Chapter 6

Serena clenched her hands tighter on her knees, her heart twisting from shock into bitterness.

The waiter brought over the juice, and Aurelia smiled sweetly as she thanked him, voice as crisp as a bell.

That familiar voice hit Serena like a slap. Instantly, the scene from that day flashed in her mind - she'd gone to Dawson Corp to find Finnian, only to accidentally walk in on him pinning Aurelia against his office desk, kissing her like there was no tomorrow.

From that moment on, every single time she heard Aurelia call Finnian "Mr. Dawson" in that business-as-usual tone, she'd get stuck replaying that scene in her head. The jealousy and frustration just kept ballooning out of control.

Now? That frustration had taken root, grown limbs, and turned into a towering beast that refused to leave her alone.

She hated Aurelia. Hated how she stole what should've been rightfully hers.

If it wasn't for Aurelia, things between her and Finnian wouldn't be like this...

Aurelia picked up her juice, took a small sip, and as she set the glass down, her gaze calmly landed on Serena's perfectly made-up face. Her lips curved slightly - somewhere between polite and mocking.

Their eyes met. Serena's chest tightened, her fingers twitching despite herself. As much as she despised Aurelia, something about her look right now made Serena's stomach churn with unease.

Emma noticed Aurelia looking over at Serena. Her expression carried a hint of curiosity, and maybe something more - something deeper.

That couldn't be a good sign.

Emma stood up, raising her wine glass as she walked over to Aurelia.

"Ms. Starborne, it's a pleasure to finally meet you. I'm Emma, the talent manager at Galaxy Union Entertainment. I've long admired your work. Serena will be collaborating with you on this project - she's one of our most dedicated performers, and we're confident she'll benefit tremendously from your experience."

With that, Emma drank her wine in one go, all smiles.

"You flatter me, Ms. Hawkins," Aurelia replied coolly, lifting her glass just a bit. "I don't handle alcohol well - hope tea will do." She took a small sip but didn't make any move to stand up.

That calm, slightly distant tone screamed high-and-mighty. Emma had been in the business for years - it had been a while since someone this young dared give her such a cold shoulder. She couldn't say she liked it.

Still, her face stayed as composed as ever. "Whatever works for you, Ms. Starborne."

Aurelia had no patience for guessing what Emma really thought. She turned her attention back to Serena, raising a brow slightly. "So this is our film's leading lady - Miss Hughes?"

Serena froze for a moment, just about to speak when Aurelia cut in again.

"Miss Hughes does seem a little... delicate. But the female lead in our film is a starship's vice captain - comes with a lot of action scenes. Physically demanding role, you know?"

She deliberately paused, her eyes drifting down to Serena's stomach, staying there for a few seconds before slowly shifting back up to meet her gaze. Then, with a tone full of meaning, she asked, "Are you... up for it?"

Serena's face went pale, hands trembling ever so slightly. Her nails dug into her palms, sharp pain helping her keep her composure.

Others might not catch what Aurelia was hinting at - but the two of them? They knew damn well.

Aurelia was throwing her pregnancy in her face. Trying to push her out of the movie.

But that pregnancy? It had been a lie from the start. A fake report she'd used to force Aurelia off the project...