A top-tier Manhattan billionaire gave a highly serious financial interview, but a whimsical painting hanging on his wall ended up going viral. When the reporter asked about it, he humbly replied, "My wife painted it." That very night, a popular young actress painted on her livestream, acting coy: "Oh, he just blurts everything out! So embarrassing~" I was utterly confused. Wait, didn't I paint that? 01 Grayson Pierce, the titan of the New York business world, was trending everywhere today. It all started with an interview. During an incredibly serious, high-stakes financial interview, the artwork hanging on the wall behind him was decidedly... unserious. It was a painting of a few water lilies. Crystal-clear dewdrops rolled along the edges of the round lily pads, looking incredibly lifelike and on the verge of falling. Normally, a masterpiece of such exquisite skill would be accompanied by a profound, classical poem. But this painting went the exact opposite route. It featured a rather humorous, modern limerick: [Let them be mad, I'll stay glad. Stress won't pay my doctor's bill!] The cameraman was clearly captivated by this bizarre masterpiece, accidentally focusing the lens on the painting several times. The reporter was no exception. As the interview drew to a close, she gathered her courage to ask about it: "I noticed the painting on your wall is quite interesting. May I ask which master artist created this piece?" Grayson humbly replied, "My wife painted it." The reporter immediately praised, "Your wife must be an incredible artist!" "No, she's an actress." The reporter was even more surprised. "Which actress?" "She won't let me say." A faint, doting smile played on the billionaire's lips. "When she finally decides to give me an official title, I'll tell you." Just like that, Grayson Pierce's "obsessed wife-guy" persona exploded across the internet. [Handsome, filthy rich, and obsessed with his wife. Please tell me, does this man have any flaws?] [Being married is his only flaw.] [I don't recognize him. Who is this guy?] [He's the current CEO of the Pierce Empire. He's always been super low-profile. I don't know why he's suddenly flexing so hard.] [Blind guess: it's for his wife. He's probably investing in Hollywood just to protect her career, right?] [OMG! A romance novel coming to life!] [Am I the only one who wants to know who his wife is? She's an actress!] [Is it Aubrey Sinclair? Isn't she the 'Princess of Manhattan'?] [Only her delusional fans believe she's the 'Princess of Manhattan'. Do you honestly think she could even get a word in with the real New York elite?] [I think it's A-list actress Quinn. Haven't the tabloids been saying she's secretly married?] Watching the comments section name-drop every famous actress in Hollywood without ever mentioning me... I secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Being a D-list nobody definitely had its perks. I was just about to text Grayson, warning him to watch his mouth in the future, when my manager, Harper, snatched my phone away. "The show is about to start. Get ready." I pressed my lips together and abandoned the idea of contacting him. 02 The show I was about to go on was a live-streamed variety show. The concept was simple: The celebrity guests would make a gift live on set, choose a recipient, and then personally deliver it to their door. Because the live gift-delivery segment had produced so many iconic, unscripted moments, the show had skyrocketed to become the hottest live variety program of the year. Before the broadcast even started, nearly a million people were already waiting in the stream. Harper whispered to me from the sidelines: "I didn't know Aubrey Sinclair was going to be here today. But don't be afraid of her, and ignore whatever her toxic fans say. Let's just do our job well today. Don't start trouble, but don't back down either, okay?" I nodded. She patted my shoulder. "You've got this." The livestream quickly began. The camera swept across the guests as the host interviewed and introduced them one by one. When it was my turn, the tone of the live chat drastically changed. [Why does this show invite just anyone?] [Who is this girl? Just looking at her annoys me.] [It must be so hard for Aubrey to share a stage with someone like her.] Aubrey Sinclair actually spoke up to "defend" me: "Guys, don't say that! Chloe and I are actually really good friends." I looked at her, saying nothing. If I didn't know her true colors, I really would have thought she was the sweet, kind-hearted angel her fans claimed she was. Aubrey hated me. More than once, she had subtly encouraged her fans to cyberbully me. All because a male actor she had a crush on publicly confessed his feelings for me. Whenever I thought about that, I felt incredibly wronged. I barely knew that actor, Ashton Cole. We had hardly exchanged a few sentences. Yet, on a talk show, he publicly declared I was his ideal type. That move not only made Aubrey hate me, but it also knocked over the vinegar jar at my house. Grayson pinned me to the bed, interrogating me about my history with Ashton. But what history was there? I racked my brain, trying desperately to recall and repeat every single mundane sentence I had ever spoken to the guy. Grayson remained unsatisfied, letting out a dark chuckle. "You remember it all so clearly, huh?" And then came round after round of absolute torment. I really didn't want to endure another exhausting, back-breaking night like that, so I publicly stated that I didn't like Ashton. But somehow, Aubrey seemed to hate me even more after that... I genuinely couldn't understand her brain circuitry, so I just silently tried to stay away from her. But the live chat wouldn't let me off the hook. [This woman is so rude! Aubrey is talking to her!] [I'm seriously going to cry from how frustrating she is!] [What is wrong with Ashton's eyes? He ignores Aubrey for HER?] [This woman just knows how to seduce men. Look at that foxy face. Our Aubrey doesn't have her manipulative schemes!] [Ahhhh! What a pity for my Ashton & Aubrey ship!] The show quickly transitioned into the gift-making segment. The camera focused on Aubrey. The host stood beside her, asking, "What is Aubrey going to give tonight?" "I'm going to give a painting." "And who is it for?" Aubrey smiled shyly. "You'll all find out in a bit~" She picked up her brush and dipped it in ink. With a few shallow strokes, a graceful, elegant water lily leaped onto the paper. The live chat instantly boiled over! [Wait, why does this water lily look familiar?] [Hint: One word. Pierce.] [Right?! Isn't this the exact same one from the billionaire's study?] [Oh my god! So Aubrey really is Mrs. Pierce!] Aubrey looked up innocently. "Hmm?" To help clear her confusion, the host directly pulled up the clip of Grayson's interview and played it on the studio's main screen. After watching it, Aubrey blushed deeply. "Oh my, why does he just blurt everything out? It's just that our two families have intentions of an arranged marriage. Nothing specific has been finalized yet." [HOLY SH*T! What did I just hear?] [Key takeaway: It's not finalized yet, but the billionaire is already publicly calling her his wife!] [Our Aubrey is just too lovable.] [Billionaire Pierce is so impatient! He can't wait to let the whole world know Aubrey is his wife!] [Hahahaha I'm officially shipping the Pierce x Sinclair CP starting today!] Aubrey spoke gracefully, "Please don't laugh at us~" Then, whether intentionally or not, she added a few words beside the painting. [Why stress and make a fuss? It’s not worth the mental strain for us.] The Live Chat: [Those are the last two lines of the limerick!] [I'm 100% sure the painting in the billionaire's study was done by Aubrey! And I'm sure Aubrey is going to give this painting to Billionaire Pierce later!] [Is she planning to give him a whole series?] [I don't understand you lovebirds and your little inside jokes.] [So romantic!] [Is it because Billionaire Pierce publicly demanded a title, so Aubrey is planning to go public too?] Aubrey never gave a direct response to the chat's speculations. I couldn't help but ask, "Did you really gift the painting in Grayson Pierce's study?" Aubrey raised her eyes to look at me. Her expression was haughty. "If I didn't give it to him, did you?" [Exactly! This woman is so annoying, asking a question she already knows the answer to!] [Did the show invite her just to piss us off?] [Is the brain on her shoulders just for decoration?] I forced myself to hold back, but I just couldn't swallow this insult. I nodded and admitted it. "Yes, I gave it to him." The entire studio fell into a stunned uproar! 03 [This woman really just opens her mouth and spits out lies!] [Look at the expression on her face. Could she actually be telling the truth?] [Anyone can make up a lie. I could say I gifted it too.] [Right! This woman just loves to steal. First, she stole Ashton from Aubrey, and now she's trying to steal Aubrey's title as Mrs. Pierce!] [She's so pathetic.] The live chat was furious. They even started universally spamming [Chloe Vance get out of Hollywood!] across the screen. Aubrey smiled faintly and looked at me. "Is it really from Chloe?" Her face displayed the perfect amount of confusion. "Then, does that mean you're the 'wife' Brother Gray was talking about?" Even though this wasn't the time to be jealous, I still felt a twinge of sourness at her calling him "Brother Gray." That dog, Grayson Pierce! When did he get tangled up with Aubrey Sinclair?! I looked her straight in the eye. "I am." She let out a light laugh. It was the kind of silvery, bell-like laugh her fans always praised, but to my ears, it sounded like nails on a chalkboard. "But I haven't heard that Brother Gray is already married." Her expression was innocent, yet seemingly wronged. "Where exactly did Chloe meet Brother Gray?" The chat was easily swayed by her rhythm. [Isn't it obvious? She's making it all up!] [Aubrey is such a pure, innocent cutie. I really don't understand how someone with her personality survives in the entertainment industry!] [Guys, one calls him 'Brother Gray', the other calls him 'Grayson Pierce'. The level of closeness is pretty obvious, right?] [Chloe is just a habitual homewrecker!] [The way she shamelessly admits it is so obnoxious!] [My heart aches for Aubrey!] Aubrey acted like a child who had finally found someone to back her up after being bullied. In a flash, her eyes reddened, and she even tried to soothe the chat: "Guys, please stop. Chloe definitely didn't do it on purpose." The live chat went even more insane. Like a sweeping machine gun, they blasted me from head to toe. The situation was spiraling out of control. The producers stepped in to maintain order, announcing a ten-minute break. The moment the cameras turned off, everyone in the studio rushed over to comfort Aubrey. My manager, Harper, pulled me into a corner. "What is going on?! How did you drag Grayson Pierce into this? We seriously cannot afford to mess with him. Let alone you, even the CEO of our agency wouldn't dare lift his head to speak in front of him." Bringing this up only made me feel more wronged. "I really am Grayson's wife!" Harper stared at me, her jaw hitting the floor. I scrolled through my phone looking for evidence. My chat contact name for him was "Dog Man," and his call log name was "Needy Hubby." Neither of those proved his identity. Blame it on me being too cautious normally! Left with no other choice, I opened my hidden photo album. Inside was a digital scan of my marriage certificate with him. I zoomed in on the picture and showed it to Harper. "Do you believe me now?" Harper was completely paralyzed. She stood there, dumbfounded, for a full minute before finally squeezing out, "With a background this massive, why are you slumming it in Hollywood with me?" She made me laugh. "Then from now on, you'll be rolling with me." 04 The marriage certificate acted as a tranquilizer for Harper. She grabbed my hand to discuss a counter-strategy. Before we could figure out a plan, her phone rang. On the other end was the agency's CEO, exploding with rage. "How are you managing your artists?! Chloe has no brain, but do you lack one too?! Do you not know who Grayson Pierce is? You just let her spout whatever nonsense she wants?!" "Boss, I—" "I don't want to hear your excuses! I just want you to fix this! If this isn't resolved by tomorrow morning, both of you can pack your bags and get the hell out!" He hung up. Harper and I looked at each other. Harper asked me, just to be absolutely sure, "You really are Mrs. Pierce, right?" "100% genuine." Only then did she relax, and she shared her master plan with me. Originally, my idea was that as soon as the cameras turned back on, I would just slap the marriage certificate on the table. I wasn't going to swallow this insult. But Harper thought that method wasn't dramatic enough. And it wouldn't completely crush Aubrey. She whispered her plan into my ear. I nodded in realization and slowly gave her a thumbs-up. The production team announced the countdown to go back live. Harper patted my shoulder. "The rest is all up to you." The cameras rebooted, and the live chat was still furious. The number of concurrent viewers in the livestream had multiplied. That was when I found out "Aubrey's beautiful tears" had made it to the top of Twitter's trending page. Public opinion was completely one-sided. All the new viewers in the livestream were here to cancel me. I thought to myself, The more people, the better. A bigger audience makes exposing Aubrey's true colors that much sweeter. "I apologize for losing my composure just now, and thank you all for your concern. My gift is finished; it's a painting." Aubrey displayed her water lily painting to the camera. The chat was filled with praise. [Aubrey is so emotionally stable!] [If I were her, I'd be furious for three days straight after being wronged like that!] [It's just billionaire elite basics. Aubrey has taken emotional management classes since she was a kid.] [Not gonna lie, she paints really well!] Perhaps because there were so many people in the chat, voices of doubt began to slowly emerge. [Wait, does anyone else think the handwriting doesn't look like the one in the billionaire's study?] [The water lilies look a bit different too.] [Is the handwriting you use when you're mad the same as when you're happy?] [Please, haters, go read a book! You can't step into the same river twice, and you can't paint the exact same painting twice, OK?] The chat started arguing over the similarities of the painting. But the gift-making segment continued, and the camera quickly cut to me. I effortlessly picked up my brush. I recreated the exact painting from Grayson's study onto the paper, right down to the exact lettering of the limerick. The chat went feral. [This woman is such a clout chaser!] [But wait... this painting actually looks way more like the original!] [Holy sh*t! Could that painting actually have been a gift from Chloe?] [Do you guys understand the difference between tracing and an original creation? She's clearly just copying it!] [My heart aches for Aubrey, getting tangled up with a psycho like this.] [Does she have some kind of mental illness?] The host asked me at that moment, "Chloe, this painting is quite intriguing. Who are you planning to give it to?" I watched the expression on Aubrey's face and deliberately said ambiguously: "I'm giving it to my Mr. Pierce." 05 The expression on Aubrey's face was instantly spectacular. She feigned composure. "Does Chloe really know Brother Gray? "If you're actually involved with him, then I'll call my family right now and tell them I refuse to go through with the arranged marriage." She spoke with a mix of grievance and stubborn pride. "I don't want a man who is two-timing." [Ahhhhh no, don't do it!] [Chloe is obviously just putting on a show for you, Aubrey! Don't fall for it!] [Where did all the people who believed her go? Come out and explain how a D-lister like Chloe could ever meet a titan like Grayson Pierce?] [Exactly! Mrs. Pierce? Don't make me laugh. If she really had Grayson backing her, would she be struggling this much in Hollywood?] [I heard someone stole her role recently and she didn't even dare make a peep. And you're telling me she's Mrs. Pierce?] [She's lying through her teeth!] [I suddenly really want to see Aubrey make that call and cancel the marriage. Billionaire Pierce loves her so much; if he loses his wife, he'll definitely burn the city down for her!] [Upvote +10086. Chloe is gonna be screwed then.] I kept Harper's "push and pull" principle in mind and said deliberately, "Huh? But he never told me he was going to have an arranged marriage. "The Pierce family shouldn't really need to arrange marriages, right?" I mimicked her tone. "Are the Grayson you're talking about and the Grayson I'm talking about really the same person?" [She makes a good point. Why would the Pierce family need an arranged marriage?] [It's a power alliance between two ultra-wealthy families. You poor people wouldn't understand.] [You fans are the ones who don't understand. That's the Pierce family!] [Everyone knows that marrying into the Pierce family is never a 'power alliance'. It's always considered marrying up!] [Then let's hear Chloe explain how she hooked up with Grayson Pierce!] The host stepped in to take control of the situation. "Is it really the same person? Let's look forward to the upcoming gift-delivery segment!" He looked around the set playfully. "Our guests can now call their intended recipients to confirm their location before heading out to deliver their gifts!" Aubrey offered graciously, "Since Chloe is in such a hurry, you can call first." Instantly, every eye in the studio was glued to my phone. I didn't flinch. Under the intense pressure, I dialed "Needy Hubby." One ring, two rings... five rings later, there was still no answer. I mentally cursed my dog of a husband for dropping the ball at the most critical moment. After hanging up, I dialed his work number. This time, it rang until the automated voicemail picked up. Grayson still didn't answer. Aubrey smiled at me. "No one answering? Let me try." As she confidently dialed, I saw the live chat explode with mockery aimed at me. [Oh my god, this is too embarrassing!] [She even saved him as 'Needy Hubby'. Who's the needy one here?] [If you ask me, Chloe would have had better luck calling me. At least I would've picked up!] [Sis, drop the act. You're digging your own grave.] Just as I was feeling lost and anxious, the screen suddenly lit up with an incoming call from "Needy Hubby." I exclaimed excitedly, "He's calling back!" Aubrey looked over, her expression anxious. I hastily pressed answer. From the other end of the line came Grayson's deep, rich, and velvety voice: "Wife, did you miss me?"
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