Charles said, "Can you answer the call for me? I'm too busy to pick up."
After he instructed Freddie, Charles entered the recording area, greeting the host and audience warmly. He exchanged a few words with several fellow actors he was acquainted with.
Having appeared on various variety shows and shared sets, the group had developed a natural camaraderie. They all knew how to navigate these interactions effortlessly.
The program team had also provided scripts and prompts in advance. As long as the celebrities delivered a few buzzworthy lines to generate headlines and boost their trending status, that would suffice.
After sitting down, Charles couldn't shake the feeling of nervousness. His heart raced, and his thoughts felt scattered.
This was a live broadcast, and the recording was set to last three hours. Yet his mind kept drifting to the phone he had handed Freddie earlier. Who had called him so urgently?
He couldn't leave the recording site, but when the camera wasn't focused on him, he stole a glance toward the audience. Freddie, who should have been seated there, was conspicuously absent.
"Is something on your mind? Or do you think today's scripts aren't up to your standards?" a male actor, Drogo Snee, asked. He was seated next to Charles.
It was then that Charles realized who was sitting beside him. They had worked together on a recent project, though they didn't have many scenes together and weren't particularly close.
He gave a polite smile. "The scripts are fine. I'm just thinking about which one I can pick."
"Haha, same here. I've been wondering which one I'll get to perform," Drogo replied with a chuckle.
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