Chapter 57 On set

Chapter 57 On set
Olivia picked up her phone and glanced at the screen.

A message from Esther popped up.

Esther: Hey girl, do you have class later? Want to visit a film set with me? It’s a new TV show my dad invested in and he wants me to check how the filming is going.

Olivia smiled faintly.

Recently, she had discovered that she and Esther actually attended the same university. Esther was majoring in finance, while Olivia was in medicine. Their schedules rarely aligned, so this felt like a rare chance to spend time together.

Medical students were usually buried under endless coursework, but Olivia was different. Her photographic memory made studying far less painful than it was for most people. As long as she attended lectures and skimmed the materials once, the knowledge stuck.

Besides, freshman year was relatively easy compared to what lay ahead.

Olivia checked her timetable.

No fourth-period class.

Perfect.

She typed a quick reply.

Olivia: Sure!

Almost immediately, Esther replied.

Esther: Great! I’ll pick you up later.

When Esther’s car pulled up outside the campus gate, Olivia climbed in, fastening her seatbelt just as Esther started talking nonstop.

“I swear, this drama is going to be huge,” Esther said excitedly. “The script is decent, the production team is solid, and the male lead… oh my god, Olivia, he’s actually even better looking in person.”

Olivia raised an eyebrow and chuckled.

“Is he your crush?” she teased. “If you like him, just go for it. Who could resist our Esther?”

Back in high school, Esther had been surrounded by admirers. She was beautiful, wealthy, and carried herself with a cool, distant elegance. Most boys liked her, but very few dared to approach her.

Olivia, on the other hand, had attracted even more attention back then.

Unfortunately, most of her admirers didn’t stay long.

They were swiftly charmed away by Samantha.

Olivia never minded. She had always been happy to have someone else deal with unwanted attention, while Samantha reveled in her reputation as an irresistible heartbreaker.

This time, however, Esther didn’t laugh.

She actually blushed.

Olivia blinked, then looked at her more carefully.

“Oh?” Olivia said slowly. “Something’s going on?”

Esther coughed lightly, eyes fixed on the road.

“It’s not… official,” she said, her voice noticeably softer.

That was enough.

Olivia understood immediately.

She pulled out her phone, curiosity piqued, and searched for the male lead Esther had mentioned.

Zachary.

A quick glance showed that he was a minor celebrity, with fewer than a million followers. His page was carefully curated, full of professionally shot photos and promotional posts. Most of the shows he starred in seemed to have one thing in common.

They were funded by the Landon family.

Esther had clearly invested quite a bit in him, whether emotionally or financially.

Olivia followed him casually.

Just as she was about to exit the app, her finger accidentally tapped into Zachary’s following list.

Her gaze paused.

The most recent follow was a familiar name.

Cathy.

Olivia frowned slightly.

Without hesitation, she tapped and followed Cathy anonymously.

The car soon pulled up at the filming location.

As soon as Olivia and Esther stepped onto the set, they were warmly greeted by the crew. Someone quickly brought them chairs, placing them in a prime spot right next to the director.

The atmosphere on set was busy but tense.

Cameras were being adjusted. Assistants whispered instructions. Actors reviewed their lines under their breath.

On set, a scene was being rehearsed.

Olivia glanced down at the script in her hands.

This scene was about the male lead being called to the piano room late at night. The second female lead wanted to confess her feelings before leaving the country. She would play a gentle love song on the piano, her emotions overflowing, then lean in to kiss the corner of his mouth.

Olivia looked up.

Zachary stood under the lights.

He was decent-looking, fitting the current trend of popular young stars. Tall, clean-cut, and handsome in a harmless way. However, the moment he started acting, Olivia couldn’t help but cringe inwardly.

His movements were stiff. His expressions awkward. The emotional transition felt forced, like someone reading instructions rather than feeling them.

It became painfully obvious why, after years in the industry, he still hadn’t made it big.

The audience’s taste, it seemed, was still quite discerning.

The director rubbed his temples.

Clearly, he was struggling to watch as well. But with the producers who had chosen Zachary standing nearby, he couldn’t openly criticize him.

“Try again,” the director said diplomatically. “Find the feeling.”

One take.

Two takes.

Five takes.

Ten takes.

By the time the first scene finally passed, it was barely acceptable. The crew collectively let out a breath they hadn’t realized they were holding.

Olivia glanced sideways.

Esther sat beside her, hands clasped, eyes sparkling like she was watching the greatest performance of her life.

Olivia tilted her head slightly.

Is love really that blinding?

The director announced the next scene.

“This one’s for the second female lead.”

As the actress walked into position, Olivia froze.

Esther froze too.

They turned to look at each other at the same time.

Cathy?

The shock in Olivia’s eyes mirrored Esther’s perfectly.

“Why is Cathy the second lead?” Esther whispered sharply to the director beside her.

The director, Dashiell, sighed heavily.

At the mention of Cathy’s name, his expression darkened even further.

“The male lead recommended her,” he said quietly. “Then she got her family to invest some money. Since then, she’s been acting like she owns the place. I almost got kicked off my own set.”

Olivia nearly spat out her tea.

That was definitely something Cathy would do.

Esther’s lips pressed into a thin line.

She was clearly irritated, but she didn’t want to disrupt the filming schedule, especially with so many people watching. She forced herself to stay quiet and continued observing.

Cathy did not disappoint.

She had barely been on set for a few minutes before she started causing trouble.

“Director,” Cathy complained loudly, frowning at the window. “The sun is way too strong. It’s going to tan me.”

She waved her assistant over dramatically.

“Quick, apply more sunscreen.”

Olivia glanced at Cathy’s lightly tanned skin and remained silent.

Somewhere behind them, someone audibly ground their teeth.

Dashiell clenched his jaw.

“Close the curtains for her,” he snapped.

The crew scrambled to comply. Curtains were drawn, lights readjusted, schedules delayed.

Finally, Cathy sat properly in front of the piano.

She straightened her back, lifted her chin, and raised her hands, striking a pose that looked almost professional.

For a brief moment, the set went quiet.

Then—

Plink.

Plink plink plink.

Plink plink—

The sound echoed through the room, uneven and painfully off-key.