The Stunt Double's Revenge Goodbye, Cheating Movie Star

Ten years of marriage. This was the tenth time Ethan Vance had fallen for his co-star. Facing the flashes and microphones of the paparazzi, my face remained perfectly calm. "Ethan is a dedicated actor and a loyal husband. I ask everyone to stop these malicious rumors." The reporters whispered among themselves, looking at me with either pity or mockery. As soon as the press conference ended, my phone buzzed. It was a photo of Ethan and his new darling, Chloe Sterling, locking lips at the wrap party hotel. After wiring the hush money to the paparazzi's account, I closed my eyes in exhaustion. Ethan, this is the last time I clean up your mess. When I got home, I was surprised to find Ethan actually there. He was watching Chloe’s new reality show, chuckling softly every now and then. Noticing me, he cleared his throat and said indifferently, "I heard you're heading to the set soon. I bought some pain relief patches. Remember to pack them." I glanced over. There was a sticky note on the medicine box that he hadn't had time to rip off. “Ethan, remember to give this to Chloe!!” I let out a sarcastic smile but didn't call him out. Without looking up, Ethan said, "There's a wrap dinner tonight. Don't wait up." I warned him mockingly, "Be careful. Don't get caught by the paparazzi again." "I told you, it’s just for movie promo. It's all show business. Why do you always take it so seriously?" He didn't even bother to explain further, leaving with an impatient frown. Ethan didn't come back all night. But the next morning, he actually offered to drive me to the set. "Breakfast is on the table. Eat it while it's hot," he said, looking in high spirits. I nodded, but my heart sank. In the car, I noticed a pink crystal pendant hanging from the rearview mirror and a fuzzy pink blanket in the back seat. "What is it?" Seeing me staring, he glanced over, confused. I shook my head. My eyes drifted to the faint hickey on his collarbone. The morning sun was bright, but it stung my eyes. When we arrived at the set, before I even got out of the car, I heard Chloe's sweet, whiny voice. "Ethan! What are you doing here? We just finished working together and here we are again. It must be fate!" I froze. So, his sudden kindness this morning was just an excuse to visit her on set. "Leo, grab the coffee from the trunk and hand it out to everyone," Ethan called out to his assistant, completely ignoring me as I lugged my heavy bags. The director heard Ethan was here and hurried over. "Well, if it isn't our newly crowned Best Actor! What an honor to have you on our humble set!" "Don't worry, even though Harlow is just a stunt double, we'll definitely take extra care of her since she’s your wife." Ethan frowned, clearly displeased. "I don't want you to give Harlow special treatment just because she's my wife. In this industry, professionalism is everything." The director blinked in surprise, then quickly recovered. "Of course, of course." "On the other hand, Chloe just started out. She still has a lot to learn. Please look after her," Ethan urged the director gently. Beside him, Chloe clung to his arm and playfully stuck her tongue out. I turned away in silence, a sharp pain piercing my heart. "Harlow, here," Leo handed me a coffee. I looked up and saw Chloe naturally holding her boba tea to Ethan's mouth. He tilted his head to avoid it. Ethan was a germaphobe and hated sweets. When he refused, Chloe pouted, pretending to be angry. Unable to resist her puppy eyes, Ethan sighed helplessly and took a sip from her straw. Chloe giggled at his frowning face. I swallowed my black coffee, the bitterness coating my tongue. When we first started out, Ethan was just a nobody playing minor roles. Stunt doubles were practically invisible on set. People usually called us "Hey, you!" But Ethan was different. Not only did he remember my name, but he also stood up for me when a director tried to bully me. That was how we fell in love. Later, Ethan's acting career took off. The day he won the Best New Actor award, he proposed to me on live TV. I cried tears of joy. After we got married, he got busier. Gradually, he stopped coming home, stopped answering my calls, and even having a simple dinner with him became a luxury."Stunt double, get ready! You're up next!" The assistant director's shout pulled me back to reality. Despite being extremely careful, an accident happened. The harness dropped too quickly. When I hit the ground, my face scraped hard against the rough gravel. My forehead was badly grazed, looking bloody and horrific. People gasped and rushed over. I forced myself up, gritting my teeth to say I was fine. Through the crowd, my gaze fell on the couple in the distance. Chloe was playfully reading Ethan's palm, and he was gently tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear. I clenched my fists and lowered my gaze to hide the pain. The next scene belonged to Chloe. Ethan walked over to me leisurely. "Are you okay?" He pointed at my freshly bandaged forehead. "I'm fine." "I told you before, you don't need to do this anymore. A woman getting into fights and covered in scars—what does that look like?" He frowned, his face dark. I remembered how he used to apply ointment to my wounds, whispering that I could do whatever I wanted because he would always protect me. The words were still ringing in my ears, but the man who said them had long forgotten. "Ahhh!" Chloe's scream suddenly rang out, and Ethan rushed over immediately. He pushed through the crowd anxiously. "Out of the way! What happened?" Chloe looked like she was about to cry. "I'm so clumsy... It's my first time holding a sword, and I cut my finger." Without a second thought, Ethan put her finger into his mouth to soothe it. The crew members looked surprised, whispering and glancing at me. Watching his instinctual reaction, my chest tightened. Chloe looked at him with blushing cheeks. Then, as if remembering something, she looked over at me, her eyes filled with pure mockery. It was a late-night shoot. I dragged my exhausted body to finish the day. "Harlow." Ethan stopped me, looking a bit uncomfortable. I questioned him with my eyes. "The water is freezing, and Chloe has a weak constitution. Can you do her water stunt for her?" I let out a cold laugh. "I am the stunt double for the female lead. Am I supposed to do the supporting actress's stunts now too?" Hearing this, Chloe tugged at Ethan's sleeve, her lips trembling as if she was about to cry. Ethan’s gaze instantly turned cold, his voice tight with suppressed anger. "Since when did you become so aggressive? Just tell me, what will it take for you to do it?" "Double my pay." He let out a sigh of relief, but my hands at my sides clenched so hard my knuckles turned white. That water scene took a full two hours to shoot. When I finally got out of the freezing water, shivering, Ethan seemed to have found a shred of conscience and handed me a towel. His throat bobbed as if he wanted to say something, but I walked right past him. That night, I swallowed two fever reducers. As I changed my bandages, I made a call. "Serena, we can move up the schedule for that movie. I'll join the crew as soon as possible." Serena was my first friend in the industry. Back then, she was directing indie web dramas, but now she was a highly sought-after action director in Hollywood. Over the years, we had kept in touch. She had invited me to star in her movies several times, but I had always refused. I knew big-budget films took at least six months of shooting, and with Ethan's career rising, I couldn't bear to leave him. But now, I finally saw clearly. I was just an option in his life. Why should I keep spinning my life around him?At the charity gala tonight, half of Hollywood was present. I held Ethan's arm, a polite smile plastered on my face. "Pick whatever you like later," Ethan whispered, leaning in close. Following his gaze, I saw the cameras aimed at us. I widened my smile, but my eyes remained icy. To anyone looking, we were the perfect loving couple. Chloe couldn't stand it. As soon as I walked into the restroom, she followed me in. "Mrs. Vance, you really are incredibly generous! Your husband is practically sleeping around in broad daylight, and you still act like nothing's wrong." She emphasized "Mrs. Vance" with dripping sarcasm. I grabbed a paper towel and replied calmly, "Don't you want to be in my shoes?" She blinked, confused. "What?" "The title of Mrs. Vance. Ethan adores you so much. Why don't you ask him if he's willing to give you this spot?" Chloe's face flushed red, then pale. She knew that despite Ethan’s endless flings over the years, no woman had ever managed to replace me. "Even if you keep the title, you still can't hold onto his heart!" She sneered when I remained silent, then strutted out. I watched her leave and smiled bitterly. The highlight of the auction tonight was the "Angel’s Tear," a stunning sapphire necklace symbolizing eternal love. "Nine million going twice, nine million..." "Ten million," Ethan raised his paddle, drawing gasps from the crowd. "Mr. Vance bids ten million! Any other bids?" Silence. "Ten million, going three times. Sold!" All the women in the room looked at me with envy. I smiled bitterly. They were envying the wrong person. Chloe turned back, her eyes filled with affection. “Baby, it’s yours.” I stared at Ethan's silent mouth movements. He was mouthing those words to Chloe. My heart throbbed with a sharp, unbearable pain. The following week at the film festival, Chloe showed up wearing that very necklace. Ethan held her hand as they walked the red carpet together. Under the guise of movie promotion, they flirted openly in front of the cameras. Ethan won the Best Actor award that night. He stood on the stage, looking tall and handsome. "To win this award, the person I want to thank most is my wife. She is also here tonight." He scanned the crowd, his eyes finally landing on Chloe's direction. "Chloe, thank you!" Ethan blew a kiss. The usually reserved man was confessing his love in public. The surrounding guests and audience turned to tease me, but I felt like I had been plunged into an ice cellar. Everyone thought he was saying "Harley," my nickname. But I knew better. He always called me by my full name, Harlow. He never used sweet nicknames for me anymore. The camera panned to me. I pinched my thigh hard, forcing a tight, painful smile. Once the camera moved away, I glanced at Chloe. She had a smug grin on her face, looking at me defiantly. I couldn't understand how Ethan could be so cruel as to use me as a prop for his public flirtation with Chloe. In the middle of the roaring crowd, my heart felt like it was buried under freezing ice. I didn't want to join the final group photo on stage, but Leo dragged me up. I stood on Ethan's left, and Chloe stood on his right. Suddenly, there was a loud crash. The stage scaffolding collapsed. Before I could even react, I fell through the gaps. The last image I saw was Ethan shielding Chloe tightly in his arms. Even though I had given up on him a thousand times, a tiny, foolish part of me had still hoped. I closed my eyes and let the darkness take me.