On a variety show, I drew a question left by my ex-husband, a famous actor, from two years ago. "Did you end up with your first love?" I smiled and answered, "Yes, we're getting married next month." On stage, my ex-husband jerked his head up, staring at me in shock. He only just realized. He wasn't my first love. 1 It's been two years since the divorce, and this is the first time I've shared a stage with Lucas. We had a secret marriage. Even our divorce was quiet. On the livestream, comments were flooding in, shipping Lucas and his "first love," Bella, hoping for a rekindled romance. The host, holding a microphone, teased them, "Can you tell us how your first love made you feel?" The camera deliberately focused on Bella. Lucas glanced at her tenderly, his voice slightly husky, "First love is... the moment she appears, everyone else fades away." As soon as he finished speaking. The camera accidentally swept over my face. Lucas froze, his eyes darkening. I looked away, digging my nails into my palm until it hurt. In the next interactive segment, the host asked us to draw notes left by past guests from a box and answer the questions. I unfolded the note. The handwriting was very familiar. While I was dazed, the host read the question for me, "Did you end up with your first love?" Seeing the signature, she exclaimed excitedly, "Wow, what a coincidence! It's a note left by Lucas two years ago." Two years ago. When we hadn't divorced yet. Knowing Bella was returning to the country, Lucas was lost in thought. Even on the show, he instinctively asked a question related to her. First love, again. Those two words pierced my heart like a knife. Hiding the emotions in my eyes, I answered calmly, "Yes, we're getting married next month." The cup near Lucas's hand suddenly crashed to the floor. He looked up sharply, staring at me, his face slightly pale. I smiled and added, "He was my first love when I was seventeen. We love each other very much." Blessings and congratulations erupted on set. The next second, the camera turned away. My gaze froze. My blood stopped flowing. Only my heart pounded wildly in my chest. The first love I mentioned was sitting not far away. He listened quietly to this lie. Suddenly, he stood up and walked over slowly. Under the spotlight, the cold beauty mark on the side of his nose was vivid and clear. The host introduced him cooperatively, "Let's welcome our next guest—" All sounds gradually faded from my ears. He extended his hand to me, strange yet familiar. "Hello, I'm Ethan." I shook his warm hand. A brief touch, then separation. 2 In the lounge, I sat on the sofa, dazed for a long time. My manager, Vivian, poked my forehead angrily, "Fabricating marriage news all of a sudden, are you crazy?!" She anxiously checked the trending topics, "I'll handle the PR. You're competing for Best Actress next month, consider this pre-hype." I coughed violently, swallowing the pills in my palm. Bitter enough to make me frown. Vivian handed me water with a pained expression, "This injury is all Bella's fault. What bad luck. If I knew, we wouldn't have taken this job." I calmed my breathing and lowered my eyes, "It's okay. This show has great traffic, we can't miss it." When I first entered the industry, I wasn't famous. Later, there was a scene where Bella couldn't ride a horse. The director saw that I looked somewhat like her, so he made me her stunt double. I filmed under the scorching sun for days. My inner thighs were rubbed raw and bloody, so painful I trembled when walking. On the day we finished shooting, Bella stared at me with malice, "Don't covet things that don't belong to you, understand?" She whipped the horse when no one was looking. I fell off instantly, sustaining a permanent back injury. I was in a coma for three days. Back then, I thought she meant the role. Until I found the letters Lucas wrote to her in the study. A thick stack. Each one filled with passionate love. [If the person I marry isn't you, then it doesn't matter who it is. I might as well pick someone who looks like you.] The more I read, the paler I became. The scripts I was offered, the roles I auditioned for and won, the endorsements I negotiated... The reason they were conveniently snatched by Bella time and time again was because Lucas was pulling strings for her. During the three days I was in a coma from the fall. He was begging the director to change the script so Bella could continue acting. I didn't even get paid. The worst part was, all my scenes were cut. In showbiz, if you're a nobody, you get bullied. But I wasn't resigned. So that day, holding back tears, I fought with him. Lucas was furious, "Who allowed you to touch those letters? Bella is my first love. If I don't give those resources to her, should I give them to you? Do you deserve them?" He flipped the table. Dishes shattered all over the floor. A mess, nothing spared. Just like our marriage that had come to an end. 3 Vivian went out to take a call and didn't return for a long time. There was a knock on the lounge door. I stood up, the smile freezing on my lips. Lucas stood outside, his face dark, "Let's talk." Without waiting for my answer, he walked straight in, sat on the sofa, and stared at me coldly. "I advise you to behave yourself." I turned my head in surprise. He continued on his own, "Fabricating a nonexistent first love just to anger me? Jane, you're quite the actress." Lucas always thought he was my first love. After we got married, one night sitting by the sea. He suddenly leaned in to kiss me. Amidst the sound of waves, I gripped the hem of his shirt, my body stiff. Lucas looked down at my inexperienced reaction, "Jane, have you never dated? Never kissed anyone?" I closed my eyes, "No." He chuckled softly, "Then I'm your first love." Lucas didn't know. That day when I closed my eyes, my heart was filled with scenes of kissing Ethan. On the day of my first kiss, snow was falling on the Christmas streets of London. Ethan lifted me onto the windowsill with one arm and kissed me almost frantically. Deep, yet gentle. My eyelashes fluttered, and when I looked up, I saw it. A bunch of mistletoe hung above our heads. Every day after that. Whenever I saw mistletoe, like Pavlov's dog, I would fall into the memory of that confusing, passionate kiss. 4 Thinking of Ethan, I zoned out again. Lucas was still rambling, "Still not over me after so long since the divorce? Can you not be so pathetic?" He was getting more and more out of line. I wasn't angry, just said calmly, "Isn't it more pathetic to fantasize that your ex-wife is still pining for you after so long?" These years, he's been praised too much, his ego inflated. He stood up angrily and grabbed my wrist, "Jane, if you want to win me back, this isn't a smart way." I raised my hand to break free, but he held on tighter. The next second. Two crisp knocks interrupted the standoff. I hadn't closed the door just now. Ethan was leaning there, unknown how long he'd been listening. The black hoodie highlighted his shoulders, making him look fresh and cool. He looked over. His eyes brewed with dark, intense emotions. "Excuse me, the crew is looking for Ms. Jane." Lucas reluctantly let go of my hand. He put on a gentle facade and left. Ethan and I walked through the corridor, side by side toward the exit. The empty corridor was coincidentally quiet. A button that had come loose during the struggle suddenly rolled off my cuff. Bouncing, spinning on the floor. The crisp sound broke the silence. Like a drop of water falling into a calm lake. Rippling slightly. I bent down to pick it up, my fingertips touching Ethan's. He instinctively grabbed my hand and returned the button. Our eyes met, I wanted to hide but lacked the strength. Ethan's eyelashes trembled, "Jane." Word by word, he chewed my name between his teeth. "This is the seventh year since you left." 5 This is a lifestyle reality show. All guests have to stay in a house arranged by the program. Room allocation on the first night depends on a game. Lucas had been on the show two years ago. He knew the rules well and got the best room. But he immediately gave it to Bella, "She's in poor health and can't handle the cold. I'll switch with her." Bella turned to look at me triumphantly, "Ms. Jane, you won't mind if I take the good room, right? Or maybe I should let you have it..." Without thinking, I knew the comments would praise her for being kind and beautiful. I refused crisply, "No need." She grew even more smug, smiling provocatively at me, "Mr. Lucas is such a gentleman, but he didn't consider that you're injured too." Ethan suddenly reached out and took my key. "Ms. Jane has a bad back, I'll switch with you." My mind went blank for several seconds. I mumbled a thank you. Ethan's room had a very comfortable mattress. I lay down and stretched. Bella followed unceremoniously, pushing the door open. There were no cameras in the room, and I had already taken off my mic. She stopped pretending, her expression disdainful, "You really haunt us like a ghost, coming here just to disgust us." "What was that look you gave Ethan just now? You don't really think he'd be interested in you, do you?" "He's a big investor, he wouldn't pick up a divorced woman like you." I listened quietly. Then mocked her indifferently, "Certainly not like you, picking up a divorced man." Bella turned pale with anger and left the room sobbing. When others asked with concern, she wiped her tears aggrievedly, "Don't blame Ms. Jane, she's just in a bad mood." Everyone in the industry is shrewd. Following the principle of not offending anyone, they offered vague comforts. Only Lucas came to interrogate me shortly after, "What did you say to her? Bella is crying now, come out and apologize!" I tried to control my expression, not letting the facial mask wrinkle. I replied indifferently, "No time to listen to dogs barking." Then slammed the door shut.
? Continue the story here ?? ? Download the "MotoNovel" app ? search for "388052", and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel