"...I'm not stuffed."
"Oh? Really?" Scott zipped up the backpack again.
He never quite understood Maya Monroe's temperament; she was often capricious and demanding, capable of doing anything on a whim.
Maya used to have quite a few assistants, but due to her tendency to be harsh with them, constantly coming up with tricky tasks, they were quickly replaced. Scott, with his high tolerance and honest nature, ended up sticking around to handle chores for her.
Maya's temperament, though less unruly than before, was still as unpredictable as ever.
Regarding this audition, Scott's thoughts were similar to most people's; he believed Maya probably had to pull a few strings to get selected, considering Shane Morgan wasn't easy to convince.
*
"Wandering Beyond the Horizon" is adapted from Diana Roth's fantasy work of the same name, which is hugely popular online, with related anime and manga achieving impressive success.
Many original fans are closely following the production of "Wandering Beyond the Horizon," especially since it's helmed by the renowned director Shane Morgan, with Leo Lancaster confirmed to play the lead role. The project's enormous initial investment and years of preparation have attracted significant social attention, as did the recent auditions.
Since the entertainment gossip account "Entertainment First Line Leaker" disclosed the main cast list of "Wandering Beyond the Horizon," several other gossip accounts continued to spill details and released relevant videos.
Many Twitter users were shocked to see Maya Monroe cast as the second female lead "Luna," even questioning the authenticity of the leaks.
Who doesn't know Shane Morgan is strict and principled? How could he let Maya Monroe, this rotten shrimp, play the second female lead!
Soon, the official account of the "Wandering Beyond the Horizon" production team and director Shane Morgan confirmed the credibility of the prior announcements.
Wandering Beyond the Horizon TV v: A righteous youth, with sword in hand, travels the world! @Leo Lancaster @Fairy Kiki Monroe @Maya Monroe Loves Food @Lynn Hayes
Shane Morgan v: Looking forward to upcoming collaborations (handshake) @Leo Lancaster @Fairy Kiki Monroe @Maya Monroe Loves Food @Lynn Hayes
This undoubtedly stirred a huge uproar.
Choosing the rookie Kiki Monroe as the female lead in such a major production was also widely criticized, but her previous TV appearances received good reviews. Especially with Maya Monroe, the acting amateur, securing the role through the audition, this seemed insignificant.
All arrows pointed directly at "dirty-profile artist" Maya Monroe.
Maya Monroe's comment section was in chaos, and even directory Shane Morgan wasn't spared.
[TinyGem: Director Morgan, I used to have such high hopes for this drama! How can you let down us original fans?]
[Concubine: I'll say it again! I won't watch anything with Maya Monroe!!!]
[Sharp Claws: Was it really through the audition? Since when did Shane Morgan, known as the clear stream in entertainment, fall to this level?]
[Deer: With Maya Monroe as the blunder, even Leo Lancaster can't salvage it. Not sure if the production team has gone crazy, maybe they used up all the initial investment which led to this bad move! Capital is powerful!]
...
Shane Morgan, being someone experienced in many battles, merely added a post in response.
Shane Morgan v: I have a clear conscience. I stand by my words!
Maya Monroe was lounging on the sofa, eating an apple, wrapped in a fluffy pajama that made her feel as cozy as being soaked in warm water.
Her phone kept pinging with notifications, but Maya Monroe couldn't be bothered and muted it directly.
The large screen was showing a food channel, with two chefs swiftly handling ingredients with their knives.
Aside from the sound of chopping, there was the sizzling sound of oil.
Maya subconsciously swallowed.
She wondered what unique sauce Chef Liu added; how could it instantly become so shiny and tempting...
Compared to surviving on a deserted island in the previous world, this world felt like paradise island.
Maya planned to try some cuisine tomorrow, with Ian Rowe being generous about her daily expenses; she now considered herself quite affluent.
Her phone vibrated.
Maya saw it was Ryan Spencer calling, thought for a moment, and answered.
Ryan Spencer's voice was hurried:
"Maya! Your Twitter private messages must have exploded, don't worry about them now, I'll take care of it. Do you know what's most important for you right now?"
Maya took a bite of her apple, barely understanding what he was talking about.
Her voice was somewhat mumbled: "What?"
"What you should do now is stay at home, don't act rashly, do not respond to any comments, it's not a big deal. In this critical moment, just sit tight, I'll arrange a team to handle it!"
"Got it? Don't respond to any comments!"
Ryan Spencer emphasized once more.
Maya Monroe had little intelligence or emotional intelligence; her usual replies only escalated the situation, making manageable matters heat up.
Maya Monroe's numerous unshakeable bad reputation was not unrelated to her actions.
"...Okay."
Maya replied and hung up, then opened Twitter.
Oh, it's about the casting thing.
The previous actress's poor acting triggered quite a backlash when cast as the second female lead.
Maya Monroe's comment section was full of insults, as were her private messages.
In a scenario that couldn't be worse for ordinary people, Maya Monroe smiled.
The long-suppressed feelings seemed to be released at this moment; Maya Monroe felt a renewed sense of control.
An opposing the lead character in performing roles shouldn't have occurred! This development is finally on track!
If not loathed and cursed, is it still an antagonist's life!? Being loved is the protagonist's business, while antagonists like her should undeniably be disliked, paving the way for the protagonist!
These netizens were too good!!
Shane Morgan better just replace her, that would be ideal.
Seeing Kiki Monroe confirmed as the female lead "Ashley Shaw," Maya couldn't help but internally give Kiki a thumbs up.
Kiki Monroe, true to being a protagonist, even if losing the second female lead role by mishap, still secured the better role of the female lead through other means.
As for other methods, Maya couldn't care less to think about, linked to the protagonist's halo anyway.
Maya sighed in relief, then picked up a fresh-squeezed orange juice from the table and took a sip. Feeling blissful, she thought its taste was indescribably wonderful, far surpassing before.
Recalling Ryan Spencer's reminder, Maya raised her brow, with a hint of smile appearing in her peach blossom eyes.
She started typing directly on the keyboard.