The video of me slapping the hottest starlet of the moment went viral. Her fans swarmed my socials, calling for my blood, while the rest of the internet grabbed their popcorn. 【Charlotte is a dead woman walking. Everyone knows Stella is dating the Astor heir. She’s going to be blacklisted into oblivion!】 Three days later, the Astor heir himself showed up at my reality show’s set. Everyone watched, salivating for the drama, only to see the golden boy of New York society drop to his knees in front of me. “Mom, I’m so sorry!” 1 I hesitated when the producers of Second Act first approached me. It’s not like I needed the money or was desperate for a comeback. The show didn’t offer me much. That is, until I saw a clip from last season where one of the contestants lost twenty pounds. At forty-five, with a metabolism that had long since clocked out, the battle of the bulge was a daily struggle. My eyes lit up. I slapped my thigh. “I’m in!” 2 Once filming started, I was practically invisible. Among the thirty contestants, or “sisters” as they called us, I was far from the most famous. My career highlight had been a few memorable villain roles years ago—the kind of actress you recognize but can’t name. I never monetized my private life, kept my family background under wraps, and had zero interest in sucking up to the production team. Naturally, no investor was lining up to back me. I didn’t care. I was just there for a celebrity weight-loss camp, after all. I threw myself into training, preparing for each performance with professional diligence, and made a point to stay out of everyone’s way. But trouble, it seemed, had a way of finding me. 3 Her name was Stella. She was the youngest and, by far, the most popular star on the show. At only twenty-three, she didn’t exactly fit the “sister” concept, but the network was determined to help her transition from a cutesy pop-tart persona to something more mature. The show had already boosted her fame, making her the main draw for viewers. But it wasn't enough for her. She wanted to build a new image—the “fearless, independent woman of the new millennium”—and for that, she needed a foil. A punching bag. She chose me. For our second performance, she picked me for her group and immediately started her campaign of micro-aggressions. During rehearsal, I’d be the first to arrive, yet she’d sigh dramatically and say, “Charlotte, I know you’re on the show, but could you please try to think about something other than your husband and kids for a few hours?” I just stared at her. What the hell? I hadn't so much as mentioned my husband or son since filming began. Later, at dinner, I’d be picking at a plate of grilled chicken breast, and she’d frown with theatrical concern. “I know pregnancy and childbirth can be tough on a woman’s body, Charlotte, but you can’t just let yourself go!” Again, what the hell? I had abs under my shirt and legs for days—longer than hers, thank you very much. I just didn't feel the need to flaunt them. Then, during a group chat about the industry, she deliberately singled me out. “You quit showbiz for a man, didn’t you, Charlotte? I could never do that. My life is my own.” I just bit my tongue. Get your facts straight before you run your mouth, kid. My acting career was always a side gig. I left to get my doctorate in the States. I was utterly baffled by her. I tried to ignore her, writing it off as childish nonsense, but she only grew more audacious. One night, over dinner, the contestants were discussing whose life they envied the most. Stella suddenly spoke up. “I don’t envy anyone. But the one person I would never want to be is Charlotte. Such a failure, no sense of self. If I were her parents, I’d regret ever having her!” That did it. She had finally poked the bear. She could insult me all she wanted, but she never should have brought up my parents, who had passed away years ago. I was done being patient. I raised my hand. SMACK! The slap echoed through the room. 4 When the episode aired, the clip of me slapping Stella blew up online and shot to the top of the trending topics. The production team, clearly in Stella’s camp, had edited the footage to make her look like a saint. A shot of me in the hallway practicing a rap verse was deceitfully framed as me video-chatting with my family. They spliced my first day’s clumsy dance practice into the final week’s montage to make it look like I’d made zero progress. My singing was auto-tuned in reverse, making me sound painfully off-key. Their goal was clear: to paint me as the lazy, family-obsessed housewife—the most despised archetype for a female celebrity today. The internet unleashed its fury. 【If Charlotte wants to be a housewife so badly, she should just stay home! Why is she wasting our time on the show?】 【Seriously, I can't stand these slackers who take the money and do nothing. Get her off my screen!】 【I used to like some of her old roles, but now I see what a failure of a woman she really is. So pathetic!】 Meanwhile, Stella was edited to look like a responsible, long-suffering group leader, earning her a massive wave of sympathy and new fans. When the slap scene aired, they conveniently cut out her vicious comment about my parents, making it seem like I’d lashed out simply because I couldn’t handle her constructive criticism. Stella’s fans went ballistic, plastering my face on mock-up funeral photos and cursing my entire family tree. The general public was just as outraged. 【Charlotte went way too far. Is she bullying a junior just because she’s a veteran? Stella was just trying to help her.】 【Old hags like her are always so entitled. She needs to get out of the industry for good!】 【Oh, she won’t be in the industry for long, trust me. Have you all forgotten who Stella’s boyfriend is? Julian Astor! The Astor heir. She’s messing with him now. She’s finished.】 I’d been scrolling through the comments with bored detachment, but that last one made me pause. Wait, what? My son has a girlfriend? Since when? 5 Just in case it was some misunderstanding, I did a quick search for my darling son’s name: Julian Astor. I shouldn't have. What I found was a digital tabloid shrine dedicated to his romantic escapades. 【Astor Heir Drops Millions to Win a Starlet’s Smile】 【Julian Astor Buys Film Studio on a Whim to Promote His New Flame】 【Rival Actresses Brawl Over Billionaire Scion Julian Astor】 The best part? The male lead was always Julian, but the female lead changed with every headline. And the latest piece of gossip featured none other than Stella. A paparazzi photo showed them holding hands while shopping, under the headline: 【New York’s Golden Boy Steps Out with It-Girl Stella, Drops $200k on Handbags in a Single Day】 I nearly fainted from rage. So this was why my brilliant son had refused to study abroad, why he’d shown no interest in learning the ropes of the family business. He was too busy gallivanting around town, collecting celebrity girlfriends! I may have been an actress once, but now I was a retired businesswoman, fully occupied with managing family assets and my own fitness regimen. I rarely paid attention to celebrity gossip. This was the first I was hearing of my son’s… extracurricular activities. Fuming, I shot him a text. 【You have a girlfriend and you didn’t tell your mother?】 The little brat replied almost instantly. 【Which one?】 He must have realized how insane that sounded because he deleted the message a second later and sent a new one. 【Oh, you mean Stella? Yeah, we’re dating. I was actually planning to bring her to meet you in a few days.】 His casual tone told me he had no idea his new girlfriend had just been on the receiving end of a slap from his own mother. Nor did he know that her fans were currently roasting me, him, and our entire lineage online. But that figured. My son loved being the subject of gossip; he had no interest in reading about anyone else. I was about to type back, No need, we’ve already met, when a sharp voice cut through the air. “Charlotte, would you please put down your phone? Stop texting your husband and son for five minutes and focus on the rehearsal!” 6 I looked up to see Stella, her arms crossed. Ever since the slap, her hostility had become a constant, simmering presence. She looked for any excuse to pick a fight. Like now. We were on a break. The other contestants were chatting and on their phones too, but she singled me out. A cold smile touched my lips. “And who are you to talk, Stella? You spend more time glued to your phone than anyone here.” It was the truth. Stella was the one constantly texting and disappearing for hours-long, syrupy-sweet video calls. I’d always assumed she was dating some young heartthrob. I never imagined it was my son. Stella’s face darkened. Before she could retort, one of her little followers chimed in. “You can’t compare, Charlotte,” said Vicky, a lesser-known actress who served as Stella’s sidekick. Her voice dripped with condescension. “Stella is talking to Julian Astor. Do you even know who that is? He’s the Astor heir!” I had to bite back a laugh. The little brat who came out of my own body? Yeah, I think I know who he is. At the mention of Julian’s name, a smug, triumphant smile tugged at Stella’s lips, though she tried to feign modesty. “Vicky, stop. I’ve told Julian I want to keep our relationship low-key.” “Oh, Stella, you’re just too humble!” Vicky gushed. “But how can you be low-key when he’s so crazy about you? When he marries you, I bet he’ll throw you the wedding of the century!” The word “wedding” made Stella’s smile widen uncontrollably. But I, standing off to the side, couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow. “Getting a little ahead of yourselves, aren’t you?” I asked, my tone laced with amusement. “Have you even met his parents?” You haven’t even met me, and you’re already planning on marrying into the Astor family? Over my dead body. My question made Stella’s face fall. “What’s that supposed to mean, Charlotte?” she snapped. “So what if I haven’t met his parents yet? He told me he’s taking me to meet his mother very soon!” That announcement captured the attention of every woman in the room. Even the A-listers, who had previously ignored our little feud, couldn’t help but look over. “For real?” Vicky gasped, her hand flying to her mouth in exaggerated shock. “He’s taking you to meet his mother? Oh my God, I heard she’s the legendary heiress of the Astor family, one of the most powerful women in New York! Is it true?” “Yes, yes!” another contestant chimed in, leaning closer. “I’ve heard the stories about Julian’s mom too. She’s incredibly private. No one’s ever gotten a picture of her face, and nobody even knows her full name. Just that she’s the ultimate blue-blooded beauty!” Stella’s chin lifted with pride as she adopted the tone of a seasoned insider. “Of course. Julian told me all about her. She’s the only daughter of the Astor family, a true New York princess in her day. And not just that—while the Astor Corporation has a board of professional managers, she’s the one who really calls the shots. She isn't just a pretty face with a trust fund; she’s brilliant. A PhD in Finance from an Ivy League school. She made a killing on Wall Street before coming home to take over the family empire. She’s a true icon for women.” A chorus of envious sighs filled the room. I felt a blush creep up my neck. I had no idea Stella held me in such high regard. It almost made me feel bad for slapping her. She was still going. “Basically, Julian’s mom is my idol. She is, without a doubt, the most perfect woman in the world!” This was getting to be too much, even for me. I couldn’t help but clear my throat and mutter, “Well, it’s not that dramatic.”
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