Chapter 2 · She Announced Her Love, I Blacklisted Her

Richard stood up. He smoothed his suit jacket and made his way confidently onto the stage.

The presenter instinctively stepped aside, handing him the microphone.

Richard picked up the trophy, glanced at it, then placed it on the podium.

"Congratulations, Miss Harper, on finding your soulmate," Richard said into the microphone. "Since you're seeking your true self, you shouldn't be bound by commercial interests. Starlight Media is terminating all of Emily's acting work, effective immediately."

With that, he turned and walked off the stage, not sparing Emily a single glance.

Emily stood frozen on stage.

She had imagined countless ways Richard might react. He could have gotten angry or publicly lost his temper. He might have begged her to keep the peace.

She had a plan for all of it, ready to act the rebel breaking free from the industry's chains in front of the cameras.

But Richard didn't do any of that.

He offered a simple "congratulations," and then he walked off.

Before Emily could react, the live broadcast director suddenly received an order, and the live stream was abruptly cut off within three seconds.

The big screens in the venue went dark, and all the cameras that had been trained on Emily quickly shifted away.

Chaos broke out backstage.

Emily was half-pushed, half-carried off the stage by the staff, still clutching Mark's hand.

Mark's palms were sweaty, but a look of triumph was spreading across his face, barely contained.

"We did it," Mark whispered in her ear. "From today on, you're free."

Emily nodded, taking a deep breath, trying to steady herself after the sudden panic.

Richard's reaction was unexpected, but so what? She was already a Best Actress winner and a top-tier star with over a billion dollars in box-office grosses. Even if she left Starlight, with her own fame and influence, there was nowhere she couldn't go.

"Miss Harper." A cold voice came from behind her.

Emily turned around and saw Richard's assistant, David, blocking the entrance to the VIP passage with a dozen black-clad bodyguards.

David adjusted his glasses and held up his tablet with a blank expression. "Miss Harper, Mr. Evans has instructed that everything you're wearing is company property, on loan from our brand partners.

"Now that your contract with Starlight Media is suspended, you need to return it all immediately."

Emily's eyes widened. "What did you say?"

"Additionally," David continued, ignoring her question, "all the support staff assigned to you by Starlight Media will be withdrawn immediately. Your VIP dressing room in this venue will also be reclaimed. Please clear out your personal belongings within thirty minutes."

"Are you out of your mind?" Emily's voice trembled with disbelief. "This is live on national TV! You actually want me to strip in front of everyone?"

David shot her a look, his gaze icy and utterly indifferent. "Miss Harper, this is the company's order. It's not up for discussion. Either you take it off yourself, or the bodyguards will do it for you."

David stepped back, and the dozen bodyguards moved forward as one.

Emily's face went pale.

Mark stepped in front of her, shielding her. "This is harassment. I'll call the cops!"

David didn't look at him and kept talking to Emily, "Oh, and one more thing. Mr. Evans said that since you've got your soulmate now, Starlight won't cover for you anymore.

"All the gossip and dirt we've been blocking for you under the pretense of privacy will fall squarely on you. The PR department will unload everything on you by midnight tonight."

Emily's fingers started to tremble.

No one knew better than her how many scandals and rumors were swirling around her.

Throwing tantrums, yelling at staff, showing up late to set, using stand-ins for the easiest scenes, and paying for smear campaigns against her rivals. Richard had been bailing her out for six years, more times than she could count.

"You can't do this!" Emily's voice trembled. "Where's Richard? I need to see him."

David glanced at his watch. "Mr. Evans has already left the venue. Miss Harper, you have twenty-five minutes. Please cooperate. Let's not make things ugly for everyone."

The bodyguards took another step forward.

Emily looked at those expressionless men in black, finally realizing this wasn't a joke.

Chapter 2

Richard stood up. He smoothed his suit jacket and made his way confidently onto the stage.

The presenter instinctively stepped aside, handing him the microphone.

Richard picked up the trophy, glanced at it, then placed it on the podium.

With that, he turned and walked off the stage, not sparing Emily a single glance.

Emily stood frozen on stage.

She had imagined countless ways Richard might react. He could have gotten angry or publicly lost his temper. He might have begged her to keep the peace.

She had a plan for all of it, ready to act the rebel breaking free from the industry's chains in front of the cameras.

But Richard didn't do any of that.

He offered a simple "congratulations," and then he walked off.

Before Emily could react, the live broadcast director suddenly received an order, and the live stream was abruptly cut off within three seconds.

The big screens in the venue went dark, and all the cameras that had been trained on Emily quickly shifted away.

Chaos broke out backstage.

Emily was half-pushed, half-carried off the stage by the staff, still clutching Mark's hand.

Mark's palms were sweaty, but a look of triumph was spreading across his face, barely contained.

"We did it," Mark whispered in her ear. "From today on, you're free."

Emily nodded, taking a deep breath, trying to steady herself after the sudden panic.

"Miss Harper." A cold voice came from behind her.

Emily turned around and saw Richard's assistant, David, blocking the entrance to the VIP passage with a dozen black-clad bodyguards.

David adjusted his glasses and held up his tablet with a blank expression. "Miss Harper, Mr. Evans has instructed that everything you're wearing is company property, on loan from our brand partners.

"Now that your contract with Starlight Media is suspended, you need to return it all immediately."

Emily's eyes widened. "What did you say?"

"Are you out of your mind?" Emily's voice trembled with disbelief. "This is live on national TV! You actually want me to strip in front of everyone?"

David stepped back, and the dozen bodyguards moved forward as one.

Emily's face went pale.

Mark stepped in front of her, shielding her. "This is harassment. I'll call the cops!"

David didn't look at him and kept talking to Emily, "Oh, and one more thing. Mr. Evans said that since you've got your soulmate now, Starlight won't cover for you anymore.

"All the gossip and dirt we've been blocking for you under the pretense of privacy will fall squarely on you. The PR department will unload everything on you by midnight tonight."

Emily's fingers started to tremble.

No one knew better than her how many scandals and rumors were swirling around her.

"You can't do this!" Emily's voice trembled. "Where's Richard? I need to see him."

David glanced at his watch. "Mr. Evans has already left the venue. Miss Harper, you have twenty-five minutes. Please cooperate. Let's not make things ugly for everyone."

The bodyguards took another step forward.

Emily looked at those expressionless men in black, finally realizing this wasn't a joke.