Francis and George stood with bouquets, waiting for Irene as the crowd parted.
Behind them were Reese and the other principal actors.
Everyone watched her, applauding the wrap and smiling at what came next.
If she had been uncertain before production, now her direction was clear.
Francis and George hosted a wrap party for her. The younger crew celebrated to music. For a moment, Irene thought she heard Britney’s voice, but dismissed it as unlikely.
As the room quieted, Britney emerged from behind the curtain pushing a cake, wearing a party hat and singing. Irene couldn’t contain herself and ran to her.
"Why didn’t anyone tell me you were coming?"
"Because I wanted it to be a surprise."
Seeing Britney’s hat, Irene remembered. "Your birthday. I’m sorry, I forgot. I didn’t even celebrate your debut with you."
"I didn’t celebrate yours either, so I came today for both of us."
Irene looked at her, warmed by the gesture. "Yes, let’s celebrate our birthdays, and our careers."
Britney produced an identical hat and placed it on Irene’s head. Together they moved the cake to the center, and everyone celebrated the two of them.
At first, the well-wishes were polite, but after someone smeared cake on Irene’s face, the situation changed and a cake fight began.
The sweet scent filled the air, and a breeze touched Irene’s face. She stood under the night sky watching the group. Her legs were tired, but it did not affect her mood. Life was made of moments like this.
Britney saw Irene standing aside, left the group, and came up behind her, covering her eyes.
"Guess who."
"Do I need to, Brit?"
Britney smiled and stood beside Irene. "What’s wrong? The film is done, and Francis said you did excellent work. You should be happy. Why do you look preoccupied?"
"Maybe I reached a goal and don’t know what’s next. But enough about me. What about you? I heard your album is selling well.
How does sudden success feel?" Irene couldn’t define her own mood, but she didn’t want to affect others.
"It feels incredible. A lot of people greeted me earlier. It’s like the whole world knows me. It’s surreal."
Seeing Britney’s open expression, Irene thought of how the press would later scrutinize her, and felt the weight of fame.
"As long as you’re happy. If you have problems, tell me."
"I know." Britney nodded. Though only a few days younger than Irene, she was often the one receiving advice.
"By the way, I saw you came with Shelly?"
"Yes, he’s my agent now too."
Working with Shelly was acceptable. With him involved, she wouldn’t be taken advantage of easily.
"Shelly is capable and efficient. He has flaws, but he does his job. Don’t trust him completely with everything, understand?" Britney’s difficulties in her previous life stemmed from mental health, family pressure, and public bias.
For mental health, Irene’s presence meant Britney would have someone to talk to.
For family control, Irene had already urged Britney to live independently and not be constrained by her parents.
With Shelly, there was now a professional buffer for matters she couldn’t handle directly.
For public bias, there was no immediate solution. Even Michael Jackson couldn’t avoid false media reports, let alone Britney.
Thinking of that, Irene recalled another factor in Britney’s earlier troubles.
"You’re not dating anyone, are you?" Irene asked directly.
"Huh?" Britney didn’t respond immediately. After understanding, her gaze shifted and she avoided answering.
"I just debuted. How could I be dating? You’re overthinking."
Britney was a teen idol worldwide, but she also wanted to be loved and to have a stable relationship. Irene knew this.
But due to training and supervision before debut, she hadn’t dated, and was single to this point.
Irene noticed the evasion but didn’t press. At her age, direct confrontation could backfire. Besides, she and that person likely weren’t official yet.
"Let me introduce you to someone. An actor from our crew. He’s very good-looking." She decided to intervene early by introducing Britney to Edward Nelson.
She had evaluated him. He was well-raised, wealthy, and clearly not from an average background.
Though somewhat casual in manner, he seemed positive and straightforward. Compared to the person who mistreated Britney before, he was preferable.
Irene led Britney to Edward.
Edward was wiping cake from his face. Seeing Irene approach, he quickened his movements.
"Boss, need me? Give me three seconds to handle this cake situation."
"It’s nothing. I’m introducing someone. This is my good friend, Britney Spears. This is one of our actors, Edward Nelson."
"Wow. You’re the singer I waited in line for. Your songs are great, and you’re even better in person." Edward extended his hand enthusiastically.
He had two strengths: appearance, and providing immediate support. He was confident he could do better than her previous partner.
Britney was shy but shook his hand. "Thank you for liking my songs. If there’s a chance, I’d like to invite you to a live performance."
"It’s a deal. I think you’re going to be a major star. Then I can say: Britney herself invited me to a show."
Britney laughed, waving her hands and saying she didn’t merit the praise.
Seeing the interaction going well, Irene decided to leave.
"I need to talk to Francis about editing. You two talk. Edward, look after my friend, understood?"
"Yes, Boss. I’ll make sure of it."
As Irene walked away, she heard Britney ask in her distinct voice,
"Why do you call her Boss?"
But Edward’s answer was lost in the noise and didn’t reach her.