Chapter 98: Taking Control of the Situation

After hearing this news, William Foster relaxed a little, but he quickly raised another question. "Is the situation with the lead actor clear?" His tone carried a deep-seated sense of distrust, as if he harbored suspicion towards anyone approaching Clara Bennett. Sam Clarke adjusted the glasses on his nose, trying to conceal a bit of inner unease, then calmly said: "It’s clear. The lead actor’s name is George Taylor, he’s twenty-eight years old, and graduated from a renowned art school. From the information gathered so far, his lifestyle seems quite clean, with no bad records or scandals found. He should be considered a decent young man." This statement was as objective and fair as possible, but it clearly still couldn’t completely dispel William Foster’s doubts. Upon hearing this, William Foster coldly stared at Sam Clarke with a low but firm voice: "What does he look like?" He only asked this simple question, yet it revealed a hidden emotional fluctuation, as if he was suppressing a kind of unspeakable anger. Sam Clarke hesitated for a second, then pulled out a photo from the folder and handed it over, cautiously explaining: "This is the latest still I found, you may take a look." William Foster took the photo, glancing at it casually. It was a young handsome man, with regular features and a clean aura, exuding confidence in his demeanor, which indeed met the general aesthetic. But William Foster’s expression immediately turned a shade darker, he lifted his head and looked Sam Clarke in the eye, his tone slightly through gritting teeth: "Who do you think is more handsome, him or me?" Hearing this, Sam Clarke couldn’t help but inwardly retort: My goodness, what’s with the boss coming up with this question all of a sudden? This is too difficult, isn’t it! Could it be that he’s indirectly worried about the Young Madam being attracted to the other party? Of course, he couldn’t say that aloud, so Sam Clarke hurried to maintain outward composure, pretending to ponder for a moment, then gravely said: "There’s no comparison at all... the gap between the two is like heaven and earth! If we really had to compare looks, even one of Mr. William Foster’s eyelashes is probably more pleasing than that George Taylor." Hearing such skillful flattery, William Foster’s expression noticeably softened, and he even had a slight smile on his lips. He nodded with satisfaction, then continued to inquire: "So what about the script? Is there any new information regarding the Young Madam’s role and the subsequent arrangements?" At this point, he had somewhat calmed down, but still couldn’t help but be concerned about the upcoming details, hoping to fully control the situation. Sam Clarke explained: "Currently, we only have an outline of the plot because Director Ethan Smith insists on secrecy, the complete script is temporarily kept with the screenwriter, and we can’t get the detailed content." Sam Clarke calmly and composedly said: "Right now, we only have the general framework and direction of the plot, specific details have not been disclosed. This is because Director Ethan Smith consistently maintains strict confidentiality principles. To prevent spoilers from affecting subsequent promotional efforts, he requires all contents to be tightly controlled. Therefore, the complete script is temporarily kept with the screenwriter. They guard it very closely, and we don’t have the authority to obtain detailed content." William Foster remained expressionless, saying coldly: "Tonight, I want to see all the dialogue content of the interaction between the male and female leads." William Foster was still in that cold and distant manner, his eyes so indifferent as if there were no emotional fluctuations. His voice was low yet carried an undeniable force: "I don’t care what method you use, or how long it takes, by tonight, all the dialogue of the interactions between the male and female leads must be delivered to me in full. Don’t find excuses to shirk, and don’t try to test my patience." Sam Clarke: "..." Sam Clarke was momentarily speechless, facing William Foster’s sharp gaze and strong attitude, she found it somewhat difficult to handle. Her throat felt like something was stuck in it, unable to utter a single word. Sam Clarke: "Then I will arrange for someone to sneak and get it." After a few seconds of silence, Sam Clarke sighed helplessly, eventually compromising. She rubbed her temples, muttering under her breath: "Really can’t handle you." Then lifting her head, she said to William Foster, "Please wait a moment, Mr. William Foster, I’ll contact some reliable people right away, and find ways to bring over these materials surreptitiously. However, it’s best not to let others know about this issue; otherwise, it might affect the normal progress of the crew." "How could you call it theft?" Just after Sam Clarke said the word "theft," she immediately felt something was off and hurriedly gestured to clarify: "Oh, wait! Mr. William Foster, these words shouldn’t be used carelessly. I just meant to ’quietly’ operate, not in the literal sense of stealing. After all, it’s just a file within the crew, it doesn’t pertain to any illegality or violation." William Foster disdainfully supported his head with his hand, "This show is funded by my own investment, my wife is the female lead, as her man, I naturally have the right to know about the matters in the play. I just don’t want to trouble the director and screenwriter, just to review the script early. If there’s something in the end that can’t pass censorship, wouldn’t that waste time and resources?" After hearing Sam Clarke’s words, William Foster slightly curled his lips, showing a somewhat mocking smile. He supported his chin with one hand, lazily leaning against the back of the sofa with a casual yet undeniable tone: "Okay, no need to explain further. What you should understand is that this TV drama itself is shot at my expense. Every investment comes from my personal funds, one could say this project is entirely under my control." "Moreover, you also know, my wife is the lead female role, meaning the leading position belongs to her alone. Regarding such an important character’s development path, as well as the interaction with other actors, being her husband and also the producer, it’s perfectly reasonable for me to know about this information in advance. This is purely to avoid the need to revise later if issues arise. If problems that fail to pass censorship are discovered after the film is finished, wouldn’t that be even more taxing and costly? Instead of such trouble, it’s more prudent to check the content early on." Listening to William Foster’s reasoning, it was fortunate that Sam Clarke had some understanding of the law, otherwise, she might have almost been persuaded. In fact, after hearing this seemingly logical argument, Sam Clarke deep down even felt a slight sense of agreement. Thankfully, years of experience in the entertainment industry gave her some understanding of the relevant laws and regulations. Therefore, despite externally nodding in agreement, her heart remained sufficiently alert and clear: How grand these reasons sounded! If someone else heard this logic-filled statement, they’d probably have been completely brainwashed by now. As expected, Mr. William Foster is still Mr. William Foster, arguing with such extraordinary justification, it sounds particularly reasonable.