Dead to Him, Living for Me

My boyfriend, Ethan Reed, made a grand declaration of love to his first love, Lily Hart, on a reality show. He was the reason people were tearing me apart online, yet he did nothing. Finally done with him, I immediately announced that I was leaving the entertainment industry. The internet exploded. People claimed I was retiring because I had terminal cancer. Some even said I was dead. Ethan was devastated. He flooded my inbox with apologies. Meanwhile, I was having the time of my life at a bar overseas—until someone happened to photograph me wrapped around another man and posted it online. Before I’d even had my fill of fun, Ethan called. “You actually faked your death just to break up with me?” “Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!” While my boyfriend, Ethan Reed, was busy kissing Lily Hart on a reality show, I was drafting an agreement to terminate my contract with my agency. “Are you really sure you want to quit?” “You worked so hard to get this far. Can you really just walk away?” My best friend, Chloe Morgan, couldn’t understand it. “Why wouldn’t I? I’ve made enough money to last the rest of my life.” “I never liked this industry anyway. It’s toxic.” I answered without a care. “Fair. Those brain-dead Ethan-and-Lily shippers drag you every day without even knowing what happened.” Chloe was indignant on my behalf. Lately, their so-called fans had been putting me through hell. They claimed I deliberately excluded Lily on the show and clung to Ethan like something he couldn’t scrape off his shoe. I’d maintained a good reputation throughout my five-year career. I could act, and I was good at my job, yet their mindless shippers had turned the entire internet against me. My rivals seized the opportunity to pay for smear pieces, accusing me of being unprofessional and acting like a diva. “Ava Bennett is so embarrassing. Can’t she see Ethan doesn’t want anything to do with her?” “God, I get annoyed every time Ava shows up. She’s always bullying our Lily.” “Lily Hart is Ethan Reed’s only acceptable partner. Get lost, Ava, you homewrecker.” Who could stand that kind of relentless harassment? Sick of the endless abuse, I made up my mind and told my agent I was quitting. That evening, I posted my retirement announcement and broke up with my shameless boyfriend, Ethan Reed. The next day, I boarded a flight out of the country, leaving the whole mess behind. My name is Ava Bennett. I trained as an actress and entered the industry at eighteen. I had the looks and the acting skills. People said I was a natural. Back then, my family was buried in debt. When a talent scout told me I could make serious money, I signed up without a second thought. Once I started acting, I went straight from one production to the next. I slowly built a reputation and finally paid off my family’s debts. Thanks to my work, I soon became one of the hottest young actresses in the business. That was when I met Ethan. He was playing a tiny supporting role, the kind with less than a minute of screen time. The first time I saw him, he was arguing with a crew member after missing lunch because he’d been practicing his lines. “Were you deaf when I called lunch? Besides, you’re a glorified extra. What lines do you need to practice?” The crew looked down on him. I watched him stand there, defeated, one hand pressed to his stomach as beads of sweat formed on his forehead. “If you have stomach problems, you can’t skip meals, no matter how hard you’re working.” I ordered him some food and brought it over myself, along with medicine for his stomach. He turned and looked surprised to see me, but accepted it carefully with both hands. “Thank you.” From that day on, Ethan and I grew close. At work, I often offered advice and personally helped him improve his acting. Outside of work, he always knew how to make me feel better. Whenever the pressure became too much, he stayed by my side. Ethan wasn’t especially gifted, but he worked hard. Little by little, people began to notice him. He was on the verge of a breakthrough, and his popularity gradually began to eclipse mine. One quiet afternoon, he stood before me in a white shirt, holding flowers, his cheeks tinged pink. “Ava, thank you for everything you’ve done for me.” “I like you. Will you be my girlfriend?”I nodded eagerly, unable to look away from the shy young man in front of me. To avoid affecting either of our careers, we decided to keep our relationship secret. Later, I noticed a familiar-looking girl on Ethan’s phone wallpaper. That was how I learned about the girl he’d adored since he was young—Lily Hart. Everyone said Lily and I looked a little alike, especially around the eyes. But her features were softer. She looked sweet and gentle, the sort of girl countless fans dreamed of having as their first girlfriend. She’d once been a hugely popular influencer. Her father was a wealthy businessman who owned an entertainment company. By the time I made my debut, Lily had already been famous online for a while. I thought about the pearl necklace and silver bracelet Ethan had given me and realized they were the same kinds of accessories Lily always wore. He’d even bought me white floral dresses, though sweet and innocent had never been my style. I looked toward the man cooking in the kitchen, suspicion creeping in. “Are you hungry?” Noticing my gaze, Ethan stopped what he was doing and walked over. “Dinner’s almost ready. I made your favorite fish.” “You haven’t been feeling well lately, so you should eat something light. And don’t drink ice water.” Smiling, he stroked my hair. Then he took the cold water from my hand, emptied it, and brought me a fresh glass at room temperature. “Your period’s coming soon, right? I made you some ginger tea, too. I’ll bring it over with dinner.” His eyes crinkled, warm and full of affection. That look soothed me like a spring breeze. A year later, he shot to stardom. He grew busier and busier, but he never let work make him forget about me. Once, during a press event for his new show, he learned I was sick. Despite his agent’s objections, he left immediately to come home and take care of me. “Ava, let’s go public.” Ethan stroked my hair, his gaze steady. His words filled me with happiness, but I still shook my head. “Ethan, your career is taking off. Announcing our relationship won’t do you any favors.” “Okay.” He looked disappointed, but eventually nodded and agreed. “He’s so gentle and thoughtful with me. Maybe I’m overthinking it.” That was what I told myself. I pushed my doubts aside and let myself sink into the warmth of his love. Then, somehow, Lily entered the industry, too. Years earlier, people had begged her to become an actress. She’d acted above it all, claiming the industry was full of shady people and she wanted no part of that mess. Most people in the business knew Ethan had once had a crush on her. Maybe her family’s business was struggling. With Ethan’s career soaring, her father had wasted no time pushing her into acting and pairing her with him. Otherwise, a girl who’d always been the center of attention would never have spared the unknown Ethan Reed a second glance.One day, after a lot of effort, my agent secured a project with Ethan and me as the romantic leads. I was thrilled. I couldn’t wait to share the news with him. Then, that afternoon, reality hit me like a slap. I’d already worked things out with the producers. We were about to sign the contract. Then Lily swooped in. She had money behind her, and her team had recently been pushing stories calling her Ethan’s first love. The producers immediately replaced me with her. “It’s okay, Ava. We have plenty of time. We’ll get another chance to work together.” Ethan sent me that message to comfort me, but it did nothing to cheer me up. The Ethan I remembered wasn’t afraid of powerful people or pressure. He’d been honest and principled, like an uncut gem. I’d expected him to stand up for me. Instead, he sent a single comforting message and left it at that. Spend enough time chasing fame, and anyone will learn to play the game. That was how I comforted myself, desperate to believe the young man I knew was still somewhere inside him. A few months later, Ethan and Lily’s romance series became a massive hit, topping the streaming charts. Their ship, “Ethily,” blew up, too. Fans started rooting for them everywhere. Their shippers filled popular threads on every major platform. During the livestream celebrating the series finale, Ethan and Lily shamelessly played up their romance in front of everyone. “I really love my character, Sophie. Every scene she has with Ryan reminds me of the time Ethan and I spent together when we were younger…” Lily’s voice grew softer as she spoke, a blush spreading over her pale cheeks. “Oooh!” The audience began teasing them. “Actually, I feel the same way.” Ethan scratched his head shyly. “OHHH!” The cheers grew even louder. I sat alone in front of the television and watched the whole thing. Listening to their intimate, suggestive exchange, I didn’t know what to feel. The thing I’d feared most was happening. The Ethan I remembered had always looked down on pretending to be a couple for publicity. Unless his feelings for Lily were real. I sat with that doubt and unease until he finally came home. It was past midnight when he arrived, smelling faintly of alcohol. He must have come straight from the wrap party. “Why are you still awake?” He walked in slowly, immediately noticing the livestream on the television. “Ava, the producers wanted more publicity for the show. Lily and I were just putting on an act.” He hurried to explain. “If you’re worried, I’ll announce our relationship right now. I’ll tell everyone you’re my girlfriend.”