(13) The Thief And The Queen

The day of the taping finally arrived.

Violet peered through the tinted window of her luxury SUV, her reflection staring back at her perfectly styled dark waves, flawless makeup, and a pair of oversized sunglasses.

The film set sprawled before her like a medieval kingdom, all towering stone walls, ornate archways, and intricate tapestries. They had spared no expense on The Queen's Throne, transforming the studio lot into a sprawling chateau that would make any European monarch jealous.

"Revenge of an empowered female royalty," Violet mused, recalling the novel's premise. "How fitting."

The moment her door opened, the swarm descended. Staff members rushed forward with welcome, their voices a chorus of greetings and flattery. Violet stepped out with elegance, her heels clicking against the cobblestone path, her smile fixed and radiant.

"Mrs. Collins! Welcome!"

"So excited to have you on set!"

"Your gowns are absolutely stunning, we can't wait to see you in them!"

Violet basked in the attention, her gaze sweeping across the ballroom hall. The set was magnificent.

Grand chandeliers, marble floors, and towering windows that let in streams of golden light. It was the kind of production that made careers.

"Mrs. Collins is the original actress chosen for Nova Estrella," a staff member murmured to her colleague, unaware that Violet's ears were tuned to every syllable.

"But between her and Miss Vivianne..." the colleague whispered back, "I think Miss Vivianne can play it better. Have you seen her films and series? They're all so popular. And fans of the novel wanted Miss Vivianne to be Nova."

Violet's smile twitched.

"Fans of the novel? Since when do fans get a say?"

She turned to her assistant, a young woman named Clara who looked perpetually nervous. "Clara. I need coffee. A cappuccino, extra hot, one pump of vanilla, made with oat milk, and a dash of cinnamon on top. Not too much cinnamon. Precisely measured."

Clara blinked rapidly. "Right away, Mrs. Collins."

"And if it's wrong," Violet added sweetly, "you'll do it again until it's right."

Clara scurried off, and Violet returned to observing the set. She settled into a velvet chair near the center of the ballroom, script in hand, pretending to study her lines while her ears remained on high alert.

"I don't think Mrs. Collins should play the mistress Avon Estrella," another staff member said, clearly unaware that the subject of her conversation was sitting fifteen feet away. "Like, I get the drama is nice, and Mrs. Collins has handled previous roles like that, but she's just too pretty to be the mean girl on set."

Violet's grip on the script tightened. That's right, she shouldn't be a side character. She had spent so many effort on her looks and she got handed a role that wont last in the film?

"Have you seen Miss Vivianne?" a third staff member gushed. "She's literally the embodiment of an angel. Of Nova. Wait till you guys see her performance!"

The staff member gasped, pointing toward the catering area. "Oh! There is Miss Vivianne! What is she doing?"

Violet's gaze snapped in that direction.

And there she was.

Vivianne Goldthorne, the eyesore, standing at the catering table with a radiant smile, helping the staff hand out coffees and treats. She moved among the crew like a benevolent goddess, her blonde hair catching the light, her laughter tinkling through the air like wind chimes. Every staff member she spoke to lit up like they had been personally blessed.

It was nauseating.

"She's making me look bad." Violet realized, her jaw tightening.

"There you are, sweetie!"

Violet turned to find Samuel approaching, his face bright with a smile.

"Took you long enough to come and greet me," she scoffed, lowering her sunglasses to glare at him.

"I had to supervise some of our newcomers." Samuel kissed her forehead, utterly oblivious to her mood. "Have you met Miss Goldthorne? Come, I'll introduce you properly. She's been eagerly waiting to meet you."

Samuel reached for her hand, but Violet didn't budge.

"You're best friends now?" she asked, her voice filled with scrutiny.

Samuel sighed, the tension in his shoulders visible. "No, Vi. I know you're frustrated she got the leading role, but it's important to stay professional. We don't want these people to record you being sour over Miss Goldthorne's arrival, right?"

Violet's eyes darted to the crew members who were subtly watching them. She could practically hear the gossip already; Violet Collins is jealous of the newcomer! Best Actress my foot!

She pulled her hand away from Samuel and marched toward the catering bar. Samuel followed, his expression strained.

"Hi," Violet greeted Charity, her voice flat and unwelcoming. "So you really did become Nova Estrella."

The staff members froze, their conversations dying mid-sentence. Every eye in the vicinity turned toward the two women, anticipation visible in the air.

Are they going to fight? Will there be a scene?

Charity, to her credit, didn't flinch. Her smile widened; beautiful, warm, utterly infuriating. "I'm so glad to work with you, Mrs. Collins! We happened to be sisters in this film!"

Before Violet could react, Charity stepped forward and pressed a kiss to her cheek, a gesture of camaraderie that made Violet's skin crawl.

"Yes. Yes indeed." Violet's smile was plastic, her eyes cold. "And you know what's fun about this too? That you look like my non-blood-related sister, Charity Redwood. Maybe that's why you got the role, because you're living under her shadow?"

The tension sharpened. A few staff members audibly gasped. Cameras on phones were subtly raised.

"This is going to be good." one of them mouthed to another.

"Vi," Samuel interrupted, stepping between them with forced calm. "I see you've met your costar. Miss Goldthorne, my wife, Violet Collins. She's very professional on set and takes her work seriously. It might come off as... intense, but--"

"I look like the late Charity Redwood, yes." Charity nodded, a faint flush of heat rising to her cheeks.

The woman they killed was gone. Born out of her ashes was Vivianne Goldthorne. She would not let them see her break.

"Don't worry. I take no offense at all. In fact, I want to befriend Mrs. Collins. I've been her avid fan since I was young."

"Oh, you do?" Samuel turned to Violet, his expression hopeful. "That's great, isn't it, Honey?"

"Honey." Charity's internal voice sneered. "He called her Honey. How adorable."

"Let me get one thing straight." Violet dropped the act entirely, stepping closer to Charity, close enough that the crew could only see her back, not her menacing expression. "You will never be Charity Redwood, nor can you surpass me. Be a good newcomer and drop out of this film."

"Vi..." Samuel was at a loss. He couldn't reprimand her without making things worse, couldn't intervene without drawing more attention.

But Charity remained composed. Unmoved. Her smile didn't waver, and that only made Violet angrier.

"Don't worry, Mrs. Collins." Charity's voice was honey-sweet. "I'm well behaved enough. The investors chose me over you."

Violet's lips curled into a cruel little grin. "Hah. As if your petty backer can make you last here longer than you wanted."

She turned away just as Clara returned with her coffee. "See you later, Miss Vivianne Goldthorne. If you can work that far."

She strode off, leaving Charity and Samuel standing in awkward silence.

Samuel rubbed the back of his neck, clearly embarrassed. "I'm sorry about her. She's just..."

"It's alright." Charity cut him off gently, her eyes lingering on him for just a moment too long. "I'll be at my trailer preparing for my costumes."

She reached out and tapped his shoulder faintly. A brief, deliberate contact that made Samuel stiffen. Then she walked away, her movements graceful and unhurried.

Samuel stared after her, unnerved. "The way she touched me. The way she looked at me. It's almost like.."

---

A few minutes later, Violet stood in the middle of the trailer lot, her sunglasses lowered as she gaped at the accommodations.

"What's this?" she demanded, pointing at the smaller trailer that looked like a shoebox compared to the behemoth beside it. "How can this be mine?"

Clara fidgeted nervously. "Well... this was within the budget for 1 Entertainment's contract. It's for Miss Vivianne."

Violet's face contorted. "What? And they'll let me, the Best Actress of the Year, sit in a cramped trailer like this?"

"Mrs. Collins.."

"I don't want to hear your excuses!" Violet snapped. "Call my husband! I demand an explanation!"

At that moment, Paige arrived, ushering Charity toward her massive trailer. They paused, glancing at Violet, who was red-faced and fuming. Charity's gaze flickered to the small trailer, then to Violet's furious expression.

She didn't say a word. She simply smiled and stepped into her luxurious trailer, the door closing behind her with a soft click.

Violet's fury reached its peak.

"Did you see that?!" she hissed at Clara. "She didn't even look at me! She's mocking me! That bitch is mocking me!"

Clara backed away slowly, her hands raised in surrender. "I'll--I'll get Sir Samuel right away, Mrs. Collins!"

As Clara fled, Violet stared at the massive trailer, her nails digging into her palms.

"You think you've won, Goldthorne?" she thought, her smile turning venomous. "You think this is over? Just wait. I'll make you regret ever stepping onto my set."