?Chapter 974:


    “See myself as an idol? Honestly, I’m just like you. A fan girl at heart.” The crowd erupted with excitement. “Wait, Nina! You’re a fan girl too? Who’s your favorite?”


    Nina let out a yfulugh. “Who else? Mr. Murray, of course!”


    That day, Nina treated her fans to a meal. After wrapping up filming, she lingered, chatting with them as if they were old friends.


    Later, her supporters flooded forums with her words, and within hours, her follower count soared past a hundred thousand.


    Furthermore, after Nina admitted to being a fan of Cormac, his supporters rallied behind her, showering her with encouragement. Hidden in the shadows, Natalie watched everything unfold. Her fist, already tight, struck the wall beside her with force.


    Elyse had been silently observing for some time. When Natalie’s gaze met Elyse’s, she quickly turned away, her expression far from pleased. Instead, her demeanor was ice-cold.


    “Why are you here? Come to gloat too?” Natalie snapped.


    Elyse’s heart ached. “Natalie, how can you say that? Haven’t I always put you first, above everything? I’ve been observing for the past few days, and it’s clear—Nina fits this role better. You should ept the second lead and go back abroad. There’s no way you can win against Dani.”


    At those words, Natalie snapped her head to Elyse, her re sharp and frigid. “Easy for you to say! Do you think surviving abroad is simple? Do you know how many men I had to drink with just tond a minor role? Now that Nina’s about to make it, you suddenly find me bothersome and want me out of the way? Absolutely not! I won’t stand by while she gets Dani’s backing and I’m left to fend for myself.”


    Elyse’s face twisted with frustration and sorrow. “Natalie, don’t you get it? Dani will never let us go because of Brylee’s death.”


    Irritation red in Natalie. “You keep saying that, but Dani hasn’t done a thing to us! You’re just favoring Nina, making my life harder on purpose!”


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    Elyse opened her mouth to exin.


    But Natalie went on, “Brylee has been gone for years. If Dani truly wanted to punish us, she would’ve done so already. Clearly, she’s chosen to move on. Besides, Brylee was gone when Dani was just five. How much could a child that young even recall? I doubt she even remembers what Brylee looked like anymore.”


    “If it were up to me, I would never let a ghost from the past destroy the life I have now.”


    To her, happiness in the present was all that mattered. The rest? Just meaningless baggage.


    Clinging to resentment over a mother who had been gone for years seemed utterly foolish.


    Elyse made another attempt to reason with her, but Natalie waved her off, exasperated. “Enough! Stop nagging! If you have so much time, use it to persuade Nina to give me the lead role! Or better yet, beg Dani to show me some favoritism too!”


    As soon as she finished, Natalie spotted Cormac stepping off set. She grabbed a bottle of water and strode over to meet him.


    Elyse let out a weary sigh.


    Left with no other option, she intercepted Nina at the doorway.


    “Nina, you’ve always been such an obedient child, never fighting with Natalie over anything. Just this once, can’t you step aside and let your sister have the lead role since she wants it so badly?”


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