A Night of Desire-Chapter 146: Another Incident

After Director Keane finished his speech, it was time for the traditional incense-offering ceremony to kick off filming.

An offering table had already been set up, laden with tributes, incense, and candles. It held several vases filled with fresh flowers and a few incense burners. A basket to the side contained a large bundle of high-quality incense sticks.

Director Keane took the lead. He walked over to the basket, picked up three sticks of incense, and lit them from a candle. He was followed by the screenwriter, then the male and female leads, Miles Quinn and Faye Jennings...

Everyone formed a line and moved forward in an orderly fashion to take an incense stick, light it, and then return to their places.

Clara Grant was already standing in the back row. Now, she was second to last in line, with the girl who had been so hostile toward her right at the very end.

Clara shuffled forward with the line. Just as she neared the offering table, the girl suddenly took a large stride, cutting in front of her and jostling her with an elbow in the process.

Clara stumbled back a couple of steps, looking rather pathetic. Fortunately, now that she was last in line, no one seemed to notice her predicament.

Clara stared at the girl’s back, growing more baffled by the second. ’This is the first time we’ve ever met. We have no history, no grudge between us. Why is she so hostile and unhappy with me?’

’Could it be...’

Suddenly, a thought struck Clara. ’Could this girl be the actress who was originally cast to play Tina?’

’If that’s the case,’ Clara thought, ’then it all makes sense. After all, the role was already hers—contract signed and everything. Then I came out of nowhere and snatched it away, forcing her to take a much smaller supporting part.’

’Even though the recasting wasn’t my decision, I’m still indirectly responsible. To her, it must look like I stole her part.’

’If I were in her shoes and had a role that was already mine suddenly given to someone else, I’d be upset too.’

’So, it’s perfectly understandable that she resents me, is unfriendly, and wants to blow off some steam.’

So, Clara simply pressed her lips together, rubbed her bruised arm, and stood quietly behind the other girl.

Clara and the other girl were the last two to offer incense. When Clara reached the basket, only three sticks remained.

The other girl had already taken her incense. She glanced back at Clara, the corner of her mouth curling into a sneer. Clara, however, remained perfectly calm. She avoided the girl’s gaze, composedly took the incense from the basket, walked to the offering table to light it, and then returned to her spot.

She deliberately stood farther away from the other girl and closer to Holly Summers.

Standing at the very front, Director Keane led everyone as they held up their incense and bowed three times in reverence. He then placed his sticks into an incense burner on the offering table.

As the people ahead of them went to place their incense in the burners, Clara discreetly tugged on Holly Summers’s sleeve. Glancing toward the other girl, she whispered, "Who is she?"

Holly Summers caught her meaning and lowered her voice even further. "Her name is Sandra. The role of Tina was originally supposed to be hers, but then they cast you instead..."

’So I was right.’

"She hasn’t been giving you a hard time, has she? You should be careful," Holly Summers added with concern, glancing over at Sandra.

Clara nodded gratefully. "Don’t worry, I’m fine."

Clara was the last to place her incense. Just as she was about to insert the sticks into the burner, one of the three in her hand suddenly snapped. The broken piece, its tip still glowing red, fell to the ground.

Before she could even react, the other two sticks in her hand snapped as well, clattering to the ground one after the other.