Chapter 45

Vivian remained unfazed by her lack of active social media followers. With determined fingers, she retweeted Lydia's post, adding her own caption: "Devoting every ounce of my being to perfecting my art. My dream? To become an actress who leaves audiences breathless."

The moment the tweet went live, the internet erupted. Serena's rabid fanbase, bolstered by hired commentators, descended like vultures.

They showered Serena with undeserved praise while hurling venomous insults at Vivian. But as the discussion grew, neutral observers began speaking up. They highlighted the glaring talent gap between the two actresses and mocked the blind worship of Serena's followers. The narrative was shifting.

"Vivian outshines Serena in every performance! How does someone with Serena's mediocre skills get this much hype? She never truly becomes her characters. Modern fans really have no standards."

"Vivian is absolutely radiant. Is that really her natural face? No filters? No makeup? I need to see more of her work immediately!"

"Vivian holds her own against Julian Montoya in their scenes together. That's incredible for a newcomer! Serena's fans - open your eyes! Maybe your idol should stick to modeling and leave acting to real talents."

"How did the Blazing Horizon producers ever consider Serena for the lead? As a diehard fan of the original novel, I know Vivian was born for this role."

"Could it be that Serena, knowing she lacked talent, demanded a second audition? Using connections is one thing, but sabotaging a rising star like Vivian? That's crossing the line."

Vivian scrolled through the comments, warmth spreading through her chest. She'd trended before, but never with this level of genuine support. A pang of regret hit her - if only she'd worked harder in previous years, she might not be fighting so hard to prove herself now.

At least the public could see through the industry's dirty politics. Suddenly, her doorbell rang.

She froze as Lydia started pounding on the door, voice frantic. "Vivian! You won't believe this! The Blackwood Group is calling! Do you think they're trying to silence us?"

Vivian's fury reignited. She threw off her blanket and stormed barefoot to the door. She'd blocked Adrian's and Ethan's numbers, but hadn't anticipated them contacting Lydia instead. The audacity - first they tried to ruin her, now they wanted to control the narrative? Her hands trembled with rage.

She yanked the door open and snatched the phone from Lydia. "Give me that!" Lydia complied instantly, whispering, "Just hear them out, okay? Stay calm."

Vivian clenched her jaw but said nothing. Fine. She'd listen. After a steadying breath, she spoke in an icy tone: "What do you want?"

"Mrs. Blackwood," Ethan's polite voice came through. "Mr. Blackwood saw the trending topics. He's instructed me to handle the situation. It'll be resolved shortly without causing you further distress."

Vivian stiffened, momentarily stunned. Adrian was actually trying to remove the hateful hashtags about her? A crack formed in the icy wall around her heart, her grip tightening on the doorknob. For the briefest moment, that frozen heart showed signs of thawing. But just as quickly, she suppressed the feeling.