Aiden entered the car and looked at Franco Li who smiled when he saw him. The car door closed as Aiden settled in.
"Why did you want to meet me?" Aiden asked with a straight tone.
"Not even going to introduce yourself?" Franco asked.
"I think both of us know each other. Just not in person."
"Correct." Franco's snake-like eyes looked over at Aiden. Knowing that he didn't want to waste time, he came to the main topic. "There's not much reason other than the fact that I want to work with you."
Aiden had expected this to a degree. What else would the star maker come for him other than wanting to recruit him? He didn't even have to think much about the answer.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Li. That won't happen and as my decision is fixed, I don't think anything would move me. So, please let me excuse myself."
Aiden tried to open the door of the car. He was tired enough from the shooting that he didn't want to waste time here. But some words stopped him in place.
"I talked with Wade. Your agent. You know he was really like you in his stance at first."
Franco Li laughed at the end of his sentence. Aiden looked at him but his face didn't look like he was lying.
He was confident as usual.
'Why didn't Wade tell me about it?'
As he thought about this, Franco continued talking in a dubious manner.
"You know after a while, that guy started doubting himself. It was clear on his face. I don't blame him. You grew more than he could handle. After a while, even he knows that a wall would appear in front of you if he keeps being your agent. He's very smart. I appreciate that about him."
Aiden didn't know if Franco was insulting or complimenting Wade.
"That's still not your concern, right?" Aiden looked at him.
"It is. After all, you are a talent. I don't want to see any talent go to waste, especially after you have come such a long way."
Franco looked at Aiden like he was genuinely worried for him. But Aiden didn't trust him. He was not a morally good person.
If most of Hollywood was a lighter shade of black, Franco was a darker one. Unfortunately for him, Aiden liked to stay in the grey territory.
"I am thankful for your concern but I'm going to handle my career myself. If a wall comes, I know how to leap over it."
"You don't know anything." Franco muttered, shaking his head. "Compared yourself to any other celebrity with an agency to back themselves. See someone like Tristen Musk. He started two years ago but he's already a heartthrob and is getting favours by top studio executives. Why do you think it is? Talent? No, obviously not."
"I know it's because of his agency."
Aiden muttered. Tristen Musk was heavily backed by the Red Ant agency. Already making to A-list in two years after his debut. It was because he was able to sign the best movies and he was promoted just the right way.
"Don't you want something like that?"
Franco asked, raising an eyebrow. A crooked smile hung on his face.
"I'm happy with what I have for now."
"Don't be like that. Do you think I'm a greenhorn?" Franco looked up at him. "No actor is happy with what he has right now. You all are a breed that wants more. Always."
Aiden wasn't able to refute it. Franco wasn't wrong here. As an actor, he would have liked to have better opportunities. Projects that only a select few could look through.
"I will do that on my own."
He simply said that.
"No, you won't be able to. Do you think really think your agent would be someone good enough to get you to be a top star? I asked him this when I met him. His answer has hesitation in it and you can't afford that in this buisness."
Franco came strongly at Aiden and even he had to admit, his persuasion skills were top notch. Aiden still sitting in his car was a proof of that.
Seeing that Aiden was listening to him, Franco continued.
"I believe that every celebrity has decisions in his life when he decides how his future would look like. We work in an industry where people become irrelevant every year. In this kind of industry, longevity Is just a miracle for any celebrity. Do you think you would experience that miracle or become irrelevant? I think it would be decided by the choices you make."
Franco was clearly implying that being with Wade was going to make him irrelevant sooner than later. And only signing up with an agency was a way for him to change that.
Aiden didn't say anything and just listened to him.
"You should see this."
Franco took out a document suddenly and passed it to Aiden. Reading the title, he glanced at him.
"What's this?"
"Something that would help you make a decision."
At that moment, Aiden noticed something. The expression on Franco's face was something that he hadn't seen before.
It was the expression that said that he was confident that Aiden would easily agree to join SGA after reading the document. He wasn't even thinking of a scenario where Aiden would reject him.
'Just what is in this document.'
He thought as he opened it.
***
"How could you even let Aiden go away? It's been so long. He hadn't returned yet."
Tom said with a concerned expression on his face. He was looking at Wade who had already chugged down too many glasses of alcohol that Tom had lost the count.
His face looked a bit bloated already.
"I did what I thought was right. I told you that already."
Wade shrugged, picking up another glass. They were at the wrap party at Hilton hotel and Tom was anxiously glancing at the entrance, hoping Aiden would come soon.
He felt like there was a weight in his heart. So much so that he didn't even feel like going around talking to people to get more gossip. He was anxious about Aiden and Wade.
"Tell me one thing. What if Aiden actually agreed to Franco Li's offer and joined SGA. What about you? And what of us?"
Tom asked as he bit his lips in frustration. Wade thought about it for a second before replying.
"Knowing him, he would take you all in." Wade chugged down another class. "As for me, I don't know. I'm not joining SGA. I don't want to work under Franco. So, I will choose—"
"Aiden's here."
Tom suddenly said, prompting Wade to look back at the door. Aiden was walking in, looking around.
Some people approached him, congratulating him on the wrap of the project while others called him to their table. But he rejected them and kept walking.
He stopped once he reached their table. A serious expression dawned on his face as he looked down on the both of them. No, his eyes were fixated on Wade.
"I want to talk to you."
"Sit down then." Wade said and glanced at the third seat in the middle of both of theirs.
"Why didn't you tell me you met with Franco Li?" He asked straightforwardly after sitting down.
"I wanted to but I didn't want to bother you with these things when you were so busy shooting."
Wade said and tried to drink another glass but Aiden held his hand and stopped him.
"Let's talk first."
"Ah, okay." Wade looked at him, his atmosphere changing a bit. The moment he was dreading had finally come and he had no other way than to face it.
"Franco showed me the documents. Told him about how SGA is planning to invest in a person with the sole goal of a global superstar. It was a very unbelievable but exciting prospect."
"I know right. If they could really pull it off, then they would have a person to be the face of their largest projects. And they would easily get a lot of benefits for 30-40 years."
Even in the past, agencies with superstars were the places where aspiring actors wanted to go as they felt like the agency was much more efficient to help them reach their goals. Though, most of these superstars would get their own team later on as soon as they are out of contract.
Hearing the conversation, only Tom seemed confused.
"What are you two talking about?" He asked and Aiden told him all about the plan that SGA has and how they are planning to execute it.
Tom's eyes widened hearing that and in a split second, he quickly asked.
"So, you accepted it?"
That was the question that Wade wanted to hear. Did Aiden accept the offer that would directly get him on the easiest path to be a superstar? He looked at him and awaited an answer.
