Chapter 3

03

When I woke up again, I saw him standing on the bedroom balcony.

Dressed in thin pajamas with a furrowed brow, he held a cigarette that glowed in the dark.

Declan rarely smoked because he was an actor and had to protect his voice.

He only lit up when something was heavily weighing on his mind.

I got out of bed and grabbed a blanket, wanting to drape it over his shoulders.

In the dead of night, even the faintest whisper carried clearly.

Through the cracked sliding glass door, his voice drifted inside.

"Yeah, Director Miller, it's Declan."

"Didn't you say the supporting actress dropped out because of personal reasons?"

"I have someone perfect in mind."

"Melanie Foster. Yeah, she's done a lot of acting abroad and just moved back recently."

"Give that role to Melanie."

I froze, staring at his silhouette as a wave of bitter sorrow washed over me.

Pretending I hadn't heard a thing, I walked out and draped the blanket over his shoulders.

"It's freezing out here. Don't catch a cold."

The night air was freezing, but my heart was even colder.

Declan left very early the next morning. His new production was running on a tight schedule, so he rushed off without breakfast.

I decided to pack a warm lunch and bring it to his film set.

When I arrived, they were shooting the lavish wedding night scene between the male lead and the second female lead.

The entire set was draped in festive crimson and golden decor.

Declan and Melanie wore traditional wedding attire, looking just like a real, radiant bride and groom.

As the cameras rolled, Declan gently lifted her veil. Melanie looked up at him with shy tenderness and pure adoration.

The sight stabbed straight through my chest.

Declan and I never had a real wedding.

The year we got married, Declan had cut ties with his wealthy family. He lived in a cramped, damp basement apartment.

Dim yellow bulbs, rusted pipes, and a creaky mattress were all we had.

On our wedding day, we simply shared a modest home-cooked dinner.

There was no white gown, no vows, and no family or friends to celebrate with us.

After Declan hit stardom, he claimed organizing a ceremony was too much hassle. He only posted a brief announcement online saying he was married.

I used to tell myself I didn't care about fancy ceremonies. But deep down, I regretted it.

I had always dreamed of wearing a white dress and walking down the aisle to Declan in front of everyone.