Chapter 149

Chapter 149 Elsewhere, Winslet sat in the luxurious presidential suite, her phone buzzing with a message from Sharon. The Larson and Horton families were set to marry, and they had picked a date to announce it publicly.

But Winslet barely glanced at her phone. She was sitting in front of the mirror, the gauze unwrapped from her face, shivering as she stared at her swollen, scarred reflection. “Is this really me?” she whispered in horror.

Alfred stood behind her, his voice calm. “Ms. Larson, don’t cry. Tears will only slow the healing process. You don’t want the surgery to fail, do you?” Winslet forced herself to hold back her tears. “I look so ugly. How am I supposed to become the lady of the Horton family like this?”

The doctor smiled, reassuring her, “Give it time. The surgery was successful, and you’ll recover soon.”

Winslet pursed her lips, her expression serious. “Will I look just like her?”

The doctor sighed. “Not exactly. But you’ll resemble her enough–maybe around 70%-to convince someone who’s never met her in person.”

Winslet nodded slowly. For her, as long as she could marry into the Horton family, it was worth it. She didn’t care who Nick was, she only wanted wealth and power.

With red–rimmed eyes, she muttered, “I’ll step on Madeline so hard, she’ll never rise again!” Winslet was already planning her future in the capital. The capital will be so much bigger than Acocester,‘ she thought. ‘I used to be stepped on in this place; now, I’ll deal with them one by one.‘ Despite the pain, she refused to cry. Failure to recover would mean everything she endured was in vain.

It was November now, and the cold was creeping in. The temperature hovered below 68 degrees Fahrenheit, often around 59.

Madeline had taken a two–month break, allowing her enough time for her new project.

Her studio, Illuminade, was running smoothly, thanks to the experienced team they had invested in. Luisa Xerxes, her assistant, accompanied Madeline onto the set. The shoot had already begun on October 22, and Madeline officially joined the film crew on November 1.

As soon as she arrived, she made an effort to familiarize herself with the team. The director, Sylas Thurman, waved to everyone, signaling them to pause. “Maddie’s here today. Let’s take a coffee break and welcome her.”

Madeline had been brought onto the project by Yohannes, and Sylas was well aware of that. Moreover, she brought with her a lot of money rising star, Yohannes. For that, Sylas was utterly grateful.

“Hello, Mr. Thurman,” Madeline greeted.

Sylas gave her an approving nod. “Your look is perfect for this role. And you’ve memorized all your lines, right?”

Madeline smiled. “Yes, this is my first major role, so I made sure to prepare thoroughly.”

Camille Lovell, the female lead, cast a brief glance at Madeline. She had a lot of scenes to focus on and was busy reading the script.

and a Since the second female lead didn’t have as many scenes as the male characters, Camille wasn’t too bothered by Madeline’s role, even if she had brought money into the production. As long as their cooperation went smoothly, she didn’t mind.

Yohannes came over, leaning slightly toward Madeline. “If you’re unsure about anything, ask me.”

Someone nearby asked curiously, “Are you and Mr. Yandell from the same company?”

“Sort of... We’re from the same hometown.” Madeline glanced at Yohannes, her expression neutral. She couldn’t exactly explain that she had been brought onto the project by him.

Yohannes smiled faintly and added, “Yes, so I’ll be looking out for her.”

Madeline noticed the curious and envious looks from the others and coughed lightly. “Thank you.”

In her previous life, Madeline had been incredibly successful, producing numerous outstanding works. Yohannes, though popular, hadn’t fully developed his acting skills, riding the wave of his fame until it began to decline.

Madeline eyed Yohannes–if he was helping her now, she didn’t mind partnering with him to improve her position. “I look forward to working with you,” Yohannes said with a polite smile, shaking Madeline’s hand briefly.

There was nothing amiss with their interaction. However, across the room, Senna whispered into Camille’s ear, “Look at him, flirting instead of focusing on acting.”

Camille, while a bit famous, had fairly average acting skills for the new generation of actors. She glanced at Yohannes, already knowing he was more looks than talent. “As long as he keeps his fanbase happy, it’s none of our business,” she said, with a hint of disdain.

୯ 1/2 Chapter 149 +5 Senna chimed in, “That woman probably bought her way onto the project. I’ve never seen her before–she’s probably just another actress who only knows how to look pretty. You’re so good at acting. It’s so unfair that you have to make up for their poor performances.”

At this time, someone came over. Camille wasn’t too keen on associating with actors she considered lacking in skill, but she knew she had to yield to the power of money as she hadn’t been as fortunate recently.

Luisa approached Senna and Camille with coffee. “Ms. Lovell, it’s Maddie’s first time playing such a major role. I hope we get along well over the next two months.”

Camille smiled sweetly. “Of course. Everyone has gone through this stage.”

Luisa couldn’t help but be charmed. Camille was incredibly attractive and seemed easygoing. The positive image portrayed online seemed quite real. After serving them, Luisa went to distribute coffee to the others.

Camille, however, threw her coffee into the trash without a second thought, her eyes cold and indifferent. She knew that after this production, she and Madeline wouldn’t have to interact.

Camille thought, ‘She bought her way here. How far can she even go? Does she really know how hard it is to act? Our levels are worlds apart. Once I get more popular, I won’t need to work alongside less talented actors.‘

Senna snorted as she watched. “Maybe she’s only in this position because she’s got some rich man backing her. Once he gets tired of her, she’ll disappear.”

Camille glanced at her. “Don’t talk nonsense. It’s not right to gossip behind someone’s back.” Though her words were polite, her eyes were full of contempt.

After handing out the coffee, Luisa returned to chat with Senna, only to notice the latter wasn’t holding her cup anymore, and Camille was busy fixing her makeup nearby. “Huh? Did you already drink your coffee?” Luisa asked, confused.

Senna frowned, shaking her head. “That coffee was so bitter. I threw it away. Next time, bring something better, like a milkshake.

Cammie and I prefer sweeter drinks. Who even asked for coffee anyway?”

She looked down on Luisa, the assistant of an unknown second female lead, for trying to get close to them. Luisa was taken aback. She had given them milk coffee, after all. But she quickly realized he simply didn’t want it.

Not far away, Madeline called out, “Luisa, come here.” She was preparing for her scene and needed to get into makeup and costume. Luisa glanced thoughtfully at Senna before heading off.