Startseite / Romance Kurzgeschichte / Standing on My Own / Kapitel 1 – Kapitel 10

Alle Kapitel von Standing on My Own: Kapitel 1 – Kapitel 10

10 Kapitel

Chapter 1

Once the livestream ended, the studio erupted into wild cheers."We just hit seventy million followers!""Happy third anniversary, Jeline!"Staff members wheeled in a massive celebration cake, topped with photos of Julian and Evangeline, flanked by their official ship name, Jeline.Evangeline laughed softly, throwing her head back in delight.Julian stood close beside her, instinctively stepping in to block the party poppers before the falling confetti could stain her dress. "Take it easy, guys. Don't ruin her outfit."His voice wasn't sharp, but the action was so effortless that it was clear he’d shielded her like this a thousand times before.I sat behind the control panel, my headset still resting around my neck. The monitor was frozen on the final frame of the broadcast: Julian looking down at Evangeline, and Evangeline looking up at him with a glowing smile. The studio lights fell across their faces just right, like the picture-perfect climax of a long-planned romance.S

Chapter 2

After that day, Evangeline became the leading lady in front of the camera.It was only natural for the fans to assume that she had written all those sweet, romantic lines and viral relationship moments.Overnight, the comment section exploded with tens of thousands of messages.[So this is what his camera-shy girlfriend looks like. No wonder Julian hid her for so long!][She’s drop-dead gorgeous and writes the scripts? Total package.]Julian and her are totally soulmates. Their visuals and chemistry are insane together.]I sat at my desk, staring at the comments on my monitor, my entire body feeling numb and ice-cold.They didn't know that I wrote every single script, or that I had trained Julian exactly when to turn back, and precisely what kind of look to give the camera.But because Evangeline was the one standing in front of the lens, every bit of romance became credited as her innate talent. All my hard work transformed into her shining halo.I was like an uncredited ghos

Chapter 3

The business rep smiled enthusiastically. "Exactly! The brand said they want a 'destined for each other' vibe. With Julian and Evangeline blowing up right now, if we shoot a proposal, it's guaranteed to break the internet."My fingers froze on the page.When Julian and I first got together, he promised me that once our account hit ten million followers, he would propose.After hitting ten million, he said he was too busy and told me to wait until fifty million.Then, at fifty million, the channel was apparently in a crucial growth phase, and going public with our relationship would ruin our traction.Now, the account had seventy million followers, and the proposal shoot was finally here. Yet the bride standing in front of the camera still wasn't me.Julian walked over and glanced at the contract. "This looks good."He turned to look at me. "Willow, you handle the script. Evangeline said she wants a snow-capped mountain, a ring, and a tear-jerking confession. You're the best at c

Chapter 4

When I got home, Julian seemed to realize that I had been unhappy all day.He wrapped his arms around me from behind, his voice dropping into a soft, coaxing tone. "Willow, don't be mad that I didn't pay enough attention to you today."His hand settled naturally on my waist.In the past, whenever he hugged me like this, my heart would instantly soften. But this time, I gently pushed him away."I'm a little tired."Julian froze. He looked at me for a few long seconds before letting out a low, tired sigh. "Alright. Get some rest, then."With that, he picked up his phone and headed into the bathroom.As the shower started running, the tablet resting on the nightstand suddenly lit up. Julian's messaging app was still logged in.A text from Evangeline popped up. [Did you manage to soothe her?][No.] Julian replied almost instantly. [She actually pushed me away just now.]Evangeline sent back a laughing emoji. [Ouch. How bruised is your ego?]A few seconds passed before Julian t

Chapter 5

Standing behind the monitor, I watched them embrace on screen.I felt so silly, stuck in the shadows behind the camera, watching someone else live out the life that was supposed to be mine.Once the director called cut, everyone crowded around the monitor to review the footage. The snow, the white gown, the ring—the imagery was breathtakingly cinematic. Julian and Evangeline looked so genuine that it felt impossible to fake.Julian suddenly walked over to my side.As if terrified someone might catch us, he discreetly reached out and slipped his fingers into mine.Then, slipping a second ring box from his coat pocket, he murmured, "Willow, that was just for the campaign. This one's yours."I had waited so long for this exact moment, for him to step away from the lens and choose me with absolute certainty. Yet as he slid the band onto my ring finger, not a single ripple of emotion stirred within me.The ring slid loosely down my skin. It was a full size too big, exactly Evangeline

Chapter 6

Julian felt a sharp knot constrict in his chest.For three years, he had taken my presence entirely for granted. He was used to me having the scripts written weeks in advance, organizing the shot lists, and setting up the precise lighting angles. He was used to stepping in front of the lens with Evangeline, knowing I was behind the monitor directing their glances, timing their pauses, and shaping their chemistry.He had assumed it was all just standard production magic.It was only now that I was gone that he finally realized those so-called "natural sparks" had been constructed frame by frame by me.When my flight touched down in Northern Europa, it was early morning.Snow was falling softly outside the airport. The production van sent to pick me up was driven by a blonde girl who smiled warmly as she helped me haul my equipment cases into the back.Our first stop was a small coastal town.Before sunrise, I was already out location-scouting with the team. With my camera bag o

Chapter 7

Back at the studio, the Jeline account ran into trouble fast.Julian and Evangeline tried to shoot as usual, but without my scripts, they couldn't even manage a single line of natural dialogue in front of the lens.Evangeline tried to look up and smile the way she used to. However, Julian’s reaction was always half a beat too late.When the final edit went live, the comment section saw a shift in tone for the very first time.[Why does this feel so awkward?][All the intimacy from before is completely gone.][The lines are so cringe. It feels super forced.][Did they change their production team?]Even their brand partners were growing impatient.[Julian, when are we getting the script for the next shoot?]Julian sat alone in the studio, digging through the hard drive I had left behind. Every single folder was meticulously organized by year.[Jillow First Draft][First Snow Location Shoot][Julian’s Birthday Special]He opened that final folder titled "Proposal Script Dra

Chapter 8

Evangeline found me while I was shooting a sunset by the shore.The wind was harsh that day. Crashing waves battered against the black reef rocks, a soft, faint orange smeared across the horizon as the distant lights of fishing boats flickered on.I crouched beside my tripod, adjusting the last set of camera settings. Though my fingers were stiff from the wind, my mind was utterly at peace.A familiar voice suddenly sounded from behind me."Willow."My hands paused.Turning around, I saw Evangeline standing a short distance away. She was wearing a white coat, her hair tangled by the sea breeze, her face bare of makeup. She looked nothing like the bright, radiant girl in front of the camera whom everyone would notice at a glance.At this moment, she just looked disheveled.Her eyes were red as she looked from the camera in my hand up to my face. "Are you really never coming back?"I didn't answer, simply looking back down to inspect the framing on my screen.Evangeline took

Chapter 9

It was a hollow numbness built over years—the slow, exhausting process of being compared, replaced, and forced to say "it's fine" until nothing was left inside.I packed up my tripod, my tone measured and quiet."Evangeline, I don't hate you anymore."Her head snapped up, a faint spark of hope rekindling in her eyes."But I will never have you as my friend again," I added.Every last trace of color drained completely from her face. "Willow..."Slinging my camera bag over my shoulder, I brushed right past her. Evangeline stayed rooted to the spot, making no move to follow.When I reached the far end of the coastline, I glanced back once. She was still standing there, her white coat whipped wildly by the wind.I raised my camera, lined up the lens with the final sliver of the setting sun, and pressed the shutter.I registered my new account that very night.The first video was just black sand, crashing waves, and the howl of the wind.I stood in front of the lens, my voice sof

Chapter 10

I stared at him.Once upon a time, I had waited years to hear those exact words. Yet now, as they fell into the biting wind, they carried no weight at all, as light as a stray flake of snow.I didn't cry. I simply looked at him with complete tranquility."Julian, every single word coming out of your mouth right now is exactly what I used to long for."A faint glimmer of hope flared in his eyes."But it's too late," I continued softly. "I don't need it anymore."Julian’s fingers tightened violently around the velvet box. "Willow..."I glanced down at the ring in his palm."Put the ring away. I don't want to wear it anymore. And you don't need to make up for the snow-mountain proposal either. I've already come to see the snow by myself, many times over."I raised my camera. Framed through the lens was the snow-capped peak, glowing under the brightening dawn sky."Right now, I am my own leading lady."With that, I brushed right past him and walked back toward the crew.Julian

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