Lilia's expression was filled with loneliness and her gaze was sad. Just by looking at her face was enough to feel Lilia's sorrow.
When the figure Lilia was waiting for finally appeared, her eyelashes trembled and a single tear fell down her cheek. She stared at Ryan's figure who walked closer and finally stopped right in front of Lilia. They looked at each other for a moment. Their gazes were filled with deep love.
As Ryan reached out to wipe away her tears, Lilia bit her lip and hit the young man's shoulder. Every inch of their moves were capable of expressing sincere sadness and love without the need for words.
Finally Ryan caught Lilia's wrist and pulled her into his arms.
"Cut! You guys are awesome!" Louis called out through the megaphone in his hand. The director seemed proud of their appearance.
At the first glance, the scene might seem simple. But carrying out the scene required great acting skills and seamless cooperation between the two actors. Louis must admit that both Lilia and Ryan had an extraordinary performance.
Louis had arranged for the staff to play the album's title song out of camera reach. He did it to help Lilia and Ryan dive into their roles. The song was soft and immersive, perfect for expressing the beauty of love that existed after going through many obstacles and hardships.
Louis could already imagine the emotional reaction of the audience when they saw Lilia's acting. That woman looked like an ordinary girl who was suffering for love. He believed that Lilia's appearance would steal the hearts of millions of people and made this music video a success.
The director sat in front of the monitor screen with a serious gaze. He studied Lilia's figure as he rubbed his chin. Louis seemed lost in thought.
Meanwhile, Ryan handed Lilia a bottle of water and a towel.
"Good job, Miss Model. You looked amazing!" Ryan praised her. He was taken aback by Lilia's convincing acting. Ryan had some doubts whether Lilia really had no prior acting experience. That woman looked like a veteran actress!
Lilia accepted the towel and wiped the remnants of her tears. She smiled as she said, "Thank you. This is my first time acting out a sad scene, so I'm glad I didn't burden you earlier!"
"No, no!" Ryan shook his head vigorously, "You underestimate your acting skill, Miss Model! Too bad you didn't become an actress!" He said regretfully.
"I'm not interested in becoming famous." Lilia answered in a serious tone, "I became a model because I like modeling, so I have no interest in entertainment."
"I think it is a waste of your talent, but I will not comment again." Ryan shrugged, "I also became a singer because I like music and not popularity, so I will not judge your decision."
"Thank you." Lilia smiled happily because the young man understood her as she was.
"Then, I will be the first and last person to ever act with you, right?" Ryan grinned widely when he said that, "This is a great honor for me, Miss Model!" He bowed to Lilia.
"I am also honored to have acted this role with you, Mr. Ryan." Lilia replied by grabbing the hem of her skirt and bowing towards the man.
When Lilia and Ryan looked at each other, they both laughed out loud.
"Oh yeah, there's only one more scene to shoot after this." Ryan said after they were satisfied laughing, "When we're done, how about we go to the closing party tonight?" He offered, sticking a hand in his pocket.
Lilia thought about it for a moment, then she nodded. Attending the party after completing the filming process was a tradition in the entertainment world, after all. Even though Lilia disliked socializing, she still needed to be present as the main character in this music video.
***
8 PM, at Club Moonlight.
This elite club was owned by the Lyra Music Company and was a regular place for the company's staff to visit. The first floor was a cafeteria, while the second floor was a karaoke place and the third floor was filled with classy restaurants.
The closing party was held on the open balcony located on the top floor. The place was decorated with small, colorful lights. On the right side of the balcony was a drink bar. A long table filled with various dishes and desserts was located on the left side.
Almost all of the team members who participated in the making of the music video came to the closing party. Lilia, Harold, and Merry were also present at the party.
The open balcony was immense and provided a view of the star-filled night sky above them. The place was filled with people chatting with each other and enjoying the available dishes.
Lilia was alone in the corner of the balcony with a glass of champagne in her hand. She occasionally sipped the champagne while observing the ongoing party.
At that time, Louis approached her with a glass of wine, "Miss Lilia, why don't you join them?" He asked kindly.
Lilia lowered her glass and smiled politely, "I don't really like fuss. Does Mr. Louis also have no intention of joining the other staff?" Lilia replied.
Louis chuckled and shook his head, "I'm too old to enjoy a party like this."
The two chatted for a while before Louis was called by his deputy director.
Lilia was back watching the festive party. Not long after, Harold appeared, his face red from alcohol. The man walked on unsteady legs while carrying a plate of cookies in his hand. Then Harold handed the plate to Lilia.
"You only ate salad for lunch, right? Don't drink, you also need to eat something." Harold said, his breath reeked of wine.
Lilia received the plate containing the sponge cake, "Very well. Thank you very much, Harold."
Harold snorted and leaned against the balcony rail next to Lilia, "Why are you being formal with me?" He grumbled, running his fingers through his hair, "I promise I'll accompany them for drinks again after this, so I won't take you home. Merry will be with you. Then don't forget to call me if anything happens."
"Yes, yes, don't worry." Lilia answered while cutting the cake on her plate, "I'm not a kid, really."
Harold stole a glance at Lilia. Even when his gaze was out of focus due to drunkenness, the woman's face still looked so beautiful. The corner of Harold's mouth lifted into a sarcastic smile. Lilia was right, Harold didn't need to worry about it at all. That woman was perfectly protected by the fourth son of the Widjaya Family. Compared to Jean, Harold was just a useless old manager.
"Lilia, you…"
Those words had already escaped Harold's mouth without him noticing. The man hurriedly swallowed back the rest of his sentence. Why would he ask how Lilia felt towards him if that woman couldn't possibly belong to him?
"Hmm?" Lilia swallowed the slices of cake before turning to look at Harold. The cake tasted too sweet and fatty, and it made Lilia frown, "What did you say earlier, Harold?" She asked in confusion.
Harold sighed and shook his head. He just muttered, "Nothing. Be careful on the road. I'll go first."
Lilia stared at Harold who was hurriedly leaving. The woman sighed before averting her gaze. There were things that were better to keep and not bring up again.
***
Half an hour later, Lilia and Merry said goodbye to Louis and the other staff before leaving the club first. When Lilia said goodbye to Ryan, the young man volunteered to take them outside. Ryan accompanied them to the parking lot outside the building.
"Miss Model— no, Lilia!" Called Ryan when Lilia got into the car that picked her up, "Thank you for taking part in this music video! I know you have no interest in being an actress, but I still look forward to our cooperation next time!" Ryan said it with a big smile.
Ryan's smile made Lilia smile too, "You're welcome. Hopefully your album will be a Big Hit!"
"That's easier said than done!" Ryan protested with a laugh. He waved until Lilia's car was out of sight.
In the car, Merry continued to peek at Ryan from the back window. Her eyes sparkled with admiration.
"Ryan is really handsome! I've fallen in love with him!" Merry turned to Lilia while talking excitedly, "When I saw his smile, I even decided where the two of us would be buried!"
Both Lilia and Clifford glanced at Merry with strange looks. They felt that the young woman's reaction was too much. Merry must have watched too much drama series in her free time.
Meanwhile, Ryan turned to head back to the party after Lilia's car left. At the same time, Ryan's manager appeared at the front door. It looked like the man was looking for the artist who suddenly disappeared. He raised his eyebrows when he saw Ryan who was walking back into the building.
"Did you just end your relationship with Lilia Pangestu?" The manager was half kidding.
"Huh?! Don't talk nonsense, Tony!" Ryan hissed angrily, "How did you come to that conclusion?!"
Ryan admitted that Lilia was a very beautiful and sexy woman, but she was 3 years older than him! Not to mention their height gap too! When they stood side by side, Ryan looked more like a younger brother trailing behind his older sister. Ryan got goosebumps when he imagined he was dating Lilia. He would look so ridiculous!
Hearing Ryan's protest, Tony immediately looked disappointed, "Too bad. I thought you guys like each other because of love, but then you realize that your relationship will hurt Lilia's career. So you purposely ended this relationship before it even started to protect her." Tony chattered at length.
Ryan shot his manager a look of disgust, "You read too many romance novels, you know?!"
Note:
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