Knock knock.
The sound of knocking broke the heavy, drowsy air in the apartment. Goosebumps shot up across everyone's backs, spreading like wildfire. Their bodies froze in place.
Who is it?
Who would be knocking at the door at this hour?
Could it be Anson and Kate?
No way! They knew the apartment door wasn't locked, and that everyone was waiting for them to return to the set to resume filming. The sooner they wrapped up, the sooner they could go home.
The neighbors next door?
They had been quiet for nearly twenty minutes—no noise, no disturbances. If the neighbors wanted to complain, now wouldn't be the time.
So, who else could it be?
Wait… could it be…
A flood of questions surged in their minds, jolting them awake. Everyone exchanged nervous glances, holding their breath, too scared to move.
All eyes turned to the apartment door. Involuntarily, they held their breath. No one dared make a move, as fear slowly crept through their veins. Their skin prickled as every hair stood on end.
Eeeek.
The door creaked open, and hearts began to race, pounding so hard they were about to explode. Some, too terrified, had already squeezed their eyes shut, curling up into tight balls.
A head popped in, floating eerily in the air like a ghost.
They held their breath.
"Director, could I trouble you to come out for a moment? I have some questions."
The ghostly figure spoke, its voice drifting like smoke in the quiet apartment, chilling their skin. Everyone's gaze shifted to Michelle.
Michelle froze, her chaotic mind struggling to catch up. Reflexively, she stuffed her cigarette back into the pack, frustrated and annoyed, before stepping outside.
The apartment returned to silence.
Everyone exchanged glances, their brains slowly starting to process what had just happened—
Wait, was that… Anson?
Anson?
It was just a false alarm! They had scared themselves silly, drenched in cold sweat. The whole supernatural nonsense was a bit ridiculous in hindsight.
But after a brief moment of relief, more questions piled on.
Why was Anson seeking out the director alone? Was Anson planning to quit the crew? Was he avoiding everyone to break the news privately?
And where was Kate? Why hadn't she shown up? Was she in danger? Or had she gone back already, leaving them all in the dark?
Speculation ran wild.
What was supposed to be a relief—seeing Anson finally show up—only intensified the tension and confusion.
What now?
Inside the apartment, more worried looks were exchanged.
The hushed whispers grew louder, impossible to suppress.
Even Grant, after a moment's hesitation, walked over to the window and looked down at the street.
In the dim light from the streetlamp, he could make out two figures leaving the apartment and joining a third person who had been waiting outside. The three walked a few steps and then slipped behind the bushes near the neighbors' door. He couldn't hear what they were saying, and the view was blurry.
Instead of easing his mind, this only made him more anxious.
"...What?"
In the night air, a faint voice, filled with shock and anger, could barely be heard. It was quickly muffled, and no further clues could be gathered.
Michelle covered her mouth, shock and confusion written all over her face.
For a split second, Michelle was frozen. Her brain short-circuited, and she didn't even realize she had covered her mouth and instinctively turned back to check the apartment, ensuring no one else was watching. These actions were purely reflexive. Then, she stared wide-eyed at Kate.
A jumble of thoughts swirled in her mind, but she couldn't react.
In the midst of her shock and confusion, Michelle struggled to reign in her spiraling thoughts.
"So, you're planning to quit the crew?"
Kate: ???
"Who should we find to replace you? Is it going to be Nicole Kidman? No, no, no, she probably wouldn't take on the role last minute, and her schedule is probably full. So, do we need to find a new lead actress?"
"What about the timing?"
"If we delay, we might not finish shooting this winter. Should we wait until next winter? Or move the shoot to a soundstage in Vancouver? No, no, we don't have the budget for that."
"Damn."
"Damn, damn, damn."
Michelle was immediately caught up in the logistics of the film's production.
For Michelle, she didn't care about who the father of Kate's child was, or Kate's current mental and physical state, or her acting career. None of that mattered to her. What concerned her was her own mess.
The movie! What about the movie?
Without a lead actress, the project was dead in the water.
Now that was the real disaster.
Michelle's thoughts spiraled as she muttered to herself, completely consumed by her worries about the film, with no time left to worry about Anson and Kate.
Kate's heart tightened painfully, her fingers and toes turning ice-cold.
She knew it!
This was exactly what Kate feared the most—being seen as a problem, someone to be discarded without a second thought. The opportunity she had worked so hard for, waited so long for, was slipping away just like that.
The thing she had dreaded and avoided was finally happening.
Damn it!
This was an utter disaster!
But instead of breaking down, Kate found herself growing calm.
That was Kate's nature—stubborn and determined. She wouldn't just accept her fate without a fight. She would give it her all, no matter the outcome, so at least she could say she didn't give up on herself.
This time was no different.
Michelle wasn't holding back, spewing frustration and anger, but Kate still managed to find her voice amid the storm.
"Director."
"Director!"
"Director, listen to me. It's not as bad as you think."
Kate finally managed to pull Michelle's attention back to her.
Michelle's eyes focused again, finally settling on Kate's face.
But Michelle was still furious. Anger flashed visibly in her eyes, like a raging storm ready to erupt. This enraged version of Michelle was a stranger to Kate.
"Heh, it's not that bad?"
"The only reason it's not a complete disaster yet is that we've only been filming for three days. Starting over won't waste too much time or film."
"I don't even know if I should be grateful that you took a pregnancy test this morning."
The more Michelle spoke, the angrier she became.
"Kate."
"Kate, Kate, Kate. How could you do this to me after I went to such lengths to make you the lead actress?"
"And this is what I get?"
"I can't believe it. My God, we're done. We're absolutely finished."
"No, no, no, we're not done. There has to be a way out."
Michelle was losing control. Her wild hair looked even crazier, like some kind of mad scientist. Her eyes were bloodshot, and it seemed like she was moments away from tearing Kate apart.
But this scene, in Anson's eyes, was somehow…
Amusing.
Inappropriately funny.
Anson knew it wasn't the right time, but a smile crept onto his face, and he couldn't hold it in.
Pfft.
Anson burst out laughing.