The King's Invaluable Possession [Bachelor in Love #4]

Chapter 3

Linda

It’d been a week since I got the role. I’d been practicing every day. I was so excited to perform it on stage. It was like a dream come true. It would be a slow step but it was worth it. It would. I would not screw this up.

“Okay, cut! Eddie said. “Nice job, ladies. That concludes the practice today,” he added as I smiled and walked down from the stage. I grabbed my mineral water and chucked someone.

Today’s scene was about me throwing tantrum at the woman who was also in love with the guy I had a crush on. The woman that my man fell in love with. And she was so stubborn to admit that she loved the guy too. And for your information, we were best friends so it was kind of…awkward.

My job was to convince her to confess her feeling to him, otherwise, they would regret it forever. Which I think in reality, it would be difficult for me to do it with Jason even though I’d decided to let him go if he was indeed in love with another woman. What could I do, right? I wanted to be his special girl. He was the man I had a crush on for seven f*****g years. That should mean something…right? However, I knew I couldn’t get my hope too high.

Jason was in London for a long time now. Maybe he found a British chick there with her sexy accent and she saw him as a cute American. Oh, boy.

“Linda?” I heard Eddie’s voice as I turned to him. Eddie was the Director for this show. He was one of the judges before. “You did a great job today. Well, not just today but also days before. Even since the first day.”

“Thanks, Ed. I really appreciate it.”

“You really have got some talent in you. Are you sure your parents never done any theater works before?” he asked as I chuckled at his question.

“No, they’re not. They’re just…them, I guess.” I never heard them doing a performance act before. Moreover, Dad was sucked at that. Tell him to do an act to surprise me and he would screw everything, I would soon figure out he was up to something. Even so, I was happy with Eddie’s compliment. We looked like we were from the celebrity world. But I had to be honest none of my parents had ever been into the Hollywood world. Both of them were really good-looking, especially my dad. No one would think he was already in his forties. Almost fifty. That baby face of his was kind of scary. Lucky him.

“I can’t wait for the big day. Lots of critics and people from Hollywood would come to find talents here. You do know some of the big stars come from a small theater like this. I do hope you will capture their attention.”

“I will do my best. It’s not like every day you can get a chance in Hollywood, right?”

“That’s right.”

Directing my eyes to the stage, I really wished I could get those people’s attention. Their standards might be pretty high. Not just them, but also the audience. I wanted them to see my potential and feel what I felt. I hope I could touch their hearts with my performances. I didn’t care about my beauty as long as I could make them emotional with my act. That was my dream.

I was thinking to invite Cathy here. I wanted this to be her wedding present from me. Also… Maybe I should invite Jason too. I wanted him to see me perform on the stage. And since the story matched perfectly with my current condition with him, I prayed he would understand my feeling, even if it was just a little bit. I knew Jason well. He was kind of slow to understand a woman’s feelings for him. He realized how attractive he was, but he was also clueless when someone seriously wanted him to be her boyfriend.

“I know you can do it but don’t let us down, Linda. Show those people what you made of,” Eddie encouraged as I turned my attention back to him. “I wasn’t lying when I said that you have talents in you when I saw your acting back at the audition. I know that I’m seeing the future star. How you will shine brightly. Right now, you’re still a stone waiting to be polished into a true diamond. Your acting is able to touch our hearts, mine.” I let out a soft chuckle. Eddie definitely knew what he was doing.

“Well, maybe because the role suits my current condition,” I told him. Eddie wrinkled his brown eyebrows like he couldn’t believe what I just said.

“That’s impossible. There’s no way someone doesn’t want you.” That’s what I’d been telling myself every day since I found out how I felt about Jason. “Well, whatever your current problem is, I wish the best for you.”

“Thanks, Eddie.”

“Well then, I’ll see you tomorrow. Get some good night's sleep tonight. You’re going to need it. Tomorrow we will move forward to the next scene.”

“Of course. Bye, Ed!” I parted with him and went to the locker room. I packed all my stuff and headed home. It was really tiring but I felt like I still have the energy to continue. I’d been practicing since morning until the moon went up to the sky.

When I reached home, I had dinner just with Mom. I walked up to my room when my phone rang. I pulled it out of my bag and saw Cathy’s name flashed on the screen. “Hi, Cat.”

“Hi, Lin. How’s today?”

“Great. Eddie told me I did a great job. I think the show will succeed.”

“I’m really happy for you. I want to see it. When is it?”

“September. You’re going to come, right?”

“Of course! I won’t skip it. I’ll bring Ricardo too. Oh, can I invite James and Eva too? Also, Lily, Zack, and Kylie? Although I know James will be there.”

“Sure. I was thinking to invite them all. And this, will be your wedding present from me, babe.”

“Oh, stop that. You’re making me blush.” I could picture that. “But thanks, babe. I’m really happy you changed your mind to attend my important and become my bridesmaid.” I did. Because when I heard the show would be in September, I told Cathy immediately that I would attend her wedding. Her wedding would be in next month and I was so damn thankful I could be on my best friend’s big day. I didn’t want to miss it. I never wanted to. She was my best friend. I felt so guilty when I thought of the consequences if I got the role but I had to skip her wedding.

Fate still allowed me to be with her.

Cathy understood my situation but I knew deep down, she wanted me to come. That was why she cried like a waterfall when I told her I would be there. Even though sometimes her understanding was too much and here I was, still unable to open my mouth and tell her I was in love with her big brother. Which pissed me off. What the hell was stopping me anyway? The awkwardness, I guess. I knew Cathy would help me. She was the one who wanted me together with Jason. And I knew her way, she would interrogate her brother to find out whether he had a girlfriend or not, what kind of a woman he liked, and so on.

And then, “Oh! I can invite Jason too. He has to come and I’m sure he wants to. What do you think?” Sometimes Cathy was so scary because she could let out the question I didn’t want to answer.

“Y-Yeah, sure. Do you think he will be able to?”

“Of course, he will. I can ask him. He’s not going to miss your important day. We will support you from the audience’s seat, babe.”

I smiled at her words. “I can’t wait.”

“I can’t wait too. I’ve never seen your performances before. Only from the videos, you sent me. I want to see you right in front of my eyes.”

“In that case, I’ll make sure all of you get the best seat.”

“Thank you!”

“So, how’s your wedding progress?”

“Oh, I almost forgot why I’m calling you. It’s about your dress.”

“Mine? Why?”

“It’s done and I want you to try it if you can come to Stanford and—”

“I’ll go! Don’t say another word, I will definitely come. Don’t worry, I can manage. As long as I can do a decent job, Eddie will definitely allow me to go,” I stopped her. There was no way I would miss this. Hell to the no.

“Okay then. I’ll call you back when we’ll meet up.”

“Sure thing.”

“Okay! Good luck with your practice, Lin. Bye!”

“Bye.” I ended the call.

This just increased my mood level.

My dress was ready I couldn’t wait to try it.

My practices were doing well.

“Damn, everything goes accordingly.”

***

I immediately headed to the theater in a happy mood. My confidence level was really high now I think I could fly. I desperately wanted to do another scene. If they let me, I wanted to practice all of the scenes today so I could go to California without anyone complaining.

As I walked into the theater, I realized the eyes were on me. They were looking at me before they were whispering to each other. I looked at some of them and when they saw me looking at me, they immediately walked away. What the hell? I ignored them. But the more I walk, the whispers continued. What did I do anyway? I did great yesterday and none of them, not even Eddie complained.

I increased my speed and went to the hall. I saw Eddie together with his assistant, Jerry, talking to a person. I couldn’t see his face. “You can’t do that! I already had half of the scenes being practiced and ready to go,” Eddie bellowed. Okay, what’s going on here?

I walked closer, hoping I could catch what they were talking about. “I apologize but this is his request and since this place belongs to him now, I think you need to, or should I say you must change your mind,” the person said. I didn’t like how he was talking with Eddie.

“Um, good morning?” I greeted them in a questioning manner and Eddie immediately turned his body to me. Now I could see his face, his expression told me everything. The mix of anger and confusion.

“Linda.” Based on his tone when he called me, I could sense something. And it was not a good feeling at all.

It was terrible.

Eddie walked toward me and without saying anything, he grabbed my elbow and pulled me away from the stage. He dragged to the very last row. “Eddie, what’s going on? Who is that?” I asked but he didn’t answer me. He stopped but he didn’t turn. Only placing both his hands on his waist. Like he was stressed out. “Eddie, you’re scaring me. What happens?” He raised his head and finally faced me. He put his hands on my shoulders and exhaled. Hard and long. “Ed—”

“Linda, listen to me carefully, okay? I don’t really want to do this but I have to. I have no choice. I’m f*****g powerless,” he started.

“Eddie, what are you—”

“Go home, Linda,” he cut me again.

“Excuse me?”

“Go. Home.” He pulled his hands from me. His face full of guilt showed perfectly.

“Why? What did I do wrong?”

“Nothing. But I have to. Please, Linda, just go. Don’t blame yourself, blame me.”

“I… I don’t understand. If I did something, I can fix it. Just tell me what I can do.”

“That’s not the problem, okay? It’s just… I can’t do anything with the landlord. Not with his request, okay? They want somebody else to take the role,” he said. His statement just broke me. They kicked me out because they wanted someone else to play mine. The role that was meant to be mine? “I’ve told them I can’t because I only want you. This role is yours but I don’t have the power to keep it, Linda. Please, understand. I’m really…sorry.” With that, he walked away from me. Leaving me stunned on the carpet.

This was not happening.

This was clearly not f*****g happening!

I just lost my job. My dream in a matter of a second.

I thought I was getting closer but I got dragged further away.

Slowly looking at Eddie’s back moving away from me, I immediately turned my heels from the hall. It broke my heart that he just did that to me. He couldn’t fight for me just because an asshole requested him to switch me with someone else. That had shown he didn’t really care about me as long he could go on with the show. As long he didn’t lose his money. Oh, I bet this landlord paid him a lot. What a d**k! I hoped his d**k broke.

I could sense my eyes became warm. I couldn’t cry here. This was not the place. I wouldn’t let this break me. I had to go home fast so I wouldn’t embarrass myself even further.

But fate did have its own to play around with people. Sometimes in a twisted way.

I wasn’t paying attention to what was in front of me and bumped into someone. “Oops, are you okay?” His voice sounded oddly familiar. I raised my head slowly. Only to find…

…Another nightmare.