Her fork slipped from her hand, causing the food she held to clatter onto the table.

After a brief conversation, Effie's spirits dimmed. "Why is this happening?"

As the conversation drew to a close, Effie's mood plummeted unexpectedly. “Oh, alright, I understand."

Lilah noticed the change in Effie's complexion and, after Effie ended the phone call, expressed concern. "Effie, what's wrong? Why are you so upset?"

A knot of worry tightened in Effie's stomach. She forced a smile, its fragility betraying her. "“Lilah, I might have some bad news."

Lilah sensed the turmoil beneath the surface. "What bad news?"

Taking a deep breath, Effie replied, "Remember that female lead role I was so excited about? Apparently, it's not mine anymore."

The joy was short-lived, replaced by a bitter emptiness.

How infuriating!

“But... why?" Lilah frowned.

Effie shook her head, the confusion mirroring Lilah's. "I don't know either. My agent just called, saying they replaced me. No clue who they picked."

Gerard, drawn in by the conversation, offered, "Do you want me to help you get it back right now?"

Effie felt a wave of deflation. "No, thanks. They must have had a reason."

Lilah reached across the table, her touch a warm counterpoint to Effie's chill. “If you believe you can play this role well, then fight for it. Don't give up so easily.”

"But I..." Effie's confidence wavered.

Lilah interjected, "Effie, let me find a solution for you. I don't want you to give up without giving it your all. You'll regret it if you do. Just give it your best shot. If things don't go as planned, at least you won't have any regrets."

She then checked online and stumbled upon a fiery controversy surrounding Saul's decision to replace Effie with Tess for the lead role.

“How did the cast suddenly change? Wasn't Effie already picked for it before?"

“Effie is just a spoiled rich girl; how can she compare to Tess, who's a well-known figure in the entertainment industry? I actually think Tess is more suitable for the lead role than Effie."

"I don't agree with what you're saying. What's wrong with being born into wealth? Does being wealthy mean she can't work hard and excel in her career? How narrow-minded you are! You're simply biased against the wealthy! That's unfair!"

Upon reading these comments, Lilah gained a clearer understanding of the situation.

A spark of determination ignited in Effie's eyes. "Thank you, Lilah. I'll try my best," she whispered.

"Okay." Lilah smiled. "Now, let's get in touch with the director and see what we can achieve." She turned to Gerard, her voice firm. "Can you find me his contact information?"

"Sure." Gerard nodded.

A few minutes later, he provided Lilah with Saul's contact details.

Lilah wasted no time, dialing the number.

"Hello?" came his voice through the phone.

“Mr. Campbell, this is Lilah Phillips. I have a question for you,"

Lilah said, her voice tinged with suspense.

A beat of silence followed. "What is it?" he finally responded.

Lilah took a deep breath. “When you cast roles, Mr. Campbell, is it with the intention of creating a masterpiece, or simply generating buzz?"

Saul remained silent. Lilah continued, "Mr. Campbell, if your aim is to produce outstanding work and cast roles accordingly, then I must say that perhaps the decision to replace the female lead tonight was a mistake."