A photo leaked online. It showed the lean, tensed waist of Xander Sterling—the heir to the Sterling tech empire—covered in a massive tattoo of a Hibiscus. A hand, wearing a pink diamond ring that cost more than a private jet, was pressed firmly against his rock-hard abs. Fingers tipped with blood-red polish rested right in the center of the bloom. It was pure, unadulterated fire. That same night, A-list starlet Seraphina Frost posted a photo of a ring. It was a perfect match for the pink diamond in the leak. The internet went nuclear. Everyone was congratulating the "it-couple" on their secret engagement. Only I knew the truth. She was clout-chasing. Because that hand in the photo… was mine. 1 I’m a "nobody" in Hollywood. Two years since my debut, and I’ve only booked three shows—all minor supporting roles. It’s not because I lack talent or a "sugar daddy" to bankroll my career. It’s because I have a boyfriend who is a world-class jealousy addict. Xander Sterling. He can’t stand the idea of me doing a romantic scene, and he hates it when I’m away on location for months. He’d honestly prefer it if I were tethered to him at all times. As a result, I’ve remained a fringe actress, hovering at the bottom of the A-list. My agent finally booked me a spot on a high-profile reality show to get my face out there. The twist? I’d be sharing the stage with Seraphina Frost, the lead from a fantasy epic I once played a maid in. The same Seraphina currently "confirming" her engagement to my boyfriend. … The show was live-streamed with a real-time fan chat. The host announced: "Let’s play a game. Seraphina and Scarlett, you’ll both draw a challenge from the jar." In typical reality TV fashion, the "random" draw was rigged. Seraphina went first and pulled out a card the producers had clearly planted: [Cook a home-style meal and invite a close friend to the set to dine with you.] The chat immediately lost its mind: [Chat: This was SO planned! They want her to invite the Sterling Heir!] [Chat: If Xander Sterling shows up, this show’s ratings will break the internet!] [Chat: I need to see Seraphina and Xander being cute together. Goals!] Xander Sterling is a legend in the city. Pedigree, lethal good looks, and a collection of vintage Ferraris that could fund a small country. The rumors about him and Seraphina started a year ago when she "accidentally" posted a photo of a custom silver Ferrari identical to one of his. Over the next twelve months, she dropped hints—matching watches, same-day vacation spots, and eventually landing an endorsement deal for a luxury brand owned by Sterling Global. Her fans ate it up. They called it the "modern-day fairy tale." The peak was three days ago. Xander had posted that "thirst trap" photo on his private social media. His tensed abs, the Hibiscus tattoo, and that hand with the red nails and the pink diamond. Seraphina’s "matching" ring post that night was seen as the ultimate confirmation. The internet was already planning their wedding. But I knew better. I took that photo while I was pinned under him in a moment of… celebration. The original photo included his face—wearing a pair of ridiculous cat ears I’d forced on him—but he’d cropped the top half before posting. The host looked at Seraphina. "So, Seraphina, who are you inviting? Could it be the man everyone is talking about?" Seraphina glanced at the monitor, playing coy. "He’s incredibly busy, but… usually, if I call, he drops everything for me." A soft blush crept onto her cheeks. "Let me try him." The host leaned in. "We have to know—what is his name in your contacts?" Seraphina turned her phone to the camera. The contact name was just one letter: [X]. The chat went into a frenzy over the "intimacy" of the nickname. Seraphina smirked and hit dial. 2 As the face of a Sterling brand, it wasn't hard for her to get his office line. The call connected quickly. A professional, smooth male voice answered—definitely not Xander’s. "Miss Frost? Is something wrong?" I recognized the voice. It was Caleb, Xander’s executive assistant. Seraphina explained she was filming a show and wanted him to come for dinner. The reply was clipped: "I’m afraid Mr. Sterling is in a board meeting. He is unavailable." The line went dead. Seraphina hadn't put it on speaker, so only those of us on set heard the cold rejection. She didn’t blink. She put on a practiced "annoyed girlfriend" face and sighed to the host. "He’s such a workaholic. Board meetings, always board meetings." The chat was undeterred: [Chat: Even his assistant knows her! It’s basically official.] [Chat: Can you imagine being so rich you stand up a movie star for a meeting? Sterling is such a boss.] [Chat: Seraphina is basically the First Lady of the Sterling Empire at this point.] The host played along. "That’s a shame. Who else will you invite?" Seraphina tilted her head. "Give me a second to think… I have so many options." While she "thought," the host turned to me. "Scarlett, your turn. Same challenge. Who are you inviting? A fellow actor?" I shook my head. "No, not an actor." "A friend? Family?" I hesitated, then nodded. "Can we ask who it is?" I thought about the human volcano of jealousy waiting for me at home. The challenge required me to invite someone to a public dinner. If I invited any other man, Xander would literally level the building. So, I said his name. "Xander Sterling." The host’s smile froze like a wax apple. The live chat exploded. [Chat: What is this Scarlett girl doing?] [Chat: The audacity! You’re inviting another woman’s fiancé?] [Chat: This is the ultimate clout-chase. A nobody trying to steal Seraphina’s spotlight!] The producers were torn. On one hand, the ratings just doubled. On the other hand, Seraphina’s fans were becoming toxic, and they were worried about the stream getting flagged for harassment. The host, sensing drama, asked, "And what do you have him saved as in your phone? Can we see?" I looked at the lens and shook my head. "The number is private. I can’t show the screen." Xander’s personal cell was a state secret. I wasn't about to leak it on live TV. The chat hissed: [Chat: She’s lying!] [Chat: There’s no way a D-list actress has his personal cell! Thirsty much?] Only a few lonely voices tried to defend me: [Chat: To be fair, if it IS his real number, she’d get sued for showing it…] Seraphina’s face was dark. Her voice was sharp. "Some people need to know their place. Chasing clout you didn't earn usually ends in a career-ending crash." I didn’t even look at her. I just hit dial. 3 Three rings. Xander didn't pick up. My brows knit together. Another three rings. He declined the call. My jaw tightened. I remembered what the assistant had told Seraphina: Mr. Sterling is in a board meeting. Xander wasn't a trust-fund playboy; he actually ran the empire. He took his work seriously. Declining a call during a meeting wasn't new, and he always called back to apologize. But being humiliated like this on live TV? My blood was simmering. The chat was a bonfire of mockery. [Chat: LMAO! REJECTED!] [Chat: Did she really think he’d answer her? Delusional.] Seraphina looked at me with fake pity. "Scarlett, honey, I know you wanted a viral moment, but this is just embarrassing." She pointedly displayed her red-manicured nails to the camera. "You don't have a very good sense of humor, do you? That joke was… awkward." The atmosphere on set turned ice-cold. The host scrambled to recover. "Seraphina, have you decided on your guest?" Seraphina nodded gracefully. "I’ve invited Sebastian Vance, the lead designer for the E'S fashion house. He’s on his way." The chat pivoted back to praising her. [Chat: Her circle is insane!] [Chat: E'S is basically Sterling’s personal wardrobe. This is a huge flex.] While the host interrogated Seraphina about the designer, my phone vibrated in my pocket. A text from Xander. Xander: [Baby, I’m in a meeting. My dad is chairing the year-end review. I have to play the good son today.] Xander’s father was a traditional, stern man who had already chewed him out for the tattoo. Last night, in the bathtub, Xander had been whining to me about it. He complained that if he was going to get yelled at for a "Scarlett-themed" tattoo, he at least deserved the right to go public with me. He had been so pathetic and needy that I’d finally caved and agreed to let him go public. And now, this show was the perfect stage. I thought about the rejected call and felt like being a brat. I texted him the details of the live stream and dangled a carrot: Scarlett: [If you miss this chance to go public, we might have to wait another year. Your choice, big guy~] This time, the reply was instant. Xander: [I’m on my way.] 4 With the guests confirmed, we started cooking. I worked in silence, while Seraphina spent the entire time chatting with the host. "Sebastian is a very close friend of mine and Xander’s," she told the camera. "Most of our custom gala pieces come from his studio." The chat was buzzing. [Chat: E'S is the ultimate Sterling brand. Seraphina sounds like she’s already the matriarch of the family.] I glanced at her. The smugness on her face was almost blinding. E'S was indeed a brand under the Sterling umbrella. But the real mastermind behind it wasn't "Sebastian." It was Stanley Vance, a legendary tailor who had served the Sterling family for decades. Xander had told me that Sebastian was Stanley’s son, a guy who hated his real name (Stanley Jr.) and insisted everyone call him Sebastian to sound more "European." The show’s pattern was clear now: The producers wanted to contrast me against Seraphina—the "Nobody" vs. the "Future Sterling Queen"—to generate rage-clicks and engagement. The host walked over to me, smiling that fake, sugary smile. "Scarlett, since Mr. Sterling was… busy, did you find someone else to join us? You can invite your parents or a friend if you’re lonely." The chat followed her lead. [Chat: She has no friends. Look at her.] [Chat: Bet she invites her Uber driver.] I didn't look up from the tomatoes I was slicing. "Who said Xander Sterling isn't coming?" The host froze. She glanced at the director, wondering if this was a scripted twist she’d missed. "So… Mr. Sterling is actually coming?" "You’ll see in twenty minutes, won’t you?" I smiled at her. Seraphina scoffed. "Integrity is a rare quality, Scarlett. I hope you find some eventually." The chat was a mess. [Chat: She is obsessed!] [Chat: Seraphina literally just said he’s in a meeting! This Scarlett girl is mental!] I ignored them. I ignored Seraphina. I had a beef brisket to braise. Halfway through the prep, the host exclaimed, "Oh! You’re both making the same dish? Tomato-braised Brisket? What a coincidence!" Seraphina looked at the camera, her voice cold. "Tomato brisket is Xander’s favorite dish. It’s also my specialty." Translation: I’m the real one. She’s the copycat.
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