1 When the car crash happened, my CEO brother and my movie-star fiancé instinctively shielded the sweet, innocent ingénue, Mia. I was sent flying hundreds of feet. When I opened my eyes again, I was back on the day before my debut press conference. In my past life, all I did was step a little closer to my fiancé, Liam. He immediately stepped back to avoid any association, publicly mocking me for trying to ride his coattails. My brother looked down on me too, claiming I relied on our family's capital and wasn't worthy to compete with Mia, who had no backing. But now, they stood flanking Mia, left and right, propping her up. Backed by the CEO and partnered with a top actor, she became an overnight sensation. I was completely done. I bought a plane ticket and went abroad to start a new life. Three years later, Mia had swept all the major acting awards. At the awards ceremony, I happened to be seated next to Liam. He mocked me: "Even though you lost me, you shouldn't just let yourself go. No man will ever look at you now." My brother also looked at me and shook his head. "You left with such pride, but didn't you still have to come crawling back to beg me in the end?" But when I walked onto the stage to give a speech as the wife of the event organizer, both of them panicked. ... "Mia is only twenty-one, and she's already swept the top three acting awards. She's the first person in the entertainment industry to do that. Her future is boundless." "I heard she's getting engaged to the movie star, Liam. They're both so beautiful; it's a match made in heaven!" "Don't be so sure! The CEO of the Vance Group, Ethan Vance, chartered every helicopter in the city and is preparing to give Mia the proposal of the century! It's still up in the air who she'll choose!" The interior of the awards ceremony was buzzing with voices. Just as I found my seat, I turned and saw the cold, aloof, and arrogant Liam. He was a bit surprised to see me take the seat next to him, but that surprise quickly morphed into undisguised disgust. "Don't sit here." I was a little confused and asked: "Why?" Liam tilted his arrogant chin up, his impatience peaking. "I'm going to propose to Mia today. If you sit next to me, I'm afraid she might get the wrong idea." "Why did you have to come back right at this exact time?" I looked down at the invitation card in my hand, but before I could speak, a reporter beside me interrupted. "Mr. Sterling, there are rumors that you're going to propose to Ms. Mia today. Is it true? Can you give us a hint?" The swarm of reporters completely blocked me from view. Liam's voice sounded somewhat playful. "It's a secret." Those two words were more suggestive than a direct confirmation, and the reporters immediately went into a frenzy. But amidst the excitement, a few sharp-eyed reporters began to study me. A young girl wearing a red hat blurted out: "Isn't this the Vance family heiress who used to obsess over Liam? I heard she insisted on debuting just to chase him and spent a fortune to co-star with him. Then she suddenly disappeared. Why did she show up today of all days?" "Could it be she knew Liam was going to propose today and hasn't given up? Is she still trying to win him back?" As soon as she finished speaking, all the cameras and eyes focused on me. Facing the dark lenses of the cameras, I just smiled faintly and waved my hand. "You've got it all wrong. I have nothing to do with what you're talking about. I was just invited to attend the event." Liam scoffed coldly beside me. "Stop pretending. You specifically arranged to sit next to me. Everyone knows exactly what you're plotting." He turned to look at me, his voice stern. "I'm warning you one last time. If you dare do anything to hurt Mia, I absolutely will not go easy on you again." Gasps erupted from the crowd. Liam's words were entirely captured by the cameras. The reporter in the red hat sounded thrilled. "The movie star aggressively protecting his woman! This is huge news! I'm totally shipping them!" Before I could retort, my hand was grabbed viciously. "Chloe Vance, who told you to come here?" 2 The familiar voice belonged to my older half-brother, Ethan Vance. He gripped my hand tightly, his face dark with anger. "This is not a place for you to make a scene. Come with me!" A sharp pain shot through my wrist, and I instinctively struggled. "I'm here for official business, let go of me!" My resistance only angered Ethan more: "Do you think I don't know what you're planning? I warned you a long time ago, you can't buy love with money! Are you really going to keep making the same mistake? Stop embarrassing the Vance family!" He didn't care at all that the strapless top of my mini dress was being pulled to the point of near-exposure, nor did he care about the countless cameras eagerly documenting every second. "I let you throw your tantrums before, but not today." "This honor is something Mia earned through immense hard work. I will not allow anyone to ruin it. Chloe, be reasonable. Stop this nonsense, okay?" Meeting his bloodshot eyes, a dull ache tightened my chest. He was supposed to be my brother, yet he was completely disregarding my dignity, humiliating me in public like this. All for his beloved Mia! On the other side, Liam stood with his hands in his pockets, watching me like a spectator enjoying a show. "Why put yourself through this? No matter how pitiful you act, I still won't like you." "Just because you can't have my love doesn't mean you should give up on yourself. Making a scene like this in public... no man will ever look at you again." My dress was already pulled dangerously low, but my brother still refused to let go. Hearing Liam's words seemed to embolden him further. "If you don't want to be completely humiliated, leave right now." I could only hold my collar tightly and argue with all my might: "I am a specially invited guest, here as the family member of the event organizer. Neither of you has the right to kick me out!" As soon as I said that, everyone froze for a moment. "Family member of the organizer? The organizer of this ceremony is the legendary tycoon from the capital, Alexander Price! His international trade business spans the globe, and his assets are immeasurable. He is a truly powerful figure." "But I heard Mr. Price is an orphan without any relatives. Could she be... his wife?" The reporter in the red hat widened her eyes in gossip-fueled shock. Ethan, who was still pulling on me, froze. Before he could react, Liam, who had been enjoying the show, suddenly stood up, walked over, and looked down at me. He frowned, a trace of inexplicable anger in his voice: "Chloe, what do you mean by that?" "Have you been messing around with other men during the few years you've been away from me?" His tone carried an inexplicable, incredibly ironic jealousy. In my past life, I entered the entertainment industry without hesitation just for him, fighting tooth and nail just to catch up to him. When his investments resulted in massive losses, I sold the shares my parents left me and gave everything I had to help him. Because of that, he accepted my confession and we got engaged. I originally thought my genuine devotion had moved him, but it turned out he just wanted my money to finance a movie for Mia! A ten-million-dollar mega-production tailored specifically for Mia. When I found out, he just confidently told me: "She has potential; she just lacks an opportunity. Someone like you, born with silver-spoon connections, could never understand the struggles of a small actor. I have to help her." I cried to my brother about my pain, failing to notice his face turning green with jealousy. It turned out Mia was a student he had personally sponsored. Because of her stunning looks, my brother had pulled strings to get her into film school. Listening to my complaints, his only concern was that the woman he loved was going to be stolen from him. He advised me: "No matter what happens between you and Liam, do not let it affect Mia." Furious, I confronted Mia, demanding she stay away from my fiancé. I never expected her to cry, slap herself, claim she was sorry, and say she wanted to atone for her sins, all while running out into the street. My brother and Liam quickly chased after her, and I followed them. Mia ran onto the road. When the accident happened, my brother and Liam instantly shielded her with their bodies. When I opened my eyes again, I was back on the night before my debut. My brother had immediately notified the staff, changing what was supposed to be my debut press conference into Mia's. Liam also attended dressed to the nines, just to support Mia. They both felt they owed Mia in our past life and decided to overcompensate her in this one. My heart turned to ash, and I decided to go abroad alone. The night I left home, my brother just thought I was throwing a tantrum, playing the runaway game. He dismissed me entirely, mocking: "The outside world isn't as gentle as you think. I've spoiled you too much; you're too naive. It's time you go out and experience some real hardship." "Only then will you understand how difficult things were for Mia before, and you won't always try to target her." That departure lasted for three years. Until today, when I returned as an invited guest, only to run into them. I never expected our reunion to be such an ugly scene. 3 "Liam, Ethan, you're both here. I feel so much safer with you two." "This event is so huge, it's a little overwhelming. I hope I don't mess up later. Come give me strength!" Wearing a long, trailing black evening gown, Mia still retained a girlish playfulness. She extended her hands, making a "cheer up" gesture toward the two men. Both men's eyes lit up instantly. Liam, who had just been interrogating me, quickly distanced himself and his voice softened. "You're already a Best Actress winner, and you still get nervous? Don't worry, whatever happens, I'm here." He reached out and placed his hand over Mia's. "Ethan, what are you spacing out for? Come here!" Called out by name, my brother's face flushed with an unnatural red, and he stammered. "I'm... I'm here." The way he looked at Mia was full of undisguised admiration. I remembered in my past life, when I saw he saved Mia's contact as "Little Flower," I didn't understand and asked why he used such a cheesy nickname. He just chuckled and didn't say anything. But now I understand. Mia was the flower he had carefully nurtured. He watched her grow, bloom, and shine, becoming a dazzling star. His gaze upon her was too blinding; I couldn't help but look away. Mia seemed not to have noticed me yet. After finishing her little cheer, she kept talking: "Just now backstage, I accidentally twisted my ankle. Thank goodness someone caught me." She deliberately turned her delicate profile toward the reporters' cameras. "After thanking him, I found out he was the mysterious investor, Alexander Price from the capital! He even told me... he said I was the first leading lady of his banquet tonight." She lowered her head shyly, her smile picturesque, drawing a wave of cheers from the crowd. "As expected of our superstar, easily capturing the attention of a capital tycoon! It seems another man is about to fall head over heels for Mia! Now the movie star and the CEO should be worried!" "Exactly! If Mr. Price enters the competition, he'll effortlessly crush the other two! After all, it's an international enterprise based in the capital! The scale is much larger than the Vance Group. If Mr. Price makes a move, the entire entertainment industry will tremble." The onlookers whispered among themselves, while the two men present looked increasingly grim. "Mia, did he do anything else to you? You must keep your eyes open and recognize who truly treats you best." Liam couldn't wait to intervene. My brother, Ethan, however, watched lonely from a distance. "I only wish for your happiness." Leaving that sentence behind, he turned as if to leave. Mia's eyes fluttered, and she coyly waved her hands. "What are you saying?! You're all exaggerating! He just helped me with a small favor, how could he randomly fall in love with me?" As she spoke, her gaze suddenly cut through the crowd and landed squarely on me. "It's just that I heard someone spreading rumors about Mr. Price. He helped me, so I must repay him somehow." "After all, someone of Mr. Price's status isn't someone any random stray cat or dog can latch onto. Chloe, wouldn't you agree?" 4 Mia strutted over to me triumphantly, the crowd's cameras following her every step. "Long time no see, Chloe. Ever since you ran away from home three years ago, I've been so worried about you. I blamed myself so much. If Liam hadn't fallen in love with me and broken your heart, you wouldn't have left without a word. That's why, for all this time, I never dared accept either of their proposals." "But it's fine now. I heard you have a new lover, so I can finally put my mind at ease." She gave me a playful wink, and a business card slipped from her dress and fell to the floor. She deliberately bent down to pick it up, perfectly displaying the contents of the card. It was Alexander Price's business card. She looked at the cameras, offering an apologetic smile. "Just now, Mr. Price specifically reminded me to contact him when I have free time to discuss a collaboration." "Oh, right, Chloe, who did you say you were here as a family member for?" All eyes converged on me, and the crowd suddenly erupted in laughter. "I didn't expect the slap in the face to come this fast. This woman wanted to act like a big shot, but ended up making a huge fool of herself. Hilarious." "Exactly! Unless Mr. Price is blind, he'd never look twice at her. How does she compare to our Mia in any way?" "You guys are laughing at the poser, but I'm just feeling bad for Liam and CEO Vance. Having such a powerful rival suddenly appear, I can't even imagine how devastated they must be!" Meeting Mia's provocative gaze, I slowly spoke up. "I thought I made myself perfectly clear earlier. I am an invited guest, attending this banquet as the family member of the organizer." I stared fearlessly into her eyes, and she let out a scoff of disbelief. "Chloe, watch what you say. Tonight's organizer isn't some ordinary person you can just claim to be related to." Liam also stepped forward, looking at me with disgust. "Chloe, I told you long ago, I hate liars the most! Did you think pretending not to care would make me look at you differently? It only makes me despise you more!" My brother, Ethan, tried to persuade me with a look of exasperation: "If you don't want the Vance family to completely lose face, please just leave right now." I ignored their mockery and disdain, calmly taking my designated seat. Soon, staff members stepped forward to disperse the crowd. The awards ceremony was about to begin. The host took the stage, and after introducing tonight's guests, suddenly changed his tone. "Tonight's awards ceremony features a visit from a very mysterious guest." In the audience, those in the know had already started cheering. "I believe many of you already know this news. He is our organizer tonight, the tycoon who has never appeared in public, Alexander Price!" Screams almost tore through the venue; everyone was intensely curious about this mysterious tycoon. The host's tone suddenly shifted again. "However, our Mr. Price has a very peculiar temper. No matter how much I pleaded, he refused to come out." "When I asked why, I found out that Mr. Price can only be invited out by the future Mrs. Price." As the host playfully hyped the crowd, an inexplicable chant erupted from the audience. "Mia! Mia!" Soon, many others joined in. "Mr. Price's unique way of confessing is so romantic!" "Isn't our Mia the future Mrs. Price?! Love at first sight is so cute!" "Mia! Mia!" The deafening cheers drowned out the host, and no one noticed his slightly awkward expression. "Please, everyone, calm down for a moment!" The host flipped the cue card over and over in his hands, as if repeatedly confirming it. Finally, with a hint of hesitation, he continued. "Next, please welcome the future Mrs. Price, Ms. Chloe Vance, to the stage to give a speech."
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