Chapter 129: Method Acting

It really was a small world.

Once under the same agent, Niall couldn’t help but apathetically stare at his former colleague with whom was currently holding Mary-Beth’s face and raising it to face him.

Yet, in contrast to his expression, everyone else was clearly disturbed by the man’s action, as was Mary-Beth herself.

"What’s your name?" Adrian demanded with a rather sleazy grin, his charcoal-black irises glinting much the same.

Quickly, his manager, a young man in his late-twenties with brown hair and equally brown eyes rushed over to him and said in a chastising tone;

"Snap out of it, Adrian. We’re here for a photoshoot!"

Then he turned to everyone and apologized in the same vein;

"I’m very sorry about his misconduct. He’s still immersed in his character."

Realization dawned on everyone in the room following the man’s words, everyone’s thoughts coalescing into a hivemind that seemed to internally remark at once;

’Method acting...’

It also explained quite a lot, even without proper context.

But even then, most individuals in the room didn’t feel that it excused the young actor’s actions.

More so when he still kept invading the lady’s personal space, his questions getting more and more personal by the minute as his slimy fingers kept holding her face.

Then his grip tightened on her jaw and Mary-Beth tried to jerk her head away as she let out an uncomfortable sound.

And despite his manager’s constant warnings, Adrian seemed hell-bent on being an asshole.

Tapping the pen on his chest briefly, Paul promptly stepped forward to interfere.

In sync, Ariana and several other individuals in the room had moved in as well, all of them poised to pry his fingers off of the lady’s face.

Yet, it was Niall who got to him first.

"Hands off the lady." he calmly said, his words coming out in a low, almost conversational tone.

Yet, those very same words carried such a frigid air to them, most people in the room could swear that the temperature had plummeted by a few degrees.

For as unbelievable as it seemed though, that was literally what had happened... an aftereffect of Niall’s Gift of Bestowal subconsciously leaking out of him in the moment as he placed a hand on Adrian’s arm.

Honestly, Niall couldn’t quite remember the last time he’d actually been pissed off by someone’s actions.

It was such a rare thing that even when it did happen, he ultimately ignored them and moved on with his life.

Afterall, there were so many worthwhile things to attend to in his life, he found it rather redundant to waste his energy on beefing with people--with the exception of Callow whom he’d had a bit of personal vendetta against for very obvious reasons.

Yet, in this very moment, everyone in the room was witnessing what an angered Niall looked like as he effortlessly ripped the man’s arm from the lady’s face.

As Adrian turned over to face him, he suddenly went on the offensive with a punch.

In response, Niall simply jerked him forwards using the very hand he was holding onto to disrupt the man’s momentum.

Promptly he grabbed at Adrian’s collar in one smooth motion and effortlessly raised him up.

Eyes widened in the room as everyone watched Niall raise a full-grown man with just a single arm, the former’s leg dangling a few centimeters off the ground.

Seemingly staring into the man’s soul as he tried to fight back, his cool-gray irises reflecting the most gelid of stares, Adrian immediately broke into a cold sweat upon realizing that Niall wasn’t even budging.

Within seconds, he’d slipped right out of character as he gritted his teeth and forced out a moment after;

"Let... me... go, Niall."

Ignoring him, Niall replied instead, the edge in his voice sharpening by the minute;

"You know, rarely do people ever method act when they’re tasked with playing a character that’s not an asshole,"

"But that’s beside the point, so listen very carefully ’cause I’m only going to say this once,"

"I don’t care if you’re playing a psychopath, a pervert, or a piece of shit scumbag." Niall began.

"Right now, you’re here for a photoshoot, so act civil and accordingly." he advised, his tone warning as he continued;

"Try to act out of line one more time, and I’ll make sure to toss you out of this building myself like a sack of potatoes."

"Is that clear?" he demanded, and Adrian could practically feel the chill of Niall’s voice seeping into his being.

Given how much he’d envied dirty-blonde haired star, way before his career skyrocketed, his loathing for Niall had only festered deeper after he popped off and left him in the dust.

Afterall, even with the connections his father afforded him, he wasn’t exactly the most talented actor out there, much less a good actor.

All he really had going for him, was his striking looks and wealth he had never once worked a single day for.

It was also why he’d decided to try method acting for the recent role he’d landed as a minor antagonist in the most recent [Syndicate] movie from Big Boon Studios--one where he was tasked with playing the mentally unstable leader of a small band of terrorists who also happened to be a serial rapist.

Unfortunately for him, he just had to extend his bullshit to the one person who really hated the idea of using method acting to act as an asshole to everyone else.

Gritting his teeth for the second time today, he forced out a reluctant nod.

"Say it, and say it loud." Niall ordered like a firm father disciplining a child, refusing to let go till he heard a verbal confirmation from the man.

Right now, he could care less that they were once colleagues as he’d literally lost the last iota of respect for him the moment he laid a hand on the young lady.

Besides, a verbal response held more weight than a simple gesture that could always be ’misinterpreted’.

At the same time, it also served as proof to everyone currently in the room that he was well-aware of his faults and was willing to do better.

Practically red in the face from furious embarrassment, Adrian did the smart thing and replied nonetheless;

"Yes. It’s... clear."

"Good." Niall casually released his grip on the man and he fell right onto his ass, further adding to his embarrassment.

"Are you okay, Mary-Beth?" Niall then turned his attention from the young actress whom was still stunned from everything that had transpired within the last few seconds.

Still, she managed to give him a simple nod, to which Niall’s expression visibly softened, a sense of genuine relief in his eyes as he remarked;

"That’s good to hear."

Hearing this, Mary-Beth, for the first time in her life, actually felt what it was like for someone to genuinely and platonically care for her with no strings attached... the sort she’d never had whilst growing up.

Paul on the other hand, furtively tapped at his pen once more, his expression still stunned.

Yet, the slightest hint of a smile had touched his lips.

Now he had confirmed that Niall could still remain perfectly level-headed even if he was utterly furious... a trait most celebrities in Hollywood were usually PR trained for, but very few could actually manage in practice.

As for everyone else in the room, there was a mix of awe and respect on their features, as was the clear hint of wariness.

Afterall, they’d literally watched the man’s presence suffocate the entire room without raising his voice, only to exude a genuine warmth that was just as accommodating moments after.

Also, what in tarnation was that freakish strength? How was his lithe figure hiding such well of strength?

As for Adrian himself, he didn’t even bother participating in the photoshoot, his fickle pride getting in the way as he stormed out a moment after.

In sync, he retrieved his device and dialed a number as he stomped down the corridor, his thoughts bitter;

’Who does he think he is, huh?! Because he’s become a big celebrity, he thinks he’s untouchable?! I’ll show him. I’ll show him that I’m never to be messed with!’

Gabe, his manager, happened to lag behind him by a couple seconds as he had still been staring at Niall in awe, only for him to recall where his priorities lay.

In any case, after things had settled down, the photographers in the room finalized their last checks and soon began the photoshoot without giving two hoots about Adrian.

Afterall, he was the one going to deal with the aftermath of not following up with the schedule and a possible loss of his position as an ambassador of their brand after the stunt he pulled.

...

...

...

Having arrived home roughly two hours later after the photoshoot was over, Niall was currently working on the lyrics of the song he intended to show to Mark for the scene they’d talked about.

Staring at the completed lyric sheet a moment after, Niall assessed it with his Gift of Discernment, a solid shade of platinum emanating from it.

All that was left, was to merge both track and lyrics by singing to the song’s melody.

Fingers crossed, Niall hoped it would be enough for Mark to reconsider. If not... well, he could always repurpose it into a single as he so wished.

By the time the young star had eventually gotten around to finalizing the track and forwarded it to the young director later that very same day, Mark instantly switched gears, his exact words being;

Now I can’t imagine the scene without this song! Let’s do it.

Advance Chapters are available on Patreon!

/Caer07