Chapter 144 Unrequited Love
Luann Weaver is a hot commodity on the internet today. Even the news of a famous actress winning an Oscar was overshadowed by Luann's trending presence, slipping quietly off the trending topic.
"Miss Weaver, are you sure you won't reconsider?" the persistent agent asked once more.
Luann shook her head firmly, "No, thanks. Please, if you could move aside. You're in the way."
With that, she took Holly Weiss by the arm and strolled ahead.
Watching her walk away, the agent's brow furrowed deeply, a flash of displeasure in his eyes.
"The industry’s full of people like you," he muttered bitterly.
"Think you're something special, but without the right backing, your fame will fade away."
"What a waste..." he complained to himself.
"In his career, he had mentored five or six high-profile talents, each of whom was now thriving and would affectionately refer to him as 'brother', often sending gifts to show their gratitude."
But with Luann Weaver...
"Excuse me?"
A tentative voice sounded from behind.
"Are you the renowned agent James?"
With an impatient grunt, James was ready to leave.
The voice added in awe, "It is you! Gosh, I thought I was seeing things. What luck to meet someone as famous as you!"
James, no stranger to flattery, basked in the admiration.
Turning around, he saw Juliet Weaver, her face brimming with joy.
"Are you Juliet Weaver?"
James had heard of the Weaver sisters, Luann and Juliet, and had kept an eye on their careers.
Juliet nodded eagerly, "Yes, that's me! I can't believe you remember my name..."
James cast a measured glance over Juliet, assessing her from head to toe.
Juliet Weaver was something of a nonentity in the showbiz world. Despite having been around for quite some time, she hadn't produced any notable works, nor had she ever really had her breakout moment.
Compared to her sister Luann, Juliet's looks left much to be desired.
James had no interest in signing her, unwilling to waste time on someone with such a slim chance of success.
"Do you have a moment, Mr. James? How about I treat you to a coffee?" Juliet offered.
James declined, "I'm afraid not, I've got to sort out some schedules for the talent back at the office. I should be going."
A shadow of disappointment crossed Juliet's face, as if she had anticipated this response. She mustered a bitter smile and nodded.
"Alright then, I won't keep you any longer."
She sighed softly, her head drooping.
James suddenly paused and took notice.
"Hey, lift your head; let me have a good look at you."
Juliet complied immediately.
On closer inspection, there was a resemblance between Juliet and Luann, noticeable in certain angles. Though not born of the same mother, the shared bloodline of their father was undeniable.
After a moment of thought, James handed her his business card.
"Here's what we'll do. Come see me in a couple of days; it seems we might have...an opportunity to work together."
Juliet accepted the card, her elation obvious.
"Thank you so much!"
This entertainment agency was one of the top players in the industry, its stars shining the brightest, including the recent Best Actress winner. To get signed by this company was a sure ticket to a boost in status—even the least known actors managed to snag supporting roles in popular TV series.
Juliet thought to herself that her path to stardom was finally beckoning.
On the drive back, Eddy praised Holly Weiss and Luann Weaver, his admiration for the two practically stamped across his face.
Myron Curtis irritated by the ceaseless chatter, then cut him off.
"What about Alvin Curtis?"
They had parted ways with Alvin Curtis after checking their tickets and hadn't seen him since.
Eddy chuckled awkwardly, "He's probably hiding off somewhere, that guy is very timid "
Myron Curtis snorted, "I never pegged him for a coward."
Beside him, Luann Weaver let out a yawn that seemed to stretch on forever.
Myron immediately turned to her, patting his thigh. "Lie down, get some sleep. I'll wake you up when we get there."
Luann murmured an acknowledgment, curling her small form into the spacious backseat and pulling Myron's jacket over herself for warmth.
Eddy glanced in the rearview mirror, carefully said. "Myron..."
Instinctively, Myron placed his hand gently over Luann's ear. "Save it for later, Eddie. Let's not disturb Lu's sleep."
Eddy responded with a deflated tone.
After they arrived home, Myron carried Luann to her room. When he came back down, Eddy and Holly Weiss were already raiding Luann's stash of snacks.
"Look," Eddy said, "this competition was good for Luann."
"She's trending again. Everyone online is talking about her!" he added with a hint of enthusiasm.
"And she didn't just prevent you from losing money, she also won back Peter North's bet and scored a hefty prize."
Myron's gaze swept over them with a disquieting coolness and said, "I'm aware of her talents."
"But that's got nothing to do with your trip to Europe."
Holly's ears perked up. "Europe?"
"What about it?"
"Uncle, where are you headed off to?"
Eddy let out a heavy sigh, embellishing the story as he filled Holly in.
Holly whispered, "Myron's really touchy, you know. You're playing with fire, teasing him about his limits."
Myron stood up abruptly.
"Where are you off to now?" she asked.
"To catch Alvin Curtis."
Realizing his error, Eddy quickly jumped to his feet, eager to tag along. "Me too, I'm in."
Soon they both were gone, leaving Holly alone in the living room. She flicked on the TV, and the day's race replay filled the screen.
She grabbed a bag of popcorn and munched away.
Her phone buzzed with an incoming message.
It was from her racecar enthusiast friend: “How'd the race go?”
Holly typed back: “Not bad! Pretty good! As expected!”
“Did you snag a prize?”
Holly grinned as she replied: “Heh, the winner isn’t me. It’s the veteran you idolize!”
On the other end, Peter North gripped a red velvet box, his long fingers affectionately caressing it.
Reading that message, he suddenly sat up straight with a jolt of surprise and began to type.
“Our mentor is in a competition too? What kind of competition? Why didn't you tell me?”
Holly: “Calm down, it's just a small competition. She got dragged into it by a friend at the last minute! It was a total act of desperation to finish the race!”
“I see... Had I known the mentor was competing, I could've just stayed home and watched the live stream.”
Holly Weiss glanced up at the TV screen.
Holly: “Well, it's not too late, you know. There are replays available both online and on TV!”
