Perishing in Her Least Loving Moment

Part 7

I shifted slightly before finally settling into the car. After over an hour's drive to the suburbs, Hank turned to face me, remaining silent as his assistant and the driver stepped out, leaving just the two of us inside.

Through his sunglasses, he scrutinized me from head to toe before speaking slowly. "Actually, I heard your name a long time ago. When the filming of 'Love at the End of the Road' wrapped, Jasmin got drunk and fell asleep on my lap, tightly clutching my hand while repeatedly calling out three words."

"Later, when I chatted with the screenwriter, I connected you with that name, but I kept deluding myself into thinking it was just a coincidence."

"As soon as you spoke, I knew you were talking about Jasmin. Do you have any idea how afraid I was that you might reveal the truth? You should understand her better than I do; once she realizes she's betrayed her past lover to be with me, she will surely spiral into endless anguish."

Hank removed his sunglasses as he spoke. I noticed the dark circles under his eyes; he didn't appear as pristine as one might expect. "When I first met Jasmin, she suffered from severe insomnia. In the crew, she was often terrifyingly quiet, not speaking to anyone unless it was about music, which would make her smile. I knew nothing about music or her, yet I was willing to approach her."

"I know she loves me because I played your role, bringing back memories of you, but my feelings for her were never just some fan-infatuation. I've never loved anyone as seriously as I love Jasmin, and I believe my love for her is no less than yours!"

Hank's voice rose with the final words, charged with emotion. His desperation pierced the air like a knife, each word stinging me deeply. I sat quietly, feeling dizzy, as if my temples were being mercilessly pounded.

I had secretly followed the social media narrative of Jasmin and Hank's relationship. In that circle, there was a highly-upvoted post, penned with exquisite detail by a blogger who vividly described Hank's devotion to Jasmin.

When they first met, Jasmin was still an unknown newcomer while Hank was a celebrated idol. He wasn't afraid that his career would suffer; he boldly made their relationship public, even helping Jasmin pay off her breach of contract fees, enduring backlash for being "love-struck."

Eventually, when Jasmin skyrocketed to fame with "Love at the End of the Road" and her self-composed music went viral, her status surpassed Hank's. Their busy careers didn't separate them; Hank proposed at a concert, solidifying their commitment to one another, as they offered one another the necessary security in the treacherous waters of the entertainment industry.

The blogger concluded that if Hank and Jasmin ever broke up, she would lose faith in true love. The post was a piercing reminder of Hank's deep affection, rendering my past with Jasmin increasingly insignificant.

If I truly came between them, I would become an eternal villain. I even contemplated whether fate had orchestrated an accident to erase Jasmin's memory, freeing her from the burden of me and allowing her to find someone better.

We exchanged no words. Eventually, Hank put his sunglasses back on, hiding his reddened eyes. "I've already paid someone to suppress the rumors online. Jasmin is currently shooting a film and is unaware of all this. But if you decide to reveal your connection with her, I can't stop you, nor will I resort to illegal actions."

"From the way you looked at Jasmin that day, I know you still love her. That's why I harbored animosity toward you. I can apologize and even kneel before you. I'll do whatever you ask..."

"But if you truly want her to be happy, keep all of this buried in your heart."