Chapter 30: Chapter 30: Getting into Character in a Second
A handmaiden?
’They’re making me do makeup for an actress playing a handmaiden?’
Winnie was speechless. She took a deep breath and gave a slight nod.
It wasn’t like she had a choice. The company had bowed to capital, so she had to comply.
However, a handmaiden’s makeup didn’t need to be too elaborate. Winnie finished it in a few quick strokes. She even had to go to the other makeup room—the one with the queue—to find a wig bun suitable for a handmaiden.
Once the wig was on, Suzanne Sawyer was instantly transformed from a modern-day rich girl into a subservient-looking ancient handmaiden. Her plain bun had no swaying hairpins, not even a single simple one—just a plastic begonia flower.
Suzanne Sawyer was completely dumbstruck when she saw the final result.
In truth, the hair and makeup fit the character perfectly. Handmaidens were, for the most part, all the same. Even if you were playing the Second Miss’s personal handmaiden, you wouldn’t look *that* different.
But because she had just seen Lily Sterling’s final look, she had secretly gotten her hopes up. That’s why she felt such a huge sense of disappointment seeing her own.
Especially with Lily Sterling sitting right behind her. Comparing the two of them, Suzanne Sawyer felt ugly and provincial, completely crushed by the contrast.
"Ma’am, this... this can’t be right, can it?"
Suzanne Sawyer wasn’t about to accept this. The last thing she wanted was to wear this getup for the promotional photos. She looked at Winnie and asked, "Why is my makeup so plain? The hairstyle is so ordinary, and I don’t even have a single hair ornament!"
Winnie was packing her makeup kit. Hearing this, she shot Suzanne Sawyer a deadpan glance and said, "This is the standard look for a character like yours. I don’t usually do makeup for handmaiden roles anymore, but I started my career working on minor characters. There’s nothing wrong with your makeup."
"At most, when it’s time for wardrobe, they might pick an outfit for you that’s different from the background extras."
’Different from the background extras?’
’My dad invested five million, and all I get is being "different from the extras"?’
’What I want is to be different from Lily Sterling!’
’Then again, isn’t she different from Lily Sterling now, in a way?’
"Ma’am, you must have made a mistake!" Suzanne Sawyer said hurriedly. "I’m playing the Second Miss’s handmaiden, and she’s playing the Fourth Miss’s. In terms of role and screen time, my character is more important!"
’The Fourth Miss’s handmaiden?’
Winnie blinked, puzzled, then couldn’t help but let out a soft chuckle. "You’re most likely the one who’s mistaken. The actors I personally do makeup for are never outside the top ten on the cast list."
"Of course, you’re the exception."
With that, she couldn’t be bothered to explain further. She picked up her packed makeup bag, ready to head home. Before leaving, she made sure to remind Lily Sterling, "The photography department is even busier than we are today. You might have to wait a while."
"That’s all right, Ms. Winnie. Thank you for your hard work today," Lily Sterling said, standing up to politely bid her farewell.
After Winnie left, Suzanne Sawyer stormed up to Lily Sterling, glaring at her angrily. "Lily Sterling, who are you really playing?"
She wasn’t stupid. A disposable character with barely any screen time who gets beaten to death early on would never get such beautiful hair and makeup.
The perfectly sculpted eyebrows, the defined eyes, the flawless blush and powder—none of it was missing. This was definitely not the look for a handmaiden.
Hannah Warner, slow on the uptake, also turned to look at Lily Sterling. No wonder she had also felt that while Lily’s makeup was beautiful, it didn’t look like a handmaiden’s at all.
Suzanne Sawyer, standing before them, was what a handmaiden was supposed to look like.
Of course, Lily Sterling wasn’t going to say anything. She had only told her older sister, keeping it a secret even from her roommates, afraid that if the news leaked, she would lose this precious opportunity.
Just as she was hesitating, wondering how to handle the situation, someone pushed the door open. "Andrew Sutton, Lily Sterling, it’s time for your promotional photos."
Andrew Sutton, who had been pretending to be asleep in a makeup chair, snapped his eyes open at the announcement. As he stood up, his team swarmed in.
His manager, a capable-looking woman, walked to his side. "We need to get these photos done quickly. You have a 6:30 flight to Trisper for a brand event. We can’t afford any delays; it determines whether you get this endorsement."
"Got it." Andrew Sutton nodded and, escorted by several security guards, quickly exited the makeup room.
The next second, the hallway erupted with astonishing cheers and screams, all because they had seen Andrew Sutton.
Lily Sterling seized the chance to grab Hannah Warner’s hand and hurry after them, leaving a stunned Suzanne Sawyer behind.
Suzanne Sawyer was both furious and bewildered. Not only did Lily Sterling not have to wait in line for makeup, but she was also shooting promotional photos with Andrew Sutton?
’What on earth is going on?’
The reason was simple: Andrew Sutton was neither the male lead nor the second male lead. He was Evan, the third male lead and the official on-screen love interest for the character Flora.
The moment Lily Sterling stepped into the photo studio, she was pulled aside by the photography director. He looked down at his notes and began speaking in a rapid-fire burst: "You’re Flora, right? In a bit, just pose freely; the photographer will take candid shots. Your movements need to match your character—be gentle, be sweet, and don’t make your poses too modern."
"Then, you’ll first shoot a set of photos with Mr. Sutton. You two are the character couple, but your story ends tragically, so remember to convey desperation and reluctance within that deep affection. You get what I mean, right?"
Before Lily Sterling could even answer, she was pulled away by another wardrobe stylist. "Come with me to change."
The entire photoshoot was a whirlwind of activity. Lily Sterling felt like a marionette, pulled around to try on one outfit after another. It wasn’t until the fifth one that they found the perfect match for her hair and makeup.
Then, in a flash, she found herself in Andrew Sutton’s arms.
"Okay, look at each other with deep affection. Mr. Sutton, hold her a little tighter. Show that sense of struggle, like you can’t bear to let go."
"The lady..."
The photographer was about to give Lily Sterling some direction but stopped when he saw her. The corners of her eyes were red, her watery gaze shimmering with unshed tears, her expression filled with utter despair.
His expression shifted from shock to delight. He snapped his mouth shut and began clicking the shutter continuously, afraid this perfect state she was in would vanish in an instant.
"Okay, next pose! Mr. Sutton, you sit down. Lily Sterling, you lie down with your head on Mr. Sutton’s lap. Let’s make this one sweeter. We can release it later as promo content for the couple’s fans."
As Andrew Sutton helped Lily Sterling up, he couldn’t help but give her a second look. The rich, powerful emotion she had summoned in that instant had genuinely startled him.
He had worked with so many actresses since his debut, but he had never seen one get into character so quickly and deliver such full, precise emotions.
Andrew Sutton sat down, extending one long leg, and then looked up at Lily Sterling.
He noticed that when her character’s state faded, her eyes filled with panic. She looked completely lost, like a startled fawn.
Before lying down, Lily Sterling gave Andrew Sutton an embarrassed bow and murmured softly, "Excuse me, sir."
"It’s fine. Let’s hurry," Andrew Sutton said gently.
Lily Sterling took a deep breath, slowly lay on her side, and rested her head on Andrew Sutton’s thigh. At the same time, she looked up at him, her gaze tender and lingering, perfectly fitting the moment.
Once again, she slipped into character in a second.
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