The Scorned Heiress: No More Mercy novel Chapter 211

"Tara is so scheming. She's just playing a supporting role, but she's making such a huge fuss about it, terrified people might forget she's an actress," Jade snaps, staring at the trending topics about her rival. A bitter taste coats her mouth.

This is the exact script she threw away because she thought it was beneath her. And that screenwriter, Jim, is just some nobody she dismissed. Why is their movie making such huge waves?

"Exactly, it's just a second-lead role. Her scenes won't make a dent in the grand scheme of things, so don't worry about it," Lina, her manager, reassures her. "Right now, you need to adjust your mindset and throw all your energy into studying your character."

Thinking about Jade's acting skills, Lina still feels a knot of anxiety. Fortunately, their adaptation has a massive built-in fanbase, and the Dennis family poured millions of dollars into marketing. Those two factors alone should cover up Jade's mediocre performance. Plus, it is a trendy fashion romance mixed with the nostalgic haze of young love—a guaranteed hit with younger demographics, while still pulling in older audiences feeling sentimental about their youth.

Lina also pulled massive strings to surround Jade with highly popular A-list stars to carry the show. The promotional campaigns are aggressive. If they still lose this battle, Lina's reputation as a top-tier manager will take a massive hit.

"Obviously I know I need to study the role. I just can't stand seeing Tara act so high and mighty. And their wardrobe looks so much more high-end than ours!"

Jade never bothers maintaining her perfect, innocent persona in front of Lina. Her petty, vindictive true colors are fully on display. What really eats at her is how stunning the costume design is on Tara's set. Every single outfit drips with quality. From the leads down to the supporting cast—including Tara's character—the wardrobe is meticulously crafted.

"Hmph, how long can Mr. Calhoun actually help her? He'll toss her out the second he gets bored, and then we'll see what she has left to fall back on," Jade says, attempting to sound dismissive, though jealousy roils in her gut. "After all, my brothers and parents don't even acknowledge her existence anymore."

Jade had assumed that stealing Tara's men, her brothers, and her parents would leave her entirely broken, crying herself to sleep every night.

She never expected Tara to actually turn things around and make a comeback.