Reborn Rich: Prices Dropped, My Savings Didn't novel Chapter 39

Chapter 39: Chapter 39: Suppressing a Newcomer

Hearing what Tom Chase said, Jessica Reynolds couldn’t help but look triumphant.

The team members standing by seemed completely used to Jessica Reynolds’s behavior. No one showed any particular reaction.

The entertainment industry was fiercely competitive, especially for actresses. Whether it was looks, acting skills, or connections, every path was practically saturated. Yet, newcomers still popped up in droves like mushrooms after a spring rain.

Although Jessica Reynolds was at the peak of her popularity, she was extremely career-driven and had to remain constantly vigilant. Suppressing a new actress with outstanding potential was just a common competitive tactic. She didn’t see anything wrong with it.

This sort of thing was basic in the industry. There were far shadier dealings that went on.

Lily Sterling had barely gotten one foot in the door of the entertainment world; how could she possibly understand these things? So when she was told to wait backstage for further instructions, she just obediently nodded. Little did she know, someone had already secretly revoked her chance to appear at the press conference.

With her looks and talent, any amount of screen time at the press conference would have certainly caught the audience’s eye. It was her only chance for public exposure as a newcomer before her official debut.

Jessica Reynolds knew exactly when and how to suppress a newcomer. By losing this opportunity, the next time Lily Sterling could appear before an audience would be during the promotional tour after filming wrapped.

That would be at least six months from now.

As she watched the main cast and crew members go onstage one by one, Lily Sterling didn’t dare to leave the backstage area. She was worried the staff wouldn’t be able to find her when it was her turn.

"Oh? Hey there, beautiful. Why aren’t you on stage?"

Jessica Reynolds even feigned surprise and greeted Lily as she passed through the backstage area on her way to the event.

Lily Sterling quickly stood up and said softly, "A staff member told me to wait here. I guess it’ll be my turn in a little while."

Jessica Reynolds nodded knowingly and smiled. "Well, you wait here, then. Don’t wander off. It would be a problem if they can’t find you later."

"I know. You go on ahead, Jessica."

After watching Jessica Reynolds leave with her entourage, the once bustling backstage area fell silent. All the actors for the press conference had gone out to the main event, leaving her all alone.

The minutes ticked by. Backstage, a monitor broadcasted the live feed of the press conference. Lily Sterling, who should have been up on that stage, was instead watching it all from the sidelines.

"Lily Sterling?"

Just then, Iris Underwood returned backstage to grab something. She immediately spotted Lily Sterling sitting dazedly in a chair and exclaimed in surprise, "What are you doing here? Why didn’t you go on stage?"

Seeing Iris Underwood, Lily Sterling shot to her feet. "Ma’am, I... I was told to wait for instructions."

"Wait for instructions?" Iris Underwood glanced around. Aside from a few janitors, there was no one else there. Her brow furrowed. "Who told you to wait here?"

"A staff member," Lily Sterling answered honestly.

Iris Underwood had been an agent for nearly twenty years; she knew the industry’s dirty tricks like the back of her hand. She understood in an instant that someone had deliberately targeted Lily Sterling.

"You silly girl," Iris Underwood sighed. "The press conference is already half over. When no one came to get you, didn’t you think to go ask?" She didn’t take Lily to confront the staff, however. Instead, she seized the moment. "If you had an agency backing you, or if you were one of my talents, do you think they’d dare to treat you this way?"

It was only then that Lily Sterling belatedly realized she’d been benched.

"But why, Ma’am?" Lily Sterling asked, her expression one of pure confusion. "I... I didn’t do anything wrong, did I?"

"Forget about today," Iris Underwood said. "If you want to avoid any awkwardness later, you can leave now."

Though Lily Sterling felt wronged and resentful, she didn’t cause a scene. She just quietly accepted the outcome.

In their dorm room, Hannah Warner and her friends were gathered together, watching the live broadcast of the press conference. At first, they waited with excitement for the main cast to take the stage so they could see Lily Sterling’s grand entrance.

But as the press conference drew to a close, there was still no sign of Lily.

"What’s going on? Where’s Lily?"

"Yeah, she left two or three hours ago. You don’t think she went to the wrong place, do you?"

"Impossible. She messaged me a while ago saying she was already backstage. She even said she’d seen several stars."

The friends were completely baffled. Finally, Nina Zimmer pulled out her phone and sent Lily a message, but there was no immediate reply.

In another dorm room, Suzanne Sawyer was also watching the live stream. Her state of mind was the exact opposite of Hannah Warner’s group. She had started out on pins and needles, terrified that Lily Sterling would actually appear on stage with the main cast.

But after watching for ages without any sign of Lily, she couldn’t help but heave a sigh of relief.

’I knew it. No matter how great her potential is, there’s no way she could land a major role in a project this big.’

"Isolde, stop letting your imagination run wild."