My Actor Husband's True Face

Chapter 19

With a cheerful heart, Shannon followed Yolla, the smile on her lips impossible to hide. She thought, ‘So this is what it feels like to meet great people, everything just flows naturally.’

As they entered the elevator, her mood began to settle. Shannon remained quiet, asking no questions. Even though she didn't understand why she seemed to be prioritized over Katie, who had a certain standing in the industry. Even if Flynn hadn’t met Katie directly, surely she shouldn’t have been left waiting in the general lounge?

A superstar like her should at least be waiting in a more private, comfortable space.

"Miss Shannon, they didn’t bother you, did they?"

Yolla’s voice snapped her out of her thoughts. Shannon looked at the woman slightly confused at first, but then gave a small nod and replied, “Not really. Just a bit of a nuisance, but nothing harmful.”

“That’s good,” Yolla nodded, adjusting her glasses, her eyes seeming a little unreadable to Shannon.

The elevator doors opened, and Yolla stepped out first, followed by Shannon. They walked toward a room, and just before entering, Yolla explained, “Oh, Mr. Flynn is currently tied up. He asked me to bring you to the meeting room first.”

Shannon didn’t mind. Just as they entered the room, someone else arrived. Yolla greeted him and introduced Shannon to the man.

“Mr. Frederick, this is Miss Shannon, the artist and creator behind this adaptation project, and also its executive producer.”

Then, turning to Shannon, she continued, “Miss Shannon, this is Mr. Frederick, the showrunner for this project.”

Hearing the introduction, Shannon offered her hand in a polite handshake, but to her surprise, Frederick not only ignored the gesture, he didn’t even acknowledge her and simply gave Yolla a faint smile before walking to his seat.

Shannon pulled her hand back, the smile on her lips stiffening slightly.

Yolla, standing beside her, whispered, “Don’t take it personally. He just has a bit of a difficult personality.”

Shannon gave a small nod and chose to sit down instead of dwelling on the man’s attitude.

Not long after, Flynn arrived along with a few people who seemed to hold important roles in the project. One by one, they greeted Shannon, although not all of them were particularly warm, at least none of them ignored her completely.

The main purpose of this meeting was no longer about whether the adaptation would happen or not, that had already been decided. Shannon’s comic would be adapted.

But one thing still lingered in the air: Was Shannon truly fit to be the executive producer?

The meeting room was warm, yet tense. In front of her sat several people with significant influence over the project.

Shannon knew, today wasn’t about selling the story. It was about selling herself.

Flynn, seated at the end of the long wooden table cluttered with documents, laptops, and half-empty coffee cups, opened the conversation calmly.

“Shannon, you said you wanted to share a bit of your personal vision and direction for the project,” he said, turning to her.

Shannon nodded, then stood up. Even though her knees trembled slightly, her voice came out steady.

“I know you already believe in the material. But I want you to also believe in the bigger vision behind it. This comic isn’t just a personal story. It’s a reflection of youth, of unresolved relationships, and a kind of loss that can’t be put into words.”

“And I believe that translating it to the screen takes more than just technical expertise. It takes emotional experience. A sense of closeness.”

She paused for a moment, letting her eyes meet theirs, one by one.

“That’s why I want to be part of this team as an executive producer. Not to control everything, but to protect its soul.”

Some nodded slowly. A few took notes. Others stayed silent.

Flynn watched quietly. Mr. Cardoso, the director, crossed his arms and asked one or two questions about her long-term vision and collaboration plans.

Shannon responded confidently, adding ideas she had been developing long before this meeting ever took place. The atmosphere began to warm; the tension eased a little.

Then, Frederick, who had been silently observing with a relaxed expression, finally spoke up.

“Interesting,” he said slowly. “But being an executive producer isn’t just about ‘protecting the soul.’ It also means understanding numbers, building strategy, and managing crises. Are you sure you can handle all that? Or do you just want a title that sounds cool?”

The room fell into a silence even deeper than before. Shannon looked at Frederick, and the smile on her lips slowly faded.

Seeing the situation turning less than favorable for Shannon, Flynn was about to step in, hoping to ease the tension and save her from further awkwardness.

But unexpectedly, Shannon didn’t stay silent. Instead, she brought back her confident smile, her eyes lighting up with renewed energy.

“Good question,” she said calmly. “I won’t claim I’ve mastered all of that yet, but that’s exactly why I want to work with an experienced team, including you, if you’re willing. After all, ‘soul’ without numbers is just a dream, and numbers without ‘soul’ are just speculation. We need both, don’t we?”

Frederick didn’t reply, though his gaze toward Shannon remained cool. It was clear he had more objections and was itching to challenge her further with pointed remarks.

Everyone in the room understood Frederick’s nature. After all, he wasn’t just any showrunner, his background gave him the confidence to be blunt, even confrontational.

At that moment, Flynn stood up and took charge of the room.

“Yes, Miss Shannon is right,” he said firmly. “We need both for this adaptation, especially because we’re aiming for something different than most comic-based series these days.”

One of the main reasons why Flynn and the company executives had greenlit the adaptation was because they saw real potential in Shannon’s story.

In an industry saturated with sci-fi and fantasy, a soft, emotionally rich slice-of-life romance felt like a refreshing revival of an old classic.

Flynn also knew Shannon and her unique ideas. That alone was reason enough for him to give her a shot as executive producer.

After Flynn spoke, no one voiced further objections. Even Frederick was forced to hold his tongue and swallow his retort.

The meeting ended with the signing of the contract between Shannon and the company.

Once everyone had left, only Shannon, Flynn, and Yolla remained in the room.

The atmosphere settled. Shannon leaned back in her chair, visibly relieved.

“I didn’t think I’d make it through that,” she said with a tired smile.

Flynn gave her a small nod. “You’ve worked hard.”

“Tsk, it’s all thanks to your help.”

There was a knock at the door. Another assistant stepped in and, with professional composure, reported, “Mr. Flynn, Miss Katie said she’d like to see you. She’s waiting in your office.”