3
“What artist gets hit with a scandal and then immediately signs on for a show? That’s just asking for more trouble. What is Rex thinking?” Benny muttered, frowning
as we waited for the elevator.
I just smiled, a sad, knowing smile. “Benny, I’ve been in this business for ten years.”
Ten years. I hadn’t won any major awards, I wasn’t a superstar, and my voice was even starting to lose its edge. Every agency needs fresh blood. And Finn just ‘hap-
pened‘ to create this massive stir at the perfect time.
The company might have considered damage control at first. But once Bella and Zoe, my supposed “devoted sisters,” hammered the final nail in my coffin, any attempt to clear my name would have been met with skepticism from the fans.
It was far more profitable to use my downfall to launch Finn.
This is the entertainment industry. It’s a cruel place, devoid of loyalty.
Benny fell silent, chewing on the pearls in his bubble tea. His eyes started to turn red. “But it’s not your fault, Leo. I’ve seen how careful you’ve been with your reputat- ion these past ten years. It’s Bella and Zoe who are the ungrateful ones. Without you, they never would have even had a career, let alone become this beloved ‘devot-
ed duo.”
A wave of gratitude washed over me. I pulled him into a quick hug. The two girls I grew up with were less loyal than the assistant I’d known for a decade.
“Benny, I’m planning on leaving the business. So… use this time to figure out your next move, okay?”
As I let him go, the trio walked up behind us.
“Leaving the business?” Bella’s voice was sharp with suspicion. “Leo, who are you bad–mouthing now?”
Her voice was drowned out by the ding of the arriving elevator. I pretended not to hear her, waved goodbye to Benny, and stepped inside. I saw a flash of annoyance
on Bella’s face, but she was too proud to follow me after I’d given her the cold shoulder.
It wasn’t until I was in my car that I saw a message from my not–yet–well–acquainted wife, Aurora.
(Sorry, I was busy and just saw the news. Do you need me to make a statement?]
I quickly typed back, [No, it’s fine. Thanks!)
1
After a moment’s thought, I sent another. [Could you book my flight to Aethelgard for a month from now? I have to film a show first.]
The reply was almost instantaneous. [Of course)
Chapter 1
13.35
I cringed, feeling the awkwardness even through the screen.
The truth was, when I’d cornered her at the hotel, it was a moment of pure impulse. I’d spouted all that nonsense without thinking. I never, ever expected her to actua- lly agree–and then, as if afraid I’d back out, she dragged me straight to the courthouse to get the license.
I figured she must think I was loaded with money.
But then, as soon as we had the certificate, she handed me a black card linked to her private account.
Holy hell. The balance in that account was more than I’d make from ten platinum albums.
And that wasn’t all. She then mentioned her properties in the capital, Aethelgard, and said she’d take me to have the deeds transferred to my name.
That’s when it hit me. I hadn’t just married some girl. I’d married a goddamn CEO.
When she later mentioned wanting to have the wedding in Aethelgard, I naturally had no objections. My parents happened to live there too.
That night, I was eating instant ramen and scrolling through my tablet, looking for a construction company.
Zoe came up from downstairs, snatched the ramen cup out of my hands, and tossed it in the trash.
“This is what you’re eating? Come downstairs. Finn made spicy hot pot. He sent me up to get you.”
looked at her, my heart filled with a profound sense of disappointment.
I’ve had a sensitive stomach since I was a kid. They both knew that. For eighteen years, they never let me eat anything spicy or raw, let alone something as oily and fiery as hot pot.
But now, because of Finn, they could so easily forget something they once cared about so deeply.
“I don’t eat hot pot. Give me back my ramen.”
Zoe’s lips tightened. For a long moment, she didn’t move. Finally, she crouched down, meeting my eyes at eye level, just like she used to when she was trying to coax
- me.
“Leo, I know you’re still angry. But Finn is different from you. He’s a rookie. If we don’t speak up for him, your fans will tear him apart, and he’ll never get his big break.”
“But you’re different. Even if you can’t make it in this industry anymore, you still have me and Bella. We’ll take care of you.”
I couldn’t help but laugh. “Hard pass. I don’t eat leftovers.”
My dismissive attitude infuriated her. “Leo…” she snapped, her face hardening.
I was done listening to her nonsense. “Can you please leave? I’m busy.”
Zoe’s face grew darker and darker until she finally stormed out in a rage. She never once glanced at what I was doing on my computer.
Chapter 2
Before leaving for the show, I gave the keys to my condo to Aurora. With both me and the sisters gone, the construction company could finally come in and seal up that damn staircase.
On set, I followed the script to the letter, making passive–aggressive digs at Finn, playing the role of the toxic villain to perfection. What can I say? A singer’s gotta eat, and I had no intention of paying a breach of contract fee on my way out.
But for the final episode, the script had me forcing Finn to eat a handful of raw ghost peppers.
Bella had to be an idiot to write something so over–the–top.
I tried to talk to her about it, but she just gave me a smug, knowing look. “Don’t follow me, Leo. I’m not changing the script for you.”
She shut the door in my face.
Fine. It wasn’t me eating the peppers. If something happened to Finn, it was their own damn fault.
As I expected, the moment Finn ate the peppers, he started groaning, clutching his stomach.
Bella and Zoe panicked, rushing to his side.
Finn’s face was deathly pale, but his eyes were red as he pointed a trembling finger at me.
“Leo.. you knew I have a stomach ulcer… Do you really hate me that much?”
As soon as the words left his mouth, he swayed as if he were about to collapse. Bella’s heart broke for him.
Without a second thought, she grabbed a handful of red chilis from the table. Ignoring the fact that the cameras were still rolling, she yanked my head back by my
13.35
Chapter 2
hair and shoved the peppers into my mouth, clamping her hand over it.
“You are so cruel, Leo!” she hissed. “It’s one thing to put Finn down, but to physically harm him like this?”
I was forced to swallow the entire mouthful. A fire erupted in my stomach.
With all my strength, I pushed her away and, in a fit of rage, slapped her across the face.
“I’m cruel? You wrote the script! This was all your idea, and now you’re blaming me?”
The director immediately cut the live feed, giving me a disapproving look. “Leo, you just broke the fourth wall.”
Bella seemed to remember this was all for show, and a flicker of guilt crossed her face.
Just then, Finn grabbed her hand, looking up at her pitifully. “Bella, my stomach hurts so much. Can you take me back to my room to rest?
That was all it took. Bella forgot all about me, and she and Zoe helped Finn off the set.
Benny rushed over and helped me to the lounge area. Seeing how pale I was, he frantically dug out some stomach medicine and made me take it.
After resting against him for a while, the pain finally subsided. By then, Finn had returned to the set, looking perfectly fine.
After we finished filming the rest of the episode, Zoe appeared with a glass of what looked like straight whiskey.
“Leo, drink this and apologize to Finn. Then we can put all of this behind us.”
I pushed her hand away, “Apologize for what? What exactly did I do wrong?”
Zoe knew it wasn’t my fault, of course. She knew it was their script. But she couldn’t admit that. So, she resorted to emotional blackmail.
“Leo, have you forgotten all the times Bella and I have helped you over the years?”
I thought I had reached the absolute limit of my disappointment with them. But hearing her say that, a fresh wave of bitterness washed over me.
I had never forgotten. It was because I hadn’t forgotten that I’d spent all these years trying to repay them.
They said they wanted to enter the entertainment industry to be with me. I sang their praises to Rex, I drank myself sick schmoozing sponsors for them, and I helped them build their whole “devoted sisters” brand. I ended up in the hospital helping them.
Even after they betrayed me, I never planned on truly cutting them off.
But now… now I wanted nothing more than to draw a line in the sand.
I took the glass from her, my gaze fixed on her face. “If I drink this, are we even? Are we done?”
Zoe hesitated, a flicker of doubt in her eyes. After a long moment, she nodded. “Yes.”
A bleak smile twisted my lips. I walked over to Finn, holding up the glass.
“Finn, I was wrong to make you eat those peppers. I apologize.”
I threw my head back, downed the harsh liquor in one go, and smashed the empty glass on the floor.
In that moment, my eighteen years of friendship with Bella and Zoe shattered right along with it.
Benny helped me walk out, and I fought against the feeling of a knife twisting in my gut as I called Aurora.
“Can you come get me? I don’t want to be in this city anymore.”
