Clarissa had felt better about the casting of the male lead since the incident had passed. However, she was unaware that Matthew was still attempting to reverse her decision of the male lead’s casting.
Thankfully, the official announcement did not report this incident. If they ever decide to recast the male lead, the reaction that it would provoke might be catastrophic.
Clarissa had begun casting the other roles with Justin. As for the court case regarding the assistant director, not a word had come up after the matter had been resolved with a settlement offer.
It was a big burden off her shoulders to have finally put the matter to rest.
They had decided to cast a young actress for the role of the female lead. There were some hotshots who had put in their resumes to the manager and the studio, but none of them was deemed suitable for the role by Clarissa.
Truth be told, her expectations were high as the role was a reflection of herself. As she had absolute authority over the entire project, she was determined to select the leading actress with great care.
Due to the absence of pressure from the investors, Clarissa had complete creative freedom in every aspect. As a result, things became much simpler to manage.
The actors she had picked were not only young and good-looking, but they were also skillful and accommodating as well.
Justin had teased Clarissa during the casting process for her ridiculously high demands. By imposing such high standards onto the actresses who would be playing her, she would have to struggle to live up to them.
Clarissa gave it a thought and couldn’t help agreeing with him.
“Actually,” Justin added. “You’re a very beautiful and capable woman, Clarissa. You’d be hard-pressed to find a girl like you.”
With such generous praise upon her, Clarissa’s heart fluttered with delight.
Back at home, she showed Matthew headshots of the actresses who had auditioned that day.
Perhaps Matthew would have some insight into the kind of a woman I am.
Matthew was lost in thought as he browsed through the headshots of the actresses.
Clarissa stood hovering over him, glancing nervously over his shoulder. “Which one do you like?” she asked as she clutched his arm.
Matthew frowned. His long fingers tapped on the stack of headshots before him as he turned to look at Clarissa with a strange look in his eyes.
Clarissa blinked confusedly. “Why are you looking at me like that?” she asked, flustered. “Are any of these actresses not good enough? I’ve gone through them myself and find them acceptable. Of course, there aren’t many who are as perfect as I am.”
She did not seem abashed at praising herself. Rather, she smiled mischievously, displaying a perfect set of teeth.
Matthew couldn’t help smiling himself. Stroking her cheek with a long finger, he said, “Clare, I’m afraid that I wouldn’t be of much help in choosing the actress that would be playing my wife. In my opinion, nobody in the world could measure up to you. The decision to select who to play you would be your own call to make.”
Clarissa was mollified. She blushed as she smiled somewhat shyly, but the sparkle of joy in her eyes revealed how much his praise had pleased her.
Clarissa was fond of hearing affirmations of her value from her husband, as was the nature of married women.
She threw herself into his arms in affection as he received her embrace.
With a chuckle, Matthew kissed Clarissa on the forehead as he wrapped his arms around her waist to lift her up and gazed upon her face affectionately.
“You seem awfully happy!” Matthew commented.
Clarissa did not express her joy verbally but her actions were more than sufficient to prove it.
It would only stoke his ego if I told him how much his words had pleased me.
Content with merely pouting, she ran a finger over his thick and masculine eyebrows. “I thought you would be offering some constructive criticism instead of sweet-talking me like that,” she chastised in feigned annoyance. “I’m serious. We need to cast an appropriate actress for the role, or I’ll be forced to play myself.”
Matthew laughed. “That could work. I could play myself too, as your husband. As the male and female leads of your film, it couldn’t get more authentic than that.”
Clarissa shook her head. “I wouldn’t want you to be the male lead.”
“Why not?” Matthew demanded, his eyes glinted dangerously for an instant as he held her chin. “Am I not suitable for the role? Is Ryler a better fit than I am?”
He’s jealous again, Clarissa thought resignedly, though the smile on her face remained.
“All right, we’ve established that neither of us could play ourselves. I won’t be asking for your opinion anymore. I’ll make the decisions myself.”
At that, Clarissa freed herself from Matthew’s arms and gathered up the stack of headshots. Mumbling softly to herself, she vocalized her thought process as a means to think clearly.
“I’ve seen her in a play before. She’s pretty professional, but not too good in other aspects…”
“Hmm, good acting skills, but looks a bit plain…”
“This one… Ah!” Clarissa gave a little scream as Matthew grabbed hold of her from behind as they both fell backward.
Her exclamation of surprise was promptly stifled with Matthew’s lips as they pressed up against hers. The next instant, she was drunk on the spell of Matthew’s kiss.
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