Chapter 356 Too Horrible to Look At
After a week on the "Shadow Kill" set, filming was going great.
The actors were all super dedicated. Whether it was the main cast or the supporting actresses who used to gossip about Jessica, everyone was polite, and no one dared to stir up drama.
It wasn't just good casting. Jessica had become famous.
In this industry, only the truly talented and famous get the royal treatment. A movie star once said, "You only realize how nice everyone is once you're famous."
Today, they filmed two scenes where Jessica, in a gown, secretly delivered a message at the opera house. After that, her costume needed to show scars from being captured and tortured.
The makeup for the scars on her face and limbs took forever. By the time she got out of the makeup chair, her neck was stiff. The scars looked so real. It seemed like she'd just been through a brutal beating.
Plus, Jessica was on her period, making her look even paler, which was perfect for the director.
"Cut!"
"Great!"
"That was a good performance! The trembling looked very real!" Sam gave Jessica a thumbs up from behind the camera and happily watched the playback.
Even after the scene ended, Jessica was still trembling.
Kevin, who wasn't filming with the A team, was watching Jessica's performance. Noticing something was off, he quickly walked over with Zoey to help her up.
As soon as he touched Jessica's arm, he realized she was freezing. The water the props team had used was ice-cold.
"Why is it so cold?" Zoey exclaimed, helping Jessica stand steady.
Having just "been tortured" and then splashed with water while unconscious, Jessica looked even worse than before. The fake blood for the scars still clung to her, making her look a hundred times worse.
After shivering again, she glanced at the props team, noticing their quick, guilty looks.
Jessica rolled her eyes silently, shivered again, and then saw Kevin's concerned and puzzled expression. She whispered, "It's nothing, let's talk outside."
Once they were out of the camera's view and in a more spacious area outside the torture room set, Jessica took a deep breath and said quietly, "Remember Carl? He has people in the props team. He lost a lot of money because of Donna in 'Sweet Ferris Wheel' and blames me for it. We don't interact much in the film investment circle, but many of the props for this show are made by a company under his group, and the head of the props team is from his company."
"But they shouldn't be splashing cold water on you. Even if it's summer, you're..." Zoey almost mentioned her period but stopped, glancing at Kevin nearby.
Kevin didn't catch the whole conversation but got the gist. He frowned at the mention of Carl and, realizing Jessica's situation, signaled an assistant to bring a dry towel and draped it over her.
Jessica had to keep her look for the next scene, so she couldn't change her makeup. She had to stay wet and disheveled, but the ice-cold water left her shivering, and her stomach was cramping badly.
Zoey, knowing Jessica's aversion to cold, always kept a thermos and ginger tea in the car. After two years with Jessica, it was a habit. Seeing Jessica's pale face, Zoey held her hand tightly and whispered, "Shouldn't we tell the director? Get someone else in the props team? There's another scene where you'll be whipped with saltwater. What if they mess with the whip?"
"It's not that serious. They just want to give me a hard time. If they really hurt me, the props team wouldn't take the job. They need to make a living, too. It's just some cold water and small tricks to warn me that Carl can cause trouble anytime." Jessica, wrapped in the towel, smiled at Kevin. "Thanks, but this is nothing. You have a scene where you get beaten up next. Shouldn't you get some bruises makeup?"
"Are you sure you're okay?" Kevin asked, noticing her pale face wasn't just makeup.
"I'm fine." Jessica shook her head. "Zoey will get me some hot water before the next shoot. Besides, it's summer, so it's not a big deal."
Kevin went to get his makeup done, and Jessica walked to her trailer. In her current state, she couldn't bring herself to go inside, so she sat under a temporary tent set up for the crew, drinking some water. But the pain in her stomach was intense, making her wince as she drank. She tried to maintain a normal expression as she put down the cup.
After a week of filming, the on-set relationships had been peaceful, except for the occasional mistakes from the props team. These mistakes were cleverly done, causing her no harm but constant discomfort. If she complained, she would be labeled as "arrogant" or "pretentious", and many people had tried to tarnish her reputation over the past two years. She had to be cautious and endure these things.
At the opening banquet, she saw Carl's secretary at one of the tables. Although Carl didn't show up, she knew many of the props were made by a company under the Nelson Group. She was also aware of the possible scenarios that might occur.
But it was quite a coincidence that the cold water came during her period.
Even more coincidentally, as she finished filming in her wet, sticky gown and was about to remove her makeup and change, she saw the only new black Bentley in Xyleria parked next to her trailer.
