Chapter 163 Chapter 163
In a luxury hotel in the city center.
The conference room, transformed into an audition studio, was charged with tension. The air conditioning was on full blast, but the candidates were sweating cold.
The audition had been going on for almost an hour. The selection team was exhausted, bored, and frustrated. They still hadn't seen anyone with the necessary “spark.”
Then the door opened.
When it was Caroline's turn, she entered the room.
The moment she crossed the threshold, the atmosphere changed. It was as if someone had opened the curtains and let sunlight into a dusty room.
Among the judges, the man sitting in the center chair, who until then had looked bored and was playing with a pen, stopped.
His eyes immediately fixed on her. And they sparkled.
Caroline walked to the center of the room with impeccable posture. She bowed elegantly, showing no sign of nervousness.
“Good morning, gentlemen. I'm Caroline. I'm currently a law student, but I have a passion for acting. I don't have a contract with any agency at the moment, and I'm here to audition for the third female role.”
An appreciative silence fell over the room.
The other members of the team, who had been almost dozing off, sat up straight in their chairs, pleasantly surprised.
The girl before them was... stunning.
It wasn't just superficial beauty. Her features were delicate and harmonious, but there was a natural charisma, an aura that set her apart. Her long black hair fell like a cascade of silk over her shoulders, shiny and healthy.
She wore a simple white dress, without jewelry or extravagant accessories. Amidst so many candidates trying to impress with designer clothes and heavy makeup, Caroline looked like a little goddess who had just descended to the mortal world. Pure, ethereal, and impossible to ignore.
“Caroline?”
The voice came from the center of the table. Deep, magnetic, and interested.
The man who spoke was none other than director Kleber Meirelles.
He was the highest authority there. Known for his perfectionism, he chose each actor personally. Bribery, connections, or fame didn't work with him. He was rich enough not to owe anyone any favors and talented enough to make his own rules.
Caroline felt her heart race. Finally, she was standing before the man who could change her destiny.
She lifted her face and looked him straight in the eye, trying to maintain her composure.
A slight shock ran down her spine when their eyes met.
Kleber Meirelles was much younger—and much more handsome—in person than in the magazines.
Despite his stubble, which gave him a slightly rebellious and sloppy air, his features were noble and striking. His deep, intelligent eyes had a dangerous power of attraction. When he narrowed them, he seemed capable of reading the soul of whoever was in front of him.
They said he was only thirty years old. Rich, brilliant, handsome, and single. One of the most coveted bachelors of the elite, known for his “obsession with hygiene” and for never getting involved in romantic scandals with actresses.
“Yes,” Caroline replied, politely but firmly.
Kleber evaluated her. His gaze swept across her face, analyzing every microexpression, every detail. The scrutiny was intense and lasted long enough to make anyone uncomfortable.
Finally, he broke the silence:
“Are you auditioning for the third female lead?”
“Yes, sir.”
Kleber leaned back in his chair, an enigmatic smile curving his lips.
“Oh, really? And you think you can do it? Have you managed to understand the essence of this character?”
Caroline was prepared for this. She didn't hesitate.
“I'm a fan of the original work,” she began, her voice clear and confident. “I've read the book more than five times. Director, this may sound arrogant on my part, but I have to be honest: I didn't just understand the character. I am the character.”
She held his gaze.
“I believe I am a perfect fit for the role. If you give me this chance, I guarantee I won't disappoint you.”
A murmur of disapproval rippled around the table.
Some members of the team frowned. A newcomer, without an agency, saying she's “perfect” for the role? How arrogant! Who did she think she was?
Caroline ignored the skepticism around her. Her eyes were locked on Kleber's.
On the outside, she was the picture of calm confidence. On the inside, her stomach was in knots.
Kleber Meirelles looked at her in a strange, indecipherable way. The silence stretched out for a few agonizing seconds.
Then he spoke.
"Great.
He turned to his assistant beside him, without taking his eyes off Caroline.
“Go back to reception and wait. I'll have them prepare the contract immediately.”
Caroline was stunned.
Her eyes widened in disbelief.
"What?
No screen test? No ‘we'll review it and call you’?
Was that it? She had made it?!
Caroline blinked, stunned.
She hadn't even started acting. She hadn't read a single line of the script, shed a single fake tear, or shown her expressions.
Was that... it?
Am I dreaming? she thought, feeling her legs go weak. He hired me just by looking at me?
The shock wasn't exclusive to her. A murmur of disbelief swept across the judges' table. The other members of the team—producers, screenwriters, and casting directors—were speechless.
They had to admit: the girl was visually perfect. She had that rare star aura, the kind of magnetism that the camera loves. She seemed to have been born to be on screen.
But... looks weren't everything.
In a Kleber Meirelles production, beauty was just the starting point. They needed talent. They needed depth, technique, and emotion.
If they had to choose, acting always trumped aesthetics. A pretty face without skill was just a “flower vase” — decorative, but empty and useless to the plot.
And Kleber Meirelles was famous for hating vases in his productions.
Besides, this wasn't an extra role. It was the third female lead. The character had a complex arc, significant screen time, and was crucial to the development of the story. Giving a role of this weight to a newcomer without even a screen test? That was crazy!
The executive producer next to Kleber couldn't contain himself. Cold sweat dripped down his forehead.
“Director...” he began, his voice tense with concern. “With all due respect, we haven't even seen her performance. This is very risky. Shouldn't we at least...”
Kleber Meirelles raised his hand.
It was a simple, lazy gesture, but it carried such absolute authority that the producer instantly shut up, swallowing the rest of his sentence.
The room fell into a deadly silence.
Kleber didn't even look at his team. His eyes were still fixed on Caroline, shining with the satisfaction of someone who had just found a diamond in the rough.
“Mark my words,” he ordered, his voice calm and unshakeable. “The decision has been made. She is our third lead.”
He twirled the pen between his fingers and added, in a tone that brooked no argument:
“Cancel the remaining auditions for this role. No one else is coming into this room to compete for this part. The role is hers.”