Back Stabber [COMPLETED]

13

March 4th 2024 / 3 days later  Monday

Tzuyus POV

Dressing Room

Sitting in the makeup chair, I stared at my reflection as the makeup artist applied a light layer of foundation to my skin. It was supposed to be a normal day of shooting.

"Are you okay, Tzuyu?", the makeup artist asked softly, her voice cutting through my haze.

"Yeah", I replied quickly, forcing a smile.

"Just a bit tired".

She nodded, her eyes filled with sympathy, but thankfully, she didn't push any further. I closed my eyes, letting her continue.

"Tzuyu", my manager called out as he walked into the room, his voice casual but with an edge that made my stomach tighten.

I glanced up in the mirror as he approached, holding a clipboard in one hand.

"Can we talk for a second?".

I nodded, even though I already had a feeling I knew where this was going. He stood beside me, crossing his arms.

"I don't usually pay attention to the gossip sites, but this morning, something caught my eye. It by the clebgossip. Are you and Sana... okay? There are rumours going around that you've broken up".

My heart pounded in my chest as I tried to think of what to say. What could I say? Yes, we were broken up. Yes, Sana and I were getting a divorce. Yes, she was halfway across the world with someone else, and everything was falling apart. But I couldn't say that. Not here. Not now. So I forced another smile, the same one I'd practiced in front of the mirror countless times. The same one I used to convince everyone including myself that everything was fine.

"No, Sana and I are fine", I said.

My manager raised an eyebrow, clearly not convinced.

"You sure? Because those photos of her in America with that woman... they're making headlines".

I swallowed hard, trying to keep my expression neutral.

"She's just spending time with a friend. The media always blows things out of proportion. You know how it is".

He watched me carefully for a moment, clearly trying to gauge whether or not I was telling the truth. I kept my face steady, not letting anything slip. I had to lie. I had to protect what little privacy I had left.

"Okay. But if something does come up... you know you can talk to me, right?", she said.

I nodded, offering him another forced smile.

"I appreciate it, but really, things are fine. Just... the usual media circus".

He gave me a sceptical look but didn't push further.

"Alright, then. Just stay focused today, okay? We've got a tight schedule, and we need you at your best", she said.

"Of course", I assured him.

As he walked off, I let out a slow breath, trying to steady my nerves. My chest felt tight, and the weight of the lie settled deep in my stomach. How had it come to this? How had we gone from being so in love to... whatever this was? Why did everything feel like it was slipping through my fingers, and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't hold on?