"This is her former manager. He came to visit out of friendship."

"I really want to be his manager. I want to be treated by Davis! He looks a hundred times better in person than on TV!"

"Yes, my God! A man like him is so pure, without a single scandal. Let me marry him in my dreams!"

Buzz.

Suddenly, Davis's phone rang. He glanced at it and his gaze unknowingly drifted toward the window.

"Um... honey, the director said the last scene has to be re-shot. I can’t stay with you tonight. I’m sorry. You’ll have to manage on your own tonight."

"Okay, go ahead," Ashlyn replied with a light tone.

Get out, get out, get out of here.

After Davis left, Ashlyn opened her social media.

[Geez! He just told me to continue tonight and try out the bathroom. He is so romantic, I can’t live without him anymore. What should I do?]

The overwhelming tears finally erupted. Ashlyn retched as she cried, losing track of time and before she knew it, she had drifted off to sleep.

When she awoke, it was already past midnight.

The girl posted on her Moments once again. [He said I’m really good at cooking. Well, next time, I’ll cook at his home!]

The first picture was of a girl in a misty bathroom, her fair skin glowing with a soft, reddish hue. Only a third of her profile was captured in the shot, her eyes and eyebrows exuding an undeniable charm.

The second picture featured a digitally altered background. Two fingertips, delicately holding a cigarette, appeared in the scene, the lingering smoke curling up in the air, evoking endless thoughts and dreams.

After ten years of companionship, Ashlyn knew every inch of Davis's body. Who else could it be if not him?

With no sleep at all, Ashlyn made a call.

"Lindsey, please help me move tomorrow."

Lindsey, who had been with the team for over six years, had never seen Ashlyn so utterly lost. Even when her brother passed away, she never cried in front of others.

But this time, she refused the doctor’s suggestion to rest for a few days and insisted on standing tall, her posture unyielding like a tree. As tears fell, she stared blankly at the movers, unloading her belongings one by one. Lindsey wanted to urge her to sit down and take a break, but Ashlyn only muttered one word.

"Dirty."

Not a single strand of hair was out of place, yet Lindsey had no idea what she meant by dirty.

This immaculate 200-square-meter apartment was bought by Ashlyn after she helped Davis land the leading role in a historical drama. She personally supervised every detail of the decoration, from the color of the latex paint to the arrangement of the plants in each corner. It was Ashlyn's hard work, every inch of it.

But every time Davis came home over the past few years, he complained that the house was too small, that the space felt cramped and unappealing.

The luxury bags and jewelry from Davis had all been sold by Ashlyn to second-hand buyers. The 11 million dollars she received from the sales was donated by Ashlyn to the Cryogenic Research Center where Finn worked.

Before the sunset, the house was nearly emptied, leaving only the furniture and Davis's belongings behind.

"Ashlyn, there’s a pair of cups here. Do you want to take them?" Lindsey called out from the kitchen after surveying the house.

The cups were made of rough pottery, their bases twisted into unique shapes. When placed together, they fit perfectly, forming a complete pair.

It was a love gift they had made and fired together when they were both 22 years old.

After the cups were fired, Ashlyn had given him her first time.

The young man in his twenties, brimming with vitality but still immature, had been so nervous that his body trembled. She had cried out in pain, but Davis had been gentle and tender, carefully offering her the best experience he could.

Once upon a time, they had not only been in love but had shared a deep physical connection.

"Babe, I don’t feel anything except you. I am yours in this life."

His lingering words of affection still echoed in her ears, yet when she turned around, she found that he had spent the night with countless other women.

Perhaps men's minds and bodies were governed by two separate systems, which explained why they could hold sharp swords in one hand and speak sweet words with the other.

"Keep it. It’s just a worthless thing."

Ashlyn turned away, never looking back.

But quietly, in the car, Davis changed his profile picture on the chat app to a photo of the two cups he had just taken.

She had to remind herself constantly. If she only sought love within her career, she would inevitably end up heartbroken.

In the remaining month, she promised herself she would focus on loving herself.

On the same day, the filming for The Biggest Dream Returns wrapped up and Davis could not wait to bring the girl he had arranged to meet the day before to his home.

He had contacted Ashlyn that morning and she was still hospitalized. Thus, tonight was the perfect opportunity.

The last time Ashlyn went on a business trip to another province, she had also brought this girl home. The girl was incredibly attractive, with flawless white skin and a stunning figure. Most importantly, she kept her mouth shut and did not flaunt her connection to a celebrity. He found this kind of arrangement particularly enjoyable and was confident in the girl's discretion and character.

However, as soon as Davis opened the door, he was stunned.

The house had changed so much that, for a moment, he thought he had entered the wrong place!

He quickly pushed the girl toward the kitchen and, panicked, made a video call to Ashlyn.

He tried calling three times in a row, but each time his call was rejected.

As Davis’s heart sank to the pit of his stomach, Ashlyn finally called him back.

"Honey, where did everything at home go?"

Suddenly, a warm breath swept up from behind him, making him so nervous that his voice trembled. He quickly turned around and instinctively covered the girl’s mouth.

In the next moment, her coat slipped off, exposing a large area of snow-white skin that brushed against his face. The rope that held the coat was so delicate it nearly snapped and the fabric was so thin it was almost transparent, sending a wave of shock through Davis's senses.

"Davis, I recently went to my mother's house to stay for a while. After my brother left, she’s been in poor spirits and struggling with her health."

Davis fought to control his rapidly rising breath, trying to stay composed.

"The house has been cleaned and I'll explain everything to you later. Davis, are you listening?"

"Yeah, yeah, I’m listening!" The girl’s soft body pressed against him, her warm breath misting on his face. Her red eyes were clouded with desire.

His mind was clouded, unable to think clearly and his entire body seemed to lose its ability to move.

"I’ll stay with Mom for now. You should get some rest." Ashlyn quickly hung up after noticing the sound of his heavy breathing.

Davis’s thoughts spun in a whirlwind.

Why was it more convenient for Ashlyn to go to her mother’s house?

But if it was just a short visit, why had she taken her most cherished collectibles?

"Eve, stop it! I need to find her!" The more Davis thought about it, the more unsettled he felt and he abruptly shoved the girl off him.

Eve, however, was not about to back down. "You have become a famous celebrity. Can she really be taken from you? Without you, she’s nothing."

"But…"

"No buts. Davis Miller, focus on me. We agreed to go to the kitchen, didn’t we? Why aren’t we keeping our promises?"

The sound of the girl’s high heels clicking against the floor was both mysterious and seductive, completely overwhelming Davis and pushing away the last vestiges of his remaining sanity.

"You just said I am now a famous celebrity and she’s nothing without me. Then who are you?"

"Well, a cute little devil," Eve replied with a playful smile in a way that was irresistibly cute.

"Well, little devil, let this famous celebrity take you in..."

The next day, at noon, while Ashlyn was having lunch with her mother, Davis and his friend, Jonathan Lewis, arrived at the house carrying a mix of large and small bags.

"Mrs. Anderson, I’m so sorry. I’ve been too busy filming lately and haven’t had the chance to visit. I know you’ve been having trouble with your heart, so you must take good care of your health!"

He gestured to the pile of gift boxes stacked on the floor, which were filled with luxurious supplements.

Ashlyn’s mother waved her hands, visibly touched by the gesture. "Davis, I haven’t even finished the supplements you brought last year. Don’t waste your money. You’ve lost so much weight from staying up late filming. Just keep them for yourself!"

Ashlyn smiled softly, but it did not reach her eyes.

He should really take care of himself, so he did not end up with kidney deficiency.

Jonathan chimed in from the side, "Mrs. Anderson, it's not because of Ashlyn that Davis works so hard. He’s always saying he wants to make more money so that Ashlyn can raise their children without worry. Then, you’ll get to be a grandmother sooner than you think!"

"No, Davis’s actually planning to buy a new villa and have you move in with him!"

Ashlyn’s expression darkened slightly. Buy a villa? Could this be the surprise Davis had mentioned before in the hospital?

Davis looked a bit embarrassed. He scratched his head and pulled out a bunch of keys.

"Baby, I came today just to take you to see our new home. It’s a single-family house with a river view and an art gallery. You’ll be the queen in that palace from now on."

Ashlyn was coaxed into visiting Azure Horizon Villa, a luxurious courtyard villa worth more than 28 million dollars. Such a place could only be afforded by the exceptionally wealthy or powerful.

Jonathan Lewis, a third-generation heir to a wealthy family, was the developer behind the project. He and Davis met after Davis’s rise to fame and they quickly became close with Jonathan, who offered Davis significant resources. They got along well.

"Baby, there’s a golf course over there. You can take the kids to play golf in the future."

"And there’s an exhibition hall in the back. Your collection of calligraphy, paintings and porcelain can go there."

"The dressing room in the master bedroom is over 100 square meters. You can fill it with all your favorite Chanel pieces."

He had made this villa a dream come true, a place filled with the hopes and wishes they had shared when they were younger. It seemed he had never forgotten those vows.

So, when had this love changed?

Ashlyn's eyes welled up with tears.

"Baby, look over there."

Ashlyn turned her head and the sky lit up with fireworks. Davis stood in the midst of the fireworks, backlit, his smile forming crescent-shaped eyes.

It reminded her of when he graduated from high school, the brilliant young man holding a bunch of firework sticks, shouting at the top of his lungs.

"Ashlyn Anderson! Be my woman! Even if the seas and rocks break, we’ll never break up!"

A wave of regret fluttered in Ashlyn's heart.

Just because a cat stole fish did not mean it stopped catching mice.

Life was fleeting. If she closed her eyes, ignoring everything she did not want to see or hear, could she make do with it?

Jonathan came over with many friends and hosted a party at his villa. Among the guests was a senior with a strong reputation in the industry, someone whose connections could offer opportunities.

Ashlyn could not refuse and reluctantly went along with it.

Davis held her close, smiling as he shielded her from anyone who tried to pressure her into drinking.

The skins of nuts, pomegranates and shrimp were all cleaned off and fed to her by hand.

Jonathan and his friends laughed boisterously. "It turns out that when you’re loved, any food no longer has skin!"

"Davis, are you showing to your friends how to treat women?"

"Ashlyn, you’re so lucky. Davis still does these little things, even at his level. Frankly, I’m impressed!"

Ashlyn forced a smile as their compliments piled up, but her chest grew tighter with each passing moment.

She stood up and made her way to the public restroom. The confined space felt like a relief, as it allowed her to breathe easier.

The sound of high-heeled shoes clicking outside the door echoed randomly and it seemed there was more than one person approaching.

"Sarah, have you had any work recently?"

"Yes, ever since Lilia introduced me to a few male celebrities in the entertainment industry, my value has skyrocketed. Recently, someone even offered me a high bid for a photo shoot. Oops, I almost forgot. I’ll add him to ask."

The next moment, a friend request notification popped up on Ashlyn's phone.

She quickly muted her phone and began sending over explicit photos one after another.

With her innocent face and ample bust, which could not be overlooked, Ashlyn was struck by a sudden memory. Three years ago, she had helped Davis meet with this girl at a support club for a few days. This girl had also been one of Davis's fans.

"How could you join a stranger like that, Sarah? What if you get cheated?" asked the girl sitting across from her.