From Fish Stall to Stardom: The Heiress's Revenge

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Two months after my boyfriend went missing, I suddenly received a transfer of two hundred thousand dollars.

That night, Asher Ford called me from an unknown number.

You're just a fish seller. Two hundred grand is more than enough. Summer, we're even now.

The next day, Asher Ford's romance with the rising starlet Natalie James hit the trending searches.

While the whole internet celebrated them, I started a livestream.

In front of the camera, I held a fish-gutting knife. With one swift motion, I raised it and brought it down.

"The first toast to myselffor dating a celebrity and only getting a secret relationship."

"The second toast to myselffor spending money and resources on him, only to have him cut me down the moment he made it big."

"The third toast to myselffor seeing my ex-boyfriend's new romance trending the day after our brutal breakup."

Asher Ford and his management company called me frantically, cursing non-stop: "Why won't this livestream shut down?"

I laughed coldly. Who said I was only selling one fish?

I wiped the water off my hands and picked up my phone expressionlessly.

Asher Ford had removed me from his blacklist and was now bombarding me with messages on SnapChat.

[Summer, are you out of your mind? What the hell are you talking about?]

[Turn off that livestream right now, do you hear me?]

[Are you trying to destroy me and Natalie?!]

I didn't reply. I exited his chat window.

I noticed the pinned chats at the top that I hadn't deleted yet.

I had always kept only two people pinnedone was Asher Ford, the other was Natalie James.

My chat history with Natalie James was still stuck three months ago:

[Don't worry, Summer! I'll keep an eye on Asher for you once we're on set~]

I closed my screen and glanced at the comments flooding my livestream, picking one to respond to.

"Is there a fourth toast? Yes. The fourth toast is to myselffor putting my best friend in my boyfriend's production, only to have them announce their relationship. Turns out I was the clown all along."

My words were too pointed to ignore.

Combined with today's trending celebrity news, people in the comments had already started typing out Asher Ford and Natalie James's names.

When I first started the stream, there wasn't a single viewer.

But money talks.

Even two hundred thousand dollars could make a splash loud enough to attract a crowd.

Random viewers entered the stream, confused.

[Random person herewhat's going on? Why does a fish-selling stream have so many people?]

[But the fish seller is so pretty! Girl, stop gutting fish and gut me instead!]

Soon, someone filled them in.

[You're late, sis. Looks like we're front row for some major tea.]

[I knew this was my weekday blessing. Not sleepy at all now!]

Of course, there was also a batch of fans spamming the chat to defend them, insisting I was just clout-chasing off "Asher and Natalie Forever."

I let out a cold laugh and kindly replied, "Dear fan, don't you know the golden rule of entertainment? Ask for receipts and you'll get receipts."

Back when we were dating, Asher Ford was a complete nobodyan E-list actor buried six feet underbut he had the self-awareness of an A-lister. He rarely showed his face in photos, probably to prevent exactly this kind of situation.

Too bad he underestimated his own fans.

They were the type to follow their idols with 18x magnification microscopes, never missing a single clue.

Sure enough, the next moment, hashtags like #AsherFordGirlfriend, #AsherFordCheating, and #NatalieJamesHomewrecker exploded onto the trending searches.

Fans analyzed the photos and videos I provided frame by frame.

I marveled internally while casually throwing money at the post to boost it to the top.

The comments in my livestream became polarized.

Some praised me for handling it beautifully, saying cheaters deserved to be exposed.

Others recognized the farmers market in my stream background was near Asher Ford's filming location and thought I was a crazy stalker.

I simply grabbed the last fish from the tank and gutted it cleanly.

The next second, Asher Ford appeared in front of me, fully disguised.

He finally couldn't sit still anymore.

Though his mask and hat covered most of his face, I could still read the fury in his eyes.

The livestream comments spiked the moment his figure appeared.

[Holy shit, is that actually Asher Ford?]

[Still defending him, fans? Your idol just showed up in person.]

Asher Ford's face darkened as he pulled me away from my stall.

A large hand appeared in front of the camera, forcibly cutting off the stream.

In the second before it ended, I smiled at the camera.

"Oh, we're just getting started."

In the hotel suite, Asher Ford's manager, Kyle, sat vigilantly nearby, glaring at me with undisguised resentment.

Yet just six months ago, we'd been drinking together at a roadside barbecue stand.

He'd sighed drunkenly, "Real love is rare in the entertainment industry. Bro, I'm rooting for you two."

Back then, Asher Ford's eyes were full of tenderness and affection.

"I'm not looking to be a superstar. As long as I can support Summer, that's enough. I don't want her to work so hard."

This summer, one of his shows became a hit. He skyrocketed to fame overnight.

After that, we saw each other less and less, until two months ago when contact completely stopped.

I never expected our reunion would be under these circumstances.

Kyle lit a cigarette and said leisurely, "Summer, I wanted to sign you along with him back then, but you refused. You insisted on keeping your fish stall. So don't blame us now. People always climb higher."

"You're not satisfied with two hundred grand? Name your price."

I scoffed.

Once upon a time, we were so poor we could only afford one flavor of crawfish.

Now that they'd made it big, their tone had certainly changed.

Asher Ford hadn't said a word. He kept his head down, not daring to look at me.

I couldn't tell if it was resentment or a hint of guilt in his heart.

Seeing my silence, Kyle thought he had a chance.

"But I have conditions. You must publicly apologize to Asher and Natalie, and never contact them again."

I didn't look at him. I stared straight at Asher Ford.

"Where's Natalie James? Why didn't she come to see me? Too ashamed?"

Asher Ford looked guilty, mumbling, "After your livestream, fans went crazy attacking her. Natalie's been hurt. She cried all night."

I let out a cold laugh.

"So it's not a publicity stunt? You two are really together?"

Asher Ford gave an almost imperceptible nod, his voice dry.

"Summer, don't blame Natalie. It's me..."

"You can't stop us from living better lives, can you? I can't stay with a fish seller forever."

I looked at his face. It had only been two months, yet he felt like a complete stranger.

Now he kept calling me "fish seller," but he never thought about how he got to where he is today.

I nodded and stood up.

"The nerve to do it but not own up to it? I really look down on you both. You want me to shut up? Dream on."

Kyle's expression changed. He waved his hand, and several security guards in black rushed in.

They quickly restrained me, gripping me so hard my face went pale.

Asher Ford looked panicked. "Kyle, tell them to go easy..."

Kyle was noncommittal. "Summer, since you won't take the easy way, don't blame us. Until the scandal dies down, you're not going anywhere."

With that, he glared at Asher Ford, and the two left directly, locking me completely inside the hotel suite with two security guards stationed at the door.

Half an hour later, I rubbed my wrists and opened my phone. Sure enough, my streaming platform and all my social media accounts had been controlled through their connections.

I opened Twitter again and saw Asher Ford's deeply emotional apology letter and essay.

At the same time, Skyline Entertainment issued a stern statement.

The gist of it was: Asher Ford did briefly date Summer, but they had already broken up. During their relationship, his relationship with Natalie James was purely friendshipno cheating or infidelity occurred.

Natalie James immediately followed up with a post: [The innocent will be proven innocent]

The attached photo was a weak selfie of her lying in a hospital bed.

They both apologized for taking up public resources.

My gaze grew colder.

Apologizing to the publicbut the person who deserved an apology the most still hadn't heard a single "I'm sorry."

So I said nothing and made a phone call.

On a weekday afternoon, everyone seemed quite free.

The controversy continued to ferment.

With the entertainment company fanning the flames, many marketing accounts started steering the narrative.

[Gotta say, this apology is pretty sincere]

[Asher Ford and Natalie James are actors, not idols. What's wrong with dating? Celebrities have the right to date freely]

[Between Natalie James and a fish seller, anyone would know who to choose, right?]

Next, someone leaked that I'd taken money.

The screenshot of the two-hundred-thousand-dollar transfer was posted.

The comments exploded again, everyone cursing me out.

[Took the money and still making trouble? The fish seller's desperate for fame, huh?]

[Definitely rival companies stirring things up. Can't stand our "Asher and Natalie Forever" trending]

[LMAO, now that my baby's famous, every random nobody wants clout]

My livestream account was completely suspended.

The official reason: False information.

Asher Ford and Natalie James struck while the iron was hot, attending an event together.

The two gazed sweetly at each other, Asher Ford's love practically overflowing.

[Let's see who still says our "Asher and Natalie Forever" is fake!]

[Asher really loves her so much. Ex-girlfriend, stop clout-chasing]

They marketed these two as a couple who'd finally made it through hardship.

Naturally, I became the evil witch trying to destroy them.

Fans from both sides united like never before, directing all their anger at me.

My accounts were doxxed, and old photos where I'd accidentally appeared in the background were dug up.

They viciously attacked everything about me.

My DMs were filled with toxic insults, and people even photoshopped funeral portraits of me.

Asher Ford didn't say another word.

Instead, late that night, Natalie James, who I hadn't heard from in ages, sent me a message.

[Summer, did you ever think you'd have a day like this?]

I stared at that message for a long moment.

Back when Asher Ford was still running errands at the film studio, sometimes the assistant directors would give him odd jobs, like buying fish from me.

Over time, we became familiar faces.

Later, on a snowy day, I was cooking fish soup at my stall when I saw Asher Ford licking his lips nearby.

Feeling sympathetic, I invited him in to escape the snow. That's when I learned he hadn't worked with any production crew for a week and had lost his source of income.

I took him in. During the day, he'd still work as an extra. In his spare time, he'd help me gut fish.

Love came naturally.

As for Natalie James, she was the daughter of the pork seller next to my stall.

People around the film studio all had dreams to some degree. Natalie James was no exception.

Unfortunately, neither of them had much luck.

Ironically, manager Kyle happened to pass by one day and took one look at me, insisting on signing me as a talent.

Under the envious gazes of Asher Ford and Natalie James, I calmly refused.

Kyle settled for second best and signed Asher Ford instead.

On another snowy day, I saw Natalie James with her face red from cold, being scolded and beaten by her parents.

I felt sympathy again.

I asked Asher Ford to make connections and pulled some other strings, finally getting Natalie James into the industry too.

Back then, neither of them was famous yet. They felt bad for me and wouldn't let me work, competing to gut fish for me. They were quite skilled.

Now, I really wanted to ask them about it again, but it seemed pointless.

For me, it was a warm memory.

For them, it was probably just a humiliating past.

I deleted her from my contacts and clicked on another person's profile.

[Send me that invitation.]

Once the heat died down, Kyle finally mercifully let me go.

He condescendingly tossed me a card.

"There's another hundred grand here. Asher still values the old times. Don't let him down."

Then he narrowed his eyes.

"Of course, if you change your mind and want to enter the industry, you can still contact me. We can negotiate all the terms."

I scoffed, too lazy to deal with him, and left directly.

Three days later, I appeared at the SW Gala.

This gala was broadcast globally. Countless celebrities fought tooth and nail for an invitation.

So when I entered the camera's view wearing a casual shirt, the comments froze for a moment.

[Did I see that right? Was that the fish seller from a few days ago?]

[Is security insane? How did they let just anyone in at such a major event?]

[FYI, I'm here in person. I saw the fish seller come in with an invitation]

[What?? The gala has scalpers now?]

"Asher and Natalie Forever," who'd been holding hands, stiffened when they saw me.

Asher Ford quickly walked over, lowering his voice.

"Summer, what are you doing here? Are you crazy?"

He seemed anxious, trying to shield me from the cameras.

"Leave before anyone notices. I'll take you to the back exit."

Natalie James's expression changed. Dressed in haute couture and enhanced by exquisite makeup, she'd shed her former innocence. By comparison, I looked rather shabby.

She grabbed Asher Ford's arm.

"Do you know what your position is? Do you have to stay entangled with her?"

Then she linked arms with Asher Ford, as if claiming ownership, and smiled sweetly at me.

"Long time no see, Summer."

"I didn't expect that after just a few months, your methods would become so sophisticated. You even managed to squeeze into the gala. Is today's security guard one of your admirers?"

She was deliberately provoking. Asher Ford's expression didn't look good.

More and more people gathered around. Natalie James's smile grew brighter.

She deliberately pinched her nose. "Ugh, what a strong fishy smell. Summer, I'm not trying to criticize you, but couldn't you at least change clothes before coming?"

I shrugged indifferently and looked at her skin, reddened by the wind.

I asked very sincerely, "Aren't you cold?"

Natalie James's face stiffened. Just then, several security guards walked over quickly.

They politely asked to see my invitation, then exchanged glances.

"Ms. Summer's invitation is valid."

Everyone's expressions changed.

"Her identity is... screenwriter?"

I finally smiled. "I wanted to write a script with a fish seller as the protagonist, so I went to experience that life. I didn't tell you in advancesorry about that."

Natalie James's face turned iron blue. She called Kyle over.

Even though she lowered her voice, the argument still reached my ears.

"She's just a third-rate screenwriter. Can't you handle this? Do you believe I won't film next month's dating reality show!"

"Asher and Natalie Forever" was currently riding high. Kyle couldn't bear to let this cash cow go.

I don't know how he worked it out, but two more security guards came over politely to escort me out.

The livestream comments were updating rapidly.

[What's happening now? Is the fish seller getting kicked out?]

[I really want to see the fish seller cause a scene at the gala. That would be exciting]

[Hey, but how do I put this... Natalie James's fans could paper a wall, but the fish seller with no makeup standing next to her is actually holding her own!]

[Support "Asher and Natalie Forever!" Please remove unrelated people, organizers]

I looked at the smug Natalie James and the silent Asher Ford.

Probing gazes landed on me one after another.

I suddenly smiled.

"Are you sure you want to remove me?"

Natalie James shouted, "Of course. Stop embarrassing yourself, Summer."

Someone playing the neutral party nearby also said I really didn't fit the gala.

I nodded. "Then this gala doesn't need to happen, does it?"

Everyone froze, then burst into laughter.

Natalie James laughed so hard she swayed. "Summer, have you lost your mind?"

The next second, the gala doors were pushed open.

Camera flashes went crazy, and the livestream immediately crashed.

[Holy shit! It's Ethan Knight! Who invited this ancient god out?!]

If the domestic entertainment industry could only have one top-tier celebrity, no one would question itit would definitely be Ethan Knight.

His gaze swept across the venue, then he walked straight toward me.

Under everyone's gaze, he stopped in front of me.

"Miss, what are you doing here?"