Chapter 13 For the Corporation

His appearance boosted his likeability in her heart by +1. "What would you like to make?" The owner stood up to guide the student to work independently while washing his hands and showing Olivia a catalog. "A cup," she replied. Most people who come to a pottery studio make a cup first, so the owner wasn't surprised. "I have a guest today, so I'll ask my brother to teach you later," the owner smiled and called out from behind a curtain. "Brother, can you help me out?" Behind the curtain was a small door leading to a break room. Olivia stood at the counter and could hear the sound of video games from inside. After the owner's call, the gaming noise ceased. Footsteps approached, and the curtain was pulled aside. Olivia looked up, stunned. "Ni..." Nicholas nodded at her. George said, "Brother, she wants to learn how to make a cup. Can you teach her?" Olivia was still in a daze even after George left. Her heart pounded like a hammer, making loud thudding sounds. "Hello, Nicholas. My name is Olivia, and I'm a fan of yours," she greeted. This was her male idol, the acting legend Nicholas! Olivia's eyes sparkled as Nicholas smiled and shook her hand. Even as they sat opposite each other, Olivia felt like she was dreaming. She had once thought she would need to pursue a career in acting to have a chance to meet Nicholas. Little did she expect the opportunity to come so suddenly. Nicholas's hands were beautiful, with slender fingers that weren't as coarse as most men's. They were white but not effeminate. Olivia's fingers trembled in anticipation as her idol was about to teach her pottery. This was a dream come true, one she could savor for eight hundred lifetimes. Ashley was sent by John to find the owner of the popular pottery studio for the new reality show produced by the Jones family, which featured a crafting segment. Upon entering, Ashley recognized the young girl sitting inside – wasn't she Olivia, the one Mr. John intended to sign? And the person sitting opposite Olivia looked even more familiar to Ashley – it was Nicholas!!! George had received the message earlier and, upon seeing Ashley, washed his hands and led her inside to discuss matters. He agreed to participate in the Jones family's reality show. Although Ashley was a seasoned agent and concealed her surprise and curiosity well, George knew his brother was an actor. It wouldn't be good if anything leaked out, so George smiled and said, "Nicholas is my brother. He helps out when the store is busy." His family had been involved in pottery for generations, and George had inherited his father's craft. Nicholas, who excelled in academics, was later discovered by a talent scout and entered the entertainment industry by chance. Ashley understood the situation and reported back to John accordingly. Olivia gifted the cup she made with Nicholas to him and asked for an autographed photo. "Didn't you act in 'Westworld'?" Nicholas asked. He had felt familiar when he saw the young girl earlier. Olivia was surprised that Nicholas knew about 'Westworld'. She nodded vigorously and said, "I played Arnold." Arnold in 'Westworld' was a tragic figure, and Nicholas remembered him vividly. Seeing Nicholas up close further solidified Olivia's desire to enter the acting world. Her dream was to star in a film alongside Nicholas sometime in her life. ... At the Thomas residence, David and his parents were present. As soon as Olivia entered, she sensed the serious atmosphere. Normally, the family pampered Olivia like a little princess. This was the first time she had seen all three of them looking so stern. Relatively speaking, her mother looked a bit better. Olivia quickly clung to her mother's leg. "Mom," she called out. Donald said, "Your brother has arranged a position for you in the company. Don't argue. You're starting tomorrow." David added, "I'll take you there tomorrow." Olivia buried her head in her mother's arm and mumbled, "No way. I'm planning to sign with the Jones family." "This is my dream," Olivia said somewhat unhappily. Karen said, "If you choose to become an actor, you'll be traveling all over. We don't know what kind of environment the film set will be. What if something happens again like last time..." She couldn't finish her sentence. That accident almost cost their precious daughter her life. Karen couldn't imagine how she would survive if anything happened to her only child. Karen felt more and more scared. Olivia scratched her head, as she couldn't quite remember how the accident happened last time. Something went wrong after she nearly drowned, and her memory was blank for quite some time. It was only later that she gradually remembered many things. Olivia hugged her mother's neck and said, "The company will assign me an agent and assistant. Besides, if I go to work at the company, I still have to drive, and there's always a chance of a car accident..." Karen raised her hand to pretend to hit her, and Olivia ducked her head in surrender. "I'm sorry. I won't say anything stupid again. Mom, don't hit me," Olivia pleaded. Her mother was always elegant, and only Olivia could ruin that elegance. "David," Donald said, reluctantly having to do this despite his reluctance. "Lock your sister up if she insists on becoming a celebrity. Don't let her out. Let's go," Donald said, holding Karen's hand. Olivia stamped her foot and looked at David pitifully. "Brother, you can't do this to me. I'm your sister," Olivia protested. David grabbed her by the scruff of the neck and said, "If you weren't my sister, I wouldn't bother with you." Olivia was grounded. She lay sprawled on the bed, feeling extremely bored! She rolled over and got up, finding a horror movie to cast on the screen with the volume turned up so loud that it echoed eerily down the hallway. Olivia was like any other girl in every way except for her courage, which was exceptionally bold. David shook his head and instructed the maid to make her favorite chicken soup, which she had inexplicably become addicted to this year, despite previously not being a fan. The horror movie made Olivia sleepy. She hugged her knees and felt drowsy. In her daze, she saw Nicholas's face, so handsome that Olivia wanted to be naughty. She smiled foolishly with her eyes closed and woke herself up laughing. The TV had already automatically switched to another show. Olivia grabbed the remote and turned it off. Nicholas's Twitter hadn't been updated recently. Later, the maid came to call her for dinner. Olivia didn't respond. Her brother had her grounded, and she couldn't escape, but no one could stop her from going on a hunger strike. Her parents' concerns were understandable, but she didn't want to struggle in an industry she didn't like. She hated having her life planned out for her; it was too boring. David was worried sick about Olivia not eating. That night, he personally brought her dinner. "It's me. Open the door," David called out, holding a tray. Who would have thought that the powerful head of the Taylor family was actually a sibling-worshipper? After letting David in, Olivia sat cross-legged on the bed playing a game, unmoved by the delicious dinner he brought. "Are you planning to starve yourself to death?" David asked sternly. Olivia didn't respond, immersed in the game's sound effects. When the game ended, Olivia threw the tablet aside and looked straight at her brother. "Which character from 'Westworld' do you like?" she asked. David: ? "Maeve Millay," Olivia replied, pulling off the sheet and draping it over her shoulders. "Then, brother, let me act out Logan for you." David: "..." "Are you crazy?" David said, "Eat." He pulled the sheet off Olivia and grabbed her by the collar, dragging her to the table. David pressed her down, just like he used to when forcing Olivia to do her homework when she was younger. "Not a grain of rice is to be left," David ordered, folding his arms and moving his chair to sit beside Olivia. A pair of eyes that would make any girl scream stared unblinkingly at her. Fine, she'd eat. Olivia picked up her chopsticks. David sighed, "I'll let you dabble in the entertainment industry for two years. If you haven't made it big by then, you'll have to come back and inherit the family business." He had come to terms with the fact that his little sister had always been stubborn. They had pampered her too much, and no one could ever convince her otherwise. Even if she temporarily agreed to work in the company, he doubted she would give up on her acting dreams. It was better to let her face some rejection. At this point, David never imagined that two years was too long a timeframe. Olivia became a sensation in the entertainment industry within just half a year. The clueless older brother, who was still watching his sister eat, hadn't realized this yet. "But..." "Can you stop dragging your words?" Olivia widened her eyes. Was David going to backtrack?! He knew what was going on in her mind. David ruffled her hair forcefully, "I'm not regretting it, but I'm not comfortable with the assistant your company assigned to you. I have someone suitable here." "Who?" David: "You're quite familiar with him." These words sparked Olivia's curiosity. Who could she be familiar with among David's circle? His secretary? Would her dear old brother really give her his precious secretary? She doubted she could even afford this assistant's salary. "Go to bed early. I'll send you to the Jones family tomorrow." Olivia followed David like a little tail. David's back was tall and sturdy. Olivia rubbed her hands together and leapt onto his back. David stumbled forward, turning back helplessly. "Are you a child?" Olivia pinched David's ear, "In my brother's eyes, I'm a child even if I'm eighty." She wrapped her small arms around the man's neck. "Brother, how are you going to tell Dad about this?" David: "Don't worry about that." "Brother, thank you." Olivia's voice was sweet. David spun her around playfully, and soon, Olivia was begging forgiveness with tears in her eyes. She hated feeling dizzy. A red '1' appeared next to the 'New Friends' on Facebook. John had added Olivia as a friend. Olivia showered and went to bed without noticing the friend request. Strangely, she dreamed of the CEO of the Jones Family Entertainment that night. Their relationship in the dream seemed quite close. When Olivia woke up the next day, she rubbed her face and thought that it must be because John's face was too good-looking, triggering her dream system. Thomas's car was parked outside. Olivia, with her backpack on, hopped into the car with a light-hearted step. She didn't expect her brother to personally send her off. "Brother, let's go."