System in Hollywood

At the same time, about two kilometers away from Hemera Pictures, Sarah Michelle Gellar was sitting in a restaurant, eating a salad while listening to her agent ramble from across the table.

"God bless, I really hope we can seize this opportunity!"

"You have no idea how many favors I had to call in to get you this audition. Every girl in Hollywood wants to get into Wayne's bed, hoping to gain his resources and protection!"

"I've done some digging, and Hemera Pictures is known for being efficient with casting. For roles that aren't pre-selected, they usually decide within two days. If you pass the audition, make sure to take full advantage of this chance to win Wayne over, got it?"

"Tell me you're not letting Freddie Prinze Jr. distract you, are you?"

Sarah Michelle Gellar couldn't help but roll her eyes, snapping back, "Relax, I know what to do."

"Good," her agent replied, satisfied with her response.

This left Sarah feeling speechless once again.

Although Freddie Prinze Jr. was her boyfriend, and they were nearly engaged, this was Hollywood. Not only were they not engaged yet, but even if they were, or even married, she wouldn't hesitate.

People here even throw wild parties the night before their wedding!

At 24, she clearly didn't want to remain just a third-tier celebrity, so she knew exactly what she needed to do.

"But the competition this time isn't easy, especially with that bitch Reese Witherspoon. She's more famous than me!" Sarah said, feeling a little worried after finishing her meal.

Her agent smiled confidently and replied, "You don't need to worry about that. Everyone knows Wayne doesn't care about fame when casting. If he likes someone, even a complete newbie with no acting experience can land a multi-million-dollar lead role. Like Jessica Alba, or Martina García, who also auditioned today. When they first got lead roles, they weren't even on the radar."

Sarah felt a surge of excitement at the thought of Jessica Alba, who had gone from being unknown to a second-tier star just because she became Wayne's woman. She even had top stars like Julia Roberts supporting her, and it was clear she was on her way to becoming a first-tier actress soon.

All it took was sleeping with the right person to get so many resources. There wasn't a single actress in Hollywood who wasn't jealous of that.

And Wayne? He was even better looking than Leonardo DiCaprio! She'd be happy even if there were no resources involved!

"Ring, ring, ring—"

At that moment, her phone suddenly rang.

Sarah glanced at the screen, her eyes widening in shock as she broke into a huge smile.

"It's Wayne Anderson! He's calling me!"

Her voice cracked with excitement, showing just how thrilled she was.

How did she know it was Wayne's number? Well, her agent had already gotten Wayne's business card and memorized his work number.

"Hello, who's this?" Sarah quickly picked up the phone, barely able to contain her excitement.

When she realized it was indeed Wayne on the other end and not his assistant, her voice trembled uncontrollably.

"Oh my God, Mr. Wayne, is it really you?"

"Yes, I'm Sarah Michelle Gellar!"

"A second round of auditions because the competition is fierce?"

"Of course, no problem! Just tell me when!"

"Tomorrow at 2 p.m.? I'll be there for sure!"

After hanging up the phone, Sarah was so excited she jumped out of her chair. Having been in Hollywood for years, she knew exactly what would happen in a private audition. To be honest, she couldn't wait!

Meanwhile, Wayne hung up and made a few more calls to Keri Russell and Isla Fisher.

"Hello, Keri Russell? This is Wayne Anderson."

Keri Russell was just as excited as Sarah. Even though Wayne didn't ask her to re-audition, he invited her for a drink and chat, and she eagerly accepted.

For actresses like her and Sarah Michelle Gellar, who were already somewhat famous, they weren't too concerned about a minor role in a mid-budget production. It wasn't the role that mattered to them—it was the chance to connect with Wayne.

As for Isla Fisher, who wasn't even on the radar yet, she was over the moon, practically ready to undress and jump into Wayne's bed after getting his call.

Unfortunately, Wayne really didn't have the time for that today.

When Wayne returned to the audition room, the audition for the role of Mrs. George, Regina's mom (the second female antagonist), had just finished.

The actress who got the part was someone Wayne didn't know, and she was in her forties, so he didn't pay much attention.

The remaining auditions were for minor roles, so Wayne quietly sat back and let Nancy Meyers take over the decision-making.

One interesting note: In an attempt to curry favor with Nancy Meyers, Serra gave the role of Regina's sister to Nancy's second daughter, Holly Meyers, even modifying the character's age from 8 to 14.

However, this still didn't convince Nancy to change her mind about joining Hemera Pictures.

"Melanie, I'll leave the casting of 'Noble' to you. I'll make a decision in the next two days."

Seeing that it was nearly 5 p.m., Wayne didn't linger. After giving a few quick instructions, he headed back to Wayne Manor with Hannah.

He showered, had dinner, and then got dressed, eagerly preparing to head to Harvey's party.

It's worth mentioning that Wayne originally planned to take his favorite armored Cadillac Escalade to the party since it was both comfortable and secure. However, after receiving a death glare from Meda, he reluctantly gave up the idea.

(End of Chapter)