In my last life, I was canceled by the entire internet for refusing to star in a romance with the award-winning actress Juliana Vaughn. My agent abandoned me. The studio terminated my contract. With nowhere left to turn, I threw myself at the mercy of her biggest rival. I had no idea I was stepping into a nightmare that would swallow me whole, leading to a brutal death and an unmarked grave. So, in this life, the moment I saw Juliana again, I tossed my pride to the wind. All I wanted was to latch onto her and hold on for dear life. I just didn't expect her to be so possessive. And more importantly, I had no idea she wasn’t straight. 1 "Juliana… don't…" "Don't what?" Juliana's voice was a low purr. Her sly, almond-shaped eyes curved into a smile as she looked down at me, a full head shorter than her. She reached out, her long fingers closing around my chin, her thumb gently stroking my skin. My heart seized. I looked up at her, my mouth opening to protest, but she saw it coming. She cut me off, her voice smooth as silk. "Don't forget, you're the one who said I could do whatever I wanted with you. Are you already trying to back out?" Her eyes narrowed, a dangerous glint in their depths. "Or were you just playing me? You know what happened to the last person who tried to play me, don't you?" "No, that's not what I meant… I just… I wasn't expecting this. No one ever told me… that you weren't straight." Goddammit! Straight girls have rights, too! I'm not a lesbian! "Is that so?" she murmured. Her fingers moved from my chin to my earlobe, toying with it gently. Her voice was soft, but it sent a chill down my spine. "Well, you know now. What are you thinking?" "I'm not thinking anything… I just kind of want to go home, Juliana… I'm not… into girls." I was trembling, watching as the warmth drained from her expression. The industry rumors about her ruthlessness flashed through my mind. My body tensed, ready to make a break for it. But she read me like an open book. In one swift movement, she pushed me back onto the bed, leaning over me, her breath warm against my ear as she whispered, "You can be. You said it yourself, remember?" "I…" I stared up at her, helpless. Whatever I was about to say was swallowed by her kiss. My eyes flew open in disbelief. I raised my hands to push her away. Just as quickly, she pulled back, her voice cool and detached. "What's wrong? Having second thoughts about the role?" I froze. Just like that, I didn't dare move a muscle. Without that show, this second chance at life would be meaningless. 2 One month ago. "I've got a great project for you. It's a co-starring role with the A-lister Juliana Vaughn. Interested?" My agent, Sarah, tossed a script onto the desk in front of me. "Yes! Of course, I'm interested! Let's sign it right now, Sarah! This is an incredible opportunity!" I said, agreeing instantly without even looking at the script. Sarah raised a skeptical eyebrow. "What's the rush? You don't even care what it's about?" "Nope. As long as I'm acting with her, I'd be lucky to get any role. We're talking about Juliana Vaughn! The youngest actress to sweep the awards season. This is a dream come true!" I gushed, sounding like her number one fan. The only thing missing was a giant sign declaring my undying admiration. Her expression shifted, becoming more probing. "Even if it's a sapphic romance?" My answer didn't waver. "Of course. To work with someone as talented as Juliana, I'd agree to anything. I'm sure I'll learn so much from her. Plus, a role like this could be my big break." I was practically glowing, my cheeks flushed with excitement, looking for all the world like a lucky fan who had just won the lottery. Sarah had nothing more to say. She just told me to go home and wait for news. "Okay, Sarah, I'm heading out! Let me know when the audition is!" She nodded, still looking a bit bewildered. She knew that, up until this point, I had despised Juliana Vaughn. My sudden change of heart was, to her, completely baffling. And if this were my past life, I would have thought I was insane, too. 3 It wasn't that I was excited to star in a lesbian drama with Juliana Vaughn. It was that I was terrified of the consequences of refusing. Because that's what happened in my last life. On this very day, Sarah had approached me with the same offer. I had rejected it instantly. My hatred for Juliana was so intense that I’d launched into a tirade, saying a lot of ugly, unprofessional things. Someone recorded it and leaked it online. The backlash was immediate and brutal. I was dragged across every social media platform for being disrespectful, for being ungrateful. The comments were vicious. Sarah had demanded I issue a public apology. But I was stubborn and proud, convinced I had done nothing wrong. Seeing that I was a lost cause, Sarah dropped me. After weeks of relentless online harassment, the studio terminated my contract and blacklisted me. At my lowest point, I met Claire Donovan. Juliana's arch-nemesis. The enemy of my enemy is my friend. I took that saying to heart and sought her out, foolishly believing she would welcome me with open arms, eager to team up against our common foe. Instead, I was used, turned into a plaything for her powerful friends, and ultimately discarded. My life ended in a brutal, lonely death. Perhaps fate decided I didn't deserve to die like that. I was given a second chance. So this time, I had to seize this opportunity. It's just a romance between two women. I can do that. And honestly, compared to Claire, Juliana was a goddamn saint. This time, I was going to get it right. I clenched my fists, a silent vow echoing in my heart. 4 When I got home, I immediately started researching Juliana. In my last life, I knew very little about her, other than that she was a brilliant actress with a terrible reputation. She was notoriously difficult to work with and had a penchant for tormenting newcomers. That wasn't just a rumor. I had seen it with my own eyes. The strange thing was, the young actress she had tormented was the one who ended up co-starring with her in this very show. After the series wrapped, Juliana left the country and transitioned to international films. She never came back. The internet had a million theories. But the most persistent one was that the two of them had been in a relationship. I didn't buy it. Based on how Juliana had treated her, it looked less like love and more like she wanted the girl dead. Soon enough, Sarah called with good news: the audition was set. Determined not to lose this chance, I memorized the script backward and forward. When it was my turn, I nailed it. The director was so impressed that he offered me the role on the spot. We signed the contract that day. Sarah finally looked relieved. She clapped me on the shoulder. "I knew you had it in you. That was a great performance. With time, you're going to be a huge star." "You're exaggerating, Sarah," I said with a bashful smile, but my eyes were drawn to a woman who had just stood up across the room. It was her—the young actress who had gotten the role in my past life. The one the tabloids claimed had grown up with Juliana. Juliana's beauty had been apparent from a young age, and she was discovered and mentored by a famous director. This actress, Ava, was her childhood friend. While not as stunning as Juliana, she was still pretty. After Juliana made it big, she tried to recommend Ava to her director. But Ava took it as an act of pity. She lashed out at Juliana, and their friendship crumbled. They hadn't seen each other since. Until this show brought them back together. When their history was dug up, the fans called it a story of a "broken mirror made whole again," a testament to their enduring love. If I hadn't seen what I saw in that parking garage all those years ago, I might have believed it too. Their backstory sounded like something out of a novel. But only Ava knew the cold, hard reality. I clenched my fists, took a deep breath, and walked over to her. I was about to introduce myself when she shot me a look of pure venom. "Shameless thief." She spat the words and stalked away. I stood there, stunned. Sarah, who had overheard, looked at me, confused. "Do you know her?" "No," I said, then quickly added, "I saw her at the audition. We were both trying out for the same part." That seemed to satisfy Sarah. She told me not to worry about it. And I wouldn't. I had more important things to do. Getting the role was just the first step. "Sarah," I said, "I need you to do something for me." "What is it?" "I need you to dig up some dirt on someone." I leaned in and whispered a name in her ear. She gave me a long, searching look but left without another word. 5 We officially started filming two weeks later. On the day of the opening ceremony, Juliana arrived. She had the same unapproachable, icy beauty as I remembered, her deep-set eyes holding a cool distance that made you want to keep your distance. She was dressed simply in a grey long-sleeved shirt and blue jeans, her waist-length black hair falling like a silk curtain over her shoulders. The director was busy with the preparations. He greeted her warmly, and they chatted for a few moments before her agent came over and whispered something in her ear. I watched from the sidelines. When she was finally alone, I gathered my courage and approached her, a small gift box in my hands. "Juliana," I said, forcing a polite smile to mask my churning stomach. "I'm Stella, your co-star for this project. I made these cookies for you. I hope you like them." Her eyes swept over me, a calculating look on her face. "You bake?" I nodded. She stared at me for a few seconds, then took the box and popped a cookie into her mouth. I held my breath. I was confident in my baking skills, but I was terrified she wouldn't like them. I needed to get on her good side. This was all part of the plan. "So? Do you like them?" I asked, my voice barely a whisper. She nodded. "They're good," she said, just as the director called for everyone to gather. I hesitated for a moment, then fell into step behind her. She glanced back at me but didn't say anything, which I took as a good sign. The cookies must have worked. The ceremony was simple. After the director said a few auspicious words, the cast lit incense sticks for good luck. I stood next to Juliana, sneaking glances at her as she held the incense, her expression serene and devout. It reminded me of the rumors that she was a practicing Buddhist. Seeing her now, I believed it. I placed my incense in the burner and straightened up, only to find her staring at me. "What is it?" I mouthed, confused. She just shook her head and mouthed back, "Nothing." But the intensity in her gaze said otherwise. She continued to stare at me until her agent pulled her away. Were the cookies that bad? To test my theory, I offered the remaining cookies to the director and producer. I even offered some to Juliana's agent. As I did, I noticed Juliana watching from the side, her expression growing colder by the second. Oh god, does she think I'm trying to bribe everyone? My heart leaped into my throat. I quickly pulled back the box I was offering to her agent. "I'm so sorry," I stammered, "these didn't turn out right. I'll make you a fresh batch next time." The agent just stared at me, bewildered. I snuck a peek at Juliana. Her expression had softened slightly. Looks like I'd guessed right. A small smile touched my lips. When I looked back at her, she averted her gaze and walked away. 6 A few minutes later, the director approached me with a grim look on his face. "Stella, I'm so sorry," he said, wringing his hands. "I've been thinking, and I just don't think you're right for this role. Maybe you should try looking for another project." "What?" I was floored. "What do you mean? This morning you said I was born to play Lila. What changed?" "Just… consider me mistaken this morning," he sighed. He saw the desperation in my eyes and glanced around. Seeing that no one was listening, he lowered his voice. "Look, it's not my call. It's Juliana. Did you do something to offend her? She came to me a few minutes ago and said she doesn't want to work with you. She said it's either you or her. The investors are all here for her, so my hands are tied. Maybe… maybe you should go talk to her. See if you can smooth things over." He patted my shoulder sympathetically and left. I stood there, reeling, thinking back to Juliana's strange behavior. It didn't seem like she hated me. Why would she do this? I stared at the closed door of her dressing room. Finally, I took a deep breath and walked over. My hand was just inches from the door when it swung open. Juliana stood there, her stunning face half-hidden in the unlit room. She was backlit by the hallway light, a predator in the shadows, her eyes locked onto mine. A shiver went down my spine. Before I could say a word, she grabbed my arm and pulled me inside.
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