Chapter 2
"He cheated?" Evelyn's eyes went wide.
"You were childhood sweethearts! Together for years! How could he do that?
"Who was she? Some rich girl? Someone powerful?"
Nope, neither.
The girl Edward cheated with was just a quiet, slender nobody.
When we turned 28, Sapphire's Crossing made us both top-tier national performers.
To everyone else, we were the perfect couple.
Edward got promoted to vice director of the troupe.
That was when a group of young actresses joined.
Julia was one of them.
"Look at her—like an unpolished gem, full of potential," Edward said.
His eyes lit up whenever he looked at Julia.
"There's something thrilling about personally shaping raw talent into something precious. That process is irresistible."
Edward always said he loved mentoring newcomers, watching them develop right before his eyes.
Looking back, maybe Edward just craved control.
Inside the troupe's little universe, he was the ultimate authority.
Who played which part, who sang, who spoke, who moved—Edward decided it all.
Who stepped onstage, who got the lead—his word was law.
Soon, the Jade role in Sapphire's Crossing—the part Edward and I had performed together countless times—went to someone else.
The new Jade was Julia.
Her singing was melodious and graceful, her movements elegant and fluid.
Standing beside Edward onstage, they looked perfect together.
The audience agreed—this felt right.
The Scholar and Jade—a match made in heaven.
And Sapphire? Just the clown trying to keep them apart.
After that, Edward spent more and more time "coaching" Julia.
He'd guide her through every movement, hands-on, leaning close to her ear to correct her singing.
The cast list kept changing.
Bit by bit, other actors' parts disappeared and went to Julia.
The troupe became Julia's personal showcase.
Then Edward suggested Julia should play Sapphire.
"Claire, Sapphire has so many action sequences, and you're pregnant.
"Watching you roll around onstage worries me."
He rubbed my aching lower back as he coaxed me.
"Why don't you and Julia switch?
"You play Jade, she'll be Sapphire.
"That way, you won't strain yourself."
Julia stood nearby, fidgeting nervously, her face a mask of ingratiation.
"Mrs. Shaw, please give me a chance! I won't let you or Mr. Shaw down.
"I'll make Sapphire's Crossing shine even brighter!"
Sapphire was the soul of the show.
I'd played her for more than ten years.
That role held my father's love—and every memory Edward and I had built together.
How could I hand it over myself?
But feeling the small swell of my belly, I nodded.
"Alright. I'll teach you."
I taught Julia everything I knew, holding nothing back.
She treated me respectfully, saying I was the kindest person she'd ever met.
She swore she'd repay me someday.
And she did.
By sleeping with Edward.
I pushed open the dressing room door that day.
They were tangled together in a pile of costumes.
In that moment, I snapped.
I threw every prop in the room at them, then tossed their clothes into the fire pit.
Edward shielded Julia with a costume and shoved me to the floor.
"Claire, have you lost your mind?
"You're making a scene—how is Julia supposed to show her face?"
Even then, all he cared about was protecting Julia.
Blind with rage, I grabbed a prop and hurled it at Edward's head.
He clutched his head, then slapped me hard.
"Claire, listen—if you just behave, you'll always be Mrs. Shaw.
"Julia doesn't care about titles. She'll never try to take your place."
Julia grabbed my arm, sobbing uncontrollably.
"Claire, I know I hurt you... but Mr. Shaw and I really love each other.
"I don't need to be his wife. I just want to stay near him—seeing him every day is enough.
"Please, I swear I won't take your place. I won't destroy your family."
I couldn't take it—I demanded Edward fire Julia from the troupe.
He frowned, his voice ice-cold.
"Claire, you're being ridiculous.
"Julia's the star we're grooming, and everyone loves her as Sapphire.
"Do you even realize how much we'd lose if we let her go?"
"What about me?"
My whole body shook.
"Who's going to pay for what I've lost?"
"This is business. Leave your emotions out of it!" He shoved me aside.
"I told you—you'll always be Mrs. Shaw. What more do you want?"
I stormed into the troupe leaders' office, crying and accusing them of the affair.
But Edward was the backbone of the theater, and Julia was the rising star everyone had their eyes on.
The leaders brushed me off.
"Men fool around. It's just a fling—once the novelty wears off, he'll come back."
"What's the point of this drama? It's not helping you or the troupe."
"Just be tolerant. Once the baby comes, he'll settle down."
But I refused.
Why should the cheater sleep peacefully while the victim suffers in silence?
So at the next full troupe meeting, I slammed photos of them in bed down in front of everyone.
The room erupted.
But after the chaos died down, the silence was deafening.
Everyone knew the price of crossing Edward. They understood what this scandal could do to the troupe.
To punish me, Edward and Julia flaunted their relationship even more.
They paraded around the troupe together, acting like lovebirds right in front of me, making sure I saw everything.
The leaders forced me to wear Jade's costume and play the background to Julia in Sapphire's Crossing.
Every performance was death by a thousand cuts.
Every round of applause felt like a slap across my face.
Everyone watched me become the joke.
They waited to see how the jealous, washed-up star would play the supporting role to the homewrecker.
How I'd desperately cling to a dying marriage, refusing to let go.