Chapter 2

Nathalie looked downcast, her voice soft and apologetic. "Ashley, it's my fault. Please don't be upset with Logan."

Before she could finish, Logan cut her off. "Ashley, you need to dial back the jealousy. Nathalie just tripped, and I was helping her up."

I glanced at the perfectly smooth, polished floor and smiled faintly. "Tripping on a flat surface? Maybe get your bones checked at a real hospital."

Nathalie's face flickered between pale and flushed, but whatever she was thinking, she forced herself to stay quiet.

They traded glances before Logan took the lead. "Ashley, I asked you here to talk about Nathalie going abroad. You're kind of a big deal in showbiz. Sponsoring her would be a way of supporting the new actors. Once she's back and starts her acting career, she could even give you shout-outs in the media."

He paused for a beat, acting like he was really considering my side. "It's not like I'm asking a lot. One million is enough."

I fiddled with my nails, sounding utterly bored. "What does her plan to go overseas and get herself some credentials have to do with me?"

Logan choked, looking at me like I'd just grown two heads. "Ashley, I can't believe how cold-blooded you are. Your family's rolling in cash. One million means nothing to you, but for Nathalie, that's a hell of a lot of money."

I shot him a lazy glance. "Oh? Am I her father or her mother? Did her parents vanish, leaving me responsible for her?"

But when Nathalie heard me, she froze, tears instantly springing to her eyes. "I didn't know you were this jealous about me and Logan being so close since we were kids. I shouldn't have come today and gotten between you two."

With that, she wiped her tears and ran out of the apartment.

Logan immediately went after her.

He'd barely reached the doorway when he spun back around, throwing me a harsh glare. "Ashley, stop making everything a drama. Nathalie is just like a little sister to me. If we wanted something to happen, it would have happened by now. I'm giving you three days to think this over and apologize to Nathalie. Otherwise, our relationship is over."

Watching Logan storm out after throwing down his ultimatum, I let out a cold, mocking laugh.

Yeah, if I hadn't been such a gullible, rich pushover, they wouldn't have bothered keeping up the act of me being Logan's official girlfriend. They'd have been all loved up, without a care about my existence.

In my previous life, this would have shattered me. I'd have stayed up all night, drafting a long, heartfelt text, meticulously analyzing my faults, and then showering him with expensive gifts.

Logan would have played the part of the magnanimous guy, acting like he was reluctantly accepting my gifts before telling me, "Ashley, I'll forgive you this time, but don't let it happen again."

Just then, my agent called.

She told me the renowned director Finley was casting for the lead female role in a suspense film called Shadow over the Tomb and wanted to invite me to a dinner meeting in two days.

I remembered that project.

The script was killer, and Finley's crew really knew their stuff. Word was, I'd been his first choice for the role.

But in my previous life, I dropped everything to answer Logan's call, rushing over to take care of him late into the night. Thanks to Nathalie's manipulations, I ended up showing up at the dinner looking like a disheveled mess.

Finley took one look at me and pegged me as a stuck-up diva who didn't respect his opportunity. He slapped the table in disgust and left without another word.

The actress who landed the role turned into an overnight sensation. She even tagged me online and tweeted: [So grateful for Ashley's "missed opportunity" that led to my unexpected journey with Shadow over the Tomb.]

My so-called diva behavior instantly blew up online, with keyboard warriors flocking to my page, dragging me for being a slacker who didn't care about her work.

I was miserable for ages, but Logan didn't spare me a single ounce of sympathy. He just snorted, "It's just a little criticism. God, you're so dramatic."

Back then, Logan told me I wasn't in the right state for acting and suggested I introduce Nathalie to some of the projects I was already involved with.

I wasn't exactly happy about it, but since Logan kept me company at home all the time, I ended up asking my agent to see if there was any way Nathalie could land a role.

But on her very first day, Nathalie couldn't even deliver her lines properly. That night, she went crying to Logan, claiming the director I'd introduced her to was pushing her into a glorified extra role.

Logan was furious. He threatened to break up with me unless I gave my lead role to Nathalie.

It wasn't even a request I could realistically fulfill.

He gave me the silent treatment for two whole weeks. In desperation, I tried to win back his favor indirectly by buying a single-family home for his mother, Donna, hoping she'd put in a good word for me.

That woman, Donna, nitpicked endlessly. She accepted the house but still had the nerve to complain about its location.

Pulling myself out of these memories, I felt a wave of self-disgust so strong I could have slapped my past self.

No wonder I ended up dead and pathetic in the end. I brought it all on myself.