Parallel Worlds
The meal flowed with easy banter, so domestic Freya almost believed they were an old married couple–until Louis thumbed sauce from her lip. The casual intimacy sent hear rushing to her cheeks.
Nope. Definitely not an old married couple. They don’t blush over this.
While their afternoon brimmed with warmth, storm clouds gathered elsewhere.
Sophia snapped her eyebrow pencil in half. “A cameo? That’s all they’re offering?”
Her agent, Claire Brook, massaged her temples. “The show’s been filming for weeks. They’re not replacing anyone without cause. Getting you a guest spot took calling in favors.” She eyed Sophia. “Why this sudden obsession with a project that has no role for you?”
Sophia couldn’t explain her desperation–how Louis, the male lead who should’ve been enchanted by me by now, remained oblivious while still married to that gold–digging Freya. Every plot point from the novel I transmigrated into was crumbling.
I’d tried everything–crashing galas Louis rarely attended, lobbying through connections that never quite reached his tier. Now my only option was approaching Freya directly.
My investigators reported Freya had entered the film industry as an assistant screenwriter. Probably some vanity project Louis arranged.
Sophia thought, unaware the adaptation came from Freya’s own novel.
Her nails bit into her palms.
That woman gets everything–a doting husband, a creative outlet–while I’m stuck scraping for scraps.
At least one advantage remained. Using knowledge from the novel, I’d seduced a smitten supporting character into securing me a breakout role. The minor fame gave me bargaining power, but it paled compared to the leading lady destiny I’d been promised.
Time to take matters into my own hands.
Freya spent the afternoon curled up in the hotel suite’s plush sofa. The upscale accommodations provided the perfect writing nook, especially with Louis adjusting the coffee table to the ideal height for her laptop. Across from her, Louis had Derek deliver his workstation, transforming the sitting area into a cozy dual–office space.
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09:51 Wed, 25oun
Chapter 231 Parallel Worlds
They worked in comfortable silence, the occasional exchange about plot points or financial projections floating between them like shared secrets. Only the clack of keyboards and the occasional sip of tea interrupted the productive peace.
Finishing a chapter, Freya glanced up to find Louis stretching his shoulders, his usual perfectly–postured frame relaxing as he reached for his jasmine tea.
“Hey,” she swiveled her laptop toward him, “how’s the VR MMO performing?”
“Exceeding projections.” Louis rotated his screen to display a dashboard of colorful graphs. “Red for hardware sales, blue for microtransactions, yellow for active subscribers.”
Every line trended sharply upward, the blue revenue stream nearly vertical. Freya’s eyes widened at the numbers, “Holy crap. You’re basically printing money now.”
“Nope.” Louis zoomed in on the expense reports. “We burned through contingency funds during beta testing. Took substantial loans from Asher’s bank to cover the gap.”
Freya nibbled her lower lip. “Isn’t that how all the tycoons operate? Banks keep extending credit during booms, then pull the rug out during downturns.” She mimicked a crashing motion with her hand. “Next thing you know, bankruptcies everywhere.”
