Anna was indignant. "This guy looks like a dog, but I didn't expect him to be a hypocrite. He's a popular celebrity. Aren't you afraid that you'll expose him and ruin your acting career?"
Audrey sneered. "Since he dared to hand it over, he must have already thought of a countermeasure."
"Really?"
"He thinks that I'm just an ordinary rookie. Even if I didn't attend the appointment, he definitely wouldn't dare make a big deal out of it. Otherwise, he would directly threaten me and make me lose my foothold in the entertainment industry," Audrey said.
In the eyes of outsiders, one was a popular celebrity, while the other was a newbie who had just debuted and was not famous. The difference in strength was obvious which side the capitalist big shot would support.
"Are we just going to let this slide?" Anna clenched her fist in frustration. "My family runs a martial arts school. Why don't I beat him up under the cover of darkness?"
Audrey swiftly dismissed the idea. "This man is highly visible and always has a group of bodyguards around him. You wouldn't get anywhere near him, and you might end up injured by those bodyguards. Escalating things would not be in our best interest, and you might even get entangled in a legal mess."
"So what do we do?"
Audrey glanced at Howard, who was engrossed in a cheerful conversation with Elena at a distance, and a sense of bewilderment began to gnaw at her.
"Let's see what happens first. We'll improvise when the time comes."
In the afternoon, Audrey had just one scene to film. When the shooting wrapped up, she intended to leave but stumbled upon some surprising news within the production crew.
Dean had been in a minor car accident earlier in the day, leaving the assistant director in charge for the rest of the day.
Dean got into a car accident? No wonder she hadn't seen him for the entire day.
Audrey felt a pang of regret, but she messaged Anna, "It's still early. Let's pay a visit to the director."
Elena couldn't help but emit a disdainful snort as she observed Audrey's departure.
With a bouquet of carnations and a fruit basket in tow, Audrey and Anna hailed a taxi to the hospital where Dean was admitted.
Standing at the ward's entrance, Audrey sensed that there was a conversation underway inside. Knocking gently on the door, she heard a familiar voice say,
"Come in."
Eric?
Audrey felt a mild surprise but quickly pieced things together.
Eric and Dean were close friends, so it made sense for him to be present.
Upon entering, Eric turned and was taken aback by Audrey's presence. "What brings you here? Did you finish your shoot so soon?"
[I wondered if there was any reason why I shouldn't come. Did I give off an impression that I doesn't care about others in Eric's eyes?]
A line of bold red words immediately flashed above Audrey's head.
Eric was at a loss for words. He glanced at Dean, who lay in the hospital bed, and an absurd thought crossed his mind. Was he the only one who could see those words above Audrey's head? Could Dean see them?
Dean, clearly surprised by Audrey's unannounced visit, had met her only a few times and hadn't had much interaction with her.
Audrey glanced at Dean, who was confined to the bed with his left leg in a cast. It was evident to her that he wouldn't be able to manage the production team in the short term.
She arranged the items she had brought on the table and inquired, "Director, I heard about your injury, so I brought my assistant along to check on you. How are you feeling now?"
Dean smiled warmly and responded to her inquiry.
Just moments before, Eric had been discussing recent script revisions with Dean. Dean recollected something and turned to Audrey, "I heard that the assistant director made some alterations to the script?"
Audrey inwardly sighed, acknowledging Dean's impressive network of information sources. Nevertheless, she realized that with the sheer size of the production team, it was natural for word to travel. After all, the director had the ultimate authority over the entire team.
Audrey nodded.
A flicker of irritation crossed Dean's face. "I see. However, you needn't fret. As long as the changes aren't too significant, you can adapt accordingly. I've already messaged the assistant director, suggesting fewer alterations going forward. After all, I've already modified the plot countless times with my co-writer."
Dean's gaze shifted towards Eric.
Audrey didn't detect this subtle shift. She maintained a friendly smile and assured, "I'm quite fond of the character I'm playing. I'll give it my best." Dean nodded in satisfaction.
The three of them continued to chat for a while. When Audrey and Eric eventually left the ward, it was already six in the evening.
Anna, who followed them out, wanted to say something but hesitated. Audrey sensed her curiosity, understanding that she might be wondering why she was so familiar with Eric. After all, not many people in the industry were aware that Audrey was Eric's stepsister..
...