Chapter 1
Red walls with high tiles, vermillion-painted doors, and golden horns and beasts with high eaves. In the corridors of the Royal Hallway, there are cameras, filming tracks and other mechanical equipment, and staff members gather in twos and threes, looking somewhere from time to time. At that moment, a man in a black shirt came running, panting, and stood in front of a machine. "Director Watson, Stella Brooks is here." Director Watson sat behind the machine, nodded, and instructed, "Prepare to shoot." The director was a middle-aged man with a scruffy face, wearing a duck-tongued hat and a gray vest, looking serious and expressionless, obviously not in a good mood. Next to him sits a woman in a rose-red court dress, full of disdain: "She still has the face to go out? She's underestimated." "Cynthia Bennett, if you're really a professional actress, don't waste everyone's time with your frequent mistakes like yesterday, okay?" Director Watson looked very impatient with the beautiful woman in front of him. "Director, I really don't want to work with Stella, she's in such a big scandal, why don't you replace her?" Cynthia had a bad tone. "And there's no way you're replacing her, do you understand?" Director Watson responded coldly. Cynthia gritted her teeth, resentful: "It's just a woman who got to the top by subterfuge, what's the big deal, it's disgusting!" At this moment, Stella Brooks dressed in green court dress, slowly walked into the corridor. Even though the court dress was wide, it couldn't hide her shapely figure. Her fair complexion was like snow, her slender neck was more elegant, and the most striking thing was her eyes which were as bright as the clear water of the lake, so pure that it was as if making witty remarks in front of her would be a blasphemy to her. Her beauty made the staff on both sides of the room look at her for a few moments. "Stand by for the scene!" Director Watson snapped. Cynthia grunted in displeasure and stood up to walk towards the front, followed by several of the actors playing the courtiers. The scene was about Stella's character Ming Guiren who was framed for losing her favor and then slapped by Cynthia's character Ru Concubine. This is the turning point of Stella's character, who was humiliated in the promenade and became the Ming Concubine, and Cynthia purposely made things difficult for her by giving her 21 NGs, so today is a reshoot. She smiles mockingly at Stella with a hint of malice on her lips, as if to tell Stella that she will be beaten again today. However, Cynthia didn't get to see Stella's cowardly and aggravated reaction as she had hoped; Stella's face was expressionless and she looked extremely calm. "The Phoenix Tale, Scene 36, Take 22, Begin." Before Cynthia could wonder, the shooting had already begun. According to the script, she'd have to hit Stella first, slap her across the face, and then say her lines, but Cynthia raised her hand for a hard landing, and she wasn't about to show any mercy. "Smack!" Cynthia was the one who fell to the ground screaming, when Stella should have been the one to fall. Just a second before Cynthia's slap was about to fall, Stella quickly blocked her wrist, gave her a backhanded slap, and said the line that originally belonged to her: "This palace is a concubine, you are a nobleman, you don't have the courtesy to see this palace, do you think that you are in the favor of the Holy Spirit, can you think that there is no one else in your sight?" Cynthia has no time to care about the line, she climbed up in a mess, covered half of her face, burning with anger: "Stella, you dare to hit me!" Stella smiled lightly and said, "Cynthia, you've misunderstood. I'm here today to show you how to act in this scene, did you see it clearly just now? If you still don't know how to do it, I can show you a few more times." Stella's tone was lighthearted, as if she was happy to help, and no thanks were necessary. Cynthia was so angry that she pointed at her, her nose almost smoked: "You!" "Hey, honey, if you're here, don't leave, bookmark it, add it to the shelf, you're mine, I'm yours, mmmm."
Chapter 2
Cynthia Bennett, who started her career four or five years before Stella Brooks and has a higher profile than Stella, recently had a big hit with a courtroom drama, The Phoenix Tale, a big production from acclaimed director Michael Watson, who had read the original book and auditioned for the role of Princess Ming. Cynthia had read the original and auditioned for the role of Princess Ming. Although Ming is a supporting character, she is the only one who is true to the Emperor and her character is unique, so if she plays it well, she may be able to make an extra appearance. However, such a good role has been told that it has already been fixed, Stella did not even have the opportunity to audition, and easily took away Cynthia's dream role, how can Cynthia not be jealous, not angry? How could Cynthia not be jealous and angry? Stella was just a pretty, untalented vase, how could she take away someone else's chance so easily? It wasn't fair! So, just yesterday, in this same scene, Cynthia intentionally NG, slapped Stella for 21 times, and Stella's face was so red. The director couldn't stand it, so he told Stella to go back to the hotel to rest and shoot again today. Stella was hit by the stars, dizziness, back to the hotel and fell asleep, until the middle of the night to wake up, no one knows, at this time Stella, is no longer the former Stella. Yesterday's Stella would have swallowed the beating for her dream of becoming a star, but today's Stella is very different. On Carefree Island, no one dares to trample on her dignity! "Director, look at her!" Cynthia stomped her foot and walked over to Michael Watson, who was known for being a stern, star-making director. Every show he directed was a hit, and the quality of his work was so high that it made many stars. Michael would be furious that Stella had the audacity to alter the script and steal a scene from him! However, Michael didn't pay any attention to Cynthia, not intentionally ignoring her, but he was still in shock. Just now Stella's reaction and line tone, eyes, are what he wanted, the consort should be like this, arrogant and domineering but also afraid of the soft, hit the Ming noblewoman appears to be small-minded. It was perfect! Impeccable! "Cynthia, have you learned?" "Huh?" Cynthia was totally confused. "You're gonna do what Stella just did later, come on, do it again!" Cynthia's face stiffened, and her original desire to express her grievances immediately disappeared. Having worked in the entertainment industry for many years, Michael's reaction just now had clearly told her that not only did he not think there was anything wrong with Stella, on the contrary, he thought that she had acted very well! Just her? This is simply an insult to her acting skills! Everyone knows Stella's acting is embarrassing, and every time Michael sees her, he gets a headache, but she's got the power behind her, so she can't be replaced, so he has to be patient and teach her by hand. At Michael's urging, Cynthia returns to her original position. Stella smiled sweetly at her, not pretending to be harmless, but whispering threateningly, "Cynthia, I can teach you more than once." "No need!" Cynthia responded coldly. "The Phoenix Tale, Scene 36, Take 23, Begin!" Cynthia sneers, raises her hand to strike, and with a 'pop', it's still Cynthia who takes the hit. This time, she was knocked back two steps, and covered her face with wide eyes, "Stella, how dare you hit me!" Stella approached with an apologetic face, "Cynthia, are you okay?" Just as she got close to Cynthia, she whispered in her ear, "So what if I hit you? It was a lightweight compared to what you did yesterday! I'm warning you, Cynthia, if you don't get through this in one go, I'll give you back twenty-one slaps, no less!"
Chapter 3
"Cynthia Bennett felt a chill come over her, she'd never seen Stella Brooks like this." Stella had great support behind her, she was confident and arrogant, and her temper was so bad that even her assistant was pissed off. Her embarrassing performance was the subject of much laughter, and there was no chance that she would be praised by the director tomorrow. "Was she faking it all along?" Cynthia wondered in her heart, Stella's words just now made her realize that Stella was not incapable of dealing with it, but she had a plan in mind. She was sure that if Stella really wanted to hit her, her face would be slapped colorfully in front of everyone. Not far away, Stella paused, bent down to cover her face, when she raised her eyes, already tears flashing, just threatened her ruthlessness disappeared, eyes full of grievances and indignation. Once was so proud of the woman, because of the loss of favor and become cautious, understand the cruelty of the world of fame and fortune and the viciousness of the human heart. The competition between them is not only a performance, but also a game of emotions. Stella at this time to hold back, tightly biting her lips, eyes flashing a determined light, as if made up some kind of determination, the emotions of the changing, she handled it very well. Despite not having a single line, she portrayed the character's transformation perfectly. "Cut!" Director Watson was very satisfied with this scene. He believes that Stella's performance exceeded expectations, but he is more concerned about the quality of the drama as a whole. He is confident that the excellent performances of the actors will not jeopardize his directing plans. -- The next day, as Stella's scene is being prepared, she leaves the set for a while and walks outside her caravan to rest. Not long after she left the house, she received a call from her agent Olivia. Olivia had become her manager three days earlier, and it was not uncommon for Stella to be difficult to work with, often leaving her manager or assistant drained. "What are you going to do about the rumor about me and Nathaniel Wright?" Olivia got straight to the point. "He's only admitted he's in a relationship, but he hasn't said who with." Stella was unequivocal. On the other end of the line, Olivia seemed to have understood her position, smiling mockingly, "I thought it would be that simple?" "How hard is it?" Stella's tone seemed unusually calm. "The day before yesterday a reporter caught me and Nathaniel in the parking lot of our hotel, and yesterday I tweeted to confirm that I'm in a relationship. Isn't that a public hint that Nathaniel and I are together?" Stella said without a care in the world. "The funny thing is, Nathaniel then tweeted to clarify that he's single, slapping me hard in the face. Even if he set me up with a 'boyfriend' now, would the internet believe it?" "Of course no one would believe any random guy, but what if that guy is more famous than Nathaniel?" Olivia asked tentatively. "Stella, I think you're being naive, Nathaniel has seventy million Twitter followers! He's the most recognized movie star in the industry, who could be hotter than him?" "I'm sure he'll find that guy and sort it out." Stella's attitude seemed to be very unrestrained. "How can I solve it? Even if there is such a person, how am I going to explain what happened to me and Nathaniel in the hotel parking lot?" "It was just a chance encounter, what's there to explain?" Stella replied. "Stella, you have to remind me that the media and the netizens, nowadays, keep thinking that I'm creating a scandal, and want to keep the topic of me quitting showbiz in the first place!" Stella calmly responds, "Uh, got it, settle it in three days."
Chapter 4
Deliberately creating a scandal? Seriously, no one's wronged her. Stella Brooks did run into Edward Harris when he came to work at Cineworld Studios, where she was filming The Phoenix Tale, and coincidentally, they were staying at the same hotel, and even more coincidentally, she was there when Edward and his entourage checked out of the hotel. A year into her career, Stella's resources have grown, but she has remained quiet. At the time of her debut, she was the female lead in a web series, but the main character of the series was the male lead, and Stella's mediocre performance made her forgotten in a blink of an eye. In the meantime, she has done commercials, variety shows, and supporting roles in big budget movies, but she has not been able to make it to the top. It seemed like she just wasn't cut out for the industry, but her dream since childhood was to become an actress and a star. Stella's temper isn't great, she's arrogant and indulgent, but when it comes to acting, she takes it very seriously. That's why she put up with 21 slaps from Cynthia Bennett. She's anxious, she's hungry for success! When she sees Edward Harris, she realizes there's a man filming him, and Stella thinks it's the perfect opportunity, so she has a plan. Stella steps up to the east side Parking Lot, and when Edward and his assistant come out of the elevator, she's standing there, looking like she's waiting for him. She seized the opportunity to ask Edward for an autograph, saying that it was because of him that she had gotten into the business, and Edward, hearing that she was a junior, stopped in his tracks, granted her request, and gave her a few words of encouragement. The angle of the photo shoot is also very clever, the two look like a couple in love, the distance between them is close. That night, the gossip spread, Stella and Edward's names hit the hot spot, and she felt a great sense of satisfaction. She added fuel to the fire by admitting on social media that she was in a relationship. Stella was in the caravan and couldn't help but blush at this maneuver, the original owner was so silly and cute. She smiled and held her forehead, then leaned back in her seat and closed her eyes, thinking, "What should I do, I've made a mistake, I can only fill this hole." -- The ensuing shoot had been a great success, with Stella's performance commendable, and the ever-strict Michael Watson beaming with satisfaction. Cynthia Bennett, on the other hand, made a lot of mistakes, as her blunders led to several NGs. After the shooting, Stella asked Michael for a leave of absence. "Can I take three days off?" Michael frowned, and the previous pleasant atmosphere instantly disappeared. "Stella, I don't run a movie theater at home, so I can leave whenever I want? Three days, that's going to slow down the shooting schedule, don't you know?" Cynthia spared no effort in dropping the hammer. Stella ignored Cynthia completely and confessed to Michael in a sincere manner, "Director, you should have seen the news about him, he doesn't want to jeopardize the reputation of the whole crew because of his personal problems." "I need to go deal with that one." Stella nodded, "It's all a misunderstanding really, but I'd like to explain it, I'm afraid it's going to take a bit of time, three days is the deadline he's left himself." Cynthia heard that, and it was a big deal. "Three days when I say so? What if I can't solve it after three days? You're not going to have the whole crew there waiting for me?" Michael also expressed confusion, "I'm sure three days." "Just three days." Stella's eyes are firm, her tone is confident, Michael suddenly can't understand this girl in front of him, he always thought that Stella is just a pretty vase, but at this moment, she used her strength to overturn his perception of her, maybe he is judging by her appearance. "Okay, give me three days off!"
Chapter 5
Stella Brooks returned to the capital that night. Just after getting off the plane, she dialed a number, a number with no notes, just a string of numbers. The phone rang three times and was answered. "Stella, good evening, what can I do for you?" Ethan's voice came on the line. Stella said bluntly, "I want to see him." The person on the other end of the line froze for a moment, then explained, "Stella, the boss has been very busy lately, if there's anything, you can tell me directly." "I'm telling you right now, I want to see him, today, right away." "Stella, the boss is socializing." "He has time for a drink, doesn't he have time for me?" There was a hint of dissatisfaction and anxiety in her voice. Hearing this, Ethan swallowed and stopped talking nonsense: "Stella, please wait, I'll ask the boss, I'll get back to you later." She hung up the phone decisively. -- Ethan stared at his cell phone, puzzled, it was Stella who just called, why did she suddenly become so forceful? Shouldn't she be taking her medication, or is she under some kind of stress? Shaking his head, Ethan put his cell phone away and turned around to go back to the hotel's private room. In the box, there were a group of people who were in the business world. At this moment, they were all flattering a man who was younger than them. "Mr. Wright is really young and talented, I really envy you, you are so lucky. If my son could be half as good as you, I would be satisfied." "Indeed! If my son is half as good as you, I'll be happy." "Come, come, Mr. Wright, I'll drink to you." "You're very kind." The young man's voice was low and magnetic, and he raised his glass, took a slight sip, and swallowed gracefully, the slight fluttering of his throat knots tantalizing. Ethan walked to his side, leaned down and whispered in his ear, "Boss, Stella wants to see you." The expression on Nathaniel's face changed slightly, his features were as delicate as a work of art, and the deep eyes under his thick eyebrows sparkled with intelligence. After hearing Ethan's words, he frowned. Ethan's heart tightened, knowing what Nathaniel was thinking: ''You can't even handle this small matter?'' In his heart, he was helpless, it was not easy to be an assistant these days, and it was even harder to serve such a powerful person like Nathaniel, but the salary was so attractive! "Boss, Stella said she must see you today, and right away." Ethan took a step back after saying that, following Nathaniel was not a day or two, he could quickly judge Nathaniel's decision. After a few seconds of thought, Nathaniel picked up his wine glass and raised it towards the crowd, "Everyone, something came up, I have to go first." After saying that, he drank it all in one go, and then got up and left his seat. None of the usual leaders in the business world expressed dissatisfaction at this moment, instead, they all politely said goodbye. "Mr. Wright is really too busy, remember to take good care of yourself." "It's an honor to have dinner with Mr. Wright." "I'll see you off." "I'm sorry to spoil your day, but I'll take you to dinner some other time." "Yes, Mr. Wright." Nathaniel walked out of the box with a smile on his face, and the moment he turned around, he was expressionless. Ethan followed cautiously, thinking to himself that Stella had a way about her, and at this point, he could only hope for the best.
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