CHAPTER 31: THE TEA’S GONE COLD

Once Lola joined the panel, the crew offered the twins special seats beside her as compensation. It wasn’t enough to make up for the incident, but the twins were already very satisfied with that. And if they were happy, that was all Lola needed.

"Just behave, alright?" Lola whispered to them. "Mommy’s going to work."

It took her half a second to catch herself calling herself their mother so naturally. But she couldn’t take it back as they smiled at her so happily.

"Mhm~!" they hummed and nodded, making the staff and even the other members of the casting crew chuckle.

Even when the kids were wearing something odd, with their eyes and mouths painted black, they were just too adorable.

"I didn’t know Taz was a mother," one of the panel members remarked, seated right next to Second. "And they’re adorable at that."

Director Sarian frowned as he leaned in from the other side. "Taz, what else are you hiding from me? I didn’t know you were raising kids. Had I known, I would’ve brought them gifts!"

Lola chuckled, biting her tongue to stop herself from saying she had just gotten them a few days ago.

"I think we should start." She changed the topic. "We’ve already delayed the audition, and I’m really sorry for that."

"Don’t mention it," the other member, sitting next to Director Sarian, waved dismissively. "It’s the crew’s fault that they didn’t brief the security team properly."

"That’s right. Don’t apologize," said the lady with them. "Don’t worry. This won’t happen again throughout the production."

"Uh-huh. You did nothing wrong." Director Sarian nodded before he leaned closer to Lola. "Taz, are you sure you still want them in the audition? I can still kick them out. Letting them wait for an entire day to get their turn feels too lenient for how they treated you."

Lola glanced at the twins, who were busy watching the crew. She leaned closer a bit and whispered.

"They won’t get in anyway," she smiled. "Although I’m more interested in those other two," — referring to Melissa’s lackeys.

"Those starlets should know how to act well. Otherwise, I wouldn’t want to see them in any of my projects," Director Sarian huffed.

Thinking of how Lola had just forgiven those women still infuriated him. However, Lola might be eccentric, but she also treated her craft like it was her own child. She truly reminded him of his younger self. After all, Director Sarian was also once mocked and laughed at when he was starting, people telling him he wasn’t good enough or that his ideas wouldn’t sell, or that he was insane just for trying.

Lola smiled at them before Director Sarian gave Ida the go-ahead signal. The actor, who had been interrupted earlier, cleared his throat and tried not to focus on Lola as he resumed his audition.

****

Meanwhile, in a private suite, men from the NL Group of Companies (the Lancasters) gathered. Derek and Justin sat on the intricate red sofa, and across from them on the other sofa were their cousins, Caullen and Travis.

Others who came to witness this agreement stood on the sidelines.

They had been here for a while now, waiting for the people from Summit Partners to arrive. And while they waited, all the men seated were quiet. Travis and Caullen were reading the proposal plan just to make sure the revisions were done properly, while Derek pretended to read them.

This was already perfect, as he had checked it.

"What’s taking them so long?" Suddenly, Justin, who was seated right next to Derek, checked his wristwatch. "They’re five minutes late from our agreed time."

"They’re Summit Partners, what do you expect?" Caullen sneered. "They can be late because people will wait, regardless."

Justin frowned, and Derek clicked his tongue. But before any of them could say something, Travis already spoke.

"Save your arguments for later." He lifted his eyes and cast Caullen a side-eye. "Stop pushing their buttons."

Caullen chuckled as he raised his hands in surrender. "I’m not pushing their buttons — just teasing them to ease their nerves."

"Nerves?" Justin sneered. "I think you both are the ones nervous. The proposal is perfect, and considering how Summit Partners sent their chief manager just to send Derek flowers for his engagement is enough to know that they liked what they read."

Derek smirked as he shrugged. "Let’s not argue anymore. Summit Partners will be here any moment. After all..." he trailed off purposely, earning a quick look from Travis and Caullen.

"Heh. Never mind," he said with a shrug, teasing those two enough to make them narrow their eyes.

Caullen glanced at Travis, wondering why Derek was acting somewhat more arrogant than ever. However, Travis just briefly studied the smug look on Derek before peeling his attention from him.

"Tch—"

Just as silence was about to fall on them again, the door suddenly creaked. It wasn’t loud, but it was enough to get everyone’s attention.

Everyone turned their heads to the door, catching someone stop mid-step.

Their brows knitted as they saw a man in a white inner dress shirt — no tie, no blazer — matched with black slacks and shoes. It was just like the one the hotel staff were wearing, except for the fish head mask.

Travis and Caullen furrowed their brows, familiar with that mask as they had sat in silence with a man wearing the same mask for minutes before they left the lobby. Derek and Justin, on the other hand, frowned.

"For a second, I thought Summit Partners arrived," Derek grumbled. "It’s just the server from the hotel’s restaurant."

Meanwhile, the man with the green fish head mask swept his eyes through the little net holes of the mask. He gazed at everyone, then checked his wristwatch.

Without saying a word, he stepped back to leave. But as he did so, Derek cleared his throat and straightened his back.

"Hey," Derek called, his hand raised slightly to get the man with the ridiculous mask’s attention. For him, there must have been an event in the hotel where some staff needed to be mascots or something.

"The tea you served us has gone cold," he said coolly. "Take them away and serve a new one."