"You’re right. I heard that her godmother, Mrs. Miller, adores her like she’s her own daughter. And her status... once she arrives in Country S, even top governnt officials would probably be treating her with utmost respect and going out of their way to accommodate her. So, she’s likely to bring Mrs. Miller into this," Eric said coolly. "But whether they’re nobodies or nobility, she won’t get her way!"
Ella turned slightly, rubbing her sore lower back. "You’re right, Mrs. Miller is her ace. But why do I feel like it’s not that simple?"
"You’re overthinking it."
"With Hannah’s personality, you’d expect her to be arrogant and brazen. But when she saw , she looked fearful and timid, almost playing the victim," Ella said, shaking her head. "That’s not like her. Normally, she’d be proud—after all, given her status and her connection to such a high family, she’d naturally have a huge sense of superiority."
"She was poisoned once by a maid, which humbled her a lot."
Eric’s eyes flashed with a cold gleam. Ella nodded; that was indeed when Hannah started to change.
"Yeah, that was when she beca so much more timid. That’s what the reports say," Ella sneered. "Looks like Hannah didn’t co back for sothing simple this ti. We’d better be cautious."
"Ti to get up, or you’ll be late!"
Ella scrambled up, quickly got dressed, brushed her teeth, and began another intense day.
Life like this was thrilling and fun—she didn’t feel an ounce of fatigue or resentnt. Compared to her past life, this one felt much more aningful; at least she was proving her strength and living with flair.
The next morning, at precisely 8:50, Ella appeared in the LXL conference room. She usually didn’t attend etings, but her presence today visibly startled everyone.
Though they tried to hide it, Ella still caught a few disdainful, condescending glances.
When LXL was founded, two of Eric’s friends—Richard and Brian—beca shareholders. Two experienced directors also held stakes in LXL, which was part of HopeCore Group. Eric and Ella both believed that the entertainnt industry, even more than other industries, was extrely profitable, which is why they focused so heavily on it.
This eting was to cast roles for the film *The Sinful Mountain,* so executives and directors from the company were in attendance.
Ella had specifically assigned the film to Austin Adams and Director Richard, who was young but had been friends with Richard since their college days.
"Mrs. Nelson, this isn’t a party. I didn’t expect to see you here. What a surprise!" Sarah imdiately smirked upon seeing Ella, her words laced with slight disdain. But she dared not be too overt in front of Eric.
The other executives also looked at Ella, their expressions suggesting she didn’t belong there.
"Hello, everyone," Ella said calmly as she took her seat. "Today, I’m here as a shareholder because *The Sinful Mountain* is a project I signed personally, and I value it highly. Casting is critical; if the wrong actors are chosen, it could ruin the entire film. That would be a sha."
Eric leaned back in his chair, lazily glancing at the executives with their varied expressions.
The executives of LXL hadn’t expected this at all. To them, Ella was just Eric’s wife. Little did they know she was actually a shareholder.
Sarah’s expression soured with jealousy—this detestable woman wasn’t just Mrs. Nelson but also a shareholder here!
"Mrs. Nelson, you’re a shareholder at LXL, so why don’t we see you at etings more often?" another creative director, oblivious to the tension, asked with a grin.
Ella cast her a calm glance. "The reason I haven’t attended before is that I felt other matters could be handled without . My vote or decision didn’t make much of a difference."
Her words complinted everyone’s abilities on the surface but also subtly implied that their competence might not be enough this ti.
Eric raised an eyebrow. "Any objections?"
"No, none at all!" The group quickly responded, smiling, unwilling to offend Mr. Nelson’s wife.
At that mont, Austin stood up. "For this casting, we’ve had multiple actors recomnded for each role. I’ve selected a few for everyone to review."
With that, a few celebrity headshots appeared on the LCD screen above.
"This is for the supporting role of Ashley Moore," Austin explained. "Ashley is the team’s doctor with a decade of dical experience. She’s adventurous by nature, so when this expedition ca up, she signed up imdiately. Ashley’s personality is lively and captivating, but due to a traumatic childhood, she eventually takes drastic actions against the male lead. So, who do you all think would be suitable for this role?"
A discussion broke out among the executives, while Ella and Eric exchanged an unreadable glance.
"I think lissa Johnson would be a great fit."
"I agree—lissa seems perfect!"
The executives voted, voicing their agreent one after another.
Eric turned to Ella with a smile, "And who’s your pick?"
This was Ella’s first ti attending a casting decision, aning the final call was hers. Eric, along with Richard, Brian, and Austin, would back her up on whatever choice she made.
"I think Tiffany is a good choice," Ella replied. "This role needs a character with a spirited toughness and underlying pride. Tiffany would bring those qualities beautifully."
Her suggestion was t with imdiate opposition from the higher-ups.
Sarah was the first to jump in, glaring at Ella. "Mrs. Nelson, are you serious? You want Ms. Fox—a star of her caliber—to play a supporting role?"
"Exactly! How would that reflect on LXL?"
"Ms. Fox is far too talented for such a minor role; she wouldn’t agree to it."
The others echoed their disapproval, though Richard and his allies rely watched with amused expressions.
Ella raised an eyebrow, unbothered. "Our casting isn’t about celebrity status; it’s about suitability. If no established actor fits the lead, we’d do better casting a newcor to carefully shape the role to perfection. Though it may cost more, the benefits to LXL’s reputation are well worth it."
Eric nodded lightly, "Ella is right—Tiffany suits the role of Ashley perfectly."
Richard and Brian both agreed.
The other executives’ expressions shifted, and one of the shareholder-directors stood, his gaze icy as he addressed Ella. "Mrs. Nelson, with no experience in this field, I must say Ms. Fox should be the lead, not a supporting character!"
Reviews
All reviews (0)