currency to be traded, milked, and discarded. They’d become playthings until the novelty wore off, then be quietly replaced by the next pretty face.

The discarded ones? Most didn’t survive the fall. Some spiraled into drugs, some into prostitution, some into anything that could numb the sting of reality... whether willingly or unwillingly. The stubborn ones, the ones who refused to give in, scraped by with odd jobs, chasing auditions that went nowhere, clinging to hope until the years ground them down. Eventually, they either settled into something ordinary or packed up and left, their Hollywood dream nothing but a ghost.

That was the truth behind the glitter. That’s why people said that eight out of ten in LA had come chasing the same dream, and most were still chasing it years later. Of course, a rare few did break through, did soar into the stratosphere... and it was those rare stories that kept the rest running in circles, hoping to be next.

And Victor knew exactly how to sell that hope.

The man leaned back, clearly convinced he was impressing them. "Now, why don’t you tell me about this... project of yours? I’m sure we can find a way to make it... mutually beneficial."

Hannah stepped forward before Rex could speak, she was afraid that if they let Rex speak, the situation would spiral out of control, as they still needed to complete the project.

Her voice steady but bright as she outlined the basics of their idea. Victor nodded slowly, pretending to be deeply interested, though his eyes wandered now and then... assessing, measuring, imagining.

When she finished, he rose smoothly from his chair. "Why don’t I give you a little tour? No better way to understand what we do here than to see it for yourselves."

He motioned for them to follow, leading them through a glass door into a bright corridor. As they walked, he pointed out various departments... the casting offices, post-production suites, talent management desks... dressed his explanations in the warm tones of a mentor sharing insider knowledge.

But woven into the business talk were carefully planted seeds. "Hollywood isn’t just an industry," Victor said smoothly, "it’s a kingdom. And as I have said before, the right people can open doors you didn’t even know existed. whether it is for stepping into Hollywood or just a simple project like this, right person, can really help you in a way you didn’t even think. One day you’re a face in the crowd, the next... you’re the name on everyone’s lips."

(End of Chapter)