Chapter 2

1

My lower leg was fractured. Before I could even hand over my remaining tasks, I was wheeled into the operating room.

The anesthesia spread quickly. Under the blinding surgical lights, my consciousness began to drift.

Eight years ago, I was the one who interviewed Lucian.

He had no impressive background and lacked professional training.

The other recruiters wanted to toss his resume. But I was drawn to his clean, raw voice and signed him myself.

Lucian worked hard, and with my connections, his first single was a massive hit. On the day his album dropped, he confessed his feelings to me.

We began a secret relationship. He promised me more than once that he'd propose at his next big show.

I waited for seven years. He finally did it, but it wasn't for me.

The image of him kissing Jane Andrews flashed through my mind. I woke up with a jolt, only to see Lucian frowning at me.

"You're awake?" he asked.

I nodded, still struggling to separate reality from the nightmare.

"You're a grown woman. How did you manage to trip and fall?" he sighed.

"Don't you know how much of a hassle it is for a public figure like me to visit you here?"

He didn't even look at me. His eyes were glued to his phone screen.

I bit my dry lip. Seeing the corners of his mouth twitch into a smile, I couldn't understand how he could be so happy right now.

Maybe my gaze was too intense. He finally put his phone down and patted my shoulder.

"Look, I know you've worked hard. But I'm swamped lately. I really can't take care of you."

"I have a fan signing this afternoon. I have to go."

"Wait," I said, grabbing his hand. My eyes caught a shadow at the door.

It seemed I wasn't dreaming after all.

"What's going on between you and her?" I asked. My voice was trembling.

His expression immediately turned into one of annoyance.

Lucian shook my hand off with force. The movement jolted my body, and a sharp, stabbing pain shot through my leg.

"It's just a PR stunt to boost the new song's exposure. You're a manager; you know how this works better than anyone. Why are you asking me?"

He was a top-tier singer. Why did he need a fake romance, let alone a public proposal?

More importantly, as his manager, I hadn't been told a single word about this strategy.

Tears from the pain and the humiliation welled up in my eyes. I forced them back.

"I see," I whispered.

I watched him walk out of the room. He immediately locked fingers with Jane.

"Is your manager okay? It looked pretty serious," I heard her say.

"She's fine. Just a little trip. Don't worry about her, babe. Come with me to the signing."

Through the glass, I saw Jane looking perfectly polished and cute. She clung to Lucian's arm.

They looked like any other couple in love―bold and open. It was the complete opposite of the hidden life we had shared.

I adjusted my injured leg and laughed quietly. I was laughing at my own stupidity.

I thought seven years of companionship meant we knew each other's hearts.

But the moment his unreachable old flame returned, I was discarded like trash.

The laughter turned into tears. What did those eight years even mean?

My phone vibrated, snapping me out of my downward spiral.

"Nora? It's Jace Wilder. I guess I'm in your hands now. Looking forward to it."

The boy's voice was deep and smooth, dripping with raw ambition.

It felt like a new glimmer of hope.

"I'll take good care of you," I promised. And I meant it.