Chapter 65: A Shoot From Hell (2)
I let out an awkward little laugh when Zayne brought up his offer again, the one I had absolutely no plans of accepting. I was just trying to stay polite since we were working together, and as a so-called rookie, the last thing I needed was to start drama on set.
Maybe it was because of my past life, but I’d become a little more cautious, just a bit. I was sure it would fade with time, but for now, keeping quiet felt safer.
"We can talk about this after the shoot," I said with a polite smile.
Thankfully, before Zayne could say anything else, Margareth called out to everyone, announcing that Vivienne had just arrived.
The moment Margareth said Vivienne’s name, the entire set shifted. The chatter died down, the crew straightened their backs, and even the air felt heavier.
Vivienne walked in gracefully, dressed in a cream blazer and pencil skirt, her heels clicking sharply against the floor. She didn’t say a word at first, just scanned the set with a calm but sharp gaze that somehow made everyone stand a little taller.
I had seen her before, but something about her presence today felt different. Maybe it was the authority in the way she carried herself, or maybe it was just everyone’s fear reflecting on me.
"Good afternoon, everyone," she said finally, her voice smooth but firm. "I hope we’re ready to make something beautiful today."
"Yes, Ms. Roselle!" the crew replied almost in unison.
When her eyes landed on me, she offered a smile. "Helcia, you look beautiful today."
I smiled back at her. "It’s thanks to the makeup team. They really did a great job."
For today’s shoot, my outfit was simple; a soft, flowy floral dress with no jewelry or extra accessories. It was because the entire focus was supposed to be on my eyes and the eyeshadow palette, so everything else had to stay minimal and natural.
Just as Vivienne told me to get ready for filming, Penny’s voice suddenly popped up with a new notification.
[Random Quest!]
[Quest: Make Vivienne Roselle say "Perfect!" on set!]
[Reward: $17,000]
[Time Limit: 12 hours.]
I blinked at the screen, my jaw almost dropping. The reward was huge, way higher than the one I got for just holding Lando’s hand, and if the amount was that high, it could only mean one thing ... this quest was going to be a nightmare to complete.
I knew shooting video advertisements was difficult, but it became five times harder with Vivienne.
I honestly didn’t expect her to be that strict.
"Helcia, you blink too slowly in this scene!" Vivienne said sharply, standing behind the monitor with her arms crossed. "Stay in rhythm with the music. Your expressions need to flow naturally, not look like you’re forcing them."
I nodded quickly, trying not to show how nervous I was. "Yes, Ms. Roselle. I’ll do it again."
If someone like me—who’s already used to being in front of the camera—could still make this many mistakes in Vivienne’s eyes, I couldn’t imagine what a real rookie actress would go through.
They’d probably end up crying blood before the first take was even done.
Luckily, I’d been through this before. The film industry was full of different types of directors and producers. Some were easygoing, but others were perfectionists who noticed every tiny detail.
Once, I even had to redo a single scene more than fifty times because my partner kept messing up, and with each retake, he got more nervous, which only made things worse.
But being a perfectionist wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. At least as an actress, I could learn from my mistakes, and people like Vivienne helped me correct them, even if her methods were intense.
I’d been on hiatus for about a year and a half because of my scandal, so it was only natural that I still felt a little rusty in front of the camera.
But I knew that with a few more takes and some adjustments, I’d find my rhythm again.
After a few more takes, things finally started to flow better. My movements felt smoother, my expressions came out more naturally, and even Vivienne seemed a little less tense behind the monitor.
"Good," she said after the fifth take. "That’s closer to what I want. Let’s keep this energy."
That one word—good—wasn’t "perfect," but it was still enough to make my chest lighten. I took a small breath and smiled to myself. At least I was improving.
The crew quickly reset the lighting, and while they worked, Margareth handed me a tissue to dab away the light sheen of sweat on my forehead. "You’re doing great," she whispered. "Vivienne rarely says good. You’re already halfway to a miracle."
I chuckled softly. "Then I guess I’ll have to make her say perfect before the day ends."
After a short fifteen-minute break, I stepped back in front of the camera, feeling a lot more confident than before.
I followed every instruction Vivienne gavel; opening the eyeshadow case gracefully, letting the shimmer catch the light just right, brushing the color over my lids in one smooth motion, then lifting my gaze toward the camera with a soft smile.
"Beautiful," Zayne said. "Hold that ... perfect. Now, blink slowly."
I was happy to hear that word, but unfortunately, it didn’t come from Vivienne.
The warm lights surrounded me again, and this time, I wasn’t nervous. I moved naturally, almost like my body already knew what to do.
The music played softly in the background, and I matched my movements to its rhythm, remembering Vivienne’s earlier words.
When the take ended, the crew went silent for a moment, waiting for Vivienne’s approval.
Vivienne leaned closer to the monitor, her eyes narrowing slightly as she replayed the footage. Then, finally, she smiled. "That’s it," she said firmly. "Perfect."
[Ding!]
[You have successfully completed your quest: Make Vivienne Roselle say "Perfect!" on set!]
[Reward: $17,000 has been credited to your account.]
[Remaining Balance: $135,915]