CHAPTER 215: REMOVE HER

Soon the lunch break arrived, and everyone dispersed to their respective rooms. Anna returned to hers, practically dragging her feet, feeling as if she could pass out from hunger after giving back-to-back shots all morning.

"Jesus... I didn’t realize acting meant starving half the day," Anna groaned, collapsing into her seat while rubbing her stomach dramatically.

Betty, who had been watching her, gaped. "Big Sis, what will you do when your role demands dieting? Are you planning to survive without food?" she asked, settling beside her.

Betty, thankfully, had prepared a homemade lunch for everyone.

"Did you prepare it?" Kevin asked the moment the aroma hit him.

"Mhm! Eat as much as you want," Betty said proudly as she handed out spoons.

They dug right in, occasionally complimenting Betty on the delicious food.

While Kevin and Betty finished quickly, Anna kept going, shoveling food into her mouth as if she were about to hibernate, making sure the rest of the shoot didn’t drain her until Kevin got up.

"You two continue. I’ll go and check the next shot," Kevin said, excusing himself and shutting the door behind him.

Betty smiled as she watched Anna eat with the enthusiasm of a starving wolf. But slowly, that smile stretched into a mischievous grin.

Anna paused mid-bite. "Yes, I remember. Don’t give me that cheeky look," she said, grabbing a small bag from her side and passing it to Betty.

"Big Sis, you’re so kind!" Betty squealed, pulling out two bunny headbands and the chocolates she’d begged Anna to get from the amusement park.

Anna had remembered how Betty once mentioned wanting to visit one. Anna had sent her teasing pictures from her own visit—and Betty had retaliated with a list of "compensation items," demanding souvenirs.

While Betty was happily inspecting the goodies, a knock suddenly interrupted them.

"Oh—maybe it’s Manager Kevin," Betty said, hopping up to open the door. But the moment she did, she froze.

Because standing there wasn’t Kevin.

It was Ethan.

"I hope I’m not interrupting."

Betty blinked in surprise and stepped aside, revealing his tall frame.

Anna paused midway through her meal, watching him smile broadly at her as her cheeks puffed from overeating.

"No! "Not at all," she choked out before forcing a smile that surprised both Ethan and Betty.

"Hehehe"

***

Meanwhile, Kevin was heading back toward the set when his phone rang. He stopped midway and picked up immediately.

"Hello?"

"I want you to check what Fiona is up to."

Kevin blinked, momentarily thrown by the sudden instruction but before he could respond, the call ended, leaving him still.

Daniel never used honorifics, never wasted time. Just a command... and silence.

"Ha..." he let out a long sigh, slipping his phone back into his pocket as if lunch had settled peacefully, and then turned on his heel toward Fiona’s changing area rather than the set. There had to be a reason why Daniel wanted to keep an eye on her.

But as soon as he reached the hallway, he froze.

"Why is she going to Director Wilsmith’s room? He muttered under his breath as Fiona and her manager walked briskly towards the director’s office.

That wasn’t normal.

"I need to check this," he said quietly to himself, quickly falling into step behind them, keeping a safe distance so he wouldn’t be seen.

***

[Inside Wilsmith’s Room]

After being blocked by DarkKnight_07, Fiona felt not only humiliated but insulted. Rage simmered inside her, poisoning her focus. Throughout the morning shoot, she kept making mistakes—fumbling lines, breaking posture, and ruining takes. A one-hour shoot turned into two, and the crew’s patience dwindled to nothing.

Even so, she was unable to relax. Sofurious and unraveling, she stormed into Director Wilsmith’s room, trailed by her manager.

"Director Wilsmith," she began, her tone just polite enough, but disappointment and irritation bled through, "how can you stay so calm with all the chaos surrounding one of your female leads?" Doesn’t it bother you at all?"

Wilsmith raised an eyebrow as he looked up.

He had seen through Fiona since a previous stunt she pulled on Anna.

The kind smile, the polite facade, and the carefully manufactured humility all of it concealed something sharp, selfish, and malicious.

Even now, despite her best efforts to maintain composure, her disdain was evident in every word.

"What chaos are you referring to, Fiona?"

His tone was cool and professional, but Fiona noticed the strain in the way he addressed her by her name.

"Hah... So you’re going to act ignorant, Director Wilsmith?" Her smile faded as annoyance crept into her expression.

"You understand exactly what people are saying about Anna and her secret boyfriend. Don’t pretend you aren’t affected. It has an impact on both me and the film."

Wilsmith did not react or blink; instead, he simply watched her unravel.

Fiona clutched her fists tightly.

She had always noticed how much he favored Anna—how he trusted her, supported her, and admired her. And that favoritism fueled Fiona’s already raging jealousy.

"What exactly do you expect me to do, Fiona?" he inquired calmly.

"Remove her," she exclaimed instantly.

Wilsmith looked surprised for a brief moment until she leaned in and spoke with a venomous voice.

"I am sure we can reshoot all of her scenes. Her presence has a clear impact on our careers. I’m not going to let her destroy this movie."

The mask had disappeared, revealing her desperation and envy in the silent room.

Fiona wasn’t pretending anymore and was done playing nice.

’Ma’am, just what are you doing? Venus, who stood next to her, gaped in disbelief as her ma’am revealed her true colors.

Kevin, on the other hand, stood frozen outside the room, his eyes wide as he secretly listened to the conversation inside. Every word Fiona said made his stomach turn. He quickly stepped away from the door, found a quiet corner of the hallway, and dialed Daniel’s number with trembling fingers.

Back inside, silence had fallen like a thick curtain.

Fiona crossed her arms, her chin tilted high with unearned confidence, and stared at the director.

Wilsmith, on the other hand, simply watched her, amused, disappointed, and completely unimpressed. He’d been in the industry long enough to recognize insecurity disguised as arrogance. Fiona was not understated.

He was also well-versed in popular opinion. The internet was severed in half.

Some viewers claimed Anna brought nothing but scandal from her first film.

Others strongly defended her, claiming that her personal life had nothing to do with her talent.

Then there was Fiona’s so-called fanbase—the loudest ones—demanding that Anna be removed from the film entirely, declaring her a curse on the project before it was even finished.

Wilsmith exhaled slowly.

He finally spoke, his tone calm yet razor-sharp.

"So, Fiona," he stated. "You want me to get rid of her?"

Fiona raised her chin even higher, no longer pretending. "Yes. She’s destroying the film’s image and overshadowing my role. We can reshoot everything. It’ll benefit everyone."

Wilsmith leaned back in his chair, his expression unreadable, but his eyes twinkled with cold amusement.

He’d seen actresses like Fiona before. They were fiery, arrogant, and ultimately... burnt out.

And she had just crossed a line she wasn’t aware existed.

"Okay, we can do that," Wilsmith replied calmly.

Fiona’s rage finally cooled. Her chest relaxed, and hope flashed in her eyes—until Wilsmith continued.

"But for that, you’ll have to talk to Mr. Clafford, who is the producer."

Fiona went completely still.

"Mr. Clafford?" she asked, her voice thinning.

"Yes." Wilsmith crossed his arms in relaxed authority and looked right into her eyes.

"You must know by now that he is the one who approved every casting choice, except for my personal recommendations. So if you want someone replaced, his permission is mandatory."

Whatever faint smile had appeared on her lips vanished.

Wilsmith may have been the director, but everyone on the set knew the truth: Daniel Claford was in charge of the budget, production, and final decisions. Nobody dared to make changes without him—unless they wanted to be fired on the spot.

"So," Wilsmith continued with an arched brow and a mocking softness in his voice, "will you go and talk to him?" What did you say when you sensed Anna’s presence? Affecting your career?

Fiona’s face lost its color.

"If you want, I can call him right now."

"No!" Fiona snapped so loudly that her own voice surprised her.

Her eyes flickered when she noticed Wilsmith arch his brow in questioning and she quickly recovered, searching for an excuse.

Meeting Daniel Clafford again was the last thing she wanted, especially after the warning he’d given her before.

"I—I mean... there’s no need. I can set up a meeting with him myself," she said weakly, though both she and her manager knew it was a lie.

Fiona would not dare to jeopardize her role by standing in front of a man who could end her career with one word and Wilsmith knew it very well.

"Very well," he replied calmly. "As you want."

Fiona jaw clenched but then she forced a smile and dipped her head politely before walking out.

However, that fake smile fell apart as the door closed behind her.

"Ma’am, are you really going to risk your career by meeting Mr. Clafford?" Venus whispered, but when Fiona shot her a stern look, she flinched and lowered her gaze.

Fiona became enraged, and when she couldn’t take her defeat, she stormed off, knowing that meeting Daniel meant losing everything she had worked so hard to build for herself.