We were on a reality show for couples, sitting around a campfire. The host asked the question that would end my marriage: "Among the three couples here tonight, who is your true ideal partner?" My husband, Finn York—the newly minted A-list actor—didn't hesitate. Right in front of my face, he pointed a finger at another man's wife: his high school sweetheart, Hailey Vance. My hand, half-raised to point at him, froze in mid-air. The awkwardness was suffocating. Finn looked completely unbothered. He smiled that charming smile and explained, "The whole point of this show is authenticity, right? So I have to follow my heart. I’m choosing my true ideal love." In an instant, every camera and every pair of eyes turned to me. I felt the mockery, the pity, and the hunger for drama prickling my skin like needles. That night, after filming wrapped, Finn didn't come to our tent. Instead, he boldly took Hailey’s arm and walked into the darkness, heading for the glamping tent under the stars. They were ready to enjoy their long-awaited reunion, reigniting an old flame. I was left standing alone on the windy edge of the Mojave Desert, clutching a wool blanket I had brought because I was afraid he’d get cold. After a long time, I pulled out my satellite phone and called my executive assistant. "For tomorrow's Academy Awards ceremony," I said, my voice steady, "replace my husband's highlight reel. I want the footage of his affair played on the big screen instead." "Consider the last five years the price of my blindness." 1 The second I hung up the phone, a cold sneer came from behind me. I turned around to see Hailey Vance standing there, shivering in a short skirt but looking triumphant. Her eyes swept over me with disdain. She looked at me like I was an ant she was about to crush. "Scarlett, what are you doing standing out here? You aren't planning to eavesdrop on us all night, are you?" Hailey’s tone was arrogant, dripping with malice. I clenched my fists but said nothing. Before this show, Hailey wasn't a stranger to me. Five years ago, when I met Finn, he was a nobody—an extra struggling to get a single line. We fell in love, or so I thought. Finn had told me about Hailey. She was the ex-girlfriend who dumped him when he was broke. Whenever he mentioned her, he would tear up, looking broken and vulnerable. Then he would hold me tight, begging me never to leave him like she did. I loved him so much back then. I reassured him over and over again. So, when I first found out Finn was cheating on me with Hailey, I couldn't believe it. He hated her. How could he be sleeping with her? But the truth doesn't care about my disbelief. It was right in front of me. Seeing my silence, Hailey stepped closer. "I’m not afraid to tell you the truth. I’m actually one of the investors for this show." "The reason I invited Finn is simple." "We needed some alone time. If you’re smart, you won’t interrupt us." Hailey poked my chest with a manicured finger as she spoke. I knew she was an investor. Two years ago, when Finn and I got married, Hailey sent a gift. It was a tiara encrusted with diamonds and a note: You will always be my Prince Charming. Finn threw a massive tantrum in front of me. He tossed the tiara into the trash without hesitation. I spent hours calming him down just so the wedding could proceed. Back then, I thought he truly loathed her. I forgot the oldest rule in the book: the opposite of love isn't hate; it's indifference. Hate is just love that’s lost its way. A week before this show started, I found that "trashed" tiara. It was sitting polished and pristine in Finn’s safe. He cherished it. My reason for joining this show was simple, too. I just wanted closure for the last five years of my life. My mind kept replaying the image of Finn holding Hailey, walking into her tent. He didn’t even glance at me. No explanation. Not a single word. It was as if I was a stranger. "If you want him so bad," I said, grabbing Hailey’s finger and twisting it slightly, forcing her to look at me, "why don't you get a divorce and marry him?" Hailey froze, then laughed—a loud, manic sound. "Scarlett Sterling, are you brain-dead?" "Why would I divorce my husband to marry him?" "I can sleep with him right now without all that hassle." As soon as she finished speaking, Finn’s impatient voice called out from the tent nearby. She yanked her hand away, grabbed something from her designer bag on the chair, blew me a mocking kiss, and sashayed into the tent. I saw clearly what she grabbed. A box of condoms. 2 Not long after Hailey entered the tent, the sounds began. Heavy breathing, low moans. In the empty silence of the desert night, it was impossible to ignore. I stood there, rooted to the spot. It was intentional self-torture. I wanted the wound to be ripped open so wide that it couldn't be ignored. Only then could I kill the hope and move on. As the sounds of Finn and Hailey grew louder, my mind drifted back to when we first met. Five years ago, outside a studio lot in LA. He was crying because an A-list actor had humiliated him. I was sitting on the curb, defeated because my startup couldn't secure funding. Two failures, meeting by chance. We bonded over our broken dreams. We became best friends, and then lovers. Finn’s road to stardom wasn't easy. At our lowest point, we lived in a basement apartment in the Valley, eating instant ramen for dinner every night. We’d finish the salty broth, lie on a mattress on the floor, and dream about the future. We’d cry together, and I’d hold him, promising him that one day, he’d be a star. Later, Finn started getting bigger roles. My company finally took off, becoming a media empire. Everything was getting better. Tomorrow was the Academy Awards. Finn was the favorite for Best Actor. I hadn't told him yet, but I was the majority investor behind the ceremony. I also hadn't told him that most of the roles he "auditioned" for and won were secured because of my influence. I wanted to surprise him tomorrow. It was supposed to be his big night, and our second wedding anniversary. What a joke. "Why are you still standing here?" A man's voice broke my trance. I turned to see Hailey’s husband, Julian Ford, standing a few feet away. With his back to the moonlight, he looked pale and ghostly. In a way, Julian was the only person who could understand how I felt. He sat down on a rock next to me. Surprisingly, he cracked a joke. "Locked out of your tent too?" I didn't know much about Julian. I knew the tabloids hated him. He was always painted as the villain, the "leech" living off Hailey’s family wealth. But after a few days on set, he seemed nothing like the rumors. "Your wife is in there with my husband," I said, confused. "Aren't you angry?" "Why should I be? Marrying her wasn't my choice anyway." He shrugged. "Honestly? I hope they hook up permanently. Maybe then my suffering will end." "And I won't have to be the scapegoat for Finn's scandals anymore." Julian told me the truth. All these years, Hailey and Finn never stopped talking. Whenever Finn had a scandal brewing—skipping school, bar fights, bullying allegations—Hailey would manipulate the press to pin it on Julian. I listened, feeling a knot form in my stomach. "If she treats you like that, why don't you divorce her?" "Maybe because... if I leave her, no one will even know I exist anymore. She has the power to erase me." Julian stared at the horizon. His eyes were the only bright things in the dark desert. We sat there all night, talking until sunrise. The next morning, Finn finally emerged from Hailey’s tent. When he saw me, his expression didn't change. No guilt. Just arrogance. He spoke like he was giving orders to an assistant. "Scarlett, if the producers ask, tell them you locked me out of the tent last night. Got it?" 3 There was a visible hickey on Finn’s neck. He looked refreshed. Anyone with eyes could tell what happened last night. The old Finn never spoke to me like this. He used to be gentle, a gentleman. I realized he changed after he landed his first blockbuster role. That was probably when he decided I was no longer worthy of him. "Why should I?" I asked calmly. "Why should I take the fall for your dirt?" Finn blinked, surprised I was pushing back. Before he could speak, Hailey stepped out, sneering. "Scarlett, don't bite the hand that feeds you. If it wasn't for Finn, you'd just be a nobody, a civilian." "If you're upset, how about this? After the show, I'll set you up with a livestream account. I'll toss you some traffic. Good enough?" She spoke like she was tossing a coin to a beggar. My expression didn't waver. I looked her dead in the eye. "What's wrong with being a nobody?" "At least a nobody doesn't have to deal with two pieces of trash polluting the air." Hailey’s smile vanished. Her face twisted into an ugly scowl. She marched toward me, raising her hand to slap me. "What did you say?!" Just as she swung, Julian appeared out of nowhere and stepped between us. He was pale, trembling, but he stood his ground. "Hailey, we're filming! Everyone is watching, you can't..." Smack. Before Julian could finish, Hailey slapped him across the face. Hard. It was so fast no one reacted. "Who do you think you are?! Trying to stop me?" Hailey scoffed, grinding her teeth. Julian’s cheek swelled instantly. He turned his head away, a single tear caught in his eyelashes. I grabbed his arm to steady him and glared at Hailey. "He's your husband! How can you hit him?" "Ha. You can't even control your own man, and you want to lecture me about mine?" Finn walked over and wrapped his arm around Hailey’s waist, as if her violence was completely justified. "Scarlett, if I were you, I'd shut up." "Unless you want a divorce." Finn narrowed his eyes, threatening me. He knew I loved him. He used that love as a weapon for years. He thought the word "divorce" would make me beg. But I didn't even look at him. My eyes were on Julian. Julian shook his head at me, signaling he was okay. "I'll take you to get some ice," I whispered to him. "Thank you." I turned to leave with Julian, but Finn wasn't done. "Scarlett! Are you listening to me?!" I stopped, but didn't turn around. "Fine. Let's divorce then." 4 Finn went silent. The only sound was his phone ringing. The Awards were tonight. It was probably his agent. Finn answered, grunted a few words, and hung up. His voice turned icy. "Scarlett, don't think playing hard to get will work." "You divorcing me? Yeah, when pigs fly." "Since you want to be ungrateful, don't bother coming to the ceremony tonight. Hailey is coming with me." I kept walking. I left Finn’s voice behind in the dust. Hailey’s slap had been brutal. Julian’s face was a mess. Judging by how practiced she was, this wasn't the first time. I finally understood why Julian had been so hesitant last night. He had been enduring this abuse for years in silence. I looked at this gentle, broken man and felt a surge of protectiveness. Julian looked down, smiling bitterly. "Great. Now Hailey is going to the Awards with your husband, and I'm going to get dragged online again for not being supportive." I put down the ice pack. "It's okay. I'll take you." Julian looked up, eyes wide. "You? But..." "If they don't care about reputation, why should we?" Julian looked terrified. I knew he was afraid of Hailey’s wrath. But eventually, he nodded. I called my assistant. An hour later, a stretch Rolls Royce pulled up to the dusty set. Julian’s jaw dropped. "I thought you were a civilian?!" "I never said I was broke." I shrugged and ushered him into the car. We stopped at a luxury spa to have a makeup artist cover his bruise with professional concealer. By the time we arrived at the Dolby Theatre, the red carpet was in full swing. We arrived just as Finn and Hailey were posing. The livestream comments were flying across the screen on the monitors. [Wait, Finn is married... why is he with Hailey?] [Does the show imply they are a thing now? Disgusting.] [It's definitely a PR stunt! The producers are sacrificing our Finn to boost some other couple!] I glanced at Julian. He was calm. He expected the hate. When we stepped onto the carpet, the photographers hesitated. The host looked bored. My face wasn't famous, and Julian was "the loser husband." We walked into the venue and bumped right into Finn and Hailey. "What are you doing here?! Scarlett, stop following me like a lost dog!" Finn’s voice was full of disgust. Even his handsome face looked ugly in that moment. I smiled. "We were invited. Just like you." Finn started to argue, but Hailey cut him off. "Forget it. With Julian's C-list status, they’re probably sitting in the nosebleeds. Let's not waste our breath." "Julian, bringing a nobody to the Oscars? Did you hit your head?" Hailey laughed, mocking us. Julian just smiled sadly and said nothing. They strutted past us, noses in the air. Julian tugged my sleeve. "Come on, our seats are probably in the back." I grabbed his wrist and pulled him toward the stage. "Nope. Follow me." I led him straight to the front row—the VIP section reserved for studio heads and top investors. We sat down directly in front of Finn and Hailey. "Scarlett, are you insane?!" Finn hissed from behind me. "Those are producer seats! Do you want to get kicked out by security? Don't drag me down with you!" Julian looked nervous. "Scarlett, maybe we should move..." "Sit," I said, squeezing his hand. I turned my head slightly, whispering to Finn. "Worry about yourself." Finn opened his mouth to curse me out, but the ceremony began. He had to fix his face for the cameras. I could feel his glare burning a hole in the back of my head. Finally, the category for Best Actor arrived. The spotlight hit Finn. On the big screen, he feigned surprise, hugged Hailey, and walked up to the stage. He looked triumphant, gripping the golden statue. He launched into his prepared speech. "I am so humbled. Thank you to the Academy." "I want to thank the person who stood by me, whose encouragement got me here." "She made me a better man." "And to my fans..." Before he could finish, a gasp rippled through the audience. Finn looked confused, but kept talking. Then he saw the look in my eyes. I was smiling. A cold, mocking smile. He realized something was wrong. Finn spun around to look at the massive screen behind him.
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