Chapter 2 · He Chose His Muse, I Chose My Crown

I didn't say a word.

Henry completely flipped the truth.

Five years ago, he couldn't get a decent audition. I bet everything I had, my connections and my resources, on him. But I wasn't going to bring it up.

"Why so quiet? Does your silence mean you agree?" He snorted. "Winnie, I'm telling you for the last time. Get that statement out by tomorrow, or don't blame me if I play dirty."

I hung up and blocked his number.

When I got to my apartment building, I sat in the car for a long time.

My phone kept buzzing.

Henry's fans had already found my social media, blowing up my DMs with hate.

[Scared of marriage but still said yes? Stop wasting Henry's time, okay?]

[Winnie, you're such a fake. You don't deserve to be Henry's agent.]

[Get out of showbiz and stop dragging Henry down.]

I turned off my phone and headed upstairs.

When I opened the door, the lights were on.

Nancy was sitting on my couch, legs crossed, drinking from my cup.

"Winnie, you're back!" she said, standing up with a smile. "Henry asked me to grab his change of clothes. He said he's staying at the set tonight."

I stood there, watching her.

She was still in her drama outfit, her makeup was still smudged, and the glitter at the corners of her eyes sparkled under the lights.

"Winnie, I'm really sorry about today. "She tilted her head with the right amount of guilt. "I had no idea it was your wedding. Henry just said he had an event to go to. If I'd known, I never would've let him come."

"You didn't know?" I set my bag down by the door and changed my shoes. "It was all over the trending topics. Everyone knows Henry's having his big wedding today. Don't you ever check your phone?"

Her smile froze for a second, and then she put it back on. "I never check my phone when I'm filming, Winnie. You know that."

I didn't say anything else and headed straight for the bedroom.

She followed behind me, her voice turning softer and sweeter. "Winnie, are you upset? Honestly, there's nothing between Henry and me. We're just friends, really. Don't read too much into it."

I opened the closet and saw Henry's clothes were all neatly packed up, and next to them was a suitcase I'd never seen before.

The suitcase was pink, with a bunny keychain dangling from the handle.

That had to be Nancy's.

"What's this?" I asked, pointing at the suitcase.

She rushed over, putting herself between me and the suitcase, her face full of panic. "Oh, this? Henry said the hotel the crew put me in is a total dump, so he told me to crash here for a while. He said you wouldn't mind."

"He said I wouldn't mind, huh?" I repeated.

"Winnie, it's just for a few days. Once the crew moves to a better hotel, I'll be out of your hair." She grabbed my sleeve, her eyes starting to well up. "If you really don't want me here, I'll leave right now.

"I can crash in the crew's van if I have to."

I pulled her hand off my sleeve. "Whether you leave or not is your call. But this is my place. If your stuff isn't gone by tomorrow, I'll have the building management staff clear it out."

Her face changed. It wasn't sadness. It was a flash of something cold and vicious.

But it was gone in a second, and she put on that pitiful look again. "Okay, Winnie, I'll do as you say."

She picked up her suitcase and walked to the door, and then suddenly turned back. "Oh, and Winnie, Henry asked me to remind you not to stall on that statement.

"He said if you don't post it by noon tomorrow, he'll put one out himself, saying you two called it off peacefully."

The door closed behind her.

I stood alone in the bedroom, staring at the space in the closet where Henry's clothes used to hang.

During the five years, I took him from a nobody to the top of the game, throwing everything I had, my contacts, my favors, my time, into his career. And in the end, he couldn't even show up at our wedding.

I crouched down, burying my face in my knees. I didn't cry. I felt so tired.

Early the next morning, my phone kept vibrating and woke me up.

Not Henry this time, the company group chat.

Bella dropped a message. [Heads up, everyone. From today on, I'll be Henry's agent. Winnie is stepping away for personal reasons. The company will let everyone know about any changes.]

A bunch of "Got it" replies popped up. Nobody bothered to ask if I was okay.

Chapter 2

I didn't say a word.

Henry completely flipped the truth.

Five years ago, he couldn't get a decent audition. I bet everything I had, my connections and my resources, on him. But I wasn't going to bring it up.

"Why so quiet? Does your silence mean you agree?" He snorted. "Winnie, I'm telling you for the last time. Get that statement out by tomorrow, or don't blame me if I play dirty."

I hung up and blocked his number.

When I got to my apartment building, I sat in the car for a long time.

My phone kept buzzing.

Henry's fans had already found my social media, blowing up my DMs with hate.

[Scared of marriage but still said yes? Stop wasting Henry's time, okay?]

[Winnie, you're such a fake. You don't deserve to be Henry's agent.]

[Get out of showbiz and stop dragging Henry down.]

I turned off my phone and headed upstairs.

When I opened the door, the lights were on.

Nancy was sitting on my couch, legs crossed, drinking from my cup.

"Winnie, you're back!" she said, standing up with a smile. "Henry asked me to grab his change of clothes. He said he's staying at the set tonight."

I stood there, watching her.

She was still in her drama outfit, her makeup was still smudged, and the glitter at the corners of her eyes sparkled under the lights.

"You didn't know?" I set my bag down by the door and changed my shoes. "It was all over the trending topics. Everyone knows Henry's having his big wedding today. Don't you ever check your phone?"

Her smile froze for a second, and then she put it back on. "I never check my phone when I'm filming, Winnie. You know that."

I didn't say anything else and headed straight for the bedroom.

She followed behind me, her voice turning softer and sweeter. "Winnie, are you upset? Honestly, there's nothing between Henry and me. We're just friends, really. Don't read too much into it."

I opened the closet and saw Henry's clothes were all neatly packed up, and next to them was a suitcase I'd never seen before.

The suitcase was pink, with a bunny keychain dangling from the handle.

That had to be Nancy's.

"What's this?" I asked, pointing at the suitcase.

"He said I wouldn't mind, huh?" I repeated.

"I can crash in the crew's van if I have to."

I pulled her hand off my sleeve. "Whether you leave or not is your call. But this is my place. If your stuff isn't gone by tomorrow, I'll have the building management staff clear it out."

Her face changed. It wasn't sadness. It was a flash of something cold and vicious.

But it was gone in a second, and she put on that pitiful look again. "Okay, Winnie, I'll do as you say."

She picked up her suitcase and walked to the door, and then suddenly turned back. "Oh, and Winnie, Henry asked me to remind you not to stall on that statement.

"He said if you don't post it by noon tomorrow, he'll put one out himself, saying you two called it off peacefully."

The door closed behind her.

I stood alone in the bedroom, staring at the space in the closet where Henry's clothes used to hang.

I crouched down, burying my face in my knees. I didn't cry. I felt so tired.

Early the next morning, my phone kept vibrating and woke me up.

Not Henry this time, the company group chat.

Bella dropped a message. [Heads up, everyone. From today on, I'll be Henry's agent. Winnie is stepping away for personal reasons. The company will let everyone know about any changes.]

A bunch of "Got it" replies popped up. Nobody bothered to ask if I was okay.