After ending the strange call he had gotten, Wade was frowning. He hadn't even felt like that when that producer showed him a below average project, only hoping that Aiden would be able to make it a hit.
It had felt a bit nauseating at that time as he thought that the industry cared more about making money than making art.
But now, he felt completely different.
He suddenly felt a bit anxious and didn't know what he should do. The call was out of nowhere but he knew that it was expected. At least it was not something that was outside the boundary of reality.
The question was how he should react to it.
'I need to face him in person. It's better than just ignoring it as that person… he's infamous for his tactics.'
That was his decision after thinking for a bit. He had immediately cancelled all his meetings and directly went to the restaurant that he was being called to.
Rather than ignoring it, it was better to know what was going on in this person's mind by directly talking to him. Though, Wade already has some premonitions about it.
Reaching the restaurant, he quickly found the person he was looking for. He was sitting at a table just beside the glass window.
'Franco Li.'
The star maker. The one who has made countless stars and one of the top brass of Hollywood.
He thought in his mind, seeing the person with sharp eyes and a small smirk on his face. His Chinese features and name hinted towards his family being migrants in America.
Due to his eyes, he looked like he was always planning something.
"Ah, you came early. I was going to find you if you hadn't come."
Franco said as he saw Wade. He gestured to him to sit down and without wasting any time, the conversation between them started.
"What do you want?" Wade asked directly, surprising Franco a bit.
"You are a very direct person. I heard you were excellent in negotiations."
"It's not a negotiation."
"Maybe."
Franco smiled, glancing out of the window for a second before examining Wade's features. He looked more like a bodyguard than an agent — A thing that has made him stand out always.
"I think you probably have an idea of why I called you here. But I would still say it out loud for you." Franco leaned a bit. "I want Aiden Silvereye in SGA."
"No. It won't ever happen."
Wade said, so fast that Franco flinched.
"I thought you would reject but that was too fast for my liking. Anyway, SGA is looking for the next candidate to become a superstar. Our every major resource put into a person to get him to global superstardom."
"I don't want to hear—"
"Just see this."
Wade frowned but Franco took out a document and pushed it in front of him. The bear-like agent scanned it with his eyes.
It looked like a classified document that only a few could have access to.
When he read it, it really turned out to be that.
'What is this… Is this even possible?'
The document listed a whole path for an actor to achieve global stardom. It listed the kind of movies that the actor would be in and how the company would support him.
Face of a superhero franchise to increase visibility. Being the lead in critically successful movies with an aim of getting an Oscar. It even listed down working in Asian markets to become famous among their audience.
It was a document that seemed like an actor's wet dream but Wade imagined with the resources of SGA, it might just be possible.
But…
'You literally have to become the puppet of a company. No private life as SGA won't be able to have unnecessary scandals due to how much money they would pour into the actor.'
Wade looked at Franco who seemed to be enjoying his expressions.
"You do know that this is crazy?"
"It's not. Stardom is dying. We don't have superstars that are young and the old ones are past their primes. People need one and this is our way to give them one."
"And you think Aiden is the one?"
Franco shook his head.
"He's one of the candidates. A rather promising one. I personally like him a lot. I feel like his wide array of talents would be our best chance in achieving what is written in this document. Though, we would be doing our best to plan his every move. Every project he takes. We will make sure it's a success."
Wade didn't say anything about it for a while. He just drank a glass of water as he thought about what Franco had said.
It was a crazy plan but he was sure that millions of people would agree to it. But he wasn't going to throw Aiden into something that might destroy him forever.
"I will refuse."
"Think again." Franco said, this time his tone was a bit more serious. "I came to you because you are a capable person. Actually, rather than Aiden, I wanted to recruit you. I need someone capable under me. If you accept my offer, I promise nothing will change between you and Aiden. I will let you two work together—"
"I don't like working under people. Especially people like you."
Franco blabbered on but Wade had already gotten tired of his words. He interrupted him and Franco made an ugly expression.
Ignoring it, Wade tried to get up.
"You do know that I don't need your permission to get Aiden? He's your client and actors change their agents in this industry like nothing. There's no emotional attachment as it's all business."
He stopped and looked at Franco.
"You are happy to try. He will never agree to it."
"Are you really sure about it? I looked into your past. Didn't everyone of your client's change after getting a bit of fame? Some even threw you away. What makes you think Aiden won't?"
"I know him."
Wade said but Franco was still smiling. He looked like he was trying to stop himself from laughing out loud. It was like he had heard the best joke in a while.
"You don't know a person here! At least in this industry. People don't have values here. They are like animals. Musicians, actors, directors. They get anything small and try to strive from that all their life. They don't even care about plagiarising." Franco blurted, like he was complaining. "Do you really think Aiden would stand by you when I tell him that he can achieve global stardom? Give him a plan to do that? Isn't it the thing that he wants the most?"
Wade didn't say anything about that. He suddenly recalled the moments where Aiden had talked about his ambition. To be a global superstar. He wanted to stand at a stage no one else could.
He wanted it so much he worked himself till he couldn't. He had become so disciplined that he didn't even try to get into relationships, saying that it was a distraction and won't last long.
Although Wade had made fun of him a lot about it, he was impressed by his discipline.
'Maybe… no, he's not like that. He's different.'
He thought in his mind but Franco already noticed the seed of doubt that he had managed to plant.
"I am telling you now. People say one thing then change it the next day in the industry. Do you really think Aiden would not join me after I told him about this plan? As soon as he accepts, he will be announced as the face of a superhero movie planned by Dream Light pictures."
"He won't."
"Let's see who is right in the end. I have seen more than you in the industry and humans show their worst sides here blatantly."
Franco said like it was a fact and he was sure that Aiden would join him.
***
Coming out of the restaurant, Wade sat in his car but he didn't start it. He just sat in it and thought about the whole meeting with Franco Li.
He hadn't heard about the whole blueprint of global stardom that Franco had shown him before, so it was obviously something that was top secret in SGA.
Though, it wasn't much of a surprise as SGA are always the ones to innovate in this industry. In the 80 and 90s, they completely changed the game by introducing "movie packaging".
But rather than that, his mind stayed on the words that Franco had said at the end.
Would Aiden really be someone who would accept his offer? Wade refused to believe it but he would be lying if he said that it wasn't an enticing offer.
'I need to trust Aiden. We have come such a long way because of our trust.'
He thought, consoling himself. At that moment, his phone rang.
It was Tom.
"Tom, what happened?"
"Wade, Aiden had gotten into an accident on the set. He's in the hospital."
