Natalie smiled. “I knew you asked me out for this.”
“I’ve got my hands on an amazing script, and it’s perfect for you.”
Natalie paused for a moment. “I really like my life now, it’s quiet and peaceful. So, I’m sorry, you’ll have to find someone else.”
Dylan sighed. “I know you love acting, and you want to act. You’re just afraid of that person.”
“I don’t want to take the risk, and I don’t want you to either.”
Dylan knew exactly what she was thinking. He had been prepared to take that risk when he came to her, but he was also afraid of pushing her back into the spotlight.
Dylan sighed again. “This film is still in the early stages of planning. If you change your mind, just give me a call anytime.”
After a long chat with her good friend, Natalie was in high spirits when she returned to the hospital.
Kristin was also doing much better. The doctor came by to say she could be discharged the next day.
“We’ll go back to our town tomorrow. We’ve only been gone two days, but I’m already so homesick. I miss those neighbors who play cards at our door all day, and the smell of our neighbor’s baking.”
Natalie chattered on as she packed, wishing they could leave that very night.
Penelope was scrolling through her phone, sighing repeatedly.
“What are you sighing about?” Natalie asked, turning around.
Penelope looked up. “You said you were having dinner with a good friend. Is this friend a director?”
“Yes.”
“A married man in his forties?”
Natalie laughed. “Is there a problem with that?”
Right below this topic was another one about Dylan’s wife having just given birth. Then there was another one calling Natalie the other woman, filled with insults against her. That topic was gaining traction fast and quickly shot to the top of the trending list.
Maria’s fans were the most vocal in all of this. Not only did they spread those photos and boost the topic, but they also brought up the time she allegedly bullied Maria, claiming it was proof of her true nature.
“You’ve been out of the industry for six years. Who would be waiting around to take pictures of you? It’s obvious someone is trying to frame you and completely ruin you,” Penelope analyzed.
Natalie pressed her lips together. “I can only think of one person.”
“Maria.”
It could only be her.
Natalie clenched her fists. “I’ve backed down again and again because of her. What more does she want? Does she want to drive me to my grave?”
Penelope narrowed her eyes. “The moment you started backing down, she knew you were an easy target. She’ll just keep bullying you again and again. If you never fight back, she’ll bully you for the rest of your life!”

Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: The Year I Was the Other Woman To Myself
Hello! This series has been requested a lot on Reddit, but we’re unable to post the link there ourselves. If you have a Reddit account, we would truly appreciate it if you could help us share the link to this novel to increase its readership. As a thank-you, we will increase the number of free chapters available each day. Thank you so much for your support!...