The rehearsal hall was practically vibrating with the electric hum of excitement.

The news of Hua Ling and Xu Ming being a couple wasn’t entirely unexpected — rumors had been swirling for months — but to see it confirmed in such a grand, rose-filled spectacle still had the press in a frenzy.

When one bold reporter threw in the inevitable question about marriage and motherhood, Hua Ling’s cheeks flushed. She gave a coy little smile and said, "One thing at a time."

Xu Ming, however, didn’t miss a beat. His voice was rich with certainty as he looked right at her and declared, "If I could, I’d marry you right this second. I can’t wait for you to be my wife."

The statement sent an audible ripple through the crowd. Reporters gasped, photographers leaned in, and shutters clicked faster than ever. Within minutes, headlines were already forming in the minds of tabloid writers — and in less than an hour, they’d be plastered across the internet:

"Hua Ling & Xu Ming Confirm Relationship in Public! Marriage on the Horizon?"

"Entertainment’s Golden Couple? Fans React to Hua Ling’s New Love."

But while the room basked in the glow of their public affection, not everyone was celebrating.

Zhang Ruo, who had been striding away after her earlier clash with Hua Ling, paused when the commotion reached her ears. She turned, and her gaze landed on the sight — the couple locked in a warm embrace, framed by roses and camera flashes, their every movement dripping with affection.

Her stomach twisted.

Zhang Ruo knew this story from a much less glamorous angle. She had worked with Hua Jing for years, had seen how deeply that woman had loved Xu Ming. They had been serious — so serious they’d spoken about marriage. Hua Jing had poured her heart, time, and trust into him.

And now?

Xu Ming had switched sides without hesitation, standing before the cameras with another woman, acting as if his past promises had never existed. The brazenness of it — the shameless ease — was almost more than Zhang Ruo could stomach.

Her chest tightened with something between disgust and pity. For Hua Jing, it wasn’t just a betrayal of love. It was a public erasure of everything they’d once shared.

Zhang Ruo’s nails dug lightly into her palm as she stood watching the scene unfold.

The thought hit her hard — this relationship couldn’t have been new. No, it had the sour smell of something that had been brewing long before the breakup. In her mind, there was no other explanation. Xu Ming and Hua Ling must have already been sneaking around behind Hua Jing’s back while playing the perfect parts in public.

The realization made her chest ache all over again. Hua Jing hadn’t just been betrayed by a lover; she’d been stabbed in the back by her own sister. A sister she had trusted. A fiancé she had been ready to marry. It was a kind of betrayal so ugly that Zhang Ruo could hardly wrap her head around it.

And yet, there they were — the "happy" couple — standing under the blinding flash of camera lights, all smiles and glowing faces, sealing it with a lingering kiss for the world to see. The sight turned Zhang Ruo’s stomach.

Literally.

The disgust rose so sharply in her throat that she thought she might actually gag. She clutched her middle, her stomach churning with the force of it, and quickly turned away before anyone could see her expression. Her heels clicked against the polished floor as she made a beeline for the bathroom.

But halfway there, fate decided to stall her escape.

She collided, shoulder-first, with someone wearing an outfit so dazzling it almost hurt the eyes. The strong scent of high-end perfume reached her nose before she even registered the face.

When she looked up, she froze.

It was none other than Luo Bing — Hua Jing’s former manager.

Luo Bing was dressed in the latest luxury clothing that had just dropped a few weeks ago.

Her nails were perfectly manicured, and the sparkling jewelry she wore looked like it had been handpicked from the most expensive boutique in the city.

When Zhang Ruo took one look at her, the disgust in her stomach deepened.

Of all the people who had betrayed Hua Jing, Luo Bing was at the very top of the list.

Back then, on the day of Hua Jing’s accident, Luo Bing was nowhere to be seen.

She had been the one assigned to drive Hua Jing to the Blue Hotel, where Hua Jing was to receive her Lifetime Achievement Award.

But that day, Hua Jing had suspiciously driven herself — only to end up in that devastating accident.

As Hua Jing’s manager, where had Luo Bing been?

And as soon as the accident happened, Luo Bing had shamelessly switched sides, joining Hua Ling’s camp.

She wasn’t the main manager, but working with Hua Ling had given her countless perks — enough to dress herself in opulence now.

Seeing Zhang Ruo, Luo Bing’s eyes lit up slightly, though a flash of disdain passed through them as she scanned Zhang Ruo’s plain clothes.

"I told you to follow me back then," Luo Bing said with a mocking smile. "But you didn’t listen. Now look at you. You don’t even look like the publicist of an international star like Sister Ling."

Zhang Ruo’s lips pressed into a thin line.

Luo Bing tilted her head, her tone dripping with condescension. "What? Still waiting for Hua Jing to come back?"

She chuckled softly. "You really are delusional. Hua Jing is never coming back. She’s finished. The industry has already replaced her. No one’s even looking for her name anymore."

Her eyes narrowed, and she took a step closer. "Do you know what people call her now? A has-been who couldn’t even keep her fame. Falling into an accident like some weirdo!"

Zhang Ruo’s fingers clenched at her side, but she said nothing.

Luo Bing smirked. "It must hurt, doesn’t it? Watching Hua Ling take everything Hua Jing ever had — her fame, her fans... even her fiancé. And you, still clinging to some hopeless loyalty. Pathetic."

Her voice softened, but the words cut sharper. "Face it. She’s gone. And you’re wasting your life defending a ghost."

Zhang Ruo met her gaze then, her voice cold and steady. "Better this," she said, "than selling my soul for a wardrobe."

Luo Bing’s smirk faltered, her grip on her designer clutch tightening.

She almost screamed, "You!"