Trust me, it’s not. Ask my mum how real it is.She was an A-lister for a while. Invited to everyparty, cast in all the big movies. The public built herup and then forgot about her overnight while shepoured everything she had into a husband who actedlike she wasn’t alive half the time. There’s nohappiness in seeking the approval of the people.Because maybe they’ll give it, but only for a while. And when they take it away, it’s a cruel reality.” “Yeah, I’m sort of living that reality, Ethan. I’maware of how much it sucks.” “All right, Noelle, today your picture’s in thepaper. What about tomorrow?” She didn’t really want to think about tomorrow.She was safe now. Safe and warm, and feeling prettyhappy to be back in the public eye in a positive way.But that attitude was what had gotten her intotrouble in the first place. She might be enjoyingthese snatches of happiness right now—enjoyingthem too much to see something bad around thecorner, something like her mother running off withall her money. “I don’t know.” “No one should have the power to decide howyou feel about yourself, Noelle, good or bad. Giveourself that ower.”