Ruby, her face streaked with tears, sobbed, “I can’t memorize them. I need my teacher to help me with the scene!”
She pointed directly at Stella. “Can she come up and help me with my lines?”
Stella froze, stunned by Ruby’s request. She looked at her in disbelief. Help her with her lines? Stella had never done anything like that before.
All she had done was help Ruby practice offstage, checking whether she had memorized her lines correctly—nothing beyond that. She wasn’t a professional, just someone who had helped Ruby review the material, like a student memorizing from a textbook.
The director, who had been watching the exchange, shifted his gaze to Stella. His eyes brightened slightly as he took in her appearance. The entertainment industry was filled with beautiful people, but Stella wasn’t one of the most striking.
Yet there was something about her that caught his attention. He had seen countless beautiful women, but Stella, with her minimal makeup and simple attire, had a natural radiance. Her skin was flawless and dewy, giving her a delicate, almost ethereal look. She wasn’t the loudest presence in the room, but once you noticed her, you couldn’t look away.
It was this aura of subtle beauty that made her perfect for a supporting role.
Coincidentally, Guinevere had been rejecting every female candidate for that role, leaving the director frustrated as he searched for a replacement. Then, something clicked in his mind when he saw Stella. He whispered something to the assistant director.
The assistant director nodded in understanding and hurried over to Stella. “The director wants to speak with you,” he said.
Stella, still anxious, replied, “I’m sorry, but I have no experience in this at all. Could you ask someone else, maybe a professional?”
The assistant director hesitated before responding, “Could you speak to the director yourself? I don’t really have much influence here…”
Realizing there was no way around it, Stella fell silent and nodded. She followed him without further protest.
When she reached the director, he pointed at Ruby on stage. “She wants to do the scene with you. Please go up and make sure you don’t block the camera.”
Stella’s lips pressed together in hesitation. “I’m sorry, but I really don’t know how to do this…”
The director frowned, tapping the script on the table. “You don’t know how to recite the script?”
Stella shook her head. “I might be able to recite it, but it’ll be like reading from a textbook.”
The assistant director chuckled at her words, but the director shot him a cold glare. He turned back to Stella, his expression softening. He could sense that her straightforward demeanor would suit the role of a supporting female character—one who would eventually turn sinister.
Without further comment, he pointed to the stage. “Go up first.”
Stella, left with no choice, walked toward Ruby. “Are these my lines?” she asked, unsure of what to do.
Ruby, now more at ease with Stella by her side, wiped away her tears. “I forgot all my lines in this scene. Could you help me go over them again?”
As Stella helped Ruby rehearse, the young girl quickly found her footing, regaining her confidence. The scene wrapped up soon after, and the director seemed pleased with the result.
Stella, about to escort Ruby offstage, suddenly heard the director’s voice. “You, wait up!”
She froze, unsure if he was speaking to her. The director walked toward her, his expression thoughtful. “What’s your name? Are you interested in trying out for this role?”
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