Chapter 362 The Disobedient Horse

Chapter 362 The Disobedient Horse

Victoria didn't say another word, just gave her a meaningful look. Ella called her assistant to take the horse away, while Victoria went to pick out a new white horse. Snatching Victoria's horse made Ella especially happy; she believed that things taken from others were always better. She found this horse pleasing in every way. 

Since it was meant for the leading lady, the horse was meticulously groomed, with no dirt on its mouth or ears, and even the saddle was the finest quality. Ella felt a mix of pride and frustration—if it weren't for Victoria, she would have been the leading lady. She reached out to touch the horse's forehead, but it flinched away. Ella, still in high spirits, didn't mind and told her assistant to let the horse graze. Such a well-behaved horse must be acting up because it was hungry.

When Victoria arrived at the stables, the manager was surprised. "Victoria, you're back so soon? Was the last horse giving you trouble? I told you, that horse may look good, but it's stubborn and doesn't like being ridden." Although the horse hadn't resisted when Victoria chose it, perhaps riding it didn't go smoothly.

Serafina quickly answered, "No, it was perfectly obedient with Victoria. But it was so well-behaved that someone else took it. Victoria is too nice, so she's here to pick another one, and it has to be a beautiful white horse."

Victoria had the confidence that no matter how unruly a horse was, it would become docile under her care. So, she only needed to consider appearance when choosing a horse. She soon picked out another stunning white horse. The manager took it for grooming and then fitted it with the saddle prepared for the leading lady. A majestic white horse stood by Victoria, kicking its legs and tossing its head, a bit restless.

Victoria gently stroked its mane, then rubbed its long ears, speaking softly into its ear. The horse gradually calmed down. Victoria patted its head and said, "Good horse." She pulled out a sugar cube, holding it in front of the horse's nose. The horse, smelling the treat, quickly licked it up, savoring it before raising its head and snorting contentedly. Victoria smiled and patted its chin.

The next day, before filming started, the director asked Victoria with concern, "Have you gotten used to your new horse? Everything okay for the shoot?"

Victoria replied confidently, "No problem."

She led the white horse over to Dennis. Dennis's horse was jet black, both horses equally tall and handsome. Dennis tilted his head and asked, "Why did you switch horses all of a sudden?"

Victoria shrugged, "It's fine, as long as it doesn't affect the shoot."

Just then, Ella and her assistant struggled to bring her horse over, which was clearly being uncooperative. The assistant director approached to check, "Ella, can you handle your scene? This horse seems a bit unruly."

Ella, sweating slightly, realized she hadn't spent enough time getting to know the horse. It was so stubborn that it took two people to lead it. But since she had insisted on switching horses, she could only grit her teeth and say, "No problem, it's just being temperamental. It'll be fine."

The crew called out, "Alright, everyone to your rehearsal positions! We're shooting the scene where the lead actors mount their horses, followed by Ella riding slowly across the frame. Ready?"

"Ready!"

With a shout of "Action!" Victoria and Dennis mounted their horses simultaneously, their movements smooth and coordinated, reflecting their chemistry. Once seated, they glanced at each other.

"Perfect!" The first shot was flawless. Next was Ella's scene, riding her horse slowly. Because she couldn't mount the horse by herself, her assistant placed a small stool under her foot, and with the help of the stunt coordinator, she clumsily climbed onto the horse. Once up, the horse shook its head in displeasure, flicking its ears.

Ella anxiously asked her assistant, "Is my hair okay? Does my dress need adjusting?"

The assistant fixed her bangs and straightened her dress before giving a thumbs up. "You're good. You look beautiful!"

Ella finally called out, "I'm ready."

The camera focused on Ella. Nervously, she squeezed the horse's sides, but it didn't move. The director, watching through the lens, was frustrated. "Move, Ella! Why are you just standing there? Can you do this or not?" The director's mood soured, especially after seeing Victoria and Dennis's flawless performance.

Ella turned, her face tense. "I did move. The horse isn't cooperating."

"You trained for a month, didn't you? And you insisted on switching to this 'better' horse. What more do you want? Everyone's waiting on you. How arrogant can you be? If you can't do it, don't waste our time!" If Ella hadn't caused the horse switch trouble, the director might have been more patient. But she caused a fuss and still couldn't ride properly, making the director even more displeased.

Ella gripped the reins tightly, determined. "I can do it. Let's go again."

The camera focused on her once more. "Action!" Ella squeezed the horse's sides harder and flicked the small whip in her hand, hitting the horse's back.

The white horse reared back, letting out a painful cry, snorting heavily, and began to buck wildly. Ella, losing control, screamed, "Help! The horse is going crazy!" She tried to hold onto the reins, but the horse's violent movements caused her to lose her grip, and she was thrown to the ground hard.

It all happened so quickly that it wasn't until Ella's scream that people rushed over to restrain the horse. Her assistant hurried to help her up. "Ella, are you okay?"

Ella lay twisted on the ground, pain radiating from her tailbone and lower back. "Don't touch me, I can't move." Her cries of pain were genuine, not an act.

The director and crew gathered around. "Ella, are you alright? Do we need to call an ambulance?"

Ella was in no shape to continue. After a while, she agreed to be carried away. Fortunately, the crew had medical staff and a stretcher on hand; otherwise, she would have had to wait for an ambulance.

Victoria and Dennis dismounted, assessing the situation. The rest of the day's shooting was now in question. Serafina couldn't help but smile, covering her face to hide her laughter. Serves Ella right for trying to steal Victoria's horse! Victoria shot her a warning glance: don't make your happiness so obvious.