Hollywood: Lights, Ink, Entertainment!

….

April 4th, 2010.

.

["So, how is the new place treating you?"]

Gwendolyn's voice crackled through the phone, intrusively. ["Wait-! Can I even call it just a house? Seems like you have gone all-in on this work from home philosophy."]

Regal chuckled, leaning back in his chair. "Oh, now you are asking? It's been over ten days since I moved in, Gwen. Are you always late to check in?"

There was a faint note of mock indignation in his voice, the kind of subtle complaint that wasn't entirely unserious.

…and Gwendolyn caught onto it immediately.

She also understood the reason behind it - they had both been swamped with work lately, their packed schedules leaving little room for more than the occasional quick meetings.

Regal let the pause linger for a beat, then added with a smirk she could practically hear. "And what's that I am hearing, jealousy? You could always get one for yourself, you know. Considering how much you love napping in your office."

Her laugh crackled through the line at that comment, but he didn't dwell on it.

Resting his neck, his thoughts flickered to their first meeting in her not so 'professional' appearance.

That image had stuck with him, more than he cared to admit.

["Regal?"] Her voice snapped him back, impatient but curious. ["You there?"]

"Yeah." He replied quickly, clearing his throat. "Still here. What were you saying?"

["About your new place…"]

"Right, the new place."

His gaze drifted to his surroundings.

The new place was undeniably a step up from his previous flat.

Spacious, almost to the point of excess for someone living alone.

But, of course, it wasn't designed just for him.

This was more than a home - it was part of his work, a blend of personal and professional.

The building wasn't far from his previous apartment, but the difference in layout was striking.

This flat had a proper kitchen, a living area, a bedroom with an attached bathroom, and, most importantly, his office.

The first thing anyone noticed upon entering was the workroom.

A long rectangular table dominated the space, surrounded by chairs, and a projector mounted on the wall.

The room had seen its fair share of activity recently, serving as the venue for the final reading sessions.

Papers, laptops, and empty coffee cups told tales of long hours and heated discussions.

At the back of the space was a door leading to the living quarters, nothing extravagant, just practical and functional.

For most visitors, the interstitial part of the flat presented itself as strictly a workplace, a space focused entirely on work. But once that door opened, the atmosphere changed. It was there his house truly began.

Regal glanced at the clock.

Eight hours.

That was all the time left before shooting began, with yesterday marking the finish of three reading sessions he had planned.

"Anyway." Regal said, breaking the silence. "I got an interesting message today. It's from a publishing company. Apparently, they are interested in buying the comic adaptation rights to the web novels."

["Huh…"] Gwendolyn's voice sounded deliberately uninterested. ["What's new about that? Didn't you say you have had a few offers before?"]

"Yep, nothing unusual." Regal replied, his tone equally nonchalant.

For a moment, neither of them spoke, but then Gwendolyn let out a soft whistle. ["So… what did you decide to do?"]

Gwendolyn tried to sound offhand, but the words came out a little too carefully measured, betraying her thoughts - though she was usually composed, the sudden shift in the conversation left her feeling unsteady.

She had originally planned to address this outright, to ask him directly for the rights as she boated with Maggie, but when the situation came to bring it up to him, uncertainty crept in.

Would he think she was using their relationship to her advantage? That thought alone sent her mind spiraling, filling it with doubt.

So instead of tackling the subject head-on, she had decided to take a more cautious route.

A professional one.

As part of her plan, Gwendolyn had made Maggie send a collaboration email, not from her personal account, of course, but through Everleaf Publishing's official channels.

The email had been addressed to the author 'LIE12o', rather than contacting him directly as someone she knew personally - just like any other companies approached and got rejected.

By now, that email should have reached him.

If the publishing company Regal mentioned right now was indeed Everleaf, then he was teasing her. And if that were the case, it meant he was fully aware of her little ploy and was dragging it out for his amusement.

"Nah, not telling." Regal responded with a sly grin, his voice holding just the faintest hint of mischief.

["Agh! Just say it already!"] Gwendolyn's patience snapped as she burst out.

Regal's grin only widened at that. "Why so eager, Gwen? You seem awfully invested in this for someone who just acted like it wasn't a big deal."

Gwendolyn groaned inwardly, trying to mask the flicker of unease that crossed her mind.

The truth was, other than directing and writing, Regal had been quietly considering another add-on to his career, something that had been on his mind for some time now.

He was nearing the completion of [Solo Leveling] and in the middle of [ORV], which had quickly gained traction and was now drawing numbers that rivaled [Solo Leveling].

Soon, he was certain it would surpass it.

It had been a slow burn for [ORV] compared to the quick rise of [Solo Leveling].

But for Regal, the potential of both stories in the comic world was undeniable.

The thought of adapting them into comic writing felt like the next logical step - and that was the reason he even awakened [Drawing] talent.

For that vision to materialize, the groundwork had to begin immediately.

The sooner the better.

Regal had long wished for the dream of owning a publishing company, one that put 'creators' first.

The idea of holding onto rights and having control over his work wasn't just a business strategy, it was a principle.

In an industry where intellectual property was often swallowed whole, owning was everything.

Initially, it had been a long-term goal, something to tackle further down the line.

Yet, meeting Gwendolyn had changed his perspective in more ways than one.

Falling for her had thrown his carefully paced plans into overdrive.

Suddenly, the idea of waiting didn't seem as appealing.

The thought of building something meaningful together with her, both personally and professionally, was too enticing to ignore.

But ironically, just like Gwendolyn, he was also a little hesitant in bringing up the topic.

He knew Everleaf Press had only recently found its footing after weathering a difficult period.

Gwendolyn's efforts in cashing out the success of [HP] had brought the company back into a stable position, and he didn't want to jeopardize that by rushing into something as ambitious as a new publishing venture.

There was always the safer route, collaborating with another company for this one project.

It would mean fewer risks for Gwendolyn and Everleaf.

But Regal didn't like the idea of someone else reaping the rewards of what he created.

If it were Gwendolyn, though, that was a completely different story.

Still, he couldn't shake the feeling that bringing this up now might come across as selfish.

Pushing the idea too soon, no matter how well-intentioned, didn't feel fair.

Gwendolyn had her own plans and priorities, and he respected that.

For now, he would keep things lighthearted.

…well, at least that's what he thought.

Leaning further back into his chair, he asked. "You wouldn't happen to have any inside information about this publishing company, would you?"

He imagined the look on her face, eyes widening, which made him chuckle to himself. But that thought faded quickly.

Now that the email had come through, everything changed.

The hesitation he had been nursing just melted away in one swift motion.

He didn't bother thinking that way anymore. It broke his reservation on relying on her in one full go.

His attention shifted to the laptop screen, where an email from a 'certain' company remained open, staring back at him.

It seemed his girlfriend was just as ambitious in her own field as he was in his, a trait he found himself admiring more with each passing moment.

What caught him off guard, though, was how perfectly this ambition lined up with Gwendolyn's own aspirations for Everleaf.

When he thought about it, though, it made perfect sense.

Gwendolyn, with her venturesome trait, was always looking to think bigger, to pave the way for a future that wasn't just reactive but proactive.

She envisioned Everleaf not just as a player but a dominant force in new, uncharted territories - Comics.

And now, he realized, it was his turn to make it a reality.

A flicker of focus crossed his face as his gaze drifted toward the laptop on the table.

The screen displayed his author's email account, 'LIE120', with a freshly composed message.

His index and middle fingers rested lightly on the keyboard, poised over the enter key.

The cursor hovered over the paper rocket icon, the symbol of a message ready to send.

Then, without hesitation, he pressed the key.

The faint chime signaling the email's departure echoed in his mind as he straightened up, sliding one hand casually into his pocket while the other still held his phone.

"Hey Gwen…" He said, his voice calm but resolute.

"Maybe we should stop beating around the bush about these kinds of situations, especially if it comes up again in the future." A soft smile tugged at his lips, equal parts teasing and sincere.

["What are you tal–!"]

CREAK–!

Gwendolyn began to respond, but her words were abruptly cut off as the door to her office swung open without warning.

["GWEN!"] Maggie's unmistakable voice carried through the room, brimming with urgency.

"Huh, looks like you are about to get busy. I will call you later, babe."

["Wait! Regal–"]

Recognizing the voice and understanding what was about to happen, Regal chimed in and ended the call before she could finish her question.

….

["Huh, looks like you are about to get busy. I will call you later, babe."]

Gwendolyn blinked, her brow furrowing in confusion. What is he on about?

"Wait! Regal–"

Tut–!

She tried to stop him, but it was too late.

"Tsk…" Her tongue clicked before tossing her mobile onto the desk with an exasperated sigh.

"Who were you talking to? No, wait, never mind that." Unable to catch Gwendolyn's annoyance, Maggie strode to her desk with a tablet in hand.

"I just got a response from the author, LIE120!" She reported excitedly, tapping the screen for emphasis and holding it out for the party to see.

Gwendolyn glanced at the screen, her interest piqued for a second.

But her focus quickly shifted as her thoughts drifted to the so-called author's last line she was talking to, causing her to mutter under her breath with a frustrated pout. "That idiot. Playing around with me."

"...I just wanted to wish him luck for tomorrow's filming, and I ended up doing everything but that..."

Her self-complaining was lost on Maggie, who was clueless about the situation and simply shrugged, unsure of the details but more than willing to move on.

She was curious, sure, but the email in her hands was more pressing now.

She had her own focus to shift to.

…..

Meanwhile, Regal stared at the now-blank email screen on his laptop, the cursor blinking like it was mocking him.

"Maybe I should have just explained it to her properly." He muttered, his fingers idly brushing the laptop's touchpad. A faint grin tugged at his lips. "She won't actually bite me the next time we meet… right?"

The thought hung in the air.

But Regal wasn't one to dwell. He gave his head a quick shake, as though tossing the notion out entirely.

The deed was done, and there was no going back now.

He reached for his wired earphones, plugged them in, and hit play on the song he had been listening to before the call.

.

….

[To be continued…]

★─────⇌•★•⇋─────★

Author Note:

Visit Patreon to instantly access +1 chapter for free, available to Free Members as well.

For additional content, please do support me and gain access to +10 more chapters.

–> [email protected]/OrgoWriters