Alex needed to make one thing very clear-at least to himself: he truly had no strange inclinations whatsoever. No dubious fetishes, no questionable preferences like the ones the internet loved to project onto him. If he was being completely honest, at most he could admit that there was a certain charm to mature women-a purely aesthetic detail, nothing more.
That said, Sasha was definitely not the type of woman he was attracted to.
As for the role of Erina, Alex already had a very clear choice in mind. That decision hadn't come up recently, nor was it something open to debate. From the very beginning of the planning stage, the face of that character had already been decided.
…
…
A few days later, the entrance of the Two-Dimensional Film & Television studio was packed with actors and actresses arriving from all directions to attend the auditions. The activity had been intense since early morning-agents speaking in hushed tones, assistants organizing lists, and candidates doing their best to maintain composure as they waited their turn. The atmosphere wasn't just one of anticipation-it was outright competition.
At the same time, outside that building, the internet had descended into complete chaos.
The news that Alex's new project would not be the highly anticipated second part of Bleach exploded like a bomb. It wasn't just the entertainment industry that was shaken; among the general public-especially people born in the '80s, '90s, and 2000s-the impact was immediate, like a full-blown cultural earthquake.
By common logic, the decision made no sense at all.
Bleach had just ended. It was still at the absolute peak of its popularity, completely dominating online discussions. Under normal circumstances, the next step would have been obvious: strike while the iron was hot and immediately announce the production of the second part.
It was the natural path.
It was what everyone expected.
Yet at that exact moment, Alex chose to do the opposite.
For many people, there was only one possible explanation.
He had lost his mind.
As soon as the news spread, countless Bleach fans flooded the official accounts of Two-Dimensional Film & Television and Alex himself. The comment sections were buried within minutes.
[Why aren't you filming Bleach?!]
[Alex, are you trying to ruin everything now?!]
[If I can't see Aizen crushing everyone again, my whole week feels empty!]
[I'm not watching this new project unless Bleach comes back first!]
…
…
Faced with all that pressure, Alex remained completely indifferent. He didn't respond, didn't explain, and didn't try to calm anyone down. To him, this was simply the price of steering something that had grown too big.
However, once auditions for Phantom Blood officially began, it became clear that-at the very least inside the studio-he needed to draw some firm boundaries.
"Sam, right? Thank you for coming to audition. You can wait for the results," Alex said calmly, lifting his gaze to the tall young woman standing before him.
He vaguely recognized her as an actress affiliated with Aurora Entertainment, the same company as Mark. He remembered seeing her in a relatively well-known urban fantasy series, but to be honest, nothing about that production had really stuck with him. The only thing that still lingered in his memory was another actress who had completely stolen the spotlight in that show.
The moment she heard those words, Sam understood immediately.
She hadn't made it.
Still unwilling to accept the outcome, she bowed hurriedly, her voice trembling.
"D-Director Alex… if I'm not suitable for this role… could I maybe audition for a character in Bleach instead?"
Alex fell silent for a moment, staring at her with a blank expression.
Inside, only one thought crossed his mind: the script for the Arrancar arc wasn't even fully finalized yet, and people were already fighting over characters that hadn't even been officially announced. But he couldn't really blame them. Bleach had become too big-especially thanks to his portrayal of Sosuke Aizen, which had pushed the series into an almost untouchable realm.
Anyone with the slightest bit of sense could see that even if the second part turned out to be a complete disaster, the viewership would still be enormous.
When Sam noticed Alex's expression darkening little by little, she realized she had crossed a dangerous line. Startled, she bowed even deeper.
"I-I'm very sorry! Director Alex, I just… I really wanted to be part of one of your works…"
"That's enough. You can leave now," Alex replied coldly.
That single sentence was final.
Sam left the room with tears welling in her eyes, on the verge of crying. Outside, as she discreetly wiped away her tears, she began thinking desperately about how she might recover the impression she had just ruined-even if it meant humiliating herself, even if it meant giving up everything.
That was how cruel the industry was.
Alex believed that situation had already been strange enough.
But he was wrong.
"…Violet, right? I don't think there's a suitable role for you in this project."
He looked closely at the little girl standing in front of him. Violet was barely over four feet tall, with a simple bob haircut and a face far too expressive to ignore. The profile in his hands showed that she wasn't even ten years old, yet she had already accumulated an impressive résumé, including the lead role in a suspense series that had dominated discussions that year.
Online, many people commented that if there was any production capable of competing for attention with Bleach, it would be that series. Of course, that was more exaggeration than reality-suspense was still a niche genre, while Bleach had almost no barrier to entry for viewers.
Even so, Violet's performance had been flawless.
That was precisely why Alex had previously chosen her to play another small character in Bleach-the inseparable partner of Kenpachi Zaraki, Yachiru Kusajishi.
Before he could continue, Violet had already let go of her guardian's hand and skipped across the studio in small, lively steps.
"Uncle Alex! School let out early today, so I came to visit you!"
She appeared full of energy, her eyes sparkling with excitement, as if the studio were her second home. Alex blinked a few times, caught off guard, but eventually smiled and picked her up naturally.
"Uncle Alex, is it true that your new project isn't Bleach?" Violet asked bluntly. "I was really looking forward to the next fight between Aizen and the protagonist…"
Alex understood immediately.
This wasn't an innocent visit. It was a reminder-wrapped in cuteness.
"Bleach is already in preparation," he replied patiently. "And how many times have I told you? Call me 'uncle,' not 'brother.'"
As he spoke, he settled Violet comfortably on his lap and gently ran a hand through her hair-a natural, protective gesture, completely different from the cold demeanor he had shown just minutes earlier.
It was at that moment that Samantha Burnes, seated a few meters behind them, froze.
She wasn't really listening to what was being said, nor did she care about the content of the conversation. What held her attention wasn't the dialogue-it was the scene itself. Her eyes followed every detail with almost excessive focus: the easy smile on Alex's face, far too rare to go unnoticed; the relaxed tone of his voice, so different from the professional coldness he usually displayed; and above all, the natural way Violet leaned against him-too comfortable, too intimate, as if that kind of closeness were habitual.
It was fine. She was just a child.
Samantha slowly crossed her arms, trying to convince herself of that, repeating the same thought in her mind like a silent mantra. There was nothing wrong. Nothing even remotely suspicious. It was just a small, harmless girl sitting on the lap of someone who was clearly treating her with genuine care.
Then why wouldn't that smile leave his face?
Samantha narrowed her eyes, feeling an unfamiliar irritation rise within her. Don't be ridiculous, she told herself. You're overreacting. Of course she was. There was no reason for this sudden discomfort, this strange pressure building in her chest.
But when Violet, distracted, grabbed the sleeve of Alex's shirt and leaned against him even more naturally, as if it were the most normal thing in the world, something snapped inside Samantha. It wasn't a clear thought or a logical conclusion-it was an instinctive, almost animal reflex.
An internal alarm went off.
Loud. Piercing. Impossible to ignore.
It's fine… she's small… calm down…
Calm down.
Despite her desperate attempt to regain control, Samantha's gaze grew sharper, far too focused to be casual. What bothered her most wasn't Violet, nor the gesture itself. It was the fact that Alex kept smiling, completely at ease, as if there were absolutely nothing wrong with that closeness.
Why is he smiling so much?
She stood up slowly, each step silent and deliberate, her eyes locked onto the scene ahead. On the outside, she maintained a calm, almost indifferent posture. Inside, however, a single sentence echoed with overwhelming force, drowning out any rational thought that tried to surface:
Are you trying to steal my daughter's place or what?!
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