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Chapter 4
As I spoke, Christopher's breathing on the other end of the line grew heavier, more agitated, just like when he used to get pissed off.
I had no patience for his curses, so I cut the call and powered off my phone.
Then, using my work phone, I contacted the country's top entertainment reporters, instructing them to blow up the news of Christopher carrying Mia to the hospital.
The reporters were taken aback.
"Miss Sophia, are you sure about this?"
I could understand their surprise. In the past, I always paid to bury stories like this, spinning them as just part of filming.
But this time? I had no intention of playing nice.
With a divorce already on my mind, I wanted to make sure I came out ahead when it came to splitting our joint assets.
"I have one condition," I told them.
There was a short pause before one of the reporters asked, "What's the condition, Miss Sophia?"
"I want 50% of the profits," I said, confident. "If you agree, I'll sign the contract now and provide even more exclusive insider information."
The reporters couldn't hide their excitement.
After all, no one could resist the drama of a celebrity's tangled love life.
The very next day, Christopher and Mia's so-called "childhood romance" was everywhere, trending at the top of every social media platform.
Instead of trying to cover it up, I scheduled an interview with my new assistant.
That evening, Christopher rushed back from filming in another city.
Even across the living room, I could smell Mia's perfume on him.
"Sophia," he said, his voice heavy with tension, "aren't you going to explain yourself?"
I looked up at him, cold and calm, as if nothing had happened.
His eyes bore into me, like a snake ready to strike, a stark reminder of the venomous look he gave me that night on the mountain.
"Do you even realize the damage you've done to Mia's career?" he snapped.
"The paparazzi are surrounding her house. She can't even step outside without being harassed!"
I didn't flinch. I just kept munching on chips, staring at the TV screen, uninterested.
"Isn't this exactly what the fans want?" I asked, almost amused. "It's good publicity for the drama too."
"I made this decision after weighing the pros and cons."
Those words were hauntingly familiar. He'd said the exact same thing to me two years ago.
Mia had been filming a scene where her character falls off a cliff. It was her first big role, and right before the shoot, she told Christopher she was terrified of heights.
So, to make sure there were no delays and the shot looked real, Christopher ordered me to step in, wear Mia's costume, and jump off the 50-foot cliff, without any safety equipment.
"Mia said there are safety mats at the bottom, Sophia. Come on, what's the hold-up?"
"Christopher... I'm afraid of heights too."
I clung to his arm, but he shoved me away like I was a nuisance.
"When did you become such a pain in the ass? You were fine before Mia came along. Are you trying to mess things up, Sophia?"
"But... I really am scared of heights."
"Enough with the excuses!" he snapped. "I'm doing this after weighing the pros and cons, okay?"
And with that, he pushed me off the cliff without a second thought.
That scene didn't exactly show my face clearly.
To this day, Mia's fans still gush about her "dedication" to never using a stunt double.
It was that one scene that shot her to superstardom, making her the industry's most sought-after actress.
Meanwhile, I was the one who got shoved off a 50-foot cliff by Christopher, with no safety measures in sight. I broke my right leg and spent six months in the hospital.
Out of all that time, Christopher came to see me once, just to bring Mia in because her cat scratched her finger.
We were literally just rooms apart, but he couldn't bother to visit. Apparently, his shoes were too precious to get dirty.
Now, as the silence between us grew thick, I calmly pulled out the divorce papers I had already prepared and placed them on the coffee table.
Looking him straight in the eye, I said, "Christopher, let's get divorced."