What's more, Ariana herself had made an appearance backstage!

Sadie, her brows furrowing, inquired, "Why is she here?"

The assistant met her gaze and disclosed, "Miss Edwards is our producer."

At that moment, Ariana's eyes fell on Sadie. She hesitated briefly, then furrowed her brow and asked the assistant, "Wasn't it said that the female lead was a recently graduated rising star? How did Sadie end up here?"

The assistant at Ariana's side found herself tongue-tied, struggling to deliver a coherent response. Ariana, not one to beat around the bush, turned toward the director.

"Has our leading lady been changed?

Sadie Pierre, really? What happened to our original candidate?"

The director, well aware of the animosity brewing between Sadie and Ariana's team on the talent show, sensed that there could be a storm on the horizon. Yet, his hands were tied, so he donned an awkward smile and said, "Think of it as a case of capital infusion.."

Ariana didn't need an explanation to decipher what was happening.

It was akin to injecting capital into a company. Sadie had orchestrated the ousting of the initial leading lady, taking her place.

Ariana was no pushover, and she refused to just sweep Sadie's actions under the rug. Since her return to the country, a feud had been brewing between them, not to mention the subsequent run-ins.

Collaborating on a film with Sadie would be like throwing good money after bad.

Besides, even if Ariana didn't pore over the details, she'd caught wind of Sadie's reputation and her acting skills - or the lack thereof. She'd stumbled upon some clips of Sadie's performances, and it was a real train wreck!

Why someone like Sadie, a scion of the esteemed Fredrick family, would dive headlong into the entertainment industry and rock the boat was beyond Ariana's ken.

Despite her inner tempest upon seeing Sadie, Ariana maintained a calm facade as she turned to the director and said, "I'd like to withdraw my investment. What's the penalty for tearing up this contract? I'm prepared to compensate."

The director, hit by the bombshell of Ariana's investment withdrawal, was flustered. It wasn't just about the money; it was also about potential future collaborations. Word had it that Tyler was onboard only thanks to Ariana's sway.

“No, Ariana, let's not be too hasty," the director implored, marshaling a battalion of persuasive arguments to win her over, even resorting to begging, if need be.

But Ariana stood her ground, her resolve unshaken. She made it clear that she did not intend to play nice with Sadie.

Feeling cornered and unable to sway Ariana, the director finally broke down in tears right in front of her!

Ariana, taken aback by this unexpected display of emotion, blinked at the director's teary outburst, her words momentarily caught in her throat. In the end, her heart softened. The sudden withdrawal of investment was indeed a curveball.