Chapter 57
Sawyer's androgynous looks made him perfect for the role. Plus, growing up in a privileged family gave him this natural aristocratic vibe. He didn't even have to try.
Just standing there, he oozed nobility without much effort.
On the first take, it was a one-shot success, extremely smooth.
Not far off, Roxanne was watching, teeth clenched.
"Did you really hide the needle in Demi's clothes? Why is she fine?" Roxanne whispered to Megan.
"Roxanne, I swear I did. Didn't you see Demi touch her waist a few times during the shoot? The needle was there; it must've pricked her. She's just toughing it out," Megan replied.
Roxanne had noticed but wasn't sure.
The poison on the needle, even a tiny bit, would cause crazy itching, unbearable for most people. Yet Caroline was shooting like a pro, her lines perfect, her expressions spot-on, like nothing was wrong.
"She can endure it? How is that possible?" Roxanne muttered, suspicious.
"You know, Demi's all about professionalism. No matter how uncomfortable, she'd tough it out. Those little movements show she's affected," Megan replied.
A ruthless glint flashed in Roxanne's eyes. "Let her keep enduring. Over time, the poison will get into her bloodstream, causing a full-body reaction. She'll break out in boils, pus, and ulcers. It'll take at least two months to recover. The crew can't wait that long. She'll be out of the show, and you can take her spot as the second lead."
Megan was thrilled. "Thank you, Roxanne, for the promotion. I'm so grateful."
Finally, during a short break, Caroline, looking a bit pale, took the water Sarah handed her and drank it in big gulps.
She'd been enduring this insane itch all over her body just to keep shooting. But it was getting worse, and she was almost at her limit, even feeling a bit dizzy.
"You don't look so good," Sarah said, noticing Caroline sweating and looking uneasy.
"I need to go to the restroom," Caroline muttered.
"I'll go with you," Sarah offered.
In the restroom, Caroline unbuttoned her costume to reveal a rash all over her body, with lots of pea-sized pimples, densely packed and horrifying.
Caroline knew something was definitely wrong.
"What's wrong?" Sarah asked from outside the door.
"I might be allergic, but it doesn't seem like it. I think I've been poisoned," Caroline guessed.
"Open the door and let me see," Sarah said.
Seeing Caroline's skin, Sarah exclaimed, "Oh my God, how did this happen?"
Caroline responded, "I don't know. I didn't eat anything weird. It started itching right after we began shooting, and it just got worse. I almost lost it a few times, but I held on."
Sarah was worried. "If you're not feeling well, you should've said something earlier. Why endure it? Are you crazy? You need to see a doctor right now."
"But we still have to keep shooting," Caroline replied.
"What's more important, your life or the shoot? Ask the director for leave. We need to get you to a hospital. This is too scary!" Sarah urged.
Sarah and Caroline explained the situation to William. Before William could speak, Roxanne jumped in. "Taking leave for a little allergy? The crew loses hundreds of thousands of dollars for every day of delay. Can you take responsibility?"
Roxanne's words were clearly a command to William: no leave granted!
William felt the pressure again.
Not having Sawyer and Roxanne act together today had already put William under immense stress.
Now Caroline wanted to take leave. If William defied Roxanne again, he feared she would complain to Nathan, costing him his position as the chief director.
Besides, Roxanne had a point. The crew would indeed suffer significant losses due to an actor's absence. Who would bear that responsibility?
Caroline also sensed William's dilemma.
If William didn't agree, she had nothing to say, as the on-site director had the final decision. But Roxanne pressuring the director made Caroline quite unhappy.
"William, who's in charge on this set, you or Roxanne?" Caroline asked bluntly.
In front of the crew, this question was indeed difficult for William to answer directly.
Could William publicly admit that Roxanne was in charge? How would he command his team in the future?
William couldn't say Roxanne's opinion was irrelevant either, as she was Nathan's girlfriend, not someone William could easily offend.
But William, with his rich experience, had his own way to defuse the awkward situation. He said, "Roxanne has a point. This isn't about who's in charge; everyone is looking out for the crew."
"So, do you agree or disagree with the leave?" Caroline felt she was at her limit.
"How about you endure a bit longer?" William suggested.
William's words clearly leaned towards Roxanne's opinion, asking Caroline to continue shooting and not granting her leave.
"What are you all talking about?" At this moment, Sawyer walked over.
"She's not feeling well and urgently needs to go to the hospital. We're asking the director for leave," Sarah quickly explained.
"What's wrong with you? I've noticed something off about you. What's going on?" Sawyer asked anxiously.
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