While recording a reality show, I was forced by the producers to call my ex-boyfriend for "entertainment value." I assumed he had blocked me ages ago, but the voice that came through the line was groggy with sleep: "Want to get back together?" The fans exploded. I exploded. I just had to bite the bullet and ask: "Can you lend me a hundred grand?" Later, he pinned me against a wall. He said, "Let's get back together, okay? I have a lot of hundred grand, I'll give them all to you." 1 After being a D-list actress for three years, my new, aggressive manager finally snagged me a spot on a popular reality show. Because everything was scripted, the recording process was going smoothly. But to create a viral moment, the host suddenly introduced a new game. Every guest had to call the very first contact in their personal phone and ask to borrow a hundred thousand dollars, without mentioning we were on a show. This wasn't in the script. I didn't think much of it at first, but when I saw my phone handed to me, my eyes went wide. Oh no!! I suddenly remembered, the first contact in my phone was Carter Hayes!!! When we broke up years ago, I never deleted his number!! I frantically signaled my manager with my eyes, but she didn't seem to get it. She just gave me a cheerful, silent cheer. I lost all hope. After the previous guest made their call and successfully borrowed the money, it was my turn. My phone screen was mirrored onto the giant stage monitor. The phone number was blurred out, but the contact name wasn't. With my screen mirrored, I couldn't try any tricks. I had to bite the bullet, unlock my phone, and dial that first contact in front of everyone. Thank goodness I hadn't saved him as "Carter Hayes," but rather with an affectionate nickname: "My Little Cheese Mouse." As long as Carter didn't pick up, my cover wouldn't be blown! My hands trembled slightly. I prayed to every god listening, hoping Carter had blocked me or changed his number! But maybe I didn't give the gods enough notice, because they clearly didn't hear me. The call not only went through, but it was answered. My heart stopped for a second. "Hello?" Carter's slightly hoarse voice echoed through the entire studio. My mind went completely blank. The host, loving the drama, mouthed to the camera: "It's a guy!" "Mia?" On the other end, Carter sounded like he had just woken up. His voice was raspy, sending shivers down my spine. I held my breath, not daring to answer. "Speak." Carter's voice held a hint of impatience, but then it softened. "Why are you calling me?" I still didn't dare to speak, casting a desperate glance at my manager off-stage. Her face looked just as panicked as mine. She threw her hands up, giving me an exasperated look that clearly said: "You broke up and didn't block or delete his number???" "Want to get back together?" When I remained silent, Carter suddenly asked. A small gasp swept through the live audience. The audience leaned in, hungry for gossip. Terrified that Carter would say something else revealing, I forced myself to speak: "Um, can you lend me a hundred thousand dollars?" There was a pause of about three seconds on the other end. "You called me... just to borrow money?" Carter's tone was full of disbelief. I looked at the people in the studio, wanting to cry. "I'll pay you back right away. Actually, I'm..." "Beep, beep, beep—" Carter didn't give me any face. He just hung up. The atmosphere in the studio turned a bit awkward. No one spoke; they just looked at each other in uneasy silence. My eyes involuntarily teared up. It was so humiliating. But I understood. When we broke up, I chose the most hurtful way to end things with Carter. The fact that he even answered my call today was more than generous. Seeing the awkward silence, the host quickly changed the subject to liven things up and moved on to mirror the third guest's phone. As I kept my head down, quietly trying to disconnect my phone from the screen, a bank notification suddenly popped up. "Carter Hayes has initiated a transfer of $100,000.00 to your account ending in 0215 on 08-07-2022. Please verify..." I was stunned. My brain short-circuited, and I accidentally tapped the notification. And then, everyone in the studio saw the transfer record through the giant screen. The studio erupted. A hundred thousand!!! He actually just sent me a hundred grand!! I was so shocked my mind went completely blank. Even the host forgot his professional composure, murmuring, "This Carter Hayes... is it the Carter Hayes we all know?" My scalp prickled. I immediately denied it three times! Over the past few years, Carter's career in the entertainment industry had skyrocketed. He had a massive fanbase. If it came out that we used to date, my career would be buried so deep it would hit the Earth's core. My manager must have communicated with the head director, so the host quickly recovered via his earpiece, changed the subject, and moved on to the next segment. After recording the show, my legs felt like jelly. My manager immediately threw a jacket over my head and rushed me out through a VIP exit. Once in the car, I was still dazed. My manager told the driver to go, then furiously scolded me: "Mia, what were you thinking?? You broke up and didn't delete his contact info??" After a five-minute bombardment, I looked at her with a face more tragic than if I were crying: "Valerie, am I really going to be canceled to the Earth's core this time?" Seeing me like this, Valerie was exasperated. She poked my forehead, angry but helpless: "Mia, I swear I owed you something in a past life!" Valerie started making calls to clean up my mess. She ordered the company's PR team to get ready, monitor the online narrative constantly, and handle any rumors regarding me and Carter immediately, keeping the fallout to an absolute minimum. But despite her full preparation, the news leaked anyway. Before I even got home, I was trending on Twitter. [Trending] Washed-up D-lister Mia & A-lister Carter Hayes [Hot] Carter Hayes Mia Getting Back Together [Viral] Did Carter Hayes really date Mia? ... In an instant, my Instagram was flooded with a massive influx of Carter's fans. It crashed. Many comments were vile, cursing me for clout-chasing. I watched the screen, slowly falling silent. Valerie sighed, took away my phone, and offered a few words of comfort. I smiled calmly: "Valerie, I'm fine. Give me the phone, I need to wire the money back to Carter." Compared to what happened years ago, these comments were nothing. My emotional state was actually quite stable. After Valerie handed me the phone, I transferred the money back to Carter. After returning it, I blocked and deleted his contact info. Valerie was right. When you break up, you should completely die in the other person's world. I should have deleted his info a long time ago. 2 After turning off my phone, I slept at home for two days straight. Two days later, my manager dragged me out of bed. "Get up, I got you a new role." Valerie shoved several thick scripts into my arms. I was still half-asleep, my brain lagging. "What role?" I asked blankly. Valerie paused for a moment, then said: "A period drama. You're the third female lead, but you have scenes with the male lead. Prepare well, Mia, this might be your last chance to make a comeback..." I stared at the scripts in my arms, my eyes out of focus, Valerie's words echoing in my mind. "Your last chance to make a comeback..." "I'll take it!" I suddenly raised my voice, fully awake, scaring Valerie. "I'll take it!" I repeated, filled with determination. I remembered the promise I made to Carter years ago. We promised to work hard and meet at the top. Even though we broke up and he's already standing at the top, I need to work hard too! At the very least, I can't disappoint the manager who never gave up on me! 3 Valerie was very pleased with my sudden surge of motivation. I spent the entire night reading through the scripts. Then, I proactively told Valerie I needed to learn horseback riding. The third female lead had quite a few riding scenes. Nowadays, many actors use stunt doubles for riding scenes, or just sit on a mechanical horse. I asked around, and the director did indeed plan to use a stunt double for my riding scenes. Since I decided to take my career seriously, I wanted to do it perfectly. Step one: learn to ride a horse. Valerie signed me up at an equestrian club, saying she was going all out this time, even paying out of pocket for a top-tier coach. I was moved to tears, swearing that she would be my manager for life! 4 When it was time for my scheduled lesson, I arrived at the club, changed into my gear, and followed my coach to the arena proudly. Then, I deflated. I covered my face with one hand and peered through my fingers at Carter, who was galloping freely around the arena. I wanted to smash my head against a wall. What the hell?! I can run into him at a horseback riding lesson?! Since when is the world this small?! I was acting sketchy, afraid Carter would recognize me, so I spaced out during the coach's pre-ride instructions. The consequence of spacing out was... when I got on the horse, I panicked and spooked the animal. Thankfully, the coach immediately calmed the horse down, but my legs were shaking like leaves. I couldn't continue. Seeing this, the coach told me to dismount and rest. With my legs trembling, I leaned against the wall and slowly walked towards the lounge. I heard footsteps behind me. I instinctively looked back. It was Carter. Carter stopped right beside me. He was wearing his equestrian gear, holding a riding crop. His back was straight, and he looked at me with cold eyes. This was the first time we were face-to-face in three years. My mind instantly went blank. Carter just stared at me. After a long while, he let out a scoff. "Mia, flirting with me and then blocking me? You really are getting bolder." His face had a half-smile, but I knew that was his reaction when he was extremely angry. My legs gave out, and I almost fell. I wanted to explain, but Carter was already walking away, leaving only one sentence behind— "Then you better mentally prepare yourself. I'm going to settle all our old and new scores together." 5 Since that day, I specifically scheduled my lessons to avoid Carter's time slot. So, until I finished my lessons, we never bumped into each other again. I only found out Carter was the male lead of this drama an hour before the opening ceremony, after I had my makeup done. "Valerie, I'm dropping this drama!" After snapping back to reality, I refused on the spot. But my manager just gave me a flat look: "You've already signed the contract. There's no backing out now." My scalp tingled. I suppressed my anxiety and tried to reason with her: "Valerie, you know why I desperately want to avoid Carter, I..." "I took it exactly because I know." Valerie interrupted me. "Mia, the entertainment industry is only so big. Carter is at the peak of his career right now. Do you really think it's possible to completely avoid him? Instead of hiding, why not face it openly? You guys are already broken up. What exactly are you afraid of?" I looked at Valerie, speechless. There are some things I couldn't tell her. After a long silence, I let out a long sigh: "I understand." Valerie was right. Deep down, I understood too. I just couldn't get past my own mental block. With a heart full of anxiety, I arrived on set and immediately spotted Carter in the crowd. He already had his makeup and costume on. Dressed in a white period robe, he looked a bit aloof as he stood there talking with the director. Carter's looks were handsome and rugged. Plus, he kept himself in great shape—tall, broad shoulders, narrow waist. He was perfectly suited for period costumes. He had a very "flawless, unparalleled gentleman" vibe. As if sensing me looking at him, Carter turned my way. Our eyes locked for several seconds before I realized what was happening and quickly looked away. It wasn't until the opening ceremony ended and shooting officially began that we finally interacted. Because one of us was in Unit A and the other in Unit B. Perhaps it had been too long since I last acted. Even though I had my lines memorized perfectly, my condition was terrible. I couldn't get into character. The director gradually lost patience, and I got scolded several times. Fortunately, I didn't have many scenes on the first day. After wrapping up, I went back to the hotel to review the script. Seeing me suddenly become so dedicated, Valerie was very pleased. She offered some encouragement and left to handle other things, leaving me alone in the hotel booked by the production crew. My career had been completely stalled for the past few years, so I didn't have the face to keep an assistant. Two years ago, Valerie reassigned my assistant to another artist. Now that my career was recovering, I hadn't found a suitable assistant yet, so I was currently managing everything myself. Being alone for a long time, I felt it was okay. I was used to doing everything myself. After dinner, I stayed in my room alone, trying to find the right feeling for the script. Around 11 PM, someone knocked on the door. I still had a sheet mask on my face and my script in my hand. When I looked through the peephole and saw who was outside, I almost dropped the mask in shock. It was actually Carter!! I ripped off the mask, feeling a sudden surge of panic. After a moment of panic, I tried hard to calm down. It's fine. As long as I don't open the door or make a sound, he can't do anything to me!! I took a few deep breaths and steadied myself. After knocking a few more times and getting no response, Carter gradually lost patience. I became increasingly relaxed. Good, lose patience. Then you'll leave. Through the peephole, I saw Carter pull out his phone. The next moment, my ringtone echoed through the room. Me: "..." I sprinted over in terror, grabbed my phone, and hung up. It was an unsaved, unknown number. The other party called again. I hung up again and frantically switched my phone to silent. The next moment, a text came through— [Stop playing dead. Open the door.] Me: "???" Is this Carter's phone number? Did he change his number? Before I had time to think, Carter started knocking again, and louder this time. There were a lot of crew members staying at this hotel. I really didn't want any more rumors spreading about my relationship with Carter. I reluctantly opened the door but didn't let him in. I cautiously peeked my head out and looked around. My room was right at a corner, so other people couldn't see us. I breathed a slight sigh of relief. "What do you want?" I asked in a hushed voice. Carter looked like he had just taken a shower. His dark hair was still slightly damp. He leaned down slightly to meet my eyes: "Are you sure you want to talk to me out here?" I pursed my lips and reluctantly let him in. The first thing Carter said when he walked in was: "I heard you had dozens of takes today and got scolded by the director multiple times?" Me: "..." So, three years after our breakup, Carter had become so petty that he specifically came to my door to mock me?! I suppressed my anger: "Yes, are you satisfied? If you're satisfied, hurry up and leave!" But Carter acted as if he didn't hear me. He looked around the room, picked up the script I had carelessly tossed on the bed, and started flipping through it. "Which part are you struggling with emotionally?" he asked, scanning the script page by page. "What are you trying to do?" I asked grumpily. "Help you run lines, what else?" Carter looked up at me, his face showing no signs of holding a grudge. But I didn't dare trust him. I know my place. Three years ago, if I were in his shoes after what I did, let alone never speaking to me again, seeking revenge would be entirely possible. Coupled with his remark at the equestrian club that he wanted to settle our "old and new scores together"... It's hard for anyone to believe he genuinely came to help me run lines out of the goodness of his heart. I stepped forward, snatched the script from his hands, threw it aside, and pointed to the door: "Get out. I don't need your help with my lines. I can do it myself." Compared to my emotional fluctuations, Carter seemed very calm. "Mia, your career has been dead for three years. This is your only chance to make a comeback. Do you really want to let your pride get in the way? Do you think the director won't replace you if you can't get into character tomorrow?" Carter's tone was neither light nor heavy, but it instantly brought tears to my eyes. He was right, and I knew it. That's why I was so hard on myself. "Alright, stop crying. Your tears are useless against me now." Carter picked the script back up, not looking at me. "Wipe your tears, and don't think I have some hidden agenda. If I really wanted to kick you while you're down, you wouldn't even have been able to attend the opening ceremony this afternoon." Carter looked up at me, a cold smirk on his lips: "Mia, you're too weak right now. Taking revenge on you wouldn't give me any satisfaction at all." I pursed my lips, fiercely wiped away my tears, took the script, flipped a few pages, and handed it back to Carter: "Here. I'm stuck on this part." Forget it. I have nothing left to lose now, and nothing to fear. Why not use free labor? Not to mention, Carter's acting skills were actually quite good. He had won several awards over the past two years and gradually secured his place in the film industry. With Carter helping me analyze the emotions in the script, my shooting the next day went very smoothly. Almost every scene was done in one take, and the director even praised me. In the evening, Carter came again, still to help me run lines. "Although this character is the third female lead, her persona is very likable. She's single-mindedly focused on her career. Audiences have really liked this type in recent years. As long as you act well, you'll definitely gain a wave of attention. Your manager has a good eye," Carter evaluated objectively. "I understand." I nodded. When I hit rock bottom, my manager never gave up on me. So even just for her sake, I had to climb back up. After that, Carter basically came to help me run lines every day, except when he had night shoots. Actually, I had fully immersed myself in the character by then and didn't need to run lines anymore. Carter probably knew that too. But he didn't mention it, and I didn't either. I greedily clung to this tiny bit of warmth. The filming went smoothly, and soon it was time for my scenes with Carter. This drama tells the story of the male lead, a young master from a prominent family, traveling abroad. His entire family is wiped out overnight. To uncover the truth behind his family's destruction, he carefully schemes, not hesitating to use the second female lead and ally with the third female lead, ultimately finding love and staying together with the female lead. In the show, he seeks the truth, seeks justice for his family, and seeks to wipe out his enemy's entire family, making them pay in blood. And I play the younger sister of the second female lead. My mother (a concubine) was falsely accused of adultery by the second female lead's mother and humiliated to death. I also seek justice. In the drama, we hit it off immediately and plan a major undertaking together. Probably because we ran lines almost every day, my scenes with Carter went exceptionally smoothly. Every take satisfied the director. Especially during our horseback riding scenes, we didn't use stunt doubles at all. This meant there were fewer restrictions on camera angles, allowing every expression to be perfectly captured. Carter even managed to mount the horse single-handedly, doing it cleanly and stylishly, drawing cheers from the director. The filming went so well that the director was in a great mood. In the evening, he wrapped up early and treated the crew to dinner so we could relax. During the dinner, the director got a bit drunk. He held his glass, found me in a corner, and said to me: "To be honest, I really didn't want you at first. Even though I only care about acting skills and not internet traffic, you haven't acted in three years. It was your manager who came to me time and time again, asking me to give you an audition." The director clinked his glass against mine and continued: "You didn't disappoint me. I'm very satisfied. Mia, I'll cast you in my next drama too." Hearing the director's words, my eyes welled up with tears, and my nose stung. I sniffled, filled my glass to the brim, and toasted the director: "Director Lee, thank you. To you!" When the dinner ended, the director had to be carried out; he was blackout drunk. I was pretty drunk myself. Everyone drank quite a bit. The other main actors were taken away by their managers or assistants first. In the end, only Carter and I were left. "Let's go," Carter said to me, picking up my bag. "I can... I can carry it myself." I don't act crazy when I'm drunk; conversely, I'm very quiet and well-behaved. I took my bag from Carter's hand and stumbled out of the restaurant. It was already late at night. I stood outside the restaurant, my head spinning. My manager didn't come today, and my new assistant wasn't starting until tomorrow. So there was no one waiting for me outside. I felt incredibly dizzy. I squatted down, holding onto a pillar by the door, and pulled out my phone to call an Uber back to the hotel. But our shooting location was in a rather remote area. There were simply no cars available at this hour. "Stop looking. Let's go together." I don't know when, but Carter was standing right beside me, one hand in his pocket, looking down at me. My reaction time was slow. I thought about it for a few seconds, then nodded. Carter's RV was very comfortable. I sat in my seat, drowsy. But I tried hard to stay awake. "If you want to sleep, just sleep. I'll wake you when we get there." Carter leaned back in his seat, closed his eyes, and said to me. "Carter, when are you... going to take revenge on me?" As the alcohol hit harder, I sat up slightly and leaned forward to ask. Carter was like a sword dangling over my neck right now. The higher I climbed, the more terrified I was of falling back to the bottom. Especially after hearing what the director said tonight, I felt incredibly sad. Sad for my own uselessness, which forced my manager to beg so humbly. I was terrified of falling back down and disappointing my manager again. Hearing this, Carter opened his eyes. He sat up and looked at me. "You want me to take revenge on you that badly?" His expression was freezing as he asked me. I nodded, then shook my head. If he took revenge on me, I would consider it paying him back. Except, I'd feel sorry for my manager. Carter leaned towards me and pinched my cheek, not too hard, not too soft: "You want me to take revenge however I want?" He gradually increased his grip, pinching my cheek until it hurt. I wanted to break free, but he pinned my hands down. "Carter, it hurts." My tears fell on command. Carter's jaw tightened. He pursed his lips and let me go. "Don't cry in front of me, Mia. I don't fall for that anymore." Carter leaned back into his seat. I sniffled a few times, trying to negotiate with Carter. "When you decide to take revenge on me, can you just target me? I don't want to drag my manager down anymore..." "You sure know how to think of others!" Carter seemed enraged. He scoffed, pinched my chin again, and sneered, "Then why didn't you think of me more back then? I begged you so much. Mia, were you just relying on the fact that I loved you to do whatever you wanted?" I was speechless, tears streaming down my face. Back then, to force Carter to break up with me, I said the most hurtful things and did the most hurtful things. So I don't complain about anything that's happening today. What's more, he hasn't even done the things that hurt me yet. "I told you, I don't fall for this anymore. Don't cry!" Carter wiped away the tears at the corners of my eyes with his somewhat rough fingertips, looking a bit frustrated. I wanted to stop crying too, but I just couldn't control it. The alcohol was wreaking havoc in my brain, making me cry even harder. I didn't want to break up either. It felt like scraping bone and cutting out my heart. But I had to. If I didn't, I would only drag him down. Carter's eyes grew a bit misty. He lowered his voice, his tone almost breaking: "Mia, shouldn't I be the one crying?"
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