You Had Me, You Lost Me, You'll Never Find Me novel Chapter 26

She was young and lacked industry connections. To secure roles for him, she had to entertain executives and sponsors. Once, she downed an entire bottle of hard liquor in one sitting, ending up straight in the emergency room.

He had held her hand, playing the heartbroken boyfriend, promising that once he made it big, she would never have to suffer like that again.

Penelope had believed him.

Women blinded by love could be incredibly stupid.

Now that he had fame and fortune, he tossed her aside, signed with a massive agency, and immediately started a highly publicized romance with an A-list actress.

At this point in the story, Penelope picked up the unlit cigarette, running it under her nose to inhale the scent. A cynical smirk played on her lips.

"I thought I was so smart, but he played me for an absolute fool."

"I guess I brought this on myself. Just look at me. You can't ever rely on anyone else to save you."

Seeing Penelope like this, Sylvia was at a loss for words. It had only been three years, yet the girl who once harbored foolish college dreams was now thoroughly hollowed out by the real world.

Catching Sylvia's gaze, Penelope's lips curled upwards.

"What's with that look? Pity? Save it."

"I'm no helpless victim. Anyone who crosses me is going to pay in blood."

Having spent three years as both his manager and his girlfriend, Penelope possessed a mountain of dirt that could destroy his career in an instant.

She wasn't worried in the slightest.

Sylvia, however, was a different story.

Penelope leaned back, sinking into the plush sofa, and raised an eyebrow.

"Word on the street is your career has been completely dead in the water."

"I've heard some interesting rumors."

"Did you piss off the wrong person?"

Sylvia's mind went completely blank. She didn't understand what Penelope was insinuating.

A chilling sensation crept up Sylvia's spine, turning her hands and feet ice cold.

The message was unmistakably clear.

A single name flashed across her mind.

Ashton.

Reading the shift in her expression, Penelope smiled grimly. "Haven't you noticed a pattern? You audition, the director loves you, the contracts are practically drawn up, and then suddenly the role vanishes?"

"Or worse—you're already on set, filming for weeks, and they recast you at the eleventh hour?"

"Sylvia, haven't you realized that you've only been cast as forgettable side characters for years? Yes, you're talented, but let me be brutally honest: in your current situation, you could act for decades and never land a lead role."

Penelope's words cut straight to the bone.

Sylvia felt her stomach drop.