Are you genuinely planning to sustain your career on a bedrock of trite, melodramatic soap operas? Then, when you reflect on your careerâs twilight, realize that you have nothing to be proud of?â
Her words pierced Francisâ heart like a dagger.
After all, he hadnât entered the film industry solely for monetary gains.
He was born with a silver spoon, stepping into the entertainment realm not for dalliances with beautiful women but to chase his dream of directing.
Yet, as Ariana had pointed out, despite his lengthy tenure, he had produced a heap of low-rated mediocrity.
The Sky with Romance currently stood as his most successful work, which explained his reluctance to let go.
The silence on the other end of the line fueled Arianaâs confidence.
Undeterred, she pressed on, âMoreover, Mr.
Salazar, letâs not forget our contractual agreement.
Tyler has been squeezing in these additional promotional activities out of love for this drama.
But with the plethora of script readings you expect him to partake in, shouldnât we reevaluate the pay? Considering Tylerâs present market valueâ¦â
âs
Francis froze, his mind racing to find a way to defuse the tension.
Desperately attempting to lighten the mood, he interjected, âAriana, weâve known each other for quite some time.
Letâs not allow money to mar our relationship.
If you are so averse to it, letâs put it aside.
â
Ariana emitted a cold chuckle, her response laced with disdain.
âMr.
Salazar, these matters are but trifles.
As you mentioned, we wouldnât want to jeopardize our relationship.
And who knows what else might be at risk next time.
â
After hanging up, Ariana swiftly conveyed a message to Betsy, instructing her to fabricate hard-working quotes about Tyler and share them online.
The goal was to depict Tyler as tirelessly dedicated to The Sky with Romance publicity campaign, actively participating in numerous demanding activities, and currently exhausted.
Subsequently, she had the official drama account repost the quotes.
Her strategy bore fruit swiftly.
Fans voiced their concern for Tyler, and even shippers shifted in Tylerâs favor.
The rumors of Tylerâs diva-like behavior dissipated, enabling Ariana to breathe a sigh of relief.
However, as the situation settled down, an unsettling feeling gnawed at her.
Ever since Francis discovered her relationship with Theodore, he had scaled back on causing trouble.
Yet, now he seemed intent on putting Tyler in a difficult position, seemingly disregarding her entirely.
What was going on?
âWhy on earth are you still preoccupied with work at this ungodly hour? I simply canât comprehend it.
â Soniaâs voice drifted in from the entrance of the room.
It was then Ariana lifted her gaze, noticing Soniaâs arrival, armed with a basket of fruit.
©
âHey! You need to stop looking at that.
A patient needs ample rest.
â Striding towards her, Sonia swiped Arianaâs phone and placed it aside, preventing her from further distractions.
âI overheard you arguing with someone at the door earlier.
You must remember, youâre a patient now.
And whatâs paramount for a patient is maintaining a positive mindset.
Here, have an apple.
â
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While Sonia busied herself with peeling an apple, Ariana managed a slight smile, but she couldnât shake off a nagging worry.
Spotting her expression, Sonia had an idea of what Ariana was contemplating and sighed.
She placed the peeled apple in Arianaâs hand.
âSpill it, whatâs troubling you?â
Ariana then confided in Sonia about the recent events and her uncertainties.
After pouring out her concerns, she sighed, âIâm truly at a loss.
Do you have any updates on your end?â
After digesting Arianaâs story, Soniaâs brows knitted together.
âNow that youâve brought it up, there is something.
â
In her line of profession, few rumors or insider scoops escaped her, and she had indeed come across numerous whispers in the past few days.
âFrancis and SJ Entertainment are quite close-knit, and it seems heâs been cozying up to Jasper lately.
â
Once again, it was Jasper.
Ariana managed to keep her surprise under wraps, thinking that she should have given him a good slap when she had the chance.