There were three universal truths in the entertainment industry:
1. Public sympathy is fickle.
2. Scandals sell faster than sincerity.
3. Never pick a live fight with Aria Lane.
Unfortunately, no one had told Serena Vale that last one.
Serena had been Aria's rival since before the "fragile" days - same agency, same debut year, same genre of roles.
But where Aria rose through quiet chaos, Serena climbed with ambition and PR charm.
Until Aria became unstoppable.
Until every show Serena joined was overshadowed by "that woman with the pan."
So when a major network offered her a "tell-all" segment titled "Behind the Mask: Truths of the Industry," she accepted with a smile sharp enough to cut glass.
The producers wanted ratings.
She wanted blood.
The night of the show, the audience buzzed with anticipation.
Two chairs.
Two stars.
One moderator already sweating through his cue cards.
Aria arrived fashionably late, sipping from a bubble tea cup as if she'd wandered in by accident.
She sat, crossed her legs, and offered Serena a polite smile.
Serena's lips curved. "Aria. Always a pleasure."
Aria sipped. "You say that like it's true."
💬 "THE SHADE IS IMMEDIATE 😭😭😭"
💬 "Serena blinked wrong and lost already."
💬 "Aria came armed with caffeine and confidence."
The moderator cleared his throat nervously.
"So, uh, tonight's discussion is about integrity, image, and the pressures of fame. Serena, you've mentioned before that some stars… manipulate their reputation?"
Serena smiled sweetly. "I just think audiences deserve honesty. Some people—" she looked directly at Aria " - build their careers on performance, not talent."
Aria tilted her head, straw between her lips.
"Isn't that literally what acting is?"
💬 "SHE SAID WHAT 😭😭😭😭"
💬 "She's unbothered and caffeinated."
💬 "Serena walked into her own trap."
Serena's smile tightened. "Some of us don't need scandals to stay relevant."
Aria's expression didn't change. "Some of us don't need to talk to stay visible."
The audience gasped.
💬 "OHHHHHHHH 🔥🔥🔥🔥"
💬 "Aria just invented the silent kill."
💬 "Moderator's soul left his body."
Serena tried again. "You know, it's funny. People online think your image is so authentic. But maybe the 'Foodie Queen' thing is just branding."
Aria set down her drink.
For the first time, she looked serious.
"You're right."
Serena blinked, caught off guard. "...What?"
"It is branding," Aria said calmly. "Mine. Built it myself. Paid for it myself. Fed myself while they said I'd starve. You should try it - it's more satisfying than pretending to be nice."
The room went dead silent.
The moderator's cue cards fluttered from his hands.
Serena's face twitched, her PR mask cracking just enough for cameras to catch it.
Aria smiled, soft and effortless. "But don't worry. I'm not offended. I understand envy - it's just hunger wearing the wrong name."
💬 "'Envy is hunger wearing the wrong name' - SHE'S QUOTING POETRY WHILE KILLING HER 😭😭😭"
💬 "Serena: 💀 Aria: 🍽️"
💬 "Queen just cooked her and the metaphor."
Serena tried to recover, voice trembling. "You think you're untouchable because you have followers. But fame fades, Aria."
Aria leaned forward slightly.
"Maybe. But so does relevance - and you're evaporating faster."
The audience roared.
By the time the moderator called for a commercial break, Serena was shaking.
The cameras cut, but the damage was already done.
The internet had seen everything.
#AriaLane trended within minutes.
#SerenaVale trended right below it - with the word "meltdown."
💬 "That wasn't an interview. That was a public execution with glitter."
💬 "Serena challenged the storm and forgot her umbrella."
💬 "Aria Lane: making career funerals fashionable."
After the show, Aria walked calmly backstage, still sipping her drink.
Her manager hurried up, half-scolding. "You didn't have to go that hard on live TV!"
Aria smirked. "Didn't I?"
"Serena's PR team is furious!"
"Good. Anger burns calories."
Back in her dressing room, she found an unmarked envelope on the vanity table.
Inside - a photo of her and Julian from the interview, circled in red ink, and a line scrawled beneath:
"The more you shine, the easier you are to target."
Her reflection in the mirror didn't flinch.
She tucked the photo into her jacket and whispered, "Then I'll shine brighter."
💬 "She destroys rivals and glows harder after."
💬 "Unbothered. Untouchable. Unbreakable."
💬 "If confidence was a crime, she'd be serving life."