Chapter 2

2 Elena clutched the ring in her palm, frozen in place.

She watched me pick up my luggage and walk out the front door, yet not a single word of protest left her lips.

I hailed a cab at the curb and headed straight to my suburban villa.

Elena had bought that house on an emotional whim after landing her first multimillion-dollar contract.

She had claimed it would be our future marital home.

The deed was registered solely under my name.

Back when we first graduated, Elena had zero connections and zero industry resources.

She could only land background extra roles, barely making enough to scrape by.

During our broke days, the two of us crammed into a tiny, rundown studio apartment under one hundred square feet.

The best meal we could afford was cheap dollar-store ramen with stale bread.

To get Elena auditions, I ran around every production studio in the city.

I drank with executives until I got a bleeding stomach ulcer, nearly dying in the ER.

That near-death hustle was the only reason she landed her first speaking role.

As her talent shone, her fanbase grew steadily.

She eventually took home the Best Newcomer award after starring in a low-budget indie series.

She went from an invisible extra to an A-list superstar making eight figures per film.

I witnessed every ounce of blood and sweat she poured into her craft.

A few years ago, a massive studio wanted to adapt a bestselling romance novel.

The director approached Elena for the female lead, but she made a strict demand.

She insisted that Tristan Reed play the male lead.

A coveted role that veteran actors were fighting tooth and nail for went to an untested rookie overnight.

I naively thought Elena just took pity on him because he shared a similarly humble background.

That was until the wrap party.

I overheard a private conversation between her and Tristan outside the dressing room.

"Elena, do you have a boyfriend? You've never done PR romance stunts with any male costars. Are you scared of making your man jealous at home?"

"Where did you hear that nonsense? I just don't rely on cheap gossip to stay relevant."

Elena flatly denied our entire relationship.

It stung like hell to hear it, but I forced myself to rationalize it.

She had told me before that going public too early would ruin my private life.

"Oh... so that guy who always brings you coffee on set isn't your boyfriend?"

Tristan asked with mock innocence, clearly testing the waters.

"You mean Nate? He's just an assistant who's worked for me for a while."

"Why would I ever date an ordinary nobody? If I were to date someone, he'd at least have to be someone like you..."

Fury surged through my veins the moment those words left her mouth.

I wanted to barge in and confront her right then and there.

Yet, in the end, I lacked the courage.

My hand touched the doorknob, only to pull back a second later.

I feared that if I exposed her, she'd simply throw caution to the wind and end everything.

And if that happened, I would truly lose everything I had built my life around.

She was a glamorous superstar adored by millions.

I was just a nameless assistant and former manager.

What right did I have to demand answers?