Chapter 1

I had a secret.

I gave birth to three children for my boss.

And he had no idea.

Now that the kids were five, they asked for their daddy every single day.

I tried to get close to him once. He coldly said, "I like someone else. Please keep your distance."

So, I stayed far away.

*****

"Nora? Just an actress," Luke scoffed.

That was Luke's take on me.

I stood outside the slightly ajar door, my face pale.

I could practically picture the detached look on Luke's handsome face as he said it.

So detached it could easily break a heart.

"Luke, the great starlet Nora just hit 1.5 billion at the box office. She earned Starlight Entertainment a huge sum. Isn't it a bit harsh to say that?" The sound of Grace Woods's bell-like laughter floated from the room.

Her giggle was dripping with scorn and disdain.

Through the crack in the door, Grace made eye contact with me and raised an eyebrow slightly.

Seeing me about to leave, she pushed the door open.

"Miss Perry. When did you get here? You didn't hear what Luke just said, did you?" Grace said, pretending to be all sweet and innocent.

"Miss Perry is no mere actress. I think she's an artiste," she added. "Yes, an artiste. Hehe."

Grace tittered.

I lifted my gaze to Luke.

Seated in his chair, exuding an air of aristocratic ease, he looked straight at me, his expression exactly as detached as I'd imagined.

He just gave me a cold glance, silent.

I turned and left without a word.

Just an actress.

Hah. I scoffed at my own misery.

I met Luke when I was twenty-two.

At that time, I was fresh out of film school, signed with Starlight Entertainment, and just starting as an actress.

Luke was twenty-four, having just taken over the family business, becoming the CEO of Starlight.

Six years had passed.

Now, I'm a top-tier, award-sweeping superstar in the industry.

And Luke has become the formidable CEO everyone treads carefully around.

I thought by reaching the peak of this industry, I'd shine brightly too.

In his eyes? Not so much.

To him, I'm just a money-making cash cow. That's it.

I stood in the bathroom, touching up my makeup with a compact, my eyes stinging.

Today was my celebration party.

My new movie had shattered the 1.5 billion mark.

Shocking the industry and beyond.

I knew Luke would come.

Grace being here was a bit of a surprise.

Grace isn't part of our circle.

She's the wealthy heiress from a family that matches Luke's.

The media often speculated when they'd get engaged.

After all, they're always seen together.

"Miss Perry," Grace greeted me. She had entered the bathroom too.

She was touching up her foundation, a smile on her face.

The next moment, her expression twisted. Utterly vicious.

She hurled her compact case straight at my head. "Nora, don't think for a second I don't know you've been throwing yourself at Luke, openly and secretly. The way you look at him could start a fire.

"Why don't you take a good look in the mirror and see what you really are?

"Just a low-class actress. You're worth less than a pawn Luke keeps, got it?

"You better stay the hell away from Luke, or I don't care if you're some big-shot award-winning starlet, I can make you disappear from this industry with a snap of my fingers."

Caught off guard, the hit to my head was painful and dizzying. I caught her wrist just before her slap landed.

"Grace, isn't it a bit early to be playing the Mrs. Morris card?" I retorted. "As I recall, Luke has never publicly acknowledged you, has he?"

Grace had always shadowed Luke. Any female artist who even looked like she might get close to him would face her wrath.

A light scolding or beating, at worst, being blacklisted.

Over the years, countless young actresses had felt her "discipline."

Now, she was trying to use those tactics on me.

She overestimated herself.

"Bitch! I'll tear your mouth apart!" My words clearly hit a nerve. She flew into a rage.

She tried to hit me, but couldn't break free from my grip.

I shoved her to the floor. Her tailbone hit the tiles, and she paled with pain.

"You bitch! How dare you push me! You think I won't have you blacklisted?" Grace screamed. "If Luke finds out you attacked me, he'll be the first to end your career."

Grace was still screaming.

"Suit yourself," I said, my lip curling.

I walked over to her in my heels and smashed my compact down hard on her head.

"Ah!" Grace shrieked, clutching her forehead.

"Just returning the favor," I said with a smile.

I never took insults lying down.

If someone messed with me, I paid them back double.

Sitting on the floor, Grace looked utterly shattered, gritting her teeth as if she could kill me on the spot.

Hah. Already falling apart?

If she knew I'd had three children for Luke, two boys and a girl, all five years old now, wouldn't she just want to die?

I gave her a cold look and walked away.

I knew Grace would come after me. I wasn't afraid.

Soon after, I did run into a little trouble at work.

No guessing needed. It was Grace's doing.

But now, as Starlight Entertainment's top star, my fate was deeply tied to the company's.

Coming after me meant coming after Starlight.

Grace's threat to blacklist me was a joke.

So she could only use her family's influence to make minor nuisances.

Just small hassles. My agent handled them.

Luke and Grace continued their public appearances, the picture-perfect couple.

Seeing their news, I'd just silently scroll past.

If I didn't look, my heart wouldn't ache.