Behind the Glamour and Shadows

Chapter 1

**Title: A Husband's New World**

Lydia Fairchild, a once-unknown director, found herself in a shocking predicament—she had lost her memory. Upon awakening, she discovered she had catapulted herself into a new life as a rising star in the entertainment industry, not only establishing her career but also gaining a husband.

Her husband, Landon Worthington, was a top-tier celebrity adored by countless fans. As Lydia stumbled through this bewildering transition, her legs felt weak and she braced herself against the wall, gasping in disbelief, "Is this really happening?"

Landon carelessly fiddled with his lighter, casting a quick, sidelong glance at the frightened woman before furrowing his brows in annoyance. With his trademark sarcasm, he retorted, "What are you messing with now?"

It was common knowledge that Landon Worthington was famously indifferent toward his wife, Lydia. Aside from the announcement of their marriage, he rarely mentioned her in public. Their interactions online were nonexistent, and during the only awards ceremony they attended together, Landon hadn't once looked at Lydia.

Rumors surged throughout the entertainment industry—people were anticipating their inevitable divorce. The consensus was that Lydia Fairchild, newly ranked in the industry, should grant Landon's devoted fans a chance to claim him back as a bachelor.

Yet, everything changed one evening at an awards show backstage. A reporter caught an unexpected moment on camera: Landon removing his suit jacket to cover Lydia, who was clad in a revealing gown. He pulled her close, wrapping his arm around her waist and pinning her against the wall, kissing her deeply.

The photographs quickly sparked a frenzy across social media, igniting countless headlines and discussions among fans. Lydia's heart raced; what had begun as a nightmare might just turn into something extraordinary.

Chapter 2

**The First Day Unfolds**

Since the New Year’s Day premiere of the historical drama "The Chivalrous" went viral, the Eldridge Historical Park, specifically designed for filming such series, has been completely booked by various production teams eager to catch the wave of popularity before it fades. Although most are low-budget web series, they all hope to get a piece of the hype before the historical fantasy trend shifts. Among them, the "Moonlit Heist Troupe" boasts the quickest filming schedule, wrapping up their shoot within two months, and are now celebrating with a wrap party.

“One, two, three—cheese!”

“Congratulations on wrapping!”

“Yay!”

In front of a somewhat shabby palace backdrop, a red banner hangs proclaiming the “Wrap Ceremony of the Moonlit Heist Troupe.” The key cast and crew members gather for a final group photo, cramming together for the shot.

Lydia Fairchild, playing the leading lady, stands proudly at the front. Dressed in an elegant, cream-colored costume, she wears a long, black puffer coat over her outfit, holding a bouquet of flowers. She beams at the camera. Even without her front-row spot, Lydia would stand out among the crew, thanks to her striking complexion and enviable height. The director, Zachary Blackwood, looks on, admiring the talent on display.

After the photo op, people drift away in groups, excited to snap candid photos to remember their short but sweet two-month journey together. Filming has a way of forging bonds, especially in a collaborative atmosphere like this one. More friends can only lead to more opportunities in this tight-knit entertainment circle.

Lydia hands her flowers to her assistant, Gideon Ashford, and requests a picture with Director Zachary Blackwood. After they snap a few shots, Zachary looks a bit sheepish and says to Lydia, "Hey, I’m really sorry about the incident the other day. Right before we wrapped, and you had to deal with an injury—it’s so embarrassing. Are you sure you don’t want to get checked out again?”

With a gentle touch to the back of her head, Lydia lowers her gaze slightly, then looks up again, smiling warmly at Zachary. “No, it’s fine. The doctor said it’s nothing serious.”

"Okay, as long as you're sure!" Zachary responds, relieved.

At that moment, two production assistants muster the courage to approach Zachary, first exchanging pleasantries with him before hesitantly asking if they could take a picture with Lydia.

Lydia nods enthusiastically. “Sure!”

Once they have her approval, the two assistants squeeze in beside Lydia, flashing peace signs for the camera. Zachary steps aside, watching Lydia, surrounded by the enthusiastic crew members, her smile effortless.

In his years of directing, he’s never encountered an actress as approachable as Lydia Fairchild.

Despite being a low-budget web series with a title reminiscent of cliched romance tropes, "Moonlit Heist" isn’t expected to make big waves. The leading man and supporting cast members are relatively unknown, with Lydia being the most recognized name—though only in a minor league of Hollywood.

Overall, the film has become a blend of hard work, camaraderie, and the faint hope of unexpected success.

Chapter 3

In the world of Hollywood, everyone knows that the most difficult personalities are not the A-list stars, but rather the minor celebrities who have a hint of fame. These second- and third-tier actors often act with an inflated sense of self-worth, especially if they have a slight connection to the industry. In fact, crew members might find themselves catering to their whims, even the director. So, when Zachary Blackwood learned that Lydia Fairchild would play the lead in the upcoming drama, he felt a knot of dread in his stomach. After all, the woman who had caught the attention of the legendary Landon Worthington couldn’t possibly be the demure Little Bianca she seemed.

To Zachary's surprise, over the past two months of filming, Lydia's performance had blown him away. As the most prominent director in the crew, he didn’t expect a new side of her. Her lines were always perfectly memorized, and whenever any mistakes happened during shooting, she would bow and sincerely apologize to the crew. Both she and her assistant treated everyone with kindness, and sometimes, if they wrapped up filming late, Lydia would even foot the bill for milk tea and late-night snacks for the cast and crew.

Zachary could only sigh with admiration. To be honest, he felt a bit sorry for Lydia Fairchild. Despite her skills and looks easily placing her among A-list actresses, she was still struggling in these low-budget web dramas. It was hard to believe that just two years ago, she had experienced a life-altering revelation that paralyzed her career. Zachary couldn’t wrap his mind around how Lydia Fairchild was now the wife of Landon Worthington, an industry titan who helmed blockbuster after blockbuster and attracted heartthrobs like moths to a flame.

It was particularly heartbreaking for Zachary when he considered that while Landon had a wife in the limelight, he hadn’t once supported her presence on set. In fact, from the start of filming until the final cut, not even a symbolic bouquet had been sent to his wife. It seemed that Landon Worthington, who never mentioned Lydia in public, was keeping a distance even privately.

No wonder, after two years of marriage, Landon was still the envy of countless male actors with his legion of fans. Zachary recalled that his daughter was one of Lydia's most devoted fans, eagerly checking social media each morning to see if Landon Worthington had divorced yet.

***

Having just wrapped up shooting a scene, Lydia Fairchild watched two crew members run off, glowing with joy. For a fleeting moment, she saw a reflection of herself from three days ago. Pulling out her phone, she glanced at the date and slowly came to terms with a rather melodramatic fact.

She had… lost her memory.

Unlike the amnesia seen in K-dramas where memories vanish entirely, she had simply lost three years of her life. According to her assistant, Gideon Ashford, this all stemmed from an incident three days prior when, during a scene, she was accidentally struck on the head by a falling light tube from the lighting crew. She had to be rushed to the hospital. Although every test cleared her of brain injury, she unexpectedly woke up with no recollection of the last three years.

The doctors indicated that such trauma-induced amnesia wasn’t unheard of and didn’t rule out the possibility of memory restoration in the future. However, when it came to seeking medical treatment, modern medicine had its limitations.

Chapter 4

Lydia Fairchild was surprisingly unfazed by her circumstances. Her memory felt stuck in the past three years when she had just graduated from film school. With no connections or influential figures in her life, her future seemed bleak. She spent those years as a background player, the invisible girl blending into various productions, until one day she awakened to find herself starring in a leading role on a hit streaming series. It was like winning the lottery—an adrenaline rush she never saw coming.

Upon realizing that she'd lost her memory, the first order of business for Lydia was to look up her name online. She was eager to discover how she’d gone from obscurity to a prominent role over the last three years. With one hand gripping her phone and the other pinching her thigh in disbelief, she excitedly accessed her Wikipedia page and scrolled feverishly through the entries.

"Name: Lydia Fairchild

Gender: Female

Date of Birth: 199x, x/x

Height: 5'6"

Spouse: Landon Worthington

……………"

The moment she reached the "Spouse" section, time froze.

She hesitated, her heart racing, and took several deep breaths, but then her trembling fingers clicked on the name “Landon Worthington.”

“Don’t freak out! Maybe it’s a common name,” she reassured herself with a fluttering heart.

But when a picture of the utterly captivating Landon Worthington appeared on her screen, Lydia felt a jolt in her chest. The phone slipped from her grasp as she gasped in shock.

This was really him… Landon… Worthington.

Her mind whirled. What on earth was going on?

Lydia Fairchild scrambled to gather her thoughts, picking up her phone once more, her enthusiasm transformed into frantic curiosity about Landon Worthington and her own life.

Landon Worthington, a pop idol turned actor, shot to fame with his debut song, skyrocketing to the top of the entertainment charts within just a year. All idols from their scene were eventually expected to transition into acting, but Landon, with his extraordinary looks, was a prime candidate. It was no surprise that his transition into film was much anticipated.

The last thing Lydia remembered from her old life was the day Landon made his acting debut in an artsy film titled “Youth.” Given that several previous pop stars had flopped in acting, there were mixed feelings in the industry and among Landon’s fanbase about his prospects. But three years later, to her astonishment, Lydia discovered that Landon’s debut was not only a box office success but also received critical acclaim. He won nearly all the newcomer awards that year, becoming a celebrated force known for both his talent and charm.

As Lydia pored over Landon’s impressive filmography filled with accolades, she noted the staggering number of fans and shares on his social media accounts, a frown forming on her brow. A feeling of surrealness enveloped her—the fame, the whirlwind of her own life—it was almost too much to process.

Chapter 5

As someone well-versed in the entertainment industry, and having had my share of minor fame during my youth as a pop idol, I knew the rules by heart. Landon Worthington, an idol-turned-actor, had managed to maintain his top-tier status even after landing a box office hit. Despite his transition to more serious roles like those played by Luca Rivers, Landon was still very much the face of a youthful fanbase. With waves of fans eagerly waiting, even a simple romance could send shockwaves through the fandom. And the idea of marriage? That was like signing a death warrant, almost akin to a crown prince's reckless self-sabotage.

How was it that Landon Worthington managed to stay firmly at the pinnacle of celebrity, with his fan engagement not resembling that of a typical married man?

As Lydia Fairchild, now married to Landon, I often wondered how I could avoid being hunted down and shown no mercy by his fans.

Gideon Ashford, my only confidant who knew about my amnesia, walked in holding a fruit basket. He found me scrolling through pages on Chirp, in the couples’ community, desperately searching for any mention of us.

Setting down the fruit, Gideon sighed and pulled out his phone.

Just then, I received two messages on WeChat — both from Gideon.

The first was a screenshot from an encyclopedia entry:

"The Firewood Couple, a name for the fan pairing of film director Landon Worthington and actress Lydia Fairchild, derives from their first names, 'Everett' and 'Fairchild.' The name reflects the fiery chemistry between them. Fans who support this couple have long been seen as the opposition in the fandom arena, often labeled as an 'evil sect.' Due to their small number, their influence is mostly negligible, but the 'Fire Control Squad'—fans of Landon—attacks their posts weekly, keeping the rivalry alive. The pairing is currently on the brink of dissolution.”

The second message dealt with a trending topic:

"#DidLandonWorthingtonGetDivorcedToday# With overwhelming fan interaction and posting activity, Alden Sky's relationship discussions dominate the emotional section, often drawing crowds even larger than those for many A-list stars. Fans eagerly await the day when Landon Worthington will finally ditch his three-line director wife Lydia Fairchild. They’ve even speculated on what their prize draw would be the day the divorce is officially announced."

I stared blankly at the messages Gideon sent. After mulling over them, I couldn't help but toss my phone aside and leap onto my bed, burying my face in the pillow.

I was done playing the game.

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