She had completely lost faith in Jasper's integrity.

Furthermore, Jasper's project had been registered before theirs. If they ended up ina dispute, the odds might be stacked against them.

Realizing this, Sonia calmed down, and the room was shrouded in silence for a while.

"So, what's the plan now? Are we just going to bear this silently?" Sonia was not ready to wave the white flag. She was not about to let Jasper and his team have their way.

Seeing Ariana lost in thought, she prompted again, "Should we inform Jayson and Tyler about this? At least they'll be forewarned."

Ariana pondered for a moment before shaking her head.

"Let's not inform them just yet. Without a tangible solution, sharing this information would only increase their stress. Plus, they're in the midst of filming. We shouldn't risk affecting their performances."

"Could we potentially expedite our timeline? Find some ways to ensure simultaneous release?" Sonia proposed without missing a beat.

Ariana mentally reviewed their current progress. Even if they were to commence non-stop work from this point, the best they could hope for would be a simultaneous release.

After weighing the circumstances, Ariana deemed it unnecessary. She countered, “No need. Jayson has ambitious expectations for this project, and it holds unique significance for him. Moreover, this is Tyler's cinematic debut, and his acting abilities still require refinement. We can't afford to rush them."

Every move that Jayson or Tyler made now demanded careful consideration. Their hard-eamed reputations had to be safeguarded. It would be a significant setback if they were to speed up their timeline under pressure from Jasper and his team.

Sonia heaved a deep sigh, comprehending Ariana’s rationale, and felt obligated to relent despite her frustration.

“Don't worry, we'll find a way out," Ariana reassured Sonia. She herself wasn't entirely convinced, but she had to inspire faith that true gold would endure the fiercest flames.

Besides, Brielle's team had transformed the script into a melodramatic cliché that had grown obsolete years ago, showcasing minimal originality, hence the reception from the audience remained uncertain.

In a bid to premiere before them, Brielle was hastening the process, inevitably resulting in rushed production. Given Brielle's disposition, she was unlikely to commit to extensive overtime, leading to frequent reliance on stand-ins and increased likelihood of errors.

In this industry, what held more value—short-term victories or quality? Ariana was confident that both the market and the audience would ultimately answer the question.

After half a month of peaceful recuperation in the hospital, Ariana had regained her strength and was prepared to be discharged.

Sarah, accompanied by a hospital staff member, arrived to fetch her. As soon as Sarah entered and before any extensive conversation could ensue, Horace also appeared.

At the sight of Horace, Ariana's eyes sparkled briefly. She swiftly looked behind him, hoping to find Theodore, but her expectations were dashed.

Theodore was not there.