Chapter 95 Crossing Austin
However, some actions demand a price.
Austin was not the kind to be taken lightly. Once he set his sights on something, he would drive you into a corner if it meant getting his way.
Daisy had just turned off her phone screen when a call came through from her agent.
The moment she connected, the voice on the other end was fraught with urgency.
" Oh my God, what on earth did you do to piss off Mr. Hill?" The tone of my agent was laden with urgency and a touch of distress. "He's pulled all your gigs."
There was a pause from Daisy. She didn't elaborate, simply offering, "We had a falling-out."
"Are you out of your mind?" Her agent's frustration was palpable, as if grappling with Daisy's inconceivable actions. "You finally snagged a spot on the B-list with a villain role, and now you tell me you're pregnant and taking a year off?"
“I was on board with that too. Even if you're not on set, we could work on your promotion," the agent reasoned with stern sincerity. "But you've just burned your bridges with Mr. Hill, and he's cut you off from all your resources. What are you going to do?"
Without keeping up the momentum, your star will quickly fade, eclipsed by other shows, other actors. Before you know it, not only will the B-list be out of reach, but sliding back into obscurity isn't out of the question either.
Daisy was no stranger to these harsh truths.
She mulled over her thoughts for a moment, then replied with determined resignation, "Then it's back to square one."
"Daisy!" My agent hadn't seen anyone so stubborn. With the chance to cling to a powerful supporter right there, why deliberately make an enemy?
"It's not the end of the world. I've got talent and looks," Daisy affirmed confidently in her own capabilities. "Vocal presence, acting, the works – I've got it all. And with effort, results will come."
There was a silence on the other end of the line.
As Daisy was about to offer more reassurance, my agent interjected, "Being blacklisted by Mr. Hill means you're cut off from any good opportunities."
A wave of anxiety washed over her as Daisy's grip on her phone tightened momentarily.
“Then you'll be left with nothing but ramshackle scripts. With those, what good will your acting do?” The agent laid out the brutal reality. "Are you content to waste your life away in meaningless roles?"
Unacceptable. That was Daisy's immediate, visceral thought.
Many might not believe it, but her dream was to be an actor and an artist.
"I've said my piece. The choice is yours," my agent, truly had Daisy's career at heart.
The call ended.
Daisy sat motionless, long after the conversation, pondering her situation.
Returning to Austin's side was out of the question; she wouldn't gamble with her child's future for the sake of convenience.
But her career...
Having alienated Austin meant that she was now ranked lower than the rawest of newcomers – at least they stood a chance of being groomed by directors for their talent. Blacklisted by Austin, Daisy was untouchable.
Contemplating all this, her mood sank even further.
"Thump."
Her friend Daphne placed a cup of hot water on the coffee table in front of her, the gentleness in her approach unmistakable: "Have some hot water."
"Sure," Daisy replied, forcing a sweet smile to sip the water, not wanting to worry her friend.
To mask any signs of her turmoil, Daisy shifted the conversation, her eyes glistening, "I never knew you were so skilled."
"I never had to step in before," Daphne replied simply, addressing her inquiry.
Daisy shot her sister a compliment: “You’re looking sharp, sis!”
“I’ve got your back,” Daphne suddenly said.
Daisy looked perplexed, her eyes brimming with questions. “Huh?”
“Don’t worry about what your agent said,” Daphne continued, hearing more than Daisy realized as she stood with a cup of steaming water, unnoticed for too long.
At that, Daisy paused and then brushed it off with a casual laugh. “She’s just joking around. Austin can’t control my career.”
Her little sister had already ruffled Austin’s feathers on her behalf.
How could she possibly let her worry about her career now?
“Just focus on taking care of yourself and the baby for the next few months. Don’t fret over any opportunities that have slipped away,” Daphne wasn’t joking as she sat down, grasping Daisy’s hand to offer her strength. “Once you’ve had the baby and you’re feeling fit, I’ll help you make an even better comeback.”
Daisy cleared her throat, a light cough dispelling some of her gloom. “You’re something, kiddo…”
She found her little sister’s earnest promises amusing – more convincing than her boss could ever be.
Daphne raised an eyebrow. “Hmm?”
“You’ve got the makings of a boss,” Daisy complimented her, though she internally let go of her concerns. After all, every problem has a solution, and things will work themselves out. She refused to believe Austin had that much sway.
Daphne’s response was straightforward: “I am the boss.”
“Oh, come on, you might have a fortune, but that's just savings,” Daisy teased, playfully flicking her on the forehead. “When I say you're boss material, I mean you’ve got a knack for making promises that are hard to digest.”
Daphne remained silent.
“Don't worry, I'm fine,” Daisy reassured, resting her hand on Daphne’s shoulder. “Once the baby's here, I'll hustle and support us both.”
To hell with Austin!
“Okay,” was all Daphne said, not needing to elaboraborate.
She planned to give Daisy a substantial gift when she returned to work, something that would allow her to focus on her career without worries.
Daisy felt a warmth spread through her, hand on her belly as she revisited a past concern. “By the way, how'd you know where to find me?”
There were several hospitals under Austin’s group – it couldn’t have just been a lucky guess.
“I had someone look into it,” Daphne replied curtly, not divulging more.
She’d tried calling Daisy first, to no avail, then resorted to tracking down Austin’s whereabouts.
To keep Daisy from overthinking, Daphne changed the subject, “When is his crush returning?”
She remembered Daisy telling her Austin planned on waiting for his crush's return to finalize their divorce.
Daisy tensed involuntarily, her grip tightening.
Noticing the slight reaction, Daphne asked, “What’s up?”
"I lied to you before," Daisy confessed with a deep breath, her voice tinged with fear that Daphne might despise her. "There was no romantic crush, no business merger behind our marriage; just a misunderstanding that led to us sleeping together one night. He married me because his family expected it."
Daphne's face registered utter confusion.
Austin—that man, compelled by family expectations?
"Three months ago, he was away on a business trip, and I was overseas shooting a film," Daisy spilled the beans, "He called me late one night, drunk, said he missed me... so I went to him."
"And that's when you got pregnant?" Daphne pieced it together.
"Yeah." Daisy nodded. "But he's convinced that I was messing around with someone else during the shoot. No matter how much I try to explain it to him, he doesn't believe me."
"What about your marriage then?"
"Let's not go there," Daisy said, brushing it off.
She really had no clue what to do about the whole situation. Austin would never agree to a divorce. Sometimes she couldn’t fathom what went on in his mind—he didn't love her and doubted her unborn child's paternity.
In that case, wouldn't a divorce be better?
Log in with Google Account
Chapters
Favorite
Settings
