Ella shot Eric a glare. "Didn’t they say the location was set in a remote mountain area? With so many people there, don’t try anything reckless..."
Eric’s expression turned serious. "It’s not too remote, but finding a suitable mountain nearby that ets all the requirents is proving difficult."
As she ate, Ella added, "By the way, get a detailed file on Tiffany. I can’t shake the feeling sothing’s off about her."
Eric raised a brow, surprised. "Why? I haven’t noticed anything unusual about her."
"It’s the way she looked at the first ti we t—there was a hint of disdain in her eyes. But after that, she was perfectly polite. Was that initial look accidental, deliberate, or just well-concealed later on?"
Ella frowned. Tiffany’s sudden rise to fa in Country W had always seed strange to her. Tiffany had acting skills, sure, but there were many talented actors from Country S working hard in Country W.
Why was Tiffany’s journey so smooth while others struggled for years without achieving the sa success?
Eric shook his head dismissively. "You won overthink everything. It was just a look, Ella. Is it really worth this much scrutiny?"
Ella snorted. "Never doubt my instincts! I’d never look at soone with disdain on a first eting unless there was a reason. Tiffany definitely has an issue with ."
Eric sighed, spreading his hands in resignation. He wasn’t going to argue further.
From his interactions with Tiffany, she had always seed warm and pleasant. But Ella clearly saw things differently.
Tiffany might have a secret, sothing possibly connected to Ella herself.
"Eric, I—"
Before Ella could finish, Eric leaned over, lifted her chin, and kissed her firmly.
"Stop nagging. Let’s finish eating first," he said with a smirk.
Ella glared at him helplessly. On the subject of Tiffany, it seed they were at odds for the first ti. But that wouldn’t stop her from staying on guard when it ca to Tiffany.
...
When Hannah and Logan returned ho, they saw workers installing a new gate and the crushed remains of the garden where tire tracks left visible scars.
Hannah gasped and hurried inside. "Mommy, what happened?"
Mrs. Miller sat in the dining room, her expression cold. When Hannah approached her, she said, "Mommy, are you okay?"
"I’m fine, darling. I’m fine," Mrs. Miller replied in her accented Country S language. She briefly recounted the events that had just unfolded, her tone clipped and bitter.
Logan’s face darkened. "I didn’t think that Eric had such clever tricks up his sleeve!"
"Yes, Mommy, they’re so awful to threaten you like that!" Hannah said softly, gripping Mrs. Miller’s hand tightly. "Are you sure you’re okay?"
A hint of warmth filled Mrs. Miller’s heart. "I’m fine. Nothing happened to ."
"That’s good... but are you really planning to let Ella off just like that? If so, I won’t be satisfied." Hannah’s voice was soft, but her eyes glistened with unshed tears.
Mrs. Miller hesitated, gazing into Hannah’s beautiful, watery eyes. With a sigh, she said, "That girl and her man aren’t easy to deal with."
"Mommy, I have a plan!"
Hannah’s lips curled into a mischievous smile as she leaned in and whispered a few words into Mrs. Miller’s ear.
From the side, Logan chuckled. "What’s this? Even I’m being kept in the dark?"
Hannah tilted her head playfully and grinned. "Of course! Even you can’t know—it has to stay a secret."
Logan gave her a fond, indulgent look, his smile tender. "Alright then. But let’s eat first."
Hannah laughed sweetly, feeling a surge of happiness as she looked at Logan. At that mont, with Logan doting on her, she felt like the happiest person in the world.
The upcoming production of The Sinful Mountain, set to begin shooting under LXL, was already generating massive buzz online. Adapted from a wildly popular novel with tens of millions of readers, the project naturally drew significant attention.
However, skepticism lingered among the book’s fans, many of whom doubted the film’s quality. With dostic adaptations often falling short, they were cautious not to set their hopes too high.
Still, the addition of Tiffany to the cast piqued widespread interest. Even if the film failed to live up to expectations, fans felt the allure of a star-studded cast, featuring both beauties and heartthrobs, would at least guarantee decent box office returns.
Thus, the movie Ella had signed onto was already trending hot before production had even started.
While excitent brewed among fans, so old-school film critics lambasted the industry for its shallow focus on attractive casts over aningful stories. They derided *The Sinful Mountain* as another flashy production lacking substance or depth, relying on pretty faces to sell tickets.
Ella chose not to respond to the cutting remarks. The film wasn’t out yet, so engaging with such criticism felt pointless. What truly mattered was whether the final product would resonate with audiences.
Confident in the capabilities of directors Richard and Austin, she trusted they would create a film worth watching.
anwhile, Tiffany’s Twitter was flooded with fans rallying around her perceived injustice:
- "How could a superstar like Tiffany be relegated to a minor role? Total conspiracy!"
- "Exactly! That Amanda has only acted in one web drama. How could she overshadow Tiffany?"
- "Bet Eric cut so shady deal. Gross! And here I thought Mr. Nelson and Ella were the perfect couple!"
- "Are you kidding? No man is loyal. Eric probably pulled strings, and Mrs. Nelson’s no saint either—she’s probably got her claws in those young actors too!"
- "Tiffany, don’t do it. Walk away from this project!"
In contrast, Ella’s social dia was inundated with vile comnts. She was accused of riding on Eric’s coattails and contributing nothing of her own. Many assud her successes—like her fashion show contributions—were solely due to Eric feeding her plans, painting her as talentless and opportunistic.
Though she read the comnts with a calm expression, Ella couldn’t help but feel a twinge of frustration. With graduation around the corner, she was eager to establish herself in her career. Yet these critics dismissed her achievents as Eric’s handiwork.
"These comnts... they’re all coming from accounts with identical IP addresses," Eric muttered darkly, his expression ice-cold as he imdiately called Larry.
Larry, a skilled hacker, had little trouble tracing the origins of the sar campaign.
Ella remained composed, though her tone was resolute. "You don’t have to take it so seriously. Let them rant. The angrier they get, the more satisfying it’ll be when the movie proves them wrong. Just wait—they’ll change their tune once they see what we’ve accomplished."
While she remained wary of Tiffany, Ella couldn’t deny the actress’s remarkable talent. Tiffany was perfect for the role of Ashley, a resilient and tenacious character—not for the frail, ghostlike lead.
Eric smiled faintly. He understood that all these attacks had a purpose and weren’t coincidental.
Soon after, Larry called back. He confird the haters were paid trolls, as the majority of the posts originated from accounts registered to similar IP addresses—obviously fake accounts created to target Ella specifically.
Ella understood the stakes: if her first casting project failed, both critically and comrcially, it would deal a serious blow to her burgeoning career.
But Ella wasn’t the type to back down. Her career was one of the most important aspects of her life, and she refused to let online trolls or unfounded accusations deter her. With renewed determination, she committed herself to supporting Amanda through the production, ensuring the film was executed to perfection.
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