Chapter 25

I spent the night with Sebastian, and the shame followed me out the door when I left wearing the same clothes I’d had on when I came in. Quinton still had most of my clothes, I had no way of getting into Caleb’s condo. 
Still, when I headed to the audition place I was greeted by a wave of controlled chaos. The sterile silence of Caleb's apartment felt like a lifetime ago, replaced by the buzzing energy of a dozen hopeful actresses. The hallway was a sea of people and nervous chatter, each woman was here to audition for the role.
As I navigated the crowd, I couldn't help but overhear snippets of conversation. Actresses compared notes on their headshots and resumes, their voices laced with a mix of ambition and desperation. One group, clustered near the waiting room door, was dissecting the situation with a cynicism that sent a jolt through me.
"It's just a formality, don't you know?" a woman with fiery red hair scoffed. "That Bennett woman won't back down without a fight. They're just going through the motions."
"Typical Hollywood," another actress chimed in, her voice dripping with disdain. "It’s just a game of power plays. Watch us all be here and them not change a thing.”
My initial excitement for this unexpected opportunity began to dwindle. Did I really want to be a pawn in some high-stakes drama between a disgruntled actress and a director? This wasn't the kind of cutthroat environment I'd envisioned. Perhaps this was all a bit more than I'd bargained for.
Taking a deep breath, I retreated to a corner, taking the audition script with me off the stack near the front. Maybe, I thought, a more casual approach was in order. Taking this audition as an experience, a way to stretch my comfort zone, could be valuable regardless of the outcome. After all, the world outside Caleb's apartment was a far cry from the spreadsheets and filing cabinets of my accounting life. This, for better or worse, was an adventure.
Steeling my nerves, I straightened my posture and rehearsed the opening lines of the scene in my head. Whatever the true purpose of this audition, I was determined to give it my best shot. Who knew what could happen? Maybe I could get out of the sex industry this way. They said all it takes is one good role. A small smile played on my lips as I joined the queue, a newfound sense of determination replacing the initial apprehension. There might be drama behind the scenes, but I was here to act, not participate in it.
The line shuffled forward, a nervous energy thrumming through the air. As I reached the registration table, a woman with perfectly coiffed blonde hair and a dress that shimmered expression cut the line. The woman taking names at the table looked up at her with an irritated expression.
"Excuse me, darling," she drawled, her voice dripping with practiced sweetness. "Seems I was a bit… indisposed yesterday. Surely there's no rule against a leading lady reauditioning, is there?"
A collective gasp rippled through the crowd. This was the notorious Bennett woman, the actress who'd supposedly been "dismissed" from the role according to the gossip I'd overheard. Her arrival sent a wave of resentment through the waiting actresses, their whispers morphing into disgruntled murmurs.
The receptionist pursed her lips, glowering at her. 
“Sure. If you get to the back of the line.”
But Ms. Bennett wasn't having any of it. She waved a dismissive hand. "The back of the line are for those who lack talent, my dear. Now, where do I sign in?"
The other actresses bristled. One, a woman with fiery red hair I recognized from earlier, stepped forward, her voice tight with anger. "There's a line here, Ms. Bennett. We all waited our turn."
Ms. Bennett's smile faltered for a brief moment, then she fixed the redhead with a steely look. "And who, pray tell, are you?"
"Someone with more respect for the process than you apparently have," the redhead retorted, her voice unwavering.
The tension in the room was thick enough to choke on. A part of me wanted to melt into the background, to disappear from this brewing storm of egos. But another part, a spark ignited by the redhead's defiance, urged me to stand my ground. This wasn't about kowtowing to someone with a bigger name; this was about a fair chance, a chance I wasn't willing to relinquish without a fight.
The receptionist shifted in her seat and turned to the woman at the front of the line. 
"There is a rule against line-cutting. Back of the line or I’ll have you escorted out.”
I was surprised. A surprised silence greeted her. The woman stomped her foot and growled, but the receptionist didn’t back down, calling the next woman forward. The rest of the line murmured, seemingly impressed by by the unexpected intervention. She huffed and turned. A flicker of annoyance crossed her features. Then, with a tight smile that didn't quite reach her eyes, she adjusted her diamond necklace.
"Well,” her voice laced with a something cruel. “I suppose the newbies should have a fair turn…”
With that, she sauntered to the back of the line, her designer dress swishing with each step.
The other actresses stared at the receptionist as she continued to process people into the audition. It was strange. I reached the front of the line and gave her my name. She didn’t ask me for a portfolio or a headshot, but gave me a number to wear and waved me on. 
It was nice. At Sebastian’s company, there was always a headshot floating around and there were no auditions. This felt fair in a way that I’d never experienced. I settled beside a group of woman and kept reading the script. In that moment, a small spark of pride ignited within me. Maybe, just maybe, this side of acting wasn’t so bad. There would be competition, there would be challenges, but there would also be moments of unexpected fairness that I’d never had before. At the least Mark didn’t seem to be the type to replace an actress just because someone slept with him. 
It took real talent, not just looks on this side, and that… made me feel hopeful.