Free Web NovelChapter 310: Chapter 310: Stealing the Blade, Murder and Robbery
Cecilia’s nose was exceptionally sensitive. The subtle and elegant woody fragrance brushed past her nostrils, instantly capturing her attention.
It was DIOR’s new release from last season, "A Lifelong Love."
Although Cecilia wasn’t fond of using perfume at all, this particular fragrance was quite famous and had calming and soothing effects, which the Matriarch from The Law Group had mentioned to her before, so she remembered it.
Who would have thought that just a glance would leave Cecilia staring blankly at the girl passing by.
She was a stunning girl, simply dressed, wearing a cotton jacket and long pants, yet her beauty was unmistakable.
Observing from such a close distance, Cecilia noticed the girl wore no makeup, her hair cascading like a waterfall, her skin as smooth as jade, with a standard oval face, long eyebrows, and a delicate elegance.
Though there was no makeup on her face, her peach blossom-like eyes seemed to speak, with a small red mole on the tip of her nose adding a touch of fragile allure that made one want to protect her. Her demeanor was excellent, walking with a straight back, exuding an understated beauty.
"Mona, look quickly, doesn’t she resemble the second female lead from my manga? Truly like someone from the pages!"
Though it’s said beauties seldom appreciate each other, Cecilia couldn’t help but tug Mona’s arm.
Mona followed her gaze and was instantly captivated too.
"Wow, she seems to have no makeup on, yet her skin is flawless, definitely a great beauty, and perfect for your second female lead!"
The second female lead Cecilia referred to was the favorite of the series, also the Emperor’s daughter, the youngest Ninth Princess.
Since the protagonist Blossom Vaughn concealed her identity under the guise of the Third Miss Vaughn, presenting herself as a charming young man, the Ninth Princess developed affection for her, leading to many amusing incidents and even more affection from others.
Later, the protagonist revealed her true female identity and ran away with the male lead, who was a hostage from a rival nation. The Ninth Princess was indeed shocked and heartbroken, yet secretly aided them.
The Ninth Princess’s ending was quite tragic. To save the protagonist’s life, she eventually jumped off the city wall, clad in a red dress, covered by dust.
Nowadays, audiences are picky, mostly female viewers, and long gone are the days of clichéd dramas with two women vying for one man. They prefer female leads who triumph against all odds.
The second female lead’s aristocratic background, delicate yet not arrogant nature, and intelligence, coupled with her unrequited love for the protagonist, which ultimately led to her demise, made her character immensely popular with viewers, appealing to both men and women.
In the serial publication of "There are branches on the mountain," the second female lead’s popularity consistently soared. Although the Ninth Princess’s sacrificial moment wasn’t yet illustrated, Cecilia could predict that when it happened, it would be a storm.
While she might be harshly criticized, tragedy bore beauty with greater strength, and Cecilia believed that the Ninth Princess’s fan base would solidify even more.
Even though the manga serialization hadn’t reached that part, the producers had the script outline, so Cecilia speculated that Fiona Vaughn likely understood the Ninth Princess’s complete character sketch, which was why Tyson Law conveyed that even if the female lead wasn’t decided, they would secure the second female lead.
Oh, what wishful thinking!
...
Watching the beautiful lady with the red mole on her nose walk into the audition room, Cecilia quickly tugged Mona.
"Let’s go have a look!"
"Sure."
Although it seemed like that young lady hadn’t been seen acting on TV before, her appearance was indeed fitting for the Ninth Princess. If her acting was passable, Cecilia had an inclination to help her out.
Mona understood Cecilia’s intention and swiftly followed.
Entering the room, Cecilia and Mona discovered Director Chapman speaking with other writers, while the beautiful girl with no makeup stood quietly to the side, her lips slightly pursed, looking quite captivating.
Everyone turned their gaze toward Cecilia.
Although it was the first meeting, Director Chapman knew it was difficult not to recognize Cecilia due to the influence of the major investor behind the scenes.
"Hello, Miss Vaughn."
Director Chapman nodded toward Cecilia, drawing more attention from the people in the room.
Even Cecilia, usually composed, felt a rare sense of shyness in front of others, smiling slightly as she took out the exquisite notebook she had prepared in advance and respectfully handed it to Director Chapman.
"Director Chapman, I’m a fan of your work. I even went with my husband to see your film ’You are the Sun and Moon in My Heart,’ it was truly remarkable. Could you autograph for me?"
"You’re too kind."
Director Chapman modestly signed his name swiftly for Cecilia.
He felt relieved in his heart, initially worried about Cecilia’s temper due to the substantial financial investments behind her. But upon hearing she was his fan upon arrival, he had a better understanding.
"Miss Vaughn, though I feel a connection with you, the audition is currently underway, so let’s discuss the script another time."
After a brief exchange, Director Chapman cleared his throat and turned his gaze to the girl who had entered earlier.
"Now, dear auditionee, please give a brief self-introduction."
"Hello everyone, my name is Claire Sinclair. I’m a junior studying performing arts and have no experience in filming, with my acting experiences limited to school performances. I hope all the teachers here can guide me."
So she’s called Claire Sinclair. Even her name has a classical beauty...
Cecilia couldn’t help paying more attention to this girl. Perhaps it was a certain connection, as Claire’s composed attitude made Cecilia’s appreciation soar.
"Select a script excerpt at random; you have three minutes to prepare."
"Okay."
Nearby, an assistant offered her a draw tube, indicating Claire to pick one at random.
Claire chose a piece and, after glancing at its contents for a few seconds, decisively removed her thick cotton coat, revealing the black sweater underneath, and started tying her hair...
Cecilia found herself completely puzzled.
"What did she choose?"
The crew assistant handed Cecilia a note containing a simple line, which astounded Cecilia upon her glance.
—— The female lead successfully escapes disguised as a man but falls prey to bandits after being isolated, who intend to assault her upon discovering her female identity. The female lead grabs a knife and kills them.
This scene was clearly more challenging to perform than any tearful scene from a dire situation.
Because this marked the female lead’s first kill, she was a law-abiding citizen from the 21st century before her time travel, implying she couldn’t possibly have such strong mental resilience.
But what shocked Cecilia was not this:"You’re auditioning for the second female lead, right?"
"I’ve always aimed to audition for the female lead."
Claire Sinclair gently furrowed her brows.
"..."
Cecilia silently pursed her lips.
The female lead?
Claire’s features were indeed beautiful, but lacked the heroic flair as the female lead needed to disguise herself as a man for a significant portion of the story. Her appearance seemed insufficiently fitting.
While Cecilia pondered this, she saw Claire swiftly tie her hair into a high ponytail, with no bangs on her forehead.
Those three minutes of preparation were entirely spent tying her hair.
The audition officially began—
