Chapter 73: Good luck

“Miss Anna, the star of the table read.”

Wilsmith’s voice carried warmth as he joined them, pride written all over his face. “You didn’t just impress me—you impressed everyone here. I’m certain Olivia will be the character audiences will remember long after the credits roll.”

Anna flushed faintly but managed a polite smile. His words carried weight, especially coming from a director she respected.

Wilsmith had already believed in her talent after the audition, but today she had gone beyond even his expectations. She had outshone veterans, proved she wasn’t just another debutant scrambling for a place—she belonged here.

“I must agree with Mr. Wilsmith,” Fiona’s syrupy voice cut in as she joined them, her heels clicking like daggers on marble. “Miss Anna did impress… despite going completely haze for a moment. But still, for a newcomer, you did well. Isn’t that right, Ethan?”

Her smile was sharp, but Ethan didn’t even glance at her. His eyes stayed fixed on Anna, steady and sure.

“Of course,” he said finally, his tone cool but carrying weight. “She surpassed the expectations of those who’ve been in the industry for years… and still haven’t managed to deliver.”

Fiona’s smile cracked for a heartbeat, the jab hitting its mark. But when Ethan’s gaze finally flicked to her, she forced the smile back, brittle as glass. “R-right. Indeed.”

Anna pressed her lips together, fighting the laughter bubbling in her chest. Fiona’s mask slipping was more entertaining than any script.

“Alright, you two carry on,” Wilsmith said, oblivious to the tension as he gestured toward Ethan. “I’ll introduce you to the rest of the cast.”

With that, he and Ethan moved away, leaving Anna and Fiona alone.

The second they were out of earshot, Fiona’s expression shifted—her pleasant mask melting into venom.

“Don’t flatter yourself just because you charmed a few people today,” she hissed, stepping closer. “In the end, I’m the one who’ll be loved and remembered. Not you.”

Anna exhaled, more tired than threatened. Her patience for Fiona’s delusions was thinner than the pages of her script.

“Good luck,” Anna replied, her tone airy, unconcerned. “I’m sure you will.”

Then, without sparing another glance, she turned on her heel and walked away, leaving Fiona to stew in her own seething silence.

Behind her, Fiona’s hands curled into fists. ’This won’t last, Anna. I’ll make sure of it.’

***

Meanwhile, Anna made her way toward the lobby, unbothered by Fiona’s parting words. Instead, pride filled her chest—finally, she had met the expectations of the one man who had trusted her from the very beginning: Mr. Wilsmith.

But her small triumph shattered the moment she stepped out of the building.

Two girls blocked her path.

Anna froze, stumbling back a step as her eyes darted between them. “Excuse me?” she asked, uncertain what they wanted.

Then recognition hit her. Them.

The same girls who fought against me during the audition.

’What are they doing here?’

Jane and Mary stood seething, their eyes like daggers. Without warning, Jane yanked something from her bag and hurled it straight at Anna.

Smack!

An egg splattered against her chest, the yolk dripping down her blouse.

Anna gasped, wide-eyed, only to jolt again when—

Splatter!

A tomato burst against the side of her head, sliding sticky and red into her hair.

“You think just because you passed the audition, we’ll spare you for snatching our work?” Jane shouted, grabbing another egg and pelting it at her.

Mary sneered, stepping forward. “We know you stole our roles! But we’re not letting you walk away with them.”

Before Anna could defend herself, Mary shoved her hard. Anna fell back, the world spinning as she hit the ground, palms scraping against the pavement.

Her breath caught. ’What the hell is this?’ Their sudden, vicious attacks left her disoriented.

“Hey! What are you two doing there?”

The sharp voice of a guard rang out. The middle-aged man jogged toward them, his face tight with alarm. Startled, Jane and Mary faltered but didn’t retreat.

The guard reached for Anna, helping her to her feet. “Miss, are you okay?”

Anna dusted herself off, her clothes streaked with yolk and pulp, and looked directly at the two girls.

“You said I stole your role,” she said firmly, her voice trembling but clear. “I never did that.”

Yes—Wilsmith had offered her the role unexpectedly, but she had earned it in the end.

“Liar!” Mary spat, her face twisting. “You were favored from the start. Everyone knows it.” With a furious cry, she lunged forward, hand raised to strike.

“Ah—!” Anna gasped, stumbling back, but instinct kicked in. She sidestepped, dodging Mary’s attack.

“You—how dare you fight us!” Jane snapped, and this time she tried to land a slap. Again, Anna dodged, her pulse hammering.

The guard looked torn between intervening and calling for reinforcements. Realizing the situation was spiraling, he made a split-second decision and dashed back into the building.

Outside, the commotion grew louder, drawing curious stares from passersby.

Anna’s mind whirled as she kept dodging their flailing hands. ’How do they even know I’m here? And why now—days after the audition? Who sent them?’

The questions burned hotter than her humiliation, but for now, she had no time to think—she had to keep herself standing.

Meanwhile, from a distance, Daniel sat in his car, his sharp eyes fixed on the scene unraveling outside the studio. The sight of the girls shoving Anna made his blood boil. His hand twitched toward the door handle, ready to storm out and tear them apart.

But then he froze.

Anna dodged.

Her movements weren’t clumsy—she was quick, precise, refusing to let their blows land. His grip on the handle loosened, his eyes narrowing. For the first time, he caught a glimpse of a strength in her he hadn’t seen before. She’s not helpless… not anymore.

Still, his jaw clenched, his fingers drumming against the steering wheel, as the urge to step in gnawed at him. But the sound of voices drew his attention—people had spilled out of the building, led by Wilsmith, the guard, and the rest of the team.

“What is happening here?” Wilsmith’s voice thundered, cutting through the chaos. His sharp tone startled the two girls mid-lunge, leaving them wide-eyed and frozen in place.

The guard who had rushed upstairs earlier pointed at Jane and Mary. “Sir, these girls were harassing Miss Anna outside the premises.”

Wilsmith’s gaze swept over Anna’s stained clothes, then back to the culprits, fury flashing in his eyes. “Who gave you permission to come inside and attack one of our cast members?!”

Ethan stepped forward immediately, ignoring the others, his focus fixed entirely on Anna. “What happened?” His voice was low, steady, threaded with genuine concern.

Anna’s lips pressed into a tight line. She glanced at the girls, then back at Ethan, unsure if explaining herself would only make things worse.

But Jane found her voice first. “Director Wilsmith—it’s unfair! You favored this girl over us!” she shouted, anger making her bold.

Mary stepped in beside her, chin raised. “We waited hours for our audition, but she waltzed in late and still got selected. Out of hundreds of girls who stood there, why her? How is that fair?”

A murmur rippled through the staff members behind Wilsmith. His brows furrowed deeply, frustration etching lines across his face.

Yes—he had broken the rule of punctuality that day. Anna had walked in late, and under normal circumstances, she should have been disqualified. But rules had bent the moment she opened her mouth and delivered that performance—raw, real, unforgettable. It wasn’t favoritism. It was undeniable talent.

Still, the accusation stung.

“What are they talking about?” Fiona gasped dramatically, hand flying to her chest. “Mr. Wilsmith, will never do that”

“No he did. He favored this girl over the others” Jane snapped dimissing her words.

“Enough,” Wilsmith cut her off with a glare sharp enough to slice through her act. His teeth ground together. “That’s not true.”

Mary sneered, stepping forward. “Why are you lying, Director? Didn’t you favor her? Didn’t you let her audition even though she was late?”

Gasps rippled again. Fiona smirked, carefully disguising it behind her faux-shocked expression, her eyes gleaming as she exchanged a fleeting glance with Jane and Mary.

Anna while standing next with Ethan caught it.

Her stomach twisted, her expression darkening. ’So that’s it. They’re working with her.’

She remembered clearly—the audition day. Fiona had been whispering to these very girls right before they had loudly opposed Anna entering the room. No wonder they suddenly showed up today, armed with eggs and tomatoes, ready to humiliate her.

A cold, bitter chuckle slipped past Anna’s lips. Her eyes flicked from the two girls, then landed squarely on Fiona.

’No doubt about it. They knew I was here… because of you.’

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep