Roll With The Punches, Don't Make A Scene (Completed)

Chapter 1 - If someone told you it was right

She watched him now, presenting so different to the effervescence he offered his fans, or even his directors and co-stars. Head bowed, glaring at his own feet. A picture of the child she'd discovered and not the man she'd molded him into.

"Say again?" She tried to keep the wobbling shrillness out of her tone - her mother would keep reminding her how prone she was to it - but wasn't successful. It just made him stare even harder anywhere but at her.

"I met someone. It's serious."

She grimaced. "No."

That got him to look up, finally, those silver screen-worthy, ethereally bronze Bambi eyes watering.

"What?"

"You are not ruining everything I've done for you with some, some affair that won't last five minutes."

She was being disingenuous. If he said it was serious, he meant it. But she didn't care, and wasn't having some stranger ride in on his coattails, taking his limelight and destroying what she'd built.

She knew the world was changing. People accepted all sorts, these days. But they weren't fully there yet. Like a child, he'd seen one or two success stories and assumed he could be the same. But he was ignoring the thousands more who descended into obscurity because people could no longer envisage them in the roles they'd been sculpted into.

His lip wobbled as he watched her, but she knew just the path to take.

"You would lose your entire fanbase, Caspian. Later, when you're better established, but not now."

"I think you underestimate the young adult market, Veronica."

She clenched her teeth at the tiny spark of fire in his voice. He might not let this go.

"And you underestimate both the flavor of their desire for you and the bigots that buy their movie tickets and merchandise. I'm not arguing with you Caspian. You are not getting involved with some nobody just to ruin the career I've spent years building for you. Finish it."

"I won't," he whispered, unable to hold her gaze.

"Caspian, I didn't want it to come to this, but you're forcing my hand. You love acting. It's everything you ever wanted. And you're successful in the roles I put you in. If you don't do as you're told I won't be able to give you roles like that, sweetheart."

She needed to soften the words, but her voice came out ice-cold anyway, as he clenched his fist, gathering the weak determination.

"Then I'll find an agent who won't do that."

White-hot anger flashed behind her eyes. He was hers, dammit. There's no way she would let him cast her aside: let some other agent reap the benefits of years of her hard work. He had no idea just how strong her hand was.

"You'd be surprised how much influence I have, Caspian. You used to look up to me, surely you can remember? When you were grateful for the work I put into your career. No other agent will want to take on a mouthy little brat who won't listen to what's good for them, and no casting director will go against me. I made you, and I can break you just as easy."

He gaped, as if he wasn't trying to destroy all her efforts through some pathetic infatuation. As if she was the unfair one.

"By the way, if you think you can find another agent, you clearly haven't read your contract very well. You're mine, Caspian Conway. I have the power to see you bankrupt and on the streets. Now end this ridiculous, immature crush you've developed, or I will."