Page 177 of Lovestruck at Sundown
“Not yet,” William responded quickly. “But it will be announced very soon. I believe the public will be delighted with the actor taking my place, as the focus groups have already delivered more than favorable results.”
“I cannot wait to hear more about this, so I can assure you I will remain on the lookout for any updates on this announcement,” Abigail said, signaling the flight attendant to approach. “I think we need wine.” She chuckled. “Would you like some wine?” She looked at me, too, and I wasn’t going to reject the offer. I had needed a glass from the moment I first stepped inside the aircraft.
The flight attendant brought three glasses of cabernet, and after we all took a sip or two, Abigail carried on with the interview.
“Could you go off the record and tell me who will take your place?” Abigail asked, tossing her pen over her notepad.
“Off the record,” William confirmed. “It’s my brother Joel.”
I almost spit out the wine. “Joel?!” I shrieked, unable to care anymore about keeping it together for Abigail. She knew William and I had been in a relationship for a little over two years and that all these revelations were novel and shocking to me.
William looked at me and nodded a few times. “If we were never to announce the change, I’m sure most people wouldn’t even notice it wasn’t me.” He let out a soft laugh. “Once in full character, you truly cannot tell the difference between us.”
I remembered Joel going blond for a role a while back and how creepy the resemblance between them was. I was thrilled for Joel. He had a solid trajectory, but William was by far the most famous of the three brothers and was usually offered better and more high-paying roles. This would be a huge stepping stone in Joel’s career that would, without a doubt, catapult him to the next level. I hoped this decision made Lily happy, too.
“Congratulations to your brother, William,” Abigail offered with a genuine smile.
“Thank you. Joel’s thrilled to take on this project, and I think he’ll do great.”
“I don’t doubt it.” Abigail took a small sip and settled the wineglass back on the table. “And picking back up where we left off, could you share any insights as to what led you to make this monumental decision? Do you think your most loyal fans will feel disappointed in this decision?”
William nodded in a contemplative way. “It’s been a culmination of several personal and professional factors that have led me to this point. Acting has been an incredible journey—one that I’ve enjoyed immensely. I’m so thankful for the support I’ve received through the years, mostly from the fans. And as I mentioned before, there’s been a growing desire within me to explore new avenues of creativity and expression throughsupporting indie films and projects. But beyond that, I’ve been reflecting on several aspects of my personal life that I’ve neglected or put on hold while fully immersed in my career. Stepping back allows me the opportunity to explore those facets of life that bring me joy and fulfillment outside of the spotlight. And I hope my fans will be supportive of this decision.”
“That is completely understandable, and I’m sure the public will support you no matter what,” Abigail said reassuringly. “It’s always a good idea to look at our lives and ask ourselves if we can do anything to improve them. And if there is, exploring the options will always be reasonable and almost compulsory. It’s essential to take notice of when we’ve outgrown a particular situation, job, relationship, friendship—anything really, and take charge.”
“I couldn’t agree more, Abigail. I was getting too comfortable,” William admitted. “It was time to shake things up. Comfort can be paralyzing.”
“From what you’ve shared with me, it sounds like you’ve reached a point of clarity and purpose in your decision-making process,” Abigail remarked thoughtfully. “How hard was it to get to that point of certainty that led you to make this choice?”
“It was by far one of the easiest choices I’ve made in my entire life,” William said with conviction. “It took me a while to realize what I wanted, but once I did, the gears were set into motion, and I’ve never once doubted my decision to step away from the spotlight.”
“I’m glad to see the certainty and assuredness in your decision.” Abigail pushed her frames up the bridge of her nose. “But before we conclude, is there anything else you’d like to add or share with our audience?”
William shrugged, rubbing the palms of his hands together. “Just a heartfelt thank you to everyone who has supported methroughout my career and everyone who continues to do so as I embark on this new chapter. Your encouragement means the world to me.”
“Thank you so much for sharing these exciting updates with us, William. It’s been truly insightful to hear about your journey and the changes ahead. We’ll certainly be keeping an eye out for all your future endeavors. And I’m sure your fans will be eager to learn more as your new projects unfold.”
“It’s been my pleasure, Abigail.” William smiled warmly. “Thank you for the opportunity to discuss these developments with you.”
Abigail pressed the stop button on the recording machine. “Go ahead, Billie,” she said with a laugh. “He’s all yours.” She pulled out her laptop from her backpack and got to work on what I supposed was transcribing her interview notes.
William and I stood, and he reached out to pull me in for a hug, picking me up from the floor and leveling his gaze with mine. That’s when I realized tears were streaming down my face.
Wordlessly, William carried me down the aisle until we reached the door to the plane’s small private bedroom. He put me back on my feet, grabbed the doorknob, and pushed the door open, waving me to step inside. We needed privacy to discuss and sort out everything that had just happened.
He sat on the edge of the bed and grabbed my hand to draw me closer to him.
“You can’t give everything up just like that,” I said between gasping pants as he brushed away the endless tears with his thumb the moment I sat beside him. “You’ve worked so hard to get where you are, and you love acting.” My voice was slightly tinged with panic. I was happy to know his decisions meant we would have more time together, and he wouldn’t have to leave for months straight, even if he still had to travel for work. ButI was overwhelmed with all the changes, fearing he’d done it as an act of love to make me happy, and I didn’t want to carry that burden. I would much rather suffer from his absence than see him not entirely fulfilled in his career.
“I loveyoumore,” he said softly, his gaze unwavering as I stared at him in silence. “Come on, talk to me.”
“You knew I’d try to talk you out of it if you came to me about this first, didn’t you?” I pressed a hand on his chest and felt the strong beat of his heart against my palm.
William nodded. “I needed you to know how serious I was about this.” He ran his warm fingers through my hair and gripped the back of my neck. “I needed to show you that my decision wasn’t up for discussion. Nothing you could tell me would’ve made me change my mind.”
“I’m terrified you’re doing this to please me,” I confessed between tears, cupping his face with my hands. “I want you to do what makes you happy, no matter what.”
“I was trying to be polite during the interview, so there was only so much I could say, but the truth is, I’m tired of all the fake bullshit surrounding the Hollywood scene. You’ve seen firsthand how fucked up it can be. How fame-hungry people are and how far they’re willing to go to get what they want.”
