"I told you I would not let anyone hurt you. I will keep my word," Asher said, his voice low and sharp. "But if you keep acting out, I will make sure you lose what you care about most."
I stayed silent for a moment, holding back my emotions. Then, with a steady voice, I replied, "I will bring the divorce papers to the set. Don’t forget to sign them."
“Lily!” His temper flared instantly. “After all these years, you are finally choosing to rip everything apart? What’s the matter? Even if there’s something between me and Nora, I have never wronged you. I have paid for your clothes, your food, your lifestyle. You have never had to lift a finger!"
Even he compared me to Nora, "How obedient Nora is. She doesn’t argue or demand things like you. You? You are never satisfied—you always want more."
The words hit me like a slap to the face, leaving me shaking.
Asher, of all people, hated people who didn’t care about their family. His parents had lived separate lives, providing him with money but no love or care. When we first started dating, he swore he’d never become like them.
Now, his vows had turned into nothing but a cruel joke.
“You once said,” I began, mh voice trembling but firm, “That if you ever cheated, you would let me go.”
His breath hitched. Probably, he hadn’t expected that one day, he would be choked by his own words.
After a long pause, he finally spoke. "Fine. Finish your scene at the set and I will sign the papers. You’ll have your freedom."
"Alright," I said, hung up the phone and went to the theater set.
***
The film set was chaotic, crowded with media reporters, fans and the buzzing production activity. This scene is to shoot Nora's underwater scene and I just need to stay in the pavilion.
It just so happens that I was on the first day of my period today and I had a lot of back pain, so this scene is quite good. I thought I just needed to get through this one scene and then I’d finally be free.
But nothing ever went as planned. Nora suddenly claimed she had a cold and could not do her water scene. Instead, she wanted me to shoot the water scene on her behalf.
I refused without hesitation, which immediately sparked a storm of criticism.
"Lily, you are just a supporting actress. What right do you have to refuse a lead role’s scene?"
"If it were not for Nora standing up for you, the production would’ve kicked you out long ago."
"Look at her pretending to be important. Shameless."
Their mocking words pounded in my head as I clutched my stomach, trying to push my way through the crowd. But before I could escape, someone shoved me back.
“Miss Rose,” a familiar voice said coldly. "Mr. Monroe has instructed you to do your job properly. Don’t use discomfort as an excuse. Otherwise, we might have to revisit your... history."
It was Asher’s assistant, David Morgan. David had always been Asher’s lackey, covering up his secret meetings with Nora. Once, he’d even laid hands on me in front of Asher and Asher had watched with cold eyes, not saying a word.
Maybe that’s when I realized the man who once vowed to protect me no longer existed.
In the past, when I was on my period, Asher would insist I rest, worried I’d harm my health. Now, he was forcing me into an ice-cold lake for a scene to please Nora.
I let out a bitter laugh. "I will do the scene. As long as a line passes and I am leaving."
It was more than ten degrees below zero and I shot underwater many times. My body tensed with each take, but the director was never satisfied.
“Once more!” he shouted.
I dove back in, my limbs trembling uncontrollably. The cold seeped into my bones and each breath felt like a battle. I struggled to climb out, but someone pushed me back into the water every time.
The laughter around me grew louder.
"Look at Lily Rose flailing in the water like a toad. It is too funny!"
"And she had the audacity to mock Nora’s acting? Just quit already—she’s disgusting."
Their taunts rang in my ears, growing sharper until my vision blurred. The world spun and I felt my strength leave me.
The last thing I heard was the splash of water before everything went dark. The director and the others then panicked and rushed to have someone scoop me up.
Asher entered the room, his expression unreadable. David stood quietly behind him, no longer wearing the smug grin he always had.
"Why didn’t you tell me you were on your period?" Asher’s first words were accusatory, his tone sharp.
I let out a weak laugh, bitter and hollow. "Would it have mattered? Would you have stopped them from making me do the scene if I'd told you?"
