[Chapter 230: The Oscar Project]
Backstage at the film set, Rachel sat in front of the vanity mirror, surrounded by three busy stylists. She was about to film a commercial for a luxury watch brand.
Her phone vibrated, and Rachel's tired eyes suddenly lit up when she saw the name on the screen. She signaled the stylists to stop, picked up the phone, and slipped into a quiet corridor.
"Daniel, you're finally free," Rachel said softly, her voice carrying a hint of tender dependence.
"Cancel all your upcoming commercial gigs," Daniel's voice came through, blunt and direct.
Rachel froze, gripping the phone a little tighter. "What? My agent will freak out -- those contracts add up to tens of millions."
"If you want next year's Oscar for Best Actress, trust me." Daniel continued calmly, "Compared to an Oscar, those can all wait."
"Oscar for Best Actress?" Rachel's breath caught. The words exploded in her mind like thunder.
If anyone else had said that, she'd have laughed them off. But this was Daniel -- the man who'd made her stunning, made her a star, and predicted every trend in their industry.
"Go to 20th Century Fox and find James Mangold," Daniel instructed. "Tell him you want to audition for June Carter in Walk the Line. Tell them you're willing to take less pay."
Rachel paused but barely for three seconds. She took a deep breath, eyes sharpening with resolve. "Okay, I'll do it. I'll call them right now."
Daniel replied, "Go for it."
Hanging up, Rachel stepped out of the corridor. Her agent approached, holding the day's schedule. "Rachel, after this shoot, we have a talk show at 4 p.m.--"
"Monica, cancel everything. Postpone it all," Rachel said, her voice flat but firm. "I'm going to audition for Walk the Line. I'm leaving now."
Monica stood frozen, mouth agape as the schedule slipped from her fingers onto the floor.
...
Inside the villa, Daniel put down his phone with a small smile.
The Succubus was right. With Rachel's current fame and skills, if she went for this role on her own, her chances were already very high. If he used another Seal for her, there'd be no doubt at all.
"Master, Rachel has taken action," Chris appeared by his side.
Daniel acknowledged her with a hum and stepped onto the terrace, gazing toward the Beverly Hills horizon. In his Spiritual Sense, the mark Alessa had left on the back of his hand sent out occasional faint chills, signifying that the Inner World still existed -- though in silence.
As the sun set, Daniel returned to his study and sat at his desk, holding a luck-transfer seal between his fingertips. It was prepared specifically for Rachel. If she got the audition, and he burned this Seal for her, the role would be nearly guaranteed.
"Ring, ring, ring..." his phone vibrated on the desk.
Daniel glanced at the caller ID: Rachel.
He answered before she could even speak, catching the almost off-key excitement in her voice. "Daniel! I got it! I really got it!"
His finger froze on the Seal, surprise flashing in his eyes. "The audition's over?"
"What audition? There was barely a formal audition!"
Rachel's breath came hard over the line as if she were running. "Monica took me straight to the Fox executive building. Director James Mangold happened to be there. I went exactly as you said -- I told him I was desperate for the role and willing to take a pay cut."
Daniel raised an eyebrow. "And then?"
"He had me act out a scene from the script -- June and Johnny arguing."
On the other end, Rachel babbled in excitement. "He said my energy was just like June's! Plus, the box office numbers for Wedding Crashers from the last two days were right there on his desk. The producer had the secretary draft the contract on the spot!"
Daniel leaned back, staring at the unused Seal in his hand.
"So the contract is signed?" he asked.
Rachel's voice was breathless. "Signed! Just signed this afternoon, and the deposit's already been paid!"
"Congratulations, Rachel," Daniel said, a smile tugging at his lips. "Come back early tonight -- we need to 'celebrate.'"
"I'm already on my way. Wait for me!"
After hanging up, Daniel slipped the luck-transfer seal back into the System space.
Rachel had truly lived up to expectations. With her current popularity and her boldness in lowering her fee, she'd secured a role that had originally been reserved for Reese Witherspoon.
"Master, it seems your Seal is saved," Chris appeared silently at the study door, holding out a bottle of iced Coke.
Daniel glanced at her. "Better not use it yet, to avoid bad luck later."
Chris stepped behind him, long fingers resting lightly on his shoulders, and whispered, "What about Miss Hathaway? If she finds out Rachel's path was so smooth, she's bound to be green with envy."
Daniel closed his laptop, his gaze steady. "She has her own path."
...
Night fell.
Rachel practically burst through the villa's front door and immediately threw herself into Daniel's arms.
"Daniel, it feels like I'm dreaming." She looked up at him, her eyes shining with excitement. "Oscar for Best Actress... do you really think I can win it?"
Daniel smiled softly, "I can't promise one hundred percent, but there's a lot of hope."
"That's enough." Rachel pressed her red lips to his.
"Wait," Daniel said, pulling back slightly after the kiss. "I've got something for you."
With a flick of his hand, several Elixirs appeared in his palm. It was time for Rachel to take them.
Soon, Rachel's surprised cries echoed through the villa, mixing with the strange sounds brought on by the nightly enjoyment.
...
The next day, the entertainment headlines in Los Angeles exploded.
[Fox Officially Announces: Rachel McAdams Joins Biographical Movie Walk the Line!]
[Pay Cut! Rachel McAdams Drops Salary to Challenge the Pinnacle of Acting!]
[From Sweetheart to Powerhouse: Rachel's Ambition Is Clear.]
Industry insiders took only one message from this: Rachel was running full tilt for the Oscars.
Already popular, now Rachel was in even sharper focus.
The producers of Walk the Line were thrilled too -- they saw just how much having a hot, rising star like Rachel on board would boost the film.
...
Meanwhile, across Beverly Hills, Jessica Alba sat in the backseat of a luxury car, staring at the headline while tracing Rachel's photo sharply with her slender fingers.
"This woman... how does she get this lucky?"
Jessica murmured quietly. In her mind, the calm face of Daniel appeared.
She'd thought she'd dazzled enough in Fantastic Four, but now it seemed, under Daniel's orchestration, Rachel had surged ahead.
"Jack, head to Beverly Hills," Jessica instructed the driver.
*****
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