The manager was stunned for a long second.

However, Celeste didn’t wait for her to recover. Turning around, she simply continued walking out.

Everyone was shocked.

Although Liam wasn’t someone to be feared —he had never done anything that would leave people scared of him —he was still someone ordinary people wouldn’t dare to trifle with.

While many women had a crush on him, many more respected him.

Yet—

Celeste spoke of him as though he were nothing in her eyes.

Had she always hated him this much?

"She was quite rude," someone finally whispered, watching her figure grow more distant toward the exit. "Is she really not scared of CEO Scott?"

"What do you mean not scared?" another scoffed. "She’s just too proud of her identity as the Klein family’s daughter."

"Celeste’s always like this," someone else chimed in. "Sister Clara is so nice, yet she always makes things hard for her. How could she treat her like that?"

Before anyone could continue—

Celeste’s manager’s cold voice cut through the air, making them stiffen ...

"Seems like you all have a lot of free time to spare these days."

She stood at a distance, but she had heard their comments clearly.

"Since you have nothing better to do, I’ll make sure to remind your trainer to keep you busy with training. At least that might give you enough confidence to start taking your careers seriously."

The gossipers didn’t dare look up.

Their heads lowered as they stood there, guiltily staring at the ground.

Celeste’s manager watched them for a moment before shaking her head. Then she turned and started walking out as well.

However—

Mid-step, she paused.

Then, turning over her shoulder, she added one last remark.

"Celeste has every reason to act proud and arrogant," she said, her voice cold and steady. "After all, she’s not just the Klein family’s precious daughter, but also a self-made woman —a proven S-list actress. Unlike you, she doesn’t seek attention by singing praises of others. She shines through her own talent."

And without another glance—

She left.

Behind her, everyone stood there in silence, embarrassed for a long moment.

However—

That embarrassment didn’t last long.

They quickly recovered and began chatting again.

Only this time—

They avoided mentioning Celeste altogether.

"Hey ... by the way, I heard from someone that after the audition, Director Rhodes has already finalized the casting."

"Yes, I heard the same."

"One of my acquaintances who got selected for a minor supporting role has already received the notification. She also mentioned that almost all the actors and actresses have been informed. So how come Sister Clara is still saying her role isn’t confirmed yet?"

While most were unaware, those who knew bits and pieces were genuinely confused.

"Could it be ... Sister Clara wasn’t selected?" someone finally suggested.

But as soon as the thought was voiced, someone else dismissed it.

"That’s impossible. Sister Clara is currently the best. Who else could Director Rhodes choose if not her??"

Others nodded in agreement.

After all, Clara was truly one of the most popular actresses in the industry, with a massive fan base.

Choosing her would have been the safest and most profitable decision.

"Sister Clara auditioned for the lead role. And main cast decisions are often kept under wraps to build hype. That must be what’s happening."

The others heard that and nodded.

That explanation made sense—

So they all chose to believe it.

However—

While speculation continued downstairs, upstairs in Liam’s office—

The air was tense.

Clara stood opposite Liam, across his desk.

Her expression was filled with disbelief as she stared at her brother.

It was as if she was trying to process his words—

Even though he had already made everything clear. 𝓯𝙧𝙚𝒆𝙬𝙚𝒃𝙣𝙤𝒗𝓮𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

"I ... didn’t get selected?" she asked again.

Liam’s brows furrowed, his expression turning complicated.

He nodded.

"I received a call earlier this morning from Goldstem Productions," he said, his voice soft yet serious. "They relayed the decision."

Clara shook her head, her brows knitting together —clearly unwilling to accept it.

"But how is that possible? I performed well. They all looked impressed. Then why ... why didn’t they select me?"

Liam wasn’t surprised by her reaction.

He had expected this.

But there was nothing he could do except try to comfort her.

So he stood up from his chair and walked over to her.

Reaching out, he gently held her shoulder.

"It’s fine. Don’t stress yourself over one project," he said. "There will always be better opportunities. If not this, I’ll find you another strong script."

Clara’s expression didn’t soften.

Instead, she stared at him as though she couldn’t believe what he was saying.

She pulled away from his touch and took a step back.

"Liam ... how can you say that?" she asked, her voice trembling. "Do you even know how long I’ve been preparing for this? How much effort I put in just to get a role in Director Rhodes’s film?"

Liam frowned.

He did know.

But that didn’t change anything.

He couldn’t change the decision that had already been made.

"Clara, effort never goes to waste," he said gently. "What you’ve prepared will help you in the future. It is not limited to just this one project."

He gestured toward his desk as he continued,

"We’ve several other scripts here. As long as you choose one, I’ll make sure you get a role you want. You—"

"I don’t want any other script, Liam," she cut him off, her voice rising as she nearly lost her usual calm and composed demeanor.

But just as she was about to lose control—

She closed her eyes.

And forced herself back into that gentle, restrained persona.

When she spoke again, her voice was softer —but filled with suppressed emotion.

"I wanted only that script," she said, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "I wanted to work in Director Rhodes’s film. Those other scripts ... they’re not his work."

Liam’s chest tightened at the sight of her tears.

He hated seeing her like this.

But he was helpless.

Closing his eyes briefly, he said,

"Director Rhodes has already selected someone else for the role. We can’t make him change his decision."

Clara’s fingers clenched tightly.

"Who did he choose?" she asked.