An Mey had already found out about the incident between director Yan and Viviana. She could finally understand why the company and agent Yan were suppressing Viviana. They were waiting for her to break… And if she was not wrong, Viviana's way of retaliation was to not earn as much as possible for the company.
She didn't know how to label Viviana as. Before. She thought the actress was simply a puppet in agent Yan's hand. But that might not be the full truth. There was a strong scent of a rebellious heart in Viviana. Although she didn't show it with her action, her eyes had that fire in them. She saw it when she was ridiculing Lyra in front of everyone.
Viviana looked away from the manager as she was asked these questions. It was clear that this was a topic she did not want to talk about.
"Why do you want to know about this?"
"Cause it's important… Not only does being your manager require me to know this aspect about you. It would also serve our curiosity."
An Mey said as she pointed her chin towards Elisa who was tuning in to the conversation between the two. The little assistant nodded. She was indeed curious about Viviana's private life.
The actress never talked about her private life. In fact. It was as if she had no private life. In these six seven months, Elisa had never seen her meet anyone. Leaving meeting someone aside, she had never heard Viviana talk on the phone with anyone who could be from outside the industry.
"What type of manager doesn't know what her artist was doing before entering the company?"
The manager's remark made Viviana scoff.
"What? Are you really going to be my manager now? Not Yan's eye to keep me checked?"
What Viviana was expecting was for Manager to back down like she did before when she acted like this. But she never expected to see a determined look on An Mey's face.
"Yes. I'll be the manager that you need."
"…"
Viviana looked into the older woman's eyes with a straight face. It was as though she was searching for the very soul of the manager. The object of her scrutiny did not back down like she expected. She saw how serious An Mey was.
"Why?" She asked.
"Because I see myself in you…" An Mey revealed… "Another victim of their scheme… I had once thought that you're just a pathetic person for blindly following Agent Yan's instructions."
"And now you don't?"
The actress raised an eyebrow at the statement.
"No. Not anymore." The manager then turned to Elisa. "I just saw what this little fool saw in you…"
Viviana turned her back and looked at the little assistant and questioned.
"What do you see?"
Elisa: "???"
She didn't know whether she should be offended at being called a fool by An Mey or ask for herself. 'What do I see?' She herself didn't know what the manager was talking about.
"She's always done her job with utmost sincerity, unlike myself. She'd always hoped to clear up your name. Even got crushed by anti-fans when she tried speaking up for you before."
Elisa blushed at being exposed so unexpectedly. She left her boss's eyes on her before she saw her smile a little.
"Thank You…"
Elisa was not yet used to this side of Viviana. She was still getting used to her soft little smiles.
"It's… nothing…" She managed to let out.
"You're already aware of why I'm assigned to you." Manager An continued. "But what you may not know is that I'm under the same circumstance as yours. I went once against the company before. That's why I was demoted."
"…"
"Even after all these years, I was waiting for the chance to get back at them… Those you sent me to this hell… Still am… So, when I saw your unambitious nature, acting like a decoy for Lyra, I was disappointed. That's why I never hoped for anything from you or tried to change you."
"…"
"But… It's all changed now. Now I know that you're also someone who's being suppressed because you stood up against them. I hope for you to climb to the top. Shine bright…"
An Mey saw Viviana relaxed again as she confessed her inner thoughts. Her eyes were not too sharp now.
"Don't you want to? Didn't you enter this industry because you wanted to be a star?"
Viviana did not respond to An Mey immediately. So the manager continued.
"Even if you had no hope because you had been suppressed for so long. You have a chance now. Through your eyes, you have seen just now… there are many who love you and wish for you to excel…. So…. Why don't you rethink your decision to leave the industry?"
An Mey came to the main point of the conversation.
Viviana remained quiet as she stood up and walked to the window and stared out. An Mey and Elisa watched every action of hers, wondering what her answers would be.
"There's one thing that's wrong in what you had just said."
Viviana did not turn back to look at them as she stood facing the window.
"What?..." An Mey was confused. She could not point out what wrong she had said.
"From what you said, you seem to think I am someone who wanted to be a star but had no choice but to become someone else. Is this not what you think of me now?"
Viviana had amusement in her eyes as walked back to her seat. The manager didn't know what the actress found amusing with what she had said.
"Is that not the case?" She asked back.
"Well…" Viviana poured herself a glass of water and had a sip. "That's where you got wrong."
"…"
"…"
The manager and assistant duo gave the actress their undivided attention. But they never could've even imagined the answer Viviana gave them.
"I never wanted to be a star… In fact,… I despised even the thought of even being an actress…"
Elisa and An Mey: "!!!"