Chapter 229

Chapter 229:

“You’re just scared that others will outdo you, so you use your status to oppress everyone. Even if I pass on this chance, I’ll still outshine you.” With that, Maxine walked away.

Her assistant was taken aback. Maxine was usually so accommodating; her outspoken retort was unexpected. Once they were outside, the assistant couldn’t hide her admiration. “Maxine, that was impressive back there.” But as soon as Maxine stepped outside, her resolve seemed to waver. “It’s really hard to hold your ground in this industry without any power,” she admitted, sounding defeated.

The assistant looked at her with sympathy. “It’s true, especially since Tatiana’s fiancé is Corbett.”

Maxine stared into the distance. She had sounded confident just moments ago, but she knew all too well that talent wasn’t always what mattered most in the entertainment industry. Was this industry really the right place for her? She started to question her own future.

Feeling downhearted, her assistant suggested they go have a cup of coffee. While sitting in the café, taking a break, Maxine’s assistant checked the news online and exclaimed, “Damn it! These people are overstepping. They’re claiming they have terminated the contract with you because you underperformed.”

Maxine looked at her phone. The brand, Shining, had just made an announcement. It stated, “Due to issues in our collaboration with Maxine Campbell, we have decided to end our partnership. We have selected a new actress to endorse our products. Welcome, Tatiana Fernandez.”

Previously, the brand had publicly announced their partnership with Maxine, but now they had switched to another artist. This left the online community baffled. “Why did this change happen so suddenly?”

“No way. I think Tatiana is trying to grab all of Maxine’s opportunities.”

“There’s a known rift between Tatiana and Maxine. It’s a long-standing issue. Tatiana has always been jealous of Maxine.”

“Are you kidding? Tatiana is the top actress. Does she need to be jealous of Maxine? Why not consider that Maxine lost opportunities due to her own lackluster performance? Tatiana stepping in was purely out of generosity.”

This remark was liked by the brand. So the narrative took shape: Maxine’s alleged poor performance quickly ignited widespread discussion on the internet. The online community began to question Maxine’s talent.

Maxine’s assistant was pissed off. Maxine was undeniably more talented than Tatiana. Yet, public opinion was easily swayed. As Maxine read through the news and comments, her spirits sank even further.

Her assistant observed her with a heavy heart. If they were subjected to such treatment, could they really continue in this industry? They had hoped things would improve once Maxine reached A-list status, but the industry challenges only seemed to grow…

In the studio.

“Did you release the announcement?” Tatiana asked Lachlan.

Lachlan responded immediately, “Yes, it’s already online. The feedback is rolling in fast. Now, everyone’s convinced that Maxine isn’t as capable as you.”

Tatiana checked her phone and noticed the comments about her and Maxine. “Isn’t it obvious that Maxine isn’t up to par? Someone suggested that Tatiana is stealing her opportunities. But really, if she were truly capable, would her opportunities be so easily taken?”

“I’ve seen Maxine’s promotional poster. It’s quite ordinary. But she’s a skilled actress.”

“If she’s skilled, why hasn’t she won a Best Actress award like Tatiana did? It’s so funny. How can she say that Tatiana stole her opportunities? Did she even deserve them?”

Many netizens ridiculed Maxine. This put Tatiana in high spirits.

A year after Tatiana began her acting career, Maxine entered the scene as a fresh face. Initially, Tatiana’s position in the industry was solid. However, Maxine, who shared a similar image and offered lower rates, began to attract many opportunities, creating a direct threat to Tatiana.

Left with no other option, Tatiana revealed her wealthy family background, which helped her stabilize her position and eventually win the Best Actress award. How could Maxine, coming from a modest background, secure better opportunities than her?

Tatiana was pleased with herself. She wanted to remind Maxine not to be overconfident and that she could easily ruin her career. While browsing Twitter, Tatiana was drawn to a new post.

It was made by Blossom Grace, a leading brand known for its strong development and global reputation, operating under Homelight Enterprise. She had visited Jared recently, hoping to secure an endorsement deal with Blossom Grace. However, Jared had been occupied during her visit.

In her mind, she had already secured the endorsement. After all, who else but her could fit the role, especially given her closeness to Jared? But then, Blossom Grace announced a different spokesperson.

The company said, “Congratulations to Maxine for being chosen to endorse our products next year. We look forward to a fruitful collaboration.” Then Maxine’s photo was attached.

Tatiana read the announcement several times, initially suspecting it was a hoax. However, after verifying, she realized it was legitimate. Blossom Grace had chosen Maxine as their new face?

This news was truly unexpected. Tatiana’s face drained of color. She hurriedly called Jared. As soon as he answered, she said with a tone of grievance, “Mr. Cooper, what happened? Didn’t you tell me I’d be endorsing Blossom Grace? Why did you pick someone else?”

Tatiana still hoped it was a misunderstanding at the brand manager’s end.

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