Expired Love

To cover my mother's medical expenses, I cast aside my dignity and became the pampered companion of a powerful man.

He showered me with affection, catapulting me from a struggling actress to a household name.

That was until Chris Todd's beloved dream girl returned from abroad.

He allowed her to humiliate me, turning me into a laughingstock within the industry.

When I was heartbroken, he coldly mocked me, "Jessie West, you have no right to complain."

Eventually, I resolved to leave, but he waited for me in the snow all night, nearly losing his life.

1.

After wrapping up work, I hurried back to my office.

This was one of Chris's properties, where he had kept me for three years.

"Change your clothes and adjust your makeup. Frank and the others want to have a meal with us, " Chris ordered.

I took a deep breath and spoke wearily, "Today... is the day my mother died. Could I possibly... "

"And?" he interrupted.

"My mother raised me alone. I don't want to go to nightclubs or bars on this day, "

I said, lowering my head. A light laugh reached my ears, his voice tinged with sarcasm, "Don't forget whose influence got you where you are today. I've spent so much money and resources on you. You have no right to make a bargain."

I quickly touched up my makeup at the vanity.

As I applied mascara, the small mirror magnified my eyes. All I could think of was my mother's touch on them before she died.

She said, "Your eyes are beautiful. Don't use them to shed tears."

The year I climbed into Chris's bed, I managed to gather the treatment fees but still couldn't save my mother.

I pressed a tissue to my lower eyelid to absorb the tears, terrified of ruining my freshly applied makeup.

Chris only gave me fifteen minutes.

When the car arrived at the club, Chris noticed my slightly swollen eyes.

"Jessie, you have no right to complain."

I forced a smile, pulling at the corners of my mouth, "How would I feel wronged when Mr. Todd has elevated me from an unknown actress to my current position?"

Chris's friends had arrived early, demanding he drink three penalty shots.

He spread his hands, "I can't drink today."

"If you can't drink, isn't Jessie here to drink for you?"

At Chris's glance, I picked up the glass in front of me and downed it in one go.

It was a strong liquor, burning my throat painfully. A few tears escaped, though I maintained a smiling face.

My charming, radiant smile was still accompanied by tears.

The men present grew excited.

These affluent playboys enjoyed manipulating women, loving to torment girls until they showed expressions of obedience.

"Hey, wasn't that dance in the second episode of 'The Last Flower' performed by Jessie? It was quite good. How about giving us a live performance to liven things up?" someone suggested.

Another chimed in, "Come on, Chris, after all this time, you still can't make such a simple instruction?"

The table erupted in laughter.

I instinctively looked at Chris, silently praying he would consider that today was the day of my mom's death.

2.

Everyone was waiting for Chris to speak.

Finally, after checking his phone, he nodded towards me, "Go on, dance well, don't embarrass me."

I held my tears, stood up with a smile with a hint of self-mockery.

"Hey, hey, you danced barefoot in the show, remember? You should take off your shoes too, " someone teased.

Another tried to mediate, "Don't go too far, she's been with Chris the longest."

Someone whispered, "So what? No matter how long, she's just a mere object. No way he is going to marry her."

I stood there, gripping the hem of my dress so tightly that my fingers turned white.

Chris ignored my pleading gaze.

He picked up his jacket and walked out, saying, "I have to pick someone up, just enjoy yourselves."

My heart, which had been in knots, suddenly sank. I slowly closed my eyes.

Barefoot, I danced on the cold floor, performing the highly praised dance for their amusement on this special day.

Today, my tears wouldn't stop. I could only discreetly wipe them away with my movements.

Amidst the clinking glasses and lively chatter, no one noticed my small actions.

They gathered for three hours, and I danced for three hours.

Afterwards, I returned to my office, and Chris had not yet come back.

My phone buzzed with a notification, "Daisy Kirby returns from abroad, mysterious boyfriend picks her up."

It wasn't surprising that Daisy's return as a top-tier celebrity caused a stir.

Netizens speculated about the identity of the mysterious boyfriend, but I knew it was Chris.

While I was being used for entertainment for three hours, Chris was at the airport picking up the love of his life, his cherished dream girl.

Seeing the trending topic, a sudden bitterness welled up inside me.

As his puppet, I shouldn't have developed feelings for him.

The next day, I returned to the set, and the director hesitantly approached me to discuss something.

I had been replaced.

More precisely, I was demoted from the lead role to the villainous second female lead, with the lead role going to Daisy, who had just returned.

The director sighed repeatedly, unable to withstand the pressure from above.

The filming had just begun, so replacing me wouldn't cause too much loss.

Chris brought Daisy to the set.

After the car stopped, he walked to the passenger side, carefully shielding Daisy's head with his hand.

Who would have thought that someone as proud as Chris could be so considerate?

Daisy affectionately clung to Chris's arm as they approached me, "Look how thin Jessie is, her waist is so small that you could wrap one hand around it."

She nudged Chris with her elbow, "Look at how you've worn her out." Then she smiled at me, "Looking after Chris for three years, you must be exhausted."

I set down the script, "Just doing what is necessary."

Chris narrowed his eyes at me, a slight lift at the corner of his mouth indicating his displeasure.

3.

Daisy specifically requested to film the scene where the second female lead confronted the protagonist.

In that scene, the protagonist discovered the second lead's betrayal, leading to a heated argument and a slap.

During filming, Daisy messed up once.

She pretended to consult the director, "It doesn't feel right. I think it would be better if we did it for real."

Then she nudged Chris's arm gently and asked, "Chris, what do you think?" Chris smiled affectionately and replied, "I don't know, you can adjust as you want."

With the top investor's backing, the director looked at me sympathetically.

In that scene, Daisy messed up 26 times.

"Director, I think Jessie turned her head too much."

"Director, I didn't hit hard enough."

"Director, I didn't perform well."

"Director... "

By the end, my face was swollen, and blood trickled from the corner of my mouth. Daisy finally stopped.

Chris sat nearby, his expression unreadable.

Daisy held her hand up to Chris, whining, "Chris, look, my hand hurts so much!"

"This take was pretty good, don't you think?"

The director wiped his sweat and nodded quickly, quietly instructing the assistant, Amy, to bring me an ice pack.

My head was ringing from the slaps, and it took a while to recover.

In the break room, Amy gently applied the ice pack to my face, her eyes red, "This is blatant bullying. If not handled well, you could be disfigured."

I sighed softly, patting her hand, "Stop it, Amy, we can't afford to provoke them."

Chris came in.

"Daisy is just serious about her work, don't take it to heart."

I dismissed Amy, holding the ice pack myself, "Mr. Todd, do you need me to move out of the office?"

With that, Chris gripped my chin and said, "I didn't say that. You should stay put as I instruct."

The wound at the corner of my mouth was pulled open, and tears of pain welled up.

Chris's Adam's apple bobbed.

"Come back early tonight, you haven't been with me for a few days."

With Daisy back, did he still need me?

He kissed my forehead, "Be good."

Chris's brief moment of tenderness became the push that sent me into the abyss a few days later.

4.

The next day, the topic "Daisy NGs 36 times" shot to the top of the trending list.

The internet buzzed with discussions about Daisy's acting skills.

Her fans were fiercely protective, criticizing my acting skills and claiming that what I did must have affected Daisy's performance.

However, attentive netizens watched the behind-the-scenes footage and found that my performance was fine, and Daisy was indeed in character, and her expressions and eyes were full of genuine disdain.

I didn't know where the rumors started, but the situation gradually evolved into accusations that Daisy had slapped Jessie out of personal vendetta.

Despite being a second-tier celebrity now, my fans were still quite formidable and quickly jumped into the fray.

I even suspected someone had orchestrated an online campaign for me, as the online comments were overwhelmingly in my defense, angrily condemning Daisy for her malicious actions.

At that moment, Chris stood in front of the computer desk, holding me firmly by the shoulders, forcing me to read the vile comments directed at Daisy.

"Are you the one behind these? Just because she said a few things to you that day? Jessie, you'd better give me an explanation."

What kind of explanation could I give him? I had just taken a nap, and upon waking, found myself in this predicament.

Chris was determined to stand up for his beloved, while I foolishly hoped he would believe me.

I explained repeatedly, showing him all my chats from the past few days.

But Chris didn't believe me.

He tightened his grip on my neck, releasing only when I was nearly out of breath.

He said Daisy was overwhelmed and had attempted to take her life several times.

He warned that if anything happened to Daisy, neither he nor her family would forgive me.

I received a text from an unknown number, "Have you figured out your place yet, Jessie?"

It was evidently from Daisy.

That day, Chris returned to a luxurious apartment complex and told me, "Until you give me an explanation, you don't need to go to work."

I remained calm, recognizing this as his way of showing leniency.

I said, "Mr. Todd, you could easily find out who did this. You just don't want to. No matter what, you would choose to believe Daisy without hesitation."

His hand paused as he set down his cup, and I saw a flicker of surprise in his eyes.

I laughed at myself, "Mr. Todd, I know someone like me has no right to have dignity in front of you, but I won't admit to something without evidence. If you find out it was really me, then go ahead and blacklist me."

He pinched the bridge of his nose, a gesture he often made when stressed.

You see, he actually knew.

5.

The uproar over the incident gradually subsided, and life returned to normal. Chris allowed me to resume work.

I knew he had investigated.

But peace didn't last long. The hashtag "Daisy's Romance" suddenly exploded.

Daisy posted a photo on her social media, captioned, "Thank goodness for you all these years."

The photo showed Chris busy in the kitchen, his expression gentle. The warm light added a cozy touch.

I didn't even know he could cook.

Soon after, a photo circulated online.

It was from that day in the lounge, capturing the moment Chris kissed my forehead.

The paparazzi were truly professional. As the person involved, I hadn't even realized it, yet it was captured so clearly.

The hashtag "Jessie the other woman" quickly went viral.

Netizens seemed to suddenly realize the great injustice Daisy had suffered.

First, her relationship was wrecked by a third party-me, the shameless woman in their eyes.

Then, she was subjected to a week of online abuse for confronting the mistress.

Sympathy for Daisy flooded the internet. Those who hadn't insulted her felt indignant, while those who had felt guilty.

Even the twenty-six slaps started to seem justified.

"From a glance, you can tell she's a schemer. How many people did she sleep with to gain her current position?"

"Fully support Daisy! Twenty-six slaps were not enough!"

"Go Daisy, don't let the mistress off!!"

My social media comment section was overrun, with haters lining up to leave comments.

"Shame! Shame! Shame!"

"Shame! Shame! Shame!"

"Shame! Shame! Shame!"

All comments were the same.

Some comments were censored, and I didn't need to imagine how filthy they were.

The company launched an emergency PR campaign, but it barely made a ripple.

My agent, Tina, rushed to a luxurious apartment complex early in the morning, pacing anxiously in the room.

"What on earth is going on? You've been with Mr. Todd for three years, and now you're the mistress? What kind of nonsense is this?"

She clutched her phone, racking her brains.

"There's one way, the best way. The only one who can save you now is Mr. Todd. If he comes forward to clarify and admits to your three-year relationship, everything will turn around."

Chris? How would he?

Daisy was the one he cherished, and I was just a replaceable toy.

He would never clear my name, let alone do anything that might harm Daisy.

Thinking of this, I forced a smile, "Tina, it's fine. At worst, I just won't act anymore."

Click-the door opened.

Chris was back.

6.

Tina looked at him as if he were her last hope, almost rushing forward to plead with him.

She was practically begging him.

"Mr. Todd, please clarify this rumor. We can't let her be wronged! She loves acting so much; she's a promising talent. We can't let these awful things ruin her future... "

Chris didn't even glance at Tina, his voice steady as he commanded, "You go out first, and wait."

After Tina left, he took a long stride and sat on the sofa, as if waiting for me to plead with him.

After a long silence, the voice that had always captivated me spoke, "Even if you leave the industry, you can be my woman for the rest of your life. I won't let you suffer."

Yet, it still hurt.

It felt like countless spears piercing my heart.

Suddenly, I remembered three years ago.

With no background or support, I had always played minor roles, earning little while the company took a large cut.

At that time, I needed to gather a hefty sum for my mom's medical expenses, and the company only offered me roles that required me to be naked.

Without hesitation, I accepted those scripts.

Because that money could save my mother's life.

When my mother found out, she cried and told me that if her daughter had to sell herself because of her, she would rather die.

I was completely out of options when I met Chris.

"That girl seems quite interesting."

With a casual remark, I was sent to a dinner party with him, accompanying him for drinks.

After the dinner, I looked at the hospital payment notice, gritted my teeth, and walked into his room.

Afterwards, he said, "Name your terms."

I quickly composed myself, then looked up with a flattering smile, "Mr. Todd, I need money."

Before saying this, I had imagined many possibilities.

Perhaps he would generously sign a check for me, or maybe I would have to beg and flatter him further.

Unexpectedly, his cold face suddenly broke into a smile, "Your fake smile isn't as appealing as when you looked pitiful with your head down."

"From now on, just stay with me." He leisurely adjusted his tie.

After that, my mother was transferred to the best hospital in the city for the best treatment, and I moved into a luxurious residence, gaining a wealth of resources.

Later, my mother passed away, but I remained by Chris's side.

I couldn't bear to leave.

I knew I shouldn't develop feelings for him, yet I still fell into feelings for him.

I seemed to have forgotten that from the beginning, our relationship was merely a transaction.

I was just a pastime for him when Daisy wasn't around.

So, what was I still hoping for?

Suddenly, I wanted to leave.

07

Since I was leaving, I no longer needed to hold back.

"Mr. Todd," I sniffed and took a deep breath, "Chris, you found out what happened recently, didn't you? You discovered she bought the articles to smear herself. With such a massive project worth billions, you must have easily figured out what was going on."

He walked over to me, looking down from above, "So, are you questioning me now?"

"Yes." I looked at him steadily, "Three years ago, when I was with you, you were single. As for whether you've had other women in these three years, I don't know. But I'm not the third party. Whether I interfered with your relationship with Daisy, you know better than anyone else, don't you?"

"Jessie, who do you think you are? You climbed into bed and stripped for me for a mere few hundred thousand in medical fees. After your mother passed, you continued to cling to me, using me as a stepping stone to demand resources. Now you're acting like a paragon of virtue. Have you ever known how miserable you are?" Chris's lips curled up as he grabbed the back of my neck with his large hand.

The mental defenses I had built up collapsed in an instant, and tears flowed uncontrollably.

My mind went blank, my hands trembled, and my lips quivered.

For three years, I had always called him "Mr. Todd, " trying to use this address to remind myself not to get too deeply involved.

I had prepared myself mentally, had guessed what he would say.

But why did it still hurt so much when I heard him say it out loud?

I didn't cry out loud in front of him. But the pain lodged in my stomach, throbbing with each sob, and my voice broke due to my body's trembling.

"Yes... yes, three years ago, I was desperate and used the worst means to get involved with you. I'm very grateful for how much you have helped me. Only with your help could I gain enough money for my mother's treatment. Thank you for letting me spend so much more time with her." These three years, it was a mistake. I shouldn't have... shouldn't have developed feelings for you. Mr. Todd, it was my fault for not knowing my place, for wanting both benefit and love. I am sorry."

A flicker of surprise crossed Chris's face, but it quickly returned to normal.