CHAPTER 23: CHAPTER 23: LATE AGAIN

Early the next morning, Quinn Lockwood got up to get ready. In front of Ariana Lynch, she couldn’t afford to mess up.

However, when she opened the wardrobe, there was nothing but exaggerated, sexy, revealing clothes.

But looking at the bunny slippers on her feet, Quinn Lockwood frowned. Savannah Lowell’s taste was so strange. Did she really like wearing seductive dresses paired with overly cute shoes?

After rummaging through the entire room for a long time, just when Quinn Lockwood was about to suspect she might have to run out naked, she finally found a decent vintage long dress to wear.

Once she was fully dressed, there was little time left. Quinn Lockwood rushed downstairs in a hurry, skipping breakfast as she hurried out the door.

Just coming out of the bathroom and getting ready to go to the company, Elias Sinclair saw Quinn Lockwood’s slender crimson figure, her hair rarely tied up. He couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow, a quick flash of amazement crossing his face, so fast one might think it was an illusion.

Glancing at her watch, almost late, Quinn Lockwood instinctively pressed down on the accelerator. She should have prepared her clothes yesterday.

However, she hadn’t gone far when Quinn Lockwood was forced to stop. Looking ahead, damn it, there was a traffic jam.

By the time a flustered Quinn Lockwood arrived at the film set, she was nearly half an hour late.

"Ah, Savannah Lowell is here!" A nameless extras suddenly shouted, and everyone turned to follow her gaze.

They saw Quinn Lockwood anxiously running towards Anna, instantly filled with looks of contempt in their eyes.

"Finally here, otherwise, we wouldn’t know how long we’d have to wait."

The surrounding people started pointing fingers at Savannah Lowell again, as Ariana Lynch squinted and carefully observed Savannah Lowell. Her style today was indeed different from what she had known.

It seemed she couldn’t let her guard down, lest Savannah Lowell steal the spotlight.

"You’re finally here, the whole crew has been waiting for you for a long time."

Anna had been waiting anxiously and walked over immediately upon seeing Quinn Lockwood.

"Where’s the director?"

Compared to Savannah Lowell’s previous panic, Quinn Lockwood managed to stay somewhat composed.

Regardless of the reason, she had arrived late. Excessive explanations were pointless. What she needed to do now was apologize to the director. Unlike Savannah Lowell, she didn’t have the courage not to care.

"I’ll take you there," Anna said, leading Quinn Lockwood towards the director.

On the way, everyone looked at Quinn Lockwood with eyes full of complaints and disdain, and some even whispered about her in small groups right in front of her.

This was the first time she found it hard to bear. No matter how sarcastic Elias Sinclair was, she could ignore it. Now, she only felt as if she was being scrutinized, making her extremely uncomfortable.

But it wasn’t her fault Savannah Lowell had slapped herself with such a diva label. She had no choice.

"Director, I apologize for keeping the whole crew waiting. I brought Savannah to apologize to you and the crew."

Standing beside the director, Anna spoke respectfully, hoping he wouldn’t hold it against them.

"Why are you just getting here? Do you look down on our crew, or my film?"

The director glanced at Savannah Lowell, speaking discontentedly while assessing her figure with his eyes.

Initially, he wouldn’t have dared to gamble on such a new show if not for Savannah Lowell’s pretty face, good figure, and some popularity, given her baggage.

"Got stuck in traffic. I’m truly sorry for making everyone wait for me. It’s an honor to be in this new film, and I ask the director to be lenient."

Quinn Lockwood’s tone was neither servile nor overbearing but carried an apologetic air, and she even bowed to the director.

This action left the director surprised, even Anna didn’t expect it, and those around them were shocked.

Where was the arrogant diva Savannah Lowell?

"Ahem, let’s leave it at that. Time is limited, let’s get ready to start the first scene."

The director cleared his throat. He had never worked with Savannah Lowell before, and all he knew was from hearsay. Given her unprecedented apology, he didn’t want to blow things out of proportion and risk the media saying he bullied the lead actress.

Everyone had been focused on Savannah Lowell, expecting the director to scold her ruthlessly, but they hadn’t anticipated it ending just like that.

The nameless extras looked even more contemptuous, though more so envious. Envious that Savannah Lowell, despite all the controversies, could still cling to Mr. Sinclair from The Sinclair Group. Why didn’t they have such an opportunity?

With that thought, she started stirring things up in front of Ariana Lynch, "Ariana, you see how Savannah Lowell can really put on a show. One face in front of the camera and another behind it. Look at her fawning demeanor in front of the director; doesn’t everyone know what she’s really like? Such a phony."

Upon hearing that, Ariana Lynch quietly rolled her eyes at the person next to her. Speaking ill of someone so brazenly, no wonder she was still just an extra.

Yet, as her gaze returned to Savannah Lowell, a hint of malice surfaced in Ariana Lynch’s eyes.

This woman seemed not to be as simple as she seemed.

The first scene was one where Quinn Lockwood and Ariana Lynch faced off. Because she hadn’t had a chance to greet her due to her lateness, the moment Quinn Lockwood saw Ariana Lynch, her gaze changed dramatically.

Ariana Lynch tried to smile kindly at her, appearing flawless in the eyes of others, but Quinn Lockwood felt as if she were frozen to the spot, her once clear eyes gradually replaced by hatred.

She had always thought that with her current identity as Savannah Lowell, she’d be able to mask her emotions when meeting those she held grudges against. But at that moment, all she could see were memories from her past life, with a urge to rip that vicious woman apart!

"Scene one, take one of ’The Misty Rain,’ begin."

Once the clapperboard hit, the entire set fell into a quiet state, with everyone intently watching the stage.

Quinn Lockwood’s side hand clenched almost to the point of whitening, silently telling herself this was just acting, she must endure, but her body was entirely out of control.

"Cut!"

Just as Quinn Lockwood was about to lose her rationality, the director shouted a timely stop, angrily yelling, "Savannah Lowell, what are you doing? Stay focused, okay?"

Quinn Lockwood suddenly snapped back to reality, nodding towards the director with an unpleasant expression, but her lowered gaze flickered with a heavy, sinister gleam.

Ariana Lynch, this time, I won’t let you have it easy!

"Alright, all departments ready, let’s go again."

Today’s scene was one where Quinn Lockwood played the villainous supporting character bullying Ariana Lynch’s pitiful protagonist. It seems even the heavens were on her side!

"Why... why do this to me, I beg you not to..." Ariana Lynch almost instantly got into character, her portrayal of the protagonist paired with that pitiful pleading look was truly heartbreaking.