PRINCE OF GREED

“CUT!” the director yelled. My hand stopped mid-motion like I was some robot who only listened to him. I dropped it back to my side, my fingers flexing on the handle. I sighed, feeling the sunlight burn my skin. It didn’t help that I was shirtless, only wearing some torn trousers and an ugly necklace around my neck, which held immense power. Only in the film, not in real life.

I heard his footsteps first before he spoke. “What’s gotten into you today?” he asked, squinting at me.

“Nothing,” I said. He shook his head, motioning for the others to pack up. Yep, shooting was over just like that. My co-star glared at me, but there was nothing she could do about it. Shooting was over, and the director’s words were final most of the time. Now I was just waiting for him to reprimand my actions, and he didn’t disappoint.

“Nothing,” he mused, smiling to himself as if this was funny. “Everyone is doing their job just fine. I can’t say the same about you. I will ask again, what’s gotten into you?”

“The answer will remain the same.”

“Stop with the attitude. It doesn’t suit you.”

“The ladies love it,” I said, grinning.

“We are not talking about the ladies! This is serious, Lincoln. Get your shit together or I will resort to taking drastic measures.”

Drastic measures. I loved the sound of that. It’s almost as if he was threatening me, and a few people had the balls to do that.

“Whatever,” I said, walking towards the tent with a few people scattered around. I had some important matters to attend to other than burning in the sun for a scene he forced to take repeatedly because my acting today didn’t measure up to his expectations.

“I mean it, get your shit together or I will do something you will regret.” I scoffed at his words. I was untouchable. I could deliver the world’s most sterile scene and people would eat it up like it was legendary. That’s what my name and face could do to people. And let’s not get started on the influence I had. I could make the director behind me lose his job in a few hours if I wanted to. His only luck stemmed from the fact that I kind of liked him.

I sighed when I got under the shed of the tent. The sun was blazing out there. My assistant, Cody, busied himself with typing on his tablet. I wondered what he was doing all the time, but it didn’t concern me as long as he was doing his job properly. He was the only solid assistant I had in years. The rest were pure shitheads.

“And what are you doing here?”

“To remind you of your schedule today,” he said, smirking, not that he directed it at me. It would be cringe worthy if he did.

“Have you ever heard of calling?”

“You don’t check your phone very often. I thought I would deliver it in person.” He was still typing away. His action irritated me, but I let it slide just this once.

“I check my phone,” I countered. That couldn’t be true at all.

“May I ask where it is right now?”

“Somewhere here I guess,” I said, grabbing a shirt from a chair and shrugging it on.

“It’s at your house, on the table where you left it a day ago.”

“Impossible,” I said, looking down at my body. The torn trousers were an atrocity, but if I walked down the streets of New York in them, they would be the next fashion trend for the coming millennia.

“I’ve got some clothes in the car if you want to change.”

“Nah, I’m good.” he frowned at me but asked no more questions. I turned my head slightly. The director was on a call, pacing back and forth, looking like he was arguing with someone. Don’t tell me he was serious about taking drastic measures against me. That wouldn’t end very well for him if he tried.

“Are you alright?”

“Why is everyone asking me that?”

“You look so out of your element,” he said. I shrugged, avoiding answering him. Of course, something was wrong. My father just lost the most important deal of his life. A deal that could have elevated my family’s name to legendary. Well, I knew he was going to blow it off, even though part of me had faith in him.

Soon or later, the headlines would flood every news outlet in the world, bringing shame to our name as it was his behavior these days. What I hated the most was the fact that every time I had to fix these things for him. It’s the reason I was sick and tired of him.

“If you’re avoiding what I’m saying, that means it’s the truth.”

“Keep quiet, please,” I begged. My head was already pounding from all the things I had been doing. Hearing his voice now only made it worse. Unfortunately, I could fix most things, but I knew I couldn’t fix this. My father lost the deal. They were going to mock him and me, and I wouldn’t even have anything to say about it.

“Come, let’s get out of here before that man catches up with us,” I said, pointing at the director while smiling. I knew he was coming for me. Whoever he was with on the phone had given him a new purpose. Well, it would have to wait for tomorrow then.

“Stop right there, Mr. Fox!” I kept walking, Cody behind me. We reached the car they gave me. I quickly told the driver to speed down the dirt road.

“You’ve a dinner date with Michelle Forbes this evening at 7 to 9. Then you also agreed to go out with Evangeline at the same time so, I wonder what you will do regarding that.”

“When did I agree to go out with her?” I honestly didn’t remember any of that. Was I drunk, maybe?

“Yesterday, when she called you. Don’t tell me you weren’t listening again, only mumbling our replies as per habit.”

“Cancel with her,” I said. My manager would kill me if I canceled the date with Michelle. She was one of the top models of the era, and people thought it would be a good idea to link me up with her, saying it would boost both our careers. How pathetic.

“Do you realize that this would be the fourth time you’ve done that to her?”

“It doesn’t matter.” Evangeline meant nothing to me. I was only talking to her because she forced me to. And I hated clingy women.

“We will move it to tomorrow then; your schedule is clear.”

“Whatever,” I said.

“Where have you been? All morning, I tried reaching you, but you weren’t answering your phone.” I stared at my old man in the living room. He stood near the window, a glass of whiskey in his hand, a young woman wearing a sheer short dress laying on the couch busy on her phone. I paid her no mind. She meant nothing to me.

“You wanted to inform me of your failure?”

“Let’s not talk about that right now.”

“Then what do you want to talk about, father?” his shoulders stiffened at my tone. Slowly, he pivoted around to face me. His eyes going to his latest bitch first, then to me.

“Now I know that I should have listened to you.”

“Oh, really?” I thought he had no sliver of common sense left. I can’t even point out the last time he tried to use it. This man alone was responsible for every unfortunate thing that happened in my life since I was born.

“I was just talking to Becca here.” He pointed a finger at the woman who raised her head, finally seeing who was in front of her. Becca’s eyes lit up, and they widened. Quickly, she climbed to her feet, opening and closing her mouth like a fool who didn’t know what to say.

“Oh, my god!” she screamed, jumping up and down like a little girl overcome with excitement. “Someone tell me this is a dream,” she said, still jumping up and down.

“Not this again.” My father whined. On different occasions, I would find this amusing. Now? not so much.

“You’re Lincoln Fox, aren’t you?”

“Woman, sit back down,” I said with enough force to shake the foundations of the mansion. There was only so much I could take. I was all for indulging my fans, especially the ladies, but this one screamed fake by just looking at her. She complied without a protest; her eyes still trained on me.

“As I was saying?” My father started again, sounding disappointed with the brief exchange that happened here.

“Go party, father, I don’t care what you do to the company.” Deep down, I cared so much, and I would hate it so much if he destroyed it, but looking at him now. I knew it was inevitable.