Bullet Comments Revealed My Fiancé’s Affair

Backstage at the awards gala, in my custom haute couture gown, I watched my fiancé, Julian, slap a black card right across Bella’s face. "It’s just a dress. On Chloe, it’s high fashion. On you? You look cheap." Just as I felt a wave of warmth from his defense, glaring floating text flashed before my eyes. [Ha! That’s not what he was whispering in the VIP dressing room yesterday.] [The male lead is only with her for her family's fortune and industry connections.] When Bella pulled out their secret matching necklace, I froze—it was identical to the custom piece around my neck. Smiling, I unclasped mine and threw it straight into the trash can. Julian panicked, wrapping his arms around me. "Chloe, you're the only one I love." I shoved him off and pointed at the swarm of paparazzi bursting through the double doors. "Director Drake, you'd better explain the baby in Bella’s belly first." Backstage at the film awards gala. I had just zipped up my designer gown when someone burst through the door. Bella stood there, wearing the exact same custom dress, crying like a fragile victim. "Julian, I swear I didn’t mean to. The brand sent the wrong rack," she sobbed. "I didn't know this was your fiancée's special night." My fiancé, Julian, an acclaimed indie director, was smoothing out my train. Hearing her, he whipped out an Amex Black Card and slapped it straight across Bella’s face. "It’s just a dress. On Chloe, it’s pure royalty. On you? You look like cheap trash." "I told you before: don't flatter yourself." He turned back and pulled me into his arms. "Chloe, don't waste your breath on a nobody like her." "Tonight's Best Picture award belongs to both of us." The second the words left his mouth, bold, floating text began flashing across my vision. [Pfft. That's definitely not what he was doing to her on the green room couch yesterday.] [The rich heiress thinks she’s getting a proposal tonight. Little does she know, he's just using her family's trust fund to finance his dreams.] [Who wants a prude workaholic anyway? Word is they sleep in separate bedrooms.] [Bella is the only one who actually fuels his artistic passion!] [Ugh, the original book's ending was way too soft on Chloe.] [The leads end up traveling the world while Chloe raises their kid like a total doormat.] Reading the floating comments, I instinctively pushed Julian away. Bella stood frozen, her face pale. Julian gripped my hand tightly, his voice turning ice-cold toward Bella. "If Chloe hadn't been swamped with production schedules, you wouldn't have gotten a single audition." "Bella, you were nothing more than a decoy." "Now take the money and get out of my sight." The crew members around us began whispering. "Everyone knows Director Drake only cares about Chloe Vance. Some extras really don't know their place." "Sleeping her way through casting and thought she made it to the A-list?" "Just a side piece he got bored of." [Don't talk too soon, sweeties.] [Chill, he doesn't dare dump Chloe yet. He still needs her dad's production company.] [That’s why our girl Bella wore the matching dress on purpose—to force him to face his real feelings!] I pulled my hand completely out of Julian's grip. Bella’s makeup was smudged, and her neckline slipped, revealing faint purple marks along her collarbone. Biting back her tears, she walked toward Julian. "Julian... are you really throwing me away?" Julian grabbed for my arm again, trying to play the devoted fiancé. Yet the slight tremble in his fingers gave away his panic. "Fine. If that’s how it is." Bella reached into her designer purse and pulled out a silver chain necklace. "I actually believed you chose this design as the central prop of our movie because of me!" My hand went to my own neck. Under my fingers was the identical pendant. A bitter chill ran down my spine. Our joint career, my proudest project, had been marked by another woman all along. "And this vintage film reel—you can have it back too!" "You swore it was the rarest Kodak stock from your private collection! You said I was your one and only muse! It was all lies!" She hurled the silver canister onto the floor. "Hey! When have I ever lied to you—"Julian blurted out in panic, his hand still reaching for me. I had always been an old-school producer. Even in this digital age, I insisted on shooting critical scenes on real 35mm film. To win my favor, Julian spent hundreds of thousands tracking down rare, vintage reels, claiming they were the physical tokens of our love. He once promised that the most precious reel would be saved exclusively to film our wedding day. Now I knew the truth. He hadn't saved it. He had already wasted it on Bella. "And all those late nights we spent rewriting the script together? Take it all back!" Bella yanked a thick stack of annotated drafts from her tote and tore them violently to shreds. [OMG so juicy! She's forcing him to choose right here!] "Bella, stop it..." In the end, Julian let go of my hand. Bella’s eyes were bloodshot as she paused. "Does your heart ache now? Are you finally admitting it?" Julian scooped up the vintage film canister from the floor and quickly turned back toward me. "If you want to throw a fit, do it outside. Don't ruin Chloe’s award night." Bella reached back and unzipped her dress completely down the side. "If you don't want me, I'll go find a new executive producer right now." "Let's show the whole industry what I sacrificed for your masterpiece." "Are you insane?!" Julian whipped off his suit jacket, wrapping it tightly around her bare shoulders. Bella used the opening to throw her arms around his neck, pressing her body flush against his. Julian stood there, letting her cling to him, making no move to push her away. [Yesss, who could resist a wild, sexy girl like Bella? The director was hooked from day one.] [Can't blame him. Chloe is like a corporate robot. Zero bedroom charm.] [Wait, isn't he mad she ruined the red carpet?] [No way! Alpha directors love this crazy possessive stuff. It's foreplay to him.] [Nothing will be ruined. Chloe cares too much about PR. She'll clean up their mess and write another check.] [Total ATM doormat confirmed.] A single tear spilled over my lashes. I met Bella’s eyes over Julian's shoulder. She flashed me a cold, triumphant smirk. She won. She didn't just steal Julian. Every piece of my proud career was tainted with her fingerprints. Julian quickly ushered Bella out through the side exit, leaving the backstage area in absolute chaos. I sat in the empty dressing room alone. [Look at Chloe's dead-inside face. No wonder he strayed. Kissing her must feel like corporate overtime.] [Fast forward! I wanna see Julian pinning Bella against the wall!] I wiped my face dry. The floating text didn't sting anymore; it just left me numb. To them, Bella was wild, passionate, and irresistible, while I was stiff and boring. Others didn't know the truth, but did Julian forget? Three years ago, on an exterior shoot deep in the mountains, a sudden flash flood hit. I carried him on my back, dragging both of us through mudslides for an entire night until rescue teams found us. My knees were permanently ruined from that night, aching whenever the weather turned damp. Julian had knelt by my hospital bed back then, swearing on his life that he would spend forever taking care of me. I never imagined his forever would expire the second he tasted Bella's cheap drama. I told myself: this man was officially dead to me. I ignored every call and text from the Drake family. I sent a single text to my parents stating our engagement was over. They gave me their unconditional support, as they always did. When I walked into our shared production office, it was deserted. I began packing my files into boxes when sudden laughter echoed outside. "Julian, aren't you going to smooth things over with Producer Vance?" Julian had his arm draped around Bella, flanked by a rowdy group of indie crew guys. "Let her cool off for a few days. She needs to drop that spoiled heiress attitude." "Tonight's wrap party is still on!"The speakers blasted at full volume. Through the frosted glass, Julian and Bella were locked in a messy, heavy kiss right outside my door, blocking my exit completely. "Who do you want? Me, or Chloe?" Bella breathed against his lips. "Bella... I'll give you everything except the wedding license," Julian’s voice was hoarse. "I swear, after the wedding, I won't lay a finger on her." "Why should my man belong to anyone else on paper?" "The one who isn't loved is the real homewrecker. Why does she get to keep you?" Bella pouted. A cold chuckle slipped past my lips. Unable to stomach another second, I kicked the heavy office door wide open. Julian and Bella stumbled apart, shirts wrinkled, exposed right in front of the entire office. Recognizing me, Julian immediately shielded Bella behind his back. "Chloe? Were you stalking me?" I picked up my suitcase, not sparing him a glance. "Don't flatter yourself. I came for my belongings." "Julian, as of today, we are done." "Whoever you want to sleep with or marry has nothing to do with me." A flash of triumph lit up Bella’s eyes, only to be crushed by Julian’s next words. "Chloe, stop throwing a tantrum! Can you stop being so childish?" "I promise she won't be on any of our sets again." "Yeah, Producer Vance," one of Julian's sycophant assistants chimed in. "This kind of stuff happens all the time in Hollywood. Why make it so ugly?" "Julian's already treated you better than most. What more do you want?" "Chloe, I'll talk to your parents about setting a wedding date. This ends tonight!" Julian lunged forward, grabbing the handle of my rolling suitcase. I yanked it back, but his grip remained iron-tight. Pushed past my limit, I abruptly let go, shoving the hard-shell luggage hard into his chest. "Ahhh!" Bella shrieked, tumbling backward as the metal corner of the suitcase grazed her forehead. "Chloe! You're losing your mind taking it out on Bella! I never realized how vicious you were!" Julian scooped Bella into his arms, his eyes blazing with disgust and disappointment. The crowd rushed out behind them. In the scramble, someone shoved me into a metal display rack. A heavy brass film trophy toppled from the top shelf, crashing hard across the back of my right hand. Blood instantly soaked through my white sleeve. Not a single soul turned around. Except Bella. As she was carried through the glass doors, she peeked over his shoulder, flashing me a smug, victorious grin. [Our girl is so smart! Baited the villainess into attacking, took a hit, and now Julian completely despises Chloe!] [Wait... this part wasn't in the original book? Why is Chloe bleeding?] I hailed a cab to the private hospital alone, but no doctor showed up for over an hour. Nurses and interns were running up toward the executive floor in a frenzy. "Hurry! Everyone to the 6th floor! Mr. Reed from the Reed Conglomerate is upstairs!" "What's going on?" "Word is Director Drake’s new favorite actress scratched her forehead, and he called in Mr. Reed to supervise the private suite." "A scratched forehead? For real?" "If they took another ten minutes, the skin would've healed on its own." "Well, Julian Drake is the hottest director right now, and even the board gives him face." I dialed my father’s direct line. Within three minutes, he reached the hospital's chairman. Before long, the city's top orthopedic surgeon was called in to treat my hand. After my wrist was set in a cast, my mother burst into the room, shaking with rage after hearing what happened. "Who the hell do the Drakes think they are?!" "If you hadn't liked him, that Julian Drake wouldn't even be fit to wipe your shoes!" "End it! We're canceling the merger and the wedding! I'll set you up with someone ten times better!" I gave a quiet nod.Later that evening, I stood by the hospital entrance waiting for my mother to bring the car around. A tall, sharply dressed man stepped out of the shadows. Lucas Reed, CEO of Reed Conglomerate and principal owner of this private medical center. "Miss Vance, you did that on purpose, didn't you?" His tone was detached and condescending. "Knowing Bella needed plastic surgery stitching, you pulled our top surgeon away just to look at your wrist." I took a step back, disgusted. "I don't have time for this." "Come on. You're going upstairs to apologize to Bella." He reached out, grabbing my injured arm. A sharp gasp escaped my throat as fresh red blood blossomed through the white gauze. "You're actually hurt?" Lucas dropped his hand, though not an ounce of guilt showed on his face. "Well, with a hand like that, you won't be attending tonight's wrap party anyway." "Tell Julian to take Bella as his date instead. Consider it your compensation to her." "Bella missed a massive red-carpet opportunity because of you. You owe her." I leveled an icy glare at him. "Who Julian takes is his business. Keep me out of it." "Our engagement is officially off." "Stop playing hard to get," Lucas scoffed, convinced I was bluffing. "I already told Julian to announce you two are attending the charity gala this weekend. Don't be late." Seeing my mother’s sleek Mercedes pull up, Lucas smoothed his lapels and walked away. My mother rolled down the window, scoffing. "Ignore that arrogant Reed boy. He’s cut from the same cloth as Julian." "I found you a real match. I’m sending his info to your phone right now!" [Ooooh! The charity gala is where the real chemistry happens between Julian and Bella!] [Chloe is probably still waiting like an idiot for Julian to pick her up, only for him to show up with Bella on his arm!] [Wait, the original novel never had Chloe going on blind dates? Is anyone else noticing the plot going off the rails?] [Paywall chapter ahead! Unlock the villainess slapdown!] Reading the floating text, my interest was piqued. I accepted the contact card my mother sent. The man simply introduced himself by his surname, Cole, stating he had just returned from overseas and wanted to discuss an entertainment project I couldn't possibly refuse. We agreed to meet at the charity gala. The moment I stepped through the gala's grand entrance, Julian stepped out from behind a floral pillar, blocking my path. "Why are you so late? Bella spilled wine on her gown. Go get a spare from the concierge," he ordered casually. I tried to side-step him, but he stepped into my space, frowning. "Chloe, what's your problem?" "Dressing up like this... are you trying to outshine Bella on purpose?" "Fine, I admit you look stunning tonight, but Bella is the star of this evening." I ignored him, walking toward the grand ballroom. Bella slipped out from behind him, wrapping both arms intimately around his bicep. "Julian, I'd love a glass of champagne over there, but Miss Vance is blocking our way." Julian looked slightly embarrassed by her petty tone in high society, but to prove a point to me, he cleared his throat. "You heard her. Move aside. Don't cause a scene." Watching them play their little game felt utterly exhausting. Just as my patience wore out, a deep, commanding voice cut through the air behind me. "Who gave you permission to touch my guest?" "Sebastian... Cole?" Julian’s face drained of all color. Sebastian Cole. The legendary heir to the Cole Dynasty who had been living abroad for years due to health reasons. He rarely made public appearances, but his name carried absolute weight in both finance and Hollywood. Bella eyed me, whispering, "Why would a billionaire like Mr. Cole look twice at an uptight producer like her?" I pulled out my phone, dialed Julian’s father, and hit speakerphone. A furious roar exploded through the speaker: "Chloe called off the engagement hours ago, you idiot!" "I told you to go on your knees and beg for her forgiveness, and what did you do?!" "Stop humiliating our family in public and get your pathetic ass home right now!" Julian stood frozen, his face turning paper-white. "Wait, so she's really with Sebastian—" "Who she's with is none of your damn business!" "You useless brat, you just ruined the biggest alliance our family ever had!" Mr. Drake slammed the phone down. Sebastian stepped forward, smoothly slipping his tailored tuxedo jacket over my shoulders. With a single flick of his fingers, his private security stepped in, escorting the pathetic pair straight out the security exit. The entire ballroom fell dead silent. "The sci-fi novel Deep Space you've been trying to adapt for two years? I hold the international rights," Sebastian said, handing me a glass of warm water. "I read your pitch deck. If you're ready, Cole Pictures will fully fund it." I looked up at him, puzzled. "How do you know so much about me? Have we met before?"