Chapter 1 The Past
Lily Martin never thought she'd run into David Jones like this.
Their divorce had left them both in pieces.
But six years had gone by, and now she was pretending to date Joshua Thomas, the lead actor on her new TV show, to boost her popularity. They even appeared on the reality dating show "Love Unlocked," which was set up by their agency.
"Lily, can you tell us about your ideal type?" the host asked.
Joshua gave her a dazzling smile as soon as the question was asked.
Lily thought, This is what our industry is all about; we use all our acting skills here.
Just as the atmosphere was heating up and she was about to fake a smile, she looked up and saw David, who had just taken his seat.
He was dressed in a perfectly tailored black suit that highlighted his tall, commanding presence. Just sitting there, he radiated a cold elegance, his demeanor as distant as ice.
Lily was momentarily thrown off, but years of experience helped her quickly regain her composure.
When did he come back to the country?
It seemed strange for a Best Actor to be a guest on a dating show...
"Clean features, clear eyes, a straight nose, and well-defined lips—someone who looks gentle and handsome."
Lily's heart raced, her throat tightened. Her mind went blank, and instinctively, she clenched her fingers, the dampness and slight pain in her palms barely keeping her grounded.
"Are you describing someone specific?" David asked, adjusting his glasses and looking at Lily.
Through the lenses, Lily saw her own panicked reflection. She tried to look away, but her gaze was magnetically drawn to David.
His shirt collar was crisp, his Adam's apple subtly moving, and the studio lights cast a small shadow on his eyelashes...
The 29-year-old man overlapped with the 17-year-old boy in sportswear; the once clear and bright foster child was forced into a secret relationship with a wealthy family's overweight daughter.
"Haha, everyone has an image of their ideal person in their heart," Joshua said ambiguously, adding fuel for tonight's trending topics.
The host moved on to the next guest, and David continued to interact as usual.
So, he didn't recognize me.
Lily's heart finally settled, and she felt much more at ease.
Now she was the actress Lily Martin, no longer the Emily Johnson of the past.
Nearly six feet tall and only 108 pounds, she had fully recovered from her past illness and regained a healthy complexion.
During the recording break, many people rushed to get David's autograph.
Joshua pulled her along, eager to join the crowd.
As they got closer, Lily couldn't help but be drawn to David. The familiar yet unfamiliar face brought her thoughts back to the ICU.
The monitor's waveform was weak but persistent.
The real-time vital signs data constantly reminded her that her son's blood oxygen levels were always on the edge.
Her fingers unconsciously tightened again until the makeup artist called her, and she quickly let go.
"Ms. Martin, we need to touch up your lipstick. It will fade on camera," the makeup artist gently reminded her, picking up a berry-colored lip gloss to touch up Lily's makeup.
Out of the corner of her eye, she observed David.
David wore rimless glasses, still looking as indifferent and elegant as ever. His face was expressionless, his deep-set eyes fixed on the other actors as they interacted. When he heard their compliments, his thin lips pressed into a straight line.
Suddenly, he turned to Lily and said, "Your performance in your last movie was pretty good. Looks like we'll be working together on the next one."
David looked up, and there was Lily in her soft pink silk slip dress. The color was perfectly chosen, gentle and non-threatening, highlighting her curves without being too revealing, striking the right balance.
Beautiful women were common in the entertainment industry, but today, David couldn't help but take a few more glances at Lily.
The slip dress design revealed her graceful collarbones and shoulder line, her smooth skin glowing under the warm light.
"I only have a few lines, and my screen time is very limited. I doubt we'll have any scenes together, Mr. Jones," she replied politely, then turned her gaze elsewhere.
The show continued recording, and David frowned slightly, thinking Lily found him presumptuous, so he didn't disturb her further. But he couldn't shake the inexplicable familiarity that made him want to talk to her more.
After a busy afternoon, David returned to his dressing room. Soon, the producer, William Brown, rushed in.
"David, you're really going all out for Mia Wilson. She won't be a guest for a few more episodes, and you're already here to support her? By the way, our old classmates' reunion is next week. Everyone in Emerald City will be there. You've been so busy these past few years, you can't miss it this time."
"I know. If I don't have any commitments, I'll be there," David replied calmly.
"David, you have no idea how many reunions we've organized. You, Mia, and Emily always miss them."
Talking about their quirky classmates, William couldn't stop: "Do you remember that really fat Emily? She disappeared before finishing college. She used to follow you around all the time. It was disgusting. You must have been really annoyed by her."
David's body tensed slightly, a ripple of emotion crossing his usually composed face.
"David, what are you spacing out for?"
"…How long has it been since she disappeared?"
His tone was very calm, even deliberately distant, but his fingers, with their distinct joints, kept nervously tracing the edge of his rough coat, an unconscious sign of anxiety.
"Who? Emily? No one can contact her. She probably pissed someone off and got sent to the slaughterhouse! Haha!"
William kept talking, but David stopped listening. He was too tired to respond to his agent's messages.
Back at his Emerald City villa, David went to the deepest part of his closet and took out a gift box containing a special watch.
The watch had many scratches on its face, so he had carefully stored it away.
Emily?
Thinking of her, David felt something he had been suppressing was about to erupt—was it anger? Disgust? Or some deeper fear he didn't want to admit?
Lily drove her small car to the hospital, her thoughts in turmoil, even recalling the high school rooftop...
That day, she received a note from David asking her to meet him on the rooftop.
She went up there, full of joy, only to hear David's cold voice.
"Do whatever you want with her, just don't kill her. I'm curious how you guys are interested in someone so fat."
"I was just curious. She's so fat and disgusting. I can't believe you can stand being around her every day."
"We'll be apart soon. In a month, I'll be leaving the country." David always spoke with such detachment, like nothing ever got to him.
That day, Lily stood outside the rooftop door, her heart shattered into pieces.
David used to be the golden boy from a wealthy family. Lily always thought he was out of her league. However, his family faced hard times during his high school, and when they met again, his dad was working as a driver for her family.
Living under the same roof, they often ran into each other. Emily did everything she could to meet his needs, silently nurturing her love for him, until the day he invited his friends over to the Johnson Villa for a party.
Teenagers are sensitive to subtle changes, and they quickly picked up on the tension between Emily and David, allowing Emily to join their group.
On the rooftop of the Johnson Villa that day, David watched Emily bustling around and grabbed her by the arm.
"Just stay by my side. You don't need to worry about them."
It was one of the rare times he showed concern. Emily, a bit embarrassed, held his hand. The moment their eyes met, the atmosphere between them changed. She remembered holding her breath, her clear eyes silently meeting his gaze.
Emily wasn't ugly; it was her illness that made her gain weight. Even now, she couldn't be sure if the heat that day had made them act so irrationally.
When their trembling lips met, they were both ignited by something indescribable, their minds going blank.
They were so engrossed that they didn't notice the faint sound of the rooftop door opening, followed by gasps and curses of disbelief.
The look on David's face at that moment was something Lily would never forget.
It was a mix of disgust, loathing, and repulsion, like waking from a bad dream—utter humiliation.
From that day on, rumors about her changed from being the fat girl to being a slut who seduced men. David said nothing, letting people slander her. From that day, he started avoiding Lily.
Lily's life became even harder. Her classmates, who already bullied her because of her illness, now tormented her even more for "touching" David, making her school days unbearable.
Forcing herself to move past the pain, Lily parked her car in the hospital's underground garage.
When she reached her son's hospital room, she still hadn't shaken off the pain.
Chase Martin, sensing her discomfort, grabbed her hand and gently shook it, comforting her with a soft "Mommy."
It brought Lily back from her suffocating memories. She couldn't bear to think about it anymore; it was the darkest time of her life.
"Was today tough? I saw Dad in the preview of your show."
As Chase grew, he began to look more and more like David.
Lily hadn't expected Chase to bring it up. Looking into his clear eyes, she was momentarily stunned.
She suddenly realized that Chase, who had been battling a platelet disorder since birth, had spent most of his life in the hospital.
Even though she had given many reasons for David's absence, Chase was still very sensitive about the lack of a father figure.
Not to mention, last year Chase had found a "photo" of her and David in her drawer, a cut-and-paste collage she had made.
"It just looks similar, that's all. Chase, how about we go to sleep?" Lily kissed Chase's forehead and held him close.
Only after Chase fell asleep did Lily feel a bit of relief. She picked up her personal phone and saw a barrage of messages from her friend Olivia Smith.
"Lily! Your class is having another reunion, and I heard David and Mia will be there. Are you going? William even came looking for you through me. Of course, I didn't tell him anything. It's your call, but I want to know! They had the nerve to say you were dead. If they knew you're a big star now and so beautiful, they'd regret it."
Lily shook her head at the messages.
Emily was dead, buried in the past. If they hadn't run out of gossip, they wouldn't have looked for her. It was laughable.
"Let them think that. I'm at the hospital with Chase. Come visit; he misses you."
"Don't worry, we'll be together soon. Our brand is looking for a new spokesperson, and I've been recommending you like crazy. There's definitely a chance."
Their chat lightened Lily's mood.
Then Olivia sent another message: "By the way, Lily, I saw you and David on that show. Did he recognize you?"