?strongChapter 109:/strong

With Ruby out of sight, Carrie shifted her energy toward creating the sample script. The narrative was set against a backdrop of contemporary romance, a genre not particrly arduous for her; yet, the protagonist bore a striking resemnce to Lise—a woman who exuded innocence and purity on the surface but harbored a maniptive streak beneath. Carrie found herself puzzled by the recent poprity of such characters among her clients.

Had she still been writing under Katrina’s pseudonym, she would have declined the project without a second thought, even for a staggering sum of a hundred million. But currently, constrained by financial urgencies, she feltpelled to deliver the work in line with the client’s demands.

The scriptpany reviewed the sample script with enthusiasm and without any quibbles over the cost, stating inly, “This is excellently written. We are prepared to pay a million for this script, although ourpany does not impose a heftymission.”

Carrie responded without hesitation, “That price works for me, but I insist on a sixty percent advance payment. I find myself in a tight spot financially, and if that isn’t feasible, I’ll need to explore other options.”

Elsewhere, at the scriptpany, the owner sat at his desk, deep in thought over Carrie’s proposal when he was startled by an inquiry. “Are you ready to leave for the day?”

He nced up to find Lise at the doorway, her armsden with opulent shopping bags. Oversized sunsses masked most of her features, yet the slight dip of her lips hinted at her discontent.

“You showing up feels like my workday never ends,” the owner remarked briskly as he approached, his eagerness palpable as he relieved her of her bags. “What brings you here today?”

Lise strolled over to his desk, gracefully seated herself, and, with a flourish, removed her sunsses, her fingers drumming lightly on the tabletop. “I was running some errands nearby and decided to swing by.”

“Have you located the script I inquired about? It’s been a week and I’ve heard nothing.”

Her online reputation was nosediving, pushing her to secure a top-notch script swiftly to reim her standing. The script not only had to be enthralling, but it also needed a protagonist whose traits mirrored her own, easing her performance burden considerably. Well-known screenwriters, protective of their own reputations, often shied away from such projects, prompting Lise to turn to this particrpany. Still fledgling and desperate for stable clients, thispany held her in high regard.

“Your request has been our top priority,” the owner assured her with a reassuring smile, serving Lise a ss of water and pulling up a file on hisptop. “Take a look. I’ve stumbled upon a rather promising new talent. Her craft rivals that of Katrina’s. Give her some time, and she’s bound to make waves.”

Lise cast a skeptical gaze his way but leaned in closer to scrutinize the script on the screen. Once she finished reading, her initial doubts seemed to evaporate, reced by a nod of approval. “Wow, this is actually good, way better than that ‘zing Sun’ debacle I’m stuck in. Let’s get her on board, fast! Nowadays, the script quality has been plummeting, and I desperately need solid work like this for my career shift.”

The owner wrung his hands, his brow furrowed with concern. “There’s a problem—the writer is short on funds and is demanding a sixty percent advance.”

Lise rolled her eyes, exasperated. “Then just pay her. Honestly, it’s rare to stumble upon real talent in this sea of ckers. Why the hesitation?”

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