Chapter 12 Wishing Pool

He missed her so much. He wanted to talk to her, hug her, and apologize to her. John entered Sophia's bedroom and lay down on the bed. As night fell, darkness enveloped the entire city, and one by one, the lights went out, plunging the room into pitch blackness. "John," John felt his face being prodded. He opened his eyes and saw Sophia sitting beside him, hugging her knees. John sat up and embraced her. He buried his face in her neck, inhaling her scent deeply. "Sophia," tears streamed down his face, "I miss you so much." The warmth of her neck was comforting, and John clung to her tightly, unwilling to let go. "Why are you acting like a child?" Sophia gently stroked his hair. John kept his eyes tightly shut, daring not to open them. He feared that if he did, Sophia would disappear. He frantically kissed her neck, jawline, face, and finally her eyes. "It tickles..." Sophia dodged, and John suddenly opened his eyes. He realized that the sky outside had brightened, and in his arms was only a blanket, not Sophia. Sophia wasn't there at all. John sat up, staring blankly out the window before bursting into laughter. Once Margaret left, Aunt Mary returned. John ate breakfast and headed to the office. Recently, his agent had taken a fancy to a group of ungraduated college students majoring in film and television, some of whom were already child stars with several acting credits. Agent Ashley brought the artists' resumes to John's office. John was in the middle of an international video conference, so Ashley wisely remained silent and exited. After the meeting, John picked up the resumes Ashley had brought and flipped through them one by one. Until he came across a particular photograph. Olivia Taylor, Tisch School of the Arts, NYU. The reason John noticed her was that she bore a striking resemblance to Sophia. John called Ashley and instructed him to sign Olivia. Ashley was surprised because Olivia had the least acting experience among the artists' resumes he had submitted to the boss. But instantly, Ashley understood; Olivia was exceptionally beautiful. The kind that could make a living just by her looks. Ashley set out to contact her, but Olivia proved harder to sign than expected. Olivia had an older brother named David Taylor, who did not approve of his sister entering the entertainment industry. Olivia had enrolled in the arts school without telling her parents. Now that she had graduated, her family intended for her to inherit the family business. Another reason for David's opposition was that Olivia had nearly drowned during an underwater scene in a period drama last year. After being rushed to the hospital, the doctors said it was difficult to treat. Fortunately, Olivia was lucky to survive. The drowning had left lingering effects, causing her to forget things frequently. Ashley reported this to John, who decided to meet Olivia in person after some consideration. John had searched for clips of Olivia's performances online and found her acting skills impressive. The meeting was scheduled for a week later. Ashley discovered that Jones Family Entertainment was not the only company in contact with Olivia. ... "I disagree!" David crossed his arms and paced back and forth. David was tall, standing at 6'1", with a muscular build from years of fitness. His skin was dark, and he didn't look like Olivia, but he was indeed her older brother. Their appearances just favored their respective parents. "David, I want to act," Olivia said, voicing her dream of entering the entertainment industry and becoming a good actor. "I've already talked to HR. Tomorrow, you'll start as an executive director in the company," David said, intending to pave the way for Olivia. He had given her two years before handing over his company entirely to her. He planned to expand into foreign markets. "I won't go," Olivia hugged her pillow and nestled into the sofa. "You're just obsessed with celebrities," David fumed. "Don't think I don't know why you want to enter the entertainment industry. It's because of Nicholas!" Nicholas, a former child star with a chiseled jawline, was Olivia's type—reserved and sexy. David was partly right; Olivia's decision to attend film school was indeed related to Nicholas. Who wouldn't want to be closer to their idol? However, Olivia disagreed with David's accusation of being overly obsessed. What did he mean by "obsessed with celebrities"? If it weren't for Nicholas motivating her, would she have scored so high on her exams? "I'm not going to the company, no matter what you say," Olivia said, lying down on the sofa. Recently, Nicholas's contract with his old agency was about to expire. Rumors had it that he had no intention of renewing it and it was unclear which company he would sign with next. Some also speculated that Nicholas might go independent and run his own studio. David couldn't convince her and was frustrated. "Fine, if you want to enter the film industry, go ahead. Just don't come crying back to me," David said before slamming the door. Olivia sat up and made a face at the doorway. She wouldn't be coming back in tears. She had an appointment with the president of Jones Family Entertainment on the weekend. Although Jones Family Entertainment had been established for just over a year, it had strong resources. Moreover, Jones Family Entertainment was the first film company to contact her, and Olivia was touched by their sincerity. The weekend arrived quickly, and Olivia drove to their meeting. The car was a graduation gift from her brother. Her brother was dark-skinned and had a short temper, but he was genuinely kind to her. However, Olivia's driving skills left much to be desired. She tried several times but couldn't park the car properly. Until— Bang! The rear of her car collided with the car next to it, sending a shockwave through Olivia's body. She had hit a Bentley, a limited edition model. Olivia drove to the side of the road and got out to inspect the Bentley's condition. She covered her forehead; this was a headache. Fifteen minutes before her appointment with the president of Jones Family Entertainment, Olivia waited for the Bentley's owner for another five minutes but saw no one. She took out a sticky note from her bag, wrote her name and contact information on it, and stuck it on the car window. Olivia took the elevator upstairs. When she arrived, someone was already seated. She could only see the man's back. He had neatly cut short hair, revealing a slender neck. He wore a black suit. "I'm sorry I'm late," Olivia said, though she wasn't actually late. But as an artist hoping to sign with the company, it was awkward to arrive after the boss. "It's okay," the man said, lifting his head. Only then did Olivia see his face. Olivia was taken aback. The man was incredibly handsome. She noticed him staring at her and uncomfortably touched her face, wondering if there was something on it. If it were anyone else, she would have thought they were interested in her. After all, she knew she was exceptionally beautiful. But John—he didn't seem like that. "Hello, Mr. John. I'm Olivia, nice to meet you," she said, extending her hand. "John," the man's palm was dry, his fingertips cool, and their handshake was brief. "I heard your brother doesn't approve of you entering the entertainment industry?" Olivia's face fell. "Yes, he's very against it." "May I ask why?" Olivia felt embarrassed. Her brother believed entering the entertainment industry was unprofessional and always wanted her to follow the path he had paved for her. John understood after listening. While the entertainment industry seemed glamorous on the surface, everyone who succeeded had endured much hardship. Olivia came from a wealthy family, and her brother's reluctance to let her enter an uncertain industry was understandable. The waiter arrived to introduce the dishes and offered, "We have a complimentary mango smoothie. Would you like two?" Olivia shook her head. "No, thank you." "It's delicious," the waiter persisted. "I'm allergic to mangoes," Olivia said. John paused. Sophia was also allergic to mangoes. When they first started dating, he took her to eat mango ice cream. She endured the itch and ate two cups, breaking out in red rashes all over her body. She didn't say anything because she didn't want to spoil the fun. John closed his eyes, his heart wrenched with pain. By the end of the conversation, Olivia said, "I really want to sign with Jones Family. Mr. John, don't worry. I'll convince my brother." John promised, "If you sign with Jones Family, I guarantee all resources will be prioritized for you. If you sign, I can give you the leading role in a joint drama with Fruit TV." The two entered the elevator successively. Olivia pressed B2 for the underground garage. Her phone didn't ring, meaning the Bentley's owner hadn't noticed the scratch yet. Then, to Olivia's bewilderment, John walked over to the vehicle. He picked up the note she had just written. Olivia trembled with anxiety. "Mr. John, is this your car?" Upon seeing John nod, Olivia's heart sank. With her name and contact information on the note, John didn't even need to ask; he already knew she was the one who had hit his car. "Mr. John, let's exchange contacts. Please let me know the repair cost whenever you can, and I promise to compensate you," Olivia said. ...... Olivia drove out of the parking lot. Her brother's phone calls started pouring in, but Sophia (assuming this is Olivia's nickname for her phone or a character mistake for herself) simply hung up on him. She actually hung up on him! David posted ten consecutive statuses on Facebook, each conveying the same message: He wanted her to come home immediately. Tsk, if he knew she was meeting with the president of Jones Family Entertainment, why didn't he go catch her in the act? It's because he didn't want to offend the Jones family. Olivia turned the steering wheel and found her way to a pottery shop that had gone viral on video recently. She had been wanting to try it out for a while and make a cup while she was at it. Plus, she had heard the owner was quite handsome. Olivia stepped out of the car. The pottery shop's door was wide open, with a floor-to-ceiling glass window offering an unobstructed view inside. Olivia caught sight of a lovely scene: a handsome young man in a black T-shirt and a brown apron was teaching a customer how to make pottery, hand in hand. This must be the handsome owner. He looked fresh and clean-cut. Olivia walked in, and the handsome owner turned around. "Welcome." Then Olivia realized something. This owner looked somewhat familiar, bearing a striking resemblance to Nicholas.