Urban System in America

For a moment, Rex just stared at him. Then, just as Aren began to squirm, unexpectedly, he leaned back and chuckled. The sound wasn't mocking, but it rattled Aren all the same.

"Relax," Rex said, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "I believe in you. His tone carrying the steady confidence Aren lacked. Then his expression shifted, sharper, more firm. "But you're right—you're still a rookie. You can't handle everything alone. And I've got my own matters to deal with, so I won't always be able to step in and carry the producer's load."

Aren froze for a moment, his fingers tightened against his knees. The weight of responsibility pressed down harder now. The words were true, and he knew it, but hearing them so plainly unsettled him. His pride urged him to prove himself, but the pressure pressing against his chest reminded him of how inexperienced he truly was."Well…I'll try and give my all"

But even as he said it, his voice wavered.

Rex's smile only widened, his gaze never leaving Aren's face. "Try?" He let the word hang in the air for a second. "Aren, films aren't made on 'trying.' They're made on certainty. Confidence. You'll need both if you want this to work."

The silence in the car thickened. Aren clenched his fists lightly on his knees, then blurted, almost defensively,

"I… I can contact a friend," he said hesitantly. "He might—"

Rex raised a hand, cutting him off with a small shake of his head. "No need." His voice was firm, unyielding. A faint smile tugged at his lips as he leaned back, speaking with the ease of someone who had already thought ten steps ahead. "I've got a better option.

Aren blinked, confused. "Better?"

Rex leaned forward slightly, his eyes glinting with a knowing confidence that only deepened Aren's sense of inferiority.

"Yes. I've already made a deal with Steven Roberson, the owner of Northstar Studio. With his resources, the groundwork you need will already be there. No half-measures. No depending on unreliable friends. Just a solid foundation."

The name hit Aren like a stone dropped in still water. His breath caught, the thought echoing in his mind. Northstar wasn't just any studio, and Steven wasn't the kind of man a newcomer like him could ever hope to approach.

He had influence, connections, and a reputation for spotting projects with potential. And almost all of his projects got good reviews. For someone like Aren, who had just taken his first real step into the industry, the thought of working under that banner was overwhelming. Yet Rex said it as if it were nothing more than a minor detail in his day.

"You… you know Steven Roberson?" Aren couldn't help ask, even though he knew the answer, disbelief and admiration lacing his tone.

Rex smiled faintly, tilting his head in that unshakably calm way of his. "Let's just say, he and I understand each other. He's agreed to give us access to resources and support that will make sure this film isn't just finished… it's done right."

Aren's chest tightened, both awed and unsettled. Every time Rex spoke, it was as if he casually revealed yet another layer of power and foresight that Aren could barely comprehend. He felt small in comparison, like a child who had just been handed the keys to a kingdom he wasn't sure he deserved to enter. Yet beneath the weight of that realization, gratitude welled up inside him.

With a studio like Northstar behind them… one with seasoned crews, established pipelines, and people who had already shepherded countless projects to completion, his inexperience wouldn't be as crippling. He wouldn't have to shoulder every burden alone or stumble blindly through the process. Even as a complete rookie, he could lean on their expertise and let the machinery of professionals guide the project.

Still, a voice at the back of his mind whispered that this wasn't normal. Opportunities like these didn't just fall into the laps of nobodies. Why was Rex doing this for him? Why place such faith in someone so untested? The thought both inspired and unsettled him, making him clutch the seat a little tighter as he glanced at Rex's calm profile.

For now, though, Aren could only breathe deeply and tell himself: With Northstar at my back, maybe… just maybe… I can actually do this.

And honestly, amidst all of this, what stunned him even more was how effortlessly Rex had already spoken with Northstar, as if such things were no more difficult than breathing. It should have been impossible for a newcomer like them, but with Rex, impossibility seemed to bend into inevitability. And yet, despite the shock, Aren couldn't claim to be truly surprised.

He had seen it the night before at the party, how men and women of status, people who normally carried themselves with pride and distance, had instinctively gravitated toward Rex, treating him with a respect that should have been far beyond his years.

Now, with the contract in his hands, the weight of that truth pressed down harder. Rex hadn't just handed him an opportunity, he had wrapped it in layers of foresight and protection. Who else would think to bring in a lawyer of such caliber for something as "trivial" as a low-budget horror film contract? The detail was excessive, overwhelming even, yet it revealed Rex's way of doing things… never half-hearted, never leaving room for chance.

Rex watched the flicker of emotions cross Aren's face… first disbelief, then awe, then the quiet weight of intimidation settling in. It was exactly the reaction he had anticipated, and precisely what he wanted. Every word, every reveal, from casually mentioning Northstar to producing the contract backed by a top-tier lawyer, had been orchestrated with care. He didn't just want Aren to be impressed… he wanted him to feel the gap, to see Rex as someone who moved in a world far removed from his own.

The look in Aren's eyes confirmed it. Gratitude, yes, but also a kind of reverence, even unease, as though Rex were a towering figure whose reach extended beyond what Aren could ever imagine.

(End of Chapter)