Chapter 127

Sierra, the stylist, looked puzzled. Vicky, too, was confused, but she quickly shook it off, her eyes lighting up with excitement. "You have a ton of clothes?" she asked.

Stacey thought about all the clothes her parents and brothers had gotten her over the years and nodded. "Yeah, quite a bit."

"I've got pictures. You can see if there's anything that fits," Stacey said, thinking aloud. She pulled out her phone and showed the director and stylist the photos she'd taken of her wardrobe and storage at Carter Manor, filled with clothes and accessories.

At first, Vicky and Sierra assumed that, as a Carter, Becky's clothes would be nice—better than what the crew had assembled. But when they saw the photos, they were floored. Both women were fashion-forward and instantly recognized the brands and designers, even recalling the production years of some items. Usually, the latest trends were most desirable, but there was an exception: limited-edition items.

For a moment, Vicky and Sierra were speechless, scrolling through the photos, zooming in on each image. Every piece seemed extraordinary. Even more shocking was the sheer quantity—dozens, maybe hundreds of clothes, bags, and accessories, in multiple photos.

So engrossed were they that they forgot the time, completely mesmerized.

Malcolm, having finished his styling, was oddly left out, though he was in a great mood—thrilled, even. He had secretly studied the original novel of The Empress before his audition. The characters—the wealthy, attractive, and noble female and male leads—were crucial. The drama's success depended not only on acting, but also on costumes and makeup. Knowing Becky was in the crew, he'd assumed these aspects would be top-notch. Seeing that Becky considered the crew's preparations inadequate and could provide far superior, even limited-edition items, he knew The Empress was poised to surpass even the largest domestic productions in costume and makeup, and would be a massive hit.

Meanwhile, Sierra and Vicky were so excited about the clothes they were almost in tears. They believed that, combined with Becky's and Malcolm's acting skills, The Empress would be a smash hit.

At Evergrande Entertainment, Janet tossed and turned nightly since learning Becky had secured The Empress. She'd coolly told Lisa to scout for a better script, but it was a futile effort. Top-tier scripts weren't readily available; otherwise, people in showbiz wouldn't be scrambling. If she couldn't find a better script, Rebecca would eclipse her permanently. Friends of the Mitchell family, who'd watched her and Rebecca grow up, were already whispering behind her back. She needed to surpass Rebecca quickly, or she'd be the laughingstock at the next high-society event.

That night, sleep eluded Janet. Her mind raced, until she hit upon a plan: Vicky wasn't casting her, but what if she commissioned a script, modeling the characters after The Empress? Copyright laws were lax in their country; plagiarism and piracy were rampant. Original works were frequently ripped off, and by the time legal battles concluded, the knock-offs were already wildly successful. Fans of the knock-offs often despised the original creators, accusing them of envy and greed, leaving the actual artists vilified. If she paid for a script and produced it, any backlash would fall on the writer, not her.

She needed to move quickly. Her show had to premiere before The Empress. First impressions were critical; whichever show aired first would be perceived as the original. Even if The Empress proved genuinely original, it wouldn't matter. The audience would be captivated by the first show they saw. Though the storyline might be identical, the audience would be impressed by the first show; the later one would inevitably suffer by comparison. It was the first impression effect.

Plus, she was Janet, the movie queen. Rebecca was a newcomer who'd stumbled into success. If their shows aired back-to-back, Rebecca would be humiliated—unless her acting was phenomenally better, which was highly unlikely. Rebecca was just a pretty face, propped up by the Carter family's wealth and PR. Lovey Princess had been a fluke, a product of their wealth and influence. Now that Rebecca's connection to the Carter family was public, what else did she have? Nothing.

The more Janet thought about it, the better she felt. She envisioned the headlines: Janet's acting skills versus Rebecca's, with Rebecca the clear loser. With years in the industry, Janet knew numerous scriptwriters. She contacted one immediately, arranging a meeting. Money talked; if she was willing to pay, a writer would be readily available. She was prepared to double the fee to expedite the process.