Chapter 119
Hearing Phoebe’s request, Wendy promptly reached out to the director’s assistant. Shortly after, they replied, confirming they could meet Phoebe’s requirements, and sent over the full script. Wendy forwarded the script to Phoebe. “Mr. Galvan agreed and sent over the complete script. Go through it and see if there’s anything else that needs addressing. If not, you can schedule a time to sign the contract.”
Phoebe accepted. “Alright.” She opened the script, which started with the male lead and his mentor hunting down a remnant of a demori’s soul. They discovered that the demon soul had possessed the male lead’s mortal wife, the second female lead.
The male lead belonged to a sect focused on cultivation. Since he was on the path of cultivating the Emotionless Path, his mentor could have exorcised the demon soul from his wife. However, he instructed the male lead to kill his wife to further his cultivation and prevent her from harming others. The male lead had only faint feelings for his wife, and after entering the world of cultivation, he’d become even more detached, dedicating himself entirely to his path. Thus, when he cut down the demon’s soul, he killed his wife as well, and his Emotionless Path training was fulfilled.
However, the second female lead survived due to a protective treasure left by the demon soul, entering a state of near-death. After the male lead and his mentor left, she revived. But the betrayal by the husband she loved ignited an overwhelming hatred within her. This activated the protective treasure and fused her memories with those of the demon soul, pushing her into a state of demonic possession.
Then, the storyline introduced the innocent junior, the female lead, who fell in love with her aloof senior. She brought him into the world of romance, gradually thawing his cold heart. As the male lead fell for her, his focus faltered, and the Emotionless Path cultivation nearly destroyed him. He narrowly escaped being killed by the vengeful return of the second female lead.
In the end, the male lead was saved by his desire to protect the world, breaking the backfire of his Emotionless Path. This allowed him to realize that while the path may be without emotion, it could still coexist with love, and he ascended alongside the female lead.
Phoebe finished reading the script and found it mostly aligned with her previous knowledge. Some parts had been altered for the adaptation. For instance, after the second female lead descended into demonic possession, she attempted to destroy an entire city. The female lead happened to pass by and used her family’s heirloom to save the townspeople. These additions not only painted the second female lead in a negative light but also highlighted the female lead’s goodness and purity. The story now included more scenes of the second female lead acting maliciously and villainously, making it easier for the audience to justify the male lead’s decision to kill his wife.
In the original script, the second female lead’s transformation into a demonic saintess was subtler. Moreover, it deliberately omitted the fact that the male lead could have saved his wife’s soul but chose not to. It resulted in the second female lead’s transformation. The storyline emphasized the male lead breaking his Emotionless Path for the sake of true love with the female lead. This show was full of melodrama, misunderstandings, and explosive moments, which was why it became popular.
But some argued the wife was not wrong. She could have been saved from demonic possession, yet she became a mere stepping stone on her husband’s cultivation path. This controversial point sparked some debate. Some viewers felt the “killing the wife for cultivation” angle lacked moral integrity. After all, he was cultivating the Emotionless Path, but he couldn’t remain emotionless when he met the female lead. Yet others loved the transformation of an emotionless senior who fell in love, finding it thrilling. Dramas were now thriving on such melodrama. Debate and controversy attracted viewers.
Chapter 119
Phoebe led acting and was focused on playing only lead roles. If a role was challenging and interesting, she’ll take it, even if it meant being the… This second female lead was set to put the protagonists through true pain and despair, following a heartless path of revenge and growth. Phoebe accepted the role of the second female lead.
The director, Carter Galvan, was thrilled and immediately informed Jenkins Entertainment that Sienna could be secured for the female lead role. He then remembered Maddox’s relationship with Phoebe, especially since he had previously worked with Maddox and knew he often supported her publicly. So, Carter gave Maddox a call. Maddox, who was streaming a gaming session, answered the phone. He let Carter know he was live on air.
Carter didn’t mind. He asked Maddox if he was interested in making a cameo as a demonic lord. While gaming, Maddox asked, “Who are the main leads?”
Carter replied, “Reece is the male lead. He’s already signed the contract. We’re tentatively casting Sienna as the female lead, with Phoebe as the second lead.” Viewers in the live stream were quick to comment, surprised at Carter’s casting choices. They felt he was deliberately stirring up the discussion by bringing these three together, almost guaranteeing a viral buzz.
Yet many were questioning why Phoebe was cast as the second lead, while Sienna was given the lead role despite her recent character inconsistencies. Maddox was thinking the same thing and asked directly, “Why did Phoebe end up playing the second lead!”
Carter didn’t mind the audience overhearing. He replied truthfully, “I gave her the choice between the primary and secondary lead roles.” “She said she preferred the darker character, so she chose the second female lead. That’s why I gave Sienna the female lead.” If Maddox agreed to play the demonic lord, Carter planned to have the writers add some scenes between him and the female second lead.
Maddox laughed when he heard this. “So, Pheebs didn’t want the female lead role! Alright. If she’s playing the witch, I’ll cameo as the demonic…” Witch and demonic lord was a perfect match.
Carter grinned even wider. “Great. Come by when you have time to sign the contract.” Maddox’s look matched the demonic lord character well. He was handsome and sharp-tongued. “No problem,” Maddox replied. He thought he could also meet with Phoebe to sign the contracts together, and maybe grab some food afterward.
Before long, the news broke that Carter’s fantasy drama had Phoebe choosing the second lead herself, leaving Sienna to pick up the lead role she passed on. This topic quickly trended online.
Meanwhile, in the Jenkins family’s estate. Still nursing a bruised face, Sienna received a call from the company letting her know that the lead role she wanted was now hers. She could barely contain her excitement. This drama had been very popular, albeit with some controversy surrounding the secondary lead.
Sienna had an idea. She could suggest that Phoebe play the second female lead, then have the company pressure Carter to rewrite the character to make her more vicious and unlikable. That way, she could contrast herself with Phoebe on screen, prompting viewers to dislike Phoebe in real life. The more Sienna thought about it, the better it seemed. She went to Leon’s room and knocked on the door.
Leon, looking tired, opened it with a frown. “What is it?” He hadn’t slept. He suspected that Phoebe might’ve had something to do with his injuries. He was trying to find an excuse to contact her and figure out if she’d been behind it. Seeing Sienna at his door only annoyed him more.
Sienna told him she could now sign the contract for the female lead role and added, “By the way, the second female lead’s pretty cool. Maybe the young’uns could help Phoebe secure it.” “Vis could reach out and say you found her a good role as the second lead. And ask her to back off and stop causing us…”
Leon frowned. “Would she even want that role?” Sienna said, “She definitely would. She was interested in a supporting role in that historical drama, so she’ll want this for sure.” “Not to mention, this is the second female lead in Mr. Galvan’s drama. Their small startup studio can’t get her any good roles, so definitely worth it.” She added, “Just tell her you went out of your way to help her get it. I’m sure Mr. Galvan won’t mind either.” “After all, with Reece as the male lead, me as the female lead, and Phoebe as the second lead, it’d be great publicity for the show.”
Leon thought for a moment. “Alright, I’ll ask her…” Given Phoebe’s current attitude, Leon wasn’t certain she’d accept the secondary lead if Sienna was the main lead. But this gave Leon an excuse to call Phoebe and show her he hadn’t forgotten his sister. He could even frame it as him trying to help her land a good opportunity. He borrowed a phone from the household staff and called Phoebe.
Phoebe answered, “Hello!” Worried that she’d hang up if she knew it was him, Leon quickly explained the offer to secure her the role. He planned to chat a bit more before probing about his body aches.
Phoebe laughed after listening. “Sienna put you up to this, right? If you’d checked the trending topics first, you wouldn’t have embarrassed yourself with this call.” Then, she hung up.
Leon, feeling perplexed, pulled out his phone to check the trending topics. As he finished reading, he looked upset.
Chapter 120