Chapter 9 The audition turmoil

Bailey Avery.

Even before her official debut, Bailey already carried herself like a superstar. Her manager led the way, with two assistants trailing behind her like eager puppies.

And Bailey? She strutted along, wearing a pair of sunglasses, exuding confidence.

Emily had just stepped out of the restroom when she spotted Bailey. Instantly, she retreated inside, not wanting to run into her here.

Seeing Bailey surrounded by her entourage made many aspiring actors waiting for their auditions envious.

"Hey, have you heard? Bailey Avery is the future Mrs. Edwards of A&B International. This audition is just a formality for her. But she's only auditioning for the second female lead, so it doesn't affect us."

"Thank goodness she's not competing with us. Otherwise, we'd be here for nothing!"

"Yeah, exactly. With Mr. Edwards backing her, she's bound to become a huge star. Guess it proves that talent doesn't matter when you can just marry rich!"

Hearing them gossip left a bitter taste in Julia's mouth.

If time could go back a year, all of this might have been hers, and she wouldn't still be here now, still fighting for a chance in an audition.

Julia glanced in a mirror, touched up her makeup, and regained her usual calm composure.

The roles of the first and second female leads were both crucial to the show, so their auditions were being held in a separate location from the other characters, which gave Julia a sense of relief. This way, she wouldn't have to run into Bailey.

Although Bailey was her half-sister, every time she saw her, Julia's mind was flooded with the image of Harry Edwards and Bailey tangled together in bed. It just made her utterly nauseous.

Over thirty actresses were waiting in the lounge for the audition for the third female lead. Some were carefully reading the character profiles provided by the crew, and some chatted in small groups.

Julia stood in a corner, deep in thought.

...

In another lounge.

This lounge was reserved for the first and second female leads. The seats were luxurious sofas, and there were only a few people present. Bailey looked around and saw only unfamiliar faces.

Even well-known stars in the industry needed to audition, but their busy schedules meant they had to arrange separate times with the director.

Although Bailey had the backing of Harry Edwards, she was still a newcomer with no notable works and no other commitments. Thus, she was scheduled to audition with everyone else.

Her assistant, Celeste, approached cautiously and whispered in Bailey's ear, "Miss Bailey, I just saw Emily Avery."

Bailey frowned, "What's she doing here?"

"She's here for the audition. I checked; she's going for the third female lead, so there's no conflict with you."

A look of disdain crossed Bailey's face. "Of course, there's no conflict. She doesn't even have an agent, so she can't possibly land a good role. But..."

Bailey beckoned Celeste closer with a crook of her finger. Celeste immediately leaned in to listen, and the two whispered for a moment.

"Miss Bailey, is this really necessary? I mean, setting aside whether she can even get the part, even if she does, she's just the third female lead. There's no way she could steal your spotlight. The second female lead has almost as much screen time as the first."

"What do you know? Emily Avery is not so simple. If she rises, she'll be my biggest rival. Just do as I say!"

Celeste nodded.

In the waiting room, Emily was still preparing herself. One by one, actresses went in for their auditions and came out looking dejected, which only made her more nervous.

The audition for the third female lead was being conducted by two assistant directors, not even Director Blithe yet, and it was already so strict. It was said that even if you passed the assistant directors, you still had to get through Director Blithe.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door, and everyone looked up to see who was standing there.

It was someone in work attire. There were quite a few staff members on site today to keep things organized with so many people auditioning.

"Who is Emily Avery?"

Emily Avery frowned but stood up. "I am."

"Come with me for a moment."

Emily followed the staff member out, feeling a bit suspicious. The staff member pulled her aside and looked her up and down. "So, you're Emily Avery?"

"Yes, is there something wrong?"

"Oh, it's like this. Director Blithe just reviewed your file, and he's quite interested. He'd like to meet with you privately," the staff member said with a smile.

Julia was quite surprised. "But... there's nothing on my resume. Why would he care about me?"

When it comes to looks, which actress in this business wasn't drop-dead gorgeous? And even if you weren't born that way, wasn't that what plastic surgery was for?

And as for her experience, she had only ever done bit parts. She had no significant role in her name. "That's exactly why Director Blithe is interested in you! I'm sure you've heard about his preferences. He loves a blank slate in an actor. There's more room for them to grow and be molded. So many other people fake their resumes, but yours is the cleanest of them all. That's what piqued his interest."

"But..."

What the person said was true. Director Blithe was famous in the industry for favoring newcomers, but Emily still felt uneasy.

Wasn't this a little too good to be true?

"But what? Are you really going to throw away such a great opportunity? Let me tell you something: today's auditions are just a formality. Many roles have already been decided. If you don't go, you'll have wasted your trip here."

Emily bit her lip. Although the industry was messy and full of hidden rules, what harm could come from just going to the meeting?

If he really does try to pull something, it's not like he can actually force me, she reasoned. I'll just say no then and there.

With that thought, Emily nodded. "Alright, I'll go."

"Good, follow me."

The staff led Emily away.

Emily wasn't familiar with the studio, so she had to follow the staff closely. They twisted and turned through so many corridors that she lost track of the way. Still, they hadn't arrived.

She couldn't help but feel suspicious.

"Excuse me, could you tell me which room Director Blithe is in? Why haven't we arrived yet?"

"Why do you ask so many questions, girl?

Director Blithe is a big shot. Do you think he would just use any room? Of course, it has to be a private one."

"Oh..."

Emily didn't think much of it and continued to follow the staff.

After a series of twists and turns, Emily completely lost track of the way they had come, only knowing that they had descended to the basement level.

It wasn't unusual for a recording studio to have a basement; some of the larger ones even had multiple underground levels.

This area was unlit and pitch dark, making Emily feel uneasy as she glanced around nervously.

They arrived at a large red double door, and the staff pointed towards it.

"Alright, we're here. You can go in."

"Aren't you coming with me?" Emily asked. "I'm not the one auditioning. I have other things to do. You go ahead." He opened the door.

Emily hesitated and slowly approached the door. As soon as she peeked her head in, she felt a push from behind and fell straight to the ground.