Introduction

My family's beloved Majestic movie theater was facing foreclosure, a legacy crumbling after my father's passing. I, Amelia Hayes, an aspiring screenwriter, had one desperate shot: get my script noticed. Then, a powerful Hollywood producer, Marcus Thorne, offered a lifeline: "Be my companion, and your theater is saved."

I fell for his charm, mistaking grand gestures for genuine affection. But his A-list ex-fiancée, Victoria Sinclair, reappeared, instantly making it clear I was nothing but a temporary distraction, a pawn in Marcus's desperate game to win Victoria back.

Victoria orchestrated cruel tests, and Marcus consistently chose her, culminating in him publicly abandoning me at a gala. She moved into his home, humiliating me, then framed me for an attack, leading Marcus to lock me in his wine cellar without question. Later, at a public university event, he looked straight at me and coldly denied knowing me.

The humiliation, the betrayal, the objectification-how could I have been so foolish, so disposable? Every "affectionate" moment had been a calculated lie, designed to make Victoria jealous. The man I thought I loved had used me, broken me, then discarded me.

Enough was enough. I wouldn't be his pawn any longer. I sent him a final, defiant message, severed all ties, and left for Paris, determined to reclaim my dignity, heal my heart, and write my own story, far from the gilded cage of Hollywood.