Useless But Gorgeous

Beauty invites jealousy, doesn't it?

As the undisputed queen of the entertainment industry, the highest peak and the longest river of trending topics,

I could post a selfie,

and the comments would casually break a hundred million.

Topping the trending list was a daily affair.

People would either call me a pure pretty face,

or blast me for sensationalizing trivial matters just for attention.

I don't care!

The most crucial thing to dominate this industry wasnt my acting skills or talent,

but my devastatingly beautiful face.

While the entertainment world never lacked stunning women,

theres a difference between a pretty swan and a gorgeous swan.

Even if my acting was a train wreck,

my singing off-key, my dancing a stumble,

my professional skills abysmal, and my emotional intelligence nonexistent,

audiences just ate up my face!

My social media backend crashed again.

My assistant, Liam, called, his voice on the verge of tears:

Aurora! You have to see the trending topics!

Selene Blackwood just shaded you in an interview!

I was examining my freshly manicured nails in the vanity mirror. At his words, I simply hummed lazily. Oh, a rival trying to stir up trouble? Just another Tuesday. Beauty invites envy, always.

She said, An soulless facade wont get you far!

Now her fans and ours are tearing each each other apart online!

The PR departments phones are ringing off the hook, they say this is a tough one. Theyre asking how we want to respond.

On the other end of the line, Liam was frantic, like a cat on a hot tin roof.

I held my hand up to the light, admiring the sparkle of the shattered diamonds on my nails, and asked casually, Those photos I shot yesterday, are they retouched yet?

Aurora! What time is it?! Liam sounded like he was losing his mind. Selene just won a Golden Trinity Award, shes absolutely red-hot right now, what she says carries weight!

The entire internet is mocking us as a pretty face, saying you have nothing but your looks!

Oh, I finally showed some interest, lowering my hand. I opened my phones front camera, tilting it left and right to find the best angle. Isnt that perfect?

The more they curse, the more it shows how much they care about this face.

Online, Selene Blackwoods fans cited literary references, elevating her to an artist untainted by worldly desires.

My fans, on the other hand, were simple and direct. They flooded the internet with iconic images of me from past red carpets, captioned:

Beauty is enough. Does your idol have this face?

A war between talent and looks raged across the internet, turning it upside down.

Selenes team was clearly pleased with the outcome, seizing the opportunity to buy up a flurry of marketing accounts, pushing the hashtag #ActorsConviction to the top of the trending list, attempting to nail me to a pillar of shame.

Liam reported over the phone: Aurora, theyve jumped into the fray again. The public opinion is really against us right now.

Should we release a statement, just saying?

No need, I cut him off, having already selected nine perfect selfies. Post this set of pictures. The caption should read: Todays face, also looking pretty good.

Huh? Thats it?

Thats it.

Minutes later, #AuroraSterlingNineGrid descended, obliterating everything in its path, directly snatching the number one trending spot.

The server, predictably, crashed again for ten minutes.

By the time the tech team restored it, seven of the top ten trending spots bore my name.

#AuroraSterlingDivineBeauty

#GoddessCreationAuroraSterling

#SawAuroraSterlingNowIWantFaceSurgery

As for Selene Blackwoods #ActorsConviction, it had long been pushed beyond the twentieth spot, utterly ignored.

Liams call came in again, this time his voice filled with glee and adoration: Aurora! Selenes PR director reportedly threw their phone in rage!

I chuckled softly, turned off my phone, and picked up the mirror again.

Dear Selene, in this industry, being beautiful truly allows you to do whatever you want. Especially when youre a dazzling, unbelievably gorgeous woman like me.

PR? Not needed!

After all, theres a persistent rumor in the industry: people watching me act only want to poke out their own eyes.

But then they remember that if they blind themselves, theyll never see my face again.

And thinking, Oh, what a waste, they give up.

It was an unfortunate coincidence:

Selene and I ended up in the same production, an annual S-tier blockbuster titled Chronicles of Grandeur.

She was the leading lady, and I was the confirmed second female lead.

At the launch ceremony, her teams press release listed her name followed by a long string of acting awards.

My name was followed by only four words: Queen of Trends.

On the first day of shooting our scenes, she flubbed her lines seventeen times.

When the director asked what was wrong, she rubbed her temples, looking at me with an agonizing expression. Director, facing Miss Sterlings face, I simply cant get into character.

The entire set went silent.

Her reason was that my face was too modern, my features too perfectly sculpted, like a soulless piece of art. It disrupted the period authenticity and sense of vulnerability the film required.

As she spoke, her gaze was cool and detached, as if discussing some profound artistic dilemma.

Over the next few days, this became her routine. Whenever she had a scene with me, she would endlessly flub her lines.

Either shed get distracted by my face while delivering dialogue, or shed suddenly call for a halt mid-scene, claiming my beauty made her break character.

While my mouth uttered, Oh, but Im not that pretty~

In my heart, I was cursing this pretentious woman, knowing she was deliberately making things difficult for me.

After the production schedule was severely delayed, the producer and directors expressions finally changed. Their gazes towards me held displeasure, only to soften once they landed on my face.

Liam stomped his foot in frustration. Aurora, shes doing this on purpose!

What actor complains their co-star is too pretty? Shes using this to get back at you!

I was reading my script, not even looking up. Let her play her part.

Liam was puzzled. Play what?

Play a dedicated award-winning actress pursuing art, whose progress is hindered by a pretty face.

Sure enough, a few days later, various on-set sneak peeks surfaced online.

The topic #SeleneBlackwoodDedicated trended, and marketing accounts gushed about her pursuit of artistic perfection, even at the cost of offending a trending star backed by capital.

And I, naturally, became the villain who weaponized her beauty, lacked any acting skill, dragging down the entire crew.

Eventually, the director called me for a talk.

The meeting was held in Selenes luxury van. She and her junior colleague, fresh out of film school, were also present.

The director rubbed his hands, looking troubled. Aurora, you see Selenes really not in her best state.

For the artistic integrity of the entire film, weve discussed it

Selene leisurely sipped her pour-over coffee beside him, not even raising an eyelid.

I looked at the director, waiting for him to continue.

The second female lead role we offered you might have to be changed.

Wed like Selenes junior to try it out. Theyre from the same school, so they might have better chemistry.

Liam was about to explode on the spot, but my gaze held him back.

Of course, I knew this was aimed at me.

I subtly glanced at the junior colleagues face. She was pretty, the sweet, girl-next-door type.

Most importantly she didnt seem to overshadow Selene. Instead, she subtly enhanced Selenes sophisticated, classic actress aura.

I put aside my thoughts and asked calmly, What about me?

The production team still hopes you can stay, the directors posture became even more deferential. Theres a maid role in the script. Although the screen time isnt much, it has some great moments.

Theres even a pivotal scene where the lead actress slaps her, which demands significant emotional outburst

The humiliation was now laid bare.

Everyone watched me, waiting for me to explode, waiting for me to break my contract and walk away. Then they could legitimately label me a diva.

Selene finally put down her coffee cup, a faint, almost imperceptible smile playing on her lips.

I ignored her, simply saying calmly to the director, Alright, Ill take it.

The air in the car seemed to solidify in that instant.

The director was stunned, and the junior colleagues expression froze.

Even Selenes triumphant face showed a faint crack.

The day the slapping scene was filmed, the entire crew was present.

They werent there to watch a scene; they were there to watch me.

The director called action.

Selenes palm swung out,

no cheating, no trickery C it was a solid impact of skin against skin.

Crisp, loud, and stinging hot.

Cut! The directors voice held a hint of hesitation. Selene, the emotion is good, but you can dial back the force a little.

Selene rubbed her wrist, looking at me with an innocent expression. Director, for the sake of realism, the immediate reaction to being hit cant be faked.

Miss Sterling, what do you say?

She threw the question to me.

All eyes on set focused on my face, waiting for my reaction.

My assistant, Liam, clenched his fists, his eyes red.

I raised a hand, signaling him not to move.

I smiled at the director.

Selene is right. For the sake of the scene, its fine. Lets do it again.

And so, there was a second take, a third, a fourth

Each time, Selene demanded a retake, citing insufficient emotion or not real enough reaction.

And each time, her slap was harder than the last.

By the eighth take, I could even taste the metallic tang of blood welling up at the corner of my mouth.

My left cheek was numb, swollen high like I had a hot bun stuffed in it.

Print!

The director finally called a stop.

Liam immediately rushed over, holding an ice pack to my face, his voice choked with tears.

Aurora, theyre going too far!

I stopped him, calmly telling the makeup artist nearby, Please touch up my makeup, cover the bloodstain at the corner of my mouth.

Then I turned to the director, still looking unperturbed. Director, is the effect satisfactory?

The director looked at my swollen face, his gaze complex, and finally just nodded.

The incident quickly spread.

The internet was flooded with press releases touting Selene Blackwoods professionalism, claiming she was willing to offend others for artistic authenticity.

And I became the useless actress who couldnt even convincingly take a slap, my public image plummeting.

My team was in a frenzy, but I had no time for it.

Because the endorsement deal with the international luxury brand V&L was in its final stages of contract signing.

This was my best weapon for a comeback.

Once announced, it would prove that my commercial value was unshakable.

But the night before the signing, Liam burst into my room, his face white.

Aurora, V&L just announced the endorser isnt us.

My hand, which was removing my makeup, paused.

Its Selene Blackwood, Liams voice trembled. I found out she personally flew her team to V&L headquarters yesterday.

She told the brand that she was willing to sign a five-year, no-pay, ironclad contract.

A Golden Trinity Award winner, lowering her status to earn nothing.

No brand could refuse such a temptation.

She wasnt doing it for the money, nor for the endorsement itself.

She was doing it simply to snatch it away from me.

Suddenly, the entire internet erupted in celebration.

Hahaha, a pretty face is still just a pretty face. Her commercial value is crushed by a true talent.

Even her sugar daddy has abandoned her. Looks like Aurora Sterling is really finished.

She used to be able to live off her looks, but now her face is swollen, and her rice bowl is gone too.

The hashtag #PrettyFaceShattered surged to number one on trending topics within an hour.

Liam, looking at the cruel comments on his phone, fretted. Aurora, what do we do now? The PR departments phones are being blown up!

I looked at my swollen face in the mirror, clearly showing five finger marks.

My phone screen lit up with a news notification.

Star-studded! Nominations for the Annual Entertainment Gala announced.

I tapped it open. In the list of nominees for Artist of the Year with the Most Commercial Value,

I saw two names listed side-by-side: Aurora Sterling, Selene Blackwood.

The Annual Entertainment Gala. Selene and I met face to face.

We were both nominated for the Artist of the Year with the Most Commercial Value award.

The cameras at the event were very cooperative, switching back and forth between our faces.

Selene sat poker straight, chin slightly raised, a faint, confident smile playing on her lips.

She had just won an international film festival award,

and then snatched the global endorsement for V&L from me. She was at the peak of her popularity.

The entire venue, no, the entire internet, assumed the award was already hers.

When the camera cut to me, I was looking down, adjusting the hem of my dress, not giving it any extra expression.

But the other artists around me looked at me with a mix of pity and schadenfreude.

A mere pretty face, whose face had been slapped raw, and whose livelihood had been stolen.

Now, to be dragged onto the stage for public humiliation, it truly was the joke of the year.

The presenter was a highly respected veteran of the industry.

He slowly opened the envelope, deliberately drawing out his words, building up the suspense.

The winner of this years Artist of the Year with the Most Commercial Value is

All the spotlights instantly converged on Selene.

She was already preparing to stand, the draft of her acceptance speech written clearly on her face.