At the Spring EstateLauren sat cross-legged on the plush carpet, her script in hand, eyes glued to the pages as she rehearsed her lines for the upcoming audition. Every word was enunciated with precision, every emotion carefully practiced. She had been at it for hours, immersing herself completely, determined to perfect her performance.The room was silent, save for her steady voice and the rustling of pages—until a sudden excited outburst shattered the peace."Your husband is so amazing and caring!"The voice belonged to Hazel, her closest friend, who had just barged into the room with an unmistakable look of excitement.Lauren barely glanced up, her brows furrowing slightly in confusion. Ethan Maverick? Amazing and caring? She wasn’t sure those words belonged in the same sentence. She had no idea what Hazel was going on about, and quite frankly, she wasn’t in the mood to entertain any distractions.She chose to ignore the remark and continued reading her script, flipping to the nex

The sun had barely risen when a crowd of eager actresses began gathering at the grand audition hall of E.M Entertainment. The energy in the air was palpable—an intoxicating mix of excitement, determination, and anxiety. Today was the highly anticipated audition for Beneath the Smile, E.M Entertainment’s upcoming movie, which had already created waves of anticipation within the industry.The movie revolved around Penelope, a woman who seemed to have it all—wealth, beauty, power, and a loving family. She was the kind of woman that others admired, envied, and even wished to become. Many fantasized about living her life, basking in her glory, and experiencing the privileges she enjoyed. But what they failed to see was the truth that lay hidden beneath the surface. Behind Penelope’s dazzling smile and carefully curated perfection was a darkness that no one could ever imagine. Her happiness was merely a façade, a mask she wore to deceive the world. The real Penelope was trapped in a life of

One of the men suddenly started clapping, and soon, the entire room followed suit. The applause wasn’t out of obligation, nor was it because Lauren was the chairman’s wife. It was purely because of the raw talent she had just displayed.The energy in the room shifted, admiration evident in the eyes of the directors and actors present. Some whispered among themselves, their hushed voices carrying words of praise and astonishment. No one had expected this outcome—not even the director who had written the story himself.Becca, sitting stiffly in her chair, clenched her fingers into a fist, her nails digging into her palm in frustration. She had wanted nothing more than to see Lauren humiliated today, to have the opportunity to mock her under the guise of professionalism. She had heard people talk about Lauren’s talent before, but she had dismissed it.After all, how good could she be?Becca had assumed Lauren was just like the numerous A-list or B-list actresses sitting in the audition h

Becca’s heart pounded in her chest as she stood motionless, her mind reeling from what had just transpired. She had thought—no, she had been certain—that Ethan recognized her and had intentionally ignored her out of his admiration toward her. That was the only explanation she could come up with. But now, as reality sank in, she realized she had been completely mistaken.It wasn’t that Ethan had deliberately disregarded her. It was simply that he hadn't found a new spokeslady yet. That was all. He hadn’t even considered her worth commenting on.That realization stung more than she was willing to admit."Sir, I... I am... sorry," Becca stammered, her voice barely above a whisper. She clenched her fists at her sides, trying to steady herself, but the words still came out weak. Apologizing was never something she did easily, especially not in the presence of someone like Lauren.Lauren.Becca's stomach twisted at the thought of the woman standing right there, basking in Ethan’s attention

Katherine Walker didn’t even bother to walk toward the couple. She stood frozen, her body stiff with a mix of emotions she couldn’t quite name—was it humiliation? Rage? Or perhaps, deep down, the bitter taste of regret? Either way, she refused to let her legs move in their direction. Instead, she leaned against the car, her arms folded across her chest, watching her mother with unreadable eyes.She had left her mother to deal with them both. It was either she didn’t have the audacity to walk up to Ethan and Lauren or she was boiling so much with jealousy that she feared she might lose control. She clenched her fists tightly, her nails digging into her palms, but the pain was nothing compared to the fire burning inside her.Her eyes settled on Lauren—her so-called sister—who stood beside Ethan Maverick, looking every bit like the woman who had won it all. Katherine wanted to rip that victorious expression off her face, to see her crumble the way she had crumbled these past few days. It