Chapter 1

Everyone knew that Alex was obsessed with me.

He literally bought me an island and put a castle on it.

Girls were always throwing themselves at him, but he only had eyes for me.

For our fourth anniversary, he proposed on his private yacht.

Then out of nowhere, his "one that got away" showed up and asked, "Alex, if I said yes to your proposal from four years ago, would you still choose me?"

Right in front of me, he replied, "Yes."

When my bestie heard of this, she charged over in her superyacht and cut them off at sea.

She went off like a storm. "Liv is an A-list superstar. She deserves nothing less than the most powerful tycoon in this city!"

*****

Today was Valentine's Day, and it was also the fourth anniversary of my relationship with Alex Carter.

He booked a luxury yacht just for the occasion, saying he wanted us to spend the day together out at sea.

Alex's friends dropped hints that he might pop the question today.

So I made sure to look my absolute best, slipping into a white mermaid dress that perfectly showed off the figure I'd been keeping in shape for years.

But the moment I stepped into the yacht's main lounge, I felt something wasn't right.

Whispers spread through the crowd.

I glanced around, catching people shooting odd glances my way.

Finally, one of Alex's friends couldn't hold back and asked, "Olivia, why are you here?"

I froze. I didn't know what he meant.

Just as I was lost in confusion, a woman in a red, backless gown made her entrance, arm in arm with Alex, slowly heading straight toward me.

Her long hair poured down her back, makeup flawlessly dramatic. She shot me a blinding, almost smug smile. "Hey Olivia. Fancy seeing you here."

I recognized her right away—Sophia Lane, one of the top stars, and my number one rival in showbiz.

I glanced at Alex and noticed his awkward demeanor; he avoided my gaze, stealing furtive glances at Sophia as if craving her approval.

Still the same old Alex, always worrying what Sophia thought of him.

I knew Sophia was Alex's unattainable crush, the one he'd kept hidden for years. No one ever dared to bring her up.

But I never expected that the very woman he could never have would pick today, the day he was supposed to propose to me, to come back into his life.

Sophia and Alex were acting ridiculously close, like a couple, making me feel like I was just the extra here.

All eyes were on me—some sympathetic, some hungry for gossip, and others just thrilled to be watching the drama unfold.

Watching Alex stand next to Sophia, and the way they seemed to communicate without words, so in sync, my heart felt bitter and tight.

Alex's friends used to say that years ago, when he was hopelessly chasing Sophia, he went extreme. He had rented out Modern Tower's luxury big screen for nine days straight, splashing his grand confession for everyone in the city to see.

Just to win her smile, he had even flexed his connections and had top actors and actresses in showbiz record heartfelt birthday videos for Sophia. The clips blew up online overnight.

With Alex putting her on a pedestal, Sophia was untouchable back then.

But when Alex tried to make things official and asked to be her boyfriend, Sophia stunned everyone by admitting her heart already belonged to another man, and she simply couldn't be with Alex.

Ironically, the day Alex got rejected by Sophia was also the first time I ever met him.

That same year, my parents died in a car crash, leaving me buried under a mountain of debt. Bill collectors kept banging on my door. I barely got a moment's peace.

A talent scout spotted me right then, and before I knew it, I'd been talked into joining the entertainment industry—just to pay off what my family owed.

That day, being the total newbie I was, my agent basically shoved me straight into a private room at some top-tier club.

She forced me into a skimpy, strappy mini-dress that bared my waist and leaned in to whisper, "If you please Mr. Carter tonight, I'll get you a speaking role in this new film."

Those hungry stares all around made me freeze up. My hands shook badly as I nervously poured Alex a drink, fussing with my way-too-short skirt.

A wasted guy snaked a hand over mine, shooting Alex a sleazy grin. "Mr. Carter, I like this girl. If you don't want her, mind if I take her instead?"

Alex didn't hesitate; he booted the guy straight into the corner, and then tipped my chin up with a lazy confidence. "Cheer me up tonight, and I'll let you rule this game. Nobody will mess with you in the business."

Ever since that night, Alex always looked out for me.

Back when I was just a nobody in showbiz, people in the industry loved to make snide remarks, calling me nothing but Alex's personal plaything.

But Alex didn't buy into any of their gossip. Beneath a starry sky, he confessed his feelings, and gave me a public, official girlfriend status. For the first time ever, I truly felt safe and like I belonged somewhere.

When Alex found out I was being bullied on set, he started visiting the crew constantly, and making sure everyone knew I was under his wing. From then on, nobody even dared to lay a finger on me.

I used to have a dream of traveling the world, but after my parents died and burdened me with debt, I had to split every penny just to scrape by. I never let myself think about that dream again.

Somehow, Alex caught wind of that old wish. Whenever I finished filming, he'd insist on taking me to every city I ever wanted to see.

He knew how much I loved the sea, so he built a castle for me on an island, saying it would be our future home, and that I'd always be his treasure.

Alex's friends always joked that after chasing Sophia for years, he'd basically mastered the art of making women happy. They'd say I was just plain lucky to have landed him.

Every time I heard that, I'd just smile and let it slide.

I knew I wasn't some stand-in for Sophia. The four years Alex and I spent together were genuine; we truly loved each other.

That was why I refused to let the Carter family's influence decide my path. I was stubborn; I wanted to carve out my own place in this industry, relying only on myself.

I wanted everyone to see I was worthy, that I'd earned the right to stand beside Alex, not just as his girlfriend, but as his equal.

I needed people to understand that it wasn't luck that brought me this love. I chased after the person I loved with everything I had, and that was how I found the greatest happiness in the world.

But just when I thought our four-year romance was finally about to have a new beginning, reality hit me like a sucker punch.