Chapter 59 THE SECRET AUDITION
Dandelion.
Back at the Graham's estate.
I stared at my phone for the tenth time since morning, my thumb hovering over the call button. The contact name read "Director Diego Indie Films production" and just by looking at it made my heart race.
Three days had passed since Alex kissed me. Three days of avoiding him at the dining or garden or anywhere at all, and spending every moment either with Grandma Winifred or with Willow. I couldn't look at him in the eyes without remembering how his lips felt against mine, and how my entire body had betrayed me by responding.
I shook my head, forcing the memory away.
This wasn't about him, but it's about me, about reclaiming the career I worked so hard to build.
My finger pressed the call button before I could overthink it.
"Hello?" A man's voice answered on the second ring.
"Director Diego? This is Dandelion Williams."
There was an almost too long pause. "Miss Williams. I wasn't sure you would actually call back."
"I'm interested in the role," I said quickly, keeping my voice low even though I was alone in my room. "The supporting character in your film about abuse survivors. Is the audition slot still available?"
"It is," he said, and I could hear the smile in his voice. "But I have to be honest, Miss Williams. The industry hasn't been kind to you lately. Are you sure you're ready for this?"
I thought about Chase's smug face, about Mildred stealing my roles, about my father choosing Malcolm over me. About Alex treating our marriage like a business transaction one moment and kissing me senseless the next moment.
I'm definitely not going to keep waiting anymore, I need to make a move.
"Director Diego, I've never been more ready," I said firmly.
"Alright then, So can you make it today?
"I'll be there director" I agreed immediately, this was my only chance at a comeback.
"Good. I'll text you the address now. And Miss Williams? Please wear a disguise. I don't need the media circus if someone recognizes you."he said calmly.
"Of course, thank you Director" i said in appreciation.
"It's okay, see you tomorrow,"He replied and the call ended.
I sat there, staring at my phone. What the hell did I just do? Lord I hope I won't regret this.
My phone suddenly rang out making me jump as if I had been caught in a crime.
It was Lilian, gosh I still feel guilty for tricking her over here the other day. Even though I already apologized and we've moved on from it, I can't help but still feel guilty.
"Hiii Dandy" Lilian's voice called out the moment I picked it up.
I smiled at her brightly "Hi Lily, how are you doing"
"Well.....ok I'm not going to lie Dandy I'm frustrated. Xavier Quinn is the worst person ever." she almost screamed in frustration and I could see it that she really feels stressed.
"You know this is the second time I'm asking this same question, but why the hell did we get tangled with these cruel men?" I asked with the same frustration she felt.
She sighed, "I just wish things could go back to the way they were."
"Lily, I kinda need your help."
She looked at me with concern. "What's wrong? Did something happen again?"
"No, I need your help for something else." I hesitated. "I have an audition today. A real audition for an indie film. But I need to sneak out without anyone noticing."
Lilian's eyes widened. "Are you insane? Alex will skin you alive if he finds out."
"He won't find out. That's where you come in, I need you to cover for me. If he calls to ask, tell him I'm with you, that I came over to your house and we went shopping or something, I'm going to tell him I'm going to your place." I tried convincing her.
"Dandy, I don't know about this."
"Please, Lily. I can't keep living like this, waiting for Alex to decide when I'm allowed to have my career back. This is my chance to prove I still have what it takes, scandal or not."
She studied my face for a long moment, then sighed. "Fine. But if Alex murders me, I'm haunting you forever."
I laughed at her dark humor. "Thank you, thank you, thank you."
"Yeah, yeah. Just don't get caught."
I waited until lunch when the house was busiest. Grandma Winifred had gone to her room for her afternoon rest, Viola was at some meet and greet event, she went out quite often now that she's been suspended, and Tristan was at the Graham corp, as for Alex, Walter had mentioned something about an important meeting at Graham Corp that would also keep him occupied for hours.
So this was the perfect timing.
I dressed in the most boring outfit I owned, a plain black hoodie, worn out jeans, and sneakers. My hair was tucked under a baseball cap, and I wore oversized sunglasses that covered almost half my face. Looking at myself in the mirror, I barely recognized the woman staring back.
Good. That was the point.
I slipped out through the side entrance, the one the staff used for deliveries. My heart pounded so hard I was sure someone could probably hear it. But the hallway remained empty, and within a few minutes, I was outside, breathing in the cool afternoon air.
A taxi was waiting at the end of the driveway, exactly where I had arranged for it to be.
"Where to, miss?" the driver asked as I climbed in.
I gave him the address Director Diego had sent, my hands trembling slightly as I buckled my seatbelt. As the Graham Estate disappeared behind us, I felt a mixture of exhilaration and guilt wash over me.
I was really doing this.
The studio was in a quieter part of the city, far from the glitzy production houses where I used to work. It was a small building that looked like it had seen better days.
But when I stepped inside, the familiar scent of old sets and fresh paint made something in my chest loosen.
This was home. This had always been home to me, the movie set.
"You must be our mystery auditionee," a young woman with purple hair greeted me, I smiled back politely. "Director Diego is waiting in Studio B, Follow me."
She led me through narrow corridors lined with equipment and some half finished set pieces. A few crew members glanced my way, but no one gave me a second look.
The disguise was probably working.
Studio B was smaller than I expected, with just a camera, some lights, and a simple chair in the center. Director Diego stood beside the camera, a man in his fifties with kind eyes and graying hair.
"Miss Williams," he said, extending his hand. "Thank you for coming."
I shook it, surprised by how steady my own hand felt now, I didn't feel afraid like I expected. "Thank you for giving me this chance director."
"I'll be honest with you Miss Williams. I'm not going to pry into your affair regarding to the scandal, when I saw your name on that scandal, I thought your career was over. But then I watched your old films again." He picked up a tablet, scrolling through something. "The way you disappear into your characters, the raw emotion you bring to life. That's not something you can fake, scandal or not."
My throat tightened. "What's the role?"
"It's about a woman who survived an abusive relationship. She's trying to rebuild her life, but the trauma follows her everywhere. It's a supporting role, maybe fifteen minutes of screen time, but it's the emotional anchor of the film." He looked at me seriously. "Can you do a raw and broken scene?"
I thought about the river, about wanting to die. About Chase's hands around my throat, his threats in my ear. About my family turning their backs on me. About falling in love with a man who treated marriage like a contract clause.
Yes in love, because that's definitely what my feelings for him are no matter how much I deny it. And it's his fault for being such a cold jerk.
"Director," I whispered. "I can definitely do a broken and sad scene. I mean after everything I've been through, it really won't be difficult."
He pressed his lips in a thin line and shook his head.
Then he handed me a script. "These are your lines. Take five minutes to look them over, then we'll begin."
I nodded and immediately began looking through the script.
The scene was a monologue. My character, sitting alone in her apartment, talking to her reflection about how she let someone destroy her, how she didn't recognize herself anymore, how she was fighting to remember who she used to be.
Every word felt like it had been ripped out from my own soul.
When I looked up, Director Diego was watching me carefully. "Ready?"
I nodded, moving to the chair. The lights came on, harsh and exposing. The camera's white light blinked to life.
"Action."
And in that moment I let everything go.
"What happened to you........" I whispered to myself with a trembling voice, staring at the mirror........
Every wall I had built, every mask wore, every lie I had told myself that I was fine. They all poured out of me, shaky and desperate and real.
Tears streamed down my face and I didn't wipe them away. My voice cracked on the last line, as I exhaled.
When I finished, the silence in the studio was deafening.
I turned to look at Director Diego who was staring at me, his expression unreadable.
"That was....." he paused, "that was extraordinary."
"Really?" My voice came out small and uncertain. After all it had been quite a long time since I acted in front of people.
"It really is Miss Williams, you are very natural and I never doubted your acting prowess." He walked over, handing me a tissue.
I smiled through my tears, at least I was able to prove my worth without him seeing me as pathetic and pitiful but instead he saw my true ability.
"I'll be in touch with you soon. But Miss Williams? Start preparing for this role, because unless something catastrophic happens, it's yours."