Chapter 6%
Training for a film was nothing like I expected.
Lucas was ruthless. From sunrise to midnight, he drilled me–acting lessons, voice training, movement exercises. He didn’t treat me like some fragile woman who had just crawled out of rock bottom. He treated me like a warrior in training.
And I thrived. For the first time since losing Liam, I had a purpose
I buried myself in the work, letting the pain fuel me. Every emotion I had bottled up–anger, grief, betrayal–I poured it into the roles i played
And soon, something changed. I wasn’t just playing pretend. I was becoming. One night, after an exhausting session, Lucas tossed a script onto the table.
“This is it,” he said. “Your first official role.“%
I wiped the sweat from my brow, grabbing the papers. The title made my breath hitch
The Forgotten Wife
I swallowed hard. “Is this–77
“A story about a woman abandoned by the man she loved. Lucas confirmed. “A woman who rises from the ashes and takes back what’s hers.”
I stared at the script, my hands trembling
It was my story.
Dressed up in different names and settings, but it was mine.!
I lifted my eyes to his. “You planned this??
Lucas smirked. “Of course. You think we’re just here to play games?
I inhaled sharply. This was more than just a film. This was the first step to my revenge. To making the world see me. To making Ethan see me. I straightened my shoulders.
“Let’s do it.“8
I never expected my first movie to shake the industry. But it did.
The Forgotten Wife premiered, and within weeks, my name–Sophia Lancaster–was everywhere.
Critics praised my performance. Audiences called me a natural. Casting directors flooded Lucas with offers
And just like that, I was no longer invisible.
I was a rising star, A woman the world couldn’t ignore. A woman Ethan couldn’t ignore. And I knew he saw me. The calls started- blocked numbers, unread messages. He never left a name, but I didn’t need one. I knew the silence on the other end of the line. I could feel the hesitation, the anger, the disbelief. Ethan Caldwell thought I was gone. But I had come back. Stronger. Sharper. Unbreakable. And now, I was stepping into the lion’s den.
Critics rave. Fans worship me.
And then–awards season
I sit in the front row at the Academy Awards, my hands clenched in my lap. Myname is announced.
“And the Oscar for Best Actress goes to… Sophia Lancaster, for The Forgotten Wife!”
Applause erupts.X
1 freeze. For a moment, I forget how to breathe.!!
Then, Richard leans in, his voice smooth. “Stand up, Sophia. Take what’s yours.”
I rise, my legs shaking as I walk onto the stage, the golden statue placed in my hands. The cameras flash. The world watches. I smile. Sophia Lancaster has arrived. And then another project
“You ready for this?” Lucas murmured as we stepped into the grand hall, cameras flashing around us.)
The event was one of the biggest in the industry–a gathering of top actors, producers, and filmmakers.
And Olivia Bennett
Ethan’s perfect wife.
I adjusted the slit of my emerald–green gown, smirking as whispers filled the air
“I was bom ready
The moment Olivia spotted me, her expression twisted.
She stood across the room, dressed in an expensive white gown, surrounded by reporters and executives. Her beauty was undeniable -elegant, poised, every inch the perfect wife of a billionaire. But behind that mask, I saw the flicker of something else. Recognition. Fear. Rage. Good. She turned away, pretending I didn’t exist. But we both knew the truth–I was impossible to ignore. It didn’t take long before fate threw us together.
The announcement was made midway through the night–Olivia Bennett and Sophia Lancaster were officially cast as leads in an upcoming film.X
A film that would pit two powerful female characters against each other
The irony wasn’t lost on mel
“How does it feel, Ms. Bennett? A reporter asked, shoving a mic toward Olivia. “You’ll be acting alongside the industry’s newest rising star
Olivia’s lips curved into a cold smile. “Oh, I think star is a strong word.
I met her gaze head–on, unfazed.!!
She tilted her head, pretending to just recognize me.
“Oh,” she hummed, eyes gleaming with cruelty. “I didn’t recognize you at first. You look… different from the last time I saw you” I knew what she was doing.
She wanted to drag me back to the past. To remind the world of what I used to be–the pathetic, abandoned woman who was tossed aside like garbage. She wanted me humiliated. She wanted me to break. But I wasn’t that woman anymore.
I smiled, slow and confident. “Well, people do say heartbreak is the best makeover.”
The room went silent. Reporters gasped. And Olivia? For a split second, I saw her mask slip.X
Then, just as quickly, she forced a laugh. “Oh, darling,” she purred, gripping my wrist as if we were friends. “I heard you had a difficult past. I do hope this industry isn’t too much for you.
I tilted my head, voice dripping with fake sweetness. “Oh, don’t worry
ry about me, Olivia. I’ve been through far worse than a few bitter women in designer dresses.
She stiffened. The cameras caught everything.
Lucas smirked beside me, murmuring under his breath. “Damn. Remind me never to piss you off.”
Reporters bombarded us with questions, but I didn’t wait. I simply gave Olivia a slow, deliberate once–over, my gaze lingering on the diamond ring on her finger. Then I turned and walked away. And just like that I won.
As the night ended, Lucas and I stepped into the waiting car, the city lights flashing past us.!
“You’re playing a dangerous game,” Lucas said, amusement in his tone
I glanced at him. “And?”
He chuckled. “And I like it.”
I exhaled, staring out the window, my fingers tracing the fabric of my dress. This was just the beginning. Olivia wanted to fight? Fine. She had no idea who she was up against. But The real battle, however, wasn’t in the studio.X
It was at the media event. A grand ballroom. Flashing cameras. Reporters eager for drama. And Olivia? She was ready.!!
She cornered me just as I stepped off the stage, her voice sweet, sickly. “Oh, Sophia, darling, the reporters are dying to know more about you. Why don’t we have a little chat?”
I knew exactly what she was doing!
I played along anyway. “Of course. I’d hate to disappoint.”
She turned to the cameras, smiling. “Sophia here is such an inspiration, isn’t she? Coming out of nowhere and landing such a big role. It’s almost unbelievable.T
Laughter rippled through the crowd. I kept my expression neutral.”
“Tell me, Sophia,” Olivia continued, her voice dripping with false kindness. “How does it feel, knowing your first big film is with me? Considering well, you know
The tension in the room shifted. Everyone knew what she meant. She was baiting me, throwing Ethan’s name into the spotlight. I smiled.
