At 11:59 PM, a new post suddenly appeared on the Instagram of Ham Mellark, the celebrated Oscar-winning actor. “Happy New Year, and ‘Hazel’ new year.” It was a seemingly ordinary New Year’s greeting. Yet, the comment section was filled with a sense of lingering heartache. “He put ‘Hazel’ in quotation marks. Even in the new year, are you still thinking of her?” “My ‘Jazel’ ship broke up two years ago. Is there still a chance for them to get back together?” “If you two can just reunite, I’ll do anything!” The post’s popularity soared, instantly hitting the trending topics. #JazelHeartbreak became the top trending hashtag. More and more shipping fans were reawakened, some even flooding my comment section with messages. “Hazel, please look back at Ham Mellark!” “Hazel, your relationship was so strong back then, you even had a joint couple’s account. I don’t believe you two are truly over!” “Can you respond to this trending topic?” I ignored them all, simply folding the advanced stage stomach cancer diagnosis report. A draft obituary, set to auto-post two months from now, sat in my account’s draft box. Let that be the response they’re looking for. 1. My young assistant clutched her phone, casting a cautious glance at me. “Ms. Miller, should we respond to this trending topic?” I let the makeup artist continue patting thick foundation onto my face. “Don’t bother.” After all, in two months, there would naturally be a response. The assistant stood her ground, unmoving. I knew she had more to say. Sure enough, after a moment’s hesitation, she spoke: “Ms. Miller, actually… I was a huge fan of you two as a couple. I still remember your wedding like it was yesterday…” Realizing she had said too much, she quickly stopped herself. “I just wanted to ask, do you truly feel nothing for Mr. Mellark anymore? Not even a tiny bit?” The makeup artist’s movements slowed slightly, as if waiting for my answer too. Scenes from the past flashed before my eyes: from our first meeting on set to the monumental wedding that shocked the entire entertainment industry. I smiled, my voice soft but firm. “No.” “Not a single bit.” The assistant looked somewhat disappointed. The makeup artist said nothing, simply exhaling a quiet sigh. My agent, Serena, pushed open the door and entered then. After a brief chat, she suddenly spoke with a complex tone: “Ham Mellark will also be at tonight’s script reading.” I hummed in acknowledgment. Serena paused, then continued: “If you need some time, I can speak with the director. We can skip tonight’s reading first…” “No need.” I cut her off, patting her hand reassuringly. “I’ll be there on time tonight.” Serena said nothing, and silence filled the room. I looked at everyone’s expressions, feeling a little helpless. Aside from the fact that I was dying, so many years had passed, and I had long moved on. Yet, everyone around me seemed more heartbroken than I was. I smiled, changing the subject. “Alright, for now, I just want to focus on this project.” After finishing my makeup, I went to the restroom and reached up to remove my wig. The woman in the mirror stared back, her head completely bald. The makeup, thick as a mask, was meant to conceal the mottled patches on my face from my illness, making me look like a ghost. But thankfully, I’d always worn heavy makeup since my debut, so no one would notice anything amiss. The only time my makeup was natural was at my wedding to Ham Mellark. Thanks to him, after that grand wedding, my long-maligned public image actually improved significantly. Back then, I thought I had finally overcome rock bottom and ushered in a new beginning. I never imagined it was merely stepping from one abyss into another. 2. At 7 PM, I arrived at the hotel precisely on time. My assistant suddenly rushed over to tell me that the supporting actress with whom I had scenes had been replaced by Iris Lane. Iris Lane, the actress I never got along with. “Wasn’t the casting decided a long time ago?” My assistant looked confused. “Serena asked, and they said… it was the investor’s decision.” She paused, then lowered her voice. “They also hinted that it might be because we’ve been ignoring Mr. Mellark on social media, making him angry…” Hearing that, I twitched the corner of my mouth. All these years, Ham Mellark hadn’t changed one bit. To make me compromise, he’d pull out all the stops, even if it meant hurting me. I took a deep breath. As I pushed the door open, everyone’s gaze instinctively turned in one direction. The man sat in the corner, thick script in his finely boned hands. The atmosphere hung heavy for a moment, then, with unspoken understanding, everyone averted their eyes. In the latter half of the script reading, I went to the balcony for some air. As I walked out, I saw Ham Mellark standing there. Seeing me, he nonchalantly put out the cigarette in his hand. I politely apologized. “Excuse me, I didn’t realize anyone was here. I’ll leave immediately.” Just as I turned, my arm was grabbed. “Been avoiding me for two years, still not enough?” Without thinking, I shook off his hand. Ham Mellark frowned, his tone chilling. “Hazel Miller, I told you, my patience is limited.” “If you keep this up, I’ll make you disappear from Hollywood for good!” I certainly believed he had that power. Hadn’t he almost succeeded back then? Endless scandals, trending topics that couldn’t be suppressed. I didn’t look at him, walking off the balcony without a backward glance. Just as I entered the restroom, a sudden metallic taste filled my throat. I vomited a large mouthful of fresh blood, my crimson lips making me look even more like a hanged ghost. A tissue was handed to me. I turned, meeting my assistant’s red-rimmed eyes. “Ms. Miller, let’s not do the reading, okay?” “Let’s go back and rest…” I was about to refuse when my assistant suddenly choked out, “I saw Mr. Mellark yelling at you. You’re already like this, and you still have to put up with this outside. Didn’t he love you the most back then? Why is he treating you like this too?” “Ms. Miller, why did you two break up back then?” I looked at her. After a long moment, I reached out and gently ruffled her hair. It wasn’t surprising she felt so heartbroken. Ham Mellark’s love for me back then had indeed been passionate and extravagant. He showered me with countless resources, elevating me from an unknown talent to a hugely popular star. Then, at the peak of my fame, he married me, openly declaring to the entire industry that he was my rock. Everyone said I was lucky, that Ham Mellark was my good fortune. If Ham Mellark hadn’t fallen for another girl, perhaps we would have been very happy. No arguments, no divorce. We might have had a beautiful baby, and my illness would still have been treatable. Alas, there are no ‘ifs.’ 3. My memory of Clara Belle isn’t very vivid anymore. I only recall first hearing her name when Ham Mellark complained, brows furrowed. He said this young actress had no talent and was stubborn, probably a troublesome signing. Gradually, he started saying Clara’s progress was slow but she was diligent enough. “Her parents passed away early; she’s been struggling on her own until now, she’s a pitiful soul.” I paused mid-bite, instinctively looking up at him. I remembered how Ham Mellark’s affection for me had begun—he pitied my struggles. He started pouring massive resources into Clara Belle. I casually asked if he was giving Clara too much attention. Ham Mellark smiled, pinching my cheek. “Hazel, I just think she’s like you in your early years, that’s why I want to help her.” The affection in his eyes was so genuine, I believed him. Until he gave a role I had worked so hard to get to Clara Belle. I confronted him, asking Ham Mellark why. He, however, looked at the papers in his hand, not even raising his head. “It’s just one role, don’t be so petty.” I wanted to say it wasn’t about being petty; this role was one I had immersed myself in over several sleepless nights. But Ham Mellark cut me off. His tone was cold, his eyes showing impatience. “You’ve already achieved so much. What’s wrong with giving some opportunities to younger people?” “Your journey wasn’t easy either. Why can’t you empathize with others?” The very empathy he once felt for my struggles now became a blade he used against me. My body trembled, fighting back tears, as I argued fiercely with Ham Mellark. Until I pulled out my phone, intending to delete the couple’s account we had managed together for five years. Ham Mellark, his face dark, stopped me. He called the director, telling him to give my original role back. After a moment of polite conversation, he suddenly changed his tone. “Isn’t the supporting role in this series still open?” “Give it to Clara Belle. She’s more suited for a resilient and strong character like that.” With that, he didn’t look at me again, turned, and stormed out of the office, slamming the door so hard it echoed. For the next week, we worked as usual, maintaining appearances. We continued to hold hands, attending various galas together. But the moment we were out of public view, Ham Mellark would immediately let go of my hand, as if I were something unclean. His schedule also became a secret from me; sometimes, I couldn’t reach him for a whole week. I updated our couple’s account every week. Fans commented below: “Why are all these photos from last month? Haven’t you taken any new ones recently?” I didn’t know how to reply. Because I hadn’t seen him in a month. That day, I went to Ham Mellark’s agent for the first time, begging him for half a day to disclose Ham Mellark’s itinerary. I immediately rushed over by car. All the way there, my heart pounded inexplicably fast. When I got out of the car, the strap of my high heel suddenly snapped, and my ankle immediately swelled up. I endured the pain, limping as I opened the door to Ham Mellark’s hotel room, where he was supposedly resting. In the dim, ambiguous light, Ham Mellark and Clara Belle were tangled on the bed, their clothes disheveled. The sounds rose and fell, crawling into my ears like insects. But in that instant, my love, my future, the fans who deeply loved the ‘Jazel’ pairing—all of this overshadowed my heartbreak and fury at being betrayed. I backed out of the door, separating myself and the paparazzi who had secretly followed me from their space of pleasure.
? Continue the story here ?? ? Download the "MotoNovel" app ? search for "394836", and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel