Chapter 3

What's the problem, sir?”

Ernest turned back with a slight smile, even though his mind was full of bad words. All those crew members looked scary like hell when he commented, so what's this man gonna do? Punch him?

Ernest had decided that he would punch back at this man if he just came to yell.

But it didn't happen. The middle aged director immediately smiled, as he was trying to show his friendliness to Ernest. His words were polite as well, which made Ernest think that the director wanted to copy him.

“My name is Michael Durkheim, this crew's director. Please don't bother Ashley's rude behavior. He didn't hear what you've said and it's all his fault. Don't leave this way, sir. May I talk to you for a while?”

Ernest raised his eyebrows for a long time, which abruptly chilled Michael to the bone.

“My pleasure.”

“This way, please go this way, Mr… Sorry, may I know your name?”

“Ernest Eswaranski.”

The director stopped for a moment. He might have heard of this surname somewhere before, but now he had no time to remember.

“Okay, Mr. Eswaranski. Please go this way.”

The director was trying to hold back his excitement in front of Ernest's suspicion. The more he thought about Ernest, the smarter he realized he was.

No one could describe his happiness when he had seen Ernest showing his knowledge and elegant behavior in that case. If he had used to be suspicious of Ernest's identity, then he could be sure that this guy—who was wearing low quality clothes—was the son of some famous, mysterious clan. Moreover, it's likely that he could be the heir which Michael had just heard about.

Great clans were mysterious because they didn't like the public's eyes on them, which brought nothing but unnecessary troubles.

Most of their information was classified. There were just a few people knowing about them, let alone knowing about their heir's whereabouts. So it's purely explainable that Michael hadn't remembered Ernest's existence—this young man could live abroad, right?

Clans had their own way to educate their children, especially the one who would inherit the power. It could be out of ordinary people's imagination, then Ernest's weird style was normal as well.

Growing up in one of the richest families, was there any pricey thing that Ernest hadn't seen? He might be fed up with expensive belongings, and wearing cheap clothes didn't matter to him—he was still the heir even if he's nude, right? It was bitter, but possibly a truth.

Although appearance played no role in his life, Ernest behaved like a true member of the elite class. Look at the way he stood, walked, smiled, and the perfect attitude he expressed! Not even a bit of haughtiness was found in his behaviors, though his family was great! This must be the result of years of learning with professional education, which an ordinary family could not provide.

Eswaranski… Eswaranski… Michael had heard about this name somewhere, but where was it, exactly?

Michael looked at the young man sitting in front of him. A decision was made right after that.

He couldn't remember the origin of the last name Eswaranski, but Ernest Eswaranski was still the greatest resource that he had to keep!!!

Since the film studio was set temporarily outside, the best place for discussion purposes was just the van where the director and his assistant took a rest at noon.

The director, Michael, recalled the beginning days when they had bought stuff for filming. This old van was not even his possession, Michael had hired it with only fifty dollars from one of his friends, after two days of persuasion.

Michael knew that they nearly had no budget at all—all the props they got were which they had borrowed, hired, asked from everyone—and he was sure that the ‘wealthy heir’ could realize this at first sight.

And Ernest was observing all the film crew with a complicated eye.

That's why Michael became nervous while thinking of the invitation of investment that he was going to say.

Though Ernest was wearing dirty cheap clothes, Michael never forgot the fact that this young man came from the elite class. What was he thinking while looking at their low quality stuff? Would he agree with what Michael was going to offer? This project needed money, Michael himself needed money, but there's actually no reason for Ernest to put his money into this project.

Never had he felt confused like this before.

The director invited Ernest to sit on a chair. He was going to mention the budget, but the young man just kept silent as he's thinking of something.

Michael was more and more nervous, because this might be the last chance for him to maintain the project before participating in the Kannan Film Festival. It's been his dream since childhood. He had done so many things to get this crew, and if this project couldn't move on, Michael didn't know what to do next.

All of Ernest's emotions were hidden under his calm expression.

“I know it's rude to say this the first time we meet, but I have an offer for you, Mr. Eswaranski. Could you listen to me for a few minutes? It won't take too long, I promise.”

But Ernest didn't reply. He was just looking outside where the crew was preparing for the afternoon shift.

“Mr. Eswaranski?” Michael asked again.

Though Michael was worried as a toad under a harrow, Ernest was thinking of a different issue.

That was the way to escape once this weird middle aged man did something unspeakable to him.

Now after facing his chilling smile, Ernest started regretting his behavior a while ago. What the hell had he done? Pretending to be an expert while he was just a stranger, not even a well-educated one? This action was silly, with the word ‘silly’ capitalized.

Ernest suddenly felt cold in his back when he realized that this man didn't stop staring at him. What was his purpose while inviting a penniless guy? Ernest knew that he would never be chosen to be an actor, so what was the director going to do? Tied him up and beaten him for his speech? Or…

All of a sudden, Ernest remembered some newspaper titles which he had used to sell on the streets…

[Shocking news: Teenager's body found days after his last meeting with a stranger.]

[Police: “Be aware of people who showed abnormal behaviors, no matter who they are!”]

Didn't he fall into a criminal den? He didn't, right?

Those titles were the final factor which made Ernest worried like hell. He wanted to stand up and run, but he was afraid that the man called the director would catch him. He drew a figurative line from the place where he was to the outside, with lots of stuff put everywhere like obstacles.

When Michael called, Ernest was completely confused. His mind was now filled with steps to run away from this place to the outside, but asking the director to repeat would reveal that he actually heard nothing. This man could be furious after that, and Ernest couldn't deal with that situation for sure.

Therefore, Ernest looked straight ahead at the nervous director and gave him a pointless sentence.

“Please give me a reason for that, sir.” So that Ernest could figure out what the previous sentence was. All words had their own meaning, right?