When Love is a Question Mark
Chapter 120: Whispers and secrets

Chapter 120: Whispers and secrets

Trish had just wrapped up a rehearsal when she overheard snippets of a conversation that made her heart skip a beat. A couple of junior staff members from the marketing department were leaning against the vending machine, whispering about the new movie project everyone was buzzing about.

"Have you heard?" the first one said, his voice a hushed murmur. "They’re planning to cast that new girl in the lead role."

"What?" Trish felt her hands clench around her phone. Her company had never assigned roles without auditions. It was an ironclad rule—everyone, veteran or newcomer, had to fight for their place. That principle was what made Lopez Digital Studios respected and loved. They gave everyone a fair shot.

The second staff member widened his eyes. "Seriously? But that’s not how things work here. Even Ryan Kim and Julian Perez, who are popular actors, would have to audition if they wanted a role."

The first one nodded solemnly. "I know, but apparently, this girl has connections. She’s been seen with the chairman."

Trish didn’t wait to hear more. Her mind spun, a storm of disbelief and indignation swirling in her chest. Was this really happening? This couldn’t be true. If roles were being handed out based on connections, then the company she loved was no better than the other shady firms she’d struggled through.

Trish’s memories raced back to a painful moment from her past. She remembered the sting of being cast aside from a film after shooting for days, all because some other actress with connections wanted the role. She had promised herself never to let that happen again, especially not here, not in this company.

There was no way she was going to stand by and watch this happen. But what could she do? If she confronted someone directly, she’d risk her reputation. Still, there had to be a way to force the company to address this without making herself a target.

Then an idea came to her, a desperate and risky idea.

---

Within the day, whispers spread through the studio like wildfire. Trish had subtly shared the rumor with a few colleagues, knowing the rest would take care of itself. Gossip was frowned upon at Lopez Digital Studios, but she had counted on that. If word of unfair favoritism reached management, they would have no choice but to address it.

"Did you hear?" a makeup artist whispered to an intern. "They might have given a lead role to someone without an audition."

"No way," the intern replied, her face scrunched up in disbelief. "That goes against everything this company stands for."

Trish’s stomach twisted with guilt. She knew starting rumors was wrong, but her intentions felt justified. She needed to protect the fairness she believed in. And soon enough, her plan started to work. The company couldn’t ignore the mounting gossip.

---

Later that day, Trish found herself near the administrative office. She didn’t mean to eavesdrop, but Marcos’s stern voice was unmistakable.

"Listen," he warned, his tone icy, "we don’t tolerate gossip here. If we find out who started this rumor, they’ll face serious consequences."

The person he spoke to was the junior marketing staffer who had first told her about the rumor. The young man’s face flushed with panic. "I swear, Marcos, I didn’t mean for it to spread! I only mentioned it because I thought something was off."

Marcos leaned in closer, his voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. "Be careful. We have eyes and ears everywhere. This is your only warning."

Trish’s throat tightened. Her heart pounded as she quietly stepped away, hoping no one would see her. Guilt gnawed at her. It wasn’t the young man’s fault—she had been the one who spread the rumor. But at least now, she knew the company hadn’t played dirty. They still valued fairness, even if it meant cracking down on the gossip she had started.

But one question still lingered in her mind: Who was the new girl? And why was she walking beside the chairman, someone who never escorted new recruits?

Trish’s curiosity burned, but she knew she had to be careful. She couldn’t afford another mistake. But one thing was certain—she loved Lopez Digital Studios too much to watch it become like the other companies she had endured.

Trish’s curiosity about the new girl only grew stronger as the days went by. She couldn’t shake off the nagging feeling that something wasn’t right. Lopez Digital Studios was a company built on integrity, and she had always trusted that their processes were fair. But that girl’s sudden appearance, without any formal announcement or introduction, had her questioning everything.

One lunchtime, Trish was in the lobby when she saw something that made her heart race. That girl, the mysterious new recruit, was receiving a package from one of the staff. It wasn’t unusual for the company to get deliveries, but it was strictly forbidden for employees to receive packages in the lobby. Everyone knew the rules. Yet here was the girl, standing there as if she were above them, signing for something with a calm, confident smile.

Trish watched from the corner of her eye, her stomach sinking. Why was she allowed this special treatment? Was she being treated differently because she had some sort of privilege? The more Trish thought about it, the more anxious she became. Why was the company breaking its own rules for her?

---

After some days, there was an announcement for a voice rehearsal for the new movie project that was causing so much excitement. Trish was among the cast members who had been selected for the project, and she couldn’t help but feel a mix of nerves and anticipation. But when she entered the rehearsal room, the chatter around her quickly died down as the staff and crew began to gather.

She sat down and tried to focus, but her thoughts kept wandering back to the girl. Was she involved in the movie too? She had to be. After all, she was everywhere now, always at the company, always popping up when least expected.

And then it happened.

One of the production crew members introduced her with a clear, authoritative voice. "Everyone, please welcome Zinnia, our assistant director for this project."