Chapter 745 - 741: Slightly Modified

"Why did you put on so much makeup!"

Chloe Hale was in a bad mood and took it out on the makeup artist beside her. "Don’t you know Director Alan wants the actors in their most natural state? You put such thick makeup on me. Do you think my skin is in terrible condition and I have a lot to hide?!"

The makeup artist, a young woman, was instantly scared into silence. But she couldn’t help complaining inwardly, ’Didn’t you just sit down and demand I cover all the blemishes on your face?’

"Take it off and do it again!"

"O-Okay."

Seeing her flare up, her agent, Quinn Lawson, who was standing nearby, tried to console her. "Alright, alright, what’s the big deal? She’s just a newcomer. No matter how pretty she is, she still has to be completely respectful to you."

"Even Lily Sterling has to take the initiative to greet you. Wouldn’t this... Zora girl, or whatever her name is, have to do even more?"

"This industry is never short on beautiful women. What’s the use of just being pretty?"

Chloe Hale glanced at him through the mirror and said impatiently, "I’m only doing this because it’s Director Alan’s movie. In the future, book me for fewer projects full of little girls. It’s annoying enough to kill me just looking at them."

She was in the prime of her youth and hadn’t thought of herself as old. But comparisons are a killer. When you’re twenty-five and thrown into a crowd of twenty-year-old girls, you stick out like a sore thumb.

Women tend to be sensitive about these things, and actresses even more so.

Quinn Lawson stepped forward, patted Chloe Hale’s shoulder, and lowered his voice. "This is a rare opportunity. You’ve been acting for several years without a defining role that’s really made an impression on the public. You have a substantial part in this film. If you play it well, this will become that role."

"Besides, this is a stepping stone. Once you’ve been in one of Director Alan’s movies, your chances of landing roles with other directors will increase dramatically. Think about it, doesn’t that make sense?"

Chloe Hale nodded at his words. She had understood all of this from the very beginning.

That was why, from the start, she had strategically hooked up with Tom Miller. As Director Alan’s assistant director, Tom Miller held a great deal of real power. It was he who had recommended Chloe Hale to Director Alan and secured a very good role for her.

Otherwise, based on Chloe Hale’s talent alone, she would have had virtually no chance of winning the role through a competitive audition.

Meanwhile, Lily Sterling also finished her hair and makeup quickly, her look also almost completely bare-faced.

"Lily, hold this." Yuna tucked a hot water bottle into Lily Sterling’s arms. "You’ll definitely get cold while waiting for your scene."

"Where’s Ronald?"

"He went out to the main set to watch the hustle and bustle."

At that moment, the crew was putting the finishing touches on the set dressing, and every department was making its final adjustments.

Ronald stood on the sidelines, watching with great interest. People scurried back and forth, but there was an order to the chaos.

"Hey, you! The tall guy over there! Don’t just stand there, come give me a hand!"

Someone suddenly yelled in Ronald’s direction. He looked left and right, then pointed to himself.

"Yeah, you! Come help me hang this thing up there."

Ronald walked over. The person handed him two Chinese knots and pointed to two nails on the doorframe. "Hang them on those."

There was a stepladder nearby. Being so tall, Ronald only had to climb two steps before he could easily reach up and hang them.

The man laughed when he saw this. "Being tall sure is handy. Which department are you with? How come I’ve never seen you before?"

"Oh, I’m..."

"Excuse me, sir, he’s not part of the props team." Zora Warner suddenly appeared and explained for Ronald. "He’s Lily Sterling’s brother. He’s just visiting the set."

When the crew member heard he was Lily Sterling’s brother, he quickly held out his hand in an apologetic gesture. "Oh, my apologies! I-I thought you were part of the crew. I’m really sorry about that!"

"It’s no problem, really."

Zora Warner pulled Ronald to the side. "Are you okay?"

"I’m fine. I just helped out a bit, that’s all."

"That’s good. I was worried you’d gotten into some kind of trouble."

Ronald’s gaze landed on Zora Warner’s face. She was stunning—the kind of beautiful that transcends personal taste, that anyone, man or woman, would find lovely.

"My name is Ronald Harris," he said, introducing himself on a sudden impulse.

Zora Warner paused for a second, then smiled. "I’m Zora Warner. You should probably stay put and wait for Lily Sterling to arrive."

Ronald nodded, silently committing her name to memory.

"Zora Warner!"

Just then, someone called her name from a distance.

Zora Warner instinctively turned to look and saw a crew member in sunglasses waving at her. "Tommy is looking for you! Get over here, quick."

"Okay, I’m on my way," she called back. Turning to Ronald again, she said, "I have to go now."

Before Ronald could reply, she turned and hurried toward the director’s lounge.

She knocked and opened the door. Inside were only Tom Miller, another man, and a woman; Director Alan was not present.

"Sir, you were looking for me?" She peeked her head in, and the sight of her face immediately made Tom Miller’s heart sing with admiration.

Tom Miller beckoned. "Zora, come on in."

Zora Warner entered the lounge, and Tom Miller began the introductions. "These are our screenwriters, Carl Fletcher and Yana York."

"A pleasure to meet you," Zora Warner said, her tone still humble and respectful.

The two screenwriters were rather cold, sitting perfectly still. Tom Miller picked up a script from the table and handed it to Zora Warner. "This is the final script for today. We’ve made a few small changes. Take a look now and get familiar with it."

’The final script?’

’Didn’t I get that a month before joining the cast?’

’Why has it been changed again?’

’And who gives an actor the final script less than an hour before shooting starts?’

Zora Warner’s mind was filled with questions, but as a newcomer, she didn’t dare voice her doubts. She could only take the script obediently. "O-okay, I’ll go read it right away."

With that, she prepared to take the script and leave.

But Tom Miller stopped her. "Just read it here. It’s warm, and if you have any questions, you can ask right away. The screenwriters are here, after all."

Zora Warner hesitated but figured there was no harm in it. She said her thanks, sat down in a nearby chair, and opened the script.

Meanwhile, Tom Miller and the two screenwriters sat on the sofa around the small coffee table, drinking tea.

"Sir..." After reading for only a moment, Zora Warner looked up, her face filled with confusion as she stared at Tom Miller. "This script... this can’t be right."

"Of course it’s different from the one you had before. Didn’t I just tell you we made a few small changes? Just memorize this version."

Zora Warner opened her mouth, momentarily at a loss for words.

She remembered the original script perfectly. In today’s morning scenes, she had a total of forty-six lines.

But in the script she was now holding, she had only seven lines left in total.

’Is this what he calls a few small changes?’

She didn’t need to make any special effort to memorize it. She already knew all forty-six lines by heart; with only seven remaining, she could recite them backward and forward in her sleep!