He Tried to Keep Me, But Another Man Won My Heart

Chapter 2

The moment she left the house, Vivian checked into a hotel. Looking back, she realized her entire life for the past few years had revolved around Julian and their dream of having a baby.

Even when she walked away from the entertainment industry at the peak of her career, she had never regretted it. But now, she finally understood that placing all her hopes in a man had been the biggest mistake she had ever made.

She wanted a divorce, but Julian's influence in Crown City made it nearly impossible to fight him. She had no money, no lawyer, and no power to stand against him. She had to stand on her own feet first. Only after regaining her career would she have the leverage to negotiate with him as an equal.

Vivian reached out to directors she had worked with before. She made more than 10 calls, yet every single one turned her down. Only then did she realize that from the moment Julian persuaded her to leave the industry, he had already blocked every road back.

He had even taken away all her savings by claiming he needed money to handle a financial issue. The cash she had left was only enough to stay at the hotel for three nights.

Vivian finally understood everything. Julian had been preparing for his baby with Vanessa all along. He knew she would never agree, so he had quietly cut off every escape route before revealing the truth. Even if she found out, she would have nowhere to run. He was certain she couldn't walk away, and that certainty gave him the nerve to do whatever he pleased.

With no other option, Vivian called her best friend. After hearing what happened, her friend was furious.

Her friend was furious on her behalf. "What are you going to do now? You aren't really going back to him, are you?"

Vivian paused.

"I wanted to ask if you know any directors who wouldn't be swayed by Julian and might still give me a chance."

She had once been blinded by Julian's promises. Now that she had finally woken up, she needed to reclaim her career.

Her friend fell silent for a long moment before speaking.

"What about Brandon? Have you tried asking him?"

Brandon Hall?

Was he still working in film?

Vivian remembered that before she left the industry, she and the male lead of Beneath the Throne had both won the highest acting awards for their performances.

After the movie came out, fans had been eager for them to work together again. But because Julian was jealous, she announced at the award ceremony that she was getting married and planning to start a family.

At that time, Brandon had only offered a quiet "Congratulations."

After that, they'd had no contact at all.

Should she really go to Brandon now?

But her friend's words made sense. If they worked together again, maybe she could find a way back into the industry.

After struggling with the decision, Vivian contacted several other directors and former colleagues. As expected, they all rejected her. Some even advised her to return home quickly and stop arguing with Julian.

She knew she had hit a dead end. Remembering her friend's suggestion, she picked up her phone and searched through her old contacts until she found that familiar number.

After hesitating for a moment, she finally sent a message.

Vivian: Are you there? I heard Blueharbor City has several promising projects in development recently. I wanted to ask about them.

She thought the message would go unanswered.

But to her surprise, a reply came almost instantly.

Brandon: Yes.

Brandon: What kind of projects are you interested in? I can ask around for you.

His tone was polite and businesslike, no different from how he would speak to any other colleague in the industry. Vivian relaxed and continued the conversation.

Before she realized it, an hour had passed. Brandon never once asked why she was suddenly interested in those projects. Instead, after learning she had moved out because of her conflict with Julian, he sent her another message.

Brandon: Do you want to come to Blueharbor City?

Vivian stared at the message for a long time.

She knew that if she really went to Blueharbor City, Julian would find out sooner or later. But if she stayed in Crown City, she wouldn't be able to survive there for even three more days.

She needed a way out, even if it led somewhere uncertain.

Vivian: Sure. I'll arrive tomorrow.

That night, Vivian booked the earliest flight to Blueharbor City. During the four-hour journey, she kept reminding herself that she was only going there to talk about projects. She shouldn't read too much into it.

But deep down, she knew that reaching out to Brandon and going to see him alone already crossed a boundary.

Every time she thought about meeting him, her heartbeat became impossible to control.

Why did the thought of seeing Brandon make her feel this excited?

Soon, the four-hour flight came to an end.

As soon as she stepped out of the terminal, Vivian saw the strikingly handsome man standing beside a black car.

The boyishness Brandon once had was long gone. He had grown into a tall, elegant man with a commanding presence.

His chiseled features were impossible to ignore. His expression remained as cold and distant as ever, his lips pressed into a firm line. His tailored suit highlighted his strong build, and every gesture carried an effortless air of nobility.

Yet when his gaze fell on her, Vivian caught a glimpse of something complicated hidden deep in his eyes.

Brandon slowly spoke, his voice low and calm.

"Ms. Moore, it's been a long time."

"It's been a long time, Brandon."

Vivian extended her hand toward him.

Their hands touched, and the heat of his palm engulfed hers. The brief contact felt like a spark catching fire, burning through the place where he held her.

Head spread across her skin like countless tiny flames. Vivian quickly withdrew her hand after that brief moment. Their gazes met. Brandon's eyes remained as calm and distant as ever, but beneath that still surface was something deeper—like a storm waiting beneath a calm sea.

Brandon asked if she wanted to grab dinner.

"You must be tired from the flight. How about we grab something to eat first?"

Vivian shook her head. "It's okay. I ate on the plane."

But the moment she finished speaking, her stomach betrayed her with an untimely growl.

Embarrassment flashed across her face. Since things had already played out this way, refusing again would only make it awkward, so she could only agree.

The two of them arrived at the restaurant and sat across from each other. Brandon's gaze was so intense that Vivian found it difficult to look directly at him.

She had come to Blueharbor City looking for a chance to make a comeback. But now, she had a strange feeling that something was quietly slipping beyond the path she had planned.

Vivian lowered her eyes.

"Sorry for showing up unannounced today. Actually, I wanted to ask if you were planning to work on any films. I was hoping..."

Brandon glanced at Vivian who sat beside him, tense and restrained. She was completely different from the woman he remembered. It was as if someone had taken away all her sharp edges, dimmed the brilliance that once surrounded her, and left only exhaustion behind.

Her slightly curled hair fell softly against her cream-colored coat. She wore a thin wool coat against the approaching winter, and a faint flush tinged her pale face. Even with visible fatigue in her expression, her delicate features were still breathtaking.

Before Vivian could finish, Brandon cut her off. His eyes fell on the faint mark left by the wedding ring she had worn for years.

Brandon asked, "You came to see me on your own. Does your husband know?"