Permission from the CEO

To: Joe

From: Noelle

"Okay."

At that simple text, Joe jumped in their station like he had won the lottery. His co-workers turned to him, admiring his glee, wondering what just happened that made him squeal in happiness. Joe sat back down, grinning widely, his lips stretching from ear to ear.

"I just got a yes from a girl, that's all," he commented.

Joe picked one of the dried mangoes and slipped it inside his teeth without hesitation. He chewed it while giggling like a little child. Joe was aware of what they'll talk later, and he was ready for the rejection that will arise. Good thing that Cole permitted him to do it so.

Her boyfriend was an open-minded man, unlike her.

Meanwhile, Noelle was heading out of the filming site after the two scenes. Her legs went jelly, and she's afraid that she might catch a flu in just a few days due to exhaustion. It's not because of the work, but because of what Cole and her did at night before going to sleep.

Cole didn't even live in that penthouse. He was merely a visitor.

Noelle doesn't even want that penthouse at first, but Cole gave it wholeheartedly.

Noelle sat down in the dressing room, waiting for the medicines to arrive. The staff gave her one, and she drank 4 glasses of water. Her mouth is starting to get parched, too. Noelle checked the time and date in her phone, and she realized…

"What time will they release the rankings?"

She suddenly remembered that at this time of the month, July 19, the rising stars will show, and even the old tops were going to be revealed. Noelle wished that she increased to top 100, or even so, at the top 50 might do.

"Around 12nn, Ms. Iris. It's already 11:30 a.m."

Right after pulling her hair into a ponytail, she rushed out of the dressing room while pulling on a hoodie. Grabbing her purse and cell phone, she headed to the main lobby of A&E. In case no one knew, the day rankings are revealed was a very crucial part of being a porn star.

Noelle was always watching it as it flashes on the big screen in the lobby.

Now, she wished that she already has a position. Even though she doesn't use Cole's connection to her work, still, a part of her wished that her name would be on the list. Noelle wouldn't label herself as just a normie, average porn star who just know how to do sex, kept someone entertained for a minute, and be forgotten after the video is over.

Those actors on the top of the list were similar to top authors or film stars.

Equivalent to the value of actors who won Academy or Tony Award.

Noelle basically has a career being a porn star. It is a job that explicitly showed off my body to different and various streaming platforms, but she makes money out of it, so why does she had to bother about what everyone will say?

Reaching the lobby, it was still quiet. But there were people lurking at the side, waiting for the screen to turn on and release the rankings. Noelle situated herself at one of the benches and fired up her phone while waiting.

No one will know her face, she's not as popular as every actress in the A&E guild.

Little did she know that Joe was coming at the lobby, seeking for some fresh sunshine from the glass windows and doors of the A&E. The lunchtime is around the corner, and he'll wait for the half hour to pass and meet Noelle at the coffee shop outside of the company.

He was clueless that from where he was seated, Noelle Iris was there.

When he glanced at the huge screen, a news flash was shown.

Noelle glimpsed at her front, and dropped her cell phone right away.

Joe sensed someone is looking at him, and so, when he turned to his front, Noelle was there.

His face suddenly lit up as he called, "Noelle!"

Swallowing, Noelle felt parched. Earlier, she was wishing to see her name at the list, but now that she knew that someone is looking, Noelle wanted to retreat from the wish. She sat down comfortably and formally, nodding, and waving, along with a hello.

"What are you doing here? Chilling out?"

Noelle pointed at the big screen. "I'm waiting for something."

Joe furrowed his eyebrows. "A news?"

Noelle shook her head. It was hard to explain at all. She had to do that at the coffee shop, so as to ease down her bewilderment and puzzlement about the certain conditions on how this place runs. Noelle waved her hand, and said, "Just wait for it, okay?"

Joe found it mysterious. It was very unusual.

Noelle placed her phone with the back facing and pointed at the screen.

"How long have you been working in A&E?" Noelle asked.

"For about 2 years now."

She was surprised. That long?! Why did they never saw each other?!

"That long?"

"Yeah, how about you?"

"For about that long, too."

Both of their minds are nearly blown. They had been working at the same company without even running into each other. It was a huge one, yes, but it was impossible that they never crossed paths—even once—in the daily work at A&E.

"Damn. Why did we never cross paths, and just now, after knowing that you had been a star for 2 years?" Joe was confused. Why did the fate let them get across on each other on a street where both annoyance and disruption come?

"I don't know. We had a lot of repairmen who comes at the filming site every day. Why…"

Their conversation was interrupted when the anthem—a music that was A&E's owned—started to blast in the speakers. Joe turned to the screen and asked, "What is it?"

"It's the one I am talking about. The A&E golden rankings. The list that will make porn stars superior or inferior with each other."

Joe was stunned. They have that kind of list where a woman or a man is topping the charts with how good their sexual intercourse was?

"You have that kind of list?"

"Yes. And it indicated what money and position I will be in for the next filming scripts."

Noelle put on a smile that is both apologetic and anticipating.