One morning, I was awakened by the trending news.

Private photos of me were being circulated across the internet.

And the one who leaked them? My ex-boyfriend, whom I broke up with three years ago.

He had tried to blackmail me with intimate videos he secretly filmed during our relationship, but when that failed, he went ahead and released them to the public.

If I don't send him straight to prison to eat his three-square-meal jail food, I, Elena Vance, will change my name!

I had just wrapped up a night shoot and finally crawled into bed at five in the morning. Less than half an hour later, my agent was banging on my door, waking me up.

I was trending, and for six straight hours, the company spent a fortune trying to suppress it, but they couldn’t stop the fire.

Endorsements were getting canceled left and right. The production team held an emergency meeting to decide whether to halt filming, delete my scenes, and quickly replace me with another actress.

The male lead, protecting his reputation, unfollowed me immediately, deleted all joint promotional material.

My phone was blowing up, and the comments on my Instagram and TikTok were exploding.

Most of them were attacking me, labeling me with every insult under the sun.

They completely forgot that I was the victim here.

Rumor has it, this is the biggest crisis the company has faced since its founding.

The PR team was working around the clock, but the results were minimal.

"This isn't just about that bastard; there’s definitely someone else behind this," Vera, my agent, said, her face pale with anger.

"Sienna Blair!"

Vera and I spoke in unison, both of us thinking of the same person.

Our company's newest rising star, Sienna, had a very similar image to mine.

With me in the lead, Sienna had struggled to break through. No matter how hard she worked to please the bosses, producers, and directors, it all went to waste.

In the entertainment industry, the road to fame isn't just about hard work—it’s about luck.

Clearly, Sienna wasn’t lucky.

But she didn’t believe that. She kept scheming, and now, it seemed like she had finally caught her golden opportunity.

"She seems to be a few screws short. This is causing massive damage to the company," Vera seethed, gritting her teeth.

I let out a deep sigh.

Though looks are crucial in the entertainment world, you can’t survive on just beauty alone. You need brains too.

The "dumb beauty" persona the company set up for me? It should be handed over to her. She’d probably handle it better without causing a scandal.

I was tired of dealing with Sienna’s constant undermining, but for now, the real issue was Damon Cross, that scumbag of an ex.

When dealing with the enemy, you go for the king first—the source of the problem.

I’d leave Sienna alone for now.

Damon Cross was my ex. We dated for three years and have been broken up for three years now. He was a former national athlete, a world champion in his sport, and had already retired when we were together.

With my popularity and resources, I helped him carve out a place for himself in the entertainment industry.

He was my first boyfriend after I entered showbiz, and we went public with our relationship without hesitation.

Though I have the kind of face that could bring kingdoms to ruin, I take relationships very seriously.

When we got together, I had thought it through carefully and sincerely hoped we could go the distance.

We’d been together for three years. Although I kept some things about my family background hidden, we had met each other’s families, bought an apartment, and seriously planned for our future.

In those three years, after getting to know each other more deeply and going through ups and downs, I was ready to open up to him about my true background. But then I found out he had a dangerous gambling habit, and it forced me to break up with him.

I thought we broke up in a way that preserved our dignity—ending things cleanly, ensuring his image and pride were intact.

“Elena, I swear I’ll change. Don’t leave me. I truly love you, and I want to spend my life with you.”

I found out he had been gambling in illegal overseas casinos, surrounded by two stunning European women. Their interactions were far too close for comfort, and the whole thing was a slap in the face.

After three days of agonizing over it, I made the decision to end things.

When I watched him, crying and kneeling before me, I stayed calm.

Three days ago, paparazzi caught him in an underground casino, gambling away fortunes, with two sexy European women by his side. Their behavior was suggestive, and the images and videos were incredibly cringeworthy.

If these leaked, his career would be ruined.

His golden boy image—former athlete, world champion, the perfect boyfriend—would completely collapse.

His endorsements would be terminated, and he’d face massive compensation fees for breach of contract.

This would push him to the brink—bankrupt, disgraced, and drowning in debt.

When the paparazzi came to extort me with the video, out of respect and a sense of obligation tied to our relationship, I paid ten million to buy the footage and resolve the crisis for him.

At the same time, I asked for a breakup.

I also drew up a formal agreement, demanding that he repay the ten million I had spent to smooth things over within three years.

Then, he wept uncontrollably, giving a passionate speech about his true love for me, refusing to let go.

I couldn't help but laugh at his dramatic display of emotion. “Damon, you made the right choice coming into the entertainment industry. Your acting skills outshine the current crop of hot young stars.”

Damon crawled over, laying his head on my lap, looking up at me with those big, pitiful eyes as he pouted. “Elena, I swear, I’m really serious about you. You know, breaking this bad habit will take time. Please, give me some time, I’ll change…”

I looked down at his soft, messy hair, instinctively reaching out to touch it, but I quickly pulled my hand back.

In the past, every time he messed up, he’d act like a clingy puppy, and each time, I’d cave.

But not this time.

“Before we started dating, I told you clearly. I can tolerate a man who smokes and drinks, but I cannot accept a gambling addict or a man who frequents brothels. What did you tell me back then?”

“You said, ‘Elena, don’t worry. I’ll never have those bad habits. The rumors about me going in and out of casinos were all because my teammates were jealous of your success and deliberately set me up.’”

“Damon, I hate being lied to. I love you, but you still can’t cross my boundaries. I’ll sign the breakup agreement, but the ten million must be repaid within three years. If you have any objections, I’ll involve lawyers and take legal action.”

That day, Damon cried for hours and kept begging, but in the end, he was more afraid of the scandal being exposed and had no choice but to sign the agreement.

This year is the final deadline for the debt.

Damon really stirred up a mess this time—he sure knows how to make a scene!

But I, Elena, am no soft, innocent flower. I’ve always been the kind of person who fights fire with fire, and I’m great at using the same tactics back on them.

I quickly opened TikTok and started a live stream.

Within three seconds, my stream had six million viewers, causing network congestion and delays.

I looked polished, my posture graceful.

“Last night, I had to work late on a project, and I didn’t get much sleep, so I kept you all waiting. I’m sorry, my babies.”

Before I could finish my opening statement, the comments flooded in so fast I couldn’t even read them.

“Elena, don’t be afraid. We’re all here with you. You didn’t do anything wrong, the villains are the ones at fault.”

“I’ll stand guard here and make sure no one dares to blame the victim.”

“Elena, don’t worry, we’ve got your back.”

The comments in the live chat were completely different from the ones on trending topics—full of warmth and kindness.

What I thought would be a tough battle turned into something completely different. Seeing these comments, my eyes welled up.

Yes! Even I, a woman who’s usually tough as nails, cried.

It wasn’t an act, no drama—it was all genuine emotion.

I was moved to tears by the kindness of my fans.

“I’m sorry for taking up public space with my personal issues. Regarding the videos and pictures circulating online, I admit they are of me. However, I had no knowledge of their existence beforehand, and the actions depicted took place during a normal dating period, reflecting a typical relationship. I will use legal means to protect my rights…”

Before I could finish, my live stream was cut off.

Mrs. Shaw, the CEO of the company, stormed in, furious, and began to lecture me. “Elena, are you out of your mind? Do you have any idea how serious the consequences are now that you’ve admitted you’re the one in those videos?”

“If I hadn’t admitted it, the media would’ve kept spreading that video, editing it, magnifying the details, and trying to find evidence to prove it’s me. That would cause me even more harm, reopening old wounds that I’ve already healed. It would tear them open, make them bleed again.”

I answered calmly, and Mrs. Shaw was left speechless.

She was more empathetic than the male bosses when it came to matters like this.

Her eyes softened with sympathy and regret as she sighed. “I’m not blaming you. I just think you acted too impulsively. The company’s been in meetings discussing how to handle this, and before making such a decision, you should’ve at least consulted with us. Having a team work together is always better than facing it alone.”

Her tone softened, and the tension in me eased slightly.

I apologized sincerely. “I was being reckless. I just wanted to seize the golden opportunity to handle this while it was still fresh.”

I’m the company’s leading star. Though I’m polite and courteous with others, my position is unshakable.

Right now, the storm is intense, but this group of netizens has a strong sense of right and wrong, and most of the negative comments are from trolls.

It’s hard to predict whether saving my reputation will result in a loss or bring greater benefits.

Mrs. Shaw furrowed her brows, pressed her fiery red lips together several times, and seemed to make a difficult decision.

“This time, the company supports you! Go all out.”

I knew it. In the eyes of this shady businesswoman, I was still a juicy piece of meat.

The opportunity she’s giving me now is because I boldly took a risk with the live-streamed gamble—betting on a chance to win.

No one helps you for free when you're facing a crisis, unless you prove you’re worth it.

I’ve proven that I still have value.

I was busy having the tech team gather evidence, calling the police, and contacting legal services when Damon’s call came in.

“Elena, the repayment date we agreed on is fast approaching. I have the ten million ready.”

His tone was casual, yet there was a hint of sincerity.

In an instant, countless thoughts flashed through my mind, all the questions and insults I could throw at him. But what came out of my mouth was, “I’ll have my lawyer contact you. The repayment will be made to the designated account on the agreed date.”

On the other end of the line, he seemed a bit surprised. After a brief pause, he said, “Let’s meet.”

“Why?”

“I saw the trending topic. You must be really needing someone right now. After all these years, you’ve never had a boyfriend. I know you still love me.”

His voice was deep, and his tone was affectionate. But it was revolting.

How dare he say such things?

Three years without a relationship was because I was too busy, my schedule was packed, and I didn’t have time to meet new people.

I couldn’t just fall for a co-star every time I worked on a film, could I? While stirring up drama is one thing, actually getting involved isn’t necessary.

After all, none of these male colleagues around me are necessarily a good match for me.

Making money is exciting; why would I bother with a relationship?

I was about to start a heated rant when Vera rushed over, holding her phone, eager to show me something.

It was a colleague from the tech department who had managed to restore the man in the video, whose face had previously been blurred out.

I smiled. “Damon, didn’t you watch my live stream? I’ve already announced that you’re the only boyfriend I have. Did you forget the beautiful wolf-head tattoo on your chest?”

That was something we did when we were dating, and I had encouraged him to get it.

Because I thought his chest muscles looked great, and it would be a waste not to put something on it.

At first, he resisted, but when he saw how great the design was, he was persuaded.

So, on a sunny afternoon, I took him to my best friend’s tattoo shop and had him get inked.

Of course, at the time, my friend had just opened the shop, and I took him there to help her practice.

Who knew that what started as a little indulgence and selfish wish would now help me immensely?

After Mr. Shaw left, I immediately contacted the company’s tech department staff.

Swallowing my embarrassment and discomfort, I asked him to help restore the video.

“Elena, don’t worry. We’re all supporting you. We’ll make sure the perpetrators pay the price!”

Eli from the tech department wasn’t much of a talker, but every word he said was sincere.

“Don’t worry, my girlfriend works in IT too. I’ll have her help restore the video. The company and the police are both working hard to prevent the video from spreading too much. This will all be over soon.”