Chapter 3

I obediently accepted his arrangement once again.

"You've always wanted to visit Ashford, haven't you? Once things settle down, I'll find time to take you there."

"We'll see."

I hung up the phone.

…

Hector and I met again two months later at the recording set.

My agent brought me, while Anne came with him.

Two cars approached from different directions, stopping at the same time as the doors opened.

He was in the middle of a meeting with an earpiece on, dressed in a perfectly tailored suit, standing slightly to the side, his sharp features accentuated.

Anne wore a navy-blue belted trench coat, her long hair flowing in the wind as she stood quietly beside him.

I tilted my head, observing.

I had to admit, the two of them looked incredibly striking together.

My agent left me behind and walked over with a bright smile.

"Mr. Sinclair!"

"Ms. Lane!"

Anne merely nodded faintly, signaling not to disturb them, without even glancing in my direction.

Over there, the three of them stood together.

Over here, I silently unloaded my luggage.

Though the two cars weren’t far apart, it felt like an entire galaxy lay between them.

I pushed my suitcase inside.

The other two pairs of guests were already seated on the couch.

One couple were singers, while the other were ordinary participants.

I greeted them with a smile.

Through the massive floor-to-ceiling window, I could clearly see Anne bending down, carefully fastening Hector's suit buttons.

Her face was pressed against his lower body, her long hair lifted by the wind, tangled around her waist—a pose so suggestive it invited all sorts of thoughts.

The female participant was straightforward and blunt.

She pursed her lips before openly asking, "Are you getting a divorce because of her?"

I smiled. "No."

The four people in the room clearly didn’t believe me, exchanging subtle looks.

Hector walked in, surrounded by a group of staff members.

When Hector saw me, he came over and sat beside me, his expression faintly displeased.

"Why didn't you wait for me?"

I picked up an orange from the table and peeled it. "I came in first to go through the process so the production team wouldn’t have to wait."

He turned his head slightly, looking at me with a trace of surprise in his eyes.

After all, whenever I was around him, I never missed an opportunity to stake my claim.

"In the first two rounds, you need to be firm in choosing divorce. Only in the final round, when you back out, should the shift happen," he reminded me in a low voice.

I nodded and popped a slice of orange into my mouth.

It was incredibly sweet.

My agent had crafted a storyline:

I wanted a divorce, but he didn’t.

To figure out my reasons and save our marriage, he joined the show.

After arguments and reconciliation, we’d have an honest conversation where I finally revealed that over the years, he had been too focused on work, leaving me feeling neglected.

He would sincerely apologize and promise to prioritize our family in the future.

In the end, with tears in my eyes, I’d admit that I still loved him and decide against the divorce.

A perfect happy ending.

Honestly, it sounded fake.

Seeing me frown, my agent smirked mockingly.

"What, are you planning to make it real?"

I once brought up the idea of changing agents, but Anne opposed it, citing her extensive connections and strong professional expertise.

Hector sided with her, telling me to put work first and not be impulsive.

Naturally, she disliked me.

And, of course, I didn’t like her either.

…

There was no filming on the first day, just pre-show interviews.

In the interview room, the couples made their first choice.

"I want a divorce."

I said the words calmly, facing the camera.

Beside me, Hector frowned.

"You need to show more emotion when you say it. That’s what will get people talking, stir up discussion, and drive the views."