“I’m going to live here to keep myself grounded, to remember my purpose, to become the best actress I can be.”

Back then, her ambition stirred something in me. I was so moved by Eleanor’s drive that I reshuffled my entire roster, reassigning some of my best talents to other managers just so I could focus solely on her. It felt fair to show her that level of dedication, especially since she was the woman I loved.

But now, her actions felt like a slap across the face. She couldn’t see that I was disillusioned; she actually believed I’d come to my senses.

Sitting beside me, Eleanor’s tone softened as if nothing had happened. “Isaac, I’ll divorce Maverick in a few days. Let’s just pretend this never happened, alright?”

“You don’t understand how many drinks Maverick took for me tonight. Tomorrow, go apologize to him.”

“Then, let’s move on.”

She looked at me with hopeful eyes, oblivious to the chill seeping through me. I forced a bitter smile, one that barely reached my eyes.

I scoffed, “No.”

“I…” I was going to say I’d be out of her life by tomorrow.

But a shrill ringtone cut through the tension. I was close enough to hear Maverick’s voice, whining on the other end, “Eleanor, I’m not feeling well.”

“Will you come keep me company?”

Her tone softened instantly. “Wait for me; I’ll be there soon.”

“Be good until I get there, alright?”

She hung up, turning back to me with an impatient look. “Isaac, I don’t have time to argue. Maverick needs me and you need to reflect on how unreasonable you’ve been. Tomorrow, go apologize to him.”

I nodded numbly, but deep down, I knew the truth: I’d never forgive Eleanor. By morning, I’d be gone.

I spent a sleepless night on the sofa, watching dawn’s first light slip into the room like a reminder of the end. A bitter smile crept onto my lips; Eleanor hadn’t come back all night.

I rose, heading to the bathroom. After a shower, I slipped into the suit I’d planned to wear for the proposal. But the truth settled over me like a cold shroud: she’d already become someone else’s wife.

Staring at my reflection, a bitter scoff escaped my lips. How painfully ironic it all was.

I made up my mind to leave everything behind. Let her deal with it all. The sight of those things would only bring back memories I wasn’t ready to face. I wanted no part of it anymore.

Just as I turned to leave, the door creaked open; Eleanor had returned.

Her smile vanished the moment she saw me, replaced by a thin, hard line. Her face hardened as she spoke with clear irritation. “Dressed like that to apologize? Are you trying to provoke Maverick?”

For once, she spoke earnestly, her voice cutting through the air. “Isaac, if you’re going to apologize, at least make it look sincere.”

“Grey Forge? Maverick could never afford such a luxury. Did you wear this suit to humiliate him on purpose?”

“Is that it? Showing off what you have? Honestly, you make me sick.”

In the past, I would have apologized and gone to great lengths to comfort her. But now, the curtain had fallen. It was over.

I didn’t have the energy to waste another word on her. I moved toward the door, but she stepped in my way.

Her expression darkened further. “Are you going to apologize like this?”

I rubbed my throbbing temples, my voice steady as I responded, “Step aside. I’m going to register my marriage.”

A flash of unease flickered in Eleanor’s chest, a vague sense of dread creeping in before it swiftly morphed into anger.

She snapped, “Isaac, enough!”

“You’re just talking about marriage to get under my skin, aren’t you?”

I raised my hands in silent surrender, trying to show that I didn’t intend to provoke her.

But the sight of my unspoken gesture only fueled her fury. She was convinced I was doing it to spite her. “Fine,” she spat. “Go ahead, get married. And when you come back, bring me the certificate.”

I turned to leave, but her sharp voice followed me like a whip crack. “Isaac, if you walk out that door today, don’t bother coming back.”

She knew exactly which strings to pull. In the past, whenever we fought, she’d tell me to leave and I’d always give in.

I had forgiven her time and time again, knowing how hard she’d worked to make a name for herself, rising from nothing to where she was. I genuinely cared for her, so I’d always let things slide, even when I was fed up.

But now, the well of forgiveness had run dry.

I looked back at Eleanor one last time, my gaze full of quiet sorrow. I told myself I was done, but the pain still lingered like a dull ache.

For a brief moment, a glimmer of satisfaction danced across her face as if she thought I’d crumble and beg for her forgiveness like I always did.

This time, I turned away without a second glance, quickening my steps as I left without hesitation.

Behind the wheel of my Phaeton, I sped down the main road, my mind clouded by memories and a dull ache throbbed relentlessly in my temples.

My original dream had been to become an actor, but my family never fully supported it despite offering their financial backing.

As the youngest, I wasn’t expected to carry the family’s weight. They just wanted me to follow my heart, but they didn’t believe the entertainment industry was where I’d find success. They thought I didn’t have the right look to break through in a world so obsessed with appearances and sadly, they were right.

Though I had the acting chops, fame never came. My looks weren’t striking enough to grab the spotlight in an industry built on aesthetics. But I refused to fade into the background. I was determined to carve my path on my own terms. So, I shifted gears and decided to manage talent instead.

That decision turned out to be the right one. Armed with my acting experience, a sharp eye for scripts and a keen sense of market trends, I helped shape the careers of rising stars and quickly became a sought-after name in talent management.

When I first met Eleanor, she was just another unknown actress. She had a look, but something was missing an indefinable spark. What truly propelled her forward, though, was her relentless drive. It reminded me of myself and that’s what made me want to help her.

I signed her to my agency despite the murmurs of doubt from others in the industry. “Isaac’s made a mistake this time; she’s just dead weight.”

Eleanor overheard their whispers, her eyes welling up with tears as she gripped my hand. “I’ll show them that you made the right choice.”

I gently ruffled her hair, telling her there was no need to feel the weight of their judgment.

I stood by her through every audition, every rehearsal, every practice session. As the days passed, she grew to trust me and we fell deeper in love, each of us silently promising a future together.

As Eleanor’s career soared, so did our relationship. It grew stronger with each passing day, a foundation built on trust and shared dreams. I was ready to propose when I discovered she had already registered her marriage with Maverick.

I’d noticed the growing closeness between her and Maverick, but she assured me it was nothing more than a sibling-like bond born out of her concern for him. I never questioned her loyalty; I believed in us. I thought her growing distance was simply a product of the pressures of fame.

But now, I couldn’t keep deceiving myself; this relationship had turned sour. It was time to face the truth.

Eleanor had never known who I really was. She always saw me as just a regular guy who managed to make it after switching careers from acting to talent management.

The reality, though, was far different. I was the young master of the Thomas Corporation. I couldn't help but wonder how she would react if she ever learned the truth about me.

As I sat in the marriage registry office, signing my name, last night’s phone call lingered in my mind like an echo.

“Marrying me wouldn’t be so bad, would it? Your family keeps nudging you to settle down and I could use a partner, too.”

“Don’t worry, Isaac, I’m not into you.”

Her words had eased a knot I hadn’t even realized was there. I didn’t think I could ever love another woman like I once loved Eleanor.

Just as I took the red marriage certificate in my hand, Sofia Moore snatched it away, her fingers curling around the document.

I blinked in confusion. “What’s this about?”

“I’ll keep it. We agreed to this, but I don’t trust leaving it with you.”

“Getting married today has made me happy, so I’m giving you a week off. See you around.” With that, she waved and drove off, leaving no room for argument.

I bit back on any response. Fine, it was her company and she could call the shots.

A break might be exactly what I needed, especially if it meant avoiding any run-ins with Eleanor. Right now, she was the last person I wanted to see. But I knew avoiding her for good wasn’t practical; time off wouldn’t solve everything.

Back at my place, I sat there for what felt like hours, turning everything over in my mind before I finally sent Sofia a message. [I’m done managing Eleanor.]

A few moments later, Sofia’s voice crackled through the phone. “You should’ve walked away from her ages ago! Think of all the messes you’ve cleaned up for her these past few years.”

“She honestly believes the name ‘Eleanor’ is enough to rule the industry!”

As Eleanor’s fame had grown, so had her ego. The awards piled up and with them, the rumors of her bullying new talent, stirring up drama on the set and treating the staff like dirt. And yet, I had been the one to smooth over every scandal, to step in, apologize and even leverage my family’s influence to clean up the messes.

I’d shielded her from the fallout time and time again. Back then, I had loved her enough to be her protector, but that devotion had long since withered away.

Ending the call, I felt a weight lift off my chest. A strange, almost foreign sense of peace settled over me. Exhausted, I collapsed onto the bed, the room's quiet almost soothing. The contract was nearly up and I wasn’t planning on sticking around in this industry for much longer.

For the next few days, I drifted through a haze of eating and sleeping, my mind floating in a quiet, dreamlike rhythm.

Just as I drifted through a dreamlike haze, my phone suddenly erupted with the sound of “Call Me Queen” blaring through the silence.

A frown tugged at my lips as I recognized the ringtone; it was Eleanor. She had chosen it herself and at the time, I had found it amusing, almost amusingly vain. But now, in the quiet of my mind, I realized I had always catered to her every whim in both work and life. If anyone truly deserved to wear the crown, it had been her.

I picked up the phone and her sharp, demanding voice sliced through the calm. “Isaac, you were supposed to be with me on set today for my audition! Where are you? Are you trying to humiliate me?”

I didn’t hesitate. “Your work is no longer my concern. Why are you calling me?”

“Get in touch with your current manager.”

There was a moment of silence on the other end, followed by the sound of her breath catching. Eleanor had always relied on me, always. For her to be met with indifference was foreign.

She took a deep breath and when she spoke again, her tone had softened, almost pleading.