My Billionaire Built An Empire For Me Then Broke My Face For Her Chapter 02

My Billionaire Built An Empire For Me Then Broke My Face For Her Chapter 02

When I finally opened my eyes, the harsh glare of hospital-grade lighting above made me wince. My face felt icy and taut; someone had already applied an ice pack and pumped me full of heavy painkillers to manage the swelling.

I glanced around the room, instantly recognizing the sprawling penthouse Julian had bought adjacent to the studio lot for my convenience during production. The panoramic floor-to-ceiling windows overlooked the Los Angeles skyline, but right now, it just felt like a gilded cage.

My phone on the nightstand was buzzing incessantly against the glass. The moment I unlocked it, notifications flooded in like a tidal wave.

Trending at the very top of X were three hashtags:

[EvelynSterlingThrowsADivaTantrumOnSet]

[EvelynSterlingSlapsNewcomer]

[ChloeVanceInTearsOnSet]

I tapped into the viral video. It was the scene where I used a pulled punch to slap Chloe. But it had been heavily edited, spliced together to show only the split second my hand brushed her cheek. Then came the leaked footage of his private security detail pinning me to the concrete floor, followed by the endless, sickening barrage of slaps.

The caption read: [A-list Legend Evelyn Sterling Bullies Newcomer on Set, Gets Rightfully Humiliated by Justice.]

The comments had already blown past 20K.

[She deserves it. Always heard she has a terrible temper.]

“Just because she’s an A-lister doesn’t mean she can bully newcomers. What kind of power trip is this?”

“Heard she slept her way to the top. She was so arrogant before, but now she finally hit a brick wall.”

“Bully! Ugly witch! Get out of Hollywood!”

I scrolled down through the relentless hate. If it were the past, Julian’s crisis PR team would have already issued cease-and-desist letters and scrubbed the internet. Now, there was only dead silence. I let out a self-deprecating smirk.

At 3:00 AM, another hashtag surged to the top of the trending page.

#BlackwoodMediaStandsWithChloeVance

I clicked into it to find an official statement from Blackwood Entertainment. It featured a single, perfectly lit promotional still of Chloe, accompanied by a brief line: A pearl should never be left to gather dust.

Moments later, Julian’s personal account liked and retweeted the post. The comment section exploded all over again.

“Holy shit, Julian Black himself stepped in! Has Evelyn completely fallen out of favor?”

“It was about time they replaced her. I’m sick of seeing that aging face.”

“Finally, everyone sees how amazing our Chloe is!”

I smiled bitterly. A pearl gathering dust…

When Julian and I were at the height of our romance, he had defied immense pressure from his family’s board of directors, insisting that his agency sign only me. He stayed by my side constantly. I remembered him holding my hands at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party, his eyes resolute as he said, “Evelyn, a true pearl never gathers dust. I will take you to the very top.”

And I hadn’t disappointed him. I swept the major awards, bringing massive profits to his company and proving that his faith in me wasn’t misplaced.

Now, those same words were being used for another woman.

Julian Black, you really are going all out to prove that you’re the one in control of this relationship…

Suddenly, the bedroom door pushed open. Julian walked in, carrying a bowl of hot soup.

“Evelyn, you’re awake?”

I remained silent, staring blankly at the wall.

He sat beside me, coaxing me as if I were a petulant child. “I made you some soup. The doctor said your facial injuries need careful treatment, so I’ve canceled all your upcoming schedule.”

“Come on, honey. Just take a bite.”

His movements were gentle, his gaze brimming with deep affection. It was as if he were a completely different person from the man who had stood above me and ordered my humiliation.

Unfortunately, beneath the savory scent of the broth, I caught the distinct fragrance of perfume clinging to him—the exact same niche floral scent Chloe wore.

I suddenly swatted the bowl out of his hands.

“Julian Black, are you done acting?”

“Don’t touch me with those filthy hands that have touched someone else!”

Caught off guard, Julian scalded his hand with the hot soup. The porcelain shattered against the hardwood floor. The smile faded from his face, replaced by a cold, hard mask.

“Evelyn, you’ve always been too dramatic.”

“I’ve stuck by you for this long. Isn’t that enough? Look around the industry—who stays loyal to just one woman forever?”

Softening his tone, he reached out to stroke my uninjured cheek. “Don’t be angry anymore. I just thought the little girl was amusing, so I decided to play around a bit. She’s no threat to your position.”

Play around a bit.

Those four words struck my heart like a blade.

I turned my head to avoid his touch. “Get out of my sight.”

Julian’s hand hung suspended in mid-air, his eyes turning ice-cold.

“Evelyn, have I spoiled you so much that you actually dare to treat me like an assistant, barking orders at me?”

He stood up, adjusting his cuffs. “Fine. If you refuse to step down when I give you an out, I’ll wait until you come crawling back to me in tears.”

Watching Julian’s retreating figure disappear into the hallway, a hollow ache suddenly bloomed in my chest, throbbing with a dull pain.

After a long while, I reached up and wiped the tears from the corners of my eyes. Pulling out my phone, I found a specific contact and dialed.

The call connected after two rings.

“Mr. Blackwood,” I said, my voice steady despite the trembling in my hands. “I accept your marriage proposal.”