With that, he rose to leave.
Laura blinked, then her expression turned ugly as she reacted and blocked his path. "What are you trying to do?"
Diego sneered at her. "I told you. I'm going to see my son-in-law about some pocket change. That's not going too far, is it!"
Laura's chest was about to explode.
"Have some shame, will you? I've got nothing to do with him! We just ate together a few times as investor and lead actress. Even if he really did feel something for me, we're not even together, so by what right are you asking him for money?"
Diego leered. "Not my business. You deal with it."
"You!"
Laura was getting a headache from her rage. She knew her adopted father was a slimeball, but she'd never thought he'd stoop this low.
All these years, she'd looked carefree and relaxed, but nobody knew her own pain deep inside.
Ever since her birth father had died ten years ago, she'd fallen overnight into hell, and had never climbed back up.
After a while, she sucked in a deep breath with red eyes. "I really don't have money right now. If you want it, wait until I finish shooting this show right now. That's the only way. Otherwise, it'll all come to ruin, so do what you want. I can't manage anything more..."
Seeing that, Diego was still dissatisfied, but knew there wasn't a better way out.
So he grudgingly said, "Fine, when do you finish shooting the show?"
"The end of the month, probably!"
"Okay, I'll wait until the end of the month. Don't go back on your word, or... heh, you get it."
Laura choked, not sure what to say.
She rubbed her brow tiredly, saying, "Just go. I'll tell you when I have the money."
Only then was Diego content to leave.
...
After Diego left, Laura sat in her room, silent for a long while.
About a dozen or so minutes had passed when she sighed, took up her phone, and dialed a number.
It only took a few trills for the receiver to pick up.
Laura asked carefully, "Maria, it's... I want to ask a favor, if that's okay."
On the other end of the line, Maria's voice was as cool as always. "What favor?"
"I... I want to have my pay in advance, is that okay?"
Maria frowned.
The agent paused, then replied, "I don't have a say over it. Do you need it urgently?"
Laura bit her lip, then said yes.
"Let's do this, then! I'll ask about it for you. The pay is usually calculated after the cast is dismissed, but if they can do it beforehand, I'll have them send it to you in advance."
Maria was talking in completely businesslike terms, but even so, Laura was grateful.
She hastily said, "All right. Thank you, Maria."
"Sure."
The line hung up. Laura massaged her nervous heart and relaxed slightly, walking back towards her quarters.
At that moment, on the other side.
After Maria hung up, she told Elsa about the incident.
Hearing what had happened, Elsa was quite surprised.
Considering that Laura might need the money for some emergency, though, she didn't overthink it.
But this show was primarily being invested in by Annie International. Star Entertainment was just attached to it on the side, and she didn't have a say over that.
Natalia wasn't managing Annie International anymore, so this was strictly business. Because of that, she didn't ask Natalia and handed in a request on that side directly.
The following day, the results came out.
The answer they'd given was that they couldn't give out pay in advance with no such regulations in the company, so she couldn't do anything about that.
Laura was gravely disappointed.
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