Chapter 1

Jasmin Ramsey was wrapped up tightly in blankets, lying on a hospital bed in a private clinic.

She was the youngest triple-crown Best Actress, the hottest star in the business, three years in the spotlight without a single scandal, and now, she was about to undergo an abortion.

"Your condition is unique. After this procedure, it will be very difficult for you to conceive naturally again. Are you sure you want to go through with it?" the doctor asked.

Jasmin nodded. In the past three years, this was the first request James Baldwin had ever made of her. She didn't refuse.

The cold metal touched her skin, and Jasmin shivered all over. She gripped her hospital gown so hard her knuckles turned white, tears slipping down her face, silent and unstoppable. 'This is my first child,' she thought, the pain in her heart sharper than anything physical.

As soon as she tried to get up, a ripping pain tore through her, making her legs give out. She almost went down right there. Jasmin bit down hard, forcing herself to stay upright as she gripped the bed for support.

She clung to the wall, moving carefully as she stepped out of the room. At the end of the hallway, James stood with his back to her, talking on the phone.

Seeing his familiar silhouette, Jasmin felt a gentle warmth in her heart. No matter what life threw at her, he never left her side.

Whenever her cramps got bad, he'd hunt down the top specialists across the country, desperate to find something that could ease her pain.

If she ever took a fall from the wires on set, he'd cancel every meeting and catch the next flight home, no matter where he was.

When she got anxious before a new project, he'd burn the midnight oil with her, running through the script over and over until she felt ready.

Jasmin clung to the wall, gritting her teeth against the pain as she forced herself forward. The closer she got, the clearer James's voice became.

"Chloe's just starting out, and she's still pretty inexperienced. With her personality, she really needs someone senior to show her the ropes in the industry. Jasmin is the perfect person for the job," James said.

He gazed out the window, his voice as calm as ever. "If Jasmin were pregnant right now, with how delicate Chloe is, she'd end up suffering a lot. Chloe is Jasmin's sister. I can't just stand by and do nothing."

"What about Jasmin? Is she okay with this?" the assistant asked.

Jasmin could hear the assistant's voice coming through the phone.

"As for Jasmin..." James paused.

"She's not like Chloe. Jasmin is strong and mature. It won't affect her much to lose this child. I'll just say it's an important time for her career. She always does what I say, never overthinks it," he said.

"I'm at the hospital with her right now. Send me Chloe's upcoming schedule so I can review it myself," he added.

Jasmin froze, her whole body trembling uncontrollably. Her face grew even paler, and the pain below felt like a cruel joke, mocking her for ever believing she mattered.

Her eyes went red, brimming with tears as she stared at James's back, unable to believe what she was hearing. Her heart felt like it was caught in a vise, making it hard to breathe.

Now she understood. She and her baby were nothing but collateral damage for Chloe Moss.

"Don't let Jasmin know about this yet. She just had an abortion. Thinking too much about it will only hurt her," James said.

His voice was chillingly calm, as if he were talking about something trivial, not a trace of feeling in it.

The harsh smell of disinfectant in the hospital made Jasmin suddenly nauseous. She couldn't stay on her feet any longer and collapsed to the floor, shaking uncontrollably.

She couldn't hear anything else. Her mind was buzzing with noise and memories, everything blurring together.

Jasmin's mom was killed in a car crash, and just a year later, her dad remarried. That was when Chloe came into the picture as her new stepsister.

Her stepmom made her life hell, and her dad always sided with Chloe. Jasmin got nothing but cold shoulders and harsh treatment at home. When she hit twenty, she finally cut ties for good and took her mom's name back.

After getting scammed out of every penny she'd earned, Jasmin was left huddled on the curb, drenched by the rain and crying so hard she could barely breathe. That was when James appeared out of nowhere, like some kind of miracle.

He put up 3 million dollars to launch a talent agency, signing only Jasmin. The whole company existed just for her. Every single person there was dedicated to making her shine.

Jasmin more than lived up to James's faith. In just three years, she conquered the wild world of showbiz, sweeping up awards like they were nothing. She became the youngest triple-crown Best Actress, the very definition of a superstar.

For three years, they supported each other through thick and thin, and their feelings quietly blossomed. James swore he'd give her a real home, but the day Chloe walked into their lives, everything turned upside down.

Chloe and Jasmin shared a striking resemblance. Jasmin was all dazzling confidence and glamour, while Chloe was soft and ethereal.

Chloe showed up in tears, claiming she'd lost both her parents and had no one else to turn to. When Chloe lifted her chin and met James's gaze with stubborn defiance, Jasmin felt her heart lurch.

'God, she really does look like me,' Jasmin thought.

'Just like I was three years ago,' she realized.

Sure enough, James's heart softened. Jasmin had always been the agency's one and only star, but now he signed Chloe as the second artist, breaking that streak.

Knowing Jasmin wasn't a fan of Chloe, James tried to comfort her. "Jasmin, she's your sister. You two can look out for each other. She could be a real asset to you in the industry."

Jasmin couldn't even pinpoint when things started to change.

The company's resources and projects, which used to be all hers, now went to Chloe first. She got first dibs on everything.

At every party, big or small, Chloe was always by James's side.

When Chloe got criticized for her acting, James didn't hesitate. He poured millions into a whole new production just for her.

Jasmin kept telling herself that Chloe was new and clueless, so of course James had to put in extra effort. But what she couldn't wrap her head around was how he could treat her own child as a bargaining chip, just to benefit Chloe.