I Helped My Girlfriend Win Best Actress, but She Fell for Her First Love and Begged Me to Forgive Her

As Lily Hart’s agent, I had watched her rise all the way from a nobody extra to a huge star. But Lily still refused to give me an official title, and even planned to announce to the public that she was single. Until I saw her in the dressing room kissing a man with intense passion. She was curled up in the man’s arms, tossing the engagement ring I had given her into the burning fireplace. [Noah, your plain band can’t hold me.] Our seven years together couldn’t beat a diamond ring covered in stones. Later, when I saw Lily again, she held up that same burnt hand and raised the plain band in front of me, begging me to forgive her. And I just coldly threw the ring back into the fireplace. [Ms. Hart, that plain band is already expired.] ...... By the time I reached the dressing room door, my stomach was already twisting with pain. The two full bottles of red wine I had just drunk made my whole body feel like it was on fire. In order to win Lily the supporting female lead in Director Lewis’s latest movie, I had to show up even though I had a cold and a fever. But I was holding the contract for the supporting role in my hand, and I heard Lily’s soft gasps from inside the room. [Bro, can you leave the female lead in that show to me?] [You’re so passionate. Aren’t you afraid your agent boyfriend will get jealous?] [Afraid of what? He’s not my boyfriend. He’s just my agent.] Along with the rising and falling sounds from inside, my hand froze on the door handle. I knew the man inside. He was Lily’s first love, Jason Reed. Even though I had never met Jason Reed before, I knew very clearly what had happened between them. Jason had once dumped Lily with his own hands. And now, with just a hook of his finger, he had made Lily forgive him so easily. As for the seven years Lily and I had spent fighting side by side, they meant nothing to her. I had once found Lily’s diary while helping her pack her luggage. It was filled with the crushes she had on people in her younger days. And Jason Reed was the only main character in it. As for our seven years, there had never been even a single word about them in her diary. I rubbed the watch on my wrist. It was the only gift Lily had ever given me. I had always treated it like a treasure and only wore it for important occasions. But now, the time on the watch was obviously wrong. A watch that didn’t keep time was no different from a piece of scrap metal. And I knew very well that if a watch was wrong, then every second it showed was wrong too. Inside the room, the gasps were getting more and more frantic, yet I didn’t even have the right to push the door open and walk in. We had been together for seven years, but in all that time, she had never given me an official title. Even though everyone around us knew we were a couple, she had never once taken the initiative to make it public. When the breathing slowly faded, the door was suddenly opened. I stood frozen in place as Jason Reed walked out from inside, his clothes disheveled. [Well, well, didn’t expect a watchdog here.] Jason’s words didn’t even register with me. All my attention was on his face, which looked strikingly similar to mine. I looked at Jason’s face in disbelief, the shock in my heart almost drowning out the pain. Jason didn’t seem surprised at all. He shot me a disdainful glance and turned to leave. I turned to look at Lily, who was awkwardly straightening her clothes inside the room, and my voice was hoarse. [He... why does he look so much like me?] Actually, Lily didn’t need to say anything else. I already knew the answer. That kind of substitute-turned-real thing that only existed in novels had actually happened to me. I had always wondered why Lily, who had always been cold and reserved with everyone, had accepted my advances the very first time I showed her kindness. Back then, our friends even joked that I had won the heart of the actress with my face alone. But now I finally understood. It really was because of my face. It was just that she had always been treating me as Jason Reed’s substitute. I gave a bitter smile, then laughed out loud, tears already starting to well up in my eyes. Lily only paused for a moment before standing up, smoothing out her wrinkled dress, and walking over to me. [Don’t get the wrong idea. Jason and I were just talking business.] I looked at her face, which was still flushed red, and said mockingly, [Talking business requires taking off all your clothes?] I didn’t want to deal with her anymore, so I turned to leave. But Lily stopped me at once. Her face was still red, but her eyes were a little unhappy. [What do you mean? You’re doubting me? If that’s how it is, then let’s break up!] Every time Lily and I had a conflict or an argument, she would use breaking up to threaten me. And every time, after hearing her words, I would immediately cave and be the first to make peace. But this time, I didn’t want to be the one to give in anymore. I looked at her blankly, my heart slowly tightening. [Whatever.]If this had been before, I would definitely have had a huge fight with Lily and asked her why she was treating me like this. But now, I suddenly felt tired, and I was sick of living this kind of life, constantly worrying and losing sleep every day. Seven years was enough to warm even a stone. But I still couldn’t get Lily’s acknowledgment or public confirmation. Until everything came crashing down, and I saw Lily cheating with my own eyes. Only then did the knot in my heart suddenly loosen. It even came with a strange sense of relief, like dying early and being done with it. I handed the contract in my hand to Lily, my tone unusually calm. [This is the supporting female lead role in Director Lewis’s latest movie that I specifically fought for you. Consider it the last thing I ever do for you.] Lily looked at the contract in her hand and laughed with disdain. She tossed the contract straight into the trash can in front of me. [Noah, do you really think I’m only good enough for a supporting role right now?] Lily looked at me mockingly, tapping my chest again and again with her finger, as if she wanted to poke right through me. [Noah, sometimes you need to understand how this world works. Even if you drink until your stomach bleeds or lower yourself to be someone else’s doormat, it still won’t compare to one promise from Jason Reed.] Lily’s words were sharp and to the point, and they were also painfully true. There was no denying that even if I gave it my all, I could only get her a supporting role, but Jason Reed could just hook his finger and hand her the female lead role. I gave a bitter smile and looked at her with empty eyes. That pair of eyes that once looked at me with admiration and worship now held nothing but disdain and scorn, like a bunch of sharp knives cutting away the last bit of dignity I had left. I sighed and pulled the contract back out of the trash. Under Lily’s disdainful gaze, I looked at her again. [I fought hard for this contract on my own no matter what. Since you don’t appreciate it, I’ll give it to someone else who needs it.] With that, I turned and left with the contract in hand. When I reached the door, I saw a crowd of staff who had come over to watch the drama. I slightly turned my head and looked at Lily, who was frozen in place. [I’ll talk to the company about replacing your agent. It should take about a month to complete the swap. I hope you don’t cause any trouble during that time.] Even though Lily was the company’s prized and pampered actress, she was also famous for being a troublemaker. Because of her blunt and straightforward personality, she had offended a lot of big shots in the industry and a bunch of rising starlets. Without me paving the way for her from behind, her road to becoming an actress would never have been this smooth. Hearing me say that, Lily’s face turned red too. [Noah, do you really think I can’t do without you? I’m telling you, even without you, I can still make it big.] I didn’t bother responding to her provocation anymore and just looked coldly at the people gathered there. [Aren’t you going back to work?] At my words, everyone quickly scattered. Even though I was only Lily’s agent, my authority in the company was still not to be underestimated. After all, I was the company’s top agent, and there were countless people who wanted to become artists under me. I took a day off and went home to rest, because after just finishing a round of drinking and socializing, my stomach still felt like it was burning. Lying in bed, even though I was exhausted in body and mind, I still couldn’t sleep. Looking at the photo on my nightstand of Lily holding up a trophy, that bitter feeling in my heart surfaced again. That was the photo I had personally taken for her when she won Best Actress for the first time. My first meeting with Lily was at a ballroom dance social event. Back then, she still had a youthful face, and she stood timidly in a corner, unnoticed by anyone. And I, on the second floor, somehow found myself drawn to her. I started paying attention to everything she did, and the corners of my lips would unconsciously lift. Later, I found out that someone had secretly drugged her drink and wanted to get her drunk without anyone noticing. At first, I had no intention of getting involved, since I usually didn’t like meddling in other people’s business. But those wet, misty eyes of hers somehow left a mark in my heart. In the end, I still chose to step in and save her. She cried as she held me tightly and kept thanking me. After that, she naturally became the first artist under me. I gave everything for her, including my family. I was the only heir to the Parker family, the richest family in the country. But the Parker family had always had an unwritten rule: before the heir turned twenty-eight, the heir could not accept any help from the family. They had to rely on themselves for everything in order to officially take over the Parker family. And then, during one of Lily’s mistakes, she accidentally hurt the darling of some big shot, and was instantly blacklisted and shelved by the industry. All the endorsements and appearances that had originally been hers were handed over to someone else. Lily also started to spiral, drinking every day. It was me who knelt in front of my grandfather and begged for three days and three nights before he finally agreed to help Lily. Back then, I had sworn to Grandpa that Lily would one day become the future Mrs. Parker. But reality slapped me hard across the face. For Jason Reed, Lily abandoned me without any hesitation.I took a deep breath, trying to wipe all those memories out of my head. But then I heard my phone ring with a special notification tone. This was a tone I had specifically set back then so I could keep track of Lily’s updates at all times. Now that I heard it, it felt especially harsh and irritating. Sure enough, on the latest page of Lily’s Instagram, there was a photo of two hands interlocked. And the caption said: [Our tenth year together.] How ridiculous. In their ten years, I had been there for seven. The comments section below was full of fans sending blessings and saying how envious they were, all guessing who had successfully won over the actress’s heart. Very soon, Jason Reed’s comment was pinned to the very top. [Same heart, never changing. Only you never change.] As the CEO of the Reed Group, Jason naturally had no shortage of admirers. A reply and treatment like that was something I had worked seven years for and still never gotten. I looked at Lily and Jason openly showing off their love on my phone, and I thought I would feel a little hurt. But I didn’t feel any heartache at all. It was like the heart that loved Lily had already died long ago. I collected myself and handled all of Lily’s work with the company. When my assistant asked me how to deal with that supporting-role contract, I casually pointed to one of the company’s younger actresses. [Give it to Emily Carter. I remember her acting is pretty good. She can definitely handle it.] Over the years, I had focused all my energy on nurturing Lily, but I never ignored the other artists in the company. Emily Carter was a rising star I had recently discovered. Her acting had a natural spark, and her features even looked a little like Lily’s. That was why she left such a deep impression on me. When I brought all the contract-signing matters related to Lily to her lounge to find her, Lily was still acting like she was above everyone else. All those years of praise and pampering had slowly made her lose herself. I could no longer see the purity and toughness she had once had in her. Lily looked at the contract in my hand, her expression a little irritated. [Noah, are you sure you want to leave me?] She still seemed to be convinced that with her current status, I would absolutely never leave her. But this time, she had bet on the wrong thing. I nodded firmly and threw the contract onto the desk in front of her. [I’ve already made up my mind. Sign it. I’ll have another agent handle your upcoming bookings.] Seeing how cold I was, Lily actually laughed in anger. She angrily signed her name on the contract. Then she took off the ring on her hand right in front of me. [This is something you gave me back then. I don’t want it anymore either!] I watched helplessly as Lily threw the ring into the burning fireplace beside her, and my chest grew heavy. That plain band had been a prize we randomly won while celebrating when she got her first female lead role. It didn’t have much monetary value, but it meant a lot. I had originally thought Lily would at least feel a little regret over the seven years we had shared. But now, looking at her stubborn, unyielding expression, my heart completely turned cold. I nodded, my expression unchanged. [As long as you’re happy. I’m leaving.] I didn’t bother with her anymore, as if my heart had gone into the fire along with that plain band. Just after walking out the door, I got a call from my mother. [Noah, come to France right away! Your dad... your dad had a stroke. The doctor said... he won’t make it through tonight......] My mother’s choked, heartbreaking sobs on the phone left my brain completely blank. My parents had lived in France for many years, and the company had also gradually started preparing to expand overseas. Just last week, when I called my parents, my father was still perfectly healthy. Now he had suddenly fallen ill. [Okay, Mom. Wait for me. I’m coming right now!]There was no time to think. I hurriedly booked the earliest flight to France. I managed to get the very last first-class ticket. Lily came out from behind me, looking like she wanted to say something but stopped herself. But I didn’t have time to deal with her at all. I just quickly left the company and rushed to the airport. By the time I arrived at the airport in a sweat and finally boarded the plane, I sat in my seat, clasped my hands together, and prayed that my father would be safe. I didn’t notice that the person who had just sat down beside me was Jason Reed. He stood next to me, looking at my pale face and drenched body, and teased me mockingly. [Well, look at you, going on a trip too? If you don’t have money, then don’t copy other people’s vacations. Someone like you belongs in economy.] I closed my eyes and didn’t want to deal with him, but Jason kept pushing, demanding that the flight attendants kick me off the plane. Seeing the embarrassed look on the flight attendant’s face, I took a deep breath and stood up. [Fine, I’ll move to economy. Is that okay?] Right now, I didn’t want any conflict with him. I just wanted to see my father one last time. The moment I stood up, Jason suddenly cried out and started patting himself down frantically. [Where’s my watch? It was just here. Did you steal my watch? That watch is worth three million dollars. It has to be you.] With just a few words, Jason had easily set me up. I frowned and looked at him helplessly. [What proof do you have that I stole it?] [You were sitting right next to me the whole time. The second you stood up, my watch was gone. It had to be you. I’m calling the police!] As the situation got bigger and bigger, the plane still couldn’t take off normally, and the passengers around us were starting to complain too. But Jason didn’t care about anyone else. He kept forcing me to admit I had stolen the watch before he would stop. [Don’t call the police! I’ll pay you for a new one, okay?! Can you just calm down already!] If Jason called the police, the crew would kick us off the plane, and I would lose my last chance. I couldn’t take it anymore and even agreed to his unreasonable demand. But Jason only smiled smugly and waved his phone at me. [Too late. You’re so scared of me calling the police, that means you’re guilty. I already called. Just wait for the cops.] Sure enough, the police came very quickly and, without further explanation, restrained me and took me off the plane. [Don’t touch me! I need to get on that plane! I need to see my dad one last time!] No matter how much I struggled, I could only watch helplessly as the only flight I had kept drifting farther and farther away from me. Now I couldn’t even see my father one last time. I was taken to the interrogation room, and Jason was still standing off to the side, confidently insisting that I had stolen his watch. My phone rang again, and my mother was crying so hard on the other end that she could barely breathe. [Noah... your dad... he’s gone!] The phone slipped from my fingers and smashed heavily to the floor, breaking into pieces. And Jason deliberately leaned close to my ear, his tone vicious and contemptuous. [Someone like you doesn’t have the right to sit beside me in first class, and you don’t have the right to fight me for Lily either.] So Jason had deliberately called the police and framed me to get me kicked off the plane. At that moment, I could no longer hold back the anger in my heart. I swung my fist at Jason and slammed it down hard. Every punch landed solidly, and Jason couldn’t resist at all. It wasn’t until Lily hurried over after hearing the news that she finally pulled us apart. While shielding Jason, Lily frowned at me. [Noah, are you insane?! How dare you go after Jason? Are you tired of living?!] In Lily’s mind, Jason and I had never been on equal footing. He was always above me. My eyes were red as I looked up at Lily. Even now, she was still choosing to protect him without even asking what happened. In that case, there was no need for me to save them any face either. [Lily, we’re done for good! These seven years, I’ll just pretend I fed them to a dog!]