Seven years after my marriage, I sent myself to the crematorium
So, I agreed to a family-arranged marriage with Asher Whitman, the heir to a powerful family in the capital, who had secretly loved me for years.
For seven years after our wedding, Asher treated me like I was his whole world. His affection was overwhelming, almost suffocating, as if he couldn't go a moment without touching me. If I wanted the stars in the sky, he'd find a way to bring them down for me.
I thought I had finally found happiness.
But then, one night after we were together, I overheard him talking to his close friend.
"Serena's now an international superstar. When are you going to break things off with Lila?"
"It doesn't matter who I'm with when she is not the one I love. Besides, I have to keep an eye on Lila to make sure she doesn't ruin Serena's hard-earned happiness."
I opened his study computer and found a hidden folder. It was packed with over a hundred thousand photos of Serena and a hundred unsent love letters.
I'd be a fool if I still couldn't see the truth.
I bought a synthetic body and began planning a fire to fake my death. From this moment forward, I vowed never to see Asher again.
*****
I turned off the screen after I placed the order for everything I needed.
All I had to do was wait three days to vanish from Asher's life forever.
When I turned around, Asher was smiling at me. He had gotten rid of the scent of nicotine outside and warmed his body before daring to hug me from behind. He asked, "Why aren't you asleep yet?"
The warmth of his embrace should've been my haven, the safest place in the world. But now, it only left a bitter ache in my heart.
Seven years of marriage, and he had spoiled me like no other. In the capital, everyone knew that Asher doted on his wife, keeping me hidden like precious.
He told me he had fallen for me at first sight when we were kids, secretly loving me for 14 years.
At our wedding, with tears in his eyes, he swore that marrying me felt like a dream.
He knew all about my past, and when my childhood sweetheart turned his back on me, Asher used his family's power to create a rift between them. He went so far as to sabotage Serena's career to get back at those who had wronged me. He harbored hatred for anyone who betrayed me.
His performance was so convincing that even I, an actress, couldn't spot a flaw.
I bitterly remembered how he would call my name in moments of passion, but the way he said it always sounded a little off.
I thought it was just a quirk of his, but now I realized he had probably been calling me "Rina" the whole time.
I lowered my head and wiped my tears, but he didn't notice. Instead, he said, "Serena won the Best Actress award. There's an industry gathering tomorrow, so stay home with me. I don't want you to be upset when you see her."
I silently counted in my mind. This was at least the hundredth time Asher'd used such excuses to keep me from showing up in public.
At first, I thought it was just his possessiveness, which I reluctantly tolerated, choosing to retreat while I was at my peak.
Now, I realized it was all just to make way for Serena.
I said, "I'm meeting with Anthony Pearce tomorrow. He wants me to star as the lead in his next film. I can't skip it."
Asher said, "It's fine. We don't have to go. I'll support you. Even if you never work again, I can take care of everything."
But fame and fortune never mattered to me.
I had told him once that starring in an Anthony's film was my dream, which I wanted to achieve with my talent.
Back then, he had promised to support me in that.
He hadn't forgotten. But Serena also wanted the lead role, so my dream was doomed to be trampled for her benefit.
Seeing I was silent, he gently coaxed me, "Lila, don't be upset, okay? We can go to the party anytime, but our time together is more precious, right? The day after tomorrow marks our first seven-year itch. I promise I'll give you an unforgettable surprise. Deal?"
I forced a smile and said, "Okay, and I'll give you my biggest gift in return."
What I didn't say was, "Asher, we couldn't overcome the seven-year itch. From now on, you'll be alone. Only you. I'm letting you go."
In the middle of the night, after Asher fell asleep holding me, I still couldn't resist getting up and heading to the study.
His words, telling me he didn't love me, and the photo albums and love letters I found on his computer were enough to crush any hope I had left.
But seven years with him weren't an illusion. We had shared so many sweet moments, memories that refused to let me go.
I walked over to the small safe on the desk. It felt like Pandora's box, mysterious and dangerous.
Back when we used to have sex in the study, I had asked Asher a few times what he kept inside that safe, something he treasured so much. He always dodged the question, refused to give me the code, and just teased me to guess.
I tried everything. My birthday, his birthday, our wedding anniversary, but none of them worked. With trembling hands, I entered Serena's birthday, and for the first time, I hoped I was wrong.
The safe opened, and my heart plummeted.
Inside was a pair of rings engraved with A&S. It stood for Asher and Serena.
The design was old-fashioned, yet the rings were pristine and clearly cared for with great attention.
All the strength drained from my body at that moment, leaving me hollow. It felt as though someone had carved the pain directly into my heart.
No matter how naive I had been, I couldn't deny the truth anymore.
Asher had never loved me.
The next day, I went against Asher's wishes for the first time and decided to attend the party.
Asher frowned slightly but didn't stop me. Instead, he reminded me, "You can go, but Lila, you're so beautiful. You must stay by my side. If Serena tries to bully you, I'll be there to protect you."
Asher acted like a loyal little dog, eager to please. But I knew he wasn't protecting me. He was afraid I'd escape his control or outshine Serena.
I had no such intentions.
With my staged death approaching, all I wanted was to say goodbye to the directors and screenwriters who had helped me along the way.
The moment I entered, all eyes were drawn to Serena and me.
Someone said, "The lead actress for Anthony's next movie will surely be Lila. She's got Asher backing her and undeniable talent."
Serena overheard this and stormed over. She snapped, "What makes you think that? That role is mine!"
The crowd exchanged dismissive glances.
"Compared to Lila, don't you think you're out of your league? You shouldn't get too full of yourself."
"Exactly. Although you're Mrs. Graham now, Lila is married into the Whitman family. It's pretty obvious who has the upper hand here."
"Right. You've only won a minor film award. A little humility wouldn't hurt."
Serena stomped her feet. "Just you wait! I'll make you all eat your words!" She shot me a venomous glare. "And you, enjoy your moment while it lasts. Let's see who ends up humiliated later! Ugh!"
With that, Serena strode up and shoved me hard.
I lost my balance and stumbled. My knee slammed into the corner of a table. The sharp pain brought tears to my eyes.
But Asher, who had sworn to protect me tonight, stood by as if nothing had happened, allowing Serena to do as she pleased.
I lowered my gaze, trying to suppress the bitter ache in my chest.
Just then, the lights in the hall dimmed, leaving the room in darkness.
It was time to reveal the lead actress of the highly anticipated film.
"Let's all congratulate... Serena Hayes! Special thanks to Sam Wheeler, the screenwriter whose work has grossed over ten billion dollars at the box office. This time, he not only waived his fee but also invested 300 million dollars to ensure Serena would star in his new movie. She's his one and only muse, his true inspiration!"
Serena ascended the stage, grabbing the microphone with a triumphant smirk. "Lila, after all these years, you still can't beat me at anything. Loser!" She stood under the spotlight, surrounded by praise and admiration.
I turned to look at Asher beside me. He held my hand, but his eyes glowed joyfully for Serena's victory.
My heart sank. I smiled bitterly.
I accidentally came across Sam's manuscript in the Whitman Villa's study yesterday. The cover page read: [Dedicated to my one and only muse, Serena. From Sam Wheeler.]
It was Asher's love, hidden in plain sight yet never spoken aloud.
I had expected this. But seeing it unfold before my eyes still sent a wave of pain through my chest.
Anthony approached me, offering a soft reassurance. "It's okay. You'll always have a place as my leading lady."
I forced a weak smile and shook my head. "Thank you for your kindness, but perhaps there won't be a next time."
Feigning ignorance, Asher pulled me into his arms, offering comfort. "I'll invest in a few movies for you to have fun with. How about that? I also planned a surprise for you tonight at Harborfront. My love for you is far more important than some movie role."
I forced a smile. Words that once felt sweet as honey now tasted like stale, cloying frosting.
Still, to avoid arousing his suspicion, I swallowed my bitterness and replied, "Alright."
After expressing my gratitude to Anthony and other industry veterans, I excused myself, intending to leave early.
Asher dismissed the driver, saying he wanted to take me for a drive instead.
But just before the car started, his phone buzzed with a message. I glanced at the screen from the corner of my eye. The number was familiar. It was Serena's.
His expression shifted instantly. A flicker of hesitation crossed his face as he turned to me. "Lila, something urgent just came up at work. Can you head to Harborfront on your own?"
I froze, then smiled lightly, "It's fine. Go handle your business."
Asher kissed my forehead before retreating back to the party.
I started the car, not toward Harborfront but back to the Whitman Villa. The rest of the night would be devoted to preparing for my staged death tomorrow.
I collected every trace of my past with Asher.
Online, I wiped every file and even deleted backups from the cloud.
Offline, I gathered everything and planned to burn it all.
Just as I was finishing, a notification popped up on my phone. It was an anonymous text.
The message began with a photo of Asher, drunk, resting beside Serena. The accompanying words cut like a blade.
[He has a stomach condition, yet he drank like his life depended on it to shield me. Lila, you won't blame me for that, will you?]
[Actually, although he openly opposes the Graham family to take my projects, he compensates me a hundredfold behind the scenes. Do you know why?]
[Did you know that Asher has been my little shadow since we were kids? He's only ever loved me. Marrying you was just a precaution to keep you in check.]
[Surely you didn't actually believe someone would fall in love with you out of the blue, did you?]
[He told me that every night, he could only touch you by imagining you were me. He also said you're just Ethan's discarded secondhand woman because you didn't give him your first time, and you are disgusting.]
The texts kept pouring in like relentless snowflakes, but I remained unfazed. Instead, I focused on finishing what needed to be done.
Once I had moved the mannequin into the bedroom and ensured the setup would burn thoroughly, I drenched the entire house in gasoline.
Before leaving, I forwarded every message Serena had sent me to the most notorious tabloid team in the entertainment industry. Then, I snapped my SIM card in half and tossed it into the nearby bushes.
With a press of the ignition button, the flames roared to life behind me as I walked away, my silhouette fading into the distance.
The road ahead was pitch black, but it didn't matter. I knew I would find daylight eventually.
Meanwhile, Asher remained oblivious. He glanced down at Serena, his voice conveying unintentional reproach. "Serena, why are you here? Tomorrow is my wedding anniversary with Lila. If she finds out, she'll get suspicious."
Serena's eyes reddened as tears welled up. "Are you blaming me?"
Asher was panicked, and he quickly backtracked. "No, no, I didn't mean it that way. I'm sorry, Serena."
Serena crossed her arms and huffed softly, barely satisfied by his apology.
Meanwhile, calls from the Whitman Villa's butler kept interrupting, Asher repeatedly silencing them with an irritated frown. After the tenth or so attempt, unease crept in.
"What is it?" Asher snapped, finally picking up.
The butler said frantically, "Mr. Whitman... Mrs. Whitman set fire to the house and took her own life! We tried our best to put out the flames, but it was too late. There's nothing left to save."
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