Following her recent exposure for manipulating votes related to Arianaâs team, Sadieâs professional prospects had dimmed, and her resources had dwindled.
She had accepted a role in a detective action film to salvage her reputation.
The script held promise and popularity.
Leveraging some of the Fredrick family connections, she secured the female lead and took on the role of a police officer.
However, the cast and crew list had been kept secret to avoid leaks.
To Sadieâs astonishment, she discovered on the first day of filming that the male lead was none other than Tyler, Arianaâs steadfast confidant.
Whatâs more, Ariana herself had made an appearance backstage!
Sadie, her brows furrowing, inquired, âWhy is she here?â
The assistant met her gaze and disclosed, âMiss Edwards is our producer.
â
At that moment, Arianaâs eyes fell on Sadie.
She hesitated briefly, then furrowed her brow and asked the assistant, âWasnât it said that the female lead was a recently graduated rising star? How did Sadie end up here?â
The assistant at Arianaâs side found herself tongue-tied, struggling to deliver a coherent response.
Ariana, not one to beat around the bush, turned toward the director.
âHas our leading lady been changed?
Sadie Pierre, really? What happened to our original candidate?â
The director, well aware of the animosity brewing between Sadie and Arianaâs team on the talent show, sensed that there could be a storm on the horizon.
Yet, his hands were tied, so he donned an awkward smile and said, âThink of it as a case of capital infusion.
.
â
Ariana didnât need an explanation to decipher what was happening.
It was akin to injecting capital into a company.
Sadie had orchestrated the ousting of the initial leading lady, taking her place.
Ariana was no pushover, and she refused to just sweep Sadieâs actions under the rug.
Since her return to the country, a feud had been brewing between them, not to mention the subsequent run-ins.
Collaborating on a film with Sadie would be like throwing good money after bad.
Besides, even if Ariana didnât pore over the details, sheâd caught wind of Sadieâs reputation and her acting skills â or the lack thereof.
Sheâd stumbled upon some clips of Sadieâs performances, and it was a real train wreck!
Why someone like Sadie, a scion of the esteemed Fredrick family, would dive headlong into the entertainment industry and rock the boat was beyond Arianaâs ken.
Despite her inner tempest upon seeing Sadie, Ariana maintained a calm facade as she turned to the director and said, âIâd like to withdraw my investment.
Whatâs the penalty for tearing up this contract? Iâm prepared to compensate.
â
The director, hit by the bombshell of Arianaâs investment withdrawal, was flustered.
It wasnât just about the money; it was also about potential future collaborations.
Word had it that Tyler was onboard only thanks to Arianaâs sway.
âNo, Ariana, letâs not be too hasty,â the director implored, marshaling a battalion of persuasive arguments to win her over, even resorting to begging, if need be.
But Ariana stood her ground, her resolve unshaken.
She made it clear that she did not intend to play nice with Sadie.
Feeling cornered and unable to sway Ariana, the director finally broke down in tears right in front of her!
Ariana, taken aback by this unexpected display of emotion, blinked at the directorâs teary outburst, her words momentarily caught in her throat.
In the end, her heart softened.
The sudden withdrawal of investment was indeed a curveball.