However, with so many people watching, Abigail could only grit her teeth and pull out a bank card from her bag.

Recently, she had been living frugally, selling off jewelry and luxury items just to get by comfortably. But before she could even warm up to her newfound financial comfort, it all went into Rianne's pocket.

She would make Rianne pay back double for this one day.

Abigail stormed off in a huff.

Rianne's eyes twinkled as she returned the POS machine, "Thank you, Mr. Winslow."

"No need to be so formal among friends," Cooper replied with a warm smile, maintaining his composure.

"It's my honor to be friends with Mr. Winslow."

Rianne met his gaze openly, and they shared a knowing smile before each returned to their respective tasks.

At that moment, a tall, graceful woman approached Rianne with a smile.

She looked familiar, but Rianne couldn't immediately place her.

The woman greeted her gracefully, "Hello, Ms. Kroes. I'm Stella Gruwell, the new lead actress. I look forward to working with you."

Rianne suddenly remembered—this was Stella, the newly rising starlet.

Stella had garnered a lot of public attention and had starred in two blockbuster fantasy dramas. Initially, the director wanted her for the role in "Divine Demon," but due to issues with the investors, Abigail was cast instead.

Now that Abigail was gone, the director had managed to bring Stella on board.

"Ms. Gruwell, it's a pleasure. It's fate that brings us together in this production. I'm delighted to collaborate with you."

Rianne, despite her position as the head martial arts director, greeted Stella courteously, extending her hand in anticipation of a pleasant partnership.

Unexpectedly, Stella stood still, smiling, "I've heard Ms. Kroes is known for being friendly and approachable. It seems the rumors are true."

Rianne was taken aback. Stella stepped closer, her voice barely above a whisper, "Is this how you charmed Mr. Winslow?"

Rianne's amusement faded, her eyes growing cold, "Ms. Gruwell, your storytelling talent is impressive. It's a pity you're not a screenwriter."

"Mr. Winslow is usually fair and impartial. What makes you think he would stand up for you?"

Stella's beautiful eyes held a sharp edge, though her lips maintained a polite smile, as if sharing a private joke. The warning was clear.

"Cooper is mine. You better stay away from him."

Rianne finally understood—Stella joined the production mainly to pursue Cooper.

Seeing Stella's preconceived notion, Rianne knew explaining would be futile. She smirked, "Ms. Gruwell, there's something you might not know. Abigail had the script changed, adding more scenes for the second female lead, including some of your scenes with the male lead. There's even a kiss scene now."

"What?"

Stella's smile froze, replaced by shock.

As a rising starlet, she found it ridiculous to be reduced to a supporting role for an unknown actress.

And having her scenes with Cooper replaced? She couldn't stomach that.

Regaining her composure, Stella coldly asked, "Why should I believe you?"

Rianne handed her the script, "This is what Abigail gave me. The new script should be distributed soon. You'll see the truth for yourself."

Stella flipped through the script, her face darkening with each page.

The script had been altered without her knowledge—what a joke.

Without hesitation, she marched up to Abigail and slapped her hard.

The sound echoed, drawing everyone's attention.

Abigail's pale face instantly bore a red handprint.

Publicly humiliated, Abigail, always proud and haughty, flew into a rage and fought back, leading to a physical altercation. The argument escalated into personal attacks, with both women trading insults.

The set turned chaotic, and by the time they were separated, both Abigail and Stella were bruised and disheveled.

Despite the physical separation, their verbal spat continued.

The director was at his wit's end. How could they work together for the next few months with such animosity?

Abigail had investor support, but Stella's popularity and connections were also significant.

Frustrated, the director nearly quit. He berated the screenwriter, "Why didn't you consult me before changing the script?"

The screenwriter protested, "Ms. Crowe said she had your approval, and the investors were fully behind it."

The director vaguely recalled a meeting with the investors where he might have agreed, albeit while inebriated.

To placate both leads, he proposed a compromise: Abigail's scenes could be expanded but not at the expense of the lead role. They would enrich the second lead's character within reasonable limits.

With this resolution, today's drama ended, but the tension between Stella and Abigail persisted, creating a volatile atmosphere on set.

Rianne enjoyed a few days of relative peace amid the chaos.

During a break, as she lounged lazily on a chaise, a familiar voice called out cheerfully, "Goddess!"

Dressed sharply in a suit, holding a bouquet of pink lilies, Joshua approached with a smile.

Rianne sat up in surprise, "Junior, what are you doing here?"

"I heard you're filming with this crew, so I came to visit," Joshua said, handing her the flowers with a gentleman's grace.

He was no longer the reckless youth she remembered but exuded an unrestrained charm and had grown significantly taller.

"Thank you," Rianne accepted the bouquet graciously. "I can't believe you still remember my favorite flowers after all these years."