Chapter 116: Shooting Disaster...

Chapter 116: Shooting Disaster... When Heather got to the car, Lauren was already seated inside. Heather pulled the door open and spotted Lauren tapping her fingers aggressively against her thighs, her eyes fixed straight ahead like she was ready to explode. She could already feel the heat of Lauren’s glare without even turning her way. Heather wasn’t entirely innocent. She knew what she did when she ordered that creamed latte earlier. Lauren had always used her lactose intolerance as a weapon — stuffing her own food with dairy just to blame Heather when she’d get sick. Every time, it was Heather left standing there painted as the villain, no matter how much she tried to explain herself. Their parents, the press, the fans — none of them cared for the truth. Eventually, Heather stopped trying to be the angel they wanted. Sometimes, embracing the role of the villain was easier. Especially with someone like Lauren. If being the bad guy meant ordering a latte full of cream for her lactose-intolerant sister, so be it. "What’s your relationship with Jake, you slut?" Lauren asked sharply, her eyes still staring ahead. Heather raised an eyebrow, unbothered. "Why? You want him too?" "I’m just curious, seeing as you already have Caius... for now," Lauren sneered. Heather smiled, small and knowing. It was never about Caius. It was about Lauren’s obsession with taking anything that looked like it belonged to Heather. Lauren didn’t want love — she wanted possession. Control. A constant reminder that she could always stay one step ahead of her younger sister. It was pathetic, but it showed just how obsessed she was with her own younger sister. "Does he know you’re sleeping around?" Lauren pressed, her tone cold. Heather stayed silent. People like Lauren thrived on attention—ignore them, and their power starts to crumble. "I wonder how he’ll react when I tell him who you’ve been hanging out with," Lauren added. Heather shrugged, finally glancing her way. If Lauren wanted to tell Caius, fine. Maybe she’d do Heather the favor of pushing Caius far enough to divorce her. The thought made her stomach settle, if only for a moment. The car screeched to a stop. Heather looked out the window, her brow furrowing. They were parked outside the company building. *Why are we at the company?* She wondered to herself, suspicion creeping in. She turned to ask Lauren, but Lauren was already stepping out of the car. So Heather followed, pulling the door open and stepping out into the sunlight. Inside the building, Heather’s gut told her something wasn’t right. She glanced around, unease settling in. "What are we doing here?" she finally asked, her voice low. Lauren didn’t answer right away. She was speaking to her assistant, who hurried off ahead of them. Then Lauren looked over her shoulder, her expression blank. "For the brand shooting," she said simply. Heather frowned. Lauren went out of her way to drive her here for a brand shoot? That didn’t add up. Especially considering Lauren’s history—nothing she did was ever straightforward. There was always a hidden motive. "I’ll meet you there," Lauren added casually before walking off in the opposite direction. Heather’s gut twisted, but she kept moving. Before she could dwell on it, she heard Manager Sheng’s voice. "Heather! Where have you been? I’ve been calling you all day." He looked frustrated, exasperated even, barely giving her a chance to reply. "You were supposed to be here by noon — not strolling in an hour late. Do you know how hard I tried to cover for you? I even had to send an email to your husband—" "He’s not my husband," Heather interrupted sharply. Sheng exhaled hard, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I’ve been trying, Heather. I just couldn’t reach you. I thought Caius could help, but even he didn’t know where you were." Heather crossed her arms. "I was shopping with Lauren. And my phone’s missing. I had to get a new one." Sheng didn’t look impressed. "No time for explanations. We need to get you ready." They walked quickly down the hallways, Sheng speaking fast. "This is Makeup by Gigi — biggest name in Velmora. We use her products ourselves, you know that. You’ve loved Gigi for years. This deal... it’s huge, Heather." Heather couldn’t deny her excitement. She’d adored Gigi’s products since she was a teenager. In the beauty world, it was hard to find a brand everyone trusted, but Gigi’s products worked for every skin type, every tone. There were no bad reviews, no scandals. Gigi’s name was solid. Ding. The elevator chimed softly as they reached their floor. Loud music pulsed from down the hallway. Sheng guided her to a large, open room where a man was leading a dance rehearsal. "Come on, girls. 5, 6, 7, 8! Take it to the top, move those hips, spin, spin, then turn around and tap your feet. Gigi is the best!" the choreographer shouted. Heather watched, curious, as the dancers completed the routine. The man clapped enthusiastically, calling out final instructions before turning to notice her and Sheng. The man approached quickly, bright smile plastered across his face. "Sheng," he greeted warmly, shaking hands. "Needy,"Sheng replied with a nod. Needy’s eyes lit up when they landed on Heather. "No introductions needed — Heather Remington... or is it Thorne these days?" Heather gave a small smile, keeping it polite. "Can I say, big fan of your film. You nailed it." "Thank you," Heather replied softly. Sheng quickly got to the point. "You know why we’re here." Needy nodded, his smile faltering slightly. "Unfortunately, Mrs. Gigi couldn’t make it. Some emergency... I hear she’s got... the k-word," he whispered with faux sympathy. Heather didn’t like that — people’s health wasn’t gossip fodder. "Mrs. Heather, this way, please." As they walked, Heather paused. "Aren’t I supposed to learn the choreography?" Needy chuckled. "No need — you’ll just stand there and look gorgeous." Heather smiled faintly and followed him to the dressing room. By the time she returned, dressed and prepped, she noticed a small crowd gathered nearby. Lauren and Evelyn stood close, whispering to Needy and Sheng. Heather’s brows furrowed because something felt off. When Sheng saw her, his expression had dimmed. He gestured her over. "What’s going on?" Heather asked cautiously. Sheng sighed, gesturing toward Lauren. "Lauren says... you told her to take your place in the Gigi shoot." Heather’s eyes snapped to Lauren, disbelief washing over her. Evelyn stood beside her, arms crossed, smirking. "I didn’t—" Heather began, but Lauren cut in, her voice falsely sweet. "You did, Heather. Remember? You told me, ’Lauren, I don’t know why Gigi wants me in a dumb video. Please take my spot. I don’t want to be associated with cheap products that break your skin.’ Sound familiar?" Phones were already out, cameras recording, fans live-streaming. "Why are you doing this?" Heather whispered under her breath. Lauren leaned in. "Say the truth... or I’ll tell them what you did." she said threateningly. Heather’s heart raced. Admitting to that would destroy her future endorsements. "I’m sure this is a misunderstanding. Heather would never insult another woman’s business, She loves Gigi and her products." Manager Sheng cut in, trying to diffuse the situation. Evelyn rolled her eyes. "Let her speak for herself. Doesn’t she have a mouth?" "She didn’t say anything against Gigi," Sheng insisted, turning to the crowd. "Put your phones away! Heather loves Gigi’s products. She uses them religiously." "But didn’t Heather tell me the other day to stop using Gigi’s makeup on set?" Lauren asked innocently. She was lying, but she couldn’t stop because it meant she get the useless shoot. Gasps rippled through the crowd. The livestream exploded with comments: ["Wow, Heather hating on another woman’s business? So typical."] ["#WomenShouldSupportWomen — so low."] ["I KNEW I couldn’t trust her.] ["Y’all so quick to judge. Let her speak first."] ["Queen Heather would never — this is a set-up."] ["Why are people acting shocked? Lauren’s prettier anyway."] ["Nah, Heather’s glow-up got you all pressed."] [This doesn’t sound like Heather at all."] ["What do you expect? She stole her sister’s man."] ["Correction: he wanted her first. You can’t steal a willing man."] ["Jealous much? Heather has a family; your faves are still single and crying at night."] [Proof that women are their own worst enemies."]