Two weeks later, Eric accompanied Ella as they joined the film crew heading into the mountains for the shoot.
Having Mr. Nelson personally overseeing the production had the cast and crew buzzing with excitent. Morale was at an all-ti high, and everyone was brimming with enthusiasm.
After all, how often does a production company show this level of commitnt to a smaller film?
The mountain, located just two hours away, was called Lantern Mountain, aptly nad for its unique shape—broad in the middle, narrowing to a sharp peak, and full of treacherous terrain. At its base, a clear stream andered through, its water sparkling under the sunlight.
The mountain also housed several old, abandoned houses from the 1940s and 50s, making it an ideal location for a horror film. Austin and Richard had been captivated by the site and decided to use it for the shoot.
On the first day, aside from resting, the crew set about preparing the sets. Ella lent a hand, taking on lighter tasks, grateful for the cooler autumn weather that made the work more bearable. Otherwise, she would have been drenched in sweat.
Eric stayed close by, occasionally helping her with the more cumberso tasks.
Most of Ella’s ti, however, was spent encouraging Amanda, staying at her side and offering advice on various scenes. Amanda had clearly worked hard over the past month—her lines were flawless, and she appeared well-prepared.
anwhile, so of the male actors joined the directors in scouting locations around the mountain. By the afternoon, the group returned, chattering about a small incident.
"That was close! A huge boulder nearly hit Director Adams."
"Yeah, it was terrifying. Good thing he jumped out of the way in ti!"
"This place is full of dangers—we need to stay vigilant."
Ella overheard the conversation and walked over, her voice soft. "What happened? Director Adams was almost hit by a boulder?"
"Yes," one actor replied in a hushed tone. "It gave us all a fright. What’s strange is that the area seed clear when we first scouted it—there weren’t any loose rocks in sight."
Ella glanced at Austin, her brow furrowing.
Eric, also concerned, asked, "Are you okay?"
Austin quickly nodded. "I’m fine, Mr. Nelson. It was just a scare, nothing serious."
Ella gave a small nod. "That’s good. Take so ti to rest and reset. You’ll need to be in good spirits for tomorrow’s shoot."
Austin nodded and quietly excused himself.
Outside, so crew mbers were setting up offerings on a long table, praying to the mountain spirits for a smooth production.
Ella’s gaze inadvertently fell on Tiffany, who was chatting and laughing with Amanda not far away. Grabbing Eric by the arm, she pulled him outside.
"Eric," she whispered, "make sure the crew checks all the props and equipnt thoroughly before each shoot. I’m worried..."
Eric’s expression darkened slightly. "You think... the boulder incident wasn’t an accident?"
Ella nodded. The dense forest provided ample cover—soone could have easily pushed the boulder and hidden before being spotted.
"I’ll make sure it’s taken care of," Eric said firmly.
Ella exhaled, relieved, though her unease lingered. She couldn’t shake the feeling that soone was deliberately sabotaging the production to ensure her film would fail.
If the director or actors were injured, the shoot would undoubtedly face delays—or worse, cancellation.
Eric noticed the worry etched on her face and chuckled softly. "Relax. Nothing serious is going to happen."
Before she could respond, he reached out, tilting her chin, and kissed her deeply.
Ella’s cheeks flushed as she quickly pushed him away. "There are people around!"
Sure enough, actors and crew mbers bustled nearby, and being caught in such an intimate mont would be mortifying.
Eric grumbled, his displeasure evident. "This place is so basic. Looks like I’ll be deprived of certain ’comforts’ for the whole month."
Ella burst into laughter, her amusent clear. The mountain accommodations were indeed sparse, with limited rooms and poor soundproofing. Privacy was hard to co by.
"Consider it... a chance to practice self-restraint," she teased.
Eric sighed dramatically, resigning himself to the situation. He couldn’t bear to be apart from Ella, nor could he leave her alone in a place that didn’t feel entirely safe. If staying ant keeping her secure, it was worth enduring a little discomfort.
The next day, filming for The Sinful Mountain officially began. The morning shoot went smoothly. Ella had expected Amanda to be nervous and require multiple takes, but to her surprise, Amanda adjusted quickly, only needing four or five takes before fully getting into character.
Ella smiled faintly, pleased with her decision. Amanda truly had a natural talent for acting.
Amanda herself felt more confident than ever. Having Ella by her side reinforced the belief that her role was important, boosting her self-assurance and improving her performance. Even Richard and the veteran director couldn’t stop praising her.
During a break, Ella suddenly rembered sothing and took out her phone to call her uncle. She was surprised to find she had no signal indoors, even though she had received a call from Chloe just the day before in this sa location.
Stepping outside, her phone signal returned. A flicker of suspicion crossed Ella’s eyes. Sothing felt off.
Ella dialed Mia. Despite Eric having fired Mia after the incident with the fake maid, Ella had maintained a friendly relationship with her.
"Mia, could you bring so snacks?" Ella said playfully. "The conditions here are dreadful, and I can’t take it anymore!"
Mia, as usual, reacted with exaggerated surprise. Ella chuckled softly but spoke with a tone of quiet seriousness, "Mia, there are two small boxes in my personal drawer. Could you bring them to ?"
Mia readily agreed, and Ella finally exhaled in relief.
The boxes weren’t snacks—they were her secret weapons.
After ending the call, Ella returned to the set.
The scene being fild was eerie and atmospheric, with Amanda suspended mid-air by a wire harness, surrounded by swirling mist. It was a key mont in the story, depicting the third bizarre encounter experienced by the protagonists.
The set was designed to be unsettling, but with so many people around, the atmosphere was more fascinating than frightening.
Ella glanced around and noticed Allison, Tiffany’s assistant, standing nearby. Sothing about her expression—an odd, sly smirk as she stared up at Amanda—caught Ella’s attention.
Ella’s gaze snapped upward, and she noticed sothing alarming: the wire harness holding Amanda was fraying, about to snap!
Pushing her way through the crowd, Ella rushed to the director’s side. Allison let out a faint gasp, drawing Ella’s attention just in ti.
"Danger!" Eric’s voice bood, his sharp eyes also catching the precarious situation. Without hesitation, he kicked a broken sofa nearby, sliding it directly under Amanda’s position.
Amanda, startled and forgetting all about the scene, suddenly felt herself plumting. The harness had snapped completely!
Gasps erupted from the crew as Amanda fell, but to everyone’s astonishnt, she landed safely on the tattered sofa Eric had kicked into place. His quick thinking and precise timing had saved her from a potentially serious injury.
Everyone breathed a collective sigh of relief. Tiffany rushed forward, her face full of concern. "Amanda, are you alright?"
Two bodyguards helped Amanda to her feet. Her face was pale, and she looked shaken, clearly still processing the near-miss.
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