After the accident, the doctors insisted I had amnesia. But I remembered everyone who came to visit me. Well, almost everyone. I remembered everyone except the Hollywood A-lister, Carter Hayes—the very star I had bankrolled into fame. So, I pulled all my funding and investments from his projects. I even started publicly shipping him with his on-screen romance. The internet cheered, congratulating Carter for finally escaping the clutches of the "spoiled East Coast heiress." But in a corner where no one could see... He was begging me, "Sienna, can't you just try to remember how it felt to love me? I swear I'll do better this time." 1 After the car crash, the doctors were absolutely certain I had amnesia. Yet, every single person who came to visit me, I recognized perfectly. The doctor was a top-tier neurologist, one of the best in the country. Faced with my skepticism, he remained steadfast. "Ms. Sterling, I assure you, you are definitely missing a piece of your memory." I sat in my hospital bed, hugging my laptop, complaining to my best friend, Chloe, and my childhood friend, Liam. "This doctor is just trying to cover his bases. I’ve seen everyone I’m supposed to care about these past few days. If there was someone so important missing, wouldn't you guys know who it is?" Chloe fell silent and exchanged a long look with Liam. Liam seemed lost in thought for a second before a slow, amused smile spread across his face. "Exactly," Liam said. "If you remember everyone you're supposed to, what kind of amnesia is that?" We all agreed. It was time for me to check out of the hospital. 2 Today was discharge day. Suddenly, an uninvited guest burst into my VIP suite. He looked travel-worn, his handsome face etched with exhaustion, like he had been flying across the country just to get here. Seeing me in my hospital gown, he froze in the doorway, his expression darkening. "Sienna, I'm late." "I didn't know this time... it was real." "I'm sorry." The guy's sorrow seemed so genuine, and that broken, brooding look elevated his already incredible face to another level. He was exactly my type. Blinded by his good looks for a moment, I didn't think too deeply about the implications of his words. "It's fine, it's fine. Come on in, it's drafty in the hallway." Perhaps sensing my friendly tone, the tension in his eyes eased a bit. But then he pushed his luck. He actually stepped forward and grabbed my arm. "How are your injuries?" Even though he was gorgeous, I hate being touched by strangers. I frowned and pried his fingers off my arm. "My injuries are fine, but... do we know each other?" The room fell dead silent. He stood up straight, looking at me with a bizarre expression, his perfectly shaped eyebrows knitting together. "Sienna, are you still mad at me?" "I admit, going to London was a sudden decision, and I didn't discuss it with you. But this isn't the time to throw a tantrum. I took a red-eye flight back here. I'm exhausted. Stop playing games, okay?" He spoke with such conviction, using my first name like we were close. He didn't act like a stranger at all. Besides... he managed to get in. The trained security guards outside my door hadn't stopped him. That meant he must be someone I knew. Before he could finish his lecture, a sudden realization hit me. I hit the nurse call button. It felt like I had just figured out the twist in a murder mystery, and I was oddly thrilled. "Hold the discharge papers! I think the victim of my amnesia just walked in!" 3 Chloe, who had been out finalizing my paperwork, rushed back into the room. She first glared at the two security guards who were standing there awkwardly, cursing them out. "Why are you letting any random stray dog into this room?" Then, like a fiercely protective mother bear, she stepped between me and the guy. "Carter Hayes, do you have no shame?" Chloe comes from a long line of Ivy League academics; she’s pure old money. Hearing her swear, I sat up straighter. I realized this situation was more complicated than I thought. "I was overseas for the past two days. I only had time to check the news yesterday and realized the car crash wasn't a stunt," Carter said, standing under the harsh fluorescent lights. The cold light highlighted the obvious regret in his dark eyes. But judging by Chloe's reaction, he wasn't exactly a good guy. "Get out. The kid is grown, and now you want to be a dad? The revolution is over, and you're still waving the old flag. What does this have to do with you? Stop acting like you care!" Chloe sneered, clearly not done. She pointed a finger right at his face, backing him toward the door. "Who do you think you're fooling? You went overseas just to accompany that weak, manipulative little childhood sweetheart of yours to her classes, didn't you?" "What, did she pretend to be sick again so you'd run to her?" Carter, who had been silent, looked like a nerve had been struck. His expression instantly darkened. "Watch your mouth. I make my own decisions. Maya hasn't done anything to you. If you have a problem, take it out on me." "I was waiting for you to say that." "I’ve been dying to teach you a lesson, you ungrateful prick." The voice answering Carter didn't belong to Chloe. It was a lazy, arrogant male voice. Liam, whom I had sent downstairs to grab a package, had materialized in the doorway at some point. He was born with a silver spoon in his mouth and lived life exactly how he wanted. Before Carter could even react, Liam dropped his easygoing smile and threw a hard punch right at Carter's face. Liam is a fitness fanatic. He’s built like a tank, with a ridiculously low body fat percentage and terrifying strength. Accompanied by Chloe's delighted laughter... Carter Hayes hit the floor. 4 I was successfully discharged. Carter Hayes was admitted. On the ride home, I relentlessly pestered Chloe for details. She remained stubbornly tight-lipped about everything involving Carter. But I knew how to use Google. Even though I wasn't entirely sure how to spell his last name at first, the moment I typed "Carter H", his name popped up as the top suggested search. It made sense if he was a celebrity. And honestly, if he needed it, throwing some resources his way wouldn't have been a big deal. After all, Liam had beaten him up without asking questions. And Carter hadn't pressed charges. If this had escalated to the police, Liam's dad would have grounded him, and Liam would have whined to me about it endlessly. Giving Carter a few roles as a thank-you for keeping quiet would have been an easy fix. As I scrolled, I saved a few photos of him to my phone—he was definitely my type visually. That was, until I started seeing my own name pop up frequently in his comment sections and fan forums. My smile froze. 5 [Dying from the cuteness... You guys, look at these photos a fan took in the UK of Carter and Maya walking on campus from behind! [Don't judge me, but I'm kind of glad the 'Plague' got into a car crash and was hospitalized. Otherwise, when would Carter ever have a moment to breathe and visit Maya?] [Watching the Plague chase after Carter for years, I felt nothing. But seeing the elite, sophisticated vibe of Maya standing next to him actually makes my heart ache. Only the true girlfriend can make a toxic solo-fan break down.] [Everyone chill out. What if the Plague wakes up from her crash and gets so mad she shuts down our fan page? She’s a top-tier East Coast heiress with massive industry connections, remember?] [Honestly, I think you guys are being too mean to Sienna. She’s a big reason why Carter was able to fight his way to the top and stand before us today. They're both women, why pit them against each other?] [LMAO, get out of here you gold-digging apologist. Why should we feel sorry for the Plague? She used her money to tear apart young lovers and forced Carter to be with her! If the genders were reversed, the comments would be destroying her.] ... It took me a minute to process it. I was the "Plague" his fans wanted to burn at the stake. The comments revealed way too much information. I had the gist of it now. Shocked, I immediately locked my phone, bolted out of my house, and went straight to Chloe's. I needed the full story. 6 "So you're telling me, I used to be this unhinged over a guy named Carter?" After listening to Chloe’s two-hour, non-stop, highly animated recap, I was dumbfounded. I had actually thrown a drink at a business partner in public, just for Carter. Was this guy cursed? I furiously deleted the photos I had just saved and unfollowed him on Instagram. Because my emotions were now involved, that face I had thought was stunning ten minutes ago suddenly looked bland. Honestly, he wasn't even as good-looking as Liam. Chloe's throat was dry from talking. She chugged a glass of water, looking exasperated. "You get amnesia, and I have to be the one to relive all these toxic memories. It's not fair." This was the first time I actually felt the weight of having amnesia. When I tried to access those memories in my brain, there was just a bizarre, empty void. "So I really threw my weight around, acted like a bully, and played the homewrecker who tore apart childhood sweethearts?" "Yeah, right," Chloe slammed her water glass down on the glass table. "That little hypocrite Maya rejected Carter at first because he was poor. She never accepted his feelings. It was only after you threw millions at him and made him a star that she came running back. How does that make you the homewrecker?" She glared at me. "You're giving yourself too much credit! The way I see it, you were just the ultimate sugar mommy getting played." It was hard to believe I had done something so stupid. I forced down my nausea and summarized the situation. "So I spent my money and energy turning him into an A-lister, and he turns around and dates his childhood crush, getting both the career and the girl, while I get nothing?" "Not entirely nothing," Chloe patted my shoulder. "At least you got a terrible reputation out of it." Um... okay. What a spectacular return on investment. 7 A week passed, and the internet was still cursing my name. I figured it out: fans take after their idols. If they liked a backstabbing ingrate, I'd just let them have him. Besides, Liam was driving me crazy, so I didn't have the mental energy to care about meaningless internet drama. Since the day I was discharged, Liam, who usually did whatever he wanted, started acting like a lunatic. Except for going to his office, he went nowhere else. He just followed me around everywhere. He even moved his workouts to the home gym in my basement. Forced to sit and watch him do dumbbell flys, I rubbed my temples. "Liam, my sweet brother, you follow me around all day. Don't your girlfriends—numbers one through eight—mind?" Between sets, he turned to look at me. His attractive, flirtatious eyes were sharp but filled with amusement. "Of course they don't mind. I might play the field, but Sienna is always number one. That’s a known fact." "Alright, just to make sure you haven't forgotten me, it's my turn to test you. How did you celebrate your eighteenth birthday?" I: "..." 8 Ever since Liam found out that my amnesia was real, but specifically isolated to Carter Hayes... He dragged me to several different hospitals. Only after getting confirmation from multiple doctors did he first show a profound sense of relief, like a massive weight had been lifted. But somehow... It had devolved into this ridiculous routine where he tested my memory of him every five hours. We grew up together. I couldn't imagine forgetting Liam's name; if I did, my brain would be completely useless. I answered him casually: "I remember. Back then, I was about to go to college, and my brother wouldn't let me go skydiving. You secretly took me to Dubai to do it. Later, your dad beat you up for it, and you were stuck in bed for two days." I listed the events easily. But a jolt went through my heart. Some memories really don't fade. Even though so many years had passed, that near-soul-leaving sensation of free-falling from the sky in a foreign country was still vivid. Equally vivid was the rebellious, fearless teenage Liam. A strange feeling bubbled up inside me. When did that cynical little boy suddenly grow into society's definition of a golden boy? Seeing that I remembered perfectly, he smiled in satisfaction. But then he muttered, "Did you forget the person you liked the most, or the person you hated the most? Why do you remember me so clearly, but..." Here we go again. I was the one who was in a car crash, but he was acting like he was the one with brain damage. Thankfully, my phone rang. Without checking the caller ID, I answered it like a lifeline. The tone on the other end wasn't very respectful. In fact, it sounded like an aggressive interrogation: "Ms. Sterling, I heard you're doing fine and have fully recovered, but we still haven't received the contract for Director Nolan's new movie that you promised. I'm calling today to confirm—did you forget?" "Who is this?" What kind of nobody talks to me like this? The voice paused. "Ms. Sterling, this is Carter Hayes's manager." "I don't know you." I realized that not only had I forgotten Carter, I had forgotten everything and everyone associated with him. "Ms. Sterling, are you flaking on us? To be honest, our team prioritized this project. We cleared his schedule for the entire second half of the year for this. This is..." I actually laughed out loud. "What does that have to do with me?" The manager clearly didn't expect that response. "Excuse me?" My patience was gone. "I said, I have absolutely no relationship with Carter Hayes. This is my private number. Do not bother me again." Over her shocked gasp, I hung up the phone. Hearing the name Carter Hayes, Liam reacted like a triggered alarm. He dropped his dumbbells and marched over. "What happened? Are you upset? Did that punk cause trouble for you again?" He had just finished lifting. His muscles were pumped. He looked like he was ready to kill someone. Liam, you crazy kid. You really are a good friend. I patted his shoulder to calm him down. "It's not a big deal." I had amnesia; what kind of impact could Carter possibly have on me now? He was just a smudge of dirt. I'd just wipe him away. My life afforded me plenty of room for error. 9 I pulled all the resources I currently had invested in Carter. But he had already made a name for himself in the industry. Even without my help, his career was booming. Aside from losing the role in Director Nolan's film, the impact wasn't huge. When we talked about it, Chloe was furious. "It's too easy on him. If it weren't for you, an amateur like him would never have broken into the elite Hollywood circles." I rested my head on my hand, bored, looking at my freshly manicured nails. "Let it go. He's just a passing phase." I could make him or break him with a thought. But it wasn't worth my time. Having power and not abusing it, always leaving a little leeway—that was the philosophy my father taught me. I kept it close to my heart. Just as my manicure finished, my phone rang. I answered it. It was a man's voice, slurred with alcohol. "Sienna, I want to see you." 10 I recognized Carter's voice. Not because I was secretly obsessing over him. Mainly because his commercials and news were everywhere; it was hard not to recognize it. But I was curious. "And?" I wondered to what extent I had spoiled him in the past... To make him think that I, Sienna Sterling, was someone he could summon just because he "wanted" to see me? There was a pause on the other end. The man's voice was mumbled, but the grievance in his tone was obvious. "The internet says you don't want me anymore." Thinking of those comments, I looked down to admire the rhinestones on my nails and chuckled dismissively. "They're right." "Your fans seem very happy about it." I had unfollowed Carter on Instagram. Fans sniffed out the drama, dug around, and discovered that numerous brands associated with me had ended their partnerships with him. The reaction was pure joy. [Best news ever! The Plague is finally letting our star-crossed lovers go! sobbing Star-Moon shippers, it's time to celebrate!] [Carter, you survived! You made it through the darkness. Your future is going to be so bright!] [LMAO, the heiress wants to ship them now? A grassroots star turned A-lister x Ivy League gorgeous scholar. Overcoming a rich girl's obsession and long distance—it's the ultimate 'love conquers all' trope. Anyway, if you're going to love Carter, you might as well love the Star-Moon ship! You won't regret it!] Some big fan accounts were even doing cash giveaways to celebrate Carter escaping the "spoiled heiress's clutches." I honestly didn't understand what they were so happy about. They still didn't get it. The entertainment industry replaces people quickly. Beauty isn't a scarce resource. Power is. I was the one holding the power in this dynamic. I was the one who could pull out and walk away whenever I wanted. I wasn't the Plague to their idol. I was his ATM. They didn't understand that now, but that was fine. I was bored, and feeling a little wicked. While Carter was still crying on the phone... I casually retweeted a photo of Carter and Maya posted by a shipper account, and added a comment: [Absolutely stunning couple. God-tier pairing. Love it.] Send. Since his fans wanted me to ship them, I'd oblige. It was a great way to signal to the world that I had moved on from Carter. I like doing things that are low-cost and highly efficient.
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