?strongChapter 42:/strong

Momentster, Camille dropped a bombshell in Carrie’s inbox—a screenshot that confirmed her suspicions. Armed with this revtion, Carrie wasted no time in forwarding the scoop to Ruby.

Ruby, who had been attempting to downy the situation, couldn’t contain her reaction. A flurry of voice notes ensued. “We’ve got the leverage now to expose the puppeteer behind this mess. I recall there was some off-the-record footage from the auditions. I’m on it. Once we get our hands on those videos, we can really put that bitch in her ce.”

“By the way, is there some hidden grudge between you two? Why does she keeping after you? From the moment you entered the showbiz, she’s been stepping on your toes, and now this! It looks like she’s trying to drive you out of the industry! Probably feeling invincible with Mr. Norris’s support behind her. But don’t worry, this time I’m going to ensure she faces the consequences. We can’t let her think she can just trample over us!”

The circumstances surrounding the second audition, involving just two candidates and the financial implications, pushed the director to forgo proper documentation—something Lise had probably anticipated, knowing Carrie had no way to prove her innocence.

Carrie mentioned this to Ruby. Ruby shed a knowing smile and insisted, “How about we dig up Lise’s first audition record? Even with more actresses in the mix, her unremarkable performance stillnded her the lead role. If that were made public, it would surely cause an uproar and might even lead someone to teach her a lesson.”

Carrie trusted Ruby’s knack for strategypletely and didn’t feel the need to add anything more. Just then, she received an unexpected message from herwyer, who had been helping with her scriptwriting agreements. “Ms. Spencer, are you asleep?”

The contract had been sealed. Carrie was taken aback by the inquiry. With a puzzled expression, she responded, “No, what’s going on?”

Thewyer, soundingposed but direct, informed her, “Thepany that purchased your script, Silver Elephant Media, is requesting a meeting with you.”

“Why?” Carrie’s voice carried a hint of suspicion as she arched an eyebrow. Her preference had always been to steer clear of intricate social exchanges, having delegated the entirety of her script’s copyright dealings to her legal representatives, thus avoiding direct interactions with buyers. This unprecedented request for a face-to-face meeting piqued her curiosity.

Thewyer exined, “They are quite enthusiastic about your screeny and are gearing up topete with another drama, ‘Raging Sun.’ Lise Nash has already secured the lead role in that project, and with every other potential contender otherwise engaged, they’re keen on granting audition opportunities to every actress who’s interested in the role of the female lead. They value your insights as the script’s original creator and want your presence.”

A realization dawned on Carrie at that moment.

The character in her script was a mirror reflection of herself—no one could embody that role as perfectly as she could. Lise had usurped not just her husband but also her role, all while attempting to tarnish her reputation. It was evident that Lise aimed to suppress her. Yet, despite beingpliant at times, Carrie had her limits. Faced with diminishing opportunities to counter these affronts, fate had finally thrown her a bone.

With a surge of determination, sheposed a reply. “No need for all this fuss. I already have the ideal female lead in mind. Could you arrange a meeting with them?”

As dusk descended, the grand facade of the Norris Group’s headquarters, located not far from Carrie’s apartment, was predominantly dark, except for a single office where the lights remained aze. Kristopher was perched behind his desk, his fingers drumming an erratic beat against the sleek surface. In the quiet of the office, Oliver approached with a report on the current social media frenzy.

.

.

.