Loving the Starlet in Secret

1
I had been in love with the award-winning actress, Seraphina Astin, for nine years. Finally, she agreed to marry me.
At our wedding, just as we were about to exchange vows, she heard that the man she'd always considered her one true love was back in the country. Without a second thought, she abandoned me at the altar to go meet him at the airport.
By the time I got there, a crowd had gathered, cheering them on as they kissed passionately.
In the aftermath, I became the laughingstock of the entire entertainment industry. Everyone assumed I would forgive her. After all, I had loved her so intensely, so devotedly, for nine years.
She looked down on me from her pedestal, as always, and offered me a crumb of her affection. "If you beg me," she said, "I'll consider going through with the wedding."
But this time, I just smiled. We'll see who's begging whom.
"If that's how you feel, then maybe we should just call off the wedding."
Seraphina's expression shifted, and she quickly moved to block my path. She clearly hadn't expected me to say that. In her mind, Leo, her pathetic little assistant, was supposed to be on his knees, begging her through a flood of tears.
"Leo, what is the meaning of this?!"
I curved my lips into a slight smile and shrugged, the picture of nonchalance. "What do you think it means? It means we're not getting married."
I had known Seraphina Astin for nine years, and for nine years, I had been her devoted follower, her shadow, her anything-she-needed-me-to-be. I was there with her every step of the way, from a nameless extra to the acclaimed actress she was today. For nine years, I would have moved heaven and earth to bring her anything that would make her happy. Every time her heart was broken, I was the one who stayed by her side, piecing it back together.
Today, under the watchful eyes of hundreds of guests, I stood in the grand wedding hall. Nine long years. I thought I had finally won her heart.
But fate has a cruel sense of humor. Before the wedding bells could even ring, she got the news that he was back. I rushed to the airport, only to see her throw herself at him like a moth to a flame, drawn to the man who had always held her heart.
The crowd around them roared with approval as their lips met in a passionate, desperate kiss, as if they were the only two people in the world. Everyone thought they were witnessing a romantic reunion, a scene straight out of a movie.
"Oh my god, isn't that Seraphina Astin?"
"Who's that guy she's kissing? They look so perfect together!"
"Holy crap, this is huge news!"
And me? I was just a supporting character in their drama, a jilted fool left to be ridiculed.
I stood there, my heart feeling like it was being torn to shreds, but in that single, agonizing moment, clarity washed over me. Nine years. Nine years of waiting for her to see me, of giving everything I had to her. And for what? For a dream that was never mine to begin with.
I looked at Seraphina. There wasn't a trace of guilt in her eyes. Only pure, unadulterated adoration for the man in her arms.
Afterward, I became the butt of every joke. They were all waiting to see how I would crawl back to her, how I would beg her to finish the wedding we had started. They thought I would do what I had always doneanything to win her back.
But this time, I just smiled.
Seraphina, perched on her throne, thought she could toss me a bone and I would come running like the loyal dog I had always been. "If you beg me, I'll continue with the wedding." Her voice was laced with a confidence born from years of my devotion. She thought I would fall to my knees at her feet.
But I was done being her puppet.
I smiled. "We'll see who's begging whom. I'm not marrying you. You can be with whoever you want, Seraphina."
Her face fell. The ever-obedient Leo, daring to speak to her like that.
Just then, the man, Julian Croft, spoke up. He looked at the tense atmosphere between us and said, with an air of innocence, "I'm so sorry, Sera. I came all the way back just to attend your wedding... I had no idea..."
"Leo, don't be rash," he continued, his voice smooth as silk, but his words sharp as daggers. "Sera was just so excited to hear I was back, that's why she kissed me."
He even had the audacity to wipe his lips, where the faint trace of their kiss still lingered.
I almost laughed looking at him, standing there protectively in front of her. Julian Croft, the one who got away, conveniently returning on our wedding day. The intention was as clear as day. He was marking his territory, telling me, I'm back, so you can step aside.
I gave him a cool, dismissive glance and said nothing.
He seemed to remember something and pulled a small, worn charm from his pocket. Seraphina's betrayal was a knife in my heart. Julian's presence was the salt in the wound.
He held the charm out to me, a smirk playing on his lips, his voice dripping with condescension. "Leo, I believe this is yours. Sera gave it to me before I left the country. You can have it back now."
He smiled, a picture of innocence. "And thank you. It really works. It's kept me safe all these years abroad."
I stared at the charm, a whirlwind of emotions churning inside me. A few years ago, after Seraphina was in a car accident, I had knelt in a temple for twelve hours straight, praying for that charm. Now, it was just a toy passed between them.
"Leo, Julian is back now," Seraphina's voice cut in. "I got him a new one. You can have the old one back."
I let out a cold, humorless laugh and tossed the charm back at Julian. "I don't need it anymore."
He caught it, a triumphant glint in his eye. "Leo, why be like that? Sera was just trying to be nice. She wants you to be safe."
I looked at his smug, sanctimonious face, and the anger I had been suppressing finally boiled over. "Cut the act, Julian. I don't want any part in whatever is going on between you and Seraphina."
His expression faltered for a second before he composed himself. "What are you talking about, Leo? There's nothing going on between Sera and me. Don't make baseless accusations."
Sensing my hostility towards Julian, Seraphina frowned, her face darkening. "Leo, remember your place. You're just my assistant. Show some respect to Julian."
Her eyes swept over me with disdain. "And since you don't want to go through with the wedding, fine. Our engagement is off. Did you really think I would marry someone so far beneath me?" Her voice was sickly sweet, laced with mockery.
She ripped the ring from her finger and threw it on the ground. "Take your cheap piece of junk and get out of my sight. It probably made my finger break out in a rash. Do you have any idea how much you'd have to pay to compensate someone of my stature?"
Julian wrapped an arm around her shoulders, and they walked away, lost in their own world. "Come on, Sera, don't waste your energy on a nobody like him. It's been so long. Let's go catch up. I came back for you, and for a very important awards ceremony..."
I stared at the lonely ring on the airport floor, my eyes stinging. It was the only thing I had ever made with my own hands. I had chosen the design myselfa M?bius strip, a symbol of infinite, unending love, the idea that no matter where you start, you will always find your way to your partner.
But it seemed my love had been misplaced. I had been wrong about her.
I took a deep breath, pushing down the pain and the rage. The ring glinted faintly, a perfect reflection of my own dim, broken heart. I bent down and carefully picked it up, brushing off the dust. If you won't cherish this love, then I will take it back.
Watching them walk away, I remembered the first time I met her. She was just a struggling actress, running from one set to another. I had just returned from studying film abroad, eager to find a lead for my first project. We met then. She told me how hard her life was, how much she wanted a chance. She promised she would make the most of it.
And she did.
The short film we made, Spring, won Best Picture and I won Best Director. Seraphina took home the award for Best Newcomer. She became an overnight sensation.
In the beginning, she didn't have an agent, and her family was managing her career. It was a mess. I couldn't bear to see the star I had created fizzle out because of mismanagement, so I offered to be her assistant until she found someone suitable.
Whenever I was with her in a negotiation, we almost always closed the deal. She noticed it too. She didn't question my background; she just thought I was her good luck charm. The entertainment industry is full of superstitious people.
So she begged me, tears in her eyes, to give up my dream of directing and be her full-time assistant. "Leo, please," she had cried. "You wouldn't want to see me stuck as a small-time actress forever, would you?"
I agreed.
And so, for nine years, I stood by her side as her assistant, watching her climb to the top. When she finally accepted my proposal, I was ecstatic. I thought my devotion had finally paid off. I was too blinded by joy to notice the mocking smile on her lips.
Looking back, all the signs were there. The small, private wedding, her insistence on keeping it a secret so it wouldn't affect her career, the talk of getting legally married "later"... She never intended to marry me. It was all just a cruel game.
Back at my apartment, I stared out at the city lights, a glittering tapestry that did nothing to pierce the darkness in my heart.
Ding.
My phone buzzed, pulling me from my thoughts. It was a news alert. "Actress Seraphina Astin Spotted in Passionate Airport Kiss with Mystery Man, Sparking New Romance Rumors."
The comments were a flood of excitement.
"I was there! Seraphina and her boyfriend are so cute together!"
"So jealous of everyone who saw it live!"
"I have a friend in the industry who said she was supposed to get married today. Could this be the guy?"
"Maybe! I have sources too, and they say this is the one she's been waiting for all these years!"
I let out a cold laugh and tossed the phone aside. They were wasting no time, already using the media to build their narrative.
The next morning, I went to the office to collect my mother's belongings, the last tie I had to this life, and to make a clean break from Seraphina. I could feel the starespity, schadenfreude, and mostly, cold indifference. I knew this wouldn't be easy.
I walked into my office and stopped dead. My personal belongings were strewn across the floorfiles, photos, even private items, all carelessly discarded. The floor was littered with nine years of my life with her. Every contract, every negotiation note, a testament to my dedication.
And in the middle of the chaos, the one thing I treasured mostthe watch my mother left mewas gone.
My heart sank. I looked up and saw them standing in the doorway, smug smiles on their faces.
"Looking for this, Leo?" Julian dangled the watch from his fingers. It was my mother's. It meant everything to me.
He examined it closely. "This is quite a piece," he said, feigning surprise. "Looks like it's been around for a while..." He handed it to Seraphina. She, of course, knew nothing about watches. To her, it was just an old, possibly valuable, trinket.
A flicker of rage ignited in my eyes. "Give it back, Julian."
He sneered. "Give it back? You think this is a toy? This is company property."
I clenched my fists, knowing this was just another one of their cruel games. I tried to stay calm. "Seraphina, I'm not here to fight. I just want to get my things and leave."
"Leave?" she scoffed, tossing the watch back to Julian. "You think you can just walk away?"
He caught it, his eyes glinting with malice. "You want the watch? Beg for it."
I took a deep breath. I couldn't lose my cool here. I would find another way to get it back. At first, Seraphina just couldn't stand the idea of me leaving. In her mind, I was supposed to be her assistant for life, her ever-loyal follower. But seeing my defiance, she decided to up the stakes.
I turned to leave, but her voice stopped me. "Leo, if you walk out that door today, you're never coming back." Her voice was a threat, laced with contempt. She couldn't stand being defied.
I didn't turn around.
CRACK.
A sickening sound filled the air, and a wave of dread washed over me.
Seraphina's voice dripped with sarcasm. "Look at your precious watch. Doesn't it look just like you now? Utterly worthless."
My heart seized. I saw it lying on the floor, the band broken, the face shattered. My mother's watch. My most precious memory.
"Seraphina, you..." My voice trembled with a rage so profound I could barely speak.
Julian stepped forward and ground his heel into the watch, sending shards of metal flying. "This is what you cherish?" he sneered. "It's nothing to me."
A darkness I had never known before flooded my vision. This was my mother's legacy, my only connection to her, and they had destroyed it with such casual cruelty.
"You..." I growled, each word forced through gritted teeth. "You will regret this."
They exchanged a look, a shared, mocking laugh in their eyes. "Regret? Leo, what are you going to do? You're nothing but a pathetic loser we cast aside. You'll never work in this town again. You're blacklisted. You understand?"
Oh, really?
There was one thing they didn't know about me. I had another identity.

First, search for and download the MotoNovel app from Google. Then, open the app and use the code "321465" to read the entire book.