He had millions to spend, and he spent them all to launch his "Gilded Girl." The tabloids sneered, calling her a cheap copy of me—the "Substitutable Ex." But Liam Miller silenced the city. He stood before the flashes of a hundred cameras, shielding her, and told the world she was the one he’d always waited for. He said I was the counterfeit. So, when his "Gilded Girl" demanded to film her new reality show in my remote, sleepy hometown, Liam didn't hesitate. He signed the check with a smile. What none of them knew was that I hadn't just "retired." I had gone home to die. Chapter 1 The day Liam and his obsession arrived, I was lying in a lawn chair in my backyard, soaking up the pale afternoon sun. My friend Macy burst in, her eyes glued to her phone. "Olivia, you’re trending again." I felt a ghost of a headache. In the industry, four months is an eternity. I thought my disappearance had finally been bleached from the public’s memory. Liam had turned Mia’s debut into a national event. The hashtags were everywhere. Even Liam, a man who usually treated the press like a plague, was caught on camera smiling at her. He looked genuinely happy. Not forced. Not staged. But wherever Mia went, my name followed like a shadow. The "Billionaire and his Muse" trope never gets old—especially when one is a fallen star who vanished overnight, and the other is the childhood sweetheart he finally reclaimed. I logged into my long-abandoned Instagram. The comments were a bloodbath. “Why are you hiding, girl? Come back and fight for your man!” “She tried to play hard to get for years, but she was just a seat-warmer for the real Queen. Imagine being the backup for a decade. Pathetic.” “I bet her 'illness' is just code for being dumped and losing her sponsors.” I let out a soft, dry laugh. I pulled my cardigan sleeve down, hiding my arms—arms that were currently a roadmap of bruises and needle marks from the IVs. On the screen, Liam was shielding Mia from a swarm of paparazzi at JFK. He draped his designer coat over her shoulders, his hand gripping hers with a fierce, protective intensity. “Mr. Miller, can you comment on your relationship with the lady?” a reporter shouted. “Are you still in touch with Olivia? How do you feel about her sudden retirement due to ‘health issues’?” Liam’s voice came through the speakers, cool and detached. “Mia is my partner, and she always has been. She’s starting her career now, and I expect the industry to give her the respect she deserves.” He said so much, yet not a single word was for me. When my name was mentioned, his jaw tightened in a flicker of pure disgust. “But people are calling Mia ‘Olivia 2.0’!” the reporter pressed. “They say she’s just a placeholder for the aesthetic Olivia built. What’s your take?” Liam stopped. He looked directly into the lens, his eyes like ice. “I’ll say this once. If I hear anyone compare Mia to her again, my legal team will be in touch. Mia has never been a substitute.” “The only substitute in this story was Olivia.” Chapter 2 The internet exploded. Half the world thought Liam was a heartless prick; the other half thought I was a home-wrecker who finally got what she deserved. Macy watched me carefully, looking for a breakdown. I actually snickered. “I’m over it, Mace. Trust me. I’m just annoyed they’re making me a supporting character in their twisted little rom-com. It’s bad for my zen.” Liam was a man of action. He bought Mia every role, every billboard, every cover. He even skipped board meetings to sit through her rehearsals. But instead of a blockbuster, Mia chose a "back-to-basics" reality show. And she demanded it be filmed in my hometown—a tiny, fog-heavy coastal village in Maine. It was a petty, nonsensical request. But Liam agreed instantly. He ordered the production to revolve entirely around Mia’s whims. Fans caught on quickly. “Wait, isn't that Olivia’s hometown? Mia is savage.” “Probably just a coincidence. Stop reaching.” “Coincidence? In a village with one grocery store and no cell service? Mia’s basically hunting her.” I didn't care. I was a woman with an expiration date. I had nothing left to fear. Three days later, Mia showed up at my gate. She had a camera crew in tow, lenses practically grazing my skin. I wasn't used to the glare anymore. I instinctively raised my hand to block the sun. My sleeve slipped. The needle marks were visible for a split second. Mia stood behind the cameras, her eyes scanning me with cold triumph. “Is Olivia’s fan club watching?” she whispered, loud enough for the mics. “Come look at your idol. I almost didn't recognize her. She looks… haunting.” The live-chat scrolled at light speed: “Holy crap, she’s skin and bones. Is she on something?” “Look at her arms. Those aren't just 'health issues' marks.” “Stop being so gullible. Olivia was always a great actress. This is just her latest play for sympathy.” Chapter 3 I remembered the last time I "played" for sympathy. It was our second year. We’d been caught by the tabloids. To save his image, Liam turned our "arrangement" into a public relationship. When Mia found out, she called him crying from London. He spent hours soothing her, then turned that tenderness into a rage directed at me. My condition had flared up that night. I was terrified. I called him, begging him to come home. When he finally showed up, he looked at me—pale, trembling, and sick—with nothing but loathing. “Olivia,” he had said, “you should just go die in a corner somewhere and stop bothering us.” Well, he got his wish. Mia came back the next day. This time, she brought the King himself. Liam looked at me, his brow furrowing almost imperceptibly. “Are you that desperate for money? You look like a ghost.” I smiled. “Starving artist, Liam. Want to donate to the cause? I’ll pay you back in the next life.” He went to snap something back, but Mia interjected, clinging to his arm. “Liam, honey, you promised!” Liam cleared his throat. “The production team likes your house. They want to use it for the show. Name your price, but you have to move out by tonight.” My smile vanished. “No.” Mia scoffed. “It’s a shack, Olivia. We’re doing you a favor by even looking at it.” I ignored her, staring straight at Liam. “You know what this house means to me. It’s all I have left of my parents.” Mia nudged him. Liam’s eyes hardened. “It’s just a house. Don’t be dramatic. Just give me a number.” My heart did a strange, heavy thud, and then… silence. This was Liam Miller. For Mia, he would burn down the world. “Two hundred million,” I said. Chapter 4 Mia hit the roof. “Two hundred million? You’re insane! We could give you twenty grand and that’s being generous!” I didn't look at her. I waited for Liam. He watched me, his dark eyes unreadable. Suddenly, he stepped forward and grabbed my wrist. Before I could pull away, he shoved my sleeve up. The bruises and the needle tracks were laid bare for the cameras. I pushed him back, my face burning with cold fury. “You’re crossing the line, Liam.” He let out a sharp, mocking laugh. “Same old Olivia. Still a master of the fake-out. The makeup artist did a great job on those ‘needle marks.’ Very convincing.” “The money will be wired to you tonight. Be out by six.” Macy appeared from around the corner after they left, her eyes red. “Liv, why did you agree? They’re going to trash this place.” I showed her the bank notification on my phone. “Money talks, Mace. And I need it for the clinic bills.” Liam stayed in town. He stayed in a cottage not far from Mia’s set. One afternoon, I was at the local doctor’s office—Dr. Evans, Macy’s boyfriend—to get my shots. I ran into Liam and Mia at the entrance. Mia was leaning weakly against Liam, looking pale. She saw me and purposefully lunged forward, "accidentally" slamming her shoulder into my bruised arm. I gasped. The pain was white-hot. She didn't even apologize. She just muttered, “God, stop being such a drama queen.” Liam’s eyes never left Mia. He was too busy worrying about her "exhaustion." Later that night, Mia came to see me alone. “I want you gone, Olivia. Go somewhere Liam will never find you.” I looked at her, truly puzzled. “You’re the one who brought him here. You’re the one who chose my backyard. Why are you so insecure?” “You’re his childhood sweetheart, Mia. He told the whole world you’re his only love. So what are you afraid of? That he’ll realize I’m not just a ghost?” Her face contorted. “You have twenty-four hours. Otherwise, I’ll make sure your reputation is buried so deep you’ll never see the sun again.” I waited until she vanished into the night. Then, I pulled out my phone and stopped the recording. Mia was a fool. I had intended to let them have their fun and leave. But if she wanted to play dirty with a woman who had nothing to lose? Fine. Let’s play. Chapter 5 I sent the recording to Liam. His reaction was… complicated. He showed up at my door, looking like he’d been through a war. “How much for the recording?” he asked. “You need money. I’ll double what I paid for the house.” He was still protecting her. Typical. “Olivia, why did you leave without saying goodbye four months ago?” he asked suddenly. “I know the ‘illness’ was just a stunt to get my attention…” “It wasn't a stunt,” I said quietly. “I’m dying, Liam. For real.” He flinched, then sneered. “You’ve said that lie too many times. It’s lost its impact.” I turned my back on him. “Then we have nothing left to say. Get out.” He grabbed my arm again. I suppressed a scream of pain. “Is this another act? To make me feel guilty?” his voice was a whisper of frost. “You haven't changed at all. Still a liar. Still bitter.” I started laughing. I laughed until tears streamed down my face. What a life. My parents gone, my body failing, and the only man I ever loved was a monster who thought my death was a PR stunt. I felt the world tilt. My vision blurred. I collapsed into the dark.
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