"Places everyone! We'll be shooting scene twenty-three!" the assistant director shouted.
Lana quickly placed her script on the chair and walked towards the set.
Kyle followed behind her, lazily stretching his arms.
"I still don't understand why my character has to run after you."
Lana glanced at him.
"Because the script says so."
"I think the script hates me."
"You've been complaining since morning."
"I've been suffering since morning."
Lana rolled her eyes.
"You call acting suffering?"
Kyle sighed dramatically.
"You don't understand. My beauty deserves easier scenes."
Before Lana could reply, Roland walked over holding his script.
"The two of you look energetic."
Kyle immediately pointed at Lana.
"She's making things difficult for me."
Roland looked at Lana.
"Did you?"
Lana shrugged.
"I simply reminded him that we're here to work."
Roland laughed.
"I'll pretend I didn't hear anything."
The director clapped his hands.
"Ready?"
Everyone nodded.
"Action!"
Kyle grabbed Lana's wrist.
"You can't leave!"
Lana looked back at him, her eyes already beginning to water.
"Move."
"I said no."
"I don't want to hurt you."
"Then don't."
For a brief moment, the two simply stared at each other.
"Cut!"
The director stood up excitedly.
"Perfect!"
He looked at Lana with a satisfied smile.
"Your expressions are becoming more natural." he compliments and lana smiled.
"I had a good teacher."
She instinctively looked towards Roland.
He gave her a small nod.
"You've improved."
"I still have a long way to go."
"Everyone does."
A makeup artist hurried over to touch up Lana's makeup while another adjusted Kyle's outfit.
Kate walked over carrying two bottles of water.
"You two have another scene in thirty minutes."
Kyle accepted one immediately.
"I deserve a vacation."
"You've been working for less than three hours."
"Exactly."
Kate laughed before handing the second bottle to Lana.
"You have an interview after filming."
"I almost forgot."
"You also have a fitting tomorrow."
Lana groaned.
"So this is what leading actors go through."
"You're only seeing the easy part."
Mike walked into the studio carrying a document folder.
Kate noticed him first.
"Mr. Mike."
Mike nodded politely.
"I came to deliver a few documents for Mr. Anderson." Kate accepted the folder.
"Thank you."
Kyle looked at Mike before grinning.
"You came all the way here just to deliver papers?"
Mike looked at him.
"I came because Boss asked me to." he had left earlier with Taylor and Oliver, but came back too soon.
Kyle folded his arms.
"I knew it."
"You knew what?"
"Boss misses little girl."
Mike sighed.
"Boss is your employer."
"Not your gossip partner."
Lana laughed quietly and, kyle pointed at her.
"See? Even she agrees with me."
"I laughed because Mike looks like he wants to hit you."
Mike smiled.
"I've considered it."
Kyle immediately took two steps back.
"I'll behave."
The crew around them laughed before returning to work.
At that moment, several black luxury cars slowly entered the studio compound.
The laughter around the set disappeared almost instantly.
One of the assistant directors hurried towards the entrance.
"The sponsor is here."
The director quickly straightened his clothes before walking outside.
Every producer followed behind him.
The rear door of the Rolls-Royce opened.
Nicholas stepped out wearing a tailored black suit.
He adjusted the cuff of his sleeve before casually looking around the filming location.
His presence alone was enough to make everyone stand a little straighter.
"Mr. Anderson."
The director smiled politely.
"Welcome."
Nicholas gave a brief nod.
"How's filming?"
"It's going smoothly."
"I'll decide that after watching."
His eyes moved across the set before stopping on Lana.
She smiled.
"You actually came."
Nicholas walked over.
"I said I would."
"I thought you were busy."
"I was."
"Then why are you here?"
Nicholas looked at her for a second before replying calmly.
"I'm the sponsor."
Lana folded her arms.
"That's a very convenient answer."
"It happens to be the correct one."
Kyle quietly leaned towards Mike.
"I told you."
Mike ignored him.
Nicholas noticed the script in Lana's hand.
"You've finished today's scenes?"
"Almost."
"How many left?"
"Two."
He nodded once.
"I'll wait."
Lana blinked.
"You'll wait?"
"Is there a problem?"
"...No."
Kate looked at Nicholas in surprise.
The country's busiest and most powerful billionaire...
Waiting on a movie set.
Just because Lana still had two scenes left.
At that moment, Roland walked over.
"Mr. Anderson."
Nicholas looked at the hand Roland offered but made no move to shake it.
After a brief pause, Roland simply lowered his hand with the same easy smile.
"I've heard a lot about you."
Nicholas slipped one hand into his pocket.
"I'd be surprised if you hadn't."
Roland chuckled.
"I should thank you. Without your investment, this production wouldn't have been possible."
"I invested in the project."
Nicholas' gaze briefly shifted to Lana before returning to Roland.
"The cast proving me right is a bonus." roland nodded.
"I hope we won't disappoint you."
"I don't like disappointment."
For a second, the two men simply looked at each other.
The director quickly stepped between them with an awkward laugh.
"Mr. Anderson, would you like to watch from the monitor?"
Nicholas looked away from Roland.
"Lead the way."
Across the street, on the rooftop of an abandoned building, a tall man stood quietly with his hands resting on the railing.
A silver mask concealed the upper half of his face, hiding everything except his calm blue eyes.
Those eyes never left the film set below.
Lilly stepped out of the shadows before stopping a few steps behind him.
"My Lord" she greeted.
He didn't answer immediately, instead, he watched Lana laugh at something Kyle had said.
A faint chuckle escaped his lips.
"So..."
"That's the girl."
Lilly lowered her head.
"Yes, My Lord."
"She doesn't look very frightening."
The masked man smiled beneath the mask.
"Neither does a candle...Yet an entire forest can burn because of one" Lilly remained silent.
"Does Nicholas suspect anything?"
"No."
"Good."
His fingers tapped lightly against the cold metal railing.
"Leave her alone."
Lilly looked up in surprise.
"My Lord?"
"For now."
"I want to see...how long he'll keep smiling."
Lilly nodded, "As you wish."
She disappeared into the darkness.
The masked man looked at Nicholas one last time before turning away.
"It's been a long time...Brother."