At Paramount Studio, Aurora stood at the backstage. Her heart raced as the muffled sounds of the set buzzed around her.
The set was alive with energy, the team moving, adjusting lights, and preparing props.
Aurora's heart swelled with excitement.
She had been given the role—a significant breakthrough, and now was her chance to shine.
As she walked onto the set, the room fell silent, all eyes turning towards her.
The director, a tall woman with a discerning eye, nodded approvingly.
"Ready, Aurora?" She asked, her voice calm but filled with anticipation.
"Ready," Aurora replied as she took her place in the spotlight.
The scene began, and Aurora's performance was nothing short of mesmerizing.
She delivered her lines with a depth that commanded attention, her emotions visible, and her presence magnetic.
The camera panned to capture her every gesture, and the crew watched in awe as she transformed into her character with fluid motion.
"Wow," whispered one of the camera operators to another, barely able to conceal his admiration. "She's incredible. Did you see that?"
"Absolutely," came the reply. "She just started, and she's already owning this role."
Aurora could feel the electricity in the air as the crew exchanged impressed glances.
The director's face broke into a rare smile, a sign of her satisfaction.
As the scene ended, applause erupted from the crew, and Aurora allowed herself a small, proud smile.
"Fantastic job, Aurora," the director said, walking over to her. "You nailed it. I've rarely seen such dedication and skill on set."
"Thank you," Aurora said, her voice tinged with the satisfaction of a job well done. "I'm glad you think so."
The next day, Aurora arrived at the studio early, eager to dive into the next scene.
She walked past the bustling crew with confidence, and her head held high.
The previous day's success had ignited a fire within her, fueling her determination to excel.
She settled into the dressing room, skimming through the script she had reviewed the night before. Focused on delivering a strong performance, she practised her lines once more.
Then her phone buzzed. She glanced at the screen and saw Lucas's name.
She hesitated, unsure whether to answer.
But if he was calling about the divorce, which had been dragging on with no updates despite their agreement and signed papers, she needed to know what was happening. It shouldn't take this long.
She answered, "Hello."
"Aurora, Julia claims you're behind the recent accident and that you're sabotaging her career," Lucas said, his voice icy. "I need you to come to the hospital and apologize."
"What?" Aurora furrowed her brows, puzzled. She had expected him to talk about their divorce, not Julia.
Aurora's confusion quickly turned to frustration. "Lucas, I have no idea what you're talking about. This sounds like another one of Julia's schemes. I didn't cause any accident."
Lucas's tone remained firm. "Julia says otherwise. She's in the hospital because of you, Aurora. And despite everything, she's the one who insisted on not involving the cops. You're lucky she's trying to protect you, but I still expect you to make things right."
Aurora's patience snapped. "That's enough, Lucas. You can't just call and accuse me of something I didn't do. Handle her schemes however you want, but I won't be part of it," she said, her voice cold.
Without waiting for his response, Aurora ended the call.
Moments later, her phone buzzed with a new message from Lucas: "You sure know how to act. Better come down to Rust Hospital and apologize to Julia right now."
Aurora quickly typed back, "I won't," and immediately blocked his number.
She took a deep breath, trying to steady herself. "Don't stress yourself, Aurora. You're already out of that nightmare," she whispered, repeating the words as if they could shield her from the chaos Lucas was dragging her back into.
When it was time to work on set, she threw herself into her scenes, determined to push everything else out of her mind.
Once she finished, she headed outside, scanning the street for a cab.
Spotting one, she quickly waved it down. The cab rolled to a stop beside her, but just as she reached for the door, she felt a sudden, forceful shove from behind, pushing her into the cab.
"Help!" she screamed, her heart hammering in her chest. But when she turned to see who had pushed her, her breath caught.
"Amos? Why did you do that?" she demanded, her voice now calmer, though still edged with shock, as the cab began to move.
"I apologize, Madam. Boss had me do it," Amos replied, bowing his head slightly in respect, his tone almost regretful.
Aurora clenched her fists, biting back the anger that surged within her. She decided to save it for his boss, Lucas—he was the one who deserved it.
When they reached the hospital, she wasted no time. She stormed inside, with Amos quietly guiding her to Julia's ward.
Upon arriving, she spotted Lucas sitting stiffly in a chair.
His expression was a storm of frustration, his eyes narrowing as she stepped into the room.
"About time you showed up," he said, his voice clipped. "Julia's waiting."
Aurora didn't spare him a glance, her frustration boiling over as she approached Julia.
Lying in bed, Julia's face was a picture of feigned fatigue, every feature designed to evoke pity. The sight only intensified Aurora's anger.
Without a word, she raised her hand and slapped Julia hard across the face.
The sharp crack echoed through the room.
Julia's eyes blazed with fury before she quickly masked it with a look of hurt, her hand flying to her reddening cheek.
Lucas, startled by the sound, rose from his seat, his expression shifting from frustration to shock.
Amos, on the other hand, couldn't help but let a small smile tug at his lips.
As Lucas's assistant, he was expected to stand by his boss, but he had always admired Aurora's strong-willed nature. It had disheartened him when Lucas instructed him to draft the divorce papers.
Now, seeing Aurora give Julia exactly what she deserved, he felt a flicker of hope that Lucas might finally see through Julia's facade.
"And that," Aurora said, her voice cold, "is a warning to never involve me in your nonsensical schemes."
"Aurora!" Lucas growled, his anger surging.
He had expected an apology, not an act of aggression.
His eyes darted between Aurora and Julia, taking in the sight of Julia's reddening cheek.
The slap must have hit his precious Julia so hard!
Aurora didn't flinch. Instead, she met Lucas's gaze with a look of pure annoyance, her voice loud and clear. "How low of you, Lucas, to have Amos kidnap me just for your selfish sake?"
Lucas walked up to her, his eyes darkening, "You are the lowly Omega here who put Julia's life in danger!" He growled.
Aurora stood her ground. "If I have to swear by the Moon Goddess, I will. I had nothing to do with whatever happened to Julia. And I won't let you drag me into her schemes."
Lucas narrowed his eyes, stepping back slightly as if considering her words.
Without another word, he grabbed a stack of papers from a nearby table. These documents included transaction history from Aurora's phone to a mechanic, call logs with the mechanic, and more damning evidence.
He threw them at her face, his voice dripping with accusation. "What are these then?"
Aurora hissed as the papers flew across her face before falling to the floor.
"Fabricated lies," she retorted, her tone harsh. "Since you're so blind to believe them, I'll prove to you that this is nothing but a setup."
Lucas scoffed, a cruel smirk playing on his lips. "And how do you intend to do that? The evidence is already against you."
Aurora's eyes narrowed with determination. "I'll prove I'm telling the truth."
She pointed at Julia, who lay in the hospital bed, her expression carefully crafted to appear weak. "There are no injuries on her."
Lucas stood frozen for a moment, confusion flickering across his face as Aurora pointed at Julia.
"What the hell are you talking about?" he muttered, taking a step forward.
Amos, who had been silently watching, raised an eyebrow but said nothing. His eyes darted between Aurora and Julia, as if anticipating something big was about to happen.
Julia's carefully crafted expression faltered for a split second, her eyes widening as Aurora approached.
"What are you doing?" she whispered, her voice tinged with fear—or was it something else?
"There are no injuries on her," Aurora repeated, her voice gentle as she stared at Julia.
Julia's face drained of color, her once calm demeanor crumbling.
"No—wait!" she exclaimed, her voice suddenly higher-pitched, filled with urgency. "You don't understand!"
Lucas's expression shifted to one of shock and disbelief.
"Aurora, stop!" he barked, but Aurora was already at Julia's bedside, her hand gripping the bandages.
Amos shifted uncomfortably, glancing at Lucas. For a moment, it looked like he might intervene, but instead, he crossed his arms, watching intently. His lips twitched, as if hiding a smirk.
Julia recoiled as Aurora's hand reached for the bandages.
"Let go of me!" she shrieked, her voice losing its calm, panic setting in.
Lucas lunged forward. "What the hell is wrong with you, Aurora?!"
But Aurora had already begun peeling away the bandages, her hands moving quickly.
As the last of the bandages fell away, Lucas's eyes widened in shock, his breath catching in his throat.