The "innocent" starlet posted a cryptic photo of a marriage certificate: "Some people are just bottom-feeders trying to reach for the stars." Me: ? The billionaire titan of industry laughed as he looked at me: "This pretty boy Elias is supposed to be my competition?" He flipped his phone and posted a selfie that instantly nuked the trending charts: "Stop sending random nobodies to clout-chase my wife." 1 "Serena Vance is married!" The moment I opened my eyes, I was blinded by a viral headline and a phone vibrating with a hundred missed calls from my manager. I was stunned. I didn't understand what was happening. When did the news of my secret marriage leak? I scrolled through Twitter. A minute later, I was staring at a photo of a stunningly handsome man on my own profile, then looked at the real version—Silas Thorne—who was currently looking at me with a pouting, "wronged" expression. "I couldn't stand them lying about you," he muttered. "I won't let every random nobody try to claim my wife." Last night, several gossip accounts had gone viral with a photo of me and the reigning movie star, Elias Sterling, meeting at night. They started a massive campaign claiming I was the "other woman" in the relationship between Elias and the popular young actress, Mia Dupont. The truth was, Elias and I were just cast in the same upcoming film. He asked to meet to discuss the script. I went. We talked for fifteen minutes and went our separate ways. But in the hands of the tabloids, I was a homewrecker. To make matters worse, Mia Dupont, the "victim" and Elias's girlfriend, had posted a statement. Mia Dupont V: "I trust Elias completely. We are stronger than ever, but I suppose we can't stop people with... hidden agendas." Elias replied underneath: "Thank you for your trust, baby." Their interaction basically confirmed the rumor: I was the one trying to seduce Elias Sterling. Good lord. They were using me as a stepping stone for clout. Silas had woken up earlier than me. He’d seen the trends and countered by posting a selfie of his own gorgeous face on my account. My manager, Valerie Grant, called again. The second I picked up, I felt a powerful, muscular arm wrap around my waist. He bit my ear. "Stop it!" I hissed. The line went silent for a second, then Valerie’s voice erupted in a scream: "Did you just tell me to stop?! Serena, have you lost your mind? Have you seen the internet?!" "Sorry, Valerie, I wasn't talking to you." I glared at the man next to me, but he just buried his face in my chest and rubbed against me. "Wife, don't be mad. I just didn't want you to feel small." His voice was husky and deep. My anger dissolved instantly. I hung up before Valerie could scream again. I stared at Silas. He was the most powerful man in the city, but right now, he was just a clingy husband. I was a "love-to-hate" actress. I only played the high-glamour villains, which meant I had an army of haters who thought I was just playing myself. Silas and I had been married for two years. He had offered to help my career a dozen times, but I always refused. I wanted to make it on my own. But now... I looked at the comments under the post he made. "Where did Serena rent this guy? How much per night? I want one." "She's never been seen with a guy before. This is a total fake. Who believes this?" "Serena's PR team is so stupid. This is hilarious." "He's actually hot... probably photoshopped though." "Who would be gross enough to help Serena Vance fake a marriage for money?" They could insult me all they wanted, but I wasn't going to let them insult my husband. I grabbed my phone and started typing replies to the haters. "How many years did you pickle your mouth to get it that bitter?" "Did you fail the 'Basic Decency' test or were you just born that way?" "You look like someone who barks for a living." Unsurprisingly, "Serena Vance Claps Back" hit the trending charts again. 2 The internet exploded. Valerie stormed into my apartment, radiating murderous energy. The moment she saw Silas Thorne, her anger vanished like a puff of smoke. "Hi. I'm Silas Thorne." He looked better in person than in the photo. Valerie stared at him, her eyes practically turning into hearts. "H-hello... I'm Valerie, Serena's manager. Here's my card!" She turned to him with professional greed. "You have a face made for Hollywood! Mr. Thorne, have you considered acting? I could make you an A-lister in six months! No, three!" Silas gave her a cold, distant smile. "No, thank you." He turned toward the kitchen. "Wife, I'm making breakfast." Valerie finally looked at me. "Explain! Now! Since when are you married?!" "Two years." "Two years?!" Valerie’s voice hit a high C. "Do you know how hard it is for a married actress to maintain a brand? Especially when your reputation is already... complicated!" "I know." "And you just posted him? I've been your manager for so long and I find out via Twitter? You've hidden this so well, I'm almost impressed." "It’s okay, Valerie. If you'd found out later, the secret would've been even older." "Why did you start a war with the netizens?!" "They can come for me, but they can't come for my husband." Valerie pinched the bridge of her nose. Once she calmed down, she dropped the bomb. "Your engagement is higher than it's ever been. The agency wants to cash in. They're signing you and your 'mystery husband' for a couple's reality show." "No way!" Let the CEO of the Thorne Empire do a reality show? I wasn't insane. "If you refuse, the agency will sue for breach of contract. Can you afford that payout?" I was about to argue when Silas walked out of the kitchen. "A reality show? Sure. Why not?" "I want to see what my wife's 'work' actually looks like." Valerie beamed. Before she left, she warned me: "Elias Sterling and Mia Dupont are also on the cast. They aren't good people, and you're as stubborn as a mule. Watch your back." 3 The news that Silas and I were joining Elias and Mia on a reality show took over the headlines. The netizens were ruthless. "Oh look, the 'Photoshop Man' is going on TV. The director must be desperate. That photo was clearly filtered to death." "If he actually looks like that, there's no way he's with Serena." "Serena is pretty, I'll give her that. Better than Mia, honestly." "Pretty doesn't matter when your personality is trash. She probably hired this guy to play the part." I was worried about Silas being on camera. He just laughed. "Not many people in the public know what I look like. What? Is your husband not presentable?" I rolled my eyes. 4 Filming started three days later. The show was a livestream. The comments scrolled in real-time on a massive screen that all the guests could see. When the camera hit Silas, the chat went dead silent for a second, then moved so fast it was a blur. "Holy sh*t! He's actually that handsome! Where did she find him?!" "He looks better than Elias... I think I'm switching teams." "Serena, move over! Let me have him!" We sat on the sofa. Elias Sterling stood up and offered a hand to Silas. "Hi, I'm Elias Sterling." Silas barely glanced at him. He gripped Elias's hand, his lips curling into a sharp, predatory smile. "Silas Thorne." Elias turned pale. He tried to pull his hand back, but it wouldn't budge. I knew Silas was getting revenge for me. I felt a gaze boring into the side of my head. It was Mia Dupont. She walked over and whispered in my ear: "Where did you hire the fake? He’s hot, I’ll give you that... but money is power in this town. You’re dating an extra while I’m dating a king. Are you ready to fall off the A-list?" She pulled back with a sweet, camera-ready smile. "I'm so happy to be on this show with you, Serena! Let's be besties, okay?" The chat loved it. "Mia is such a saint. She's so nice even to a homewrecker." "If I were Mia, I'd have scratched Serena's eyes out. Mia is too kind for this industry." Silas put an arm around my shoulder and looked at me. "Serena, when did your taste get so bad? Why would you ever let a random stray dog like that bother you?" I leaned into him. "Don't say that. Dogs are loyal. Some people aren't." "My bad. You're right." Their little routine made Elias and Mia's faces turn various shades of purple. 5 The other guests arrived: a teen idol named Leo and a pop star named Chloe. They were an official couple. The director announced: "The first challenge takes place in this luxury estate. This mansion was generously provided by Mia Dupont." As we walked in, looking at the marble floors and gold accents, Chloe gasped. "Oh my god! This is incredible! Mia, are you a secret billionaire?" I stood in the foyer, looking at the familiar decor. I looked at Silas. One of the crew members walked over to a vase in the corner and gasped. "Is this... a Ming Dynasty vase?" The chat went wild. "I recognize that! That vase was sold at an elite auction to the CEO of the Vance Group for two million dollars! What is it doing in Mia's house?" "Mia Dupont is a Vance? Incredible!" "So Mia is the real deal. Serena is just a fake." The director asked Mia: "Mia, can you explain the vase? And this mansion?" Mia acted coy. "Well, I didn't want to brag. This house belongs to my family. My father is the head of the Vance Group. I just use my mother's surname for work." She winked at the camera. "Please keep it a secret, guys!" Me: ... She really went there. I tilted my head, mimicking her "innocent" look. "Is this really your house, Mia?" The chat attacked me instantly. "Serena is so jealous! She can't stand that Mia is rich." "Wait, Serena's last name is Vance too. Is she related?" "Don't be stupid. 'Vance' is a common name. She's just a hater." Mia looked at me, hurt. "Serena, if you have a problem with me, just say it. You don't have to be so passive-aggressive." Chloe added, "Yeah, Serena. Don't be so bitter. If this wasn't Mia's house, how could we be filming here?" I felt Silas’s eyes narrow. I grabbed the hem of his sleeve and shook my head. Not yet. I wanted to see how far she’d go.
? Continue the story here ?? ? Download the "MotoNovel" app ? search for "422572", and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel