Chapter 6 The Funniest Thing All Year

"What?"

Samuel's face stiffened. Eliana's question caught him completely off guard.

"I'm asking you — have you ever seen me act?"

Eliana walked toward him slowly, repeated her question, then added, "If you've never seen me act, you have no right to say I have no talent. And another thing..."

She paused for a moment, then shifted her gaze to Charlotte.

"You said I used the Sullivan family's influence to get roles for myself. Do you have any proof of that? Ms. Sullivan, there are security cameras around here. If I wanted to, I could pull the footage and sue you for defamation. You know that, right?"

Sue her?

Was she out of her mind?

Charlotte's face went pale. She instinctively wanted to play the victim and get Samuel to put Eliana in her place.

But before she could say a word, Eliana let out a cold laugh.

"Oh, right — what was it you just said? That the Sullivan family's children should be independent and self-reliant? How funny! That rule only ever applied to me, didn't it?"

"Charlotte, have you forgotten? Every opportunity you have right now — you took it from me."

"And Samuel — if I remember correctly, the first film you starred in after your debut was funded by the Sullivan family, wasn't it?"

"Two people who've been riding your family names your entire careers — what gives you the right to lecture me about being self-reliant?"

Trash?

How dare she talk to him like that?

After all this time, was she still not over it?

Samuel frowned at Eliana. Her contempt and coldness stirred up an irritation in him he couldn't quite explain.

He didn't bother trying to figure out why. He just instinctively dumped all of it onto her.

"Eliana, I haven't seen you in a few days and suddenly you've got a sharp tongue. But being good at insults won't get you into EverBlaze Media. Here's what I'll do — come beg me. If you're humble enough about it, I'll give you a chance to audition. Don't even think about the lead role, though. That's Charlotte's. You can go for the fourth or fifth female lead."

Fourth or fifth female lead?

He was insulting her.

Eliana's expression went cold and she was about to fire back at Samuel when a cheerful voice came from nearby.

"Eliana? Ms. Sullivan, what are you doing here? All the other candidates for the female lead are already waiting — you're the only one missing. Come with me to the waiting room, quick."

Eliana turned toward the voice and saw a middle-aged woman in a business suit. She had a badge hanging around her neck that read: After the End — Casting Associate Director, Julie Green.

"Don't you recognize my voice?" Julie smiled warmly as Eliana noticed her. "I called you a few days ago."

"Oh, it's you."

Eliana blinked, stepped forward, and shook Julie's hand. "Ms. Green, nice to meet you in person. I ran into a couple of... former colleagues just now and got held up a bit. Everything's fine. Let's head to the waiting room."

Former colleagues.

At that, Julie glanced over at Samuel and Charlotte.

Samuel's expression darkened, but he didn't have the energy to go after Eliana right now. Noticing Julie's attention on him, he lifted his chin and let out a smug scoff.

"Ms. Green, I know you. My last TV series — I played the male lead, and you were the supervising producer. For old times' sake, I'll give you a chance to make some money. Sullivan Corporation's new talent, Charlotte, wants the female lead or second lead in your film. Take her in for an audition. If Charlotte gets the role she wants, Sullivan Corporation will invest in After the End."

Invest in After the End?

Was he serious?

This was EverBlaze Media's biggest project of the year. Sullivan Corporation had no business trying to buy their way in.

Eliana almost laughed at how stupid that was. She immediately stepped away from Samuel and moved behind Julie.

"Ms. Green, I don't really know these two. Actually — to be more precise, I don't really know Sullivan Corporation either, because everyone running it is an idiot. I've already decided to terminate my contract with them. The process is underway."

"Eliana, are you done?"

Being called out like that in front of someone else made Samuel furious. He narrowed his eyes, ready to snap at her — but Julie cut him off before he could finish.

"Ms. Sullivan, congratulations." Julie smiled lightly at Eliana first, then turned her attention back to Samuel. "Every sign points to that being a smart decision. As for you, Mr. Sullivan — I appreciate the offer, but EverBlaze Media doesn't need Sullivan Corporation's investment. And Charlotte will not be auditioning today. Anyone who didn't make it through EverBlaze Media's open casting has no place at today's audition. You can leave now."

Leave?

Charlotte's mind went blank. She had already hinted to her fan group that she might be appearing in After the End. If she just walked away now, how was she supposed to explain that?

She hadn't expected things to go this way. She bit her lip, and before her brain could catch up, her mouth was already moving.

"Ms. Green, are you turning me away because Eliana said something bad about me? Please let me explain — it's not the way she made it sound. You should—"

"Enough."

Julie cut her off.

"Ms. Charlotte, get a grip. Ms. Eliana has never said a single bad word about you to me. If you ask me, the ones doing the trash-talking are you and Mr. Sullivan."

"You don't actually think I didn't hear every word the two of you said to Ms. Eliana just now, do you?"

Charlotte's breath caught in her throat. She didn't dare say another word.

Julie hadn't exactly been quiet. Everyone in the EverBlaze Media lobby had turned to look at them.

"Coming to EverBlaze Media to cause a scene — those two have some nerve."

"Unbelievable. They're so used to throwing their weight around, they think the whole world has to bow to them."

"Isn't that Samuel? Didn't he just win Best Actor? Honestly, how does someone like him have fans?"

"Samuel's nothing. Whatever he's won doesn't even come close to Theodore."

"Trying to buy off Theodore — that's the funniest thing I've heard all year."

Samuel had officially made himself the laughingstock of the room.