Seven years ago.
"All that? I have all that on my schedule of today? The way you were reading it out seemed as if that was for the whole week." Jessie said.
"Well I'm sorry Jess, it's what Tony sent to me." Lana shrugged. "It seems too much right? It not even fair, you must feel overwhelmed."
"Why the hell would I feel overwhelmed? This is amazing!" She shrieked.
"Eh?"
"I finally feel like a real star, I was just a no name actress until now! I mean I can finally say I've been busy with a lot of projects. They think it's not possible to film two movies at once? I'll show them!" She smiled.
"You're... you're happy?" Lana asked totally confused.
"Of course! Ooh I'm so happy, when I acted in the last drama I never knew it would be my breakout role." She laughed softly. "I'm even costarring with the big leagues."
"But fans hate your character in this movie, your the second female lead."
"Do they really?" She asked. "Hmm... well it means I'm doing my job right then." She shrugged. "It should be about time for my scene with the Patricia, let's go." She stated and Lana followed behind her.
"What utter crap!" They heard a voice screaming. "How could you make such a pointless mistake? I mean are you daft?"
Jessie and Lana gave themselves confused looks as they walked towards the source of the yelling. It was Patricia's trailer. She was yelling at her makeup artist in front if the trailer.
"Patricia, calm down. She made a mistake we will postpone the shoot." The director said.
"Why should I? I told her I was allergic to coconut, how could she put it on my skin? Look at me!!" She screamed.
Jessie eyes widened when she saw the actress ridden with spots and swells. "Oh my goodness!" She gasped.
"You bitch! You're not even remorseful" she screamed raising her hand to slap the makeup artist. But someone grabbed her arm halting her movement.
"Don't." Jessie stated plainly, staring into her rage filled eyes.
"What the hell? Get out of my way Jessie Marin, this does not concern you." She spat venomously.
"I understand you're angry and you have every right to be, but you shouldn't hit her. It's only going to reflect badly on you." She said in a low tone.
Patricia snatched her arm out of Jessie's, and scoffed. Storming off angrily.
Jessie turned around and shot an intense glare at the makeup artist before walking away as well.
**************************************************
"That's great Jessie, you're doing good!" The photographer gushed as he clicked away.
"No miss! You can't go in there!"
Jessie turned around to see a very angry Patricia walking towards her, before she could ask what happened her head flung to the side as the impact from Patricia's plam stung her cheeks. Jessie eyes widened and she glared at Patricia holding her assaulted cheek.
"What the fuck!" She cursed.
"You did this, didn't you?" She held up her phone and Jessie had to use a few seconds to adjust her gaze and look at the videos as she was still disoriented from the slap.
"What? I'm also implicated in that video. Why would I do that?" Jessie frowned at the video of her and Patricia apparently bullying an innocent makeup artist.
"I don't know, you're jealous of me? Jealous of the fact that you're nobody and I'm the actual fucking star." Patricia spat.
Jessie rolled her eyes. "Why would I be jealous of you? I mean I have projects lined up till next year. Endorsements and shows my life is picking up why would I be jealous of a bad actress with nothing but a rich family backing her up?" She sneered.
Patricia rose her arm to hit her again but Jessie caught it. "Don't you dare think I'm a pushover because I'm not. You should be grateful to me that I stopped you before this scandal became an assault case. And if you don't want me to sue you you'll get out of my shoot!" She warned her, staring her down with.
Patricia shot her an icy glare before walking out of the studio but not before threatening her. "This isn't over Jessie Marin!"
**************************************************
"She did what?" Jessie gasped as she stared at her phone. That bitter wrench! "When did I ever? What did she say flirting with a married man? Wow how low can she really stoop!" Jessie yelled.
Lana stood by the side, letting her vent before she told her the worst news. Patricia Lee was really out to get her, first starting a scandal of her flirting with the main lead who was already married.
"And who are these useless mosquitoes saying rubbish?" She sneered as she scrolled through the comment section. "So two co-stars can't be friends? Wow that jealous bitch, she was the one trying to sleep with him, because he rejected her she's coming at me? Alright then Patricia if you want to play dirty let's play!"
"She's the new lead for 'Impostor'." Lana said quickly, deciding to just RIP the bandage off.
Jessie brows rose "but I was offered that role... you know what if she want it she can take it. It's a pretty boring script anyway. It takes talent to bring such a dead script to life. What other dramas does she have at the moment?" Jessie asked.
"Well she in talks to work with writers Choi Won and Kim In na." Lana said.
"Do you still have the pictures? Let's post them, but secretly leak it to one of my fanpage managers." Jessie said.
"What does the manager say?" Lana asked.
"Nothing, just leak the pictures." Tony said from behind both women.
"Why not?" Jessie snapped.
"Because people are crazy, it's better to let them conclude for themselves what they want to believe." He stated.
Jessie eyes widened and she began to smile. "Why are you smiling? I still don't understand?" Lana frowned.
"With this kind of provocative pictures if I say anything, in my situation the public will call it a farce and a cover up. Let them decide what they want to see, it's never going to be good. Fanatical fans are crazy like that." Jessie explained.
**************************************************
Patricia threw her phone against the wall, how the hell did Jessie Marin manage to turn the situation against her?! How did she get those pictures?!
'I really cannot believe what I'm seeing. How can Patricia be so tasteless?'
'She's so shameless, chasing after a married man and blaming it on Jessie Marin.'
'She should be fired from whatever dramas she currently working on, if not they wouldn't be successful!'
'It so disgraceful, I can't believe I called myself a fan of hers!'
"Aissh!" She screamed, grabbing her hair in frustration. "Why are you just standing there like that? Fix this." She yelled at her manager.
He coughed and gave her a confused stare.
"What do we do?" She asked again.
"Miss Lee... it would be better to lay low and let this pass." He said slowly.
"What? Lay low? What kind of fool did I hire?" She laughed.
"Pin it on the man. Pin it on actor Phil Shin. I mean it's not as if he's guilt free, he was indeed flirting with Jessie Marin." The woman beside her manager spoke up.
"But that will free Jessie as well." Patricia frowned.
"Would you rather you get out of this with Jessie Marin or get dragged down alone?" She said again, staring Patricia in the eyes.
Patricia bit her lip and thought about it. "Fine, you're fired. Congratulations your my new manager." She smiled at the woman.
"Bu... but miss lee" the man pleaded.
"Did I stutter? Get lost!" She yelled and he ran out of the room. "Well fix this." She said to the woman.
"I never said yes." She replied.
"What?"
"I never said yes to being your manager."
Patricia rolled her eyes. "Fine what do you want? More money?"
"How about respect. My name is Mary, just Mary and I will not be disrepected by you. And yes I do want the extra money because working for you is no easy feat." She smiled.
Patricia laughed. "You know I can dismiss you right now right?"
"And you're reputation will be destroyed, I gave you a solution but not everyone can actually deliver it." She said with confidence.
"Fine, but mess up once and you'll regret it." Patricia warned. "Go fix this."
**************************************************
"I won." Jessie smiled as she leaned back into her seat. Scrolling through her phone. Lana and Tony were seated with her, Lana happily holding three beautiful trophies as she took selfies with them.
"Is that what you're worried about right now?" Tony asked her shaking his head.
"Ofcourse, you don't know how happy I am. Did you see Patricia face when I won the excellency awards?' She giggled at the thought.
"I'm even wondering how she thought she would win with that drama, 'impostor'. I guess she must not be that horrible an actress it got nominated. But when you pair an amazing actress, yours truly." She gestured to herself. "With a script like 'the tale of acordia' now that just success." She gushed.
"Your right Jessie, you're currently the biggest actress in the continent." Lana agreed.
"Right!" The two off them squealed happily.
Tony fingered his ears to save his eardrums. "Well I hope you're happy now."
"Of course I am, all I have to do know is solidify my position in the entertainment industry and work harder." She said. "Ah... all is well that ends well."
129 preview : Filial daughter.
"That punk? I have to admit I didn't think he had it in him, and I was right." Bishop Song said.
Katherine was nodding to his words at first but his last statement surprised her. "What?"
"You gave him all those ideas didn't you?" He asked plainly and Katherine almost choked on her tea.
"No.. that's...that's not it." She coughed.
"Really? Shall I call him then?"
"No!" She yelled.