For Reid, his work was like his own child, and among all the storylines in The Palace, his favorite was Pinky’s arc—a proud warrior who lived and died with unwavering resolve. The character had only existed in his imagination until Eulalia’s performance brought Pinky to life on screen.Reid hated altering original scripts, but Eulalia’s acting had him itching to rewrite Pinky as the lead. He had a gut feeling that once the show aired, Eulalia would be an instant sensation. While other actors might have already hit their ceiling, for Eulalia, the sky was the limit.Changing the script was out of the question, though. It wasn't just about the source material—it involved other actors and fans as well. The biggest impact would be on Evette, a top actress and former TV queen, whose contract guaranteed her the lead role. If the second lead outshone her, it would violate the contract, and the backlash would be fierce, painting Reid as unprofessional and selfish, dragging the whole crew down
The tension between the two was palpable.Percival’s face was stormy, while Trent’s was all smug grins and provocation. Percival’s dark, closed-off attire made him look unapproachable, while Trent stood out in a red shirt and sunglasses, exuding a cocky arrogance. As soon as he entered, his eyes darted around, clearly searching for "Riley."Their presence was immediately noticeable, and they commanded the room’s attention like celebrities. They could easily rival Victor, each with distinct but equally striking looks. Percival hadn't changed much since their last encounter. His eyes were as sharp as ever, like a hawk’s, dark and intense. His high nose and pale lips, slightly pressed together, added to his unapproachable vibe.Despite trying to tone down his chilling aura, Percival still made people uneasy. The director and producer eagerly ushered them in, and even without the spotlight, they were the center of attention.Percival and Trent quickly spotted Eulalia. She was standing wit
Recently, Percival and Trent had stirred up gossip over their backing of a certain actress, with most speculating it was Evette, especially since she didn't deny it at the launch party.“Evette?” Trent's gaze shifted back to the producer.The producer quickly explained, "She's in the lounge right now, her scenes are scheduled for the afternoon. But if you’d like to meet her, I can have someone bring her over."“Evette?” Trent smirked, turning to Percival. "Percival, that name reminds me of your old flame. Should we have them bring her out for a look?"He spoke casually, like picking a girl at a nightclub.Percival's face darkened. He knew Trent was deliberately trying to disgust him, but he couldn’t help recalling unpleasant memories.Trent gave Eulalia a lingering look, but he didn't forget why he was here. "Let me see the script for the upcoming scenes.""Of course, of course." The producer handed over scripts from the assistant director, one for each of them.The producer noticed t
Eulalia wasn’t interested in what was going on around her. She stood in the corner, with Ozzie beside her, trying to eavesdrop on the situation. After a while, he leaned over and whispered, “I think I heard them say they’re changing the script. Do you think they’ll cut our scenes?”Eulalia didn’t respond, so Ozzie kept listening. And sure enough, his worst fears came true.“I heard them clearly—they’re cutting your scenes, especially the kissing scenes. No stand-ins allowed, either,” Ozzie frowned, looking frustrated.Eulalia finally spoke up, “They’re cutting my scenes; why are you looking so upset?”Ozzie sighed, “Who’s in those intimate scenes with you? Me! If they cut yours, they’ll cut mine, too. And now they’ll bring in a stand-in—these days, they’re not even good-looking, and some are even guys. I can’t do that…” He trailed off, realizing how his words sounded and quickly shut up, worried Eulalia might think he was being sleazy.But Eulalia wasn’t bothered. Her mind was already
The past few days focused mainly on filming scenes with Eulalia and Ozzie. Early call times were set, but Evette, who insisted on her beauty sleep, had her scenes shifted to the afternoon, much to Reid's growing frustration.Evette rushed over after touching up her makeup, aware only that the investors wanted to see her act, but clueless about the exact scene. Nervous and uneasy, she avoided asking questions, sneaking only a quick glance in Eulalia's direction before keeping her head down and eyes wandering—a behavior unlike her usual self.Trent's gaze lazily landed on her face, his eyes narrowing as if he found something amusing. "Let’s start. We'll shoot the scene where the beggars assault her."“What?!” Evette blurted out. She had read the script thoroughly and knew exactly which scene Trent was talking about—a part where Remi is surrounded by five or six beggars, nearly losing her dignity. Her clothes are torn, her hair disheveled, and she looks utterly defeated.Evette despised
As soon as Trent called Eulalia's name, everyone's attention turned to her.Eulalia quickly finished sending a message and put her phone down, pretending she hadn't heard anything.Ozzie nudged her with his elbow. "He's calling you. Go on."Eulalia wanted to keep ignoring it, but it was beyond the point where she could pretend anymore. Even her best acting skills couldn't ignore this.The assistant director came over. "Eulalia, Trent wants you to come sit with him. Let's go - he's not someone you want to offend."Evette, who was still trying to act through gritted teeth, noticed Eulalia approaching the director's area. Her whole body tensed up and her expression crumbled."Cut!" Reid stopped filming. He couldn't continue at this point. Evette had been doing okay before, but now her performance was falling apart. There was no point in continuing.Trent hadn't come to watch the filming. He was here specifically to mess with Evette.Even though Reid was dissatisfied with Evette, he hadn'
"How did you forget your dead wife who burned in that fire and start liking her replacement? Percival, I thought you were such a devoted man, but I guess not," Trent sneered.Percival's jaw clenched, his whole body radiating murderous intent. "Don't you dare mention her!""The more you tell me not to, the more I want to," Trent said defiantly. As he spoke, the wound on his lip stung, making him wince. He glanced at Eulalia. In the past, if he'd gotten even a tiny scratch, that village girl would've been on the verge of tears with worry. But now she wouldn't even give him a warm look. Something sharp seemed to pierce his heart, causing a dull ache. He was usually good at enduring pain, but this feeling spread from his chest up to his throat, leaving him choked up.Trent pointed at Percival, unleashing his emotions: "This guy, Percival, the supposed perfect man plastered all over social media. Always going on about how he cherishes his wife and built an amusement park for his late wife.
The actress who claimed to be a die-hard fan of Victor had started to silently scream. She’d joined the entertainment industry after watching one of his movies, thinking she might get the chance to meet him, or even work with him. But a year in, she was still just watching him from her phone like always. As a fan, she’d imagined all sorts of scenarios where they’d meet, but never like this.If this really was Victor Truex, then why was he here? The first thing that came to mind was Eulalia—first, there were two guys fighting over one girl, and now, three. As a devoted fan, she felt her heart shatter a little. She wanted to deny it, but she couldn’t come up with any other explanation.Eulalia looked over, and in the scorching midday sun, Victor came sprinting toward her, shadows and light playing over him. He was running fast, and she could almost hear his heavy breathing. With just a mask on, his eyes—dark like obsidian—were filled with worry, and sweat covered his forehead. From the