Reborn Young Miss: Phoenix Burning Red-Chapter 228: Deep-Seated Hatred (2)

A glint of amusement flashed in Lennox’s eyes as he listened to his wife’s remarks.

"What have you done this time, wife?" He asked, "Did you ask Mother to suppress your cousin’s career?"

"I didn’t do such a thing," Adrienne huffed. "There’s no need to rely on Mother’s help to exact my revenge on Ayla. Do you know there are many ways to spite your enemy and make them feel helpless? One of them was to stop them from getting what they wanted. "

Lennox raised an eyebrow, intrigued by Adrienne’s cunning tactics. He leaned in closer, a mischievous smile playing on his lips. 𝓯𝙧𝙚𝒆𝙬𝙚𝒃𝙣𝙤𝒗𝓮𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

"Tell me more," he urged, eager to learn her devious plans for Ayla’s downfall.

Adrienne leaned back, a sly grin forming on her face.

"In producing a movie or a television series, there’s a normal pattern many directors and producers follow. One needs a special skill to survive in the entertainment world because all actors usually fall into three categories." Adrienne started to explain.

"First are the star actors. They usually play the main leads, usually popular celebrities, with a steady fandom that could bring the project a huge audience. They also play a free ad for the project with their names and reputation alone. Next are the talented ones. They are actors with a certain reputation for their impeccable acting in the industry. Their job is to provide quality for the project. Though their pay isn’t on par with that of the star actors, they usually receive steady job offers. Last are the newbies. They are usually hired because of their fresh looks, but the production crew doesn’t expect too much from them as long as they look fine on screen. It’s the last one where the toughest battles occur."

Lennox found his wife’s perception to be impressive. With the kind of face she had, it would be easy for Adrienne to join the showbiz industry and overshadow her cousin, Ayla Jiang, but she chose to sabotage Ayla’s career instead.

"Do you know which category Ayla Jiang and Sofia Yun belong to?" Adrienne questioned him.

Lennox hummed, considering the popularity of both young actresses. Ayla’s career debut came three years ago, but Sofia Yun’s only started last year. Sofia Yun starring as the female lead in "Time After Time" meant her biggest break in the industry.

"Aren’t they both considered newbies in the industry?" He answered with a question.

"Yes," Adrienne nodded, "but Sofia Yun was given an opportunity to prove herself. This film could make or break her. Not many newbies were given such a big break in their careers. If Sofia Yun succeeds, she can’t be considered a newbie star anymore. My cousin must have been frustrated with being cast as the second female lead when she auditioned for the lead role."

"And I suppose you have a hand in this?" Lennox raised a brow.

"Of course." His wife beamed him a smile. "Do you think I would give Ayla a chance to succeed in the showbiz industry? I denied her the lead role. If she were as talented as she claimed she was, she could easily outshine Sofia Yun through her acting."

Lennox chuckled, shaking his head. "You always have a way of making things work in your favor, don’t you? Ayla Jiang had no idea it was all your work."

Adrienne merely shrugged. She couldn’t tell whether Ayla had the talent for acting, as she never paid attention to her cousin’s work in her past life, though there was no doubt Ayla was considered a superstar before Adrienne’s death.

"Talent isn’t the only factor that determines success in this industry. It’s also about timing and luck. I invested in this film, and no matter how hard Ayla worked to overshadow Sofia Yun, she wouldn’t have the opportunity to do so."

"How so?" Lennox asked. Before his birth, his mother had worked in the entertainment world until now, and it never interested him a bit to dip into those waters.

Lennox’s lack of interest in the entertainment industry was evident, as he rarely delved into the details of his mother’s work. He preferred to focus on his own passions and pursuits, leaving the intricacies of fame and success to others.

"Investors and the higher-ups can influence the screen time for each actor. I invested a lot of money in Sofia Yun to become the lead actress, and because of this, I asked the production crew to lessen Ayla’s screen time and highlight Sofia’s acting skills," Adrienne explained.

She had planned all of these a long time ago, and if Ayla and her mother thought she had forgiven their recent scheme to sell her out to the Gu family, they were gravely mistaken. Taking their lives would be too merciful. Adrienne wanted them to suffer until they reached the point where they would rather wish they were dead.

She believed that her investment in Sofia Yun would eventually pay off and bring success to the project. Still, she was also aware of the politics and business decisions that often dictated the distribution of screen time in the entertainment industry.

Showbiz wasn’t as glamorous as the public perceived it to be. Behind the scenes, there were constant power struggles and strategic moves to secure more opportunities and exposure for certain actors.

"Aren’t you afraid Ayla would overcome this obstacle and prove herself worthy instead of Sofia Yun?" Lennox asked.

If there’s something he knew about the Jiang family members, it was that they were quite persistent in getting what they wanted, a trait that Adrienne also possessed.

"Well, that depends on whether Ayla can overcome her frustration at being surpassed by Sofia Yun. Knowing her, she must be having a meltdown as we speak. Ayla might look kind and gentle in public, but she harbors a wicked heart and is quite a conceited woman. She would never allow anyone to overshadow her."

Adrienne believed that Ayla’s competitive nature and arrogance would prevent her from maintaining composure while collaborating with Sofia Yun. She anticipated that Ayla’s frustration would ultimately hinder their ability to work together effectively. She had given Ayla false hope that she would succeed in the entertainment industry for the past three years; now, it was time for Adrienne to let her cousin experience the dose of her own medicine.