Chapter 1
A male actor fresh off a few CEO romance web series had started to believe he was a CEO in real life.
After yet another fight with his girlfriend, he abandoned a production crew of over five hundred people without a second thought, boarding a flight that same night just to placate her.
The next morning, filming was supposed to begin.
But the male lead was gone.
His hotel room was empty. Dozens of messages were sent, all vanishing into silence.
It was not until evening that he finally made a leisurely video call to the director.
“I went to appease my girlfriend,” he said. “Filming is on hold.”
Director Stone was furious.
“That’s ridiculous. All the locations are booked. All the actors are scheduled. How can we stop production now?”
Lucas looked innocent, but his tone carried unmistakable condescension.
“Then what do you expect me to do? My girlfriend won’t allow me to film kissing scenes with any woman but her. If you want me back, the female lead has to be her—even if she has no acting experience. We’re a real couple. We’re the best official pairing.”
He paused, his gaze sweeping over me where I stood beside the director.
“As for the original female lead, she can just be my girlfriend’s maid.”
Director Stone trembled with rage.
“Absolutely not. The actress has done nothing wrong. How can I replace her?”
Lucas smiled slowly.
“If you don’t agree, then I won’t act. Your choice.”
“You… are you threatening me?” the director demanded, gripping his phone so tightly his knuckles turned white.
Lucas leaned back on the sofa in his hotel suite, completely relaxed.
“No, Director. I’m just stating my position.”
Director Stone took a slow breath, trying to rein in his temper.
“Lucas, we sent you the script a month in advance. If you didn’t want the role, you never had to accept it.”
“A month?” Lucas scoffed. “How would I know how many kissing scenes it had? I don’t read scripts. I just look at my lines on the day of filming. That’s your problem. I have a girlfriend, and you still gave me a romance script.”
The director was speechless.
“Lucas, you’re an actor. Isn’t this literally your job? And since when was I supposed to know you had a girlfriend?”
This series was Director Stone’s passion project, two years in the making. Every location, every lighting setup, every cast schedule had been meticulously arranged. Now, with the male lead gone, everything was unraveling.
Lucas simply raised an eyebrow.
After a long silence, Director Stone spoke again.
“The show is already half filmed. What kind of example is it to walk away now? We’ve already announced the romantic scenes. I can shoot them with forced perspective. You won’t have to touch the female lead at all. How about that?”
Lucas frowned.
“No. My girlfriend keeps a tight leash on me. Even fake scenes aren’t allowed. As long as there are intimate scenes with another woman, she won’t accept it.”
The director sagged in his chair.
“Then what will it take for you to come back?”
“I already told you,” Lucas said with a smirk. “Either pause production for a month while I calm her down… or replace the female lead with my girlfriend.”
Director Stone looked completely defeated.
“Is there a third option?” he asked hoarsely. “I searched for a long time to find this actress. She’s perfect for the role. I can’t replace her—and we can’t stop production.”
Lucas’s expression hardened.
“I’m not discussing this. I’m informing you. If I go back now, she’ll break up with me. If I lose my girlfriend, can you take responsibility?”
I had been standing there the entire time, silently watching.
Finally, I couldn’t hold back any longer.
“May I speak to him?”
Director Stone hesitated, then handed me the phone.
Lucas saw me on screen and lifted an eyebrow, his expression full of disdain.
I ignored it.
“How about this?” I asked calmly. “You both come back. Let her join the cast as my stand-in. You can film the romantic scenes together. I guarantee there will be no physical contact between you and me. She can stay on set and watch, and you won’t have to worry about her leaving you.”
Director Stone looked at me, gratitude filling his eyes.
But Lucas chuckled.
He looked me up and down, slow and dismissive.
“You want my girlfriend to be your stand-in?” he sneered. “Do you think you’re even worthy?”
He leaned back, his voice dripping with contempt.
“You’re not as pretty as my girlfriend. I refuse. She can only be the lead actress—never someone’s stand-in.”
My grip tightened around the phone.
Lucas turned his attention back to the director.
“Director, if you don’t make the change, I’m out. Go find another male lead. Your losses will be more than just a month’s delay.”
Director Stone snapped.
“No. We signed a contract!”
“A contract?” Lucas laughed. “Don’t forget, I’m a trending actor with half a million followers. This show depends on me. Without me, what are you?”
The screen went black.
He had hung up.
When I tried to call back, his phone was already off.
Smash.
Director Stone hurled his phone to the ground. The screen shattered instantly.
“What an arrogant jerk!”
He paced the room, teeth clenched.
“If you don’t want the role, then don’t film it!”
Then he sank into his chair, looking utterly defeated.
Silence filled the room.
After about fifteen minutes, he looked up at me, his eyes red but calmer.
“Jane… the male lead isn’t coming. We need a new one. Do you know anyone?”
I paused.
A name surfaced in my mind.
“Director… there’s an actor. He doesn’t talk much, but his acting is excellent.”
His eyes lit up.
“Who?”
“Ethan Cole.”
He frowned.
“Never heard of him.”
“He mostly does serious dramas. Not many variety shows. But his acting is incredible—and he fits this role even better than Lucas.”
“Do you have his contact?”
I nodded and called him.
He answered quickly.
I explained the situation in a few brief sentences.
There was a two-second silence.
Then he said one word.
“Okay.”