Chapter 1

The Star Who Became a Secret Lover

“And the winner of the Best Actress category goes to… Cassandra Vance!”

Applause thundered through the hall, camera flashes going off relentlessly. Cassandra Vance—better known as Cassie—looked towards the audience, her eyes trembling slightly.

In the front row, she saw a man sitting there—the handsome one in a black suit, cold and authoritative. His name was Julian Sterling, CEO of Sterling Media Empire. The handsome man who had turned Cassie into a star.

Cassie smiled, holding back the tightness in her chest as her eyes fell upon Julian. She stood, walking to the podium in a shimmering gown under the stage lights, though her heart felt like it was sinking into darkness.

“Thank you…” her voice cracked with emotion. “To everyone who believed in me. To someone who once said, ‘You’ll shine if you dare to sell your soul.’ Turns out, he was right.”

Cheers erupted, but Julian knew—the sentence was not a thank you. It was a subtle jab at him.

Five years ago, in Cassie’s memories, she had been nothing but an unnamed extra. Her hair tied simply, her face innocent, and her dream grand—to become a star through her own hard work.

But everything changed when her mother was diagnosed with a malignant tumour, and the cost of surgery left Cassie in despair.

That night, at a small production house party, Julian Sterling approached her.

“Cassandra Vance, isn’t it?” His voice was low and charismatic.

“Yes, Mr Sterling. Sorry, I’m a fan of yours,” Cassie replied, glancing shyly, her voice slightly stammering.

“You’re beautiful. And ambitious. Hollywood loves those two things… but it doesn’t hand them out for free,” said Julian.

“What do you mean?” Cassie, still naïve, didn’t understand what the man meant.

Julian stepped closer—the distance between them only a few inches. “I can make you a star. But everything has a price.”

The handsome man handed her his business card. “Think carefully, Cassie. This world doesn’t care about anyone without connections. Don’t expect to be a star if you’re not brave enough to sell yourself.”

Cassie stared at the card for a long while. She knew what it meant. But as her mother lay in the hospital bed—weak, gasping for breath—that choice felt like the only way.

The next night, Cassie knocked on Julian’s penthouse door. She came not as the innocent girl she once was, but as a woman who had surrendered her dreams into the hands of a devil. From that moment on, she became Julian’s puppet.

Now, five years later, Cassie held the trophy in her hands, but her heart and body had long belonged to Julian. She no longer knew where love ended and enslavement began.

After the awards ceremony ended, Cassie stood before the large window of Sterling Tower. Her silver gown lay crumpled on the floor, replaced by a thin silk robe clinging to her skin.

Behind her, Julian poured a glass of red wine. He greeted the beautiful woman calmly.

“Congratulations on your win, darling,” he said flatly, without emotion. “Hollywood will talk about you for a week. After that… they’ll forget you, as they always do.”

“You always know how to ruin my small moments of happiness. Don’t come near me! You said you didn’t want anyone to know about our relationship,” Cassie closed her eyes briefly, trying to hold back the pain from Julian’s words.

Julian pulled her into a corner. He approached, lifting her chin, forcing her to look at him.

“I’m merely reminding you who made you what you are.”

“But I’ve worked hard to earn every one of these trophies. I’m the one who acted, who endured all the rumours—”

“With my money,” Julian cut her off sharply. “Without me, you’d still be there—nothing more than an extra and a cheap café waitress.”

Cassie looked at him, the old wounds stinging again. She wanted to hate him, yet every time Julian touched her, her body betrayed her. She couldn’t resist, even when her heart screamed to run away.

I’m the fool. I chose to become his puppet.

Julian dragged Cassie into the car without a word. She followed him to his luxurious penthouse—of course, as usual, she had to obey whatever the cold man desired.

Once inside, the heated scene began. Julian traced her cheek with his thumb, touching every inch of her body.

“You know, Cassie… I love seeing you like this. On screen, you look so pure, so perfect. But here, only I know how corrupted you really are. You can moan with pleasure under my body.”

“And who made me like this? You know that very well.”

The man smiled coldly and leaned closer. “Me.”

Their breaths collided in the heavy air—two souls trapped between love and hatred. Hatred, because she was nothing more than a secret lover, never truly loved nor acknowledged before the world.

Julian pulled her into his arms, kissing her lips roughly. Cassie tried to resist, but her body lost all strength. The kiss was bitter—filled with anger, desire, and helplessness.

She knew that behind his touch, there was no love from the man standing before her. Even though he sometimes whispered, “I love you, Cassie,” during their nights together, it was nothing but pretence.

Yet within Cassie’s heart, there still lingered true love for Julian. She somehow believed that behind his coldness, there was still a trace of feeling for her—even if only a little. She believed that one day she could melt the frost in his heart.

When Julian pulled her closer, Cassie whispered weakly between breaths, “I hate you. You made me love you. But you never loved me back.”

Julian froze for a moment, his sharp gaze softening ever so slightly. There was something in his eyes—a shadow of guilt, barely visible.

“Love is only for fools, Cassie. And I’m not a fool. I don’t believe in love.”

His hand trailed slowly down her back. Every touch burned her skin, reminding Cassie that her love was no longer pure, but a curse she could never escape.

Julian pushed her against the tall glass wall, the city of Los Angeles glittering below—while beyond that glass, the star worshipped by the world was slowly being destroyed by her own creator.

Cassie bit her lip, holding back tears. Yet her body responded to his touch. Perhaps it was out of habit, or perhaps because of her love for him. Her body did not resist.

“You know, sometimes I wish I’d never met you that night.”

Julian looked at her, his cold voice lowering to a whisper.

“Don’t lie. Without me, your mother would be dead. Without me, you’d be nothing.”

Cassie froze. She wanted to slap him, but Julian’s hand was faster, cupping her cheek and forcing her to meet his gaze. The man tore her robe apart and touched her body.

“You’re so beautiful. Stay with me, Cassie,” he said softly. “You know your place. Out there, you’re a star. But here…” he lowered his head, his lips almost brushing her ear, “…you’re mine.”

Cassie closed her eyes, her body trembling. In the darkness, she let her tears fall silently. She knew the night would end the same as every other—within a false warmth, in the arms that never truly held her.

I want your love, Julian, but I don’t want to be your puppet anymore. I’m sick of all this. I have to get away from this man—but how?