SIX

As I began to pack up, Mr. Milton approached me with a smile on his face, seemingly pleased with how well the table reading had gone. Despite his apparent satisfaction, I couldn't shake off my worries. Issues needed to be resolved swiftly so that we could kickstart the shoot. Mr. Milton placed his hand on the wooden table beside me, his handsome features causing my heart to race in my chest.

As everyone else prepared to leave, I glanced up to see Wade shooting daggers at me. I couldn't pinpoint the reason for his hostility, but something definitely felt amiss. "Ready to leave?" Mr. Milton's voice pulled me back to the present.

"Yes, sir," I replied, gathering my belongings.

"Great, then I'd give you a ride," he offered, his gesture kind but unexpected.

I hesitated, unsure of how to respond. While I appreciated the offer, I couldn't ignore the potential for misunderstandings among the company's employees, including the cast and crew. The situation with Osse was already enough, I didn't want to fuel more speculation.

"Thanks for the offer, but I came with Wade," I politely declined, trying to navigate the delicate balance of professional boundaries.

By now, most of the others had left, leaving only Me, Mr. Milton, Victoria, Spencer, the supporting male lead, who seemed engrossed in conversation with Victoria, Wade, whose gaze bore into me. "Mr. Spelman, are you dropping Wendy at the apartment?" he inquired, drawing the attention of everyone in the room.

Wade's gaze shifted between Mr. Milton and me, his expression betraying him as he tried to conceal his anger that I couldn't quite understand.. "Whatever she says," he growled, his tone laced with tension.

Mr. Milton raised an eyebrow at Wade's response before turning back to me. "I hear it's up to you, besides we have things to discuss on our way back," he said, hinting at a conversation I wasn't entirely eager to engage in. I have had enough work for the day, I just wanted some rest.

Feeling conflicted, I sighed inwardly. While I wasn't entirely comfortable with the idea of being alone with my boss, I also didn't want to appear uncooperative or distrustful. "Fine," I acquiesced reluctantly, conceding to his offer.

As if anticipating my response, Wade grabbed his script and stormed out. Victoria called after him in confusion, "Hold up, Wade, aren't we leaving together?"

"Hitch a ride with Spencer," he snapped before disappearing, leaving behind an air of tension that lingered uncomfortably in the room. Victoria and I exchanged bewildered glances, both unsure of what had just happened.

Spencer rolled his eyes at the little drama that had just happened, apparently, he and Wade didn't get along. Maybe something had happened between them while I left with Osse earlier but whatever it was, I was hoping to discuss it with him later.

The four of us headed for the parking lot after which Victoria left with Spencer and I with Mr. Milton. At first he drove in silence while I sat uncomfortable with the silence, I could only wait for him to bring something up.

"How is California treating you?" He finally spoke up, my heart skipping a beat at the suddenness of his voice.

"Uhm… I'm not sure, I haven't exactly gone past the grocery store". I stuttered as I responded. He made me nervous for some reason, must be his superiority and the depth of his voice.

"And the apartment?"

….

As I settled into the plush leather seat of Mr. Milton's car, the atmosphere was surprisingly relaxed despite the tension bubbling just beneath the surface. Mr. Milton's charm seemed to fill the space, easing the knots of anxiety that had been forming in my stomach since the table reading.

"Thank you for the ride, Mr. Milton," I said, offering him a grateful smile.

"It's my pleasure, Wendy," he replied, his voice smooth like honey. "I must say, you handled yourself exceptionally well today. You have a real talent for bringing characters to life."

The compliment caught me off guard, and I felt a warm flush creep into my cheeks. "Thank you, Mr. Milton. That means a lot coming from you."

He chuckled softly, his eyes twinkling with amusement. "Please, call me Ivan. We're going to be working closely together, after all. No need for formalities.

I hesitated, unsure of how to respond. While his offer was friendly enough, there was still a lingering sense of unease at the thought of addressing him so casually. "I... I'm not sure if I'm comfortable with that," I admitted, feeling a pang of guilt for rebuffing his gesture.

"Come on Wendy, it's not that hard". He told me. Despite his insistence that, I still found myself hesitating, unable to shake the awkwardness that came with addressing my boss by his first name.

"Ivan, I..." I began tentatively, still grappling with the unfamiliarity of the situation.

"Yes, Wendy?" he prompted, his gaze flickering briefly to meet mine before returning to the road ahead.

"I'll try..." I conceded, my voice barely above a whisper as I tested out the unfamiliar name on my tongue. It felt strange, foreign almost, and I couldn't shake the discomfort that accompanied it.

Mr. Milton seemed to sense my unease and offered me a reassuring smile. "It's okay, Wendy. You don't have to force it. Just know that the offer still stands if you ever feel like giving it a try."

I nodded gratefully, relieved that he didn't press the issue any further. Despite his easy going demeanor, there was a steadfastness in his gaze that told me he wouldn't push me beyond my comfort zone.

As we pulled up to the entrance of the apartment building, I couldn't help but feel a sense of relief wash over me. "Thank you for the ride, Mr. Milton". I smiled, realizing my mistake, he smiled as well.

"It's fine Wendy, take your time, and it's my pleasure dropping you off". he replied, his smile warm and genuine. "Take care, and I'll see you tomorrow."

With that, I stepped out of the car and watched as Mr. Milton drove off into the night. Despite the lingering unease that still gnawed at the edges of my mind, I couldn't help but feel grateful for his understanding and support.

I noticed Wade's car pulling in as Mr. Milton drove off. My heart sank at the sight of him. I knew something was off from the way he had looked at me earlier, but I couldn't pinpoint the cause of his anger. Taking a deep breath, I made my way to the elevator, feeling Wade's eyes burning into my back. As the doors closed behind me, the tension in the confined space was palpable. I glanced at Wade, hoping to ease the growing tension, but his expression remained cold and distant.

The silence between us was suffocating, broken only by the soft hum of the elevator as it ascended to our floor. I couldn't bear the weight of his silent hostility any longer. "Wade, is everything alright?" I ventured cautiously, hoping to break through the wall he had erected between us.

Instead of a reassuring answer, I was met with a sharp glare that sent a shiver down my spine. "What do you think?" he snapped, his voice dripping with venom.

I recoiled at his harsh tone, taken aback by the sudden outburst. "I-I don't know. That's why I'm asking," I stammered, confusion and hurt creeping into my voice.

Wade scoffed incredulously, his frustration evident. "Of course, you don't know. How could you" he muttered bitterly, his words like a slap in the face.

I felt my heart sink at his accusation, the sting of his words cutting deep. "Wade, please, tell me what's wrong. I can't fix it if I don't know what I did," I pleaded, desperation seeping into my voice. He was basically the only person closest to a friend I had here in California, the director already hates me, I couldn't bear being on bad terms with him as well.

But Wade remained stubbornly silent, his jaw clenched in frustration. The elevator dinged, signaling our arrival at our floor, but the tension between us showed no sign of dissipating. As we stepped out into the hallway, I reached out to touch his arm, hoping to bridge the growing chasm between us.

He jerked away from my touch as if it burned, his eyes flashing with anger. "Don't," he spat, his tone icy. "Just... don't."

I watched helplessly as he stormed off towards his apartment, leaving me standing alone in the hallway, my heart heavy with confusion and sorrow. What had I done to deserve such coldness from him? I racked my brain, searching for any clue as to what could have triggered his sudden change in demeanor, but I came up with nothing.

I retreated to my room, the weight of Wade's silent accusation crushing me. What had I done to make him that mad? And more importantly, how could I fix it when I didn't even know what I had done wrong?