Chapter 4
Rafe didn't hold back at all, not caring if he embarrassed Vivian.
He even posted on Twitter and tagged me. [I have a girlfriend. We're not back together yet, but I like her a lot. I've liked her since high school. I don't need any fake relationship rumors or publicity stunts with anyone else.]
His fans spammed my comments section, all begging me to get back together with him.
Someone even wrote: [Honestly, I'm all for you breaking up, Laura. Rafe is just so lovesick. Just DM me his contact. I'll help you bear the pain.]
Another user replied: [Girl, I can see through your intentions.]
Rafe called me up. "Babe, let's get back together. I swear I'll behave from now on. I won't ever make you mad again."
I replied, "Just focus on the competition for now. As for getting back together, that depends on how you perform."
"Rafe Webster Announces His Romance Officially" shot straight to the top of the trending list.
"Vivian Woods' One-sided Crush" wasn't far behind.
But it didn't stay up for long.
That afternoon, my agency hit me up.
They claimed I'd messed with Vivian's head so badly she got sick, and now the agency was losing money because of it.
They told me to go apologize to Vivian and make sure to comfort her in private.
I was left speechless. So Vivian couldn't handle the drama, and somehow that was supposed to be my problem?
Back when Viviana and Rafe were promoting their game advertisement, I was getting roasted constantly on my Twitter, but not a single person stood up for me.
Moreover, that wasn't even the end of it.
Right after that, I got word I was being replaced as the second female lead in a historical romance series that was just about to start shooting.
The reason? The production crew did a risk assessment and figured that if I could put a fellow agency artist on the spot during a gameshow, I'd probably end up causing trouble for the main cast once the drama aired. So, they kicked me off the cast.
I was so angry I laughed.
So, to them, it was totally okay for me to get dragged through the mud, but Vivian couldn't even suffer a bit.
My agent simply said, "Yep."
After all, Vivian had a big-money backer behind her. Now that her backer had spoken up, nobody in the industry dared to cast me in anything.
Even variety shows were a no-go now. If I wanted to make money, I'd have to start selling stuff through livestreams.
Then, my agent came up with a suggestion.
She said, "Laura, Rafe's family is loaded, and he's raking in cash himself. If he's willing to grease the wheels for you and clear the way, the agency would totally throw money behind you and make you a star.
"Your contract's almost up, and it says if you don't play ball, the agency won't renew it."
I knew that with how whipped Rafe was for me, if I really asked, he'd agree in a second.
But now, I didn't think it was necessary. The entertainment industry just wasn't for me.
That night, when I was at the height of my fame, I announced I was quitting showbiz.
I just posted two words, [quit showbiz], and it instantly blew up, becoming the most viral post I ever made.
As soon as Rafe heard the news, he rushed over to see me that very night.
I figured he was just like all my other friends, coming over to comfort me. But instead, he showed up with flowers and champagne, saying he wanted to celebrate.
"Do you think I'm not cut out for showbiz either?" I asked Rafe.
He rolled up his sleeves and headed into the kitchen, starting to wash the vegetables as he talked.
"Not at all. You made this choice because you believe quitting is the right move for you. If you're chasing a better life, then that's something worth celebrating," Rafe said.
I was surprised.
Watching him move so skillfully in the kitchen, like he did this every day at home, I couldn't help but smile.
He really did know me well.
I couldn't help but ask, "You're always so optimistic. Don't you ever worry about the future?"
Rafe's got money to burn. He barely had any worries compared to most people.
He turned around with a grin, his handsome puppy eyes giving off an irresistibly cute vibe. "Of course I do. I've lost matches before. The pressure's brutal, trust me. Besides..."
He paused for a moment, then turned to look at me, all serious. "Whenever we argued, we'd always patch things up that same day. But this time, we've been apart for over a month.
"Before you texted me, I could barely sleep. Honestly, I've gotta thank the gameshow, now that I'm talking to you again."
As he spoke, his eyes grew teary.
I couldn't believe how a 6.2-foot-tall guy was suddenly acting all delicate and emotional?
I quickly grabbed a tissue, ready to wipe away his tears.
But before I could, he pulled me into his arms, staring at me with smoldering eyes and swallowing hard. "Babe, maybe you could comfort me in a different way?"
The way he was looking at me made me a little nervous, and I swallowed too. "How?"
He didn't say a word, just gave me a look.
My face flushed instantly.
He looked at me eagerly, his voice all soft and seductive. "It's been forever. I really missed you."
I gave him a kick. "Shoo! Don't get ahead of yourself."
"Ow!" he whined, but just turned back to the stove and kept cooking.
I spun around and headed for the living room, practically hyperventilating as I tried to pull myself together.
I had almost caved just now.
No way I was giving in to him so easily.