Chapter 1064: Their Ruse

"Caroline, how many times must I tell you? You don't need to be so subservient to Little Bunny!" Caroline's agent exclaimed, concern etched on her face. "Little Bunny benefited from your past support, and you've gone above and beyond to help her—providing resources and boosting her profile publicly and privately. She owes her success, in such a short time, to your hard work. You've repaid any favor she did you! She's ungrateful and taking advantage of your kindness. Some people are simply insatiable and think too highly of themselves. Did she offer you that role out of genuine goodwill, or was it merely a handout? Why didn't she want the role? Perhaps she couldn't handle it herself. Don't be so stubborn about repaying her kindness!"

Caroline's agent, naturally more powerful, subtly elevated Caroline while diminishing Little Bunny. But Caroline, not one to be underestimated, quickly agreed, looking embarrassed. "Don't say that about Little Bunny; she isn't like that at all. We've always had a good relationship..."

"You're still defending her!" The agent interrupted angrily. "I know exactly what you've done for her: her first high-end endorsement, her first film role, countless shows and commercials. Your kindness has far exceeded what's expected!"

"I just feel that, as best friends, I should help however I can," Caroline replied softly, afraid of upsetting her agent. Publicly, she projected an image of extreme kindness; any negative reports about her were swiftly handled by her agents.

"Good intentions don't guarantee appreciation," the agent retorted indignantly. "Look at what happened to your face."

"It doesn't hurt, actually..."

"It doesn't hurt?" The agent looked at her sympathetically. "I can barely bear to look at it, Stord."

The director and the crew witnessed the unfolding drama. When Caroline's agent addressed him, he readily responded. "I want to get Caroline an ice pack. Can we shoot this scene later?"

"Sure," the director nodded. "Let her rest, and we'll film other scenes first."

"No, I don't want to delay filming," Caroline insisted, appearing dedicated.

"It won't take long. Rest and compose yourself," Stord said kindly. The incident had improved his opinion of her.

Caroline left, under her agent's protection, for all to see.

Little Bunny, still on set, overheard the deliberate lies. She didn't refute them; it would be pointless. Everyone believed she was ungrateful and argumentative. She endured silently, suppressing her anger. After all, Caroline was only a guest star, soon to depart.

In showbiz, slander was commonplace for Little Bunny.

Stord, his tone now less gentle, suggested to Little Bunny, "You should compose yourself as well."

Little Bunny nodded, leaving the set, feeling the weight of judging eyes. They must be disgusted with her.

Backstage, Tanya was indignant. She'd wanted to defend Little Bunny but Caroline's intimidating manager had silenced her. With over a decade in showbiz, Caroline's agent dwarfed the twenty-year-old Tanya.

"Miss Little Bunny, why didn't you explain?" Tanya's eyes were red with anxiety. "You've worked so hard for these opportunities; how can they be credited to Caroline? She's shameless!"

Little Bunny remained calm, examining the large red mark on her face. "Caroline has publicly claimed for years that we have a deep relationship. It's ingrained in everyone's minds. If I speak ill of her, it will backfire."

"Caroline is scheming!" Tanya fumed. "She uses your relationship and her fame to manipulate you!"

Little Bunny felt unwell.

"I don't understand why she targeted you. Even without friendship, she shouldn't have attacked you like this!"

Initially, Little Bunny hadn't anticipated Caroline's actions. Now, it was clear: revenge for being rejected by Theodore the previous night. Caroline's pride couldn't accept Theodore's indifference. She also coveted the lead role in Stord's next drama. Despite Stord's agreement, Caroline and her agent feared unforeseen changes, so they smeared Little Bunny to prevent her casting.

Caroline was ruthless in pursuing her goals.

Tanya, finding courage, suggested, "Miss Little Bunny, why not... resist?"

"Resisting will only worsen my reputation."

Hesitantly, Tanya continued, "I mean... why not use Mr. Wold's influence? He could remove anyone from showbiz. With his help, Caroline would disappear."