The morning sun glowed against the tall glass windows, but Yuexi felt none of its warmth. She sat at her vanity, fingers brushing over the script that Galaxy Entertainment had slipped into the envelope.
A role unlike any she had ever played before: a woman caught between love and duty. The irony wasn't lost on her.
She heard Chenxuan's voice echo in her mind. You have my name. That's enough.
But was it?
By late afternoon, she made her decision.
"I'm going out for tea with an old friend," she told Liu Mei casually, slipping her bag over her shoulder.
Her heart pounded as she stepped into the car. The driver didn't ask questions; he only followed the address she provided.
The studio was buzzing when she arrived. Makeup artists, camera crews, and actors hurried through the halls. Yuexi hadn't been in this world for months, yet the energy was as familiar as breathing.
A casting assistant greeted her with wide eyes. "Mrs. Lu? I didn't think you'd come."
"Just Yuexi here," she whispered, forcing a smile.
The screen test was simple. A single camera, a bare set, a few lines of dialogue. Still, as soon as the spotlight fell on her, something inside clicked. Her voice found rhythm, her body slipped into character, and for a fleeting moment, the world melted away.
When the audition ended, there was silence. Then, quiet applause.
"You still have it," the director murmured, eyes shining. "More than that—you've grown. This role could redefine your career."
Yuexi's chest tightened. For the first time in weeks, she felt alive.
But the illusion shattered when she stepped out of the studio.
A familiar black car was parked by the curb. Its tinted windows lowered just enough for her to see the man inside.
Chenxuan.
Her breath caught.
Slowly, she approached. The driver opened the door, and she slid in. The interior was cold, suffocating. Chenxuan sat rigidly, his eyes fixed on her with a calm so sharp it cut.
"Tea with a friend?" His voice was low, controlled.
Yuexi's throat tightened. "I—"
"Don't lie to me."
Her hands curled in her lap. "It was just a screen test. I didn't sign anything. I only wanted to see if I could still—"
His hand struck the leather seat between them, startling her. He never raised his voice, but the raw edge in his tone made her heart race.
"Do you have any idea what you've done? Do you know what the media would do if they caught even a glimpse of you there? You'd be headlines again before the day was over."
"I was careful," she whispered. "No one saw me."
"You don't know that."
Their eyes locked, tension thick in the air. Beneath his fury, she saw something unexpected. Fear.
He wasn't only angry. He was afraid of losing control, of losing her.
Her chest ached. "Chenxuan… this is my dream. I gave it up once. Don't ask me to kill it forever."
His lips pressed into a hard line. For a long moment, he said nothing. The silence was heavier than his anger.
Finally, he leaned back, closing his eyes. "Dreams don't matter if they destroy you."
The car lurched forward, heading back toward the Lu estate.
Yuexi turned to the window, blinking rapidly to stop the tears that threatened to fall.
She couldn't tell which hurt more—his refusal to understand her dream, or the possibility that he cared too much to let her chase it.
That night, she lay awake, the script hidden beneath her pillow.
For the first time, Yuexi realized that her battle wasn't just with the world outside.
It was with the man she had married.
And perhaps, with her own heart.