The stage was dazzling, lit with hundreds of spotlights.
Vivian Lin stood at the center of the grand awards ceremony, holding the trophy that symbolized her reign as Best Actress. Her smile was elegant, confident, and radiated triumph. On the massive screen behind her, her name glowed brightly. Fans cheered her name from the audience, and camera flashes illuminated her like a queen on her throne.
"Congratulations to Miss Vivian Lin for winning Best Actress of the Year once again!"
This should have been the most glorious moment of her career, with the eyes of the world fixed upon her.
But just as Vivian opened her mouth to deliver her acceptance speech, a soft voice reached her ears. "Vivian, you're so naive."
Her pupils contracted slightly as she looked down at the crowd. There he was—Nathan Reid, the man she had once believed to be her great love. He smiled up at her, but the mask of warmth and sincerity barely concealed his mocking gaze.
The next second, the massive screen went black, and the stage lights dimmed.
When the screen lit up again, a private video began to play.
In the video, Vivian lay on a hotel bed, her hair disheveled, her clothes in disarray. Her half-lidded eyes were hazy, and the camera angle suggested an intimate, drunken encounter with a man. Subtitles accompanied the clip, casting suggestive accusations about her messy personal life.
The crowd fell silent for a split second before erupting in gasps.
"What is this?!"
"She did something like that?"
"How could someone like her win Best Actress?"
Reporters surged forward, their flashing cameras stabbing at Vivian like icy blades. The praise and applause that had surrounded her moments ago transformed into scorn and condemnation.
Vivian froze onstage, her fingers cold as ice. She knew this video was a trap—an elaborate setup. It was her in the video, yes, but she had been drugged and unable to resist that night. She hadn't done anything willingly, yet she had no chance to explain herself.
The host stammered awkwardly, trying to restore calm, but it was no use. Meanwhile, in the shadows, Nathan stood watching, a victorious smirk curling his lips.
"Vivian Lin, today is the day you fall from grace."
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Backstage, Vivian Lin staggered as she found Nathan Reid. The proud confidence she had displayed on stage was gone, leaving only deep fear and helplessness on her face.
"Nathan, that video is fake! You know it… Someone is framing me! Please, help me clear this up!" She clung to his arm, her voice trembling.
Nathan calmly pried her hands off him, his eyes filled with indifference. "Clear it up? Vivian, isn't that what you're best at? Or is this the first time you need someone else to explain things for you?"
Vivian froze, staring at him. "What do you mean…"
"The person in that video—you know exactly who it is," Nathan said with a mocking smile. "But even if I help you clear your name, what difference would it make? Your image is already ruined."
"Nathan, I'm your woman—" she started to say, only to have him impatiently cut her off.
"My woman?" he sneered. "Vivian Lin, when did you ever have the right to call yourself that? You were just a tool. You only won Best Actress because I cleared the obstacles for you. But now…" His tone grew even colder, "You're no longer of any use to me."
Her body went rigid as her disbelief turned into a painful realization. "You… You mean this video… You're the one behind it?"
"What do you think?" he leaned closer, his voice low and oppressive. "Who sent that wine to your room that night? Who arranged for the cameras in your suite? Vivian, don't tell me you still don't understand. From the very beginning, you've been nothing but a pawn in my hands."
Vivian's heart felt like it had been pierced by a sharp blade. Fragments of memory flashed in her mind—the night of the party, how she had been slightly drunk when she returned to her hotel room and noticed the open bottle of red wine waiting for her. She never imagined it was all part of his trap.
"Why…" she whispered, her voice trembling, "Why would you do this to me?"
Nathan gazed at her, a cold smile curling his lips. "Why? Because I needed a clean way to get rid of you. I helped you win Best Actress because you were useful to me then. But now, I need someone more compliant—like Emily White."
"Emily White…" Vivian gritted her teeth as everything became clear.
"That's right," he said lightly. "She's smarter than you, and far more obedient. As for you? You're just a 'fallen star,' an exposed mess who can no longer threaten her place."
"You never cared about me, did you?" Her voice was bitter, but it carried the last shreds of her unwillingness to let go.
Nathan chuckled dismissively. "Care about you? Vivian, when did you ever deserve that? The only reason you were ever on top was because I put you there. And now…" He leaned down, his voice a whisper full of malice, "I can just as easily make you fall."