Chapter 182
Noticing Suzanne’s speed, Herman lowered his expectations; she was probably just skimming, not actually absorbing the plot. The others didn’t interrupt her and instead continued their conversation over drinks. Before anyone realized it, an hour had passed.
Suzanne placed the last script, then reached for the one she had set aside earlier and slid it toward Herman. Lifting her gaze, she spoke with quiet certainty.
“Zory is a talented actress. She’s striking but not overly seductive. She has an elegant, refined presence. While fantasy dramas are all the rage now, she isn’t suited for those ethereal roles. Matching the actor to the script is crucial.”
Herman stared at her, momentarily stunned. She had actually analyzed all that in such a short time.
She continued, “Besides, this script is centered around a strong female lead. The heroine isn’t tragic but someone bright, courageous, and full of wit—even humor. That’s exactly the kind of character today’s audiences love!”
While her reasoning was solid, it wasn’t groundbreaking. Herman was already considering how to steer the conversation elsewhere when Suzanne suddenly added, “And there’s one more important thing—Zory needs to take this role.”
Everyone hummed, puzzled.
“What do you mean?” Herman asked.
Surene remained calm as she explained. “Zoey may be at the top of the industry now, but she hasn’t had a single breakout hit in historical dramas. If this succeeds, it’ll solidify her position, and no one will be able to challenge her.”
She couldn’t suppress the urge to talk about this great script with Marsha. For a moment, Herman was taken aback. Suzanne hadn’t just assessed the script’s fit but also considered Zoey’s long-term career strategy. His initial indifference vanished. Straightening up, he nodded. “Alright, let me think about it.”
Suzanne glanced at him and casually remarked, “I heard that Zoey’s manager has another artist under his wing—his own daughter, actually. He hasn’t been as dedicated to Zoey’s career lately. Maybe it’s time to find someone new.”
Herman’s eyes flickered with surprise. “You sure know a lot, Suzanne.”
For a split second, Suzanne’s smile faltered. Of course, she knew. For years, she had meticulously chosen scripts for Jenson, carefully selecting every co-star he worked with to ensure his career thrived. But she quickly pulled herself out of her thoughts and let out a light laugh. “I have a close friend who’s a director in the industry. I keep up with the news because of her.”
“A close friend?” Charmaised bowed, suddenly recalling the fierce woman he had run into at the hospital awhile back. He twitched at the memory and decided not to dwell on the topic. Instead, he turned to Austin and grinned. “Austin, it’s rare for you to treat us. After this, let’s hit up another place!”
Austin shot a disinterested look. “One place isn’t enough for you?”
Herman, however, was no longer paying attention to their banter. He was already flipping through the script. The others continued chatting until Herman slammed his palm against the table, startling everyone. His eyes gleamed with excitement as he exclaimed, “This is it! This one’s going to be huge!”
The group was caught off guard by his sudden declaration. Herman was usually the most level-headed among them—aside from Austin—so for him to react so strongly, the script had to be extraordinary. Setting the script down, he beamed in exhilaration. “Suzanne, your eye for this is incredible!”
Their company had spent half a month searching for the right script, yet she had spotted the perfect one in just an hour. Suzanne, unfazed, waved off the praise. “I just got lucky. This happened to be in the pile.”
Herman, however, shook his head. “No, this wasn’t luck—it was your insight.” Others had scanned this script before, but no one had recognized its true brilliance. He had gone through her annotations as she read. Every highlighted part was packed with…
“That wasn’t something luck could explain.”
Just then, Suzanne’s phone rang…
Chapter 183