Chapter 4

A wave of emotions crashed over Vivian as her fingers tightened around the phone, each heartbeat echoing louder in her chest.

Unable to suppress her growing panic, she blurted out, "Who's with you right now?"

Adrian remained silent for a beat before responding in that detached tone she'd come to dread. "If it's urgent, we'll talk when I return. I'm occupied at the moment."

The line went dead before she could form a response.

The sharp dial tone mocked her as Vivian's lips curled into a bitter smile.

How pathetic she was. Some part of her had already known the answer, yet she'd still hoped to hear him say the words.

With deliberate movements, Vivian picked up her tablet and scrolled through the day's trending topics.

One headline jumped out at her: "Rising Star Protected from Harassment by Powerful Boyfriend at Industry Dinner." A hollow laugh escaped her.

She knew those dinners all too well.

The memory surfaced unbidden - her first major audition after entering the entertainment industry. Her agent Lydia had dragged her to a dinner with the director and producer of Whispering Skies.

Young and inexperienced, Vivian had felt like a lamb among wolves, completely unprepared for the dark underbelly of show business.

The producer had leered at her openly before sliding a bottle across the table. "New talent, huh? Pretty face. Let's see if you can handle your liquor. Finish this bottle in one go, and I'll guarantee you an audition for the female lead."

She'd wanted to refuse, but under Lydia's insistent pressure, she'd choked down every last drop.

By midnight, she'd been rushed to the hospital with acute alcohol poisoning.

Lydia, more concerned about losing the role than Vivian's health, had paid the medical bills and disappeared.

Vivian had spent three days recovering in that sterile hospital room.

Before she'd even been discharged, the news broke that Serena Whitmore had landed the lead role in Whispering Skies.

Later, Lydia had berated her. "You're prettier than Serena! Why can't you be more ambitious? She just had to bat her eyelashes at Mr. Blackwood and everything was handed to her on a silver platter. I heard he personally called the producers to secure her that role!"

When the drama aired, Serena skyrocketed to fame overnight, joining the A-list with effortless grace.

That was when Vivian had given up on her acting dreams and devoted herself entirely to being Adrian Blackwood's wife.

After all, no matter how hard she worked, she'd never receive the opportunities that came so easily to Serena with just a word from Adrian.

Back then, Vivian had believed she was stealing Serena's rightful place as Mrs. Blackwood. She'd thought she owed Serena that much.