Chapter 43: Homewrecker

At this very moment, as if a witch summon had been put out, Lilian strutted into the house with a team of people behind her.

She looked like the definition of a rising star, her crystal embedded dress caught the lights from the chandeliers making her dazzle blindingly.

“Have you checked my schedule for the next few days, are there any shoots lined up?” She questioned the people behind her randomly. One could evidently tell from her expression that she looked surprised to see Celine In the house, but a sadistic flash in her eyes made her shoot out these questions to her team of assistants who hadn’t gotten a single second of breathing space and rest time since they were assigned to her yesterday.

“Your schedule is quite full tomorrow and the day after Miss Roberts, you’ll officially start shooting for Secret Missions film tomorrow, then the day after you’ll be meeting with the whole cast of the romance movie I Will Love You In Another Life…” The assistant behind her continued to rattle on and on about the projects she had coming up. Exhaustion wasn’t a thing they could show on their faces. Being an assistant to a superstar was something entirely dependent on luck. If one were lucky, they would be assigned to a star who had a kind heart and consideration for another human being, while other stars were complete spoilt brats.

Even before Lilian reached where Celine was seated, a confident smile had lifted her lips, she stared down at Celine from her height which was boosted by the six inch heels she wore effortlessly.

“Oh, sister. You finally decided to come back home.” Lilian opened her arms with mocking affection, “Won’t you come give me a hug?”

Celine’s eyes had never once wavered from Lilian’s body. Seeing Lilian like this now, she was suddenly reminded of herself at the start of her career.

Assistants assigned to her, projects lining up for her. That life…it all belonged to Lilian now.

Celine quickly looked away when she realized she was thinking about her past again. After a few seconds she put a smile on her face hiding the faint sadness.

“Congratulations, you’ve been signed to Lightstar. Maybe now, one of your films will have a chance of seeing the box-office.” Celine said the words so harmlessly, but when it entered Lilian’s ears, it sounded like poison. An indirect mockery about how her previous films had never even seen the light of day not to mention gaining any popularity.

Most of them were absolute flops that never made it enough for people to even remember it.

Back then, Celine had adored Lilian as her own sister, they might be step siblings but they were still blood related, she never blamed Lilian for her mother’s actions because it had nothing to do with her, but now Celine could clearly see that the apple didn’t fall far from the tree at all, Lilian was her mother’s daughter. Devious and hateful.

At the time Lilian came to Celine that she also wanted to be a movie star, Celine had used some of her contacts to get an audition for Lilian, though the CEO of Lightstar refused to sign Lilian because she had failed terribly at her first audition, unable to grasp emotionally moving facial expressions, Celine had continued to help her until she got her first role, then her second, then her third and so much more, without Celine no one would have hired Lilian for a role just based on her acting skills.

Many directors had called Celine complaining to her how Lilian was unable to shed a few tears for a scene, or how stiff she was on screen, but Celine had continued to try to mentor Lilian never once blaming her lack of skills, always encouraging her never to give up.

Lilian’s expression stiffened when she heard Celine’s words, the indirect jab at her disastrous acting skills and how her films always flopped hit a painful spot. She was on the verge of lashing out and yelling when she caught her mother’s warning look. A quiet encouragement for her to calm down before giving a reply.

Lilian released a breath and then looked at Celine with a smile.

“Thanks sister, I’m working in big budget projects now, I’m sure getting to the box-office will be a breeze. Besides, it isn’t for you to worry about anymore since you won’t be invited to any official events in the industry anymore. Also, Lightstar saw my talent, the fact that they replaced you with me shows that they definitely think my acting skills are better than yours right?”

A small laughter burst out of Celine’s mouth and Lilian frowned. Those words were meant to burn Celine, burn her badly enough she wouldn’t be able to remain calm.

How could she still laugh?

Celine raised amused blue eyes to Lilian and for a moment, Lilian paled. She hated how effortlessly this girl could look so quietly mesmerizing, a small smile…no effort at all yet she would still look so enchanting.

“You sure enjoy being a replacement so much Lilian, you make it sound like an achievement. Do tell me, sleeping with my ex two days before our wedding and taking my place in Lightstar, which one feels more satisfying. Because both make me feel like you absolutely just want to do everything in your power to steal what’s mine.”

A look of panic fleeted past Lilian’s eyes, she sent a fearful look back at the team of assistants that had just been assigned to her. They shouldn’t believe what Celine just said, since the were just assigned to her she didn’t have their loyalty yet and they could spread the talk of her sleeping with Celine’s ex, whom everyone will piece together and realize was Ian.

“Have you gone mad Celine? Why would you accuse me of sleeping with your ex, I’m your sister.” Taking the role of the innocent victim was the only way she could blow off Celine’s accusations. After which she immediately turned to the team behind her and calmly told them,

“Can you guys please leave for a while, we’re having a family discussion.”

Celine smiled as she watched them leave, she knew what assistants like them could do, all one needed was to plant a tiny gossip in their ears, whether knowingly or unknowingly they would eventually spill, it didn’t matter if that gossip were true or not.

“You will watch what you say about your sister in front of outsiders, Celine!” Lydia’s voice boomed with that authority she usually showed on Celine.

“Why? Does the truth hurt? Lydia, you found out your own daughter went sleeping with a man who was already engaged. Only terrible mothers overlook such a thing, you should be ashamed to call yourself a mother.” Celine didn’t hold back. It genuinely disgusted and unsettled her that a mother would watch her daughter do something so disgusting and still praise her for it. It was like watching her daughter becoming a homewrecker and still giving her a pat on the back.

Though somewhere inside Celine was grateful that Lilian had done that, otherwise she would have ended up marrying Ian, but it still had to be said.

“You… ungrateful brat!” Lydia spat through gritted teeth and Celine’s raised voice cut through.

“What gratitude do I owe you Lydia? Let’s not be hypocritical and pretend you took care of me, from the moment you were brought into this house all you did was prove to everyone that you’re indeed nothing but the other woman. In a way your daughter gets it from you…I never would have thought, that being a homewrecker runs in the genes.” Celine controlled her anger, but her voice tremble with every word she spoke. It was years of suppressed trauma from this very woman looking at her venomously right now.

There was a cold silence in the whole room, neither Lydia nor Lilian could find a word to say, they were just too shocked.

Celine had never spoken up like this before, and most definitely not with so much anger in her tone. It was just like seeing a caged bird who had it’s wings repeatedly cut off and had never flown before suddenly spread it’s clipped off wings and soar on its own. The shock rendered them momentarily speechless.

Celine couldn’t bother to remain here exchanging words with the mother and daughter, in the end nothing she said would penetrate or change them. She stood up on her feet. “I came here to get my mother’s old things. Rest assured this house, and the man who owns it…you can keep them. Both have nothing to do with me from now on.”

Saying this Celine turned to walk away. This family had taken more from her than it had ever given, it ruined her more than it had ever shaped her, she was better off alone.

However, she didn’t expect a firm hand to suddenly stop her, grabbing her by the arm, the grip unbearable enough to make her wince. The next thing she felt was a resounding slap that landed squarely on her face.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep