Chapter 102

“You guys can decide,” Juniper said with an indifferent shrug. With her in the lead, even a troupe of amateurs could make this MV shine.
…
Meanwhile, in the dancer audition area at Era Media, a dejected Yolanda stood by the window after failing her audition.
A group of successful dancers crowded around, craning their necks to look outside. They’d heard the rumors: that Rachel had convinced Mr. Tate to hire some incredible choreographer who was not only a phenomenal dancer but also stunningly beautiful. This newcomer had apparently swooped in and snatched the lead role from Elvira Sutton, the entertainment world’s reigning dance queen. Everyone knew Elvira had been preparing for this MV for a full year and was considered the only choice for the lead. It wasn’t until the company called her in to audition as a backup dancer that she learned the part had been given to someone else. Now, Elvira stood off to the side, her face a mask of bitter curiosity, waiting to see who had stolen her spot.
“There she is!” someone exclaimed, and all eyes turned toward the door.
Juniper? Yolanda’s eyes widened in disbelief.
The new choreographer and star of Jimmie Tate’s MV was Juniper? The sight of her brought back a flood of recent humiliations. She’d been ostracized at school, with people whispering about her being two-faced and manipulative. After pulling countless strings, she had finally managed to get on Elvira’s good side, hoping a role as a backup dancer in Mr. Tate’s MV would be her comeback. And now, she had to run into Juniper. Her failed audition—that must have been Juniper’s doing too. That bitch!
“Who’s that?” one of the other girls asked. They had just returned from training abroad and, thanks to the Sherwins scrubbing the internet of the scandal, were unaware of what had happened.
“Lunar!” Yolanda spat, her hands clenched into fists.
“Lunar?” another girl gasped. “You mean the Lunar?”
Elvira’s head snapped up. She had heard of her, of course; Lunar was a legend in the dance world. If it was truly Lunar who had taken the role, she could almost accept it.
“I can’t believe it’s her,” Yolanda sneered, before adding in a poisonous whisper, “If that’s the case, she’s nothing compared to you, Elvira.”
Instantly, all eyes were on Yolanda. Feigning distress, she continued softly, “To be honest, she’s the adopted daughter of the Sherwin family. She got kicked out after we exposed her for trying to seduce my boyfriend. The girl is deeply manipulative; she learned to dance in secret behind our back. After she left, she was immediately seen going to exclusive clubs with other rich men… It’s just so strange. Everyone knew the lead role was yours, so how did she suddenly steal it away?”
Her insinuation was clear: Juniper had used underhanded, likely sexual, means to secure the part.
“Oh my god, is she really that disgusting?”
“Elvira, you were robbed!”
“Mr. Tate made this MV as a tribute to his lost sister. If he knew the lead was some scheming, tainted woman-”
Elvira’s hands tightened, her face a storm of resentment.
Listening to them all denounce Juniper, Yolanda smiled with satisfaction. If she couldn’t be happy, then Juniper certainly wasn’t going to be. Everyone knew Jimmie Tate was fiercely protective of his sister’s memory. Once he found out Juniper had trampled on that sacred ground… Well, let’s see how happy she was being the star then.