Chapter 1

Mandy Gu's young kept man contacted me out of the blue.

"We've been on 100 dates in total. She initiated 68 of them, and I asked her out 24 times."

"Oh, and 8 times were at your place."

...

I knew him. He was a minor character in Mandy's new drama.

I remember the first time I saw him on set, I knew.

This 18-year-old boy looked exactly like Mandy's first love from years ago.

She still couldn't forget him.

"You're just a personal assistant with a measly $300 monthly salary."

"You can't satisfy her needs. I can satisfy everything."

With a click, the call ended.

After standing there stunned for a long time, I put out my cigarette.

Then I edited a text message and hit send.

[Sis, I agree to the arranged marriage.]

That night, Mandy's young kept man called me. His sickeningly sweet voice made me nauseous.

"Ethan, I'll call you 'bro' one last time."

"You know what? I just got out of Mandy's trailer."

"Just now, we used up the hundredth one."

My hand holding the cigarette trembled, ashes falling onto the leather sofa, burning a small black hole.

"And then?"

The other end of the line seemed startled by my feigned calmness, sounding a bit dissatisfied.

"Mandy doesn't love you at all!"

"To tell you the truth, the set was on break today, but she stayed behind to be with me."

I couldn't help but laugh. Are young people these days always so blunt?

After taking a deep drag of my cigarette, I replied.

"I've been by her side for ten years. You're not the first man to appear in her life."

An angry voice came from the other end of the phone.

"Mandy is an A-list actress. You're just her personal assistant with a $300 salary. Do you think you two are a match?"

"You can't satisfy her needs. I can satisfy everything!"

"Both in bed and in the entertainment circle!"

I smirked.

Turning my head, I looked at the twelve dishes laid out on the table.

They had long gone cold.

Each one was made by me, all Mandy's favorites.

An hour ago,

Mandy called to say she had to work late at the set and wouldn't be coming home.

An hour later, her kept man called to gloat.

No wonder everyone else on the crew got time off except the two of them who were "working overtime."

No wonder her voice sounded a bit breathless on the phone earlier.

I lit another cigarette, exhaling smoke.

"Anything else interesting? Go on."

My attitude angered the person on the other end of the line.

"Ethan, let me tell you the truth!"

"Last month when you had a gastric ulcer emergency, she was with me when you called her. I told her not to go."

"On your birthday six months ago, she didn't come back because she was out of town with me at a hot spring."

"Don't forget, there was also that incident three years ago..."

...

Beep beep beep.

My brows furrowed as I hung up the phone, my chest aching uncontrollably.

She even told him about the incident from three years ago.

And during all those moments when I was struggling alone, Mandy was cuddling and flirting in someone else's arms.

I couldn't help but laugh bitterly.

A first love is indeed a first love.

Even with just a slight resemblance, it could make Mandy willingly give her all.

Without realizing it, the ashtray was full.

Three years ago, Mandy accidentally got pregnant with my child.

But we weren't married.

Although I had been her boyfriend for many years, I always claimed to be her personal assistant to the outside world, living and eating with her.

Because Mandy was still waiting for her first love who had gone abroad years ago.

She refused to marry for Lucas Lu's sake, so naturally, she wouldn't keep a child with me either.

Three years ago, Mandy went to the hospital for an abortion without discussing it with me.

"My child can only be Lucas's. This is non-negotiable and doesn't require your consent."

"Remember your place, Ethan. You're just my personal assistant. Don't foolishly think you can tie me down with a child."

Around the same time, this young kept man joined the crew. His name was Alex Liu.

The moment I saw him, I knew.

He looked very much like Lucas Lu.

Very much like that childhood sweetheart of Mandy's.