- 4.
I was fresh out of prison, with no apparent
backing. Olivia was at the peak of her career. How dare I challenge her on my first day?
Olivia, her temper frayed, turned on me. “What’s that supposed to mean, Ashley?”
I glanced at her, bored. “Exactly what I said.
Are you having trouble understanding?”
Olivia stormed off. “I’m not filming! It’s either her or me!” She’d intended to play the victim,
but my direct confrontation had thrown her
off balance, forcing her to lash out.
Benjamin, watching from behind the camera,
<
Denjamin, watching mom pennu the camera,
shot me an annoyed look, but ultimately
directed his frustration at Olivia. “Fine. I’ll
replace you.”
Olivia stared, dumbfounded. “Benjamin, are
you insane? Have you forgotten who’s
financing this show?”
“I know it’s Ethan, your fiancé,” Benjamin
retorted, channeling all his pent–up
frustration at me onto her. “But you’re the
one throwing a tantrum. Fourteen takes, and
you still can’t get it right. And you dare blame
others? Throwing your weight around on my
set? Who do you think you are?” Benjamin
was used to deference, and he knew how to
read a room. He sensed Ethan wouldn’t react,
even to this public rebuke. The fool was too
preoccupied with Ashley.
<
Olivia paled. She hadn’t expected such a
harsh reprimand from Benjamin. The
camaraderie they’d shared just days ago,
over dinner with Ethan and the producers,
seemed like a distant dream. She glanced at
me, catching my amused smirk. Olivia
lowered her head, barely containing her rage.
I smelled the stench of her malice and
wrinkled my nose in disgust.
The internet was in meltdown. Ethan and
Olivia were reeling, Ashley’s past plastered
everywhere. Fans,, and paid trolls united
in their condemnation. But I had no social
media presence, no way to contact me. I sat
in my hotel room, amused by the online
frenzy, utterly unfazed. Human malice, so
palpable, was a tonic to me. As long as it
didn’t come with the stench of human flesh.
く
But the situation escalated. Benjamin called.
“This is getting messy. I’ve had calls from
higher–ups. Your… history is causing
problems. They don’t want someone with a
criminal record on screen. The show…”
I lowered my eyes, smiling. “Don’t worry.
Keep filming. I’ll handle it.”
Benjamin sounded skeptical. “How? I want to
help, but I can’t think of a way to spin this.”
Ashley’s imprisonment was a matter of public
record. What could erase that stain?
“Just wait and see,” I said. “Do me a favor.
Find someone for me.”
Benjamin, dubious but intrigued, agreed.
<
Ethan, of course, was behind the pressure. He
intercepted me on my way to set. He looked
haggard, unlike the confident man I’d seen
last, as if he hadn’t slept in days.
He gazed at me, his eyes filled with a
turbulent mix of emotions. “Ash, please, leave
the show. Come back to me. I’ll give you back
everything that belonged to the Millers. I
haven’t touched a penny of it. It’s all yours, if
you just come back.”
“Haven’t touched a penny?” I laughed, my
eyes filled with scorn. “Ethan, do you really
think I care about the Miller fortune anymore?
Don’t you understand what stands between us?” As his face paled, I continued, “My
grandfather… if he’s watching, his ghost will
never forgive you. And how can you possibly
<
think I’d forget about a human life and return
to you? Ethan, you’re disgusting. You and
Olivia… scum. Made for each other.” The
more I berated him, the stronger Ashley’s soul
felt, her only desire to see him suffer.
Ethan’s face hardened. Realizing his pleas
were falling on deaf ears, he snarled, “You
want to play games, Ashley? What can you
possibly do?”
I scoffed. “See? Two sentences, and your true
colors show. You’re so predictable.”
Ethan’s expression darkened further. I turned
to leave. He tried to stop me. I slapped him
hard, sending him sprawling. As he fell, I
kicked him, hard, in the chest.
He lay there, writhing in pain. I watched,
<
He lay there, writhing in pain. I watched,
smelling his stench, unable to bear it any
longer. I walked away, leaving him staring
after me, his eyes shifting from disbelief to
despair.
Of course, I had a plan.
I visited the man Olivia had hit. He was still
paralyzed, his life ruined. His parents were
surprised to see me. Surprised, yes. They had
seen Olivia at the scene. They knew Ashley
wasn’t driving. But they’d accepted Ethan’s hush money and perjured themselves. Their
son, now a streamer, was financially secure,
and seemed to have found a new purpose.
They tried to stop me from seeing him. I said,
“Your son is crippled for life. I spent five
years in prison, my life ruined. You think
that’s fair?”
<
They fell silent, ashamed, and let me pass.
The young man seemed nervous in my
presence. I was direct. “I want you to go to
the police. Report Olivia for hitting you.”
His expression was complex. He looked away.
“But… there’s no evidence.” Guilt gnawed at
him.
“I can get the video,” I said. “I just need you
to testify. Just like you testified against me,
right?” I smiled, chipping away at his
defenses. “I spent five years in prison. My life
is already ruined. You took the money, let the
real culprit go free. I have nothing left to lose.
If you don’t testify, I promise you, your life
will be hell.”
“You’ve lost your leas. Do you want to lose
く
“You’ve lost your legs. Do you want to lose
your life too?” I felt no sympathy for him.
Olivia had taken his legs, but he’d willingly accepted the money, silencing himself, enabling her. He’d forfeited any right to sympathy. I despised such souls, neither fully wicked nor good, just… bland, unappetizing.
Despite the pressure, Benjamin released my photos. As expected, they silenced all critics. Some, captivated by my beauty, even started defending me, claiming I couldn’t possibly be guilty. Most, however, remained swayed by the past, convinced of my guilt. I admired their resolve. Like Benjamin, their conviction made them resistant to my influence.
nt After
<
I created a social media account. After
enduring a wave of online abuse, I posted my story, detailing how Ethan had manipulated
the evidence, framing me for Olivia’s crime. It
was deleted within seconds.
No matter. Enough people had seen it.
Olivia called, frantic, screaming obscenities.
“Ashley, five years wasn’t enough? You want
to go back?!”
I smiled. “Olivia, does Ethan know you’re
calling me, ranting like a lunatic?”
Olivia laughed, a harsh, bitter sound. “You have no proof, Ashley! A few words online? I’ll
sue you for slander! You’ll be back in prison
before you know it!”
<
before you know it!”
“Go ahead, bitch,” I said, my words far more
venomous than hers. “Being a scumbag is
nothing new for you.”
Olivia, enraged, unleashed a torrent of abuse.
I recorded it. While not concrete evidence, I
relished the thought of her fans witnessing
her meltdown. They were stunned. Regardless
of the truth of my accusations, Olivia’s
language was shocking, unbecoming of her
image. How could she be so vulgar? Some, of
course, blamed me for provoking her.
Olivia’s publicist filed a lawsuit against me, and against Ethan’s company, for defamation.
Ethan called again, his voice weary. “Ash, can we meet? Does it have to be like this?”
L
Ethan called again, his voice weary. “Ash, can
we meet? Does it have to be like this?”
I laughed. “Of course it does. The day my grandfather died, I swore I’d make your lives
a living hell.”
Ethan’s voice cracked. “Ash, I don’t want to
resort to those tactics again. I was wrong. I’ll
make Olivia apologize. Just let it go.
“No. I want both of you. On your knees, at my
grandfather’s grave, confessing what you did,
calling yourselves worthless scum, recording
it, and posting it online. Then, and only then, will I forgive you.”
Silence. A long, heavy silence. Then Ethan
hung up.
く
He wouldn’t agree, of course.
The lawsuit proceeded. The public devoured
the unfolding drama, until the biggest twist
yet.
The man Olivia had hit went to the police. He
had a recording. I hadn’t even known. He’d
recorded Ethan’s offer, fearing the power of
the person who’d hit him. Blinded by the
settlement, he’d stayed silent. Now, after my
visit, he’d changed his mind.
The police opened an investigation. Ethan and
Olivia’s names were trending, finally eclipsing
mine, though they hadn’t been arrested yet. It
wasn’t enough.
Ethan called again, his voice desperate.
<
Adnicy, you have noшny: A TECvrumy prov
nothing!”
“Oh, but I do have evidence.” I smiled,
looking at the video I’d just received. “You
thought your hacker actually deleted that
footage? Some things, even money can’t
buy.
Ethan’s heart sank. The person he’d hired to
tamper with the evidence had kept a copy.
His own assistant. I’d seen the weakness the
moment I met him. He was the one I’d asked
Benjamin to find. My methods didn’t matter.
They were all wicked souls. Conventional
tactics weren’t necessary.
Ashley’s soul was fading. I had to act fast,
before she disappeared completely.
Otherwise, I’d have wasted my time and
<
ASTIGY, you have huny: A rerumy pro
nothing!”
“Oh, but I do have evidence.” I smiled,
looking at the video I’d just received. “You
thought your hacker actually deleted that
footage? Some things, even money can’t
buy.”
Ethan’s heart sank. The person he’d hired to
tamper with the evidence had kept a copy.
His own assistant. I’d seen the weakness the
moment I met him. He was the one I’d asked
Benjamin to find. My methods didn’t matter.
They were all wicked souls. Conventional
tactics weren’t necessary.
Ashley’s soul was fading. I had to act fast,
before she disappeared completely.
Otherwise, I’d have wasted my time and
L
would need to move on.
Video and audio. Irrefutable proof. Ethan and
Olivia were arrested. Redwood City’s golden
boy, thanks to some carefully placed leaks,
became a pariah overnight.
Noah represented me in court. The verdict
was a foregone conclusion. After the trial, he
approached me. “Ashley, if I’d believed you
back then… would things be different now?”
I smiled. “There are no ifs, Noah. You didn’t
believe me.” Ashley was gone. There were no
ifs.
Before Olivia’s sentencing, I visited her.
Facing a lifetime behind bars, she finally
dropped the pretense, unleashing her fury.
“Ashley! You think you’ve won? You’ll get
<
dropped the pretense, unleashing her fury.
“Ashley! You think you’ve won? You’ll get
what’s coming to you!”
I looked at her with pity. “You’re delusional.
You’re the one getting what you deserve.”
Olivia shrieked, “I wish I’d had you killed in
prison!”
I blinked. “Yes… why didn’t you?” I smiled and left, Olivia’s screams dissolving into
desperate sobs.
Public opinion shifted dramatically. The internet learned I’d been framed. Apologies flooded in. The criticism of my casting
vanished. Olivia was replaced by a well-
respected actress, with whom I got along famously.
<
Public opinion snittea aramatically. I ne
internet learned I’d been framed. Apologies
flooded in. The criticism of my casting
vanished. Olivia was replaced by a well-
respected actress, with whom I got along
famously.
I stayed with the show, using Ashley’s money
to cover the losses caused by Ethan’s arrest
and investing the rest. I fulfilled Benjamin’s expectations, delivering a performance that
would make me a star.
On the final day of filming, the crew
celebrated. Noah came to see me, with a
message. Ethan wanted to see me.
I wrinkled my nose. “Tell him I’m not
interested.”
<
interested.”
Noah’s stench had faded. How disappointing, I thought. As I left the set, getting into my sports car, I said, “Noah, stay away from me.”
Though heartbroken, he nodded and turned to
leave.
My voice, distant now, said, “You didn’t believe Ashley. You’ll live with that guilt forever.”
He turned back, just as I drove away. Three
seconds later…
“Boom.”
screamed, running
く
“Boom.”
The car exploded. Noah screamed, running
towards the inferno.
“Ashley!!!”
