The living room still echoed with tension and fruit-scented rage. Jack Sullivan sat on the edge of the couch like a prisoner waiting for his sentencing. Across from him, Wendy Sullivan stood tall, chin high, apple peeler in one hand and sheer maternal fury in the other.George quietly sipped his tea in the corner, wisely staying silent.Lisa Johnson sniffled next to Jack, wiping her eyes and clearly unsure if this was a marriage crisis or a hostage negotiation.Jack tried again, cautiously. “Mom—can I just explai—”“Shut it!” Wendy snapped, waving the peeler like a courtroom gavel. “You had your chance. You stayed quiet while this sweet girl cried herself into asking for a divorce.”“I didn’t ask her to cry!” Jack muttered.“Exactly! You didn’t ask. You didn’t ask anything, because you treat your marriage like it’s a business transaction!” Wendy turned to Lisa and patted her shoulder. “Don’t worry, honey. We’ll fix him. Like you fix a broken washing machine.”Jack groaned. “I’m not a

The air at Volcano Crest Resort carried a strange weight—thick with steam from the hot springs, yet heavier with the tension rising between Jack Sullivan and the woman who had once meant everything to him.Nancy Winter.The nation's darling. Red carpet royalty. America's fantasy in heels.But now, up close, her eyes weren’t full of glamour. They burned with something far more dangerous—betrayal.She walked toward him with the grace of a panther, smile as sharp as glass. Cameras flashed around her, but all she saw was him.“Well, look who decided to return from the grave,” Nancy said, folding her arms. “The great Jack Sullivan. Alive. Breathing. Married.”Jack didn’t blink. “Nancy—”“No,” she cut in, voice ice-cold. “You don’t get to say my name like that. Like you didn’t vanish off the face of the earth without even a damn voicemail.”Jack exhaled. “It wasn’t what you think.”Nancy laughed bitterly. “Oh, I’m sure. You were busy, right? Got lost in a grocery store aisle for five years?

Jack Sullivan stood in the marble-tiled hallway of the Volcano Crest Resort, watching Rachel Young and her overly lip-glossed friend Tina Yale scroll through their phones like they were auditioning for who could ignore him faster.When Jack casually mentioned he knew Nancy Winter, Tina burst out laughing.“Please,” she said, waving her French-manicured fingers in the air. “You? Know Nancy Winter? That’s like a squirrel saying it dated an eagle.”Jack raised an eyebrow. “We grew up together.”Tina smirked. “Yeah? And I once dated Superman. We all have our fairy tales.”Rachel, standing off to the side, looked at Jack with a raised brow, her voice cautious. “Wait, are you serious? Nancy Nancy?”Jack shrugged. “You don’t have to believe me.”Tina scoffed and crossed her arms. “Good. Because we don’t. You’re clearly trying to sound impressive just because we’re here for an audition. What’s next? You’ll say you’re the executive producer’s secret twin?”Jack gave a half-smile. “If that woul

The casting line at Volcano Crest Resort barely moved.Rachel Young stood in heels that pinched and a dress she didn’t even like, eyes flicking toward the fake movie banner ahead: Spring Heart, Winter Flame. A glorified soap opera wrapped in indie film packaging—except everyone knew what it really was.A gift-wrapped vanity project for Nancy Winter, funded by someone with too much money and not enough talent.Beside her, Tina Yale tapped away on her phone, smirking as she read through a gossip blog post.“I swear,” Tina said, laughing, “if Nancy gets any more plastic surgery, the next red carpet should be hosted by a recycling plant.”Rachel shot her a look. “Maybe don’t say that right before we walk in to audition to play her servant?”Tina shrugged, unbothered. “Oh, please. She doesn’t even know who’s getting cast. The real boss here is Tyler Tian.”Rachel raised an eyebrow. “You mean the guy funding all this?”Tina grinned, leaning in like she was sharing state secrets. “You really

Rachel Young stood dripping in front of the steaming pool, arms clutched around herself, face burning redder than the volcanic mist surrounding them. She wanted to vanish. Right there. Into the steam, the water, the ground—anywhere but here.“I—it was an accident!” she stammered, looking at Tina, Wendy, and the furious man storming toward them.But no one was listening.Thomas Tang, red-faced and puffed up like a spoiled goose, stood in the doorway with his guards flanking him like bulldogs on a leash. His expensive shirt was unbuttoned halfway like he was auditioning for a mob boss role he had no business playing."You humiliate me in public," Thomas snarled, pointing a shaking finger at Jack. "You touch what’s mine, and you think you’ll walk away? I’ll crush you! You have no idea who I am!”Jack didn’t flinch.Still standing half-submerged in the spring, he calmly handed Rachel a towel. “Dry off. Don’t catch a cold.”Rachel blinked at him, stunned by his cool demeanor.He’s calm? Wi