Divorcing Hollywood’s Genius: I Am My Own Muse Chapter 06
As the ceremony wrapped up, the room boomed with applause. I could see Mavis in the crowd, her makeup completely ruined from crying, yet she was cheering for me at the top of her lungs.
By the time I made it back to my seat, my phone was absolutely blowing up with notifications.
Between the movie’s marketing push and the win, I knew the internet had to be in a total frenzy.
I didn’t open any of it, choosing instead to quietly cradle the trophy close to my chest.
Feel of the cold metal pressing against my palm made reality finally sink in.
This time, I had truly won.
During the after-party following the awards, Ronan somehow managed to weave through the crowd and step up beside me.
He stared at me, remaining silent for a long moment before finally speaking. “Scarlett, I didn’t know…”
I held my champagne glass, my tone perfectly even. “You didn’t know what?”
“Didn’t know I could act? Or didn’t know I could deliver a performance like that?”
He knit his brows slightly. “You never told me your movie was going to be like this.”
I looked up at him, flashing a self-deprecating smile.
“You never asked. You just told me I was useless, that I didn’t have what it takes, that I belonged in trash roles. Ronan Vale, all these years have passed—did you ever take my acting seriously even once?”
His jaw worked, but no words came out.
Nora’s voice called out from behind him, “Ms. Scarlett, the press is waiting for you.”
I gave a brief nod, stepping right past him.
As our shoulders brushed, I caught his low whisper: “Scarlett, I’m sorry.”
I didn’t look back.
Some apologies simply come far too late.
Footage from the Aureate Awards spread like wildfire online, with six out of the top ten trending slots occupied by topics relating to me.
#Scarlett Aureate Awards Best Actress
#Scarlett Sable Rowe
#The Last Vessel Teaser
Once the official character stills and the trailer made the rounds, the comments sections went into absolute meltdown.
[Holy crap, holy crap! This is Scarlett?? That gaze completely killed me. Is this seriously the same actress everyone called a talentless hack?]
[Playing dual roles and looking like two completely different people, I literally have goosebumps right now.]
[Who was saying Scarlett couldn’t act? This is phenomenal! She just never had a script that did her justice!]
[Female directors truly know how to capture women beautifully. Sable’s farewell shot is heartbreakingly gorgeous.]
[Just a casual moviegoer here, but wow, this looks incredible. Honestly, putting that face into a role like this is pure perfection!]
[The old Scarlett fandom is dead. Long live the Queen—you are out of everyone’s league now.]
[Going head-to-head, raw talent talks. Can the other fandom stop trying to match our Aureate Best Actress, thanks!]
[Lmao, did anyone catch the look on a certain director’s face? That felt so satisfying!]
[I’ve been saying this forever, people mistake being toxic for ‘keeping it real’. Society is way too forgiving of mediocre men.]
Mavis handed me her phone, unable to keep from grinning from ear to ear. “Scarlett, look at this. Your endorsement rates have already tripled, and you have at least ten scripts waiting for you to look through.”
Her excitement mounted as she spoke.
“Oh, and the screening slots for The Last Vessel are climbing. The theaters that pulled out earlier are practically begging for prints now. Nora says we’re taking Ronan on directly at the box office—let’s see who wins!”
I nodded. “Tell Nora not to put too much pressure on herself. Just do our best.”
Over the following month, The Last Vessel launched limited preview screenings, and the word-of-mouth reception absolutely exploded.
Film critics came out in droves, declaring it the absolute best female-centered film of the year.
One reviewer noted: [The Last Vessel doesn’t rely on grand narratives or forced sentimentality; it simply breathes through the quiet story of two women. Yet within that quietness lies the raw struggle and resilience of everyday women.]
[My mom asked why I was weeping like a baby, and honestly, The Last Vessel is just that good.]
[Women are truly the treasures of this world.]
[It’s been years. It’s finally time for complex female characters to take center stage.]
The box office numbers defied all standard trends, climbing steadily from a meager 10% opening theater allocation to a massive 35% within a single week.
Meanwhile, although Ronan’s Silent Confession pulled respectable numbers, the reviews were sharply polarized.
Some critics panned it as cold and arrogant—a beautiful specimen designed solely to flex the director’s technical prowess.
Others pointed out that while Bianca’s performance showed technical precision, it lacked the emotional resonance to truly move an audience.
Ultimately, The Last Vessel cleared a staggering 280 million at the box office, completely eclipsing Silent Confession.
It was a result absolutely no one had anticipated.
At the wrap party, Nora, her face flushed from drinks, clung to my hand tightly. “Ms. Scarlett, let’s work together on the next project too, okay?”
I smiled warmly, agreeing immediately. “Of course. Send over the script when it’s ready.”
Mavis stood nearby, hesitating for a moment before finally letting out, “Scarlett, Ronan… he says he wants to see you.”