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.

"Isaac, it's been days. How long are you going to fuss?"

“I know you’re still mad at me, but can’t you see the bigger picture? This contract is everything to me; it’s an S+ project.”

Her voice was tinged with impatience, yet I could hear the familiar pleading edge underneath.

But as her voice softened, I heard laughter and chatter in the background, a celebratory air thick in the room.

“Congratulations, Maverick! You’ve been promoted from assistant to Eleanor’s manager!”

The voices around him cheered their praise, a dagger to my chest.

“Working with Eleanor, you’ll climb to the top quickly. Maverick has a bright future ahead!” they declared, voices brimming with certainty.

Maverick’s voice came next, humble but laced with a sugary sweetness. “I still have a long way to go. I'm just lucky, really.”

“I’ll need plenty of guidance from my seniors.”

I clenched my hand into a fist, my grip tightening as the realization hit me. Sofia had warned me about Eleanor being assigned to Tom. But now, she was being handed over to Maverick.

It was clear as day Eleanor was behind this. There was no other way an unknown assistant could suddenly land the manager role for a top-tier celebrity like her.

I closed my eyes for a moment, inhaled deeply and then responded, "Isn’t your new manager standing right next to you? Don’t bother calling me again."

I ended the call before she could fire back a response.

From a purely professional standpoint, Eleanor choosing Maverick as her manager was nothing short of self-sabotage. As her former manager, it hit me like a punch to the gut.

Did she honestly believe that her fame granted her the freedom to act without consequence in this industry?

I glanced at the date. My vacation was over and the reality of work loomed large.

I looked at myself in the mirror, unshaven and worn out and forced a smile.

"Well, that’s just what I needed," I muttered to myself.

After a quick cleanup, I drove to the company’s underground parking garage.

The moment I swung open the car door, Eleanor appeared from the corner, her presence sharp and commanding.

Before I could even react, she slapped me hard across the face.

Her eyes were burning with anger as she hissed, "Do you know how long I’ve waited for you? I’m going to be late!"

I rubbed my stinging cheek, anger simmering beneath the surface.

She froze for a moment, her fury intensifying as she snapped, "I begged the director to delay my audition for you!"

"You’re coming with me to the set right now."

I stood my ground, refusing to budge, which made Eleanor call for her bodyguards.

Though I had no intention of going with her, I wasn’t eager to be boxed in by three burly men in the parking lot, unable to make a move.

"Mr. Thomas, please cooperate," one of the bodyguards said with an apologetic tone.

They weren’t there to harass company staff; of course, they were simply doing their job.

Reluctantly, I nodded, knowing it was easier to comply than stir up more trouble. I agreed to go with Eleanor to the set.

Maverick was already seated in the car. Eleanor opened the passenger door for me and explained with a quick glance, "Maverick is my manager now. It’s only natural he accompanies me."

"He’s not feeling well today, so I had him sit in the back. Hope that’s alright."

I smiled, cold and tight, keeping my voice level. "As you wish."

I spared her a glance before settling into the passenger seat.

Eleanor, clearly irked by my lack of enthusiasm, slammed the door with a sharp thud before getting in herself.

As the car pulled away, she struggled to contain her fury, her voice dripping with frustration. "Isaac, enough is enough. From the moment I called you, you’ve been nothing but rude."