The room descended into an uneasy quiet. Elva had conveniently ignored the fact that Elijah had accompanied Sandra to help her secure the role from Elizabeth, not the other way around.

“Elva, please, that’s enough,” Sandra interjected, extending a hand towards Elva in an attempt to quell the disruption. However, her voice dwindled to a murmur, her strength faltering. Suddenly, she clutched her chest, her legs giving way as she collapsed to the floor.

“Sandra!” Elijah rushed to her side, concern etched on his face, cradling her in his arms. Elva quickly dialed emergency services. Amid the commotion, she found a reclining chair for Elijah to gently position Sandra, then turned and fixed Elizabeth with an intense glare.

“If anything happens to Sandra, you’ll be held responsible!”

Sandra spoke softly. “Elva, this isn’t Ms. Elizabeth’s doing. It’s just my delicate health.” She lifted her gaze to Elizabeth, offering a faint smile. “Ms. Elizabeth, I’m sorry if I startled you. My health is fragile, and emotions often overwhelm me. You shouldn’t blame yourself. This isn’t your fault.”

Elva’s glare, however, remained a blatant accusation. “How can you say it’s not her fault? If she hadn’t competed with you for the role, would you have drained yourself with relentless rehearsals and commitments? If anything serious happens, how could someone like her possibly make amends?”

The tension in the room was palpable. With the influential actress and the CEO of the Norris Group on one side, and an inexperienced newcomer on the other, unspoken judgments hung heavy in the air.

Even Stewart could only offer Elizabeth a sympathetic glance, subtly shaking his head as if advising her to endure the moment. Ruby, unable to contain herself any longer, stepped forward to speak, but Elizabeth stopped her with a gesture.