Shortly after, Susan’s assistant hurried over, glaring at Liza. “Miss Susanza , this is the audition venue. You shouldn’t be here. Don’t even think about stealing this role from Susan!” Liza smirked faintly. “You’re auditioning for Diane, are you?” Diane was one of Liza’s favorite characters in the script. Diane’s story was a rollercoaster of pain and transformation—a woman with a tragic past, who endured countless betrayals and rejections, only to eventually embrace darkness. The character was layered with intense emotions and was destined to be a scene-stealer. The only reason Liza had agreed with Mason to attend this audition was to personally ensure that the actress cast for this role would do it justice. Yet now, Susan was brazenly claiming the role as hers? Susan smirked triumphantly, crossing her arms. “That’s right, Liza. I have someone powerful backing me, so Diane is already mine! Don’t even think about competing with me! If you don’t leave now, I’ll have security throw you out!” Her assistant chimed in with a scowl, “Miss Susanza , it’s better if you leave quietly. If you don’t, and this turns into a scandal, you’ll be the one losing face!” With that, Susan waved her hand, and several bodyguards appeared, closing in on Liza. Liza chuckled lightly, her expression calm. “Susan, are you sure you want to make me your enemy?” Without waiting for a reply, Liza turned and walked past the group as if they were nothing more than a minor inconvenience. Susan’s face darkened with rage as she watched Liza walk away unbothered. Furious, she began cursing under her breath while her agent and assistant scrambled to console her. “Who does Liza think she is?” Susan growled. “Does she have someone powerful backing her? Even if she does, she can’t possibly be more influential than President Sam!”Her manager nodded in agreement. “Exactly. President Sam invested 50 million into this production. He has enough leverage to decide on casting. To secure that funding, the director will have no choice but to give you the role!” After a few deep breaths, Susan regained her composure, though her irritation simmered just beneath the surface. Meanwhile, Liza casually made her way into the audition venue. The director, who had heard of Liza through Mason, glanced at her briefly but said nothing. He was more focused on watching the ongoing auditions for Diane’s role. Unfortunately, none of the actresses who had auditioned so far fit the image of Diane that the director had in mind. Liza silently observed the process, occasionally glancing at the list of auditionees. A small smile appeared on her lips when she spotted a familiar name: Susan. Just as her manager called for her, Susan stepped into the audition room. She took a deep breath and walked in with what she thought was confidence. However, the moment her eyes landed on Liza, her smug expression dissolved into one of shock and anger. Why was Liza here? And worse, why was she sitting so close to the director? Had Liza already forged connections with him? This realization made Susan’s blood boil. Unable to contain her frustration, Susan snapped, “Liza! How did you even get in here? Director, you promised me the role of Diane! Why is that woman here with you? What underhanded tricks did she use?” Liza remained composed, saying nothing. The director, along with the rest of the crew, exchanged uneasy glances before one of them finally intervened. “Susan, enough!” the director said sharply. “Focus on your audition. Stop causing a scene!” Susan’s manager hurried to her side, whispering words of reassurance to calm her down. With visible effort, Susan managed to suppress her rage, though her performance during the audition was clumsy and lackluster, betraying her state of mind. "The role of Diane is mine, and if anyone tries to take it, I won’t hold back!" Susan declared arrogantly, her voice loud enough for everyone in the room to hear. The director and staff exchanged glances, their expressions blank but clearly unimpressed. The director leaned toward the assistant director, his tone low but laced with irritation. "Seriously? She calls herself an actress? That performance was embarrassing!" The assistant director sighed. "What can we do? President Sam is backing her with a 50-million-dollar investment. If we don’t cast her, we can kiss that funding goodbye. We're stuck between a rock and a hard place." The director rubbed his temples in frustration. After a moment’s pause, he muttered, "Fine. Let’s give the role of Diane to Susan for now. If she can’t deliver, we’ll use a stand-in and adjust it during production." The assistant director nodded, resigned. "It’s just a villain role anyway. The priority is securing the funding." As the two discussed the matter, Susan sauntered over with a smug expression. "Director, President Sam mentioned treating you to dinner tonight. He said the investment would be finalized then, and the money will be transferred to your account right after." The director glanced at her, unimpressed, but nodded slightly. " President Sam also made it clear that if Liza has any involvement in this film, he’ll withdraw his funding immediately." Susan let out a laugh, covering her mouth with a delicate hand. " President Sam truly spoils me. I’m not a petty person, though. Let Liza act as one of my subordinates or a background character. It’ll be good experience for her." Ten minutes later, the director stood before the room and announced, "The role of Diane has been given to Susan.""Wait!" The cold, commanding voice cut through the air, silencing the room. All eyes turned toward Liza as she stepped forward, her expression calm but her gaze icy. "Diane is a deeply complex character, driven by layers of love, betrayal, and vengeance. The actress portraying her must be capable of conveying raw emotion and depth. Everyone witnessed Susan’s audition just now—there was no emotional range, and she couldn’t even memorize her lines properly. Her performance completely fails to capture Diane’s essence. I can’t stand by and allow her to ruin this role. It needs to be recast." A heavy silence fell over the room as everyone stared at Liza in shock. Susan recovered first, her face twisting with anger. She pointed at Liza, her voice shrill. "Who the hell do you think you are? The director already decided to give me the role of Diane! You don’t have the authority to object! Stay in your lane!" The assistant director cleared his throat awkwardly and said, "Miss Susanza , the decision has already been made. We appreciate your concern, but it’s best if you step back and let us handle this." Liza’s expression remained calm, but her voice was firm. "I can’t step back on this. Diane is a pivotal character, and her portrayal will affect the entire production. Susan simply isn’t capable of doing her justice. I won’t let her destroy the character." Susan’s fury boiled over, and she threw the script she had been holding onto the ground in frustration. "Liza!" she spat. "If you’re so confident, why don’t you find someone to invest in this movie for you? Oh, wait—you can’t! President Sam is investing 50 million just for me. Do you think you can compete with that? Who do you think you are?!"