The Royal Contract

"This is nice too." Serena closed the third script she had reviewed for the day.

Although the story seemed interesting enough, she felt something was missing. The characters did not speak to her. She did not make any connection to it.

She could not tell if the issue lay in the story or if the problem was her. But Nora was right. She needed to go back to acting. She had to start working.

It would be a fitting way to distract herself from her current situation. It was like she could not catch a break. Just when she thought things seemed better, something new would come up to ruin everything.

"Nice?" Nora paced before her with a look of frustration and disbelief. "All of this is incredible." Her manager stopped before her, grabbing several scripts in her hand before waving them in her face.

"It is a goldmine." Nora continued, unable to believe she was not excited to work on any of them.

She finally stood up, leaving the scripts on the coffee table as she moved to the open doors that led to the massive swimming pool outside.

She had temporarily moved to her brother’s house since she was tired of staying in a hotel room where she kept bumping into the paparazzi.

"I am sure it is for someone else." Serena’s eyes widened to look at the clear blue sky. But she quickly squinted when the sun’s rays hit her eyes.

She used her hands to block the bright light, hoping to enjoy looking at the few clouds floating freely in the sky.

"But not for me." She believed that some projects would work for someone but not for another.

And she thought the sunlight basking on her skin was better than the cameras flashing on her face at that moment.

Besides, she could not take seeing one more picture of her on the news, telling more lies. She just wanted a moment of peace to rearrange her life and priorities.

She knew she should be more used to this. But sadly, despite the years in this business, it still had not gone easier, maybe because she had faced this world alone.

"I thought you wanted to go back to work." Nora finally threw the scripts back on the table and followed her.

Then, she felt her hands on her shoulder, comforting more than anything else. Her manager might be frustrated with her, but she still tried to understand her.

"I do. But I guess I want to be more selective this time. I want my next project to have meaning." And not just another story that would sell at the box office.

Money has always been a strong driving force in the movie industry. But that was not what she needed nowadays.

She wanted recognition of her acting ability, not just because she was famous with a beautiful body and a pretty face.

"I get what you are saying." Nora took a deep breath as if thoroughly thinking before she expelled all the air in one long go. "And I will find you that movie. That I promise."

It was another thing she liked about her manager. She did not push her to do the things that she did not like. Explore stories at NovelBin.Côm

On the contrary, Nora tried to stop her from making all those mistakes. But she was too stubborn to listen, believing she knew what was best.

Now, she realized that her manager had only her best interest in mind. She was only looking after her all these years, protecting her from all the vultures in the industry.

"Thanks. I know I can always count on you." She guessed they could only call it a lesson when she finally learned from her mistake.

She turned around and hugged her manager, who sometimes acted as her mother in the business and personal life. But Nora was not the type to show much affection.

"Now, let us go back to business. What about the commercial? They want you to represent their new perfume." Nora was not about to give up on her. That was for sure, as her manager presented one project after another.

"OK, I might reconsider the perfume and the charity event. But I am not doing any more undergarments." She said with finality.

She had had enough of exposing her body to the world unless necessary. But for a commercial shoot, no more. She would leave that to the younger and new aspiring stars.

"Fair enough." Nora agreed with her plans, noting what she had to do. "Anyway, the charity gala is next week. Have you considered taking a date, or do you intend to go alone?"

She had not thought of that. Usually, she enjoyed joining charitable events. She always loved giving back to the less fortunate.

But more often than not, she had someone to accompany her. Frankly, she could never remember going to any event on her own.

"I can’t say. Maybe I should do it alone this time." That was a thought that suddenly crept into her mind. She had been so dependent on others that she had lost touch with herself and her ability to deal with life without someone else having a say in her decisions.

It started with her father telling her what she should do. Then, her brother hovered over her, being the overbearing, overprotective brother that he was.

Then, it had been a downward spiral from that point on as she found herself in one relationship after another where men tried to control her life.

"What about I reserved one just in case?" Nora said, looking hopeful.

Somehow, Serena could sense that Nora had learned to like Adam. And now, her manager was disappointed that they were having some trouble in paradise. That was her term.

But Nora did not want to push the matter as she downplayed the situation. Still, she could feel that her manager was still rooting that Adam would somehow find his way back into her arms.

"I don’t think..." But she stopped, not wanting to argue with a person who seemed wiser than her. As she said, she had to learn her lesson and try sometimes to listen to reason.

"I know I have been hard on you. But somebody had to look after you." Nora walked back into the room and grabbed the drink that her assistant provided earlier.

Then, after following her drink, she turned to her again and continued. "I know you have been through a lot. And I should know what those stupid men had done to you."

"But..." She stopped her before she could interrupt her. "I don’t think Adam is the same as them. My instinct tells me that he is different."

Of course, she confided the incident about Adam’s alleged infidelity. But as Roseann had insisted, she claimed that Adam was innocent. Roseann took all the blame for the said kissing scene.

But she had been hurt and lied many times before. And as much as she wished to believe her, something inside her was afraid to take a chance on him.

"I don’t think I can go through that again." Serena felt conflicted between wanting to be with Adam and the fear of going through the pain and humiliation again.

"Aren’t you even going to give him another chance?" Nora seemed to fight for Adam’s side.

It was something she had never seen before. Usually, Nora would order her to run for the hills, but this time, it seemed she was asking her to stay and fight.

"What if you are wrong about him? And you did not even try to listen." Nora sounded like a love guru, which was odd since she never believed much in relationships, having none currently or in the past.

She said she was married to her work, and her family were the people she helped in the industry. She could not remember Nora in any romantic relationship.

"Nora, I don’t know what Adam did to you, but you are acting strange." She finally voiced her curiosity at the way her manager was behaving.

"Because I saw something different in your eyes when you were with him. And I saw how he had looked at you." That was her simple explanation.

"Just for once, listen to your heart and not your brain or the people around you. Not even me." She suggested as she packed up her things and inserted the scripts into her bag.

She could tell that her manager had finally said her piece. Now, she was ready to leave. Whatever she decided with her life. It would all be up to her.

"I have to go. I will find you that perfect movie that will make you shine. I promise." Her manager leaned over and kissed her on her forehead before she moved toward the door.

She came like a gush of wind and left like a storm. That was her manager. Something she looked up to and wished to become someday.

Nora was a force to reckon with.

But was she right about this one?

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