Feeling puzzled and surprised, Zane made the necessary calls to deal with the aftermath.
Bianca had been awake nearly all night, unable to sleep. When morning arrived, she showed up at work with dark circles under her eyes.
She looked visibly downcast.
An important document needed Zoey’s signature at the office. Despite feeling hesitant, Bianca knew she had to address the matter and went ahead.
When she stepped out of her office, Bianca noticed that the department was unusually quiet. She wondered where everyone could be during work hours.
Zoey’s office was empty, too.
After asking around, Bianca discovered that Zoey had gone to the artist training center.
Arriving there, Bianca was surprised to see her colleagues and staff from other departments gathered together.
‘What’s going on?’ she wondered.
Curious, Bianca moved closer to find out what was happening.
On stage, Natalie delivered a moving performance from Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet.
Kneeling next to Romeo, she held a knife tightly. Her eyes showed sorrow and pain but also relief and joy.
As she stabbed herself with the knife, she slowly fell, a faint smile of relief on her lips…
The audience burst into applause.
“I almost cried. Your performance was amazing. It’s no wonder a professor from Skiyton Film Academy trained you!”
“Natalie is really talented. Her acting has improved so much in just a few days! I think it’s way better than her previous roles!”
“I watched Sophia’s movie; honestly, it doesn’t compare to Natalie’s performance today. Her audition is bound to be a success!”
Standing at the back of the crowd, Bianca observed Natalie discussing her performance with Camille Dupont. It was clear that Camille’s coaching had significantly boosted Natalie’s acting skills, making her a strong contender.
Yet, Bianca couldn’t shake the feeling that something was missing from Natalie’s performance, although she couldn’t quite figure out what.
Just then, Zoey saw Bianca and walked over to her.
Observing Bianca’s distant expression and the dark circles under her eyes, Zoey crossed her arms with a satisfied smirk.
“Bianca, you look like you haven’t been sleeping well. What’s with those dark circles?”
She deliberately spoke loudly, drawing everyone’s attention to Bianca.
One of Zoey’s colleagues joined in, teasing, “Are you losing sleep over not finding a good coach for Sophia’s acting?”
“Did you see how amazing Natalie’s performance was? Without an instructor for five years, how can Sophia hope to compete with Natalie? Maybe you and Sophia should reconsider before she embarrasses herself in the live audition.”
“Don’t say that,” Zoey interrupted, motioning for silence. She turned to Bianca with a fake smile and said, “She’s been trying hard to find a professional instructor for Sophia, but unfortunately… the teachers are too busy to make time.”
“I think it’s not about them not having time; it’s more about not wanting to waste it! Time is precious for successful people. Why would they spend it on someone whose best days are behind them?”
“Or maybe it’s because Bianca’s networking skills are lacking. Seems like no one’s interested in helping her.”
Amidst the conversation around her, Natalie confidently approached, tilting her chin up. “Let me tell you, Ms. Dupont is no ordinary acting instructor. Even the world-famous actor Jerry Robert is her student.”
Hearing this, the crowd’s admiration for Natalie only grew stronger.
“Oh my God, Jerry Robert! He made billions at the box office. His movies were known worldwide!” The crowd reacted with a mix of shock and admiration, but Bianca’s face showed no sign of embarrassment or annoyance. Instead, she struggled to hold back laughter.
Natalie was seething. What was Bianca getting at? She didn’t even flinch at the mention of Jerry Robert. How could she be laughing? Was she pretending to be unaffected?
“Humph!” Natalie snorted disdainfully, narrowing her eyes at Bianca. “Bianca, it’s okay to be upset. You don’t have to force a weird smile. It just makes you look even more pathetic.”
Bianca touched her face. “Really? Is it that obvious?”
It was clear she was putting on a front. Natalie couldn’t help but sneer.
“I’m sorry. I tried to hold back my laughter, but I couldn’t.”
Natalie’s expression suddenly changed. “What’s so funny?”
Bianca replied softly, “Oh, it’s nothing really. I was just thinking about how Ms. Dupont has coached so many famous actors. She’s truly remarkable. But you were also her student, right? Did she… ever watch those romantic dramas you starred in?”
The mention immediately brought back memories of Natalie’s role in a romance drama that received harsh criticism online for its weak acting and production quality. The role damaged her reputation, and managing the fallout was a struggle for her PR team.
“Bianca, what are you implying?” Natalie’s face darkened.
“I can’t help but think that Ms. Dupont would be disappointed if she found out her students’ acting hasn’t improved over the years and is now a topic of criticism. Although temporary success may have played a role, who can guarantee it will last?”
With a knowing smile, Bianca added, “Anyway, I need to get back to work. Excuse me.”
With that, she walked away.
Feeling mocked, Natalie gritted her teeth under the curious gazes around her.
“Don’t lower yourself to Bianca’s level, Natalie. Everyone faces challenges… And with Ms. Dupont’s guidance, your acting skills can outshine most stars in showbiz!”
“Natalie, with Ms. Dupont backing you, you’ll surely outshine Sophia. What does Bianca have to compete with?”
“I’m sure Bianca’s comments were just out of envy!”
Natalie felt more confident now. She glared coldly in the direction Bianca had walked off. She silently vowed that she would make sure both Bianca and Sophia faced a crushing defeat.
****
At two in the afternoon, Vincent tweeted the exact audition time.
It was set for the next morning!
The audition would be live-streamed at ten in the morning.
Immediately, this news became the hottest topic!
Bloggers began polls asking who would win the lead role in the audition between Natalie and Sophia!
Adding to the excitement, Vincent revealed that Nicolas Foster, a famous actor, would join them for the audition.
The online community exploded with excitement.
“Wow, this is massive! We’ll see two potential lead actresses performing alongside the Best Actor winner. This audition feels like a battle of giants!”
“I can’t miss this! Even if I have work tomorrow morning, I’ll find a way to watch it!”
“Oh no, I have work too! But I’ll definitely make time to watch this audition, even if it means taking a day off!”
“Hahaha, count me in, work or no work!”
Everyone was eager for the upcoming livestream, expecting it to be an extraordinary event.