Chapter 2

She feigned a slight frown.

"Don't pin everything on me. I just helped Adrian solve a massive problem."

I looked at her. "A massive problem?"

She took a step closer, her voice still smooth.

"Scarlett, you should know where Adrian stands right now."

"His career, his endorsements, his image—none of it can be ruined by a hidden marriage."

A fire surged in my chest. "So you ruined me with fabricated evidence?"

Vanessa sighed softly. "I knew that if we told you beforehand, you wouldn't cooperate. We had to act first. It's for the best—for both you and Adrian."

I stared at her. "Trying to destroy my career is for my own good? What's your real angle?"

She didn't answer immediately, but the look in her eyes said it all.

"I want you out of his life."

Hurried footsteps echoed from the corridor.

Adrian arrived.

When he saw Vanessa and me standing together, his expression shifted.

"Scarlett."

I turned to look at him.

In three years, I had never felt this man so distant.

"Why did you do this? Why did you make up those lies to tear me down?"

Adrian avoided my eyes.

"We need to talk."

"Talk about what?" My voice began to tremble. "Talk about why you told everyone I forced you into this marriage?"

He stayed silent.

And his silence was crueler than any answer.

"Those chat screenshots circulating online are fake," I said, staring him down. "Don't tell me you didn't know."

His Adam's apple bobbed. "Scarlett..."

"Answer me."

After Vanessa walked in, the rest of the backstage crew had cleared out. Now it was just the three of us, and I couldn't hold back my anger.

I watched him take a deep breath, as if what he was about to say would hurt even more.

Before Adrian could speak, Vanessa let out a light laugh. "Adrian, just tell her straight. She needs to deal with this on her own. There's no other way."

A few seconds later, he said in a low voice, "I knew it would turn out like this, but I had to do it."

My chest felt as though it had been struck by a heavy blow. "You knew they would tear me apart, that this would destroy me. And you did it anyway? Why didn't you tell me beforehand?"

Adrian looked at me, pain flickering in his eyes.

"I just wanted to protect our careers."

I looked at him, suddenly not knowing whether to laugh or cry.

Because even now, he still said "our."

Yet I was the only one taking the fall.

In the distance, the studio lights flashed again.

The reporters had realized I was backstage.

Someone shouted my name.

"Scarlett! Adrian says your marriage was forced, is that true?"

"Do you admit to threatening him?"

"Can you respond on record?"

I stood there, watching Vanessa place a hand on his arm, soothing him gently.

Adrian didn't pull away. Instead, he cast a guilty glance in my direction.

In that moment, the bitter truth hit me—I had been the clown in his circus all along.