"Naomi! Are you out of your mind? Do you even realize what you're doing?" My agent stormed over the moment she saw the mess I was in. Her voice was sharp, her tone firmer than usual. "You really think this is the time to throw a tantrum?" "Why can't I throw a tantrum for once?" I snapped, frowning. All I wanted now was to spiral. I wanted to rebel against everyone and everything. My heart was a chaotic mess, pounding so hard it hurt. I used to love acting. But now, I couldn't tell where the performance ended and reality began. In thepast, I usedtorollmyeyeswhenpeoplesaidbreakdownshappen in theblinkofaneye. Butnow ... now I knewthey were right. I waslivingit. "This is not the time, Naomi! Do you want to lose your place in this industry?" Sandra was livid, clearly unable to make sense of my behavior. Her face had turned pale with anger. "I don't know ... I don't know ... " I shook my head and shoved her away, trying to walk off—but someone stepped in my way. Jasper. His expression was grim as he grabbed my wrist and dragged me outside without a word. "Let go of me! Jasper, let me go!" I stumbled as he quickened his pace, struggling to keep up. But he didn't stop. He didn't even glance back. We walked like that for what felt like forever until he finally came to a halt. "What is wrong with you?" I demanded, breathless, his hand still wrapped around mine. We were outside the studio. The night air was cool and brushed against my skin. I shivered slightly. "Naomi," Jasper said coldly, locking eyes with me. "Do you even know what you're doing?" "I'm going on strike." I spoke the words calmly and clearly. That only infuriated him more. "All because of Willy? I told you. I would handle it—" "Jasper," I cut him off, meeting his gaze. "Do you really not get it?" The moonlight painted soft shadows across his face, but it did nothing to ease the hardness in his expression. Jasper froze, confusion clouding his eyes."I thought you knew. I thought all along you knew how I felt. Jasper, how could you be so cruel?" I shook my head, my voice breaking. "Naomi ... " His tone shifted, like something had finally clicked—but I didn't let him speak. "I love you, Jasper." He turned his face away, avoiding my eyes. "Naomi, I told you—I've always seen you as a sister." "I don't want to be your sister!" My voice cracked. "I know you like Rosaline, but she's engaged to Caden now, isn't she?" My hands clenched tightly on the side. "So what?" Jasper pressed his lips into a line when that name was brought up. Just the mention of her name had clearly shaken him. "Can't I even have the slightest chance?" I asked, barely above a whisper. "What about Samuel?" His question hit me like a punch to the chest. Right. Whatabout Samuel? I'd promised him I would try to love him. So what the hell was I doing here, saying all this to Jasper? "Naomi, this isn't a game. I'm sorry I hurt you. But you can't just trample on someone else's heart to deal with your own pain." The way he looked at me—like he finally understood—made my stomach churn. "Hurting someone else ... " I murmured, dazed. And just like that, Samuel's name felt like a thorn twisting inside my chest. Jasper shook his head slowly. Then he turned and walked away. I stood there for a moment before slowly sinking to the ground, hugging my knees to my chest. After a while, I took out my phone and dialed a number. "Samuel ... Let's break up." ... I ended the call and just sat there under the tree, watching the phone screen light up again and again. I didn't move. "Are you done cooling off?" I hadn't even noticed Sandra return. "I'm sorry," I whispered."Don't apologize to me. The director's still waiting." Her voice was cold, her expression unreadable as she turned away. "Naomi, I'm not here to parent you. But let me say this—you're a public figure. A professional actress. You stand under the spotlight every single day." I froze. Then I stood up, forcing a smile back onto my face. "I know. I've still got a long way to go in this business." My phone vibrated again. I stared at it for a moment, then pressed the power button and shut it off. Back on set, Sandra walked me around to apologize to the crew, blaming my earlier outburst on a sudden illness. It was a flimsy excuse, but it did the job. The director wasn't thrilled, but since I was Starplay's rising star, making a scene wouldn't do him any favors either. Once the makeup artist finished fixing me up, I got back to filming the commercial with Jasper. Surprisingly, everything went smoothly this time—we nailed nearly every shot on the first take. After we wrapped the last few reshoots, the whole shoot was declared complete. I finally relaxed, nibbling on some bread as I followed Sandra toward the van that would take us to the next shooting location. But just before I stepped in, the driver came around from the front. "What's going on?" I asked, still chewing, nearly choking from how fast I'd eaten. "Something's wrong with the car. It won't start," he said with a shake of his head. Panic bubbled up. "Seriously? We still need to get back to set." Sandra rubbed her chin, then suddenly clapped her hands. "Go with Jasper. You two are heading back together anyway."