When Elisa realized she couldn’t steal Sarah’s role, she went home and cried quietly.
Ronald had promised her that he’d get her that role and help her transition into acting, so when Director Beck rejected them, Ronald felt humiliated. He could tolerate embarrassment anywhere, except in front of his own woman.
So, Ronald threatened Director Beck, saying that if Elisa wasn’t allowed into the cast, he’d bribe the media to spread stories about how ungrateful Director Beck was. He also vowed that the Martin family would never invest in any of Beck’s future films.
This move infuriated Director Beck. He was someone who valued gratitude and had publicly praised the Martin family for helping him when he was younger, calling them exemplary scholars and businessmen. If Ronald, their son, started accusing him of being ungrateful, there would be no way to defend himself.
For Director Beck, the investment didn’t really matter-Ronald’s money was peanuts to him. If Ronald didn’t invest, there were plenty of other big shots who would.
So, Director Beck had the script rewritten to add a pointless role, just to appease Elisa.
Elisa insisted on playing a princess and wanted the character to be likable to the audience. Not understanding her obsession with the princess role, Director Beck added a minor character for her.
When Elisa joined the cast, she bought a cup of coffee for everyone in the crew, even the assistants of other actors, and she delivered them with a bright smile. Her enthusiasm and humility won everyone over.
Elisa spotted Sarah sitting in a corner. She approached with a coffee in hand and said, “Sarah, I’ve joined the cast too. I hope you’re not mad?”
Sarah glared coldly at Elisa.
Damn!
Now she understood why the original Sarah wanted to get rid of Elisa so badly. First, Elisa had copied her look to steal the man she loved. Then, she mimicked everything Sarah did-her clothes, her interests-and even hinted to others that Sarah was copying her to seduce Ronald.
Sarah just wanted to stay out of trouble and earn a living quietly. But now Elisa had found a way into her world too. Anyone in her position would want to take her down.
Elisa lowered her head, looking all innocent and pitiful. “Sarah, if you’re upset and don’t want to see me, I’ll leave. Do you want this coffee or not?”
Sarah sneered, “Can’t you see I’m already holding a cup?”
What a terrible world!
Damn, this hero and heroine.
She was so close to losing it.
With that, Sarah headed to the dressing room to change and do her makeup.
As soon as Sarah left, the others on set started grumbling, “What’s with her attitude?”
“Even the biggest stars don’t act like that.”
“Elisa, don’t worry about her. Some people just don’t appreciate kindness.”
Sarah was stunningly beautiful, so much so that even the most famous actresses would look plain next to her. Just by looking at her face, everyone thought she was one of those manipulative women who pretended to be innocent but secretly caused trouble.
On the other hand, Elisa, as a newcomer, had been nothing but kind to everyone on the crew. Her looks were… well, average at best, but her makeup and style created a nice, approachable vibe. Everyone saw her as a sweet, genuine girl who was full of positive energy.
Sarah waited on set all day, and finally, in the late afternoon, it was time to shoot her scene.
The scene was simple-just her watching slaves fight in the arena while chatting with her brother. She nailed it in one take.
Elisa watched Sarah’s performance and thought it wasn’t anything special. Her scenes were scheduled for the night.
Sarah quickly removed her makeup, changed out of her costume and headpiece, and caught a cab back to the Smith family home. She arrived just in time to change outfits.
When she stepped out in a cocktail dress, Holden was already waiting downstairs.
Holden was dressed in a black custom-made suit. He was tall, with long legs, and had an air of elegance and warmth. Despite his gentle demeanor, he still carried an aura of superiority that made him seem distant and unapproachable.
There was no denying it-Holden, a few years older than Ronald, had a powerful presence and mature sophistication that Ronald could never match.
Sarah walked over to him. “Is there anything I should keep in mind for tonight’s charity gala?”
Holden glanced at her. “At the very least, you need to win an auction.”
He had noticed that once Sarah had money in her hands, she started treating him, her boss, with less importance. It was only when she was broke that she’d come to him with sweet words.
Sarah was always the most confident right after payday.
Sarah replied, “No problem, I’ve got plenty of money right now.”
An hour later, Sarah regretted saying, “I’ve got plenty of money.”
This was a charity gala, right? Sarah had assumed they’d be auctioning off some paintings or something, maybe a few thousand or tens of thousands of dollars, with the proceeds going to those in need.
But it turned out they were auctioning off jewelry and antiques worth millions, even tens of millions, with only a portion of the proceeds being donated.
Staring at the dazzling jewels, Sarah found herself wanting them.
By the end of the night, she owned a flawless pink diamond necklace.
Twenty million dollars-gone in an instant.
Holden smirked. “Beautiful, isn’t it?”
Sarah muttered, “Oh…Yeah, it’s beautiful.”
She figured investing in such a rare piece of jewelry wasn’t a bad idea. It could serve as a status symbol at certain events.
It was just… so expensive.
Holden remarked, “Ronald isn’t in a position to be invited to something like this.”
Sarah blinked. “Uh…”
What did Ronald have to do with this?
Was she cursed to deal with the hero and heroine at every turn? They always seemed to find a way to stay on her radar.
But truth be told, Ronald’s business hadn’t taken off yet in the early stages, and since this charity gala was privately hosted, he wouldn’t have received an invitation.
Sarah sighed, “He’ll make it eventually. Within five years, he’ll have the means.”
She wasn’t trying to praise Ronald, just stating the facts of the plot. After all, Ronald was the male lead in the original story, the author’s golden child. The author was bound to make Ronald successful, to prove to his parents that he didn’t need to marry into wealth and could instead marry Elisa.
Holden’s eyes darkened. “Oh, my dear wife, so you have a lot of confidence in another man?”
Sarah sighed, her tone tinged with sarcasm. “Not in any other man, but in Ronald? Yeah, he does. He’s going to soar.”
After all, Ronald’s the male lead of this story. Even if he spends all day focused on romance, the author will still give him opportunities to rise to power and wealth.
Even Holden himself was one of Ronald’s golden tickets, his benefactor and guiding light.
Sarah, as the doomed villainess, always envied the luck that Ronald and Elisa seemed to have.