"Wanda, why aren't you taking up the role? Are you that kind to recommend my sister?" Sari asked right away.
"Didn't I tell you already that, someone was going to be suspicious of my kindness?" Wanda looked at her brother.
"We have to be cautious!" Sari replied.
"If you may know, I have other schedules and can only make time for the scenes of the second female lead. Besides, the scenes between the two leads are a bit intimate, and my fiancé will not be happy to see me with another man." Wanda remarked.
"So, you think June doesn't have a problem with those intimate scenes?" Sari asked.
"She is allowed to get a stunt double, as long as Luigi is satisfied with her acting, which I know he will, because I know June's acting ability." Wanda's words were filled with confidence.
"Well, at least you said something right. June indeed has excellent acting skills." Sari acknowledged proudly.
"Alright, here's the contract. You can go through it. If you like it, then we can move on to sign." Tony placed the contract across them.
"Wait, am I not supposed to audition first?" June asked.
"You will, in that room. Behind the curtains is Luigi himself. You will only audition after you are okay with the contract." Tony explained.
Sari pulled the contract forward to have a look. June moved closer and read it with her. As they read through the contract, their eyes widened and they exchanged glances.
'Are they crazy? They are actually offering you half a million for this role and additional 50K for wardrobe?' Sari looked at June.
'This feels too good to be true. Sari, let's look at the conditions!' June tried to calm down.
The conditions were a bit outrageous, but weren't exactly impossible to execute.
Sari cleared her throat and asked. "These conditions are a bit outrageous. June still has her image to protect. She can't just do whatever Luigi Oren demands. This particular one here state that, she must not leave the set before Luigi does. This also states that she has to always be where he can see her and be willing to follow his lead while on set."
Sari sighed. "June isn't a kid. She is a grown woman and has her own considerations. If she is going to follow someone's lead always, won't she lose her originality?"
"Sari is right. When it comes to my work, I don't job about it, but I also need my own privacy. Following his lead all the time might seem appropriate, but what if rumors start to circulate around that I'm trying to seduce him?" June asked.
"Well, I understand your concerns. That's why everyone on set has signed an NDA. Luigi is experienced and won't cross the line. He is very responsible, and only wants this movie to be the best. Miss June, if you accept to be part of this project, my team will give you a good team that will help improve your image." Tony explained. He was going to this extent because Luigi personally asked for June.
"How about this? We will add another 100k for all the inconveniences that you might face on set, as long as you don't quit, there will be other benefits." This was the last straw for Tony. If June didn't take it, he wasn't going to force her.
"I will do it. But I don't need an assistant. Having Sari with me is enough." June stated. She had to be careful in order not to expose her secret out.
"That's fine! Thank you, Miss June." Tony exhaled relieved.
"Can I do the audition now?" June asked.
"Sure! Go into that room. The script you will use is on the table. Go through it and do the audition." Tony pointed at the door at the other side of the hall.
"Thank you!" June stood up and went towards the door.
"June, good luck!" Sari shouted.
"At this age, you still think saying those words work?" Wanda remarked mockingly.
"What do you know?" Sari retorted.
Tony remained quiet. He didn't want to get caught between the two women, whom didn't like each other.
June closed the door and walked to the table. She picked the two-paged script and looked at it. June read through it and placed it back on the table. She stepped back, to stand at the center of the room.
The script was a scene from a popular series 'Database', where the heroine was drugged and intoxicated. Locked up in a psychiatric by her boyfriend whom she loved.
In the scene, her boyfriend visited her and she was levelheaded and talked about the pain and betrayal she went through.
Getting into her character, June pulled the chair out and sat on it. Her expression held little to no emotions.
"What are you doing here?" Gina stared at Ramon nonchalantly.
"Gina, I came to say goodbye! Den and I are going to Mexico. We... might never return to the USA again."
Luigi stepped out from the other door, saying Ramon's lines.
"You won't be able to get out of here easily, so, you should forget about me and remain here till you die." Ramon added.
At first, June was taken aback, but she came back to her senses quickly and said her lines.
Gina let out a soft chuckle. "You shouldn't have come here! No! You should have just killed me when you had the chance, Ramon. I will never forgive you."
Gina leaned closer and said coldly. "I will get out of here and find you, even if you hid under the sea. Even if you are dead, I will dig up your bones and make sure every single one of your generations get to drink of the broth I will make from it."
''Gina, you can't do anything besides rage. You should blame yourself for being too trusting of me. One more thing, I think you have little time left. Three months at most. Haven't you noticed how failing your health has been?" Ramon laughed.
"What did you do to me?" Gina panicked. Her health had indeed deteriorated ove the last two weeks. She was always weak and could barely see clearly anymore.
"Gina, how will you be able to take revenge if you can't even see well?"
"How dare you?" Gina stood up and attacked Ramon.
Luigi held both of June's hands and looked into her eyes. "Miss June, come back to your senses. Killing me wasn't part of the script, was it?"
June exhaled deeply and stepped back. She apologized immediately when she realized what she had done. "I'm sorry, Mr. Oren!"
Luigi smiled and sat down. "Miss June, your acting is indeed up to par with your beauty! I'm impressed."
June smiled awkwardly. She wasn't sure if he was praising her or simply being sarcastic.
But one thing was clear.
She had to be careful.
Luigi was too good looking. She now understood why all the female leads quitted. Working with a man who was as handsome as Luigi was deadly.
"I take it that you like what you are seeing?" Luigi asked. He wasn't surprised at all that June was staring at him. He was used to such reactions.
June frowned. "I wasn't looking at you. Mr. Oren, you seem concerted than I thought. Am I done here?"
Luigi chuckled. She was quite feisty. At least, she wasn't a yes-man.
"When you have a face and body like mine, I bet you will be concerted too. Miss June, aren't you cocky because you know you are pretty?" Luigi fired back.
June didn't want to fight with him. She had read and heard a lot about him, she didn't want to provoke him. Least he made things difficult for her on set.
"My apologies, Mr. Oren! Since we are done here, can I leave?" June asked.
"Sure!" Luigi followed June to the meeting room.
"June..." Sari stood up hastily when the door opened and she saw both June and Luigi coming out.
June smiled faintly and sat next to Sari.
Luigi whispered some words to Tony before looking at Wanda. "He's waiting for you outside!"
Wanda stood up. "June, I have to go. My fiancé is here to pick me up. I'll talk to you later." Wanda cheerfully stood up and picked her purse, leaving the place.
"Congratulations, June. You've qualified for the role." Tony spoke.
"That's great." June turned to Sari and smiled brightly.
"When can we expect payment? I mean, production has started already, so June has to work extra hard to catch up with everyone. Shouldn't she be paid a percentage before she starts?" Sari asked.
"The payment will be settled in two days. Fill the payment form first, Miss Sari." Tony alerted.
"Sari, just call me Sari. I will fill the form immediately. From now onwards, June is yours."
"What do you mean I am theirs? Sari, are you selling me to them? I can't believe you've abandoned me as soon as it's about money." June frowned.
"Sorry, honey. I'm just lending you to them temporarily. You are my cousin after all. " Sari chuckled.
June shook her head. Sari was completely beyond saving when it had to do with money.