Chapter 2069


    Danielle suddenly looked up, "When?"


    "Just got off the ne. The online buzz about you hasn''t been great these past few days. He must


    havee back to have your back."


    The whole crew fell silent at the remark.


    Coming back to have Danielle''s back? Hard to argue with that. Who in the industry didn''t know


    Danielle was Seth''s golden girl?


    Scandals, gossip, and rumors were part and parcel of a celebrity''s life, but Danielle had always


    been the exception, never making the trending news for any misdeed.


    This online bacsh was already a big deal for her.d2


    Seamus, however, had his doubts. Seth certainly knew Danielle too well to believe in her


    innocence. In the past, he would turn a blind eye, offering a few words of advice before moving on.


    But this time, after hearing about Danielle’s troubles, Seth didn’t say much. Instead, Seth pushed to


    hasten the shooting schedule. It was as if he didn''t n to deal with the situation at all.


    If Seth really wanted to support her, he wouldn''t need to fly back. A simple statement would suffice.


    The talk abouting back for Danielle''s sake was probably just them adding drama to the


    situation.


    Even though they couldn''t guess Seth''s reasons for returning, it was clear they couldn''t afford to


    upset Danielle right now. "Alright, take Danielle to rest," Seamus instructed.


    Two assistants helped Danielle up, who cast a resentful nce at Seamus, "We won''t be needed


    for the next scenes then, right?"


    Seamus, trying to keep his temper in check, replied, "Your healthes first."


    Danielle tiptoed, apologetically, "Sorry, director, but I don''t think I can shoot this scene anytime


    soon. Looks like we really need a stand-in."


    As she spoke, her gaze swept over the set, finally resting on Cicely, who was sitting there with a


    somewhat ufortable expression.


    Following Danielle''s gaze, Seamus'' eyes lit up when he saw Cicely. She bore a passing


    resemnce to Danielle, even having a simr build and presence. Wasn''t this the perfect stand-in?


    For a cliff dive into the water, they didn''t need to see her face. Her physique was enough.


    "Cicely, dear?"


    Cicely, preupied with the thought of running into Seth, looked up at the director''s voice with a


    frown. "Hmm?"


    "I was thinking, you and Danielle share a certain resemnce. Could you possibly..."


    "No."


    Cicely cut him off. Comparing her to Danielle? Ridiculous.


    The director, caught off-guard, tried again, "I''ll pay, of course."


    Cicely raised an eyebrow, "I''m afraid of heights."


    "I''ll double your fee."


    "I get dizzy with harnesses."


    "Try to get past it, and I''ll triple it."


    "I don''t do well with water."


    The director gritted his teeth, "I''ll pay five times the usual rate."


    Cicely, begrudgingly, relented, "Fine, let''s give it a go." For her son''s sake, she''d do anything.


    Danielle sneered internally. Who would have thought that Cicely, the once untouchable Princess of


    P City, who nevercked anything—especially money—would stoop so low for cash?


    To be her stand-in? Ha.


    Charlie, who had been hiding outside, panicked when he heard Cicely was going to be Danielle''s


    stand-in for a cliff diving scene. He quickly dialed Seth''s number.


    Since the stand-in didn''t need to show her face, Cicely just changed into a costume, no makeup


    required. The quality of the stand-in''s outfit was naturally not as fine as Danielle''s, but on Cicely, it


    looked just as good, if not better.


    Though their figures were simr, Cicely''s proportions seemed more perfect, and she appeared


    taller and more graceful than Danielle.


    Crysti couldn''t help but exim, "If you were an actress, talent agencies would be fighting over


    you."


    "I can''t act." Cicely disliked the costume, frowning as she adjusted the bothersome garment.


    "With your looks and figure, who needs acting skills? Just be a stunning showpiece, and you''d


    shake up the entire entertainment industry. Luxury brand endorsements would be yours for the


    taking."


    Cicely''s eyebrows perked, "And how much would those endorsements be?"


    "For someone of your caliber? Tens of millions to start?"


    Cicely blinked thoughtfully. It’s indeed tempting.


    By the time Cicely was ready for the harness, Danielle still hadn''t changed or removed her makeup


    and was sitting under a parasol, getting her wounds dressed by two assistants.


    Danielle''s gaze followed Cicely to the rigging, watching the safety crew buckle her in and ensure her


    security. Although her leg was aching, the thought of seeing Cicely plummeting off the cliff into the


    water was somewhat satisfying. Such scenes required multiple shots for dramatic effect, meaning


    they wouldn''t be done in one take.


    Once Cicely was secured in the harness and had tested it a couple of times, she found the


    sensation oddly intriguing. It felt not too bad.


    As she approached the edge of the cliff, she looked down and suddenly realized that this money


    was not so easy to earn.


    N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    Just as Cicely mentally prepared herself to jump several times, the director approached with a


    phone in hand and a look of defeat. "Never mind, you don''t need to do this."


    Cicely was bbergasted. "Is this a joke?"


    The director gave a wry smile, "As if I''d dare."


    "Then let''s shoot."


    Cicely wasn''t having it, her agreement to be the stand-in hadn''te easily.


    "It''s too dangerous."


    "What about the money?"


    The director hesitated, then said by reflex, "Well, if we''re not shooting, naturally..."


    Five times the stand-in fee could easily reach a small fortune. Why waste it?


    "No way, we need to shoot."


    Upon hearing the money might be lost, Cicely clenched her teeth and refused to back down.


    The director never anticipated Cicely would be so difficult to deal with. Who could justify such an


    unexpected expense?


    Sensing a possible change in ns, Danielle bit her lip and intervened, "Since it''s for my scene, the


    payment shoulde from me. This scene is crucial, and I''m willing to put in a little extra."


    The director was nursing a serious headache. "It''s not about the money..."


    It all started when Mr. Diaz''s assistant had called, making it crystal clear that Ms. Cicely was not to


    act. The assistant''s word was as good as Mr. Diaz''s, wasn''t it? How could he possibly go against


    that?


    But Cicely wasn''t the type to back down easily.


    Charlie, who had been watching the director''s stubborn debacle from a distance, was fuming. He


    couldn''t stand it any longer and marched right over. "Ms. Cicely," he began, his voiceced with a


    mix of desperation and exasperation, "I am willing to offer you ten times the paycheck, so would you


    mind stepping down from the wire rig, please?"