Chapter 20: A Contract with Rosélle Beauty
I blinked, a little surprised, because earlier she had said I only needed to pose once.
But this had to be a good sign. If she was asking for more, it meant she was curious to see what else I could do.
I quickly pulled myself together and nodded. "Of course."
This time, I slid the sunglasses down from the top of my head until they rested halfway on my nose, tilting them just enough so my eyes peeked out from above the frame. I twirled the lollipop between my fingers, then placed it near my lips with a playful smile.
Click.
Since Vivienne didn’t say anything, I shifted into another pose, this one softer. I held the palette gently against my chest, lifted my chin slightly, and gave a warm smile as if I were soaking up the summer sun.
Click. Click.
In the end, I took five poses, and I swore on my life that every single one of them looked like they had captured a moment frozen in time.
"Would you like me to take another pose?" I asked, looking at Vivienne.
"Wait a moment." Vivienne gestured for the two people beside her to come closer. They bent toward each other, whispering like they were in the middle of a serious discussion.
When they were done, Vivienne lifted her face with a calm but firm look. "Ms. Orszebet, would you like to audition for the video advertisement as well?"
My eyes widened, and for a second I wanted to scream, but I forced myself to stay calm.
"Yes, of course!" I answered quickly, unable to hide the excitement in my voice.
For the first time, Vivienne smiled and gave me clear directions. "Please show us a few simple actions. Open the eyeshadow palette, act surprised, then follow it with a smile."
I nodded right away, clutching the palette in my hands as the camera crew adjusted their angle.
Taking a steady breath, I lifted the palette slowly, brushing my fingers over the surface as if it were something precious. Then I flipped it open, my eyes widening in surprise, like I had just discovered the most dazzling colors in the world.
I held the expression for a beat before letting it melt into a bright, genuine smile, the kind of smile full of energy, perfect for capturing the feeling of summer.
To my surprise, the moment the camera stopped rolling, the sound of applause filled the room, and I couldn’t hold back my own smile. "Thank you," I said, lowering my head slightly.
"I must say, your expressions feel very natural, Ms. Orszebet," Vivienne said with real admiration in her voice. "I’m honestly impressed. Are you sure you’re just a rookie?"
I let out an awkward laugh, scratching the back of my neck. "I just ... practice a lot whenever I can."
Honestly, this kind of acting wasn’t that difficult. Since it was only for a commercial video, I didn’t even have to put in my full effort.
If I had been standing on a real film set, I would’ve poured my heart into every detail, like the way I breathed, the way my body moved, the tiniest flicker of emotion in my eyes.
But here, all they needed was a simple expression, something bright and easy that could grab people’s attention at first glance.
And I guess I really did a perfect job today, because every pair of eyes in the room was now filled with admiration for me.
"Alright, Ms. Orszebet, it seems you won’t have to wait days to hear the results," Vivienne said.
My eyes widened slightly, realizing she was probably about to give me the results of my audition right here and now.
I held my breath, not even daring to blink as I waited for Vivienne to continue.
"We had a brief discussion just now, and all of us agree that you are the right person for this campaign." Vivienne’s lips curved into a gentle smile, the kind that instantly made my chest loosen. "Congratulations, Ms. Orszebet. You’ve officially passed the audition."
[Congratulations, Host! You have successfully completed your quest: Secure your first contract as an advertisement model with Rosélle Beauty.]
[Reward: $7,000 has been credited to your account.]
For a moment, I just stood there frozen, the words echoing in my head. Passed ... I passed?
Holy shit, I PASSED!
I had suspected this might happen, but I never thought I would clear the audition this quickly!
While I was still standing there in shock, Vivienne spoke again. "If you don’t mind, please wait another half hour so we can discuss your contract and payment."
My heart leapt again. Contract. Payment. This was real. This wasn’t just some dream I’d wake up from!
I could finally return to this industry!
"Of course!" I finally spoke after pulling myself out of my reverie. "Thank you, Ms. Rosélle, for this opportunity! I’ll make sure you won’t regret choosing me!"
I stepped out of the audition room with a grin stretched across my face, the kind of grin I couldn’t hold back no matter how hard I tried. The other contestants stiffened, their smiles faltering as if they already sensed I had just hit the jackpot.
"Ms. Orszebet, you can head to our cafeteria for lunch first," a staff member said as she approached me with a clipboard in hand.
"Here’s your lunch coupon." She gave me a warm smile as she handed it over, along with her name card. The name on it read Margareth.
Ah, so this was Margareth, the one who had replied to my message yesterday.
"I’ll contact you once you can meet with Ms. Rosélle," she added kindly.
I thanked her politely before heading down the hall, clutching the coupon in my hand.
The cafeteria was already buzzing with staff on their lunch break. I picked up my meal and carried it to a quiet corner by the window, hoping to enjoy a little peace.
Before eating, I pulled out my phone and stared at Lando’s number on the screen. Usually, I would’ve told my manager the moment I got good news like this. But now, without a manager and without friends I could lean on, I had no one to share it with.
I was about to click his number, but stopped myself, thinking he was probably busy right now or still tired after having to leave town yesterday and come back today.
Maybe ... I would tell him this good news in person once I saw him.
I sighed, put my phone away, and picked up my fork. The food was simple: rice, grilled chicken, and a small bowl of fruit.
It wasn’t bad, but after days of bland hospital meals, my stomach craved something greasy and indulgent, like a hamburger, a slice of pizza, or anything dripping with flavor.
Alright, it’s settled then. Once I was done here, I was going to buy both as a little celebration for myself!