Chapter 17: The Shadow That Draws Near
That morning, the air on the set of The Silent Heart felt like rubber stretched to its limit, waiting for the moment it would snap and lash out at anyone nearby. From the very first step Scarlett took through the studio doors in Long Island City, the whispers followed her like the hum of a disturbed hive.
The crew, who were usually busy shouting for the logistics team, suddenly became overly polite, even awkward. They stepped aside with bows that were just a little too deep as Scarlett passed. News of her secret marriage to Julian Caldwell had transformed her status from "a talented newcomer actress" into "the most powerful woman in the industry."
Scarlett tried to keep her chin lifted. She wore a beige knit dress that wrapped her figure elegantly, but beneath it, her fingers were clenched tightly inside her pockets. She could feel thousands of eyes dissecting her every move, searching for flaws to justify the accusations circulating online.
