Chapter 39 The Taste of Youth
Next door, Hayden and Christian had set up an impromptu drink.
Christian was the first to arrive, a girl with flowing locks at his side. She had the delicate features of a classic beauty, tanned skin, large doe eyes, and an air of youthful innocence.
Clearly, she had never been to a place as deluxe as this, especially not to a VIP suite like the Emperor's Room, with its towering dome reminiscent of a European cathedral, adorned with replicas of famous paintings. The sofas were both long and plush, the tables and chairs crafted from materials she couldn't name, in styles she couldn't place. She couldn't recognize the brands of red and foreign liquors on the glass shelves, but she knew, just by looking, they were worth a no small fortune.
In such an opulent setting, one couldn't help but feel diminished, insignificant, and voiceless.
Christian, with a cigarette dangling from his lips and maintaining a casual arm's length distance, asked, "Do you know why I asked you here?"
She shyly met his gaze, only to quickly avert her eyes, "No... I don't."
Exhaling a cloud of smoke that drifted to her face, she closed her eyes, slightly intoxicated by the scent. Before she could open them, he said, "Director Gibson is prepping a new movie, and he needs a female actress who can dance."
Her pupils dilated, hands nervously fumbling with her dress, excitement and anticipation written all over her face.
Jimmy Gibson was a top director in the industry, his name synonymous with box office success. His films had topped the charts for three consecutive years. Even a minute or two on screen in one of his films would be a significant step towards stardom.
Flicking away some ash, Christian remarked, "Your dance skills are passable. But there are millions of female dancers. Tell me, why should anyone pick you?"
Her timid and soft voice barely carried, "Because I... I won the first prize in a dance competition?"
Christian chuckled as if he had just heard a child's naive dream, "Do you know how many dance competitions there are each year? Dozens, maybe?"
She bowed her head, twiddling her fingers, "Yeah, there are."
Christian said, "I've never been short of talented and beautiful women here, but business is all about an exchange of equal value."
She nodded in agreement, "Yes, Mr. Brin."
Christian leaned back casually, his arm draped over the back of the sofa as if he were embracing the girl, his pose exuding possession. "Ever been in love?"
At his proximity, her breathing tightened, her heartbeat leaped to her throat, and her body stiffened, "Dated one, but... we broke up."
Christian looked down, inquiring, "Experienced?"
Her face flushed crimson with youthful embarrassment, "I... haven't..."
Just as Hayden promised, he arrived without delay. Christian was not one to waste time, "Some things are self-taught in the moment. Mr. Sackler will lead you; you just need to follow along."
The girl's head shot up, her eyes wide with shock, "You... you're not...?"
Christian cut in, "Did you think I wanted you for myself?"
The girl bit her lip, unable to speak.
Christian Brin grinned ironically. "Mr. Sackler is skilled at treating people fairly. You have the role if you can make him happy."
He coolly placed his smartphone on the table, his finger hovering over a contact named 'Jimmy Gibson.' "You've got ten seconds. I can make the call after you decide. It's up to you."
The girl felt torn. At twenty-one, fresh in the world of entertainment, a dazzling opportunity beckoned. Yet...
She hadn't even had it with her first boyfriend. Was she really about to trade herself for her career?
She heard of classmates 'managing' their way up. But once she opened that door, could she ever retreat unscathed?
Christian reclaimed his phone. "Changed your mind? Fine, I'll tell Jimmy to look for someone else."
"No! I want to," she blurted out, clutching Christian's arm, a resolve setting in her eyes. "I'm willing... Thank you, Mr. Brin, for this chance."
Christian nodded. "Smart girl."
When Hayden arrived, the girl sat beside him, demure and docile like a tame dove.
Christian nodded toward her. "Treat her nice; it's her first time."
Hayden was indifferent. Sure, she wasn't as stunning as in her pictures, but her unspoiled innocence was tempting enough, "No hard feelings?"
Christian, leaning back on the chair, ignored him. "Did Damian really go?"
It sounded like he envied Hayden: a fresh catch he missed out on, snatched by another.
"Damian sent Thomas over with some flowers," Hayden noted. "Guess whose idea that was?"
Christian's disdain was palpable. He hadn't expected such a move from Damian. "He's got some tricks."
Hayden's smirk held a deeper meaning. "Guess who's in the room next door?"
Christian's eyes gleamed with mischief. "Who?"
"The one who's got their head in the clouds."
Christian didn't quite believe it. "Really?"
"Positive. And her friends, a guy and a girl, are there too."
Christian, frustrated for missing out on the fun, slapped his leg. "Perfect opportunity. Let's grab a drink with Damian."
Hayden, his hand on the girl's slender waist, felt the softness under his fingers. "Why wait for your cue? He's been called; he'll be here in minutes."
Catching a glimpse of Hayden bending over the eager girl, Christian cursed under his breath, "Can't you hold off for just a second?"
Hayden's fingers wandered up her skirt, and the girl in his arms melted like pudding under his skilled touch, barely able to suppress her moans.
"You're just begging for a show, aren't you?" Hayden teased, lips curled in amusement as he enjoyed her flushed reaction.
Christian was completely disregarded as if he was nothing more than thin air.
The girl's body shivered, caught between her fear of Hayden and the shame of a third person witnessing their exchange. Her voice was so tiny it was almost lost, "...uh-huh..."
Hayden, with a hint of tenderness, promised, "Just wait, I'll introduce you to something even more frightening later, then you won't be scared of little ol' me anymore. You know I'm the gentlest one here, right?"
Christian's phone rang. Annoyed at the caller ID, he got up and walked out, "If you're going to do it, go inside. Someone's being a buzzkill. Careful, or you might get plucked."
---
"Hey, got a light?"
Amelia leaned against the wall, a slender cigarette held delicately between her pale fingers.
Christian, with his back to her, answered his call. Hearing her, he glanced back.
Under the dim, mystical light, the tall woman rested casually against the black marble, her wavy hair flowing smoothly and side-swept bangs gracefully framing her brows, highlighting her delicate features and professionally done makeup, which was strong without being over the top.
Her gaze was as lazy as that of a Persian cat.
But it was her lips that truly demanded attention.
She looked familiar, but he couldn't quite place where he had seen her.
Amelia thought he didn't have a lighter when he didn't respond after a while, so she turned to leave.
"Click!"
The sound of the lighter's cap snapping open, followed by the hiss of a small blue flame.
Amelia tipped her cigarette into the flame, the end lighting up bright red. She exhaled a plume of smoke with the ease of a seasoned smoker and said, "Thanks."
Christian sneered inwardly. At least her approach to striking up a conversation wasn't as irritating as some. She had a sense of her looks, unlike those who'd had enough cosmetic surgery to be unrecognizable, yet still claimed they'd only had braces.
He wasn’t blind.
Christian played with the lighter, spinning it idly. "How exactly would you thank me?" he inquired with interest.
