In the presidential suite of a seven-star hotel one morning, Anna Bruce lazily stretched her hand out from under the covers and groped towards the bedside.

The sunlight was streaming onto her at that moment, highlighting her shapely curves in a way that was simply enchanting.

She was like a nymph in the jungle, both alluring and full of vitality. But the spot beside her was already cold.

She sat up abruptly and scanned the room.

There, by the floor-to-ceiling window, stood William Hank.

The morning light outlined his sturdy and tall back as he methodically fastened the buttons of his dress shirt.

"Awake?" William Hank turned around, his voice deep, and his gaze landed on Anna Bruce lying on the bed.

He reached into the inner pocket of his suit, took out a check, and casually tossed it onto the bed.

The amount on it was an astonishing thirty million dollars.

Then he took out a document.

"This is the resource for the S-class project. It's the one you've always wanted to star in, and now it's yours."

Anna Bruce pulled up the quilt that had slipped off her shoulder. When she saw the check and the document, a flicker of surprise flashed in her eyes.

She knew that William Hank had a place for her in his heart.

He had always been providing her with resources and money, which had helped her become quite successful in the entertainment industry. She picked up the check, hesitated for a moment, and then gently placed it back on the bed.

"William Hank, you've already given me so much. I want to earn this resource on my own this time."

Upon hearing this, William Hank crossed his arms over his chest and let out a soft chuckle, his tone tinged with a bit of disdain.

"What's this, my little canary? Now you want to rely on yourself? Hmph! Don't come crawling back to me when you end up getting your ass kicked."

Anna Bruce bit her lower lip, a sense of defiance still lingering in her heart.

She said stubbornly, "I want to give it a try. And this time, I believe I can win the lead role with my own strength."

A complex emotion flashed across William Hank's eyes, vanishing in an instant.

He was silent for a moment, and his voice gradually turned cold.

"Take it. You might not get another chance like this."

"Huh? What do you mean?"

Anna Bruce's heart tightened, and she stared at him in confusion.

"The person I love is back," William Hank said nonchalantly, but his eyes avoided Anna Bruce's.

"As of now, our relationship as bed partners is over."

Anna Bruce's head buzzed, and her eyes widened in shock.

Her hands unconsciously clenched the quilt.

Her lips trembled, and it took her a while to choke out a sentence. "William Hank, aren't we... lovers? In the past five years, haven't you had the slightest bit of real feelings for me?"

Her eyes fixed on him, full of expectation.

Unfortunately, reality dealt her a harsh blow.

William Hank methodically adjusted his cufflinks.

He sneered, "Lovers? What, do you still have the delusion of becoming the young mistress of the Hank family?!"

Suddenly, he turned and stepped closer, his eyes like icy blades sweeping across her face.

He raised his hand and roughly grabbed her chin.

"Look at yourself! Do you really think you're good enough?"

Anna Bruce's eyes instantly welled up with tears, and her nails dug deep into her palms.

"William Hank, you said you loved me. You were the one who came onto me in the first place..."

William Hank's gaze slowly examined her face, as if recalling something.

Suddenly, he turned away.

His voice was icy cold as he said, "I said, it's over."

With that, he headed towards the door.

When he reached the door, he paused but didn't turn around.

"From now on, take care of yourself..."

Anna Bruce slumped down on the edge of the bed, tears silently streaming down her face.

A chill spread throughout her body.

She looked out the window at the falling leaves.

"Am I really that stupid to fall in love with someone who was never going to give me a future? He's the Mr. Hank who can manipulate everything in the entertainment industry. And what am I? If I hadn't met him five years ago, I might have been dead by now..."

Five years ago, in a cramped, less - than - ten - square - meter rental apartment.

The sky outside was just beginning to lighten when the alarm clock on the bedside started blaring like crazy, one shrill ring after another. Anna Bruce jolted awake from her sleep.

"Shit!"

She quickly reached up to steady her head.

Due to staying up late filming the previous night, her head was still groggy, and her eyes were sore and bloodshot.

But the moment she thought of her mother in the hospital bed and her younger brother still in school, she instantly sobered up.

"Anna Bruce, come on! You can definitely become an Oscar - winning actress!"

She carried out her daily pep - talk ritual in front of the chipped and blurry mirror.

She tried to force a smile, but the reflection showed a pale - faced girl with heavy dark circles under her eyes and bloodless lips.

On the film set, the sun was blazing hot that day, and the temperature was extremely high.

It made people feel dizzy.

At the moment, Anna Bruce, dressed in a palace maid's costume, was kneeling on the cobblestones...

Beads of sweat the size of soybeans rolled down her cheeks continuously, soaking her collar and back.

Ellen Lincon, wearing a gorgeous imperial concubine's costume and high - heeled flower - pot shoes, "clacked" towards her, her eyes filled with contempt and disgust.

"Greetings to the Imperial Concubine. May you live a long and prosperous life!"

Anna Bruce recited the lines as per the script.

Suddenly, "Slap!"

Ellen Lincon raised her hand and landed a hard slap.

"You slut! How dare you seduce the Emperor? I'll teach you a lesson!" Her shrill voice echoed on the set.

Anna Bruce's face was slapped to the side, and her cheek burned with pain.

A trickle of blood oozed from the corner of her mouth.

"Damn it!" The crew members on the set gasped.

They were all wondering why Ellen would hit so hard.

Hadn't it been agreed that they could use a fake - hit technique? Ignoring the pain, Anna Bruce was about to continue with the scene when Ellen said, "Director, I don't think my emotions were intense enough just now. How about... I give it another try?"

As she spoke, her eyes fluttered, sending a flirtatious look towards the director.

"Sure, Ellen. Get ready, and we'll shoot this scene again."

By now, Anna Bruce understood that the director was in cahoots with Ellen.

It seemed that the torment she was about to endure today was inevitable.

Ellen Lincon's delicately - made - up face was filled with smugness. She took a step closer and taunted, "You think you can compete with me for the role? Look at yourself! What do you think you are?"

Anna Bruce held back her tears.

She was in desperate need of money.

If she lost this role, she didn't know when she'd get another chance to be in a movie.

For the sake of her family, she had to swallow her pride.

The second time, the third time...

Ellen Lincon kept deliberately making things difficult, hitting her harder each time.

"What, can't take it anymore? If you can't stand it, get the hell off the set!"

Ellen sneered as she kept slapping.

Anna Bruce's cheeks were now swollen, blood was seeping from the corner of her mouth, and her body was swaying unsteadily.

Sensing that things might get out of hand, the director finally called out, "Cut!"

Anna Bruce stumbled to a corner of the set.

It was the actors' meal time.

She picked up the work - meal filled with cheap vegetarian dishes. Suddenly, she felt an intense sense of being watched, which sent a shiver down her spine.

She spun around and looked around, but all she saw were the busy figures of the crew members on the set.

Maybe she was just too tired these days and was hallucinating.

Ha! A nobody like her, who would pay attention?

Anna Bruce shook her head with a bitter smile, mocking herself...

After wrapping up the day's shoot, Ellen Lincon, strutting like a proud peacock, sashayed up to her.

"Anna Bruce, so what if you won first place in this new - actor competition? In this industry, without any connections or a powerful backer, you'll always be stuck in minor supporting roles!"

Ellen Lincon pulled a script out of her bag and waved it in front of Anna Bruce's face.

"Take a look! This is the script for the next movie. Jealous, aren't you? With just a word from me, I can easily get the role. As for a nobody like you, I suggest you give up now and stop daydreaming!"

Anna Bruce clenched her fists so tightly that her nails dug deep into her palms, and the veins on the back of her hands bulged.

She shouted angrily, "Don't be so arrogant! You only got your roles by sleeping with the director. If it were based on real talent, the lead role in this drama would be mine."

"Hahaha!" Ellen Lincon let out a shrill laugh.

"In this industry, you actually believe that talent alone can get you good roles? You're such a naive rube who doesn't understand the rules! Looks like I won't be seeing you around in this circle much longer. Well, I'll be generous and give you one last piece of advice." She took a step forward and slapped Anna Bruce's swollen cheek, which was as puffy as a steamed bun, one hard slap after another.

"In the entertainment industry, connections and dirty tricks are always the most important. Talent? That's bullshit!"

With a contemptuous sneer, she turned and walked away.

Late at night, back in her small, dimly - lit rental apartment, Anna Bruce slid down to the floor and stared up at the ceiling.

She could no longer hold back her emotions, and tears poured out like a flood.

No matter how hard she worked or how good her acting skills were, the result was always the same.

The roles she dreamed of were always snatched away by those who had connections and were pre - selected.

Was it really that hard for her to make it big?

Just as she was wallowing in despair, feeling that there was no hope in life, her phone suddenly rang.

She grabbed it like a drowning person clutching at a life - preserver and quickly swiped to answer.

On the other end of the line, she heard her agent's familiar and urgent voice.

"Tomorrow night at 8 o'clock, I've arranged a dinner with the director for you. This time, even though you lost the lead role, you should at least try to get the second or third female lead. Otherwise, do you want the company to go broke because of you?"

Suddenly, the image of the director she had met today flashed through her mind.

That man was just like Ellen Lincon, a total scumbag.

Just thinking about his disgusting words and actions made her feel sick.

She didn't have the slightest bit of liking for him.

She was about to open her mouth and refuse.

"Mathew, I don't want to go..."

Her agent's roar immediately hurt her eardrums.

"What right do you have to refuse? Get your head straight. The company has invested a lot of money in you. If you make the company lose money, you'll never get a chance to make it in this business again."

After this harsh threat, her agent "slammed" the phone down.