Chapter 2

2.

The set fell dead silent. The crew stood frozen, their eyes darting between Robert and me, too scared to move. On one side was the company's founder and big boss; on the other, the boss's husband, a famous director. They couldn't afford to offend either of us.

Chloe’s face turned pale. She stood there awkwardly, looking to Robert for help.

As expected, Robert didn't let her down. He stood up quickly, shielding her, his voice sharp with annoyance.

"Evelyn, watch your tone. This is a film set."

"She's an actress in this production now, not someone 'irrelevant'!"

"That's funny. How come I, the producer, didn't know we added a new cast member?"

"Ms. Reed, I'm…" Chloe tried to explain.

I cut her off with a raise of my hand, my eyes like ice. "Who the hell gave you permission to speak? Get out!"

My attitude infuriated Robert, and his voice shot up an octave.

"Enough! I personally cast Chloe. Her audition was flawless!"

In the past, Robert had always been incredibly strict about casting. He would fight tooth and nail against investors trying to push their own actors on him. But now, he was breaking all his rules for a no-name actress, even willing to publicly clash with me.

"I don't give a damn about her audition!" I advanced on him, step by step. "This project has a budget of over a hundred million dollars. The supporting female role is something every A-list actress in Hollywood is fighting for. And you threw away your professional principles for this… thing?"

"And have you forgotten? You were fired yesterday."

"Robert Vance―the great director―in what capacity are you standing here, pointing your finger at me?"

Even when we disagreed in the past, I had never humiliated him in public. That was why he dared to act so brazenly on set, confident in his title as the "boss's husband."

My words left Robert speechless, his face flushed with anger.

"That's right! I was fired by you! But I built this crew from the ground up! There are details that only I know! I have a responsibility to this crew until a new director takes over!"

The crew around us held their breath. The set was so quiet you could hear the hum of the air conditioning.

I couldn't help but laugh, my voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Robert, this is my script, my investment, and my set! You have no right to cast anyone! Have I been too good to you all these years that you've forgotten who you are?"

"Now, take her, and get out!"

Robert staggered back half a step under the force of my anger, a flicker of panic finally appearing in his eyes.

"Evelyn! Don't go too far! I did this for the good of the show…"

"Get out! Don't make me call security to throw you out like trash!"

Robert stared at me, his eyes turning red. Finally, he grabbed a stunned Chloe and left the set in disgrace.

That night, Robert didn't come home.

I didn't care. I was in my study, handling company documents, until my assistant sent me two screenshots.

The first was from a charity gala at the Beverly Hilton, an event packed with city socialites and industry tycoons. Robert was all smiles, introducing Chloe to a very influential senior producer in Hollywood.

The second screenshot was from Chloe’s Instagram Story. It was a photo of her with several industry bigwigs, with Robert standing intimately beside her.

The caption read: "Thank you, Director Vance, for the introductions! I met so many amazing people tonight. I'll keep working hard to live up to everyone's expectations! [Heart emoji]"

My eyes grew cold.

After I kicked him off my set, he didn't learn his lesson. Instead, he doubled down. He thought he could use my connections to build a path for that newcomer? In his dreams.

I texted my assistant.

"Look into this. I don't want irrelevant people using my name to get ahead."

"Understood."

A short while later, my assistant sent me a live video from the event.

In the video, the senior producer, a woman named Diana Monroe, was publicly asking Chloe what notable work she had done.

Chloe stammered, unable to answer.

Diana looked her up and down, then laughed mockingly.

"I understand young people want to take shortcuts these days, but it takes more than a pretty face and knowing how to flatter people."

"Honey, you can put lipstick on a pig, but it's still a pig. You can't force talent where there is none."

Then, she turned to Robert, her words pointed.

"Some people think that just because they've directed a few blockbusters, they've forgotten how they got their start."

"I wonder who it was that supported him every step of the way."

"Now that he's famous, he's got a new girl on his arm."

"Remember, in Hollywood, the one thing we're not short on is talented directors."

After she said that, the way people looked at Chloe and Robert changed. Whispers started rippling through the crowd about their relationship.

Robert's face was a mask of fury. He tried to explain that he and Chloe were just a director and an actress.

But nobody there cared about his explanation. They all made it clear that they were partners with "Reed Pictures," and any official casting discussions would go through me, and me alone.

Amid the cold shoulders and sneers, the two of them left the event in humiliation.

I wasn't surprised by this outcome at all. The news of Chloe stealing my role and wearing my costume had already spread throughout Hollywood from the crew. Almost everyone at that gala had known me for nearly a decade, since I first started my career.

When I won my Oscar, Robert was still a nobody. Besides, I wasn't just an actress and a producer. I had a massive business empire behind me―my father is a Silicon Valley tech titan. When I wanted to get into the entertainment industry, he simply opened a media company for me.

So, even if they didn't do it for my sake, they would do it for my father's. Everyone knew whose side to be on.

It was late when Robert got back.

He stormed straight into my study, furious.

"Evelyn! Diana deliberately targeted Chloe at the gala. That was you, wasn't it!"

I put down the document I was reading and looked up at him calmly.

He was still ranting.

"We already left the project! Aren't you satisfied?"

"How long are you going to keep crushing her?"

Seeing him in this state of impotent rage, I smirked, a smile as cold as ice.

"Robert, what makes you think it was me?"

"You took an invitation meant for me, brought her to that event to pull strings for her, and I haven't even called you out on it! And you have the nerve to blame me first?"

"Let me remind you, the people in this town aren't stupid! They know what's what. You should ask yourself, are people really targeting you, or is this a problem you created yourself?!"

My words shut him up, his chest heaving with anger. He could only point a trembling finger at me.

"You―"

I slapped his hand away and sneered.

"Me what? Did you forget how you proposed to me? You said you would only write scripts for me, for my entire life. But you walk in here tonight, not with an explanation, but with accusations. Robert, do you even see me as your wife!"

Under my relentless questioning, Robert fell silent for a long time before he finally spoke, his voice strained.

"I just saw a spark in her, you know? A real hunger. She reminded me of myself when I was just starting out, so I wanted to give her a chance."

"There is nothing inappropriate between us."

I shook my head, my voice filled with disappointment.

"Nothing inappropriate?"

"Robert, for her, you didn't just touch my project and ignore my warnings, you were willing to publicly fight with me. You call that nothing inappropriate?"

"She has potential? Los Angeles is full of actresses with potential. Are you going to help every single one of them like this?"

"No matter how much potential she has, she's a newcomer. You want to make her a star overnight? Are you trying to help her or ruin her?"

"Let's not even talk about whether a rookie's acting can carry an S-tier HBO production! Even if it could, that role was mine!"

"I spent three years polishing and perfecting that script. Did you not see any of my hard work?"

"Why did you think you could just dismiss all my efforts with a casual 'I thought' and make such a huge decision on your own?"

"Why did you choose this series, of all things? She's an actress, but so am I! I need good scripts too!"

"Why was it so easy for you to ignore my feelings to help an outsider?"

"Robert, have you ever given me, your wife, the most basic respect? Do you even love me?"