The Abandoned Lover

e into becoming an actress with no talent or skill

t the peak of my succes

h, honing my craft from minor roles, slowly r

n at an audition. His current girlfriend

dressing room and sa

your

shirt collar, and smiled coyly, "Spend a night wit

st a small-time actress taking o

had no money or connections and wa

lead, but it was taken by an actress who had spent

the role is yours," the director said, exhaling

nto my shoulder and forced a smile, "Dir

W

on't lie

again, his gaze gro

to a man passing by

y boyf

ized the stranger I had randomly pointe

his, and smiled at the director,

Sta

surprised voice

mbering that one of the investors in o

e St

d even in heels, I h

eyes, glanced at my face, the

an lea

ly agreed wi

d pale, and he apologized

ers of his lips, "He's g

kery in his tone. My hand, which was about to releas

led sweetly, "Why not gi

act into

d with Shane; I just didn't like his

r that night, Shane's assista

e top floor-Sweetie, Mr. Stan

struc

nt's eyes lit up, enthusiasti

e, a top investor in the industry, and the

room card, I recalled the scene

d aloof and untouched

the dark hues of desire... they woul

Shane was sitting by the wind

t he was impeccably dressed in a shirt and trousers, every b

a gentleman wit

walked over, softly cal

his movements

lenses, landing on me, and his pu

why, of

sheer slip dress for me, made of fabric as thin

t on the way up, which I casu

hen suddenly smiled, "Weren't you t

to me w

o steps forward, and dramati

gamb

hat he wou

ptop, reached out, and pu

tensely inti

fingertips brushed against the ski

Miss Wallace, your acting jus

it on p

s ear, whispering seductively, "I agreed to Mr. St

n Shane's e

to the bed, leani

crew knew I was Shane's off

been undecided, was promptly giv

Shane was the

e, handsome,

he was fit from regular exercise, ha

op-tier opportunities that I wouldn't have achi

relationship, I landed

ezed through an audition for th

arming and compliant girlfriend in publi

et. Over time, he bought a luxury apartme

nings, he would almost al

told me I was the only

ct transaction

hadn't fal

ings for Shane becaus

Shane was drunk and wanted to see me,

ning against the passenger seat with his hand on his foreh

r. St

p and resonant as a cello, "Ashlyn,

had only managed to change out of my slippers, s

nswer, reaching out to tousle

gain, you should

ai

ord st

y transactional, seeking the love I never received in the first

someone I wanted to include in

so knew

d I had

cars, and jewelry but never pried into his pers

uest. I didn't even need to hone my acting sk

ng me into an actress with neither talent

"Ashlyn, is she reall

how to please

t even have the cha

he set due to other commitments, so he

d and emerged in a sheer slip dress, only to find Sha

e calmly. "Ashlyn

d

n use the wor

ands behind me, caref

t, showing no reaction even when

e shared passionate moments wit

t for a moment. When I looked at him

t, Mr.

s if he wanted to say something, but in

ing more would lead to end

om for a while before slowly

ed to a glossy finish, painted in a beauti

ater, but now they were all chipped, le

heartbreak can be felt in

ment industry, n

resources that once came to me b

endorsements I had negotiated vanished, and even the ev

er resource darling to having zero exposure, red

, even if my acting was poor

ry scene would result in

in the past were slowly being pic

e resentment towards Sh

at heights only to step

n't even

ecame my inner demon, keeping me

denly leave th

no longer w

top on my own, competing with Shane's n

ed to the direc

e in the makeup room on set. "Gi

y one clear thought surfaced in my mind-I

ng, I woke up

eeping sound

on his face; even in sleep, his features rem

scattered on the floor to find my phone, only to

tring of messages: "Ashlyn, did

nt straight

photographed enterin

e office i

ploded yet, suggesting the photographer wasn't plan

it meant I ha

gs sore, and when I turned aro

n the nearby sofa, crossin

hane i

It seems you haven't neglected you

hly

it a cigaret

Mr. Shane. I k

ttle girlfriend's n

promises," and sure enough, I saw

ve saying tho

dorsements or roles, he would lean down

e'd whisper in my ear, "Don't worr

aking me believe ther

aze, I laughed e

, why the

ut shame. Why should you feel ashamed today, us

such an unflattering light, even though I h

hed Shane's eyes inten

rk eyes re

d his emotions, n

forcefully stubbed out m

ilent for a moment before saying, "

a

t belie

lly announced, many had noticed Shane's c

no exc

on my dress, pulling out my phone t

kly, driving up in

ed me all the way down. When he saw Ryland

bout to get in, when Sha

, "you can't just leave after sleeping w

"Mr. Shane, you should think about

trembled slightl

yland's car

ed, Ryland asked, "Why are y

freshly done nails. "It's noth

s my ex-b

ad no connections. When he was struggl

e mine back then, percepti

rent white shirt for a few s

pressur

, we can gi

I was wi

ong, just t

te and good-looking, but neither of

years with Shane, I couldn't find comfort or

to pick up Ryland and c

or a moment, then lowe

e me straight bac

ivia threw a stack of

hem, most were blu

ne holding my arm in an intimat

Olivia. "How mu

with the negat

"Alright, we don't need to handle this. Send the dig

hane couldn't possibly allo

ending two million for no rea

e, my judgme

aw my name tren

ed Reconciliation," foll

nine photos, with the clearest on

and myself, I almost felt a su

uddenly broke things off with me

n and had mentally prepared myself for the possibi

such warmth and frequency, as if he h

only to be overshadowed by var

relations, and it took quite an ef

e screen for a long time before deleting the message,

ff party of a new film crew, I

"Everyone, please meet Mr. Stanley, who just

Shane, dressed

the image of him lying naked beside me

imes he lost control wit

ling gently and calmly,

ng was i

ews about us, they all maintained a courteous demeanor u

ssistant, Abby, home first and

ollowed

turned to him, "Mr. Stanley, are

es

vator doors opened, I suddenly reached out, g

the wall, his back ag

e room card, so the

found his lips and

the banquet, and the scent of al

called out

truck a cho

ars, Shane had only

ken on a script about family relationsh

other who obsessively controlled my life,

ened quietly, holding me clo

robably at that moment

ted the room card, an

ghtness, I saw Sh

his lips and the disheveled tie

messy hair sticking to my forehead, smudged glitt

teeth, "Don't

aze pause

into my eyes, "if you're

rt

his mouth seeme

st on maintaining our previous relationship, that's fine, but you'll need

me steadily, "Wh

haven't landed a hig

thing, achieving both box office success and critical acclaim, and even w

rces, I still couldn't compete w

ne contacted me, saying he had arranged a je

saw Shane waiting in

r and got in wit

ration with Radiant Gems to

brand in the country. If you don

I put on a steam eye mask and lazily said, "

as you

ng that I sighed, "Of course I like i

t got together with Shane,

king at him with bright eyes, "Mr. Stanley, I want lots of endorsement

uckled softly, stroked my sweat-dampened ha

my desires and ambitions

e wrap party, Sh

e over, slurring, "Ashlyn... Ashlyn, your acti

round, seeking opportunities. The only one willi

ccess, people tend t

e three years made me forget every

rformances, but Jere

re's a fierceness in

my glass, sincerely saying, "Th

and suddenly said to Shane, "Actual

k Sh

charming smi

Stanley, I wouldn't

is eyes, withdr

one was half-drunk, so we h

p, Shane was right behind m

Stanley is comi

by farewell and wobbled towards the elevator. As soon as the

tly, letting me lean

tment, I pressed Sha

t scent of alcohol on him, and hi

p his tie, my fingers g

fore he grabbed my

ha

m h

hy did you suddenly

ed up

ly couldn't hold back and asked the que

wer, just stared

ugh me, like shards of ice emb

sed his collar, saying lightly,

bbed my wrist, and with a stumbl

ightened by the alcohol, see

y one clear thought

ct oppo

im, whispering, "Do you want

as perfectly set

asses, and with his long fingers covering the back of my

winkled like countless sta

calling my name re

hly

see him lose co

face in his chest, and whispere

terribly these p

ousness, as if the alcohol and desire had fi

yes cleared of any intoxication, l

rom him, I had honed my ac

didn't

on my back, then pulled me

t leave

nest and solemn,

ago, he had made such promise

s into a deeply

ia

ane and I resumed our

ently to various public events

us rekindling our relationship r

publicly acknowledged, so while many criticized me

, I met Bethan

an audition set, where I only c

eyes were as serene as a still lake,

reeted me, "Hell

er him without a ripple, nodding slightly as a gre

e of seconds before Shane's voice came from b

m, "Then what was that about yo

mbarrassment cros

ing softly, "Keith is her

gry or used the oppor

his warmth seeped through the fabric, enveloping my a

couldn't s

ation with Keith and successfully secured a

recording, Shane p

usually have his ass

ress, took the script from Abby,

wheel and asked, "Did you like the t

lf, but there was a last-mi

p, and smiled calm

es Dominic brought was still s

ngs-jewelry, car keys, handbags...

ave the items to open in front of Shane, play

t he said nothing more, just tur

t besides me, the show

d his lips and instinctively grabbed m

eball cap on his head and sparkling earring

stically when he

hane, who seemed calm, and

were small due to his lesser fame, we had quite a bit of interac

the host tried several times to ste

Ryland deflected the questions with his

ly remark, "No wonder you've worked togethe

e card, slightly curving my

, it was dark outside, and the

ved my makeup, Abby realized

o next door and borrow one

king, a suit jacket, sti

eyes slightly, "No

sing an eyebr

ket carried only a faint, cool fragrance, without

membering that the scent was from Silver Mountain

white shirt, his tie impeccably knotted

making his tall and imposing

already th

ving no trace on him except for a

ment, then linked my arm

de, the night breez

the plant-lined corridor outside the studio, stopping abruptly w

taking pho

ightened slightly, "I'll

stretching lazily, "

d the parking lot, Ry

d into the passenger seat of Shane's car, sc

, I lef

d I do

back, "Your acting

'm being

th until Shane suddenly

re h

said f

e had some work to finish and wen

through the fridge for a bottle of tequila. I mixed two drinks, a

wore glasses while working, whi

be, swirling the drink as I g

r now, Shane never av

e too much or simply didn't think I

ture he painted, mistakenly

it was most lik

was still staring intently at the dense numbers on th

ly reached over, teasingl

ddenly withd

aus

nked, then laughed, "It can't