Louis, Autumn, there are many people with the same names in this world, not to mention these two whose connection seems rather tenuous.
Elisa didn’t want to encounter a case of mistaken identity again. After all, in her past life, a mistaken identity ruined her entire life and cost her a life.
Elisa gazed steadily at the photo on Iris’s phone, forcefully suppressing the bitterness in her eyes.
“What’s wrong, Elisa?” Iris asked cautiously. Even though she was usually laid-back, she had noticed that something was off with Elisa.
Shaking her head, Elisa replied, her voice hoarse with a hint of grievance, “I just want to meet this person.”
“That might be difficult.”
Louis is a movie star with millions of fans, reigning over the entertainment industry, and known as the husband everyone desires. Meanwhile, Elisa barely makes it onto the sixth tier. Her current level of fame was achieved through being criticized, akin to the legendary character Pan Jinlian from ancient times.
Difficult?
Not really.
As long as the person is alive, they can always be seen.
During her time with Hamish, Elisa had learned one thing: if a person has the power, they can not only determine their own life but also the lives of others.
Retracting her gaze, Elisa focused her attention and emotions on the script in her hands.
Iris, at a loss, whispered, “Elisa, Louis recently took on a variety show called ‘Weekend Show.’ It’s similar to a stage play, and the actors are given about four days to prepare. The show’s format is competitive, and it might be your only chance to meet him face to face. Do you want to discuss going to participate in this show with Thomas? This is the first variety show Louis has taken since his debut.”
“It’s said that he took on this show to select a co-actor.” This was just gossip. Although Iris believed Elisa, she wouldn’t blindly trust her.
Elisa’s eyes narrowed slightly. A co-actor?
Time passed quickly as she read the script. Before she knew it, it was almost two o’clock. Mr. Kentala valued this large-scale period drama greatly, not only in selecting the lead role but also in choosing the supporting roles. Normally, roles like the third female lead would be left to the assistant director, but he had personally come.
The audition process was quite lengthy. Elisa waited for nearly forty minutes before it was her turn, with each person given about ten minutes on average.
Elisa estimated the time. Ariadne’s audition was the longest, probably around 15 minutes. When she came out, her expression was relatively relaxed. She had the highest status among those present, combined with her good looks, strong fan base, and backing from a company; it was almost certain that she would get the role of the third female lead.
Mr. Kentala, also known as Asher Kentala, was a well-known figure in the industry, in his forties, having produced 10 TV dramas, with the lowest rating being an eight. Audiences referred to him as the godfather of period dramas.
Asher had extremely high standards for choosing actors, had a volatile temper, and if someone’s acting didn’t meet his expectations in an audition, he wouldn’t care about the person’s fame; he would directly go on Twitter and lambast them until they cried.
It was said that some years ago, an actress wanted to invest in a production and performed a “glaring” acting piece in front of him. He immediately had security remove her from the premises. Afterward, they had a public spat on Twitter for several days, during which the actress came off worse and had no choice but to leave the industry, ending up doing variety shows for an extended period. Her reputation never recovered, while Asher became famous with just one battle, leaving actors in the industry simultaneously loving, hating, and fearing him.
…
“Elisa, be prepared, you’re up next.” A staff member came out to inform her, looking at her with undisguised disdain.
Elisa took off her sunglasses and mask and handed them to Iris to hold. She walked in unhurriedly. There were a total of four people inside, with Asher in the middle.
“Are you Elisa?” Asher suddenly spoke, his eyes filled with disbelief as he glanced at the photo of Elisa in the actor’s profile, heavily made up.
He had just received this profile an hour ago. The resume was a mess, with her ranking consistently at the top of the worst actresses list. Compared to the second, there was a clear gap in votes.
Even before seeing her, he had already dismissed her in his mind. He had even had an extra glass of water to prepare for the berating that would follow.
But he hadn’t expected Elisa in person to be so beautiful without makeup, making ithard to believe that she was the same person as in the profile.
He had seen many beauties, as the entertainment industry was a fertile ground for them. It wasn’t about not being good-looking; it was about not being distinctive. And Elisa belonged to the kind of beauty that was exceptionally unique. Her makeup-free clean face, with delicate features that seemed meticulously measured, and her exceptional asset – her eyes.
He had heard of Elisa before; he had even seen videos of her public appearances trending on Twitter. He liked to observe people’s eyes, and although Elisa’s eyes were beautiful before, they lacked a certain liveliness, appearing somewhat bitter and vacant, as if someone owed her money.
In simpler terms, she lacked confidence.
But now, Elisa’s eyes were full of sharpness. She stood quietly by the window, the sunlight streaming in, casting a glow over her slender figure. She outshone the light itself.
Even Asher, an extremely picky person, had to admit that Elisa was appealing to him. A face like hers had every right to claim the title of a vase.
As Asher pondered, he wondered if there was a role in the future that required a dead person. He could then have Elisa lie in a coffin as a background prop, which would also be quite good.
“Director, I’m Elisa, here to audition for the role of Clio, the third female lead,” Elisa interrupted his thoughts, her voice as clear as a bell.
Asher asked directly, “Have you read the script?”
“I have.”
“Then, perform the scene where Clio dies.”
Clio dies in prison, having suffered various tortures, with her fingers broken, and burns covering her body. She’s driven mad with resentment, biting her lip to hold back curses, as she meets the main female lead, Birdie, one last time.
This is the climax of the entire play and is extremely impactful.
Asher asked Elisa to perform this scene, which seemed like a deliberate attempt to create difficulty. After all, the four actresses who had auditioned before were only asked to portray Clio’s innocent and naive appearance at the beginning.
In reality, Asher requested Elisa to perform the final scene just to verify if she had indeed read the script.
“Can you do it?”
“I can, but I need someone to act with me…”
“Then let me do it.”
A voice suddenly chimed in. Elisa turned to look at the source, her brain quickly processing the information.
This was Lorelei.
Despite having a name similar to Lila’s, the two were very different. Compared to Lila’s delicate features, Lorelei was much more attractive. However, for some reason, the more one stared at her face, the more unnatural it seemed.
When Lorelei saw Elisa, she also visibly hesitated, accompanied by her agent.
Why hadn’t Elisa followed the arrangement for makeup? She had come in with a bare face.
This was a shared belief between the two, that the jester should act like a jester, and the background should remain in the background.
As Lorelei looked at Elisa’s face, a moment of grimace flitted across her expression. Elisa, who had been staring at her, naturally didn’t miss this subtle change.
Lorelei turned to the director’s team and said, “Mr. Kentala, I brought Elisa here. Let me act alongside her for this scene.”
“Well, you are the female lead anyway, as long as you don’t mind, it should be suitable.”
“Thank you, Director.” Facing Elisa, Lorelei put on an innocent look, as if she were considering Elisa’s feelings. “Elisa, do you think I’m suitable?”
“You’re free to do as you please.”
Elisa’s expression was calm, but to Lorelei, it seemed like she was trying to force composure. She knew Elisa like the back of her hand. She knew that Elisa had only acted in a youth drama with mediocre lines and average acting skills. It was simply impossible for her to portray the emotionally intense and visually impactful acting required for “Clio.”
No one had high hopes for Elisa, but that didn’t stop them from enjoying the show.
Lorelei’s latest drama shattered all past viewership records, propelling her to stardom; her acting prowess was undeniable.
Once she finished outshining Elisa, it was anticipated that they would witness a spectacular live eruption from Mr. Kentala.
If Elisa offended Mr. Kentala, she would vanish completely from this circle.
While others merely added insult to injury, Lorelei sought to transform the water in the well into sulfuric acid.
As the crew members called for the start, Elisa undid her braids, letting her hair fall loosely around her head, purposely tousling it, revealing only a pair of intense, dark eyes.
Asher immediately sat up, realizing that Elisa had thoroughly grasped the script. A woman who had suffered in prison wouldn’t possibly look neat and polished on the outside.
However, she couldn’t depict any injuries live; she could only mess up her hair, revealing her eyes.
Acting through one’s eyes worked well on camera, but it was difficult to resonate with the audience if the emotions didn’t come across live.
As Elisa let down her hair, she instantly transformed into her character, curling up on the ground, gazing up at Lorelei. In moments, her eyes were filled with bloodshot veins.
“My dearest sister… You’ve finally come to see me…” She struggled to speak, her voice hoarse.
As Elisa delivered her lines, the scene fell silent. She portrayed the struggle of someone on the brink of death so vividly that it sent shivers down everyone’s spine.
Lorelei, standing beside her, paled. When did Elisa become so good with her lines?
In an instant, she had drawn everyone into the scene. Seeing Elisa lying limp on the ground, if one didn’t know she was acting, they would’ve thought she was seriously ill, fighting for her life.
“Clio, don’t you think you’ve done wrong?” Lorelei continued with her lines.
Suddenly, Elisa’s gaze turned sharp, emanating a compelling force that shook everyone. Her crimson eyes filled with tearful resentment, her expression fierce, veins popping on her forehead as she gritted her teeth.
“Wrong? What have I done wrong? I just wanted to live a little better. You, Birdie, think you’re so great, so noble. Do you know what kind of bullying I’ve endured here? You brought me into the palace, promising to treat me well, to share wealth and prosperity. I helped you handle your enemies, and in doing so, I lost my child. I can never bear children again.”
“How have I treated you, and how have you treated me? People in the palace praise your kindness, your beauty. Nonsense! Birdie, you are nothing but a heartless and wicked person! I just wanted to survive in this murderous palace. What have I done wrong? I won’t tolerate being mistreated. I climbed to my current position step by step on my own! Tell me, what have I done wrong!”
The atmosphere instantly became suffocating. As Elisa advanced step by step with her eyes fixed on Lorelei, she looked so intense that Lorelei suddenly panicked. She had been supposed to list “Clio’s” wrongdoings in her next lines, but she forgot them now.
In a disheveled state, she weakly delivered the last line with no convincing power: “You still refuse to see the truth?”
“In front of me, Birdie, are you not tired of pretending? Since you love pretending so much, then I curse you to wear a mask for the rest of your life, never receiving genuine treatment from anyone. I, Clio, curse you to be tormented by nightmares forever. My fate now will be yours! You’re better off dead!”
Lorelei staggered back, her feet giving way, falling to the ground. In the original script, her expression should have been cold and indifferent, but now, she was overwhelmed by fear, even trembling and pale.
Elisa’s performance had thrown her off balance, and in this crucial scene, she had completely lost her ability to think for herself. Subconsciously, she found herself afraid of Elisa’s performance and lines.
This was an absolute tour de force!