- 3.
That night, sleep evaded me. I kept thinking
PS]Y‘+ 〉་པ༦ ཕཤ+ ‘་ཕཤ〉
owoy in Ethan’s study
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10:05
434
about the safe tucked away in Ethan’s study,
the one I’d never opened. Tonight, I opened it in seconds. I finally knew the code: Sarah’s
birthday.
Inside, weren’t love letters or mementos as I’d imagined. There was a single company seal. The name on it sent a chill down my spine. It was a company I had no connection to, yet the name was familiar. It was the primary investor in every film and endorsement deal Sarah had landed. I’d always wondered how Sarah, with her mediocre acting skills, secured such
incredible resources, even better than mine. The
puzzle pieces clicked into place. Ethan had
been her secret benefactor.
There was that time a renowned director had
offered me the lead in his new film. The script, the team, everything was perfect. I’d cleared my schedule for six months, trained rigorously, endured so much. I’d gushed about it to Ethan
countless times, only to have him say, “Honey,
why put yourself through all that? Isn’t being my
wife enough?”
<
434
Then, days before filming, the director, despite the hefty penalty, replaced me with Sarah. This
mysterious company had tripled the investment, snatching the role for her.
I placed the seal back, closed the safe. In the
darkness, tears blurred my vision. My phone
buzzed, the screen blindingly bright.
“Ms. White, are you absolutely sure?” “Yes.”
It was time to exit their three–person game.
