This Time, I Won’t Make You a Star

The husband I’d built into an award-winning actor swindled me out of every penny I had. Then, as I lay dying of stomach cancer, he held a famous actress in his arms and accused me of treating him like a cash cow and controlling his life. When I opened my eyes again, I was back at his first audition, when he was still a nobody who had just botched his scene. He was sobbing, begging for another chance. I turned to the director, my expression cold. “With acting that bad, why should he get another chance?” Later, he offered himself up and came straight to my bed. Only to find me holding Hollywood’s newest Best Actor, kissing him like my life depended on it. “Cut.” That take was terrible. Ethan Blake walked over to the director and me. Guilt was written all over his face. “I’m sorry. I was just too nervous. That’s why I messed up…” “Please give me another chance.” I was the film’s producer and one of its investors. Whether the director kept him came down to a word from me. In my previous life, a moment of sympathy had made me let him try again. With my help, he landed the second male lead in a film with an excellent script and a first-rate production team. It made him an overnight star. I was the one who discovered him. But he had never been grateful for it. I lowered my gaze. As he stood there with tears and snot streaming down his face, the director gave me a helpless look. My voice was ice-cold. “With acting that bad, why should he get another chance?” “If we made exceptions for everyone who did this, how would that be fair?” “If he’s not good enough, he’s not good enough.” He was rejected. But it was exactly what he deserved. In my previous life, I had given him everything. Every good opportunity went to him. I couldn’t even count how much money I’d poured into his career. I watched him win award after award. Until he had collected every major acting honor. Then, standing onstage, he made a heartfelt declaration. “There’s someone I need to thank for getting me where I am today.” “My girlfriend, Evelyn Hayes.” I was moved beyond words. I even handed my entertainment company over to him to manage. He promised me the grandest, most romantic proposal imaginable. After we legally married, he sent me abroad on vacation and promised to join me soon. But he never came. Instead, I found myself in one dangerous situation after another. When I finally made it home alive, I discovered that my company no longer belonged to me. Somehow, every asset in my name had been transferred to him. Even my car and my house were his. He wouldn’t even meet me, no matter how much I begged for an explanation. A year later, I lay in a hospital bed with terminal stomach cancer. No one came to see me. Thanks to Ethan’s smear campaign, the world saw me as a woman driven insane by greed. He claimed I’d controlled him and cheated on him until his love for me had slowly died. He said he’d given me a generous settlement when we divorced, only for me to squander it on gambling and sex workers. Then I’d supposedly harassed him over and over. His so-called evidence was nothing more than my messages demanding an explanation. He had doctored them to turn me into a greedy, vicious woman. In the end, the person who came to care for me was Noah Bennett, a newly crowned Best Actor. “I’m a fan of yours, Evelyn.” I knew him. At an audition years earlier, Ethan had used my name to steal a role that should have been his. I’d later tried to make it up to him with another opportunity. Although he’d missed his chance at overnight fame, he’d worked his way up, one step at a time, and earned the recognition he deserved. I had always felt guilty about him.Seeing how sick I was, he bent over me and sobbed uncontrollably. “It’s my fault for not being strong enough, Evelyn.” “If I’d made it sooner, would you have been spared what he did to you?” Meanwhile, Ethan, the ex-husband I’d devoted myself to making successful, came to my bedside with a famous actress in his arms. “Don’t think I don’t know you only saw me as a way to make money,” he accused. “You just wanted to control my life.” “I’ve always hated you. You didn’t actually think I loved you, did you?” “Idiot.” Rage burned through me. I wanted to get up and stab that bastard to death. But all I could do was lie there and watch him walk away. I died full of hatred. I couldn’t even close my eyes. After my death, Noah tried everything to uncover Ethan’s crimes and clear my name. At the very least, he wanted me to rest in peace without those lies hanging over me. But he was no match for Ethan’s money and influence. Ethan pushed him to the point where he couldn’t get a single role. No one dared hire him. Still, Noah never complained or regretted it. He sold his house and car, speaking out again and again to demand justice for me. Unfortunately, the truth never came out. Not long afterward, he died, broken by grief. I swore that if I ever got another chance, I would make Ethan pay. And I would give Noah the glory he deserved. I spotted Noah among the actors waiting to audition. He wore a shirt washed so many times that its color had faded. He looked completely out of place among all those polished, glamorous people. In my previous life, he had been too nervous to speak in front of the audition panel. He’d looked close to tears. It had reminded me of when I first arrived in Los Angeles. I’d grown up in a tiny mountain town. I hadn’t known anything about the world. Even my shoes had been patched over and over. The city’s dazzling wealth had overwhelmed me. I’d stared at the expensive food on a restaurant menu, swallowing hard, but never dared step inside. Just as I was wondering whether I should go home, the owner had waved me over. He’d given me a plate of scrambled eggs with peppers. I’d burst into tears. Los Angeles might have been built from steel and concrete, but that didn’t mean it had to be cold. My expression softened, and so did my voice. “Don’t be afraid. Think of everyone on the panel as family. Pretend I’m someone you trust, and they’re your uncles.”Maybe those words were what helped him find his confidence. His performance became controlled and natural. His delivery was outstanding. But in the end, powerful people had pushed him out. I was only one of the investors. I couldn’t decide everyone’s fate. This time, though, I gave him the opportunity I’d once given Ethan. I went over to him. He looked at me with surprise and hope. “Noah Bennett,” I said slowly, “I read your résumé. With your training and grades, I believe you can make it. Relax when you go in. Don’t be nervous. I’ll be watching.” His clear eyes lit up. He was so excited that he could barely speak. “Ms. Hayes, do… do you mean that?” “You’re my idol. I… I admire you so much.” His face turned bright red, and a powerful emotion filled his shining eyes. His words surprised me. I hadn’t realized he’d admired me all along… I smiled. “Good luck. I believe in you.” His audition was steady and excellent. Before the director could speak, I leaned over and told him quietly, “I’m signing this newcomer.” “If you don’t want him, I’ll take him back to my company.” That settled it. The director cast him immediately. In the film, he played the devoted, loyal second male lead—a young general who gave everything to protect his country and the woman he loved, asking for nothing in return. I lowered my eyes. Wasn’t this role made for him? In my previous life, everyone had despised me. Not one person I’d trusted or helped had spoken up. Only he had fought for me without hesitation, giving everything he had, only to die far too young. After filming ended, we held a wrap party. Everyone praised my eye for casting. In my previous life, I’d pushed through everyone’s objections and chosen Ethan because of my feelings for him. But he had only become famous because I’d put money and influence behind him. The character’s appeal had done the rest. Very little of his success had been due to his own ability. Noah, on the other hand, had brought the second male lead to life. Even the director, who had shot countless scenes in his career, had cried during the character’s final sacrifice. He couldn’t stop praising him. “Noah, when you’re a big star, don’t forget that Director Martin and your producer, Evelyn Hayes, gave you your start.” I smiled. I hadn’t helped Noah because I wanted anything in return. But his bright eyes stayed fixed on me. The tips of his ears flushed pink. “I’ll always remember what you taught me, Director Martin.” “And I’ll never forget what you and Evelyn did to change my life.” Maybe I was imagining it, but his words seemed to hold a deeper meaning. When the film was released, the response was overwhelming.With his striking looks and outstanding performance, Noah became an overnight sensation and one of the hottest new actors in the industry. Better yet, he had both the face and the talent. He was far more popular than Ethan had been in my previous life. Even I hadn’t imagined that this one film would win him several awards. He even took home Best Actor and Best Newcomer that year. Onstage in a black suit, he looked elegant and approachable. Despite having rehearsed his speech many times, he was still a little nervous. He kept it brief. “Thank you to everyone who worked on this film. I couldn’t have won these awards without your support behind the scenes.” “But there’s one person I want to thank most. She’s the light that showed me the way. Without her, I wouldn’t be standing here. None of this would have been possible.” “So, on this very important occasion, I’d like to give her my trophy.” With that, he stepped off the stage. Cameras flashed as he walked toward Director Martin. Everyone around us held their breath. Director Martin was already on his feet, waving enthusiastically to the reporters. I was happy for him too. But Noah walked straight past him and held the trophy out to me with both hands, as though it were something sacred. “Evelyn, will you accept my trophy?” “This is the first trophy of my life, and the most important. I don’t think this achievement belongs only to me. It belongs to you too.” The moment went viral almost immediately. [Hollywood’s Newest Heartthrob Noah Bennett Confesses His Love to Acclaimed Producer Evelyn Hayes—with His Trophy] [Insider Reveals Noah Bennett Has Had a Crush on Evelyn Hayes for Ten Years] [Noah Bennett Gives His First to Evelyn Hayes] Ever since I’d accepted that trophy, my heart hadn’t stopped fluttering. I’d never imagined that what he felt for me went beyond gratitude. That it ran deeper. That it was something tender and intimate. That night, on the top floor of an oceanfront hotel, he backed me against the wall. His face was flushed, his voice trembling. “Evelyn, ever since the first time you encouraged me, “I’ve been yours.” “You’re the most wonderful person in this world.” “You’re everything I want.” After a pause, he leaned close to my ear. His heavy breathing gradually quieted. He took a deep breath. When he spoke again, his voice was steady and controlled. “But I’ll only go further when you’re ready to accept me. If you don’t want this—if it makes you uncomfortable—I’ll never cross that line.” The next day, every trending post had been taken down. I knew he’d chosen to keep all those feelings to himself.Before long, though, a new scandal about me started trending. The headline read: [Famous Producer Demands Sexual Favors from Auditioning Actor] The accompanying image showed Ethan crying pitifully in front of the camera, half-kneeling on the floor. Across from him, I sat looking down at him with contempt. Anyone who didn’t know better might have thought we were in the middle of some kinky sex game. Soon, Ethan released a deliberately vague statement. He merely apologized for taking up the public’s attention. Then he said his relationship with the producer wasn’t what everyone thought. That only made people more certain he’d been subjected to a casting-couch arrangement. He also hinted that Noah, Hollywood’s newest sensation, had gotten his role by sleeping with me. Supposedly, he’d pleased me so much that I’d made him a star. He smeared both of us at once. People who had shipped us quickly turned against us. Ethan started livestreaming and gained millions of followers. During one stream, a viewer commented, “Nod if she’s controlling you.” Ethan actually nodded at the camera. Before long, vicious rumors about me were everywhere. Every part of my life, starting with my arrival in Los Angeles, was dredged up and embellished. Every accomplishment I’d worked for was given a sexual explanation. Apparently, a woman couldn’t reach my position through her own hard work. I hadn’t become an acclaimed producer by working day and night and demanding excellence from every film. No, I’d slept with some powerful investor. The entertainment company I’d founded with more than a decade’s worth of savings hadn’t been paid for with my own money, either. It was supposedly a reward from a secret benefactor who was satisfied with my skills in bed. Their malicious assumptions left me disheartened. But that was the internet. A denial—or even hard proof—wouldn’t necessarily make people leave you alone. From then on, they would always see you through the stain of the rumors. Whenever your name came up, their eyes would hold that smug, knowing amusement. “Her? What producer? She slept her way into that job.” “Exactly. How else does a thirty-five-year-old have that much money and her own company? She must be incredible in bed.” I’d become a punch line. Gossip for everyone’s entertainment. Ethan looked into his livestream camera. His expression was innocent. But he couldn’t hide the triumph in his eyes. With one publicity stunt, he’d destroyed the good reputation I’d spent years building. Meanwhile, he’d gained more attention and followers than ever. Riding that wave, he’d connected with Victor Reed, the preferred director of my rival, Reed Entertainment. Noah called me. “When are you going to release your statement, Evelyn?” I smiled. “There’s no rush, Noah.” Let Ethan enjoy himself a little longer. After all, the higher he climbed, the harder he would fall. Soon, Ethan’s image as a man brave enough to say no earned him a devoted following. For a while, he even overshadowed Noah. But Noah didn’t care. He just wanted to act. Fame had never been what mattered to him. “You believe me, don’t you, Evelyn?” I nodded, looking into his sincere eyes. I did. Of course I did. If I hadn’t seen him turn down every endorsement and acting job to care for me during my final illness, staying by my side day and night, then fight to clear my name after I died, I would never have believed a heart could be so steadfast and pure. Ethan became a celebrity driven by hype. His acting wasn’t particularly good, but his face had become a symbol of courage, and countless brainwashed viewers were willing to pay for it. The actress starring opposite him, Olivia Reed, was the very woman he’d brought to my hospital bed in my previous life to slander me. After he’d walked away, Olivia had returned to my bedside. Her red lips parted, her eyes mocking. And she told me the truth about my pathetic life as their fool.