Behind The Spotlight Chapter 54
Axel and Cynthia had divorced three years ago, leaving Axel emotionally exhausted. Unfortunately, he didn't get shared custody. The court judged that Axel was unfit to care for John because of his military background. As a retired soldier, the court viewed him with suspicion and lacked confidence in his mental health, despite the absence of any actual diagnosis. Does California have that kind of bias? No one really knows.
As for Cynthia, she had been a stay-at-home mom for most of their marriage, claiming she was best suited to raise their son. But to say Axel wasn't a good father was a delusion born out of legal assumptions and systemic bias.
In truth, Axel had been the one caring for John the entire time. Cynthia simply stayed home because she disliked working or dealing with responsibilities outside the house. Axel had loved her deeply, blindly even, and failed to see her flaws until it was too late.
Everything changed when Cynthia disappeared for a week without warning or explanation, only to return with tattoos on her shoulders and needle marks on her arms. She was clearly using drugs, her speech erratic and her behavior unstable.
During their confrontation, Cynthia admitted to using drugs to cope with her dissatisfaction. She wasn't in the right state of mind when she filed for divorce, but by then, the damage had been done, and Axel was left shattered.
The result? Axel was ordered to stay away from Cynthia and their son unless he was granted legal permission through supervised visitation. Axel filed for supervised visits almost immediately, but Cynthia refused to cooperate and constantly avoided the arrangements.
He then filed a request to modify the court's ruling, hoping that clean behavior and good intentions would persuade the judge. But even after months of paperwork and legal consultations, nothing had changed. He didn't know what else to do. He had never hurt his wife, never even argued with her, yet the court deemed him dangerous, believing a soldier trained to fight couldn't possibly be trusted to parent.
But Axel was never violent. He had always avoided conflict. He only wanted to see his son, to remind John that he still had a father who loved him.
He had no criminal record. No history of abuse. Yet the system failed him, misunderstood him, and pushed him into a corner.
Cynthia, aware of the legal blindspot, took full advantage of it. She disappeared with their son and never showed herself again, leaving Axel helpless. All he could do was send $2,300 a month in child support, not knowing if even a single dollar truly went to John. This parallel world had some difference regarding the law.
Axel knew he had technically violated the court order by asking for their address, but that effort was fruitless anyway. Cynthia and John no longer lived there, and nobody seemed to know where they had moved.
As a father, Axel just wanted to see his son, even from a distance, to assure him that life could still be good, that his dad still loved him.
In the diner restaurant, curious eyes glanced in his direction as whispers began to rise. Axel took a deep breath to calm himself. He stood up and walked out, his heart weighed down like stone.
His chest ached, even breathing felt difficult. This had been his struggle for the past three years. A relentless, festering wound that refused to close.
He suspected Cynthia only contacted him when she wanted money... But Axel always gave in when she used John as an excuse. He couldn't say no. He was John's father, and that title meant everything to him.
In early 1994, Axel met Collin at a bar while drowning his sorrows in cheap beer. What began as a casual conversation unexpectedly turned into a life-changing opportunity.
Collin had learned that Axel was a freelance actor bouncing between gigs with no steady income. At the time, two of Collin's clients had just ended their contracts and moved on, leaving vacancies in his roster.
Axel had been skeptical, unsure if it was just drunken bar talk, but out of necessity and curiosity, he agreed to work with Collin. That marked the beginning of their partnership, a bond that would pull Axel into the spotlight.
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"The movie is amazing. I didn't recognize the cast, but it was still hilarious. The jokes landed so well."
"You're right, haha!" the other replied, still laughing.
Landers Lopez sighed softly under his breath as he listened to the conversation next to him while the audience began to leave.
The screening of the Accidental Wedding Crashers had just ended. As the lights turned on and the credits rolled, the crowd slowly exited the theater.
Landers took his time leaving, his eyes reflecting regret and envy. Once outside, he lit a cigarette with shaky hands and stared at the passing vehicles, as if searching for answers in their headlights. The smoke curled from his lips and slowly dissolved into the air, just like the dreams he once had.
"...Fuck," he muttered, voice weak and bitter.
Last year, he had still been one of Collin's clients, under a contract that had once seemed full of promise. But Landers had chosen to walk away, led by pride and impatience.
He had signed a three-year deal with ANT, thrilled at the potential of a flourishing career. But in the first year, his agent unexpectedly died of a heart attack.
In response, ANT scrambled to reassign clients. Landers and a female actress were transferred to a new agent, Collin East. At the time, Collin was a complete rookie in the industry. He had little experience and lacked the connections or reputation to command confidence.
Both Landers and the actress were unimpressed.
The actress left first, deciding not to renew her contract with ANT. Afterward, she joined a different agency and found moderate success. Now, she was a regular cast member on a teen drama that was entering its second season with good ratings.
Landers had similar plans. When his contract ended, he didn't look back. He joined a small agency that promised better results.
The outcome? Devastating.
While his new agency did find jobs for him consistently, the work came from an industry in the San Fernando Valley that he never thought he'd be part of.
Hollywood was the film capital of the world. San Fernando Valley, however, was the undisputed porn capital. Everyone in Los Angeles knew it, even if no one talked about it.
Hollywood released thousands of films every year. So did San Fernando, just of a different kind.
Landers had no shortage of work now, thanks to high demand. But it wasn't the kind of fame he wanted.
He was never cast as a leading man. Instead, he was relegated to humiliating roles, getting cucked, jacking off in orgies or gangbangs, playing the forgettable extra in degrading scenes. The pay was average at best and barely covered his rent.
He couldn't believe how far he'd fallen. Once a hopeful actor dreaming of stardom, now reduced to background noise in the shadows of the adult film industry.
Part of the reason he left Collin in the first place was pride. He hated the fact that Collin, his agent, had more charisma and screen presence than he did. That bruised ego had guided his decisions, and now, he was paying the price.
"Should I contact Collin?" he wondered aloud. "If not him, maybe Jennifer? I heard she's still working with Collin and doing well."
He paused, then chuckled dryly.
"That woman has a foul mouth and a sharp tongue... but she's soft if you corner her. Maybe I can take advantage of that if I play my cards right."
Flicking the ash from his cigarette, Landers watched the passing cars, his thoughts swirling with desperation and delusion.
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[Last night, I learned that Diddy was found not guilty on most of his cases. I think we can all agree that the justice system is nothing but a joke.]