After I was Bullied, They All Got Their Comeuppance

　　The first TV drama in which I played the leading role became popular even before it aired.

　　However, it wasn't me who gained the spotlight, but the second female lead, Lily Reed, in the show.

　　As soon as her promotional photo was released, she captured the audience's hearts with her pure and lovely appearance, becoming the unforgettable epitome of youth and beauty in the eyes of the fans.

　　[Lily is so beautiful, she's like a pure white jasmine flower.]

　　[This is exactly the kind of appearance and temperament a campus belle should have. I strongly recommend her for the leading role; Elizabeth Brown is just not suitable.]

　　This IP drama, "Raging Youth," was my first leading role, and I had been hoping for a strong start.

　　I was even willing to gain five pounds for it.

　　In the hope of perfectly embodying the main character's description of the leading lady as bright, elegant, and slightly plump, just like a baby.

　　However, they disregarded the truth and praised Lily instead.

　　They even said that I didn't manage my figure well and that I was overshadowed by Lily in every aspect.

　　I felt really aggrieved.

　　Lily also took advantage of the attention and posted a picture of herself in a trendy school uniform, gently smelling a jasmine flower.

　　Her caption read: [Flowers bloom in their own time, patience is key.]

　　This once again propelled the hashtag #LilyReedTheMostBeautifulCampusBelle to the top of the trending charts.

　　Colleagues from the crew all praised her, and even the official account joined in the promotion. Her popularity momentarily overshadowed mine as the female lead.

　　It was at this time that she sent me a message.

　　[Eliza, you will always be the most beautiful campus belle in my heart.]

　　My agent Andrea intercepted me just as I was about to reply and rolled her eyes.

　　[Ignore her. Let's see how long she can keep up this act!]

　　Lily gained a large following due to the popularity of her makeup photos.

　　The crew members all flocked around her, vying to take pictures with her.

　　Her fans even caused a commotion at the filming location, demanding to replace the female lead.

　　As I scrolled through the comments, I grew increasingly sadder.

　　After years of struggling in the entertainment industry, if I said I didn't envy her popularity, that would be a lie.

　　Being an instant hit right after debuting was simply a stroke of luck.

　　But the journey I had taken was not easy, so even though I admired and envied her, I couldn't simply hand over the position that I had worked hard for.

　　"What are you thinking about?"

　　I snapped back to reality and saw Joshua Cooper.

　　He had a faint smile, but there was a hint of weariness in his eyes.

　　Joshua was the male lead of this drama.

　　He had a good reputation and was very kind-hearted. It was he who had recommended me to play the female lead in this drama.

　　"Eliza, there's a female lead role that's perfect for you," his words still echoed in my ears. Yet, as soon as filming started, I was "overshadowed" by the second female lead.

　　It's truly ironic.

　　I put down my phone and said, "I'm just a bit worried that I won't be able to play the female lead well."

　　Joshua leaned in closer to me, his gaze fixed on my eyes, his voice firm and somewhat alluring.

　　"Eliza, the you I know has always been a confident, serious, and hardworking actress."

　　"Keep going and don't let outside voices distract you."

　　Joshua's words cleared my mind.

　　An actor can't control the audience's thoughts, but they can change them with their talent.

　　I believe I can make them believe that I am this most beautiful campus belle.

　　Andrea came back with two cups of espresso. "Here, the great actor Joshua treats the whole crew to espresso."

　　She handed me a cup with "Only One" written on it, and then she looked somewhat absentmindedly at Joshua's back.

　　"It's strange. Joshua's last drama still has two days left to wrap up. How did he manage to join the crew early?"

　　Joshua's slightly weary face loomed large in my mind, but before I could come up with a reason, my train of thought was interrupted by a notification on my phone.

　　Lily had posted another update.

　　Under the blue sky and white clouds, she, dressed in her costume, leaned against a cup of espresso.

　　Her caption read: [Encouragement from Joshua, luv u!!!]

　　She even included the tag "Joshua Cooper," as if afraid that others wouldn't know that this espresso was sent by Joshua.

　　Her little scheme to pair up with him was now plainly evident.

　　Andrea advised me to relax, saying that the hype from the start of filming had passed, and her little scheme wouldn't cause much of a stir.

　　Even if it was just Joshua's large fan base, it would be enough to destroy her.

　　Andrea was right. It was no longer the promotional period, and the production team wouldn't spend more money to increase the hype, especially for irrelevant gossip.

　　Although Lily gained a hundred thousand followers with her promotional photo, she was still a newcomer and had limited influence.

　　Her update didn't cause much discussion, just a few scattered comments in the comment section.

　　Even those who criticized her for riding on the hype were just a few of Joshua's small fans who couldn't stand it.

　　But both Andrea and I overlooked one thing: for Lily's little scheme to fail, Joshua must not be involved.