Chapter 12

By the time I left, Adrian and Chloe had already gone.

News quickly broke online that Chloe would be replacing me in Director Miller's new film.

As for the reason, Chloe posted on Ins:

"A last-minute invitation. Thank you, Director Miller, for your trust."

As soon as that post went up, public opinion quickly turned against me.

They said I was throwing my weight around after winning the gold medal, ditching the film crew.

That Director Miller had been forced to find Chloe as an emergency replacement.

Someone was clearly orchestrating this, and the voices criticizing me grew louder and louder.

I recognized one of the most aggressive accounts—it was likely Chloe's alt account.

Chloe had always had it out for me.

But on her own, without Adrian’s help, she couldn’t have stirred up such a massive storm.

I had never seen Adrian abandon his principles and boundaries to indulge someone like this.

The online noise became unbearable.

I simply disconnected my phone from the internet, and then, completely turned it off.

As evening approached, my mom stormed over.

The doorbell rang frantically. When I opened the door, she raised her hand and slapped me across the face.

Her face was trembling with rage: "To be made a fool of, like a goddamn monkey, by that hussy’s daughter! How could I have given birth to such a pathetic, spineless waste like you?!”

Half my face stung, burning. My head snapped to the side, but I didn't utter a sound.

My mom seemed completely unhinged. She grabbed my face, forcing me to look at her.

Indeed, for years now, she had lived like a madwoman.

Her tone was filled with scorn: "To have even this small role snatched by that hussy, and your ex-boyfriend too!

"You deserve to be tormented by that hussy and her daughter your whole life, to lose your own father…"

I looked up sharply, cutting her off with a piercing cry: "Mom, that’s enough!"

My mom seemed to snap back to reality herself, a flicker of unnaturalness in her expression. She finally stopped talking.

She spat out "Useless!" and slammed the door shut behind her.

That night was a torment, haunted by nightmares.