Wrap Party Divorce，Replaced by a Rookie，Enjoy Your Ruin, Ex-Husband!

At the wrap party for our new movie, I suddenly announced our divorce. Julian looked mortified. He quickly covered by claiming I was drunk, trying to drag me back to the green room. "Evelyn, what the hell is this about? Just because I gave Chloe the lead in my next project?" I nodded calmly. "You've already won every major award! Do you really need one more movie?" "We've always been good together. Announcing a divorce out of nowhere in front of the entire press is going to ruin both of our careers!" "Once you're in the lounge, I'll go clear this up with the reporters. You need to sit down and reflect on what you've done tonight." Julian was convinced I would never leave him. To the outside world, we had the fairy-tale romance—Hollywood's golden power couple. Too bad for him, I was done playing my part. When I arrived, reporters were already swarming around my husband, Julian, and the rising starlet, Chloe. "Director Cole and Miss Miller look stunning together! Can we get a shot of you two?" Chloe was wearing a striking crimson gown, while Julian had a matching red rose pinned to his lapel. They looked like a picture-perfect match. Julian didn't even try to hide it. When Chloe leaned in close, his arm naturally wrapped around her to pull her in. "Sorry I'm late," I said calmly. I was already used to this. Julian frowned the moment he saw me. He leaned in and whispered sharply against my ear: "Why aren't you wearing the white dress I picked out for you? Black doesn't suit you. Besides, tonight is all about introducing Chloe. You're going to steal her spotlight." I was the actual lead of this film, yet my own husband was demanding I play background decor for someone else. I offered Chloe a polite smile and ignored him completely. Seeing everyone gathered, the host raised a champagne flute. "A toast to a record-breaking box office—" "Chloe can't drink. Her stomach is sensitive," Julian cut in abruptly. He brushed past me, stepped up to Chloe, and gently took the flute from her hand. "Thank you, Julian," she whispered softly. Whispers of praise rippled through the crowd about what a true gentleman he was. "It's obvious Director Cole thinks very highly of our new talent, Chloe. How would you rate both leading ladies' performances?" a reporter asked. "Evelyn was steady, as always. But Chloe? She's the real standout. She has raw, magnetic brilliance. Give her a few more opportunities, and she'll be walking up to the podium for Best Actress in no time. In fact, she's already locked in as the lead for my next film." He dismissed my entire performance in half a sentence, yet showered Chloe with endless praise. I forced a faint smile, exhausted to my core. "Yes, Julian already gave me the heads-up," Chloe chimed in, pretending to look bashful. "It's my first lead role, though, so I'm honestly terrified." "Don't worry," Julian said, his voice softer than it had ever been with me. "I'm right here with you." Applause and congratulations echoed across the room. Chloe turned toward me with a smug gleam in her eyes, though her voice remained sugary sweet. "Evie, I know I lack experience. I already asked Julian to cast you as the supporting lead so you can mentor me on set." Since when did I need charity roles handed to me by an amateur? Before I could decline, Julian answered for me: "Evelyn is an industry veteran. She'll guide you well." Until tonight, as long as I was in Julian's films, I was always the leading lady. The room erupted into quiet shock. "Wait, this is the first time he's ever relegated Evelyn to a supporting role, right?" "Who is this girl? Even Evelyn has to step down for her?" "They definitely have something going on behind closed doors." Chloe tilted her head, her smile dripping with venom. "Evie, at this stage in your career, mature and quiet supporting roles suit you so much better anyway. The lead takes so much youthful energy, right? Think of it as passing the torch to the next generation." I didn't hold back. I took my glass of champagne and splashed it right into her face. The room instantly fell dead silent. "Miss Miller, as a newcomer, the very first thing you need to learn is respect," I said evenly. "Coming at me with backhanded insults—do you really think this industry has no rules left? You don't need my acting lessons. You need a crash course on basic decency and how to respect your seniors." Humiliated and furious, Chloe raised her hand to throw her drink back at me. I was already prepared. I stepped aside gracefully and put on a look of sheer, composed disbelief. "What are you doing, Miss Miller? Did I say something wrong? You throw a tantrum and get violent just because someone called you out?" The glances from the press and crew instantly shifted, filled with judgment toward Chloe. Julian immediately ripped off his suit jacket and draped it over Chloe's soaked shoulders, his tone frantic and tender. "Get to the dressing room and change before you catch a cold." When he turned to glare at me, his eyes burned with pure fury. He offered a strained smile to the flashing cameras. "Apologies, everyone. A little misunderstanding." "If she doesn't know the most basic set etiquette, I don't mind teaching her," I said smoothly. Julian opened his mouth to snap at me, but a reporter cut him off. "Evelyn, are you and Julian... having marital issues?" "Not issues," I replied, my voice crystal clear. "We're getting a divorce.""Excuse us, my wife had a little too much to drink," Julian hissed, grabbing my wrist tight and dragging me away from the cameras. "Evelyn, what the hell are you doing?! Just because I gave her the lead role?!" "You've won dozens of awards! Are you really that petty over one script?" "Blindsiding me with a breakup in front of the media? Do you know what this does to our brand? It's going to ruin everything!" "Sit in the lounge and sober up while I fix this with the press. You need to think long and hard about your childish behavior tonight!" He berated me non-stop down the hallway. I didn't utter a single word. The man walking beside me felt like a complete stranger. Hearing that I wanted a divorce, his first instinct wasn't to ask why. It was to assume I was throwing an irrational tantrum. Tuning out his nagging, I pulled out my key, only to find my private dressing room door was already unlocked. I pushed it open. Chloe was standing right in front of the vanity mirror, admiring herself in my evening gown. "What are you doing in my dressing room?" "Evie, I... I just needed something dry to wear," Chloe stammered, looking like a wounded deer. "Who gave you permission to touch my things? Where did you get the key?" She looked on the verge of tears. Julian's impatient voice came from behind me. "I gave it to her. Her dress was ruined and she didn't bring a backup. You two are roughly the same size. What's the big deal about borrowing a dress?" "Julian, open your eyes and look at what she's wearing." The cut of the gown was slightly dated, but the intricate handcrafted embroidery was unmistakable. It was custom-made for me when I got my very first Best Supporting Actress nomination. Julian had scrimped and saved to have it made for me. Back then, we had barely paid our rent, with only double digits left in our bank account. Yet he gritted his teeth and paid for this gown. "My girl deserves the absolute best," he had told me back then. "You're going to outshine everyone in the room." "It's just an old dress," Julian sneered now. "If you think it's dirty because she touched it, just throw it out. I'll buy you a new one tomorrow." "I'm so sorry, Evie," Chloe sobbed. "I'll buy you a replacement, I swear." "See? Chloe already apologized. Can't you be the bigger person for once?" Listening to the two of them perform their little duet made me sick. I stepped forward, raising my hand toward Chloe's face. "Enough!" Julian barked, stepping in between us and grabbing my wrist. "Can you be reasonable for once? You're the one who threw wine on her!" "Julian, did you completely forget what this dress means?" He frowned down at me, his jaw clenched tight. "I remember. But people have to move on, Evelyn. You can't live in the past forever." Chloe covered her face and rushed out of the room, sobbing dramatically. Julian threw me one last disgusted look before chasing after her, slamming the door shut behind him. I thought I would scream, or break down, or chase after him demanding answers. Instead, I didn't even spare him another glance. I sat down at the vanity and calmly texted my lawyer. A notification popped up from Julian. [Chloe's stomach is acting up. I'm driving her home. You've had wine, so don't drive. Call an Uber.] Staring at the screen, a memory flashed through my mind from years ago, before we were married, at a charity gala. He had held a glass of juice all night just so he could stay sober. As we left, he bundled his coat around my shivering shoulders. "I didn't drink. I'm driving you home." Back then, with the night breeze drifting through the car windows, he had looked at me and said: "Whenever you're with me, I don't touch alcohol. I don't trust anyone else to get you home safe." I typed back a single letter: [K.] I didn't even bother adding a fake "drive safe." After finalizing the divorce papers with my lawyer, I messaged my manager, Sarah. [Sarah, that countryside reality show you mentioned? I'll take it.] My phone rang within three seconds. "Oh, thank god, babe! You finally came to your senses!" Sarah cheered. "I told you to stop trapping yourself in his repetitive scripts. This retreat show is perfect. Great exposure, completely relaxing—" She paused, dropping her voice. "I saw Chloe's post on Ins. That little snake is clearly fishing for clout. If you're feeling down, don't keep it bottled up..." "Sarah," I cut her off gently. "I already asked for a divorce.""I've made up my mind, Sarah. From now on, my only focus is my career." After hanging up, I instinctively opened Ins. Chloe had posted just ten minutes ago. It was a selfie taken from the passenger seat of a car, holding a designer bag, making a cute hand-heart at the camera. Caption: [So grateful to be mentored by such an incredible senior. Learned so much tonight. The future is bright! ("^_^")] The comments section was already in flames. [A senior? Is Chloe soft-launching a romance?!] [Can someone identify whose car interior that is?!] [She was at the wrap party tonight, maybe it's just a colleague from the crew?] Looking at the photo, my chest tightened for a split second. I recognized that car immediately. I was the one who went to the dealership with Julian to pick it up. The day he bought it, he pulled me into the passenger seat with a proud grin. "This seat belongs to you and only you." He had placed a clumsy clay figurine I sculpted right on the dashboard, calling it his claim of territory. In Chloe's photo, her luxury handbag sat right where my figurine used to be. As online rumors spiraled, someone leaked that Julian had officially handpicked Chloe as his next leading lady. My mind drifted back to our senior year of high school. A boy from the back row had snatched my notebook, waving my audition monologue papers in the air and laughing hysterically. "Evelyn, your mom runs a tiny corner store, and you think you can audition for prestigious acting schools? The coaching fees alone cost six months of your mom's store inventory!" They crumpled my papers into balls, but none of them hit me. Julian had stepped in, shielding me behind his back. "Don't listen to them. I know you're going to make it." Throughout all three years of high school, Julian protected me like that countless times. "Julian, why do you always protect me? Do you have a crush on me or something?" He hadn't hesitated. He just looked at me with bright, honest eyes. "Evelyn, I love seeing you shine. It's the most beautiful thing in the world." My family was drowning in debt back then, so I buried my dreams deep inside. He followed me to a college in Miami. I majored in literature, thinking that getting a stable office job after graduation would be enough. Then, halfway through freshman year, I received a text saying my father had fled town to escape loan sharks. I still remember that stormy night. I stood at the bottom of the dorm stairwell holding my withdrawal papers, my phone buzzing relentlessly. "Evie, where are you? The collectors are at the door. I can't afford your tuition anymore. Come home and work." As I broke down on the wet pavement, Julian came running through the rain holding an umbrella. "I borrowed this money. Use it to pay off the debt first. Evelyn, do you trust me?" Sobbing against his chest, I nodded. Julian filed for academic leave with me. We crammed into a dingy, damp basement studio. "Evelyn, you're brilliant. I'm going to make sure the whole world sees you." Eventually, I made it to the big screen. At our first major premiere, wearing a rented designer gown, he carefully adjusted my earrings. "Aren't you scared that once you get famous, a big-shot director will steal you away?" he teased. "Would I ever leave you?" "Never," he whispered. "As long as you need me, I'll always be your leading lady." For his sake, I turned down auditions from legendary, Oscar-winning directors. My fans criticized me for putting romance over my career. Other prominent directors stopped reaching out, assuming I only worked with Julian. Yet every time I saw his message saying "Let's get married", I thought all the sacrifices and industry gossip were worth it. When Julian found out what I turned down for him, he held me close, tearful and tender. "Evie, having you is all I'll ever need." Some promises, it turned out, only count the exact second they leave someone's lips.The next morning, I had promo shoots for our newly wrapped film. I decided to deliver the divorce papers to Julian in person. When I walked onto the studio lot, the crew looked at me with hesitant, pitying expressions. I unlocked my phone. The trending topic [#JulianColeCastsChloeMiller#] was pinned right at the very top. [Finally, someone other than Evelyn! She's played the exact same type of character for two years. She's getting too old to play the innocent damsel.] [Chloe is raw talent! So much more refreshing than Evelyn, who's clearly coasted on director favoritism.] [Julian finally woke up. If he kept casting Evelyn, his box office was going to tank.] Worse, Julian had personally reposted an entertainment blog's article with a simple note: "Confirmed. Looking forward to our collaboration." Not a single word defending me. Down in the comments, someone wrote: "Are Director Cole and Chloe together? Their chemistry is insane!" It was voted to the top, and Julian hadn't deleted it. Taking his silence as confirmation, trolls invaded my personal Ins account. [Evelyn, read the room and retire. Stop dragging Julian down.] [Have some self-respect and walk away before Julian has to fire you publicly.] As a seasoned actress, internet trolls couldn't rattle my focus. During the shoot, however, a stray comment from a stagehand made me pause. "Director Cole actually let catering set up a dessert table today. Remember when Evelyn had a piece of dark chocolate and he chewed her out for ruining her cheekbones on camera?" I followed the stagehand's gaze. Julian was standing beside Chloe, holding a small plate with a slice of strawberry shortcake. Chloe smiled up at him, standing on her tiptoes to whisper something in his ear. My mind flashed back to last month. My blood sugar had crashed on set, and I pulled a piece of chocolate from my bag, only for Julian to snatch it and toss it directly into the trash. "You're a professional actress. If you can't even manage your own body, don't talk to me about craft." With an afternoon audition for the reality show ahead, I pulled the divorce agreement from my tote bag and walked straight up to him. "Sign it, Julian." My voice wasn't loud, but everyone nearby froze. Julian scowled. "What is this, Evelyn? Throwing another jealous fit?" "I told you last night. I'm divorcing you." Chloe quickly interjected, her eyes wide with manufactured guilt. "Julian, it's all my fault. If I hadn't taken the lead in your next film, Evie wouldn't be doing this..." "Evelyn, stop being so petty!" Julian snapped. "Chloe is completely new to the industry. She doesn't know any better. Are you seriously jealous of a rookie?" Before he could finish, his assistant ran over in a panic, holding up a tablet with a pale face. "Julian! Look at Twitter right now..." The hashtag [#ChloeMillerHomewrecker#] was trending at number one, tagged with a bright red "Trending" badge. Clicking inside revealed candid photos of Chloe whispering in Julian's ear by the dessert table just minutes ago, accompanied by savage commentary. [First she snatches Evelyn's role, now she's going after her husband?] [Feel so bad for Evelyn! The ink isn't even dry on their split rumors and the side chick is already marking her territory.] The internet was in an uproar. Commenters were digging up all of Chloe's subtle moves since joining the production, calling her a manipulative social climber. Julian's face turned livid as he scrolled through the backlash. He looked up, glaring at me with accusation. "Evelyn, did you leak this?! You'd stoop this low just to get back at her?!" "I don't have that kind of free time." "If you want a divorce, fine, but did you have to drag Chloe through the mud?!" He snatched the paperwork from my hands, clearly wanting to keep screaming, but Chloe cut in with a fragile whimper. "Julian... did I ruin your reputation?" "Don't worry," Julian comforted her instantly. "I'm right here." I had zero interest in watching their tragic soap opera. Once I saw he had the signed papers in his hand, I turned on my heel and walked away. By the time Julian remembered to demand that I apologize to Chloe, I was nowhere to be found. He rushed toward the window in frustration, only to see me stepping into a sleek black SUV. As the tinted window rolled up, I was leaning toward the person beside me, laughing freely. It had been years since Julian had seen me smile like that. His heart dropped. He tried to send me a text, only to receive a red alert: "You have been blocked." An unfamiliar wave of panic began to gnaw at his chest.