To cure the "false heir's" depression, my fiancée, Wendy Reed, who had sworn she would marry no one but me, secretly went and got a marriage license with him. In turn, I agreed to the arranged marriage my family had prepared, wedding the high-society heiress Riva Thorne, who had been secretly in love with me for years. For seven years of marriage, she loved me to the bone, her touch a constant presence every night, clinging to me as if she had a desperate case of skin hunger. I thought I had finally found happiness. Until one night, after we’d made love, I overheard her talking to her best friend. “Jules is a global superstar now. When are you dumping Jack?” “It doesn’t matter. Being with someone I don’t love is the same no matter who it is. Besides, I have to keep an eye on Jack, make sure he doesn’t mess with the happiness Jules has worked so hard for.” I opened her laptop in her study. In a hidden folder were over a hundred thousand photos of Jules Carter, and a hundred unsent love letters. No matter how lost I had been, it was time to wake up. I ordered a life-sized mannequin and planned a fire. From this day forward, through heaven and hell, our paths would never cross again. 1 After successfully ordering the necessary props online, I shut down the screen. In just three more days, according to my plan, I would vanish from Riva’s world forever. I turned, and my eyes met hers, sparkling with a smile. She had aired out the scent of her perfume outside, waiting until her own body was warm before daring to wrap her arms around me from behind. “Why aren’t you asleep yet?” The familiar warmth of her body, the embrace that had always been my greatest source of security, now sent a bitter ache through my heart. We had been married for seven years, and she loved me to the bone. Everyone in the elite circles knew that Riva Thorne, the great heiress, was utterly devoted to her husband. She told me it was love at first sight when we were children, that she had carried a torch for me for fourteen years. At our wedding, she had sworn her vows with tears in her eyes, saying that marrying me was like a dream come true. She knew my past. She used her family’s power to make life hell for the childhood sweetheart who had abandoned me, sabotaging Jules’s career to avenge me, claiming she hated anyone who had ever wronged me. Her performance was flawless. So flawless that even I, an award-winning actor, couldn't see the cracks. A bitter memory surfaced. In the throes of passion, she always liked to call me “Jules.” Jules, Jules, Jules. I, like a fool, thought she was calling for me, Jack. Now I knew. From the very beginning, she had been calling for him. I lowered my head, secretly wiping a tear from the corner of my eye. She didn't notice, continuing on her own. “Your… brother, won that big award. There’s an industry party tomorrow, but you should just stay home with me. I’m afraid seeing him will upset you.” I silently counted in my head. This was at least the hundredth time she had used an excuse like this to keep me from a social event. I used to think it was just her possessiveness, and I indulged her, even choosing to step back from my career at its peak. Now I knew the truth. It was all to clear the way for Jules. “I have a meeting with Director Lee tomorrow. He wants me to be the lead in his next film. I can’t miss it.” “It’s fine, we won’t go. I’ll smooth it over for you. Even if my husband never works another day in his life, I can support you.” But I had no desire for fame or fortune. I had once told her that starring in one of Director Lee’s films, earning the role on my own merit, was my lifelong dream. At the time, she had sworn she would support me in making that dream a reality. She hadn't forgotten. It was just that Jules wanted the role, too. So my dream had to become his stepping stone. Seeing my prolonged silence, she coaxed, “Jack, darling, let’s not be difficult, alright? We can go to parties anytime. Isn’t the time we have together more precious?” “The day after tomorrow is our seven-year anniversary. I promise I’ll give you a surprise you’ll never forget, okay?” I forced a smile. “Of course. And I’ll have a great gift for you, too.” The seven-year itch, Riva. We’re not going to make it. From now on, you’ll be on your own. Just you. My gift to you… is letting you go. 2 In the middle of the night, after Riva had fallen asleep in my arms, I couldn’t stop myself from getting up and going to the study. Her own words, the photos, the love letters on her computer—it was enough to shatter any hope I had left. But our seven years together weren’t a lie. We had so many sweet memories. I couldn’t let it go. I walked to the small safe by her desk. It was like Pandora’s box, mysterious and dangerous. I had asked her a few times, during our moments of intimacy in this very room, what she kept inside that was so precious. But she would always change the subject, never telling me the combination, only challenging me to guess. I had tried my birthday, her birthday, our wedding anniversary—all wrong. Now, with a trembling hand, I typed in Jules’s birthday. For the first time, I prayed I was wrong. The safe clicked open. My heart plummeted. Inside lay a pair of matching rings. Engraved on the inner band were the initials S.T. & J.C. Riva Thorne & Jules Carter. The style was old, but the rings were pristine, clearly cherished and meticulously cared for by their owner. All the strength drained from my body. A sharp, gouging pain tore through my heart. No matter how foolish I had been, the reality was now unavoidable. Riva had never, not for a single moment, loved me. The next day, for the first time, I defied Riva’s wishes and decided to go to the party. Her expression darkened, but she didn’t try to stop me. She only insisted, “You can go, but my Jack is so handsome, you have to stay by my side. If that brother of yours tries to bully you, I can protect you right away.” She acted like a loyal puppy guarding its master. But I knew she was just afraid I would leave her sight and steal Jules’s thunder. I had no intention of doing so. I was about to fake my own death. I just wanted one last chance to see the directors and writers who had helped me in my career. When we arrived, all eyes were on me and Jules. “The lead in Director Lee’s next film has to be Jack Vance. He’s got Riva Thorne backing him, and everyone knows he’s a phenomenal actor.” Hearing this, Jules stormed over to the group. “What makes you so sure? That role is mine!” The crowd scoffed. “You still have less experience than Jack. Don’t get ahead of yourself.” “Yeah, so what if he’s married to Wendy Reed? We’re talking about the Thorne family here. It’s obvious who’s getting the resources.” “Right? You won one little award. A little humility would do you good.” Jules was practically hopping with rage. “You people! Just you wait, I’ll make you eat your words!” He shot me a venomous look. “Some people can enjoy their moment for now. We’ll see who’s humiliated later! Hmph!” He then shoved me, hard. I stumbled, my knee cracking against the corner of a table. The pain brought tears to my eyes. But Riva, who had promised to protect me, acted as if she had seen nothing, letting his actions slide. I lowered my gaze, trying to ignore the bitter sting in my heart. Suddenly, the lights in the banquet hall dimmed. It was time to announce the film’s true leading man. “Let’s give a big congratulations to Jules Carter!” “And a special thank you to the billion-dollar-box-office screenwriter, ‘Sylvie,’ for her support! She has generously waived her fee for this script and even invested three hundred million dollars, all to ensure that Jules could star in her new film. Because he is her one and only leading man, her muse!” Jules took the stage, grabbed the microphone, and looked down on the crowd, his voice dripping with scorn. “Jack Vance. After all these years, you still can’t win against me.” “Loser!” Jules stood in the spotlight, the center of everyone’s universe, shining and triumphant. I looked at Riva beside me. She was holding my hand, but her eyes were filled with unadulterated joy for him. My own eyes darkened. I laughed bitterly to myself. Yesterday, in her study, I had accidentally seen the manuscript by ‘Sylvie.’ The title page read: “To my one and only leading man, Jules.” Sylvie… was Riva. It was the love she could never speak aloud. Even though I had expected it, seeing it play out before my eyes still sent a dull, throbbing ache through my chest. Director Lee walked over to me, his voice a low comfort. “Don’t worry about it, kid. There will always be a place for you in my films.” I shook my head with a sad smile. “Thank you for your kindness, Director. But I’m afraid… there won’t be another chance.” 3 Riva, feigning ignorance, snuggled into my arms. “I’ll fund a few movies for you to play around with, how does that sound?” “I have a surprise for you tonight on the waterfront. Having my love is more important than any leading role.” I stretched my lips into a smile. Words that once sounded like honey now tasted like cloying, expired sugar. But to avoid suspicion, I forced myself to swallow them. “Okay.” After expressing my gratitude to Director Lee and the other industry veterans, I made to leave early. She dismissed the driver, planning to take me for a drive herself. But the second before she started the car, a message lit up her phone. I glanced over. I recognized the number. It was Jules. Her expression changed instantly. She looked at me, hesitant. “Jack, something urgent came up at the office. Would you mind going to the waterfront by yourself?” I froze for a second, then smiled. “It’s fine. You go take care of business.” She pressed a quick kiss to my lips and hurried back towards the banquet hall. I started the car, but not in the direction of the waterfront. I drove back to our villa. The rest of my time would be spent preparing for tomorrow. I gathered all the memories of my time with Riva. The digital ones, including the backups in the cloud, I permanently deleted. The physical ones, I prepared to burn. Suddenly, an anonymous text popped up on my phone. The first thing I saw was a photo of a drunk Riva, sleeping beside Jules. 【She has a sensitive stomach, but she still drank herself sick to protect me. You’re not mad at me, are you, brother?】 【The truth is, even though she publicly opposes me and steals my resources for you, she secretly compensates me a hundred times over. Do you know why?】 【Did you know Riva has been my little follower since we were kids? She’s always loved me. Marrying you was just to keep you in check!】 【You didn’t really think someone would just love you for no reason, did you?】 【She says every night, she has to imagine it’s me to even go through with it. She even said you’re just second-hand goods she didn’t want, that you didn’t even save your first time for her. Disgusting!】 The messages came in a relentless flood. My heart remained a placid lake. I just worked faster, packing my things. After moving the mannequin into the bedroom and ensuring it would burn completely, I doused the house in gasoline. I forwarded all of Jules’s texts to the most notorious paparazzi team in the entertainment industry, then snapped my SIM card in half and tossed it into the bushes. I pressed the ignition button and walked away, towards the distant horizon. The path ahead was dark, but that was fine. I knew I would eventually walk into the dawn. On the other side of town, Riva was completely oblivious. She looked down at Jules, her tone tinged with an unconscious reprimand. “What are you doing here? Tomorrow is my anniversary with Jack. This will make him suspicious.” Jules’s eyes reddened. “Are you blaming me?” Riva panicked. “No, that’s not what I meant. I’m sorry, Jules.” He crossed his arms and let out a small huff, a grudging acceptance. A call from her head housekeeper came in. Riva frowned and silenced it. After this happened a dozen more times, she finally realized something was wrong. “What is it?” “Ma’am, it’s terrible! Sir… he… he set the house on fire and killed himself!” “We tried to fight the fire, but… there was nothing we could do.”
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