Chapter 1

A smile tugged at Michael’s face as he cut the apple in his hand into pieces. He was in a particularly good mood this morning as he continued his task at hand while whistling a tune.

A buzz came from his pocket, and he quickly picked up his phone and glanced at the screen to see who called. It was Claire, his assistant.

“Why does she want now?” He muttered as he wiped his hands that were sticky with fruit juice. Grabbing the phone again, he swiped to answer.

“Morning Claire.” He greeted me as he leaned on the island.

*Good morning, Mr. Carter. I hope you had a wonderful night.” Clair's professional tone crackled through the phone’s receiver.

*I did; why did you call? Is there some sort of issue going on?

“Nothing much, Mr. Carter; I just called to congratulate you on your wife's nomination for the Best Actress award at the Fishford Prize. This is a huge achievement.”

“Ohh.” Michael’s face lit up like a light bulb. “Thank you, Claire; I'm aware of the nomination. She's gone and made me super proud.”

“I'll be handling the press releases and the campaign for her. I'll ensure it gets the visibility it deserves.* Claire assured him.

“That's perfect, but...” Michael’s expression turned cold and calculating. “I want you to continue promoting her aggressively for the next film. However, make sure to repost her as the sole star of the project. Remove the other female lead from the cast.”

There was a brief pause on the other end of the line. It was obvious that Claire was hesitating, unable to decide whether what her boss wanted to do was the right choice.

“Are you sure about that, sir?” Claire finally found her voice. “The other actress is a well-known name and could attract more attention to the film.”

“I’m certain.” Michael’s tone hardened. “The less competition, the better. We want to ensure that her performance is the only thing people talk about. I want her to be the star of the show.”

"Alright, then I understand; I'll take care of it. I'll make sure no one suspects a thing.” Claire said.

“Good.” A smile returned to Michael's lips as he resumed slicing the apples into neat slices. “And Claire, remember to keep our personal connection a secret. This needs to be handled discreetly.”

“Leave it to me.” Claire assured him, which set his mind at ease. He knew he could trust her; she had proved herself to be efficient and trustworthy.

Michael ended the call and set the knife down. He stared at the neat slices of apples for a while before the harsh voice of his mother-in-law called him to the living room.

“Micheal, are you planning to stay in the kitchen all day?” Evelyn’s voice rang from the living room.

Michael sighed and quickly grabbed the plate before making his way to the living room. Evelyn lounged on the sofa, and when she glanced at him, her eyes held their usual distaste, which she usually reserved for him.

“I brought the fruit.” Michael said as he set the plate down on the coffee table.

“About time.” Evelyn snapped, not even bothering to look at it. “Honestly, you move slower every day. What would my daughter think if she knew you were so useless around the house?”

Michael tightened his fists, but he sighed, forcing himself to remain calm.

“I just wanted them to be perfect.”

“Perfect?” Evelyn let out a harsh cackle. “That’s rich coming from you. My daughter is out here winning awards, and you’re in here playing housemaid; if you put half as much effort into your marriage as you do slicing fruit, maybe she wouldn't have to work so hard.”

Michael swallowed the retort that was built up in his throat and averted his gaze, stealing a glance at the TV. The award ceremony had just started, and his wife’s name was just announced. The camera followed her elegant figure as she made her way to the stage.

The crowd erupted in applause at the sight of her, and a proud smile broke out in Michael's face.

“Don't just stand there smiling like an idiot; the living room is a mess; clean it up!” Evelyn barked at him harshly.

Michael sighed again and moved around the room, straightening cushions, picking up stray items, and dusting surfaces. All the while, Evelyn glared at him as if it were his rightful place to serve her.

“Get the dusk behind the TV; I don't want to see a single speck when you're done. And stop gawking at the screen like you had anything to do with her success.” Evelyn continued her relentless slander.

“Yes ma'am.” Michael muttered and continued to follow her orders. He moved behind the TV, wiping down the surface as his eyes caught brief glimpses of the ceremony. His hands slowed when he heard his wife's voice fill the room. She was already on stage, and she effortlessly became the center of attention.

“First and foremost.” She began, “I want to thank my mother for support and guidance. I'm sure she can see this right now; I want her to know that I wouldn't be standing here today without her help.”

Michael leaned in, expecting to mention him next. After all, he had been the one tirelessly working behind the scenes and ensuring that everything in her career went smoothly.

“And of course. I would like to thank my brilliant director for guiding me every step of the wayy," she continued, acknowledging her director, which broke Michael's spirit.

The director? She was thanking the director before him. He could hardly believe it. He had done everything for her discreetly, yet she couldn't even acknowledge his efforts. What sort of bullshit was this?

His spirits were at an all-time low, but then she said something that made him perk up again.

“There is one more person I need to thank.” She said, softening her voice with such tenderness it made Michael's breath pause for a second. “This person has been my rock, my support through everything. I couldn't have done this without them.”

Michael's heart swelled with pride and hope. This was it; she was finally going to acknowledge him. He momentarily forgot the cleaning he had been doing and glued his gaze on the screen, but the camera wasn't on her; instead, it panned out to the audience. Michael didn't notice she wasn't looking at the camera, and he missed the way her eyes locked onto a young man seated near the front.

“And to you, thank you for always being there for me. For your love, your care, and your belief in me when I had none.” She continued affectionately.

Michael was smiling from ear to ear like an excited schoolboy; his focus was so intent on her words that he didn't catch the shift in the camera’s angle as it briefly captured the face of the young man who locked his eyes on his wife with a stare of adoration.

Michael was ecstatic, still clinging to the idea that she was talking about him, but Evelyn caught every detail. Her lips stretched in a wicked smirk as she watched her daughter exchange with the young man.

“Get back to cleaning!” She barked at him, and he resumed cleaning with lifted spirits, completely unaware that the woman to whom he had devoted his life was pouring her heart out for another man.