Divorce and Freedom No More Homemaker for Him novel Chapter 453

Chapter 453 Little Secret

It would be the first birthday they spent together as a couple.

She wanted it to be a memory that stayed soft and warm for a long time.

EMAC

Centurion Entertainment.

Ayla’s schedule for the day included a formal meeting with Brianna.

As expected, Hannah had proven herself more than capable. She’d managed to talk Brianna–who’d never signed with any entertainment agency–right to the edge of putting pen to paper.

Brianna was a client the company had high hopes for. As the boss, Ayla naturally had to meet her in person.

Brianna’s agent was named Polly Twomey; the two had gone to the same drama academy.

If they signed Brianna, Polly would be coming along for the ride.

But Polly’s attitude was … murky. Too noncommittal for Hannah’s taste–annoyingly so.

Brianna was training on set, so based on her schedule, they’d arranged to meet at 7 p.m. at a hotel near the production site. Ayla’s assistant, Iris, had already booked everything in advance.

As the company van rolled through evening traffic, Hannah brought up Polly again. “Brianna really trusts her. Most of the time, she listens to whatever Polly says. She’s going to be hard to move.”

Ayla said, “We’ll test her attitude later.”

Iris pulled a folder from her bag–the draft contract they’d prepared for Brianna. Ayla opened it and went through the pages line by line, checking every clause.

They arrived twenty minutes early.

Brianna and Polly showed up right on time.

Iris let the waiter know they could start bringing the food out.

Hannah had been in frequent contact with Brianna these past few days, and they were already pretty familiar with each other. It was only Ayla’s second time meeting her, so there was a bit of polite distance at first–but with Hannah there to bridge things, a handshake and a few opening lines were all it took for the table to warm up.

The entertainment industry wasn’t exactly short on gorgeous women, but Brianna was young, stunning, and had real acting chops. Give her the right roles–roles that felt like they were written for her–and she’d be lethal competition.

She had a bold streak balanced by a quiet humility, and Ayla genuinely liked that combination.

Brianna, for her part, was clearly drawn to the idea of joining the Centurion “family” and said more than once how much she admired Ayla–young, sharp, and already building something of her own.

The dinner flowed the way these things were supposed to–laughter, small talk, business threaded between dishes. Everyone seemed satisfied.

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11:41 Sat, Feb 7

Chapter 453 Little Secret

Except Polly never said a single solid word. Her stance stayed hazy from start to finish.

At first, Ayla assumed she was just waiting for her moment to negotiate for better terms. More money, better splits–standard stuff. But Polly never brought any of that up. It wasn’t until her phone rang that she excused herself and slipped out of the private room.

That was when Brianna spoke up. “Stargaze Entertainmint reached out. You know how big companies are- they’ve got money to burn. They said if I sign with them, they’ll wire me a 10–million–dollar advance up front. My agent is… pretty tempted.”

Ayla and Hannah exchanged a look.

Ayla’s eyes went cold.

It was Stargaze’s second move in such a short time. They weren’t just competing; they were targeting her

now.

Ayla kept her tone even. “We can keep talking numbers. But as an actress, you also have to think long–term. We’re a new company–that means our resources lean your way by default. And the shows we build around you? That’s written into the contract, not just verbal promises.”

Brianna flushed, flustered. “Ms. Keaton, that’s not me asking for more money. I really do like your company. Having a script tailored to me–it feels like winning the lottery. I’m just a rookie; I never even dared to dream of that. Honestly, besides the big name, I don’t know how much real support a giant agency would give me personally. But Polly, she…”

Her expression shifted. She let out a quiet sigh. “She’s the one who calls the shots.”

Ayla asked, “You’ve got something hanging over you, don’t you?”

Meeting Ayla’s steady gaze, Brianna had a sudden, overwhelming urge to spill everything.

But fear sank its claws into her. She couldn’t afford to lose.

That was all Ayla needed to be sure–Brianna wasn’t wavering because of greed. She was trapped. And if there was a trap, there was leverage.

“Brianna, I’ll level with you. I fully intend to work with you–unless you turn me down. You’re allowed to put Polly aside for a second and think only about what you want. If you want to join us, then as far as I’m concerned, you’re one of us. You can tell me exactly what’s holding you back. I–and the company–will protect you.”

The words hit hard. Brianna felt her eyes sting, and for a second she almost did it–almost let everything.

pour out.

Right then, Polly burst back into the room.

“Ms. Keaton, Ms. Monroe, sorry to interrupt. I need a few minutes alone with Brianna.”

She grabbed Brianna by the wrist and dragged her out.

In a quiet corner of the hallway, Polly’s expression flipped. The warmth vanished, replaced by something sharp and mean. “Sign with Stargaze.”

Brianna clenched her teeth. “I like Ms. Keaton.”

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