The Moment Love Dies

To get my struggling idol boyfriend the exposure he needed, I became his dedicated fansite master. When he sang off-key, I auto-tuned his voice until it sounded kissed by an angel. When his acting was stiff, I edited his rare laugh into a viral clip called A Ray of Sunshine. When he threw a tantrum, I faked donation records to save his image.
After he skyrocketed to fame, he promised to announce our relationship. But backstage, I overheard him tell his agent, "The photos went viral because I'm talented. Ava just clicks a shutter button and thinks she's a kingmaker. I cant go public with her it would upset Diana."
Diana? The actress leeching off his fame? I laughed bitterly, put away my camera, and with it, all my love for him. Fine. We're through. Good luck shining on your own, Ben.

1.
"Ava's just got a massive ego, always thinking she's the one who made me famous," Ben said with a sigh. "The truth is, it was my own fame that made her videos go viral."
His tone then shifted, becoming eager. "Tonight's my performance with Diana. Make sure Ava gets plenty of photos of us together."
"She won't get mad. She's so in love with me, she'll just convince herself it's all for work."
The agent clicked her tongue. "Making your girlfriend take shipping photos of you and another woman. Classy, Ben."
"But I'm warning you, don't push it too far. Ava has a huge following of her own..."
The cynical laughter from inside the dressing room continued, but a sudden, icy gust of wind cut through me, leaving my heart feeling hollow and cold.
Ben had been in the industry for five years. For the first two, he was a nobody.
In his third year, my million-follower fan account appeared out of nowhere.
I produced a steady stream of viral photos, all thanks to my stubborn refusal to admit his flaws.
I'd style his outfits in adBright, then wait for hours at the airport to snap "candid" shots, stubbornly insisting he wasn't a "bad dresser."
I ran myself ragged networking for him, just to get him a seat one row closer to the front at award shows, stubbornly insisting he wasn't a "nobody."
After Diana came into the picture, they did three projects together, and the online hype around their "couple" status exploded. With it came the haters, mocking his playboy looks. Before, I would have used my army of burner accounts to defend him.
Now, I couldn't bring myself to be stubborn anymore.
The truth had been hammered home by Ben himself.
Snapping back to the present, I packed up my camera right in front of his approaching assistant.
"Something's come up. Don't bother saving me a spot tonight."
As I left, I saw Diana walk into Ben's dressing room with a bright smile. A moment later, his agent emerged, a knowing smirk on her face as she quietly closed the door behind her.
I walked out into the frigid December wind and, to my own surprise, laughed out loud.
He really thinks he got this far on his own talent?
Fine. Let's see what kind of "talent" you really are.
I pulled out my phone, logged into the account dedicated to him, and sent a private message to his biggest rival's management studio.
[Hi, need a fansite master? One with a million followers.]

2.
Back home, I edited a few clips of Ben's rival and posted them on a new, smaller account to test the waters.
Ben didn't call me all night. It seemed he'd completely forgotten his promise to announce our relationship at the concert.
Without the need to stay up all night shooting and editing for him, I was in bed by midnight and slept soundly, dreamlessly.
The next morning, I made breakfast only for myself.
Ben had developed a sensitive stomach from years of hustling for gigs in his early days. Because of that, I always took his breakfast very seriously. I'd stay up editing until the early hours, then wake up at dawn to pore over healthy recipes and cook for him.
In all those years, it never once occurred to me to make an extra portion for myself.
It was almost noon when Ben finally came home, smelling of a perfume that wasn't mine.
He walked in and immediately tried to hug me, his face a mask of apology.
"I'm so exhausted, Ava. The team dragged me out for drinks right after the concert, I didn't even have a chance to call you."
I shifted slightly, avoiding his embrace.
He froze, then scratched his head guiltily. "Are you mad because I didn't announce our relationship? I don't know what happened, there was a technical problem with the stage equipment. The special screen I had set up for you wouldn't turn on."
"I didn't want our announcement to be so rushed. Just wait a little longer, Ava. I promise, at the next concert, I'll tell the whole world about us!"
He spun a convincing tale, all without ever realizing I hadn't even been at the concert. His PR skills had certainly improved over the years, even if nothing else had.
I scrolled through my phone, sinking into the sofa. The videos on my new account had done pretty well overnight. I planned to edit a few more today.
Seeing that I was ignoring him, Ben, for once, didn't go upstairs to sleep. He leaned over my shoulder, trying to make conversation.
"What are you looking at, Ava?"
I didn't bother hiding my screen. "Just watching some clips."
Ben's smile widened. "From my concert last night? Did you get some good shots of me and Diana?"
"You know this was Diana's first time at a concert, Ava. It's a huge talking point. If you got us in the same shot, I could piggyback on the buzz."
Just then, his phone pinged.
The smile that spread across his face as he looked at the screen was far more genuine than the one he'd given me.
"That's Renee, my agent. She's here to pick me up. I have a scene this afternoon, so I can't stay. Be a good girl and wait for me, okay? We'll have a big dinner tonight."
He rushed out the door, in such a hurry that he knocked a small ceramic figure off the coffee table.
It was a piece he had given me back when he was still a struggling nobody. He had been on an international shoot with a major production and that was all he could afford. When he gave it to me, he'd kept his head down, speaking in a low, determined voice, as if trying to convince both of us.
"I'm going to work harder, make more money. One day, you'll come abroad with me as the girlfriend of the male lead. You'll be able to buy whatever you want, without ever looking at the price tag."
I stared silently at the ceramic figure, now broken in two. I raised my phone.
Through the window, I saw Ben getting into a car. Just as a hand reached out to pull him in, I pressed the shutter.
It clearly wasn't his agent's car. The hand pulling him inside wore a bracelet Diana had been wearing just last night.
If he couldn't even be bothered to cherish our last remaining memory, then I had no reason to cherish the path I had paved for him.
A lack of talent would just send him back to being a nobody.
Cheating... that was the kind of scandal that could truly bury him.

3.
I spent the rest of the day editing videos.
That evening, a message from Ben popped up.
[Sorry, Ava! The director added a bunch of scenes last minute. I can't make it home tonight!]
I emotionlessly opened Diana's social media.
The latest post was a selfie taken in a hotel room. In the corner of the shot, strewn on the floor, was Ben's jacket.
I saved the image, then found an old photo of Ben wearing the same jacket and put them side-by-side.
Just then, a new notification appeared.
[Hello, 'StarlightAva,' we would like to formally invite you to David Cole's solo concert! We have reserved a front-row VIP seat for you and look forward to your attendance!]
David Cole was Ben's rival.
I opened my new fan account and realized the videos I had casually edited yesterday had blown up. Over a hundred thousand likes, millions of views. The comment section was filled with people wondering how they had never discovered this hidden gem before.
I raised an eyebrow.
They were right. While this artist was still relatively unknown, he had a solid foundation. He was professionally trained. Most importantly, he had a powerful voice and real acting skills. He was leagues better than Ben. He probably just lacked good promotion.
And speaking of promotion, this studio's approach was a world away from what I was used to.
In the five years I ran Ben's fansite, I not only had to fight for concert tickets like everyone else, but he never even saved me an autographed photo. His excuse was always about saving resourcesa ticket sold was money in the bank. A ticket given to me was a waste.
I glanced at the time. The concert was on the same night as Ben's, in the venue right next door.
Without a moment's hesitation, I replied.
[Of course. I'll be there.]
I assumed Ben wouldn't be coming home that night.
To my surprise, he showed up in the early evening.
And trailing behind him was Diana, bundled up and hiding her face.
"A few of Diana's stalker fans snuck onto the set," Ben explained. "They almost hurt her. I brought her here to lie low for a bit. You don't mind, do you, Ava?"
My focus was entirely on the video I was editing. "Whatever," I muttered, not bothering to look up.
Diana sat quietly on the sofa, occasionally scrolling through her phone and replying to messages from her team.
I was halfway through my edit when Diana got up to get a glass of water.
Suddenly, she cried out, "Oh!"
The entire glass of water spilled onto my laptop.
The screen went black instantly. On it were all my projects from the past several years.
I shot to my feet. Diana was rubbing her ankle, her voice weak. "I'm so sorry, Ava. It was an accident..."
I clenched my jaw. "It's amazing how you can trip on a perfectly flat floor, Ms. Lane."
Ben came out of the kitchen with a plate of cut fruit. Seeing the scene, he immediately rushed to Diana's side.
"Ava, don't blame her. She's had a long day. She's exhausted."
I took a deep breath. "She's exhausted, so it's okay for all the videos on my laptop to be destroyed? That's years of my work!"
Diana lowered her head and let out a small sob.
Ben's face hardened, anger flashing in his eyes. "Ava, can you stop being so dramatic? Diana and I are both tired. Don't make more trouble for us."
"It's just a few videos. I'm right here, aren't I? If you want to shoot more, I can pose for you anytime."
I almost laughed in his face.
"Do you have any idea what it takes to edit your audio? I have to adjust it note by note! It's easy for you to say, but if you could actually sing on key, I wouldn't have to be so protective of this stuff!"
Ben's pride was fragile. My words hit a nerve, and he exploded.
"What's that supposed to mean? If you don't want to do it, then don't! No one's begging you! If I knew I'd have to deal with your attitude every time I ask for a video, I would've just hired a professional photographer!"
"Fine," I shot back. "Then hire one. I'm done."
Right in front of him, I logged into my million-follower account and deleted every single post.
Ben looked like he was about to have a stroke. He stared at the empty account for a long moment, completely speechless.
Diana tugged on his sleeve. "Ben, let's not fight. Let's just solve the problem. I should probably head back to the set."
"Wait, I'll go with you. What if those stalkers are still there? What if they bother you again?" He shot me a venomous glare. "As for this problem, it's pretty clear who's not cooperating. She can figure it out herself!"
He stormed out, dragging Diana with him.

4.
That night, two topics shot to the top of the trending charts.
#BenBrightOfficialGirlfriend
#StanAbandonsBenBright
My million-follower account was a wasteland, while Ben's had a brand new post.
It was a photo of his hand intertwined with Diana's.
The caption read: [Found the love of my life.]
Everyone was speculating about who the woman was, but Ben had been careful. You couldn't see enough to confirm it was Diana.
Meanwhile, on my page, the comments were flooded with rumors that I had a meltdown over his "real girlfriend" and rage-deleted everything.
The two trending topics made Ben's fame explode. Viral clips and entertainment news accounts were everywhere.
By midnight, his agent was fielding calls for new projects left and right.
A message from Ben appeared on my phone:
[Apologize, and I'll announce that you're my girlfriend at the concert.]
I stared at the message, a cold fury rising in me, and blocked his number.
Apologize?
Let's just wait until all the real dirt comes out. Then we'll see who needs to apologize.
Ben's popularity was still soaring. I was satisfied.
The higher you fly, the harder you fall.
I didn't see Ben for the next few days.
On the day of the concert, I took a cab to the stadium area. As I got out, I ran right into Ben, who was there early for a soundcheck.
His brow, which had been furrowed in a frown, relaxed when he saw me.
"Ava, let me be clear. No apology, no official announcement. It won't matter even if you came to watch."
Then, his eyes fell on the professional camera gear in my arms, and his smile widened. He took off his scarf and wrapped it around my neck.
"You need to stay warm if you want to take good pictures."
"Renee is calling me. I've got to go."
I didn't watch him leave. I took off the scarf and tossed it into the nearest trash can without a second glance.
Then I turned and walked into the venue next door.
In the dressing room, I uploaded a few videos I had edited the day before to my new account.
Then I logged into my main, million-follower account. I selected the videos of Ben's confessions of love to me, our chat logs, and the photos and videos of him getting into Diana's private car and bringing her to our home. I uploaded everything.
Of course, I didn't forget to tag him.
You want to trend? Fine. I'll help you.
With that done, I slung my massive telephoto lens over my shoulder and headed into David Cole's concert.
...
In his dressing room, Ben waited for me, but I never came.
He started to get anxious, pacing back and forth.
He scrolled through his phone and saw a few clips from his rival's concert. The editing style, the camera angles... they were all disturbingly familiar.
The more he watched, the more agitated he became.
His agent's voice crackled through his earpiece, telling him it was time. Ben shut his phone and walked onto the stage, a knot of anxiety in his stomach.
The moment the stage lights flared to life, his agent's panicked scream exploded in his ear.
"Ben! Check the trending topics! Now! The entire list is people calling you a cheater!"

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