After Rebirth: I Married My Ex's Rival

Reject It

"Excuse me, Miss Taylor, but the girl who crossed our path just now bore a striking resemblance to Julia. Are you certain it was not her?" Rosy inquired, her composure visibly unsteady.

"How could it have been Julia? I just spoke to her to confirm that she had discovered our deceit about the timing, yet she remains clueless. Actually, she is currently resting at home," Taylor replied with confidence.

" It's obvious that the role is yours already, we just have to go home and wait for the good news "

Upon hearing this, Rosy breathed a sigh of relief, and the two of them departed.

Meanwhile, Julia made her way into the hall and took a seat, awaiting her turn to be called in.

Inside the audition room, the judges' expressions soured with each new candidate.

"Get lost! Are you attempting to audition for the role of a feeble and defenseless woman, or a vengeful heiress? Did you even bother to study the script? You barely deserve to be called an actress!" the judges berated the candidate, who rushed out in tears, struggling to walk in her heels.

"At this point, perhaps we should just cast Rosy. She was at least better than these subpar actresses," the assistant director grumbled in annoyance.

"Let's call in the next person, and then we can call it a day," the director declared firmly, implying that if the next candidate failed to impress, the role would be given to Rosy.

And so, when Julia entered the room, none of them bothered to spare her even a single glance.

The director simply spoke one word: "Act scene five!"

The selection of scene five came as a surprise to Julia. Having read the 'Destined Hearts' script countless times, every scene had become ingrained in her memory. This particular one required a plethora of emotions.

Serena Smith, the female lead, had been falsely accused of a******y by her husband. Instead of standing by her, her family watched as she was brutally beaten to death. With her trust shattered and those she loved abandoning her, she was left to a cruel fate.

As Julia was about to begin, she noticed a tall figure peeking through the curtains. It was Alexander Wright. What was he doing here?

Alexander observed the girl's expression of surprise. His assistant had informed him that she was auditioning for a role in 'Destined Hearts', so he decided to witness her performance first-hand.

Julia closed her eyes for a moment, and when she opened them, she was no longer in the audition room. She had fully immersed herself in the role of Serena Smith, and her eyes widened in confusion at her husband's accusation.

"What do these photos imply? That I cheated on you?" she questioned, followed by a burst of hysterical laughter. The judges' boredom immediately dissipated as this was Serena Smith's initial response - amusement.

Alexander couldn't take his eyes off of her. He watched as her initial amusement turned into shock, then pain, agony, and resentment. She fluidly portrayed all of these emotions before concluding her act with a whispered promise.

"From this day on, I, Serena, make a vow to the heavens and earth. I will seek revenge, even if it means becoming a ghost and haunting you all, sending you straight to hell!"

As the final act came to an end, a chorus of claps resounded through the audition room. Even the director expressed his disappointment that it had to abruptly end. He had been captivated and didn't want it to end.

Although Serena's character appeared weak, the tribulations she endured molded her into a formidable woman, most of the other actresses only focused on portraying Serena's weakness and didn't bother to show her resilience, hence after watching Julia's performance, Rosy's performance suddenly felt like trash while compared to it..

"Impressive! Absolutely amazing!" The director didn't mince words and promptly handed Julia the contract. "Miss, the role is yours."

With the contract now in her hands, Julia felt a sense of accomplishment. She had achieved something she couldn't do in the past.

Glancing at the curtains, she secretly hoped to catch a glimpse of Alexander, but he had vanished without a trace. She couldn't help but wonder if his piercing blue eyes were nothing but a figment of her imagination.

After finalizing the details with the directors, Julia stepped out of the building and was surprised to see the familiar Black Maybach parked on the side of the road. She had not imagined it after all.

"Why are you here, President Wright?" Julia couldn't contain her curiosity as she joined him in the backseat.

"To support you." Alexander's fingers lightly grazed her hair, and Julia felt herself freeze. She caught a glimpse of a single sunflower in the rearview mirror, tucked behind her jet-black hair.

"Congratulations on getting the role." Alexander's lips curved into a smile, causing Julia's heart to flutter.

"You don't like them? I thought sunflowers were your favorite."

Julia stiffened at the question. She couldn't recall the last time someone had shown her genuine support. Her childhood was marred by painful memories, and even Rosy and Nelson, the two people she trusted, had betrayed her. No one had ever taken the time to learn her likes and dislikes.

So when Alexander presented her with the sunflower, she was at a loss for words.

"Um..I do, Thank you, President Wright"

Julia mumbled

Alexander breathed in relief, handing her a bouquet of exquisite sunflowers. The fragrance and beauty of these flowers must have cost him a fortune.

"Why were you so sure I'd get the role? What if I had failed?" Julia couldn't help but ask, realizing he must have gotten the flowers before coming here.

"I have faith in my wife's abilities" he replied with ease.

Wife. The word slipped out effortlessly from his lips. If she didn't know better, she would think they had been married for years.

"Thank you again, President Wright. I should be on my way," Julia muttered quickly, afraid that if she continued to stare at him, she would end up getting drawn to him.

As Julia hurried away, Alexander's mind drifted back to the pain he had witnessed in her eyes while she auditioned. A sigh escaped his lips. That pain was all too real.

And he'd seen it more than once.

*****

At daybreak, Julia woke up to a flurry of missed calls and texts on her phone.

Looking at the screen, she realized that the messages were from her manager, Rosy, Nelson, and her parents.

She could easily understand the reason for their urgent contact - they had found out about her success in securing the highly sought-after role.

After securing the role the day before, she chose not to go home, instead treating herself to a complete makeover at the salon, as well as buying a small collection of new clothes, then she checked into an hotel.

After showering and getting dressed, she took a moment to admire her reflection in the mirror, a satisfied smile appearing on her face. It was time to reveal the new and improved Julia.

An hour later, she arrived at the Quinn estate, noticing Nelson's car in the garage, she inferred that he was inside with the rest of the family.

As she pushed open the door, everyone's jaws dropped in shock. For Nelson's sake, Julia had always worn dull and frumpy clothes, her hair carelessly tied up in a bun, giving her the appearance of a middle-aged woman.

But now, her long auburn hair cascaded down her heart-shaped face, her entire aura exuding elegance. She could easily be mistaken for an 18-year-old girl.

Gone was her usual timid and subservient manner, replaced by a sharp glint in her eyes as she surveyed the room.

"Julia! Where on earth did you spend the night?" Glenda Quinn, Julia's mother, questioned sternly.

"At a hotel," Julia nonchalantly replied.

A sharp slap echoed on her cheek, followed by Julia meeting the cold gaze of her father, Edward Quinn.

"How dare you try to tarnish the impeccable reputation of the Quinn family? What will the media say when news of your hotel stay reaches them? Are you trying to shame Nelson?" he seethed.

A flicker of hurt passed through Julia's expression, a reminder that, even in her new life, she could never change her parents' preference for Rosy.

"Julia! The movie role rightfully belongs to Rosy! You must reject it," Nelson vehemently declared.