Hollywood: Lights, Ink, Entertainment!

…..

Gwendolyn crossed her arms, clearly unconvinced. "And do you even have a script? A team? And what about funds?"

Regal nodded. "I have got the script. The team will come. As for the funds… this check will do."

Maggie chimed in, skepticism etched on her face. "You do realize how risky that is, right? Movies aren't exactly a guaranteed success. In fact, you might ruin your reputation."

"I know." Regal said firmly, then paused. "But ….I love cinema."

The room stilled, and for a moment, Regal seemed like an entirely different person.

His always casual eyes were lit up when he spoke the word cinema, as if it embodied everything he cared about.

Gwendolyn, who had always seen him as detached and unflappable, found herself caught off guard by his rawness and passion.

She had assumed his nonchalant reaction to the book's success was just part of who he was, a man who didn't get fazed by much.

But now?

Now she saw someone who genuinely loved what he was talking about.

It was jarring.

Jealousy flickered briefly in her chest, unexpected and unwelcome.

Gwendolyn sighed, sliding the check back toward him. "...I hope your movie is as good as your book." She said, her lips curving into a faint smile.

Regal smirked, taking the check. "It will be better."

Sensing the shift, Maggie stood up, grabbing her tablet.

"I will leave you two to it." She glanced at Regal as she headed for the door. "Good luck."

With that, she was gone, leaving them alone.

….

They chatted briefly after that, the conversation lighter now, but eventually, Regal stood to leave.

"See you around." He said, standing and heading for the door.

Just as his hand reached the handle, a voice from behind stopped him.

"Boyfriend. Why did you dump me?"

Her tone carried the mix of her characteristic complaint and whining.

??Regal turned, startled. "What?"

Gwendolyn was still in her chair, avoiding his gaze. Her chair had swiveled slightly to the side, and her puffed cheeks gave her the air of a sulking child.

"You dumped me. Why?" She huffed, finally meeting his eyes with a meanie look. "Was I not good enough?"

Oh, god. Regal sighed internally, almost screaming inside.

Gwendolyn's expression was so cute he almost couldn't help himself …but he managed to stop himself.

"That's just a rumor, and you know it." He replied, exasperation creeping into his tone.

She waved a hand dismissively. "Doesn't matter… you still dumped me."

Regal sighed, a chuckle slipping out despite himself. "Are we really having a conversation over this topic?"

But before he could say anything more, the door opened again, interrupting the moment. Maggie stepped in, carrying a tray with three steaming cups, two coffee and one tea.

The smoke rising from the cups hung in the air.

Maggie glanced between the two of them, her brow furrowing in confusion. "Why were you standing near the door?"

Gwendolyn smirked, enjoying the chance to shift the conversation.

"Little Maggie, can you believe it? Regal was just about to leave…" She trailed off, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

Regal's shoulders dropped slightly as he realized he wasn't getting out of this room anytime soon.

….

.

"Gwendolyn, what are we doing here?" Regal's voice was low, but the exasperation in it was impossible to miss.

The bookstore they were now at was quiet, the kind of stillness that only came well after closing time.

Yet here they were, standing amidst rows of shelves like two people who had lost track of reality.

Regal sighed, glancing at the dimly lit street outside. This wasn't how he had planned to end his evening.

But just as he had initially expected, leaving the 'building' had been anything but straightforward.

Just an hour ago - He, Gwendolyn, and Maggie had wrapped up dinner at a nearby restaurant, claiming it was Gwendolyn's treat for celebration.

After that, Maggie said her goodbyes, leaving Regal to believe his night was finally winding down.

By now, Regal should have been heading home or, at the very least, standing at the nearest bus stop as per Gwendolyn's earlier promise.

But instead, here they were.

"Shhh~!" Gwendolyn hissed, holding a finger to her lips with dramatic flair.

In her other hand she held a copy of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone.

"We are here to witness the ground-level impact of our baby." She whispered, her tone dripping with mock seriousness.

Regal sighed inwardly, choosing to ignore her calling his book their 'baby'.

He wasn't entirely sure if she was teasing or subtly hinting at something deeper.

With Gwendolyn, it was always a guessing game.

One moment, she was lighthearted and playful, and the next, she would act like it was all in Regal's head.

Ding–!Dong–!

The bell above the entrance jingled softly, interrupting his thoughts.

Two teenage girls entered the store, their chatter breaking the quiet.

One of them was practically bouncing with excitement.

"Just give me a minute! I need to grab something!" She said, already heading for the shelves.

Her friend trailed behind, arms crossed, her expression a mix of impatience and indifference. "Make it quick."

The excited girl darted down the aisles, scanning the shelves. But soon, her excitement gave way to frustration.

Unable to find what she was looking for, she approached the store's counter.

"Excuse me." She asked the store owner, holding up her phone. "Do you have a copy of this?"

The man glanced at the title displayed on her screen and shook his head apologetically. "Sorry, we sold out. The last copy went earlier today."

Disappointment clouded her face. Behind her, her friend shrugged, clearly unmoved.

She said flatly. "Just wait until it's back in stock."

"You don't get it, Jessica." the first girl replied, clearly distressed. "My friends said it's the best book they have ever read!"

At that moment, Gwendolyn stepped forward with a confident smile, holding the book in her hand.

On the other hand, Regal just stayed back, not expecting her to make a move.

"You can take this." Gwendolyn offered, extending the book with a sense of pride that was almost palpable.

Regal could see her expression. She was too proud of how well the book was doing, and she wasn't hiding it.

"Uh, no. Ho–!" Jessica began, her tone laced with suspicion, as though trying to figure out why a random stranger would give away a book so casually.

"Can I?!" the other girl interrupted, her excitement bubbling over. She practically snatched the book from Gwendolyn's hand, her gratitude spilling out in a rush. "Thank you so much!"

"Don't mention it," Gwendolyn said breezily, waving off her thanks like it was no big deal. "I was just browsing anyway."

The girl quickly paid for the book at the counter before Jessica could object.

As the two exited the store, Jessica finally grabbed the book from her friend, flipping it over with a skeptical look.

"Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone." She read aloud, her tone neutral. Then, after a pause, she added, "Written by Regal Seraphsail. That name sounds cool. Maybe I will read it too."

"You should! But only after I am done!" Her friend shot back, holding the book tightly with an air of possessiveness.

"Hey!" Jessica protested, reaching for it again.

Their playful bickering faded into the distance, their voices growing softer as they stepped outside.

….

Meanwhile, watching the scene, Gwendolyn's expression shifted entirely.

The pride she had flaunted so effortlessly moments ago began to darken, replaced by an expression far more ominous.

Her gaze lingered on the girls as they disappeared through the door, her thoughts visibly spiraling into something deeper and less flattering.

It wasn't the book's popularity that bothered her, oh, no.

It was the casual remark. Regal is cool.

She seemed to completely sidestep the fact that with the book's success, Regal's name - and, by extension, her publishing company - was gaining traction.

Her lips pressed into a thin line as her thoughts swirled. Then, with sudden resolve, she muttered under her breath. "Maybe I should just get my book back."

"No, you don't." Regal reacted sharply, stepping forward and catching her wrist before she could leave.

His grip was steady, his expression a mixture of exasperation and disbelief. "What's gotten into you all of a sudden?"

She turned to face him, her narrowed eyes betraying a flicker of embarrassment.

"...Nothing." She murmured, her voice soft but entirely unconvincing - the hesitation betrayed her true feelings.

Regal studied her for a moment, his grip loosening as he let out a weary sigh. "Sometimes, I really can't figure you out."

At that, her demeanor shifted once again. Like the snap of a rubber band, her smirk was back, confidence restored.

"That's part of my charm, Junior." She quipped, her tone playful yet enigmatic.

Regal rolled his eyes, muttering under his breath as he turned away. "Yeah, sure."

.

….

[To be continued…]

★─────⇌•★•⇋─────★

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