Chapter 21

Vivian stretched across the plush hotel bed, her fingers tracing the pages of a well-worn acting manual. The afternoon sunlight streamed through sheer curtains, casting golden patterns on the leather-bound text.

Her phone vibrated violently against the nightstand, Lydia's contact photo flashing urgently.

"Vivian!" Lydia's voice crackled with excitement through the speaker. "Drop everything! I just secured you an audition for 'Crimson Tides' - the most anticipated drama this season! They're specifically seeking undiscovered talent with that special spark."

Vivian's pulse quickened as she scanned the project details flooding her inbox.

This wasn't just any role - it was a complex, morally ambiguous lead in a gritty metropolitan thriller. A character worlds apart from her usual typecast as the girl-next-door.

The perfect opportunity to reinvent herself after the messy divorce from Adrian and that whole Serena debacle.

For three sleepless nights, Vivian dissected the script until the margins brimmed with handwritten notes. The character's lines wove through her dreams, often jolting her awake with sudden epiphanies about delivery and motivation.

Audition day arrived with an unseasonal downpour. Vivian's taxi splashed through puddles toward the Harbor Grand Hotel just as a sleek black limousine glided under the porte-cochère.

A shrieking mob of fans materialized instantly, smartphones raised like offerings to some unseen deity.

Through the rain-streaked window, Vivian's breath caught.

Of course. Serena Whitmore.

The pop princess emerged in a cloud of bodyguards and assistants, her signature platinum waves perfectly untouched by the weather. The screaming intensified as she disappeared through revolving doors.

"Must be some celebrity," the cab driver chuckled, counting Vivian's payment. "Though between us? You've got ten times her natural charm."

Vivian offered a polite smile, adjusting her tailored blazer as she stepped into the storm. Unlike Serena's grand entrance, her own passage went largely unnoticed - save for a few curious whispers.

"Is she an actress?"

"That bone structure can't be real..."

"Someone get her agent's number!"

Lydia materialized with an umbrella, steering Vivian toward the elevators. "Director Sterling's running late," she murmured. "Use the extra time to center yourself."

The conference room hummed with nervous energy when they arrived. Dozens of hopefuls clutched scripts, their eyes darting between the door and their competition.

Vivian took a steadying breath. This was her moment - not just to prove herself as an actress, but to finally step out of everyone's shadows.

Somewhere beyond the soundproof walls, Serena's laughter echoed through the hotel corridors.

The universe had a cruel sense of humor.