"Knock knock."
The sharp sound at the door had both men in the vanity van pause and turn their heads toward it. Elliott let out a short snort at the sound and turned away without a word. He had no interest in entertaining any guests at the moment.
Skylar, left behind, frowned and crossed the van to the door. He opened it only slightly, keeping the gap narrow so that nothing of the mess inside was visible to the person on the other side.
If the media or, worse, the fans caught even a glimpse of the chaos scattered across the place, the rumors would spread like wildfire. And then, there would be no going back from that. After all, with the recent problems that Elliott had been facing and the sheer lack of PR efforts from the agency, it was clear that they were on thier own if there were any problems.
Outside the door, stood a tall man in a crisp black suit. He carried himself with the stiff air of someone used to authority. In his hand was a single black envelope. Skylar's frown deepened as he raised an eyebrow at the sight.
"What is it?" Skylar asked cautiously. Recently, the haters had started to send weird stuff.
"I have a message for Actor Elliott," the man replied quietly. He extended the envelope toward him with a practiced, almost formal gesture.
Skylar's eyes narrowed as he made no move to accept it.. "We do not accept fan mail directly. Please understand, for the safety of the artist, it is important that all letters and packages go through the agency so that they can be screened for security first. You can send anything you want to the official address, but nothing is received here. I'm sorry."
The man shook his head calmly, keeping his arm extended with the envelope. "This is not fan mail," he said evenly. "It is an invitation to a business meeting. Or a collaboration, as people in your line of work might call it."
Skylar's suspicion deepened. This was a strange approach, too direct and far too convenient. He had seen enough tricks from overzealous fans to recognize the pattern. "It doesn't matter what you call it," he replied flatly. "Everything has to go through the agency first. I am sorry."
He began to close the door, ready to end the conversation, when footsteps sounded behind him. Skylar stiffened immediately. He did not even need to turn around to know who it was.
"What is going on?" Elliott's voice cut through the air impatiently.
Skylar winced inwardly. This was exactly what he had wanted to avoid.
For months now, the number of stalker incidents had been climbing, keeping him constantly on edge. It had become his job not only to manage Elliott's schedule but to guard him from potential threats.
But Elliott, for all his outward frustration, had too much patience when it came to fans. If Skylar so much as hinted that he was sending someone away, Elliott would explode in anger before listening to reason.
So, Skylar turned carefully, choosing his words with caution. "This person wants to give you something," he explained. "He says it is not fan mail but a business proposal. I was only telling him about the agency's policy, that all communication must be checked before reaching you."
Even as the words left his mouth, Skylar cursed himself silently. He had seen the spark light up in Elliott's eyes the moment he mentioned the word "business." A familiar, rebellious fire.
Before Skylar could stop him, Elliott stepped forward, nearly flattening him with the door in his haste. With a polite smile that was far too calm for the situation, he took the black envelope directly from the man. "Thank you for your love," Elliott said coolly.
The man, clearly not a fan but someone used to discretion, gave a stiff nod. "You can check the contents," he said. "If you are interested, come to the Golden Moon Hotel at nine."
Without waiting for a reply, he turned and walked away.
Elliott watched him go, the faint crease between his brows deepening. A fan had actually booked the Golden Moon Hotel? That was new and etravagant. He looked down at the thick, heavy envelope in his hands. His name was written in elegant silver handwriting across the front.
Could it really be a business proposal?