Animal Whisperer: Take Back My Life and Love Chapter 410: The Power Shift

"He personally put out the word and contacted everyone he knows in the industry. You’re being blacklisted!"

"That supporting role you spent months negotiating? The audition has been canceled effective immediately!"

At almost the exact same moment, Kevin received a similar call. His face turned a sickly shade of gray. A major production he was supposed to join had sent a polite but firm notice stating that the role had been reassigned. It was just a professional way of saying he was fired.

The two of them stood there clutching their phones, staring at each other in a daze.

"When the hell did we offend Director Donovan?" Kevin’s voice cracked with confusion.

Jenna’s eyes suddenly widened as a thought struck her. "Sicily... her last name is Donovan too. It couldn't be that much of a coincidence, could it?"

"Don't be ridiculous!" Kevin snapped back. "If she were Ramsay Donovan’s daughter, she wouldn't be out here wasting her time on some low-budget web drama. She’d be headlining blockbusters with the best representation money can buy!"

Their assistants were jumping with anxiety, urging them to move. "Stop guessing and get in the car! The media is already all over this. If we don't leave now, the reporters will have the airport locked down. We won't be able to leave at all!"

The Sanddune crew stopped what they were doing to watch the rival production scramble like a pack of stray dogs. The Dessert Route team looked less like a film crew and more like refugees fleeing a disaster.

"Tch. The flies finally buzzed off," a camera assistant muttered, shaking his head.

The script supervisor grinned. "I don't know, I didn't mind them that much. They did pay us double for our lost time, after all!"

"Exactly," the producer added, looking at his phone with a satisfied smirk. "Now their money is gone and their reputation is trashed. That entire project is going to rot. They should have thought twice before being so arrogant."

Sicily finished wiping down her lens and looked up with a sharp, knowing smile. "The best part is they just gave us a massive nationwide marketing campaign for free. This exposure is better than anything we could have bought."

She wasn't exaggerating. Online, the public discourse was exploding. Amid the tidal wave of boycotts against Dessert Route, a massive surge of support for Sanddune was rising.

"God, a drama starring Nancy and her army of adorable animals? Ever since I saw that Pallas’s cat get lost on the official account, I’ve been hooked!"

"With Nancy in charge, you know those animals are being treated like royalty."

"Are there really that many animals? Is the crew treating them okay?"

"Go watch Nancy’s latest vlog! The animals have their own trailers, on-site vets, and custom nutrition plans. They’re living better than I am. I’m literally crying!"

The standard of care for the animal actors sent the internet into a frenzy.

"This is a crew that actually respects animals. I’m supporting this 100%."

"Came for the drama, stayed for the animals. I’m obsessed!"

"Waiting for the release! I’ve already added it to my watchlist!"

While Dessert Route’s reputation was in a tailspin, the low-budget Sanddune had become a viral sensation before the first trailer even dropped.

The story was a desert adventure about a modern girl who can communicate with animals. She accidentally travels back a thousand years to the ancient Silk Road, where she uses her gift to navigate the desert, build a merchant empire, and happen to pick up a prince along the way.

It was a fresh concept that naturally appealed to animal lovers, and Nancy’s fan base was already a powerhouse of engagement. Her followers were pros at taking her livestreams and animal clips and turning them into viral edits. With the current scandal fueling the fire, the hype for the show began to snowball.

It was the kind of reach that tens of millions of dollars in advertising couldn't guarantee.

The Sanddune set was buzzing with energy. The sudden influx of traffic and public support had turned the atmosphere into a celebration.

In the middle of the excitement, Sicily’s assistant ran over holding a ringing phone with a look of pure disbelief. "Sicily, it’s Morten from Starlight Investments. He says that when he talked about pulling the funding this morning, he was just drunk and talking nonsense. He’s begging us to keep the partnership going."

Sicily didn't even blink. She had all the leverage now. She gave a dismissive shrug and delivered a single command.

"Tell him to get lost."

A confident smile played on her lips. "Tell him I have a new backer now. I don't need his pocket change."