Chapter 1
Every friend in the industry, every media reporter, spun around to stare at me, camera flashes going off like crazy.
The air froze. Everyone waited for my reaction, expecting me to go ballistic right there.
But I just curled my lip into a cold, contemptuous smile and motioned for the staff to cut the video.
“Let them enjoy themselves. We wouldn’t want to interrupt.”
The big screen went black, cutting off the sickening images.
Looking at the timestamp and location, the video was taken just last night, at Julian’s hotel.
My industry friends and staff who had come to the wedding with me held their breath, cautiously watching my every move.
I fought to contain the agony twisting inside me, desperately trying to maintain the composure of a true professional.
“My apologies, everyone. Today’s wedding is canceled.”
I said it as calmly as I could, but my voice still trembled slightly. The words barely left my lips when Julian burst from the back room, his face a mask of disbelief.
“Cancel the wedding? Aurora, what do you mean by that?!”
I turned and looked at him, noticing a disheveled woman following close behind him—Sera Reed.
“Yes, Aurora, are you perhaps misunderstanding something?”
Sera asked, feigning innocence, her eyes, however, glinting with a defiant challenge. “It’s all my fault. Last night was Julian’s bachelor party.
We, a bunch of girls, got a little too wild and pushed him to have a few extra drinks.
We did lie on the same bed, but nothing happened. This video is fake.”
Watching the scene unfold before me, my heart felt like it was being twisted and torn, yet I was powerless.
Julian always had a soft spot for Sera, and her words instantly turned his grim expression into a furious snarl. He pointed a furious finger at my face,
“Aurora Vance, I can tolerate your jealousy on normal days, but today is our wedding! How can you be so unreasonable? You’re canceling the wedding over this little thing?!”
Before I could even open my mouth, they just kept piling on the accusations. My hands clenched into fists, my heart felt like it was being sliced open, and my voice turned ice-cold.
“Julian Hayes, you know it’s our wedding today? Then tell me, what kind of groom lies in the same bed as his fiancée’s cousin the night before his wedding?”
“My husband would never be that kind of man. And he never will be!”
I looked at him and Sera. Standing together, their faces and necks were covered in matching hickeys!
“I get it. After all these years, she’s always been first in your heart. Since you two are so deeply entwined, then I’ll make it happen for you right now! From today on, you two can openly sleep together. May you both grow old together!”
With those words, I left Julian and Sera stunned, turning and walking away. Julian had never seen me so resolute.
For a moment, he froze, his eyes wide with disbelief. He even forgot to stop me or the guests leaving behind me.
After leaving the hotel, I apologized to my accompanying staff and friends, then called my agent to explain the situation. When Ms.
Albright heard I’d canceled the wedding on the spot, she was first shocked, then let out a deep sigh.
“You’re a public figure, you have to be responsible for your decisions. I’ll respect your choice.” Ms. Albright said solemnly.
I fought back tears, choking out an apology to my agent, assuring her I’d handle all the follow-up PR matters.
Only after I’d dealt with everything did I hide away in the dressing room, carefully wiping the makeup from my face.
The woman in the mirror,
Her eyes were filled with exhaustion and disappointment,
Yet she still maintained the dignity expected of a celebrity.
My reflection in the makeup mirror showed a smudged face, vacant eyes.
Once a dazzling award-winning actress, I now looked like a discarded extra.
So pathetic. There was nothing left of the celebrity I was supposed to be.
It was just like the past few years of my relationship with Julian.
Julian and I met at an award ceremony.
Back then, his acting was brilliant, he was dedicated, professional, and kind to everyone. I secretly admired him for a long time and confessed my feelings multiple times.
It wasn’t until the fourth movie we worked on together wrapped filming that he finally accepted my pursuit.
I knew he grew up in foster care and lacked a sense of security, so I was completely open about my finances and shared all my financial details and assets, and I was completely transparent about my schedule, giving him all the trust and security he needed.
In the beginning, our relationship was sweet and happy.
We often attended events together, hailed by the media as the model couple of the entertainment industry.
But after Sera returned from abroad, our conflicts grew daily.
Sera is my cousin; she and Julian attended the same performing arts academy and grew from green newcomers into popular stars.
Later, Sera got the chance to develop her career in Hollywood and abandoned Julian without hesitation.
Julian was heartbroken then and, during his career low point, accepted my invitation to work on a film. He used to say gratefully that my encouragement helped him rediscover his passion for acting. But as soon as Sera reappeared, he forgot all my sacrifices.
On our three-year anniversary, I booked a Michelin three-star restaurant. He, however, brushed me off, claiming he had to film, only to turn around and take Sera to that very restaurant.
They later posted romantic candlelit dinner photos on social media. I was so furious I confronted him.
“How could you have dinner with another woman? That was the place I specifically booked for us!”
He looked utterly annoyed at the time and snapped,
“Why are you so petty? It’s just dinner, why are you making such a big deal out of it?!”
Sera also feigned innocence, mediating between us,
“Aurora, Julian and I just have a professional working relationship. We were just practicing a scene that day. If it caused a misunderstanding, I’ll keep my distance from him in the future.”
Julian immediately flew into a rage, “Why should I cater to her? She’s such a high-maintenance drama queen, always making a scene!”
I was shaking with anger, but Julian’s fury was even greater than mine; he caused a huge commotion on set.
In the end, under pressure from the director, and to avoid affecting the filming schedule, I was the one who backed down first, going to his dressing room to apologize.
I pleaded and coaxed, and even agreed to take on some less desirable projects for him, before he finally calmed down.
Another time, Julian told me he was injured and asked me to bring some nourishing food. I thought he was badly hurt, so I specifically consulted a holistic practitioner and brewed a nutritious stew for four hours.
Braving a heavy downpour, I drove to the studio complex where he was. To save time, I ran a red light on the way and almost got hit by a big truck.
Although I managed to brake in time and avoided a crash, my car still skidded and hit the guardrail on the side of the road.
When passersby took me to the hospital, I was still clutching that insulated container tightly.
The doctor said I had a mild concussion, but I insisted on being discharged.
When I arrived on set, I saw Julian and Sera laughing and going over the script together. His “injury” was just special effects makeup, purely for the shoot.
Seeing my disheveled state, Julian showed no reaction, nonchalantly taking the insulated container.
Sera, however, gave me a meaningful look, a faint smile playing on her lips.
She complained, “What took you so long? Julian was practically starving by the time you arrived!”
“Oh, forget her. Come on, let’s eat…”
All these years, he repeatedly ignored me for Sera.
I tolerated and compromised again and again, until finally, I was utterly exhausted by love. But our wedding date was set, and after so many years of dating, my love for him had become a habit.
To maintain the relationship, I gave up many good roles, even turning down invitations from international acclaimed directors. But Julian didn’t seem to appreciate it. He always used work as an excuse to get involved in rumors with other actresses.
Every time I confronted him, he would put on an innocent act, saying it was all just publicity, for the buzz. I chose to believe him because I didn’t want to admit that all my efforts were in vain.
So I always fantasized that maybe our relationship would improve after marriage.
After we were married, Julian would perhaps realize my importance and curb his womanizing tendencies, and we would rediscover the feeling of when we first fell in love. But I failed.
He not only didn’t settle down, he even escalated,
Sleeping in the same bed with my cousin, Sera Reed, the night before our wedding!
It had come to this. I had no more illusions about him.
I had naively thought marriage would settle him down, but reality slapped me hard in the face. The man who once made my heart pound now left me with nothing but disappointment and a sense of strangeness.
Looking at my exhausted reflection in the mirror, I decided I wouldn’t waste another tear on someone undeserving.
I wiped away the tear stains with a cotton pad, adjusted my makeup in the mirror, making sure I still looked radiant. Taking a deep breath, I stepped into my luxurious apartment.
However, I never expected Julian to already be waiting for me there. He was sitting on my favorite leather sofa, looking at me apologetically, holding a large bouquet of roses.
The company had found a wedding home for us last year, but Julian had been unwilling to move in because the apartment was too far from Sera’s studio.
And the place we rented before was only a fifteen-minute drive from Sera’s studio. So, even though the new house had been renovated for over a year, it remained empty.
We had planned to move into the new house after the wedding, but now that the wedding was canceled, this place had no purpose.
So when I stepped into the living room and found Julian already there, my first question was: “What are you doing here?”
Julian’s expression instantly stiffened, but he quickly forced a smile and walked towards me. “Aurora Vance, can we talk?”
he said softly, a hint of plea in his eyes. “I just had my assistant order all your favorite dishes.” The dining table behind him was laden with exquisite food, the aroma wafting through the air.
“Even though you misunderstood me, I forgive you. I won’t hold it against you for canceling the wedding. Let’s just eat.”
If it were before, seeing Julian so humble, I would have softened and agreed, then we would have reconciled. But now, looking at him, I felt my heart growing colder and colder.
The man who once made my heart race now seemed nothing but hypocritical and ridiculous in my eyes.
“Julian Hayes, I made myself very clear today. We are broken up.” I said icily. His smile faltered, and his voice took on a hint of impatience.
“I already apologized to you, what more do you want?” For years, I had always been the one to coax him, so he couldn’t accept my cold words. His expression crumpled into one of self-pity.
“I even had my assistant prepare a table full of your favorite dishes. See, I rushed here so fast, I even left the company without–”
“Julian Hayes.” I cut him off. “Do you remember that I’m allergic to seafood?”
That table, besides the steamed lobster, also had abalone rice. I’m allergic to seafood; I can’t eat a single bite.
But Sera’s favorite food is seafood! Julian didn’t remember my preferences or allergies at all, but he knew all of Sera’s quirks inside and out. Or rather, it wasn’t that he didn’t remember; he just didn’t care about me.