Chapter 48
There was no chance they were going to change partners. The team assignments had been decided after a whole night of discussions between the director and producer.
Unlike other shows that focused solely on furniture makeovers, Reformers attracted attention primarily through its celebrity designers, which meant that the non–professional designers received far less screen time.
The show had to stick to the home decor theme, but it also needed to generate buzz. To that end, the production team had spent a small fortune bringing in top stars and rising celebrities to participate.
Kayla and Wendy had been paired together from the beginning. Among the remaining four non–professional designers, Moira was the only one whose age matched Benton’s.
Moira was also beautiful, and if needed, the show could easily pair her with Benton to create a “couple” storyline that would boost ratings.
When it became clear that the production team wasn’t going to switch anyone, Benton–who was used to getting his way–was infuriated. He immediately ripped off his mic, scowled, and made a move to leave.
His manager, who was waiting outside, rushed to stop him. “Hey, what are you doing?” the manager scolded. “We’ve signed the contract. If you don’t record, we’ll have to pay compensation!”
“I’m not refusing to record,” Benton snapped, “but they’ve paired me with an incompetent woman with no sense of propriety. If this airs, what’s in it for me?”
His manager, Tracey Lam, wasn’t pleased either. “Mr. Habich, she’s just a non–professional designer. Is it really worth all this fuss? Since we haven’t started shooting yet, you can just replace her.”
Kayla, who had been watching quietly, smiled and added, “Yeah, Mr. Habich, Wendy knows a lot of senior designers. Just swap her out. There’s no need to make Benton unhappy.”
Wendy nodded in agreement. “If needed, I can call someone right now to fill in. It won’t delay the schedule.”
Everyone in the room eyed Moira like she was a fly that had just buzzed into their space.
But Moira didn’t seem to notice the hostility around her. She stood quietly, not speaking up for herself or trying to defend her position.
The crew wasn’t impressed by her after the events of the previous day. One of the staff couldn’t help but speak up, “Mr. Habich, maybe we should just replace her?”
Paul looked over at Moira and muttered, “What’s the point in replacing her? I’ve been worried this show has no real hook. Isn’t this exactly what we need?”
The crew exchanged confused glances.
Paul looked up,
his expression firm. “This show will run according to my plan. Anyone who doesn’t want to participate can leave right now!” His words cut through the tension in the room. Both Kayla and Wendy exchanged glances but fell silent, unwilling to press the issue any further. Tracey lowered her voice and said, “This show is backed by Morton Group. If you walk out now, we won’t get the Recluse deal with them.”
In theory, someone like Benton–a top–tier celebrity–would never agree to appear on a home decor show, which was seen as lacking appeal. The only reason he had agreed to join was because Star Flash Entertainment, a subsidiary of Morton Group, promised him an S–tier production in exchange for this appearance.
It was well–known in the industry that anything produced by Star Flash Entertainment was a high–quality project.
Benton had risen to fame through a hit science fiction film, but after several lackluster romantic dramas and historical epics, he was in desperate need of a major hit to solidify his spot at the top.
Tracey pressed further. “Do you have any idea how much effort I put into securing this opportunity for you? Getting a connection with Morton Group is something most people can only dream of.
“If you walk out now, it’s not just the production team you’ll offend–it’s Morton Group. Who else would want to work with you after that?”
The Morton Group was a major power in the entertainment industry. Anyone who crossed them could forget about finding work in the future.
Benton’s expression darkened even more, but he had no choice but to return to his position. Still, he made sure to stand as far from Moira as possible.
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Chapter 48
It was obvious that their team had a problem. Compared to the other four pairs, it was glaringly clear that something was off with theirs.
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