From His Muse to a Stranger

Movie star Ethan Shaw once promised me that when he won his fifth award, he would propose to me.

But on the night of the award ceremony, he only thanked his first love, Nina Grant.

Backstage, I overheard his conversation with his agent:

Ethan, you've been putting off this promise for five years. Aren't you afraid Sophia Mann will stop waiting for you? She's an award-winning screenwriter.

Ethan lit a cigarette:

"She doesn't need a formal status. She loves me so much that even if I never marry her, she'll always stay by my side."

I smiled. He had no idea that I've always been good at both loving and letting go.

The moment I watched him tear up that proposal draft with my own eyes, I blocked all his contact information.

It just so happened that an invitation from an internationally renowned director could no longer be postponed.

From now on, someone else could write Ethan Shaw's scripts.

The air conditioning in the auditorium was running at full blast. I sat in the seat farthest to the side in the first row.

Ethan had specifically arranged this spot for me.

He had said:

"Sophie, tonight I'm going to win my fifth Best Actor trophy. I'll propose to you in front of everyone and make you the happiest woman in the world."

For this, I had specially commissioned a famous designer to create the most expensive dress I'd ever owned in my career. I even brought a hidden camera to record everything, along with the custom engagement rings I'd ordered.

On stage, the presenter opened the envelope.

"The winner of this year's Golden Dragon Award for Best Actor is... Ethan Shaw! Congratulations!"

Applause surged like a tidal wave.

I watched Ethan stand up.

He looked particularly triumphant today.

The blue diamond-studded custom tuxedo I had personally selected for him brought out his brooding movie star charisma to perfection.

I unconsciously tightened my grip on the ring box in my hand, pressing down on my wildly beating heart.

Five years. One thousand eight hundred and twenty-five days.

Soon, I would become his fiance.

On stage, Ethan accepted the trophy and leaned toward the microphone, his proud gaze sweeping across the entire venue.

I straightened up, waiting to lock eyes with him affectionately.

However, his gaze merely swept past my corner.

As if he had never known me at all.

Then.

It settled on Nina Grant in the center of the front row, where the spotlight was brightest.

Coincidentally, she was also wearing a blue trailing gown similar to Ethan's outfit.

My heart sank.

Back in our student days, Ethan had regarded her as his first love.

After graduation, to be closer to her, he had given up a stable job to enter the entertainment industry.

If she hadn't married into a wealthy family later, I never would have had a chance to get close to Ethan.

Now, after five years, she had made a comeback.

And Ethan had never mentioned a word of it to me.

"Thank you to the director, the judges, and the team."

Ethan's voice pulled me back from my thoughts.

"Finally, I want to give special thanks to someone who has accompanied me through the hardest times, someone most special to me."

His drawn-out tone made my heart leap into my throat.

I quietly smoothed my dress, even preparing to lean forward slightly to greet the spotlight that would soon fall on me.

But his next words plunged me into an icy abyss.

"That person is Nina Grant!"

"Thank you for being in my life, for giving me the courage to face challenges when I felt disappointed and hopeless time and again."

The spotlight fell on Nina.

She covered her mouth in surprise, smiling shyly.

Ethan smiled tenderly, his tone even more gentle.

"Welcome back, my superstar."

The venue immediately erupted with loud chants of "Get together!" like waves about to overturn the auditorium.

Online, netizens were going crazy, calling them "perfect for each other" and saying they wanted to see them get married.

I looked at the comments, then at the ring box I had spent a year choosing, and my nose instantly stung.

For five years, to send him to the top, I had turned down invitations from top international director Chris Evans time and again, locking myself in an 8-square-meter study to craft roles for him word by word.

I could even go three days without sleep to revise emotional turning points just to make one of his crying scenes more impactful.

People in the industry said Ethan was lucky, that from his debut he always landed scripts that perfectly suited his image. They didn't know that the souls that made him dazzle audiences were carved out bit by bit with my own blood and sweat.

But now he had erased my namethe name of his greatest contributorfrom the crown of his deification.

Why?

He was the one who first held my hand and said to forget the past and embrace a new life together.

He was also the one who promised to propose to me tonight and make me the happiest woman.

I couldn't understand.

When Ethan and his agent, Charlie, went to the lounge during the intermission, I followed them, avoiding everyone else.

My hand had just touched the door handle.

Voices from inside reached me first.

"Ethan, have you lost your mind?"

Charlie's voice was filled with suppressed anger.

"Three months ago, you said you'd marry Sophia Mann after winning the Golden Dragon Award. We spent a whole month convincing the company. We even laid out the PR plan for you."

"The proposal procedure, the diamond ringeverything was prepared."

"But just now on stage, you didn't mention Sophia once. Instead, you mentioned Nina. How do you think that makes her feel?"

The room fell into brief silence.

Ethan took a drag from his cigarette, his expression hidden in the shadows, cold and vague.

"Nina just got divorced. She's having a hard time."

"She's sensitive. If her comeback isn't successful, she'll overthink things."

"Since she asked me for help, I'm just lending a hand, giving her some publicity buzz. That's all."

Charlie stamped his foot in frustration.

"What about Sophia? Don't you have any idea how much she's sacrificed for you these past years?"

"The latest script for 'Long Wind'she worked on it for a year. She put all her heart into it for you!"

"If you break her heart and she leaves, what will you do then?"

The room fell silent.

I stood outside the door crack, holding my breath, waiting for his answer.

Waiting for a reason that would make me stay.

"She won't mind."

Ethan's tone was so certain it made me feel cold.

"She loves me. Even if I don't marry her, she'll still stay by my side."

My fingers tightened bit by bit. I could barely breathe.

"Besides, she's different from Nina. She has a strong heart. She'll understand me."

With that, he tore up the proposal plan in Charlie's hand.

And threw it in the trash like garbage.

"As for the proposal, we'll talk about it later. Bringing it up now would steal Nina's spotlight."

Those torn pieces of paper glared blindingly bright.

I stood in the dim corridor.

For the first time, I felt like my five years with him were a joke.

However, he was right about one thingI did have a strong heart.

Strong enough that at this moment.

I didn't push the door open and hysterically demand answers.

Even though my eyes and nose stung terribly, I still didn't allow myself to shed a single tear.

I just very quietly took out my phone.

Blocked.

Deleted.

Cleared.

Over three thousand photos together disappeared before my eyes one by one.

Just like my five years with Ethan.

Fading from my memory bit by bit.

Until there was nothing left on my phone related to the person named "Ethan Shaw."

Only then did I put away my phone and turn to leave.

When I reached the entrance, Director Chris Evans' overseas call came through again at just the right moment.

"Sophia, have you considered my proposal? The screenwriter position for 'Against the Current' can only be yours. But you need to leave tonight. We have an emergency workshop in London tomorrow."

Every time before, I had refused.

But this time I replied, "Okay."

As I accepted my coat from the attendant at the door, I had already booked a 3 AM flight to London.

When I sent this to Chris, he screamed with excitement.

"Wonderful, Sophia! You're finally willing to leave that pretty-boy boyfriend. I'll arrange everything you need."

"Including our London gentlemen."

He made me laugh.

Just as I was about to respond, my phone was snatched away.

Ethan's voice exploded from above my head.

"What London gentlemen?"

I didn't answer, just grabbed my phone back.

Ethan's attention was instantly diverted as he ruffled my hair.

"What's wrong? Still upset that I didn't propose at the Golden Dragon Awards?"

"There were reasons for that."

Ethan pulled me into the dark corridor, resting his head on my shoulder, wanting to explain.

"Nina and I aren't just classmates. When we were kids, she even saved..."

Before he could finish, his phone rang sharply.

The name "Nina" glared on the screen.

After answering, Ethan's tone suddenly became tense.

"Okay, wait there. I'm coming right now."

After hanging up, he hastily planted a kiss on my head.

"Sophie, Nina's being harassed by some idiots. I'll be right back. Wait for me at home and I'll explain everything."

If he cared about me even a little, he would have noticed the London flight ticket on my phone screen.

But he didn't.

Watching his figure grow smaller in the distance, I pressed down on my aching heart.

Home?

When did we ever have a home?

I took out my phone and quickly arranged for a moving company.

Once I moved my things to my small apartment, I could leave for London without any concerns.

Just as I was about to turn off my phone screen, a string of trending topics about Ethan and Nina popped up.

[Breaking! Suspected romance exposed, movie star escorts Nina Grant late at night]

[Hot! The two share a car, intimate behavior, suspected kiss.]

My finger paused.

I clicked it.

In the video, the lighting was dim.

Ethan was shielding Nina as they quickly left through the crowd.

She pressed her entire body against him, her hands tightly gripping his lapels.

And he lowered his head, his lips about to fall on her forehead.

Like a knight protecting his princess.

The comment section had already exploded.

[This must be the female lead Ethan thanked on stage just now. So beautiful, they look so good together.]

[If they don't announce their relationship now, I'm already obsessed.]

[What about Sophia Mann? Didn't rumors say she was the real girlfriend?]

[Bullshit real girlfriend. She's a nobody. If it weren't for our Ethan starring in her scripts, who knows where she'd be struggling. How could she possibly be good enough for our Ethan?]

[How can a screenwriter compare to Nina's looks? A handsome man should be with a beautiful woman.]

I scoffed and liked each of their comments.

When I got home to direct the movers, Charlie called me.

"Miss Mann, I just saw the trending topics. Let me explainplease don't misunderstand. Ethan and Nina are just friends!"

I didn't respond to that statement, just asked where Ethan was.

He paused, not knowing how to answer.

But I smiled.

"He's keeping Nina company at the hospital, isn't he?"

A minute ago, I had already seen the video of him feeding Nina porridge at her bedside.

In five years of dating, even when I had a fever, he had never fed me porridge spoonful by spoonful.

Ethan always said.

He was busy and liked strong women.

So I learned to get IV drips alone, to take care of myself when I had a fever.

Trying not to burden him.

But now that Nina was back.

He didn't find it troublesome anymore. He wasn't too busy anymore.

Charlie became even more embarrassed, only able to explain awkwardly.

"Yes, he's with Miss Grant."

"But there's nothing intimate between them, and there are other people around..."

"You don't need to explain so much. None of this matters to me."

I looked at the villa that was already half-empty and said word by word:

"Tell Ethan I'm breaking up with him."

Charlie wanted to say something else, but I had already hung up.

As the last box of belongings was moved out.

I stood at the door and took one last look.

The closet was emptied.

The desk was cleared.

Even the cup I always used in the kitchen had been thrown into a box.

Four years of living traces.

Turned out they could all be erased in one night.

Before getting in the car.

I took out the ring engraved with both our names from my bag.

It was what I had originally planned to give him tonight.

I looked at it for two seconds.

Then casually tossed it into a roadside trash can.

When I arrived at the airport, my phone showed a friend request from a stranger.

As soon as I accepted it.

A photo was immediately sent over.

A woman's ring finger, wearing a diamond ring that glittered blindingly under the light.

[Does the ring Ethan gave me look good?]

I stared at it for two seconds, then smiled.

Nina.

Really knew how to be disgusting.

I couldn't be bothered to reply and blocked her immediately.

But I couldn't swallow this insult either.

I immediately sent an email to Charlie.

Fully revoking Ethan Shaw's authorization to film 'Long Wind.'

And as the copyright holder of the script, unilaterally terminating all cooperation with Ethan Shaw's studio.

A second later, my phone exploded.

"Sophia Mann! Have you lost your mind?"

Charlie was practically shouting.

"What do you mean by the copyright revocation notice?"

"Ethan just finalized things with the investors. Filming starts next month! Do you know how much capital is eyeing this script?"

"By revoking authorization now, are you trying to destroy him?!"

My tone was very flat.

"Destroy him?"

"Charlie, you've got it wrong."

"I wrote this script. I can give it to whoever I want."

He froze, his tone softening.

"But you're a couple. You're supposed to spend your lives together. How can you backstab him at a time like this?"

"Didn't I explain to you? He and Nina have nothing going on. I can guarantee Ethan only has you in his heart."

"Three months ago, he told us he wanted to marry..."

"Enough." I rubbed my temples wearily. "He already chose to abandon me."