After I Stopped Loving Him (Isabella and Ethan) novel Chapter 324

“I caught a bit of Isabella’s series,” Frank said, grinning. “The director and actors, they’re all people I sent over. So of course I managed to sneak a look. It’s really impressive. Isabella’s not shy about spending money, and she’s got some serious standards. The production is top-notch, the story moves fast, and there are so many twists. Honestly, even if I never recommended it to anyone, I think her show would blow up on its own.”

After he watched the first cut, Frank couldn’t help but notice Isabella’s natural talent. She really had a knack for this, and he was starting to wonder if short-form dramas might just be the next big thing. If this market took off, it could even start to threaten the long series he’d invested in.

Frank figured he’d wait and see how Isabella’s first show did once it went live. If she turned a profit, he’d set up a whole department for short dramas and start investing too. He already managed the entertainment branch at The Adams Group, so when it came to money and resources, he was way ahead of Isabella. She was still relying on Ethan to bankroll her, and while she’d pulled in a couple of other investors, their contributions were pretty small.

Frank kept all this to himself. He didn’t want Ethan, in some sudden rush of husbandly love, to demand Frank hand over the business or the profits. Sure, Frank was in charge of the entertainment division, but performance still mattered. Every quarter, he had to march into Ethan’s office and report his numbers. If things didn’t add up, Ethan would chew him out without a second thought.

“That kind of short video, even if it goes viral, isn’t going to make much money,” Ethan said, sounding bored. “Isabella just doesn’t want to sit around at home, and she really enjoys making these shows. So I let her do her thing. I don’t care if it’s profitable or not. What matters is that she’s happy.”

As long as Isabella had something to focus on, she wouldn’t have time to overthink things. Ethan just wished she wasn’t so wrapped up that she started forgetting about him. Lately, her whole world revolved around her series and her career. She’d even stopped coming back to The Lane Estate, despite promising she’d visit more often. It felt like forever since she’d been home.

But after what happened with Natalie’s miscarriage, Ethan couldn’t really complain about Isabella staying away. Right now, it was probably best if everyone kept their distance from The Lane Estate.

Everyone in the studio was silently hoping for a win, but no one was more anxious than Isabella. In her last life, this industry had a brief moment in the spotlight before competition got fierce and only the big companies really made money. Later, as more authors adapted their novels, some writers managed to cash in on copyright fees and revenue shares. Now, Isabella had been given a second chance just as the short drama scene was about to explode.

She’d jumped at the opportunity, putting up with Ethan’s conditions just to get the funding she needed. She used her status as Mrs. Adams to network with CEOs and make things easier for her new business. All of it was so she could ride the wave and grab her share of the short drama boom.

The success or failure of this first series was everything. The whole team’s morale depended on it. They already had several more shows shot and in post-production, just waiting for their turn to go live.