Chapter 2011


    The atmosphere had hit a standstill. The vast green-screen studio was eerily silent.


    Seth''s icy gaze was fixed on her, as if an invisible, sharp and unforgiving, was stretched across


    the room, threatening to slice through the very air she breathed.


    Danielle knew she was at the heart of the matter. How could Seth, with his keen intellect, be


    oblivious to what even Cicely had grasped? Ever since the Ray incident, she felt as though she had


    been condemned in his eyes.


    “Cicely,” she started, taking a deep breath and speaking softly, “I don''t want this role anymore. Is


    that okay?”


    Cicely nced at her with disdain. “Feeling proud, are you? Your beloved man confronts me for


    your sake? As if this role ever meant anything to you. You''ve achieved your goal; why cling to it


    now? But don’t pretend to be the understanding, kind-hearted one at this juncture. If he''s willing to


    let his investment go to waste for you, you should be holding on to this role to avoid disappointing


    him, right?”


    Danielle cast a nce at the man standing to the side, silently and coldly watching Cicely, and bit


    her lip. “What do you want, exactly? You want me to give up the role, right? I''m doing as you


    wished, so why are you being so difficult here?”d2


    “It''s the same reason I came here today,” Cicely said haughtily, her face emerging from the cocoon


    of her scarf, a portrait of arrogance and beauty. “I didn''te to see who reced Emiliana with a


    superior performance, but to prove how baseless my thoughts were.”


    She wanted to prove how ridiculous it was to think that Seth had personally brought Danielle into


    the cast to rece Emiliana, then go back and meekly apologize to Seth for her attitude the night


    before. She was asking for trouble, seeking a validation for her misunderstanding of Seth, but reality


    turned out to be even more sordid than she imagined.


    Seth''s dark eyes flickered.


    Cicely scoffed, “So the nature of it is different. It''s one thing for you to leave on your own, but quite


    another to be kicked out by me or someone else. Since he intends to use you, then I''ll use my own


    methods to kick you out."


    Danielle frowned, “What are you nning to do?”


    Without another word, Cicely turned and walked out of the studio. The director wanted to keep her,


    but found no good excuse.


    Danielle hesitated, then said, “I’m sorry, Seth. I… I can’t do this role.”


    "And then?" Seth spoke coldly. "Cry to my mom about how unfairly you''ve been treated?"


    A pang of pain shot through Danielle’s heart. She looked up at him incredulously, “I didn’t…”


    "I don''t have the time or energy to deal with theplications you''ve created. Since you''ve taken on


    this role, just focus and portray it properly without causing any trouble."


    “But Cicely…”


    “You wanted to act, right? Keep an eye on all the scripts in the pipeline. Whatever role you want,


    talk to my mom. She’s your rock. She won’t let you down.”


    Danielle felt her spirits sink, her fleeting joy extinguished by a bucket of ice-cold water. “Can’t I just


    talk to you?”


    Seth gave her a chilly look, “What''s the difference betweening to me and having my mom


    come to me for you?”


    He turned and walked away. Danielle blinked,ing to her senses, and took a few steps after


    Seth. “Are you just using me…”


    “Isn’t it helping you?”


    Danielle stopped in her tracks, watching Seth leave the studio.


    *


    Cicely had just gotten into the cab when Seth’s call came through. “What’s up? Did I leave too early


    for you to p me? Want me to have the driver wait so you can get it out of your system?”


    Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.


    “Fine. Pull over now.”


    Cicelyughed at the absurdity of it and hung up.


    Within a minute, Seth’s car pulled over, blocking the taxi Cicely was in. She got out, and so did


    Seth.


    “Go ahead.”


    Standing before the towering man, she had to tilt her head back to speak, her voice terse, her eyes


    gleaming with biting sarcasm.


    Seth, however, caught her wrist and opened the car door with an indifferent voice. “Get in.”


    Cicely stood still. “If you’re trying to mollify me, save it. Nothing you do now will get a smile from


    me.”


    “Then go home and cool off.”


    “I’m going to the Ellis family.”


    “To run to your dad with a grievance?”


    A flicker of impatience crossed Cicely’s face. “Yeah, I have someone to back me up. Why should I


    put myself through this?”


    Seth watched her for a second, then pushed her into the car. The car started moving.


    Cicely didn’t struggle or make a scene. Instead, she settled back into her seat, watching the road


    with a calm, detached gaze.


    After a while, Seth broke the silence. “About the girl you''re fond of, I’ll rearrange another script for


    her. It''ll satisfy both of you.”


    Cicely tugged at her lips. “Will it satisfy you or us?”


    Silence.


    “Danielle won’t give up the role. If that girl is smart, she won’t refuse my arrangement. It’s her call,


    not yours.”


    “Is it Danielle who won’t let go, or are you determined to keep her?” Cicely’s voice held a mocking


    softness. “You’re set on using her, and I’m set on kicking her out. You won’t budge, so don’t expect


    me topromise. The show is yours, and the call is yours. I can’t change your mind, so let’s both


    not have it easy.”


    Seth’s brows, already furrowed, deepened. “So even if I assure you there’s nothing between me


    and Danielle, we can’t get past this?”


    His voice was cold and low. Cicely’s eyes shimmered, a sudden ache in her chest. What would it


    mean if she said they couldn''t get past this?


    She didn’t have the chance to speak.


    Seth continued, his voice firm, "Even if Danielle wanted to drop out of the y, I wouldn''t allow it.


    And there will be more roles for her in the future. If she really asks, I''ll consider her situation before


    making a decision. So, are you telling me you can''t stand it every time something like this


    happens?"


    Cicely finally turned and looked at Seth''s profile. She stared at him for a long moment before


    asking, "Do you have a good reason for doing this?"


    "If you do, I''m curious. What''s thepelling reason that makes you so determined to help her—a


    woman who clearly has designs on you and almost ruined my life?


    "Have you ever thought that your indulgence might only make her more obsessed with the idea of


    having you, to the point where she''ll stop at nothing, even targeting me?


    "You''re asking if I can''t get past this? Are you so sure that I''m so hopelessly devoted to you that I


    can''t bear to say ''no'' to you, that I won''t push you away, that you can act with such impunity?


    She scoffed and nodded, "Yes, you''re so clever, so sure of yourself. I''m just afraid of making a fuss


    and losing what I''ve hardly won. The beloved has the privilege of fearlessness, the least afraid of


    loss. And maybe, just maybe, one day you''ll even feel relieved."


    Cicely didn''t know if other girls felt the same way in a rtionship, if they had to make this many


    concessions and swallow this much bitterness. She felt wronged, but sometimes she couldn''t tell if it


    was just her privileged upbringing with the Ellis family making her too sensitive. Perhaps what


    seemed like a big deal to her was nothing to someone else, just making a mountain out of a


    molehill.


    She had never really had friends, so she didn''t know what other rtionships were like, what to care


    about and what to let slide, and where to draw the line when it came to arguments. But love made


    her step back, bear a little more, even if others might not consider it a true grievance.


    However, it was just exhausting.


    "Is dating always this draining, or is it just us?" Cicely exhaled with a wryugh.


    *


    Seth took her back to their apartment regardless.


    She didn''t speak again on the way, just leaned back in the seat and closed her eyes. She seemed


    to be asleep, but as soon as the car stopped in front of their building, her eyes snapped open, and


    she let herself out.


    Inside, she slipped off her shoes and headed straight for the bedroom. "I''m beat, I''m going to bed."


    She didn''t mention going back to the Ellis family.


    Seth followed her into the room, where Cicely was undressing. "You don''t have to rush back there,


    and don''t leave while I''m away, just because you''re mad at me."


    She changed into her pajamas and climbed into bed, "Am I supposed to schedule my tantrums


    around you now?"


    "No," Seth approached her, "it''s just that when you''re angry, it''s easier for me to make things up to


    you if you''re here."


    Cicely let out a bitterugh.


    Seth leaned in and kissed her gently on the chin. "What would you like for dinner? I''lle home


    early and cook for you."


    "Don''t bother. I''ve got dinner ns with someone else."


    Seth''s dark eyes lingered on her for a moment before he straightened up. "When will you be done?


    I''lle pick you up."


    "Not sure, depends on how it goes."


    With that, she pulled the covers over herself and turned away, "Close the door on your way out."


    She clearly didn''t want to talk to him anymore.


    Silence filled the room for a while until Cicely heard footsteps and the sound of the door closing.


    Only then did she slowly open her eyes.


    Her face was impassive, but she bit her lip as her eyes reddened. Damn it. She felt she was so


    weak.


    She rolled over, pulled her phone from her down jacket on the floor, and called Isaac. Then she


    crawled back under the covers and fell into a real sleep.


    Hunger woke her up in the afternoon. She headed to the kitchen for a ss of water to stave off the


    hunger pangs, but then she noticed freshly made food on the warming table.


    She hesitated but ultimately grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge and left. She had asked


    Emiliana to cover for her at work that afternoon, promising to treat her to a meal. "I''m sorry, I might


    not be able to snatch that role back for you, but feel free to tell me about any scripts you''re


    interested intely, even if it''s for a lead role. I''ll support you."


    The situation was regrettable, and Cicely found it hard to express, considering how confidently she


    had promised before, and now, how foolish it all seemed.


    Emiliana shook her head, a small smile forming, seeming less troubled than before. "Since I''ve tried


    and still failed, maybe it''s fate that the role isn''t meant for me. Being in this industry, I''vee to


    understand that talent matters, but it''s just part of the equation. The rest is up to destiny. No point in


    forcing it. At first, it felt unfair, but after some thought, it''s okay. Thank you for going to such lengths


    for me. I''ll start fresh with the next role."


    Cicely thought there weren''t many girls like Emiliana left in the world. "Are you really okay with


    this?"


    "Not being okay won''t change anything. Some oues have to be epted, whether we like it or


    not." Emiliana smiled, "It''s like dating, isn''t it? You like him, but he doesn''t like you. No matter how


    hard you try, if he doesn''t love you, that''s that. Although it hurts, we have to face reality. I guess


    that''s how it feels, I can''t really describe it any better."


    Cicely sipped her wine, "I understand."


    Emiliana looked at her in surprise, "How could you understand? You got married so young, hardly


    had time for arguments."


    Cicely forced a smile and changed the subject, "You were wrong about one thing. In addition to


    talent and fate, there''s also opportunity. And right now, your opportunity is sitting across from you. If


    you''re smart, seize it."


    After a pause and a nervous hesitation, Emiliana asked, "Really? Can I?"


    At nine, Seth called. "Have you finished dinner? I''lle pick you up."


    Cicely gave him the address. Back at the apartment, she didn''t say much to him, just showered,


    yed games. Eventually, Seth wrapped his arms around her and they went to sleep.


    She didn''t resist, closing her eyes, Emiliana''s words echoing in her mind—


    "No matter how hard you try, if it''s not meant to be, it''s not. Some oues, you simply have to


    ept."


    It was her own fault for falling in love and not having the upper hand.


    The buzz around "Era of Elegance" was far from dying down. To keep the hype alive and to stay on


    the radar, the production team had a dedicated social media squad posting behind-the-scenes clips


    and stills, and asionally revealing some of the progress in various departments.


    For instance, today was the day they were set to release the main cast’s costume reveals and the


    official poster.


    But just when everyone was eagerly awaiting these glimpses of the actors in their period garb and


    the promotional artwork, breaking news hit the trending charts: "Era of Elegance" had a sudden


    influx of capital, and ast-minute switcheroo had been made – a greenhorn actor named Danielle


    had reced a seasoned performer.


    Moreover, all other trending topics rted to "Era of Elegance," including those bought for the


    costume reveal and poster release, were pulled. The headlines were now filled with stories about


    how "Era of Elegance" had shoehorned a pretty face with no acting skills into the cast.


    [Another pretty face with no acting skills? Was that three-month audition process just a joke?]


    [I thought with all the hype this show was getting, it would have some substance. Turns out it''s the


    same old story – another pretty face with no talent.]


    [Adapting the novel is something us book fans couldn''t ept from the start. Later, when the


    promotion seemed promising, we began to look forward to it. Yet, the result is casting mediocre


    actors. The entire plot is filled with intrigue, and I really don''t know which character is meant for just


    a pretty face with no acting skills.]


    Criticism flooded in from all corners, and the once well-regarded "Era of Elegance" was suddenly


    besieged by a chorus of jeers and sarcasm, all because of ast-minute casting controversy.