The Stockholm Lover

[Flirty Agent x World-Weary, Broken Movie Star | Hong Kong-Style Entertainment Industry | Mutually Coercive Love]

As Han Yanye accepted his Best Actor trophy onstage, Qiao Man stood below, smiling as she applauded.

Qiao Man knew Han Yanye hated her.

He hated how strictly she trained him, hated that she forced him to fake a romance with someone else, and hated most of all that she would wake up and pretend nothing had happened.

Let him hate her, then. Maybe there was a little love in there, too?

After all, when he was alone and ready to end it all, Qiao Man had taken him home.

She gave him the best opportunities and lifted him out of the mud, all the way to the top.

Maybe it wouldn't be so bad to live on like this, hating and loving each other, as long as she could get one approving look from her mother.

But no matter how much she accomplished in her career, her mother's gaze always fell elsewhere.

The dull ache of being ignored by her own family drained Qiao Man of her ambition. She bought a plane ticket and left Hong Kong alone.

Before her flight took off, she left Han Yanye a message:

[Our contract has expired. You're free. Let's part in peace and each find our own happiness.]

What she didn't know was that Han Yanye lost his mind that very night.

Theme: Don't depend on others