We had been secretly married for five years. Her life was a revolving door of tabloid rumors, but she would never, ever publicly acknowledge me. On the set of a late-night talk show, the host playfully asked if I was dating anyone. Even she, my wife, chimed in with a laugh. "Leo, I know so many wonderful, single women. Should I set you up?" In my past life, that was my breaking point. I pulled out my wedding ring and held it up for the cameras. A young, rising star named Dylan Croft, who was also on the panel, burst into tears and ran off stage. My wife, the award-winning actress Claire Sterling, said nothing, but from that day on, she grew colder and colder. When a sudden illness landed me in the hospital, bleeding out and needing emergency surgery, she was at a Michelin-star restaurant, celebrating Dylan’s birthday. When Dylan hired thugs to assault me and I called her, begging for help, she just watched, her expression blank. It was only then that I understood. In her heart, I was nothing more than a dirty secret, a piece of furniture to be kept in the dark. Reborn into this life, I just smiled at the host. "I am, actually. She's not in the business. We're getting married at the end of the month." 1 A collective gasp went through the studio audience. No one had expected me to announce my relationship on live television. Claire’s face darkened. Her hand tightened around her water glass, the plastic crinkling under the pressure. She started to say something, but Dylan, sitting next to her with his boyish charm, jumped in first. "Whoa, Leo, you’ve been holding out on us! If you hadn't lost that round of 'Truth or Dare,' were you just going to keep it a secret forever?" The show was broadcasting live, and Dylan’s comment sent the online chat into a frenzy. 【*Leo Vance's fans must be devastated! Your man is officially off the market!*】 【*Hehe, at least our Dylan is focused on his career! No time for girls!*】 【*??? Devastated? Leo is an actor. He has a whole shelf of Oscars. He's allowed to have a personal life. Unlike some people who still haven't managed to book a decent role.*】 【*Besides, Leo has always said he would settle down when the time was right.*】 I smiled politely. "It might be a secret, but at least I’m not the other woman." In my past life, I thought Dylan was an innocent victim, that he didn't know about me and Claire. But just before I died, he had visited me, gloating about how much Claire adored him. He knew from the very beginning. Dylan's face flickered for a second, but the other guests didn't notice. They were all leaning forward, curious. "Come on, Leo, who is she? You have to show us a picture!" "She's not famous? I'm dying to know who could snag Leo Vance!" I shook my head with a small smile. "She's very private. I'll introduce you all when the time is right." Just as I finished speaking, a derisive snort came from Dylan. He raised an eyebrow, his eyes glinting with a challenge. "Leo, are you sure this person even exists? Or did you just make her up? I mean, you're not getting any younger. It would be pretty embarrassing if you were still single at your age. Right, Claire?" He fluttered his eyelashes at her, a cocky, youthful grin on his face. My hand clenched into a fist under the table. To my horror, Claire gave a small, almost imperceptible nod. Dylan’s grin widened. A bitter laugh welled up in my throat. For a second there, I had actually hoped for something different. The other guests tried to smooth things over. "Don't mind Dylan, Leo, he's just kidding around!" "It's his personal life, guys, we shouldn't pry." I was about to say something, but a woman's voice cut through from the studio entrance. "Excuse me, is Leo Vance here? I'm here to pick him up." 2 All heads turned. A young woman was standing just outside the studio doors. She had stylishly tousled dark hair, sharp, intelligent eyes, and a calm, confident air about her. When her eyes met mine, even I was taken aback for a second. She smiled at me. "Leo. Ready to go?" The live chat exploded. 【*OMG OMG IS THAT HIS GIRLFRIEND?! SHE'S GORGEOUS!*】 【*HOLY CRAP, I thought he was making it up! She came to pick him up from work!*】 I stood up and nodded to the other guests. "Well, that's my cue." The moment I stood, I felt a pair of eyes burning into my back. I didn't turn around. Just as I reached the door, Claire's cold voice stopped me. "Leo." I paused and looked back at her. "Yes, Claire?" Her face was a mask of displeasure. Dylan chimed in with a saccharine smile. "It's my birthday party tonight. Claire is throwing it for me. Are you coming?" I glanced at Claire. She said nothing. "No," I said, turning to leave. "Happy birthday, Dylan. I have other plans." 3 The feeling of being watched didn't go away until I was safely in the back of her car. I turned to the woman beside me. "Thank you for that, Maya." Maya Torres smiled. "No problem, Professor. I was watching the show live. Just happened to be in the neighborhood." I didn't press her for more details. She didn't ask any questions, just said, "Where to? I'll give you a ride." I gave her the address of the house I shared with Claire. When we pulled up, she held up her phone. "Hey, can I get your number?" I hesitated for a moment. She laughed. "You never know, I might need a favor from you one day, too." On that, I nodded and we exchanged numbers. As she drove off, I walked into the house. We had bought it before we got married. It wasn't a mansion, but it was filled with memories. We used to spend our days off here, playing video games and binge-watching shows. I never wanted to move. But now, Claire was rarely here. The moment I stepped inside, my agent, Ken, called. "Leo, you need to see this. Check Twitter. Now." 4 **#ClaireSterlingXDylanCroftOfficial** **#HollywoodsNewItCouple** I thought that in this new life, I would be immune. But seeing those words on the screen still felt like a punch to the gut. **[Claire Sterling V: So excited to introduce you all to my boyfriend. The one and only. @DylanCroft]** **[Dylan Croft: Here's to a long and happy future together, my love. ❤️]** Five years of dating, five years of marriage. Ten years I had waited for her to acknowledge me. And now, she had given it to someone else without a second thought. Ken's voice was still buzzing in my ear. "There have been rumors for weeks that Dylan was a homewrecker! She's doing this to protect him! That little bastard *is* a homewrecker! You and Claire have been married for years, she can't just—" "Ken," I interrupted, my voice quiet. "How's that visa application coming along?" He went silent. "Are you sure you want to do this, Leo? Quit the business, move abroad?" I nodded to myself. "I'm sure." Ten years ago, I gave up my dreams for Claire. I wasn't going to let her ruin the rest of my life. 5 Claire and I grew up together. My parents died when I was young, and I was a shy, introverted kid living with relatives who didn't want me. The neighborhood kids used to pick on me relentlessly. Claire was always there, a tiny, fierce protector, fighting my battles for me. When we were fifteen, her parents' business went bankrupt. They both jumped from a bridge, leaving her orphaned and buried under a mountain of debt. She was devastated, suicidal. I was the one who held her, who told her we would get through it together. We were each other's lifelines, two broken kids clinging to each other in the dark. When we were eighteen, I was accepted to Juilliard. It was my dream school. The day the letter came, Claire just held my hand, her eyes red, and stood with me in silence all night. The next day, I turned down my acceptance and signed with a talent agent. I was going to pay off her parents' debt. She was too young, too brilliant to have her future crushed by it. But Hollywood is a brutal place. I worked around the clock, taking any role, any gig I could get. I drank so much at "meetings" with producers that I ended up in the hospital with a bleeding ulcer. But five years after my debut, a hit TV show finally gave me the break I needed. I paid off every last cent of her family's debt. People asked me if it was worth it. And at the time, watching Claire cook for me in our tiny apartment, her presence a warm, steady comfort, I thought it was. But now... A notification on my phone pulled me from my thoughts. A call from Claire. I hesitated, then answered. Her voice was cool. "Quite the performance tonight, Leo. Found another woman to play your little games with. Trying to make me jealous? It didn't work. I know how much you love me." I stayed silent. In the background, I heard a familiar voice. "Claire, babe, come cut the cake!" "Coming!" she called back, then said to me, "Dylan and I have a new movie coming out, you know that. We'll 'break up' after the press tour is over. Don't overthink it. Be a good boy and wait for me at home. I'll bring you back your favorite takeout." 6 My mind drifted back. Claire had gotten into acting by accident. She had come to visit me on set one day, and a director had spotted her and offered her a role. I had immediately said no. Her dream was to be a research scientist. Acting would derail everything. But she went to the director behind my back. Later, she had held me, her eyes filled with tears. "Leo, I don't want you to have to struggle for me. I want to make a lot of money so you can have a good life." And just like that, Claire gave up her dream for me and threw herself into the industry. We saw less and less of each other. The first time a tabloid linked her with a co-star, she flew five hours to see me, held me, and swore it was a misunderstanding, that she would handle it. I suggested we go public with our marriage. She said it would hurt our careers, that the fans wouldn't understand. Not yet. But she promised me that I was her only husband, her only one. I believed her. I let it go. And then... Dylan Croft appeared. He was the innocent young actor, being harassed by a powerful producer at a party. He ran, fell into a pool, and Claire jumped in and saved him. A beautiful, tragic hero, soaked and shivering in her arms. The next day, they were on the cover of every magazine. This time, Claire didn't say a word. 7 By the time I came back to myself, Claire had already hung up. I didn't dwell on it. I called my lawyer and told him to draft the divorce papers. Before I left the country, I was going to sever every tie to her. But that night, she came home. And she brought Dylan with her. He peeked out from behind her, his cheeks flushed, and bounced over to me. "Ta-da! Leo, we brought you leftovers from my birthday party! You have to try the cake!" Claire stood by the door, a look of weary indulgence on her face. "Slow down, Dylan, you're drunk. You're going to fall." She paused, then looked at me. "He had too much to drink. It's not safe for him to go home alone. He's staying here tonight." She added, "Oh, and you make a great hangover cure, don't you? Go make him a cup." My ears were ringing. My hands started to tremble. She was cheating on me, and now she was bringing him into our home? And asking me to take care of him? "He has assistants, doesn't he?!" I snarled. Dylan never went anywhere without a team of at least three people. "He can get a hotel!" Claire frowned. "Leo, when did you become so petty?" My voice shook. "This is my home! Get out!" Seeing the tears welling in my eyes, her tone softened. "Okay, Leo. Fine. I'll call someone to pick him up." She pulled out her phone, but at that moment, a loud cry echoed through the house. Dylan had tumbled down the stairs. Claire's face went white. She dropped her phone and ran to him. The calm, elegant actress was gone, replaced by a frantic, terrified woman. "Dylan!" He lay in her arms, his eyes closed. Claire's face was a mask of fury. She glared at me. A cold dread washed over me. "It wasn't me..." But her hand was already connecting with my face, the slap echoing in the silent house. "Are you saying he threw himself down the stairs just to frame you, Leo? He's an actor! You know how much his face means to him!" The blow stunned me. And with it, the last flickering light of hope in my heart was extinguished. She was helping Dylan up, ready to rush him to the hospital, when I stopped her. "Wait." I held out the divorce agreement. "Sign this. Or you're not leaving." She shot me a look of pure hatred. In the past, whenever we fought, I would make her buy me something, make her sign the bill as a way of making up. She must have thought this was another one of my games. Without even looking at it, she scribbled her name across the bottom. Then she carefully helped Dylan out the door. Just before they disappeared, Dylan looked back at me and smirked. 8 The news that Dylan was in the hospital was everywhere. The photos showed him looking pale and fragile, a bandage on his forehead, with Claire by his side, tenderly caring for him. The internet was flooded with posts praising their beautiful, devoted relationship. Ken, who had been my agent since day one and knew everything, was livid. He came over and cursed Claire's name. "Is the visa ready, Ken?" He nodded. "You can pick it up in three days." I spent those three days quietly getting my affairs in order. On the third day, another headline exploded online. **#Exposed: Oscar-Winner Leo Vance Stalking Claire Sterling, Attacks Rival Dylan Croft!** The articles were accompanied by two photos. The first was of me, arriving home the night of the incident. The second was of Claire and Dylan, arriving at the same house shortly after. The comments section was a war zone. 【*WTF is going on? Why are all three of them at the same house?*】 【*OMG I have a friend who works in the industry, and he said Leo has been obsessed with Claire for years! He snuck into her house and pushed Dylan down the stairs!*】 【*Why would Leo Vance sneak into Claire Sterling's house? This is so weird!*】 【*That's bullshit! Why would Leo need to sneak into anyone's house?*】 Then, a new comment shot to the top. **[Leo Vance doesn't have a secret girlfriend! He made it all up! He's been in love with Claire for years. When she and Dylan went public, he got jealous and attacked Dylan! I have proof! Look at this screenshot! Leo used to be the president of her fan club!]** When Claire was just starting out, she didn't have many fans. I used to visit her on set, and I even ran her official fan account under a secret identity, creating content and defending her online. It was a secret only she and I knew. And now, here it was, exposed for the world to see. My hand was shaking as I called her. She didn't pick up until the fifth try. "It was you, wasn't it?" The photos, the fan club information... it could only have come from her. There was a long silence on the other end of the line. Finally, she spoke. "You deserved it, Leo." "Your comments on the talk show made people think Dylan was a homewrecker. It damaged his reputation. I went public with our relationship to protect him, to fix the mess you made. I thought you would see your mistake. But then you pushed him down the stairs." I started to laugh, a broken, hollow sound. "So this was all for my own good?" "What is he, if not a homewrecker? An innocent, pure-hearted boy who just happened to charm a famous actress?" "Leo, you are being so childish!" she snapped. "Look, I don't want this to escalate. Just apologize to Dylan. He'll publicly forgive you, and we can all move on." Move on? As if it were that simple. As if she had never been a part of this brutal industry. I was about to say something else, but I heard a voice in the background. "Claire, Dylan is awake. He's asking for you." "I'll be right there," she said quickly. When I looked at my phone, she had already hung up. 9 As Claire rushed to Dylan's room, she paused and turned to her assistant. "Did you buy that necklace I asked you about? The one Leo mentioned he liked." The assistant nodded. "Have it sent to him," she said. She knew Leo was proud. Forcing him to apologize to Dylan would be a blow to his ego. But he had made a mistake, and he had to face the consequences. Besides, Leo was easy to placate. A little gift always did the trick. "Oh," she added, "and wasn't there a matching bracelet? Give that to Dylan." 10 The necklace arrived while Ken and I were watching Dylan's live hospital-bed interview. In the video, Claire was gently tucking him in. "Dylan," a reporter asked, "have you seen the news? Is it true that Leo Vance attacked you?" Dylan put on a brave face. "It's not Leo's fault. Claire is an amazing woman. It's only natural that a lot of men are in love with her…" "So it is true?" the reporter pressed, outraged. "That's disgusting! He's no better than a stalker! How can he call himself an Oscar winner?" Dylan just smiled weakly and closed his eyes, looking exhausted. The reporter noticed the watch on his wrist. "Is that the vintage Cartier that was just up for auction? The one that was part of a set with a matching necklace?" Dylan glanced at Claire, and the reporters all understood. "Claire and Dylan's love is so strong! No one could ever come between them!" Ken couldn't take it anymore. He started cursing at the screen. He threw Claire's assistant, and the necklace, out of my house. The production company I was signed with wasn't going to take this lying down. I lived in that house. The security guards had seen me come and go every day for years. They released a statement, along with stills from the security footage. **[This house is Mr. Vance's primary residence. He is seen here on a daily basis. Ms. Sterling, however, is rarely seen on the premises.]** **[Two photos of three people entering the same house is not proof of an attack. We urge the public not to jump to conclusions.]** The tide of public opinion started to turn. But then, Claire posted again. **[It appears Mr. Vance has been using my absence to secretly enter and case my home.]** The post was accompanied by a photo of the deed to the house. 11 I felt the blood rush to my head. Before I had paid off her family's debt, we had lived in a tiny, cramped apartment. After, to make sure she felt secure, I had bought this house and put it in her name. "Leo," she had said at the time, smiling, "you don't have to do that. I trust you. I trust us." And now, that trust was a knife she was twisting in my back. Ken exploded. "The marriage license! Show them the marriage license, Leo!" "She has it," I said quietly. All of our important documents were kept by her. The day we got married, she was so happy, she had kissed the license over and over, saying she was going to have them framed and preserved forever. Ken was silent for a long time. "Leo," he finally asked, "were you two really together for ten years?" A bitter smile touched my lips. My phone buzzed with a text. **[Need some help?]** It was from Maya. **[Thanks, but I'm okay.]** I turned off my phone and handed Ken a USB drive. "Ken," I said. "Leak this."
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