Chapter 3

I had not come to see Felix in the first place, so after exchanging a few words, I was ready to leave. But just as I stepped out, I was stopped.

"Was it you? You’re the one who made the director replace me as the lead actress, aren’t you?"

I had not expected the director to move so quickly.

Her voice was loud, and the other actors overheard, sticking their heads out to watch.

"Wow, she crossed the wrong person this time. One word from her, and the lead actress is out."

Even Felix could not believe it. He asked if it was true.

I was done with the back and forth and admitted it outright that it was me.

Zia was hysterical and asked why I did it. That role was something she had worked so hard to get.

Not wanting to let the others hear, I gave a look to the crew nearby, and they cleared everyone out.

The three of us went back into the room.

Looking down at Zia, I told her this was the consequence of provoking me.

Clearly, Felix had not known anything about it. He asked what was going on, so I pulled out my phone and showed him.

"Is this true? When did I ever say you were my girlfriend?" he demanded, then slapped Zia across the face.

He quickly turned to me, pleading, "Emma, I hit her, okay? But we still need her for the shoot. Can’t you let her off this time?"

I was not having it and left immediately.

After I got home, the crew had already found a new lead actress, but Zia refused to leave the set.

Felix filmed for a while longer and then called me, saying he was not used to working with the new actress and wanted Zia back.

That very night, he returned home.

"Emma, just let them bring her back, okay? You want me to make a hit show, don’t you?"

I asked him if he actually liked Zia.

"Of course not! I only like you."

I gave him two choices. It was either to bring her back and go public with our relationship, or to continue working with the new lead.

"Again with going public. I told you, this is the peak of my career. We can’t! Why don’t you get that?

"Even if we don’t go public, it’s not like I’m dating or flirting with any of these actresses.

"I’m bringing her back, and this time, you can’t stop me."

I grabbed his hand and pushed him back down onto the couch, forcing him to look up at me.

He looked humiliated and his eyes were red with frustration.

"Now that you’re famous, you’ve got the confidence to stand up to me, is that it?"

He did not say anything, but his whole body flushed with anger.

As soon as I let go of him, he stormed out. I was utterly disappointed in him, wondering why I had ever bothered to help him in the first place.

……

Back then, both my parents had passed away within a year, leaving me to shoulder their responsibilities. That day, I was feeling overwhelmed, so my best friend, Shirley Jones, suggested we go out to unwind.

We ended up at a bar, where I saw Felix, forced by his agent to entertain clients. He looked pitiful, and in a moment of weakness, I decided to get him out of there.

But it was not without conditions. I made him agree to be my boyfriend for three years.

At first, we were just fulfilling the contract, but eventually, we developed real feelings. He even promised that he would work hard and marry me one day.

But now?

I could not stop my tears from falling.

After he returned to the set, Felix went to the director about bringing Zia back. The director called me, and in the end, my soft heart gave in. I agreed.

It was not until the production wrapped up, more than five months later, that Felix finally came home.

By then, I was barely holding on.

I had been coordinating the remaining company affairs with several top executives and had started the evaluation process for the successor I had been grooming.