Revenge Of The Jilted Bride (Ophelia)
Jilted Bride 61

Chapter 61

Sharon glanced at Emily, who showed no intention of defending her. Emily's tear-streaked makeup made her look utterly pitiful.

Meanwhile, Sharon found herself labeled as unprofessional and rusty from her long absence from acting. It dawned on Sharon that she had fallen right into Emily's trap.

The crew members, seemingly unfazed by such drama, cast sympathetic looks towards Emily.

They figured Sharon, riding high on her recent box office success, surely couldn't stand playing second fiddle to some fresh face.

In her dressing room, Emily studied her reflection, fingertips tracing the red imprint on her cheek. A smirk tugged at her lips. "Did you get the shots?" she asked, eyes never leaving the mirror.

Tracy nodded. "Don't worry, Emily. They're already on Twitter. Being a diva during rehearsals and now physically attacking the lead actress on set? Let's see her try to salvage her reputation after this."

Emily smirked. She couldn't believe Sharon had the nerve to challenge her. The Valentine's Day release would have been a smash hit if not for her, she thought bitterly. Instead, it had limped to a measly 1.5 million dollars opening. Plus, Sharon had hogged the limelight in On a Snowy Day, relegating Emily to little more than background scenery. The internet had torn her to shreds.

Now it was her time for some payback.

"Alright, hurry up and wipe this stuff off my hand," Emily said, holding out her palm. It was smeared with a carefully prepared red dye, its not-quite-red hue looking remarkably like real blood.

As Tracy cleaned her hand, Emily admired the fake slap mark on her face. She felt quite clever. "Buy a few trending topics," she instructed. "Let it simmer on social media for a bit. In about an hour, we'll release a statement to clear things up. We'll say something like 'Ms. Campbell is actually a very professional actor."

Due to this staged incident, Emily's scenes for the day were postponed.

Meanwhile, online discussions about Sharon's alleged bad attitude and diva behavior were heating up.

Online reactions poured in, with one user commenting: [There's a reason she's not famous.]

Another user angrily chimed in: [She's already acting like a diva the moment she gets a taste of fame. I can't believe Sharon's this type of person.]

A disappointed fan wrote: [I just started following her, and now I'm about to unfollow.]

One observant user noticed something concerning: [Look at the handprint on Emily's face! That must have been one hell of a slap. Is Sharon jealous that Emily got the lead role?]

A female user speculated: [She must be bitter about losing the part. That's probably why she's being so nasty on set. I have to say, though, that Emily is a great actress. It's just unfortunate she got caught up in this mess.]

One particularly harsh comment read: [I've never liked Sharon. She looks like a man-eater. Who knows how many guys she's slept with to get ahead?]

Sharon's PR team scrambled to delete the negative posts, but Emily's money hadn't gone to waste. The internet was already abuzz with speculation, and many users had been swayed by the rumors.

***

14:49 Mon, Nov 11 uti

Chapter 61

59%7

+5

As the scene ended, Sharon's assistant, Feona, rushed over with a phone. "Sharon, they're tearing you apart online," she said, his voice tight with worry.

Seeing the overwhelming tide of public opinion against her, Sharon finally realized she'd been played. In the cutthroat world of showbiz, money talked, and a small-time actress like her was no match for the powers that be. She cast a cool glance at Emily, who sat under a beach umbrella, face mask on, clearly enjoying the spectacle. During the break, all the other actors flocked to Emily, showering her with attention while deliberately isolating Sharon. Left without even a place to rest, Sharon found herself standing in the scorching sun, taking small sips of water.

The assistant wanted to hold an umbrella for her, but Sharon stopped them. If someone caught that on camera, it would just confirm the rumors of her being a diva. The internet would cook up various kinds of stories.

Sharon had been hoping Ophelia might visit the set, but now she didn't want her to come. Seeing her like this might only invite contempt and eye-rolling.

Sharon desperately hoped Ophelia would forget. 'Don't come, please don't come,' she thought. After all, she only had one more scene to shoot today.

Outside the film studio, in an understated Maybach, Kenneth glanced at the time. "You have twenty minutes left."

Ophelia took a deep breath and turned to Kenneth, her demeanor shifting instantly to that of a lovely cat. She planted a soft kiss on his cheek. "Can't you give me another twenty minutes? I've been keeping you company this whole time," she coaxed. "Show me you mean it," Kenneth said, his eyes twinkling with amusement despite his deliberately aloof demeanor. He absently toyed with the ring on his pinky finger.

Ophelia leaned forward, about to steal another kiss when her phone chimed with a notification. She immediately pulled back, glancing at Twitter. 'Perfect,' she thought. Emily had tweeted: [Ms. Campbell is the epitome of professionalism. Please don't hold anything against her.]

"Never mind," Ophelia muttered. Twenty minutes had been enough for her to handle the situation. She pushed open the car door and stepped out, oblivious to Kenneth inside, whose expression had instantly turned cold. The atmosphere in the car plummeted to freezing in a heartbeat. "Mr. Sinclair, I'm stepping out for a smoke," the driver said, scrambling out of the car. He didn't dare linger a second longer, fearing he might get caught in the crossfire.

Kenneth slumped back, propping his forehead in his hand. His gaze could have burned holes through steel, radiating frustration and barely contained fury.

Sharon's final scene for the day was scheduled to be shot alongside others due to similar makeup and costumes. The scene depicted Josephine's fall from grace. Her father and eldest brother were publicly executed, her vengeful plot against Gwen culminating in the death of Gwen's child, and finally, her banishment by the Emperor himself.

As the cameras rolled, Josephine walked the long, lonely road to exile, her mind a whirlwind of memories and regrets. The scene included a confrontation with a former rival, a concubine, who had come to gloat over Josephine's downfall.

This particular scene included a slap to the face, which was why it had been saved for last. The close-up shot required real contact, with no opportunity to fake the slap.

The actress playing the rival approached Sharon. Despite her significantly higher status in the industry, she addressed Sharon directly. "Listen, Sharon. I know you're a dedicated professional, and so am I. I need to let you know that I'll have to 14:49 Mon, Nov 11 W W XI.

Chapter 61

slap you for real in this scene. I wanted to give you a heads up."

Sharon responded with a simple nod.

"Action!" the director called out, and the scene sprang to life. A lone woman walked down a street bordered by the imposing walls of the Palace. Two guards trailed behind her, their presence a stark contrast to her dejected demeanor.

Occasionally, she lifted her gaze to watch birds soaring across the sky. Her mind drifted back to when she first met the prince as a young girl. He was dashing and elegant, and she was mischievous and willful. Yet he doted on her, promising that if he ever became emperor, she would be his one and only queen. But he broke that promise.

One night, he came to her, holding her close as he explained the complexities of his situation. He swore to make her the queen, vowing she would never face a moment of hardship.

When they had their first child, he declared that if it was a boy, he'd be named crown prince. If a girl, she'd be the noblest princess in the land.

Tragically, they lost the baby. Since then, she had never conceived again.

All of this, she knew, was orchestrated by the Emperor himself. Yet she couldn't bring herself to hate him. She blamed those who had bewitched him. So she took her revenge, killing Gwen's child. But she had also thoroughly angered the Emperor. The man who once rode horses with her had now banished her, never to be seen again.

The woman took a deep breath, wiping away her tears with a smile.

"Cut!" the director called. "Perfect take. Let's move on."

Next up was the scene with Kimberly Wallace. Kimberly played Irene, a neglected woman who had been poisoned by Josephine in the past. Now unable to bear children, she longed to kill Josephine.

"Why are you staring at me like that?" Sharon, in character as Josephine, laughed. "If you've got the guts, why don't you just kill me?" She captured Josephine's innate pride, challenging Irene with a provocative glare. Irene raised her hand and slapped Josephine hard across the face.

Sharon's ears rang from the impact. Her cheek stung fiercely, and she tasted blood where her teeth had cut into her cheek. Despite the pain, she remained fully immersed in her character's despair and bitterness. However, Kimberly shook her head slightly. "I'm sorry, director," she said. "I couldn't quite replace the right feeling just now. My reaction wasn't what it should have been. That's on me. Could we try that take again?"