"It''s about to start. Hurry back," L called out after Michael as he briskly walked away.


    She turned her attention back to the script, flipping through the pages onest time to ensure there were no details that were overlooked.


    Michael was talented and quick to grasp concepts, but this role was unlike anything he''d done before. Although they had spent the past week dissecting the script, L couldn''t help but feel a hint of nervousness as the audition drew near. Still, what truly irked her was the piercing gaze from across the room.


    Dorian, uncharacteristically reserved, didn''t engage with anyone as he entered. Usually, he thrived in social settings like this, but today, he seemed out of ce.


    From the corner of her eye, L caught sight of his gaunt features. His sharp, brooding stare made him look like a vengeful ghost, lurking in search of prey.


    And she was his target.


    When their gazes met, it felt like two lightning bolts colliding, an electrifying force that could reduce everything in its path to ashes.


    The venom in Dorian''s eyes intensified when Michael returned with a small dessert in hand. His expression grew darker, a mix of malice and disdain that even Michael couldn''t ignore.


    "What''s his problem?" Michael muttered, frowning as he sat beside L. "He looks like he''s got some kind of mental illness."


    Michael ced a small cake in L''s hand, keeping one for himself. He took a bite and sighed contentedly.


    "Food really does make everything better. You''ve got yours now too, so no tattling to my agent when we get back, okay?"


    Michael seemed genuinely at ease. "Once this is over, I''m going home to sleep for a full day. I''m spending the entire day tomorrow gaming!"


    His deration sounded almost grandiose, as if he were announcing ns to conquer the universe.


    L looked at the dessert in her hand and couldn''t help but smile faintly, a mix of amusement and helplessness.


    The audition process moved quickly. The five actors from their group were scheduled back-to-back. Michael was third, and Dorian was fourth.


    "Don''t be nervous. I''ll be here waiting," L reassured Michael, noticing that his usually calm demeanor was slightly shaken.


    "Practice makes perfect," she thought. Such a saying had applied well to actors.


    Michael''s performance was


    wless. Within ten minutes, he returned looking noticeably more rxed. As he passed Dorian, he


    resist throwing another jab.


    "You look awful. Try not to faint before you even start speaking. There are a lot of international big


    shots here today-it''d be a shame to embarrass yourself on a global


    stage."


    Dorian shot him a re before stepping onto the stage.


    "L, your former client is so fierce," Michael teased dramatically, earning augh from her.


    She shook her head. For someone with a polished image, Michael''s yful antics were a sharp contrast.


    Dorian, on the other hand, seemed to falter slightly at Michael''s taunts. His barely restrained fury simmered, the fire in his eyes threatening to consume him.


    "Do you think he''ll do well?" Michael asked, ncing at L.


    "I don''t know," she replied calmly, her expression unreadable.


    It wasn''t her concern anymore.


    Her gaze remained steady as she looked toward the stage. The man standing under the spotlight bore no trace of the youthful confidence and ambition he once exuded.


    "I bet he won''t be as good as me," Michaelmented, smirking. "How about we


    make it interesting? If I''m right, you owe me a meal when we get back."