It happened in the afternoon just after a heated discussion in the meeting to drop the TV series Shen Rui was working on.
Having read the script, he was certain it would be a global sensation. He was a producer, Director and an Investor for the past 17 years, never having been wrong. Having built the company from scratch, to a Billion Dollar Empire of today. But who knew today's decision would have cost him everything?
That afternoon suddenly the news on the TV, Internet…...and every platform that had traffic" THE PHOENIX CORP. ACCUSED OF DEFRAUDING THE GOVERNMENT OF HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN TAXES."
This allegation shook the entire Entertainment Industry.
As the Chairman and major shareholder, Shen Rui knew immediately, he was being framed. He ordered the Financial Department to check the source where the problem had occurred. Before the truth could surface, everything began to collapse. Shareholders suddenly withdrew their investment, senior staff resigned, the production teams left.
It was then that he realized, he had not just been framed he had been abandoned.
But he did not give up easily, after that he started gathering evidence to prove his innocence, simultaneously rebuilding the company, refusing to let the company he'd built with blood and sweat end like this.
But that was only the beginning. The Artist in the company suddenly started leaving one by one.
The Company he built was Falling Apart.
He pushed himself past exhaustion, trying to save anything....
But no one came. Not his assistant, not the shareholders, or the stars whose careers he had created.
The only one remaining beside him was Jiang Yue, the first artist he had signed, back when the company had just started out. She had not stayed back to repay him either out of loyalty, or contracts, but because of her belief and conviction in him.
Seventeen years, that was how long she had been with him. It had been him, Shen Rui who had found and signed her, a stunt woman.
At that time, she had asked "Why ME...?"
"You've got something," he had said back then, eyes serious. "Not just skill or Ambition, but also Hunger"
From that day on, she'd worked harder than anyone else, rising from stunts to lead roles, but all of this was just to stand shoulder to shoulder with him. When the company began to crumble, she didn't think twice. She stayed. Even when the media called them criminals. Even when the scripts stopped coming. Even when he told her to go. She stayed because Shen Rui had changed her destiny and her life. And, unknowingly, taken her heart with him.
It had been a month since the Incident, when the tragedy happened, Shen Rui, having pushed his body the breaking point had fallen from the tenth floor due to exhaustion with no one to help him.
As the blood flowed out of his body, his cries for help was met with silence. He felt helpless, angry, confused and sad at himself all the same. He felt pathetic.
Shen Rui had lost too much blood with no rescue coming. He thought he would die, unknown, unseen and alone. Suddenly just as hope had faded, the sound of boots came rushing in, someone calling his name in desperation. He knew who it was instantly. Jiang Yue. She had come for him but perhaps, it was a bit too late.
It was too dark in here, with only a light flickering. She shouted for him as she searched for him. Trying to find him in the dark, when she stumbled and fell beside him. Then as their eyes met, she went in a daze. There he was, but the odd thing was that there was something viscous beside him like a small puddle. As she touched him, she felt his body battered and bruised with wound on his head.
Seeing this she burst into tears as she held him in her arms. Trying to stop the blood from flowing as she cried at the scene before her. It had left her devastated, but she did not stop.
Time slipped little by little, and his body started to cool down, but she held him tightly, desperately trying to keep him warm, to keep him here. Seeing this she lost all hope, and sat there broken in mess. It was then she realised how much she had loved him.
All too late. Had she confronted her feelings maybe, just maybe things would have ended differently. Things would not have reached this point. She was going to lose her loved one, right before her eyes.
Seeing this was her last opportunity, she decided to confess to him.
As he was looking at her with difficulty she spoke. "Do you know," her voice cracked," I have always Liked you." Seeing him stare at her in disbelief she continued, "It started that day at the cafe, when you came to sign me a stunt woman as an artist."
HE asked in a hoarse voice "Why now, he had been waiting for these words for the past sixteen years.", as she heard him, he broke down completely, both emotionally and mentally. She kept repeating "I am sorry, I was scared….", "I didn't know how much you meant," but alas it was already too late. A weak smile played on his lips. "Fool…"
She then held him in her arms as she leaned towards him and kissed him, it was rough and crude, showing both were inexperienced.
His breathing had grown shallow, even drawing a breath was difficult. He turned his head towards her with difficulty for one last time and said, "Don't cry," he whispered "Let me go with a smile."
As he took his final breath, he vowed:
" If I have a chance at life again, I would love, protect and be by her side, and never let her shed tears again.
I also would make her love me AGAIN.", he thought, then he passed away in her arms.
He had then closed his eyes.
Jiang Yue screamed into the silence, as the man she loved slipped away in her arms.
It was then something inexplicable had happened. Something high above there was a flash of light, then the same flashed on Shen Rui.
Suddenly, a static hum….cold and robotic sounded deep in Shen Rui's consciousness .....
"BINDING SUCCESSFUL.... INITIALIZING TIMELINE REWINDING."