Chapter 165: —one Clara could never match.

Celeste simply shook her head.

"What’s there to be surprised about?"

Just then, their car pulled up, and the two slipped inside without delay.

However, Lyla didn’t let the matter drop.

She turned toward Celeste and continued,

"I know you don’t like Clara Scott, Celeste. But that doesn’t change the fact that she’s quite good at her work. She is currently the most popular face in the industry and widely recognized as well."

"Seeing her not getting selected is surprising —especially when we all know how much she had prepared herself for this role."

Celeste turned to meet her gaze.

There was unmistakable mockery in her eyes.

"Quite good at her work?" she repeated with a scoff.

"The most popular face?" She let out another scoff. "Aren’t those supposed to be jokes??"

Lyla frowned.

She was about to respond, but Celeste spoke again, cutting her off.

"Given how much of the company’s resources and connections are poured into her, her popularity isn’t surprising at all," she said, her voice laced with clear disdain. "Anyone average, if given the same, would have reached that height."

"As for her skills and talent in acting ..." she paused, shaking her head again. "She might have them. But they aren’t what they are actually presented as."

Lyla parted her lips to speak. However, she closed them again, realizing she couldn’t truly refute that.

Over the years —since Clara had entered the industry —even she had seen how much preference Clara had always received.

Celeste was right ...

Under such advantages, any average artist could have grown the same —perhaps even better.

It was just that these were things only those who had witnessed everything closely could truly understand.

Given the promotions and PR —not everyone could see through it.

"But... isn’t it still surprising that she didn’t get selected for the role in The Empress’s Grief?" Lyla asked, continuing, "I mean, this was one of the projects she had been wanting to work on for a long time. And as we all know —as long as she wants something, CEO Scott helps her get it."

"He didn’t help her this time. Isn’t that a little surprising?"

Celeste paused at that.

Then, a slow smile curved her lips as she shook her head.

"It’s not that he didn’t try to help her," she said, her voice dripping with mockery. "It’s more likely that Liam Scott couldn’t help her."

"You mean he tried but couldn’t?" Lyla asked. Then something struck her, and she reacted, "Oh —wait, yes. Exactly. He couldn’t help her this time because it was Director Rhodes. There was an audition, and they said Director Rhodes personally attended it to select the cast."

Celeste didn’t know all the details since she had never intended to take part in it, but she wasn’t surprised.

After all, Director Rhodes was well known for his principles.

And the fact that Clara truly hadn’t been selected only proved it further.

"I’m suddenly curious," Lyla said.

When Celeste turned to look at her, she added,

"Who exactly managed to surpass Clara Scott so easily? She must have been chosen personally by Director Rhodes."

Celeste wasn’t curious.

But the moment Lyla asked who could surpass Clara so easily, a face did flash through her mind.

A face that made a trace of melancholy flicker in her eyes.

She didn’t know who could surpass Clara now.

But she did know someone Clara could never match.

If only she were here ...

"Celeste, what are you thinking?" Lyla asked when she didn’t get a response.

Celeste shook her head and simply turned to look out of the window.

Her attitude like that wasn’t new, so her manager didn’t think much of it. She simply gave her the space she needed and let the drive continue in silence.

—————

Meanwhile, on the other side—

Clara didn’t return to Scott Villa. Instead, she went back to her apartment.

Her mood was at its worst, and she didn’t want anyone to see her like this.

"Ms. Scott," Maria Klair, Clara’s assistant, approached her with a clear concern written across her face.

"Something had happened."

Clara’s expression darkened further at that.

"What is it?" she asked.

Maria hesitated slightly before saying,

"Everyone at the company now knows that you weren’t selected for Director Rhodes’s upcoming movie. They’re all talking about it."

Clara’s fingers clenched tightly —so tight it almost hurt.

However, she calmed herself, closing her eyes briefly.

"They would have found out sooner or later," she said. "Handle it."

Maria nodded.

She then checked her phone again. But, something caught her off guard.

"This ..."

Clara noticed and asked,

"What happened now??"

Maria looked up, meeting her eyes.

"I don’t need to handle it anymore. CEO Scott has already arranged for someone to take care of it."

She turned her phone toward Clara.

"Now, no one is talking about it."

Clara’s heart softened slightly at that.

Liam had always treated her well. She knew that.

But ever since Adelyn had returned, she had begun to doubt him—

To doubt whether he still treated her the same way.

Yet now, seeing him still making efforts to protect her, she couldn’t help but feel reassured.

Maybe ... she really had been overthinking.

Liam was still the same.

He still cared for her ...

But just as that thought settled—

She remembered the hesitation in his eyes earlier.

And her expression changed.

Her gaze hardened as she muttered under her breath,

"Liam, I want to trust you," she said, her voice tight. "You better not fail me. You better not have lied to me."

All she wanted was her family’s love.

Her brothers’ love.

She had done everything for that.

And after finally having it all—

Losing it again would feel nothing short of betrayal.

And she refused to be betrayed.

Not by the ones she loved.

Just then, her phone rang.

She glanced at the screen, and the moment she recognized the number, she picked it up immediately.

"Did you find her?" she asked, almost sounding at the edge.