Applause and Poison

The couple returned to the dressing room with depressed and dejected expressions.

Vanessa stood silently in front of Gabriel before a tear slipped down her cheek. Her voice trembled softly, fragile and pitiful.

“Baby… do you blame me? Do you blame me for not agreeing to Bella’s request…?”

Gabriel’s heart softened instantly. He reached out and gently wiped away the tear at the corner of her eye.

“Why would I blame you?”

Vanessa immediately threw herself into his arms as though she had just been saved from despair.

“Thank you… thank you for believing in me and understanding me. It’s not that I can’t give up the wealth or status of the Hartley family. I just… I can’t leave Mom and Dad behind. The thought of never seeing them again…”

Her voice broke halfway through.

Gabriel sighed helplessly as he patted her back.

“It’s okay. Stop crying. I understand.”

His expression darkened slightly as Bella’s cold face surfaced in his mind.

“I was too naive. I kept thinking she was still the same girl as before.”

Vanessa slowly lifted her watery eyes to look at him.

“Gab…”

Gabriel’s gaze softened immediately.

From now on, I won’t let her bully you anymore. And I won’t let her hurt you either.”

Vanessa stared at him with infatuated eyes before suddenly wrapping her arms around his neck.

Before he could react, she leaned forward and kissed him.

Gabriel stiffened slightly.

“We’re still on set. What if someone comes in…”

“So what if they do?” Vanessa whispered against his lips. “You’re my boyfriend.”

Her voice was sweet and soft, but there was something deeper hidden beneath it tonight. Something possessive.

Slowly, she climbed onto his lap. Her fingers slid across his chest before undoing the buttons on his shirt one after another.

Her lips brushed lightly against his jaw, deliberate and teasing.

Heh. Isabella…

Let’s see who wins in the end.

The atmosphere inside the dressing room gradually heated up.

Clothes slipped carelessly onto the floor while Vanessa’s breathing slowly turned uneven beneath Gabriel’s touch.

“Mmh…”

Her fingers tightened around his shoulders as she tilted her head back slightly.

“Gabriel…”

Her voice softened into something seductive and sweet enough to melt bones.

“Tell me…” she whispered between breaths. “Who’s better?”

Gabriel’s breathing had already grown rough.

“Of course it’s you.”

Vanessa smiled in satisfaction, but her eyes still carried traces of insecurity.

“Better than Isabella?”

The moment that name left her lips, Gabriel paused almost imperceptibly.

Back then, Isabella had been quiet and painfully innocent. She knew almost nothing about relationships and was always shy whenever he got close to her.

At first, he had genuinely liked that purity.

But as time passed, it slowly became dull and repetitive.

Vanessa, on the other hand, was passionate, bold, affectionate and knew exactly how to please him.

Yet strangely enough…

The person appearing in his mind now wasn’t the timid Isabella from the past.

It was the current Isabella.

Sharp-tongued.

Cold-eyed.

That careless smile filled with mockery whenever she looked at him now.

His breathing unconsciously deepened.

Vanessa let out a soft gasp as his grip around her waist tightened slightly.

Outside the dressing room, the assistant stood awkwardly by the door with a flushed face.

Honestly… if the fans heard the sounds coming from inside right now, their so-called pure and innocent goddess image would probably collapse on the spot.

“Miss Vanessa, filming is about to begin. Should I call the makeup artist over?” the assistant asked stiffly.

After a while, the sounds inside finally quieted down.

When Isabella had completed her preparations, she still ended up waiting nearly half an hour before Vanessa finally arrived slowly on set.

“Sorry for making everyone wait,” Vanessa apologized gently. “My skin wasn’t in very good condition today, so makeup took longer than expected.”

Her voice sounded hoarse and lazy.

The glance she threw toward Isabella was filled with pride and provocation.

As she walked past, she deliberately adjusted the collar around her neck, exposing several obvious red marks beneath her fair skin.

Combined with her flushed cheeks, misty eyes, and the faint sweet scent lingering around her body, it was practically impossible not to guess what she had been doing moments ago.

A vein throbbed faintly on Isabella’s forehead.

If not for filming, she genuinely would have refused to breathe the same air as Vanessa out of sheer disgust.

Phil clapped his hands loudly to gather everyone’s attention.

“Alright! Since everyone’s here, let’s begin! Positions, everyone!”

He raised his hand.

“Action!”

Dusk settled over a thick forest of bamboo.

Two women stood facing each other; one dressed in midnight black that accentuated her figure, while the other wore flawless white.

Glinda Clifford’s expression was solemn.

“Natalie, I understand that you pursued revenge for the sake of your brothers. However, you’ve already killed Lady Katherine. Isn’t that enough? Do you really want to bring down the entire kingdom?”

Natalie’s long black sleeves billowed violently in the cold wind. She looked down at the person before her as though staring at an insignificant ant.

“This kingdom was won through my family’s blood and sacrifices. So what if I destroy it?”

Her lips curled coldly.

“It was mine to begin with.”

Glinda was enraged.

“You… You’re too unreasonable! You were once a general who protected this land. Why have you become so petty? Are you willing to watch this country be consumed by war and leave its people suffering for generations to come?”

Natalie’s hair whipped wildly in the wind. She lowered her gaze and slowly stroked her long nails.

Then, in a near-crazed tone, she laughed softly.

“Who cares if the world burns after I die?”

“That’s perfect!” Phil exclaimed excitedly, practically unable to contain himself.

Jalen had specially come to the set today. After watching the scene, she let out a long sigh of relief.

“In this movie, the role I worried about the most wasn’t Glinda Clifford, but Natalie Frostman,” she admitted honestly. “When I created her, I never intended for her to be a simple villain. I wanted to leave it up to the audience to decide whether she’s a hero or a villain.”

Her eyes remained fixed on Isabella.

“And whether the audience can do that depends entirely on the actress portraying her. If the actress lacks the skill to bring out Natalie’s depth, then she’ll simply come across as the movie’s biggest villain. But if the actress succeeds…”

Jalen smiled faintly.

“Then Natalie Frostman becomes unforgettable.”

It was clear that Isabella belonged to the latter category.

Phil’s face was filled with excitement.

“I have a feeling Isabella’s going to win an award for this role!”

Producer Wale nodded repeatedly in agreement.

“She’s a good sprout. Starlight may have lost Vivienne, but now they’ve gained another rising star in Isabella. They’ve practically profited from the exchange. Hopefully they don’t suppress her this time.”

“Cut! Great work! Take a short break before we begin the next scene!”

Since they had completed the scene in a single take, Director Phil’s earlier gloominess over Jason’s sudden leave instantly disappeared.

When they returned to the break room, Vanessa immediately called her assistant over the moment she sat down.

“What were the director and the others saying just now?”

The assistant hesitated, looking as though she didn’t know how to begin.

“They praised Isabella?” Vanessa sneered coldly.

The assistant nodded nervously.

“Director Phil said Isabella acted perfectly. Screenwriter Jalen said her acting was so good that she practically turned Natalie Frostman into the protagonist. Producer Wale also praised her and said she might even go further than Vivienne. Director Phil even said…”

“What else did he say?” Vanessa asked sharply.

The assistant swallowed nervously.

“He said Isabella might win an award for this role…”

Vanessa slammed her hand against the armrest.

“What nonsense! These days, awards depend on background and connections. Does he really think talent alone is enough?”

Her eyes darkened with jealousy.

“So what if she wins an award? At best, she’ll only get Best Supporting Actress. In the end, she’s still just there to act as my foil!”

The assistant hurriedly agreed.

“Exactly! She’s only playing a temptress. How could she possibly compare to you? The audience isn’t blind!”

Vanessa’s expression softened slightly, though the darkness in her eyes still lingered.

Lowering her voice, she said quietly,

“That thing we prepared before… it’s time to put it into action.”

The assistant gasped in shock before hurriedly covering her mouth.

“We’re really doing that? But… it’s too dangerous! What if you—”

“Stop wasting time,” Vanessa interrupted impatiently. “If I told you to do it, then just do it.”

“I understand… I’ll go tell him now…”

At that moment, Gabriel’s concerned voice sounded from behind them.

“Babe, what happened? You don’t look too well.”