[Flashback]
Inside the dark room of his condo, Ethan sat alone with only the city lights bleeding faintly through the curtains.
The television was off.
The music was off.
The world was off.
In front of him, the glass shelf gleamed under the dim lamp. Awards lined up neatly. Best Actor. Rising Star. International Recognition. Faces of success cast in gold and crystal.
Everything he had once dreamed of.
A life far away from his dysfunctional family. From shouting matches at midnight. From a father who only measured worth in achievements and obedience.
He had built himself from scratch.
A career that carried weight. A name that opened doors. A reputation too valuable to risk.
And yet, the room felt unbearably hollow.
Because none of it mattered the moment he heard the news.
Anna was dead.
The announcement had hit the industry like a shockwave. Whispers. Headlines. Speculations.
But what tore through him was not just her death.
It was what followed.
The secrets.
