The Billionaire's Maid Bride novel Chapter 629

As the other actors either touched up their makeup, chatted, or bossed around their assistants, Allison sat apart, her head bowed, scribbling in a notebook.

Wade noticed too. As he was outlining the plot, Allison had already pulled out her notepad and was furiously jotting things down.

"Oh, Allison, what are you up to?" A soft, slightly mocking voice broke her focus. Without looking up, Allison knew it was Valeria, the show’s second lead.

Allison took a deep breath, lifted her head, and gave a polite smile. "Just taking notes."

Valeria chuckled, covering her mouth. "Seriously, notes? This isn’t high school. Notes might help you pass a test, but they won’t make you a better actress."

Valeria had been in the industry for seven years, gaining brief fame from a supporting role in a popular period drama. She wasn’t a headline star, but she had a loyal fanbase and decent talent, backed by a big agency. Known for her arrogance and dismissive attitude towards newcomers, she often played the seniority card.

Her role was secured through an audition set up by her company, Hargrave Entertainment, which had invested in the show. She had aimed for the lead but ended up with a supporting role—a corporate executive who gets assassinated. It was a significant part, second only to the lead in terms of screen time for female characters.

Having been upstaged by a newcomer with strong financial backing, Valeria wasn’t happy. As soon as the director left, she started throwing sarcastic remarks at Allison.

Allison had no interest in Valeria’s antics. She kept her focus on her notes, but Valeria, feeling snubbed, grew visibly upset in front of the other actors.

Tiffany, who played a minor role as a high school girl who commits suicide, tried to curry favor with Valeria by scolding Allison, "Allison, show some respect. Ms. Rivers has years on you. You’re being pretty arrogant for a newbie."

Valeria laughed and turned to Tiffany, "I heard you graduated top of your class from the drama academy, Tiffany. It shows. You’re clearly different from those who didn’t get a professional acting education."

Tiffany, the same age as Allison and also a newcomer, was quick to align herself with Valeria, joining in the effort to ostracize Allison.

Allison understood what was happening—they had formed a clique against her.

But she wasn’t bothered by it.

Still, she needed to maintain a professional facade; it wouldn’t do to start a conflict before filming even began. She clenched her fingers briefly, exhaled softly, and looked up with a composed and non-confrontational smile. "Ms. Rivers, I agree with you. I’m really looking forward to learning from your experience over the next couple of months. Anything else?"

Just as Valeria was about to assert her seniority, Allison returned to her notes, effectively dismissing her.

Valeria clenched her fist in frustration. Insolent! How dare this upstart ignore her? She vowed to herself that in the coming months, she’d teach Allison a lesson she wouldn’t forget.