Stellaâs performance was so impressive that it drew everyone completely into the story, so when Guinevere interrupted it so suddenly, everyone on set was floored.
âA little off?â asked Bradley, massaging his temples and trying very hard to suppress his rage. âHow so, Guinevere?â
âSophie is a pure and naive character,â she replied. âShe shouldnât be so shrewd and devious when she turns to the dark side. Sheâs just a petty character! Didnât you find that Ellaâs performance didnât fit the character?â
âPerhaps it was a little unexpected,â said Bradley, âbut thatâs only because Ellaâs interpretation of the character was even more layered and sophisticated than we thought.â
For a moment in that scene, she even managed to outshine the heroine. It was also obvious that Guinevere had cut off the performance because she hated someone else standing out more than her.
As a result, everyone just kept quiet. Only Bradley dared to speak up. âI think her performance will enrich the film,â he argued after pondering for a while. âItâll be more exciting now. Weâll go with it.â
Guinevere sprang up to her feet and stomped toward Bradley. âI thought we agreed,â she bemoaned, her face filled with discontent, âThat youâd find a suitable actress for this role. I said nothing when you suddenly cast this completely inexperienced woman since her earlier performance was okay. But just now, it was obvious that her acting was completely out of character. She doesnât fit the role one bit!
Donât you think this will destroy the whole movie?â
âBut acting is not a set of conventions,â Bradley resolutely rebuked. âItâs dynamic. It requires the actor to connect with the script and interpret their role. Ellaâs performance actually surprised me.â
Clearly, he was not willing to back down.
âBradley,â Guinevere continued, looking much more severe now, âI still think itâs best we go with our original plan.â
âYou think so? Well, I disagree because the performance just now exceeded my expectations.â
Bradley had completely no intention of yielding to Guinevereâs demands. This frustrated her more than shâed ever been.
âFine!â she snapped, hurling the stuff in her hand in a fit of rage. âGo on with your plans then! I guess this movie doesnât need me anymore!â
She then stormed oil the set.
Everyone was in an uproar. No one thought that Guinevere would leave in the middle of filming. It was incredibly dramatic, even for a movie star like her.
Stella stood still where she was, still immersed in her role. After a while, she massaged her temples and looked at Bradley. Bradley said nothing, but his deep scowl strained his face. This was surprising to the rest of the crew, because they had expected him to erupt like a giant volcano. Instead, he just stood there in silence. When he spoke, he merely instructed the crew to do what needed to be done without mentioning a word about Guinevere.
The whole atmosphere was now cold and tense. Everyone was walking on eggshells in the terrifying silence.
âElla!â Bradley barked as he approached her. âYou can go home early today.â
âBut Mr. Laneâ¦â Stella muttered worriedly. âYou donât have to say anything,â Bradley interrupted her. âI completely understand. Just go home and rest. Get ready for tomorrow. Weâll be shooting a very important scene.â
Stella nodded, albeit with a frown.
âIâm going to be in the same scene with Guinevere again tomorrowâ¦â âI know,â said Bradley, sighing.
âBut donât you worry. I guarantee the same thing wonât happen again tomorrow.â Hearing that, Stella went back to the trailer. Not long afterward, she received a text message. It was from Weston. âThe crossroad,â it read simply.
Stella instantly knew what he meant, but the very thought of him repulsed her. At that moment, she was in no mood to humor him.