1 No time for tears

Emmaline Spelt wasn't angry.

No, she was positively incandescent with fury, that's what she was.

She had won the hearts of the director and producers. She knew she had.

Even when the lights were blinding her onstage, she could feel it in the scene that she had nailed the character.

She had studied and rehearsed and now, she was one hundred percent in the zone.

"I can't stop thinking about you," She pitched her voice low, mimicking a male voice, "You're not-"

"Stop, stop," Someone cut her off mid-sentence, startling her and jolting her out of the scene.

The house lights came back on and she could see the panel of people, the ones with her fate in their hands.

"I think that's all we need to hear," One of the producers waved his hand in a shooing motion, "You don't need to waste any more time here."

Tears of anger and humiliation sprang to Emmaline's eyes without her consent. She tried to blink them away. She had been rejected before, but never this rudely.

It was basic etiquette not to interrupt an audition unless it was an emergency.

Everyone, even newbies, knew that.

And yet, the producer didn't even look at her, flipping through his papers as if checking who the next candidate was, "You can go now."

Through the blur of her tears, she could see a few people at the panel looking confused.

One of the other producers leaned over to the first man, seeming to ask a question and she got shut down almost as cleanly as Emmaline had been.

That's when Emmaline knew.

This had nothing to do with her acting.

It had everything to do with money, power and the greed of people who had both.

The rage in her belly had settled into an age-old resentment and bitterness that made her what her best friend called 'cynical'.

Emmaline preferred to call it being realistic.

No amount of good acting would get her the part, she understood that.

"Thank you for your time," She tossed out, still perfectly in character. Even now, she behaved and spoke like a man better than most men, so realistic that she could have passed for an actual guy (which is exactly what they had been looking for).

She saw the regret in some of the panel's faces and her lips twitched in satisfaction, not fully growing into a smirk.

Good. Show them just what they were losing out on.

With her head high and her shoulders back, she exited the stage.

She held it together until she made it into the car park and then she slumped behind the nearest pillar, her knees giving out on her as she crouched down.

Another failed audition.

Or rather, another sabotaged audition.

Did she know, when she became the top student in the film and theatre academy, that she would end up making so many enemies?

No.

Would she be any less sarcastic to any of the mean people in her cohort if she had known they would try to ruin her life at any given chance?

Also, no.

Her mouth finally gave way into a wry smile.

She might be a broke and struggling actress, but she had her pride and she would never bow down to those princes and princesses who only knew how to throw their money around.

She was Emmaline Spelt! She would make it somehow!

Burying her face in her hands she sighed heavily.

How though?

Money was already tight and with the acting school's fees along with her mother's medical bills, she needed a job and she needed it yesterday.

Her fingers curled into fists as she drew a deep breath.

There was no time for tears.

Only rich people had time to cry, poor people only had time to hustle.

Her mother's health was non-negotiable.

She wouldn't give up on her dreams either.

One way or another, she would get there.

Slowly, she stood up, straightened the vest and shirt she had on, dusted off her trousers, and began walking out as she mentally ran through the next few auditions taking place.

"Hey!" She was so caught up in reviewing the next part she had to rehearse for that she missed the initial call.

"Hold up!" The voice was closer now, breaking through Emmaline's thoughts and she turned to see the most gorgeous man she had ever seen.

That was saying a lot since she went to film and theater school and everyone there was attractive all the time in the perfect way that is expected of celebrities.

This man though, he wasn't actor kind of hot.

He was just hot hot.

Emmaline's brain shut down completely.

Blonde hair that fell into his green eyes slightly, a sharp jaw and a face personally carved by god.

He was the kind of man that ought to be on posters and billboards and every imaginable advertisement.

And his voice was low and rich. Perfect for voice acting, Emmaline thought.

She was so distracted that she missed what he was saying at first.

He must have seen the confused look on her face because he chuckled a bit and Emmaline nearly lost the plot again when two dimples appeared.

So unfair! He was good looking, had a super sexy voice and had dimples?

"You were perfect," His voice finally filtered through.

Emmaline stared at him with wide eyes.

She just failed the audition and he thought she was… Perfect?

She blinked, unable to find the words.

"You're exactly who I'm looking for," He continued.

Her brows furrowed. She was?

"I need someone as skilled as you to pretend to be in a relationship with me," He finished.

Emmaline's mouth fell open. .

He what?!

"Not a marriage contract," He emphasized, holding her gaze and seeming very sane despite everything he was saying, "I need you to act as if you're insanely in love with me."

He was watching her very closely when he said it, "I want a love contract."