I grew up with Owen Hayes. We were childhood sweethearts for seven years. Later, we both ventured into the entertainment industry. Luckily, we both became famous.

He shot to stardom.

I became infamous.

He stirred up rumors with the popular starlet Renee Vega. Their fake relationship set the entertainment world on fire.

I was caught on camera hugging him in an underground parking lot. The incident went viral, and I was viciously attacked online.

Overnight, I went from being a D-list actress to the most notorious person in showbiz.

A group of hardcore fans cornered me. They threw eggs at me and shouted, "Lucia Henderson, you homewrecker! Have you no shame? People like you should just die."

I was a mess, covered in smelly egg yolk from head to toe.

No one in the crowd stepped up to help me. Everyone was just filming and cursing at me.

The insults bombarded my ears. I trembled with fear as tears streamed down my face. "I didn't do it. I didn't wreck anyone's relationship."

Finally, the police came and dispersed the crowd. They just shook their heads and said, "Miss, couldn't you find something better to do with your life?"

Even the police didn't believe me.

I collapsed on the couch, my mind in a fog. I couldn't even muster the strength to lift a finger.

That evening, Owen rushed over. "Lucia, I'm so sorry I'm late. Don't worry, I've had all those videos taken down from the internet."

"Don't go out for a while," he added. "Just stay at home."

I grabbed his hand and pleaded softly, "Owen, can we go public with our relationship?"

His fingers noticeably stiffened. "Lucia, if we reveal our relationship, I'll lose tons of fans. My career will be over.

"Don't you remember how hard these years have been for me? I've been chewed out by the directors countless times. I've had to keep quiet even when I was injured. No one on set ever cared about me.

"The internet has a short memory. They'll forget about this soon. Lucia, please bear with it a little longer, for my sake. Okay?"

Every word he said stabbed at my heart. But seeing his reddened eyes, I nodded.

"Okay."

After I fell asleep, I had a dream.

In the dream, I was the ill-fated first love who died young in a romance novel. Owen and Renee were the main characters. They supported each other, rising from nobodies to top celebrities, hailed as the model couple.

The novel just summed me up in one brief sentence. Unable to bear the online abuse, Lucia committed suicide, becoming the cherished memory in Owen's heart that made Renee jealous.

The words were cold, but I felt the pain, helplessness, and despair of my dream self so vividly.

I woke up with a start and touched my tear-stained cheeks.

So, my existence was just a catalyst for the main couple's relationship.

I felt the bed beside me. It was cold.

He was long gone.

On TV, there was an interview from some event. When asked about their relationship status, Owen and Renee exchanged smiles. They blushed amid the crowd's teasing, looking every bit like a couple in love.

When asked about me, Owen just said I was a classmate with no sense of boundaries. His amber eyes showed no emotion.

Owen and Renee signed up for a live dating show. I accepted the offer too.

Before the show was even announced, eagle-eyed netizens had already dug up the list of guests.

In just a few hours, my Twitter page was completely overrun by countless haters.

[Damn, this is a dating show. Lucia has skin thicker than a city wall. Owen is so unlucky to be stuck with her, can't shake her off.]

[If I were Renee, I'd slap Lucia hard.]

[The production team is stirring things up, putting these three in a dating show. Just thinking about it is exciting.]

[Renee and Owen are true loves! Everyone agrees. Kick Lucia out.]

Owen called, his voice urgent, "Lucia, this dating show is tailor-made for me and Renee. It's best if you don't participate. It won't be good for you."

But I loved causing trouble.

Calmly, I said, "What can I do? I've already signed the contract."

His tone immediately sharpened, "What? Why didn't you discuss it with me first?"

"You didn't notify me when you started a fake romance."

His voice softened a bit, "Lucia, you're still mad, right? Listen, quit the dating show. When I become famous, I'll take care of you. You can be a rich housewife and never have to audition again."

A female voice interrupted. Renee was calling him, her voice sweet, "Owen, could you grab my bathrobe?"

Owen panicked. "Lucia, I can explain."

I hung up, severing the last thread of hope in my heart.

I wanted them to pay the price.

The recording day arrived quickly.

Renee wore a white dress, and Owen a black suit.

They looked like the perfect couple.

They exchanged frequent glances, eyes filled with shy affection.

The comments went wild.

[Ahhh, kill me now, this is too sweet.]

[I declare them husband and wife, right here, right now!]

[I don't care. This couple is the sweetest in the entertainment world.]

[Help, they only have eyes for each other. Real couples are the best.]

When I appeared, the comments changed drastically.

There were all sorts of insults.

I couldn't care less.

Owen's face darkened, a warning in his eyes.

I ignored him, sitting far away.

The show invited three men and three women, drawing lots to form couples.

As expected, Owen and Renee were paired.

I looked at the green lot in my hand. What bad luck!

I was paired with the second lead, Adrian Simon.

In the original script, he went through hell and high water for Renee.

I had nailed an audition for my first major role. To vent for Renee, he had used his connections to replace me.

After pairing up, the show gave everyone a love handbook, asking us to complete the tasks inside.

The first page of mine read.

[Under the moonlight, listen to the sound of waves and whispers of love. You receive a bouquet of roses from a boy.]

The comments buzzed.

[Damn, this is intense. Lucia and Adrian, two people who can't get what they want.]

[Ugh, does Lucia deserve to be mentioned with Adrian? Adrian openly pursued Renee. Lucia is just a shameless homewrecker.]

[Adrian would never give roses to Lucia. She can wait for her punishment, haha.]

The date location was by the sea, with roses, wine, and a candlelit dinner. The romantic vibe was full-on. I wolfed down three bowls of rice.

Delicious.

Even though it was a live show, Adrian's gaze at me was filled with undisguised disdain.

Well, it made sense. A famous director didn't need to cooperate with someone as scandal-ridden as me.

I flicked my hair. "I know I'm young and beautiful, and, normally, you can't take your eyes off me. But adults need to learn self-control."

He immediately shifted his gaze away from me and stared intently at the table next to us.

Everyone knew Adrian liked Renee.

But unrequited love was a common tale.

Owen whispered something in Renee's ear, making her blush from her ears to her cheeks, unable to hide the smile in her eyes.

Under the table, their legs were touching, the atmosphere between them growing increasingly intimate.

The fans shipping them were ecstatic.

It was okay.

The sweeter they were now, the harder they fell later.

I finished my meal, a smirk forming on my lips. "The unfavored one is always restless, and the favored one is always fearless."

Adrian shot me a quick glare.

I raised my voice. "Thanks for the special invitation to witness your love. I'm constantly reminding myself not to avoid it."

I played the role of a rebel to perfection.

The comments exploded.

[Lucia is too much!]

[Poor Adrian. Lucia is rubbing salt in the wound. Is she even human?]

[Feeling bad for Adrian. Lucia supposedly likes Owen, but she doesn't seem jealous at all, just happily eating.]

[She's just putting on a brave face. Without the cameras, she'd be all over him.]

Adrian hurriedly reached out to cover my mouth, but I dodged and pointed to the roses on the table. "Hand me those roses, and I'll leave right now. I won't bother you three anymore."

He looked puzzled. "What do you need them for?"

I looked up at the sky. "You wouldn't understand. I need them for a bath. These days, money is hard to earn. Save a bit where you can."

After successfully getting the roses, I dashed off to my beloved sea-view room.

The comments were filled with question marks.

[That's... it? That's not what I expected.]

[Lucia is quick on her feet. She's got something.]

[It's just some tricks, exploiting loopholes in the rules. Nothing to be proud of.]

The room was top-notch, with carpets, sofas, air conditioning, and a bathtub.

After a while, the doorbell rang.

All three people showed up.

Renee looked at me with big, pitiful eyes, biting her lip. "Lucia, could you let Adrian have this room? He's been sick and can't stand the wind."

I crossed my arms and looked at her with a half-smile. "So, you're suggesting I go sleep in a tent by the sea, let him have the bed, and ignore the director's rules?"

At my words, Renee's eyes immediately reddened, her voice becoming tearful. "I asked the director, and he told me to discuss it with you. It's all my fault for being too dumb to complete the task with Owen. Otherwise, they could've stayed in one room."

Tears streamed down her cheeks like a waterfall.

Her pitiful look could move anyone.

The comments exploded.

[Poor Renee. Doesn't Lucia have any sympathy? She knows Adrian is sick and still won't give up the room. How heartless!]

[So disgusting. Can Lucia just leave the show? She's so classless. Renee is crying because of her.]

[Hey, dumbass. Even as a bystander, I can't stand it. If you're so generous, why don't you give up your room? Bunch of moral police!]