However, none of them stepped forward to expose her scheme. Some were likely too afraid of drawing attention to themselves, while others simply didn’t care enough to get involved.


    Especially since they were all action actresses, they were more arrogant and domineering than typical actresses.


    This often led even the neers to act with a certain level of tyranny during auditions.


    Being an action actress meant facing tougher demands and, depending on the director, harsher filming conditions.


    These challenges made them feel as though they operated in a different league from other actresses. As a result, many of them, like these few, were just as reckless and unapologetic in their behavior.


    After Alice pointed to Hera’s location, the troublemakers eyed the pir skeptically before shifting their gaze back to Alice.


    One of them stepped forward and peered around the pir. On the other side, she saw a stunning woman.


    Hera’s hair rested delicately on her shoulder as she tilted her head, her eyes focused on the script in her hands.


    It was as though her mind was absorbed in the words, yet lost in a sea of thoughts.


    Her beauty was ethereal—fragile yet heroic, in a way that was hard to define. She didn’t have the cold beauty of someone detached she instead looked inoocently pure, but rather the presence of a seasoned veteran, though her face suggested someone new to the industry.


    Still, there was something familiar about her, yet she couldn’t quite ce it.


    Thinking that she might indeed be a neer, as Alice had mentioned, the woman now believed Alice’s words without a doubt—Hera had been parachuted in by her suitor.


    Even she, as a woman, couldn’t help but feel drawn to the woman sitting in front of her.


    As someone who has not been scouted by major bigpanies, with talent butcking in the looks department, she felt a surge of irritation seeing Hera there.


    She had been paid handsomely and given some resources to target the others, and considered herself to be a shrewd woman who could weigh the pros and cons of any situation.


    Looking at Hera—so beautiful yet not at the top of the entertainment industry—she couldn’t help but wonder why such a stunning woman hadn’t yet been pushed into the limelight.


    It suggested that her suitors didn’t hold much power, or at least not the kind that could catapult her to fame.


    As she stood before Hera, watching her so absorbed in her reading that she didn’t even notice her presence, the woman’s thoughts sharpened, her irritation growing.


    "She’s here!" The woman called out with a sinister smirk, standing before Hera with an air of arrogance, like a gangster cornering their prey.


    Soon, the other troublemakers gathered around, moving closer to see who was on the other side of the pir.


    They found Hera, casually flipping through her script as though she hadn’t noticed their presence. The sight of her so nonchnt, so unaware, only made them scoff in disdain.


    Most of them had practiced martial arts at some point, or were seasoned actresses with a broad range of skills.


    The heroine of the movie they were auditioning for was meant to be a cold beauty, a woman who had endured the hardships of life and death multiple of times in the harsh world of the zombie apocalypse.


    But the woman sitting before them seemed more like an innocent princess, her delicate beautypletely at odds with the hardened character they expected.


    They all exchanged disdainful looks, some unable to resist the urge to make their presence known.


    One of them reached out to snatch the script from Hera’s hand, a deliberate move to get her attention.


    "Hey!"


    But Hera’s reflexes were faster. With a subtle shift, she evaded the hand that reached for her script, her eyes never leaving the page.


    She wasn’t ignoring them out of indifference—she heard Alice’s words clearly, and a sneer tugged at her lips. Still, she didn’t react with rm.


    This was the reason Hera despised bullying. It always seemed like the weak or unsuspecting were the targets, while those who couldn’t be easily manipted were ignored.


    Clearly, these actresses were still wrapped up in their own little world, preparing for the audition, and hadn’t yet caught wind of what Hera had been up to.


    If they had, they would’ve known better than to provoke her. After all, her name had been circting on the inte almost every day.


    "May I help you?" Hera asked casually, her eyes still fixed on the script in front of her. She didn’t bother looking up or showing any sign of respect.


    After all, why should she? The hostilitying from them was palpable, and she wasn’t about to offer courtesy to someone clearly looking to cause trouble.


    "We’re talking to you—are you deaf or just blind? You’re not even showing respect to your seniors?" one of the women snapped.


    "Hmm?" Hera nced up briefly, her lips curving into a sweet but knowing smile. "Respect should be mutual, don’t you think?" she replied, her tone light but pointed.


    The smile only served to grate on their nerves, and their irritation red.


    Alice, watching from the sidelines, couldn’t help but sneer in delight.


    Hera was digging her own grave, and Alice was more than pleased to watch it unfold.


    Not only had she managed to rid herself of these troublemakers, but now she was watching Hera be the new target—someone she had found irritating for some time.


    Alice leaned back, feeling smug, as she refocused on her script, satisfied with how things were ying out.


    "Do you even know the rules of the entertainment industry? Do you really want to stay here?" one of them snapped, her voice dripping with fury as she reached out to snatch the script from Hera. But with barely any effort, Hera shifted slightly, effortlessly avoiding the grasp.