The spotlight has never been kind.
It doesn't soften.It doesn't lie.It simply exposes whoever stands beneath it—whether they are ready or not.
Yoon Serin stepped onto the red carpet as flashes exploded around her. Each step was steady, unhurried, as if she had always belonged there. Her black evening gown framed her youthful figure perfectly, elegant without trying too hard.
Her smile was calm. Confident. Quietly proud.
Not the kind born from luck—but from knowing exactly how much she had endured to earn this moment.
Half a step behind her stood Kang Ha-yon. His tailored black suit blended into the night, yet his presence was unmistakable. He leaned slightly toward Serin, close enough to protect, never close enough to claim.
His gaze never left her.
Not for the cameras.Not for the headlines.But because he chose to.
At the far edge of the stage, where the light barely reached, Yoon Ji-min stood in shadow.
Her arms were loosely crossed, her posture relaxed, her lips curved into the gentle smile the public adored—the image of a kind, hardworking actress who had risen from nothing.
No one noticed the tension in her fingers.No one saw the cold fury burning in her eyes.
Ji-min stared at Serin's back, jealousy tightening in her chest.
She remembered every comparison.Every praise Serin received.Every opportunity that slipped from her grasp.
Not because Ji-min lacked talent—but because Yoon Serin was always one step ahead.
"You're just luckier than me," Ji-min had once said softly, eyes glistening with tears.
A perfect performance.
The truth was uglier.
She hated Serin's refusal to flatter.Hated her clean rise built on skill alone.And most of all—hated that no matter how hard she tried, the spotlight never chose her.
A phone vibrated quietly in Ji-min's pocket.
She's trending.Now is the time.
Ji-min's smile deepened.
Not the one meant for cameras—but the smile of someone who had already set the trap.
In this industry, it only took one well-timed rumor.One carefully edited clip.One lie believable enough to stain the truth.
The higher someone stood in the spotlight,the harder they fell.
And Ji-min was patient.
The lights burned brighter.The cameras kept flashing.
No one realized that beneath the glamour,the real war had already begun.