Chapter 1

At the hardest moment, I broke up with Felix Smith.

When we met again, he had become the president of the biggest entertainment company, and was accompanied by a new female companion.

So, when he once again awarded the prize that was supposed to be mine to a rising star, I announced my withdrawal from the industry.

I calmly deactivated all my public accounts and disappeared from the spotlight. It wasn't until the following year that my agent discovered my drafts.

Inside, there were records of my illness, and an expired love letter from high school that I never got the opportunity to send.

...

"Don't be upset, Maria. This award isn't that important. If Susan won it, then so be it."

"Yeah, the Best Actress Award next year is the real deal. It's definitely yours."

...

The girl on stage smiled, her eyes sparkling as she took the trophy. During her speech, she mentioned Felix.

"Mr. Smith has often helped me when I was at my lowest. To me, he is not just a benefactor."

The meaning behind her words was crystal clear.

Even the photographer was going crazy.

When Susan received the award, the big screen cut to Felix.

On the big screen, Felix's features were cold and composed, wearing a tailored black suit that looked both formal and imposing. But the slight smile at the corner of his eyes, barely noticeable, gave off an air of someone above it all, as if standing on a pedestal, a high-and-mighty figure.

The audience below erupted in cheers.

"The CEO and the actress who won the award—this pairing is just too sweet!"

"He's been watching Susan the whole time, not even glancing at his phone. If that's not real, then what is?"

Susan's gaze flickered, her hand tightening around the microphone.

"If I can, I hope to walk this path with him from now on."

The eyes of everyone in the audience were fixed on Felix's expression on the big screen.

He gave a slight nod, as if making a promise.

Susan's smile widened.

When she stepped off the stage holding the trophy, Felix personally went to meet her.

But her dress was too long, making it difficult for her to walk.

She looked up at the man beside her with a slightly aggrieved expression.

In front of everyone, the man lifted the girl in his arms and carefully helped her down the stairs.

The girl was shy in his embrace.

But once they were out of the camera's view, Felix's expression grew cold, distant.

There was a lack of attention, an indifference.

I couldn't pay attention either, clenching my teeth.

The pain in my bones returned.

They made their way offstage amidst the loud cheers, while I quietly left through the back door.

I took a deep breath at the window in the hallway.

A relieved smile slowly curled at the corner of my lips.

This ending wasn't so bad.

Why drag things out until the very end?

So, I took out my phone and sent the last post on instagram.

[Due to personal reasons, this account will no longer be updated. Finally, I wish everyone a long life.]

The accompanying picture was the retirement statement I had prepared long ago.

My retirement statement was drowned out by the trending topics about Felix and Susan's award ceremony.

Before the ceremony, Felix and Susan had already trended multiple times for having meals together and shopping together. He gave Susan the best resources, showering her with all his favor and exceptions.

Everyone believed that Felix and Susan were definitely together now.

As for me, the heartless woman who had abandoned Felix during his most difficult time, I deserved to have resources snatched away from me again and again.

But no one knew that just the night before, Felix had kept me in bed with him, tormenting me for the whole night.

I fainted several times from exhaustion. He would kiss me awake, forcing me to look at him.

"What's wrong? A year ago, you begged to come back, but now you can't even say a word to please me?"

He bit down on my neck fiercely. "Maria, whether it was back then or now, why is it so hard for you to say that you love me?"

Felix and I broke up during my senior year of college. To be precise, it was during the hardest time of his life, when his parents had passed away, that I decisively broke up with him.

And a year ago, after a banquet, I offered myself to him, and we got back together.

I was a faded star.

He was the president of the biggest entertainment company at the time.

He hated me.

Even when he was drunk, he would still talk about how I had abandoned him that year.

The next morning, when he woke up and saw me in his bed, he was somewhat surprised, but there was more cold mockery in his gaze.

"Maria, after so many years, you've learned to climb into the bed of the investors. Aren't you afraid that I'll put this image of you on trending?"

I gritted my teeth in pain.

"Felix, I apologize for what happened back then, but I really need this lead role from Director Natalie. I'll agree to any condition you have."

Felix was silent for a long time.

Finally, he said two words.

"Get back together."

The moment I agreed, I had my own motives.

I also wanted to be with him in these final moments.

I got the lead role I wished for.

Director Natalie was also very happy.

"This role was always reserved for you. These trending actresses can't give me the feeling I want, only you."

"Though, your health..."

Chapter 2

Director Natalie was the first person in the industry to know about my bone cancer.

We had worked together on many projects in the past. Although it was never said aloud, our relationship was closer than that of a regular director and artist.

When she looked at me, there was nothing but concern in her eyes.

I couldn't bear to let her worry, so I lied to her. "The doctor said it was caught early and can be treated, it won't delay anything."

"That's good. If you're feeling unwell, you have to tell me."

"I'm still looking forward to working with you on another project after this one!"

"Okay."

I lied to her again.

This might be my last project.

During the three months of filming, Felix often came to visit the set.

After his own work was done, he would always pick me up and take me home.

After a few times, Director Natalie could no longer hold back and asked me, "Maria, is Mr. Smith your boyfriend?"

I looked at him, just like the boy who waited for me after class in college, and smiled softly.

"Yes, he's my boyfriend."

Director Natalie sighed with emotion.

"That's great. With someone backing you in this circle, I can feel more at ease."

In those days after we got back together, I was truly happy.

I thought that maybe, just maybe, fate had softened towards me. At least in these last moments, I could be with him.

Until one day, a video suddenly exploded online. It was a video of me from five years ago, climbing into the producer's bed to get my first role.

The video was high-definition.

Felix canceled his meetings and rushed home.

When I returned, cigarette butts were scattered on the floor, still not fully extinguished.

"Do you have something you want to say to me?"

Five years ago, that was the day I had broken up with him.

I didn't blame him.

Anyone else would have thought that I broke up with him, a penniless boy, to climb the ladder to the powerful investor.

"No."

I said faintly.

He grabbed my shoulders, almost in a frenzy, demanding, "Maria, do you even care? Not even willing to lie to me?"

And I, like a lifeless doll, stood still.

He left.

He didn't return that whole night.

The next morning, the trending topic was buried.

A new trending topic topped the charts.

#Felix, President of Smith Culture, and Popular Actress Susan Are Suspected to Be Dating#

Felix never mentioned breaking up with me.

But from that point on, whenever there was a job offer for me, he would cancel it with various excuses.

Gradually, no one contacted me anymore.

This award was something I had been fighting for.

Not long ago, a movie I had worked on was released, and discussions about my acting were quite lively.

Amidst the overwhelming entries about Felix and Susan, my fans jumped in to speak up for me.

Some fans released a compilation of my acting over the years, just in time for the Starlight Award nominations, and everyone thought the award would finally be mine.

But in the end, I only received a nomination.

"How could Susan's acting deserve this award? I won't believe it without some insider information."

"I heard the judges for this award have connections with Felix. Looks like he's too biased toward his girlfriend."

"Their relationship is an open secret. While I do want Maria to win this award, the CEO and his artist pairing is just too ship-worthy."

"But I still feel sorry for Maria. She's been working so hard all these years but never won any significant awards."

"Didn't a scandal about her and that heir from the now-bankrupt Huo family come out before? Not many people in the entertainment industry are clean."

"Maria's retiring? Is that for real?"

"Probably disappointed in the industry. After all the hard work, the award was taken because of some inside deal. If it were me, I'd quit too."

I silently scrolled through all the trending comments.

Felix, I wish you eternal happiness in the spotlight.

I arrived at the hospital and checked in for chemotherapy and hospitalization.

When I connected to the internet to make the payment, messages began popping up.

Felix: [Maria, it's just an award. Is this how you're going to retire?]

Linda: [Are you really planning to retire? Felix's interest in Susan is just a passing fling. You've been his crush since high school. Now that you're back together, your future in the industry is limitless.]

Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through my arm.

My fingers went numb, and the phone fell to the ground.

I gritted my teeth and picked it up, seeing my reflection on the cracked screen.

Without makeup, my face looked pale and ugly.

I sat in silence for a long time.

I didn't reply to any of the messages. Instead, I deactivated all my public accounts.

I left only one private account, with no added friends.

Originally, I thought I'd quietly live out my final days.

But unexpectedly, when I went downstairs to buy some essentials, Felix appeared.

Chapter 3

His eyes locked onto my hospital gown.

"Maria, what are you doing in the hospital?"

His expression was a mixture of tension and questioning.

It was the same look he had the first time I went to the hospital for bone pain.

That was during our junior year of college.

We were both so poor.

He was terrified I might die, afraid that I would die because we couldn't afford treatment.

Because of his mother and sister—both of them had died because we couldn't afford medical care.

That time, the doctor didn't diagnose me with bone cancer.

We both breathed a sigh of relief.

But this time, we weren't that lucky.

For a moment, I felt like my defenses were about to crumble.

From the moment I was diagnosed with bone cancer to now, I had been trying to accept the truth and face life and death with composure.

But when I saw him in the hospital, I realized I hadn't let go.

I was afraid of death.

I was afraid of him finding out I was dying.

I wanted to live.

I really, really wanted to live.

"Why are you crying?"

Felix frowned, his expression momentarily panicked.

Instinctively, he reached out to wipe away the tears at the corner of my eye.

"Maria, are you sick too?"

Susan came running from a distance, naturally hooking her arm around Felix's.

Felix withdrew his hand.

Susan looked at me with concern. "I know a doctor here. Do you need me to help you find a more authoritative one? You and Felix have been high school classmates. Don't hesitate to ask if you need anything."

Susan's sudden appearance snapped me back to reality.

I turned to her. "Congratulations on winning the Starlight Award."

Susan looked uncomfortable. "Maria..."

"Oh, by the way, Felix, let's go inside. It's easy to get photographed out here. Who knows what kind of rumors will spread."

Felix nodded and pressed the remote. The black Ferrari 458 in the distance blinked twice.

He had changed cars.

As I turned to walk into the hospital with my things, Felix suddenly grabbed my wrist.

Before I could pull my hand away, his voice trembled as he read the words on my hospital wristband: "Bone cancer?"

Susan was also shocked, covering her mouth in surprise.

Felix's emotions slowly began to unravel.

I pulled my hand away sharply and smiled.

"I said I was going to retire because of this reason. What do you think?"

"Judging by your expression, you probably believe it. If you believe it, then the netizens will believe it too."

Felix still didn't fully believe me.

Susan spoke up at the right moment: "Maria, at least shave your head if you're going with the cancer excuse. Otherwise, it just seems fake."

I smiled and ran my fingers through my glossy black hair. "Oh, I forgot about that."

Felix's expression shifted from tension to anger.

"Maria, you're really good at pretending."

Felix and Susan went inside.

They headed towards the obstetrics and gynecology department.

It was in the opposite direction from my ward. I returned to my hospital room and removed my wig.

The little girl in the bed next to mine looked at the wig I had placed beside me.

"Sister, can I borrow this wig and try it on?"

I had heard from the nurse that this fifteen- or sixteen-year-old girl, like me, was in the final stages of bone cancer.

I nodded and handed her the wig. She carefully put it on her head, making her already small head look even smaller.

She pushed her hair behind her ear, revealing her delicate, youthful face.

Then, she smiled and took several photos with her phone. She looked beautiful.

"Now, Mom won't worry about me anymore! Sister, thank you so much."

The pain from chemotherapy nearly drove me to the edge of collapse.

I don't know how many times I cried alone in the darkness.

The little girl in the next bed saw how much I was suffering and tried to chat with me.

"Sister, do you know Susan, the really popular one right now? I see her a lot on the news lately."

"She and Felix are so in love. It's like the perfect relationship. I hope I can have one like that in my next life!"

"By the way, I heard she has an ex-girlfriend, and it was exposed. Do you know about it?" I froze for a moment, then shook my head.

"Oh, but that's all in the past. I don't know why the netizens keep bringing it up." The little girl then left for her checkup.

I couldn't hold back anymore, so I logged into my private account.

This account was known to no one, and I only followed Felix.

I clicked on the trending topics, and the netizens were going wild.

"I saw Maria at the hospital last time. Her hair was still long—she didn't look like someone undergoing chemotherapy at all."

"Anyone who jokes about having cancer deserves to get it! Why doesn't she just go die?"

"Remember when people said Felix and she dated in high school? But the trending topic was quickly taken down. She probably saw how affectionate Felix and Susan are and is using the cancer sympathy card!"