Larissa Judson and Haskell Palmer novel Chapter 572

The man possessed a maturity that seemed out of place for his age, yet underneath it all, a fiery, competitive spirit burned. Despite the murmurs rippling through the waiting area, he seemed completely unfazed, his attention fixed on the book in his hands.

As Larissa drew closer, she glanced down and saw it was her own novel, “Heaven's Will”.

"That's her, Larissa Judson! The real heiress!" one whispered.

"I don't know," another murmured, "I was so used to thinking of Honora as the jewel of Regal City that I didn't expect much from some girl who grew up in the middle of nowhere. But... she’s stunning in person."

"Well, she's been living the high life for a couple of months now. It's bound to rub off."

The other actors, after their hushed exclamations, quickly straightened up and greeted her respectfully. "Ms. Judson!"

The whispers finally broke through Rigby’s concentration. He looked up, and his eyes met Larissa’s from across the room. He visibly froze, clearly startled by her sudden presence.

The surprise lasted only a second before he snapped out of it, pulling his gaze away as if he’d been burned. His throat worked for a moment before he managed a low, formal greeting. “Ms. Judson.”

Larissa didn't seem to notice his reaction, or if she did, she didn't care. With a quiet "hmm," she swept past him and into the audition room, her expression unreadable.

Rigby watched her go, his gaze lingering on her back before he forced himself to look away. But his focus was completely shattered.

...

Inside the audition room, a man immediately stood up, waving her over. "Larissa! You're here. Come, sit with us."

It was Gustave, the director.

Aside from Gustave, his assistant director was also present.

"Good afternoon. My name is Rigby Schwartz, and I'm here to audition for the role of the main villain, Jermaine, in ‘Heaven's Will’."

Before he could continue, the assistant director frowned and turned to Gustave. "Gustave, why did you let him audition? The man's got a trail of scandals behind him."

At those words, Rigby’s previously relaxed hands clenched into fists as he waited for Gustave’s response.

But before the director could speak, Larissa’s cool voice cut through the tension. "I was the one who approved his audition."

Rigby’s head snapped up, his eyes wide with surprise, though he quickly masked it.

The assistant director was clearly taken aback. He opened his mouth to argue, then seemed to think better of it and shut it. After all, Larissa wasn't just the original author; she was the project's main financial backer. Her opinion carried the most weight.

Gustave broke the silence. "Larissa, why don't you choose the scene for Rigby to perform?"