Their relationship was perfect. They were the perfect couple. Everyone said that. He was so tall and handsome and brave, the centre of attention everywhere. She was short and petite, the backstage was her place. Everyone remarked on how well they complemented each other. Making up for the other's lack.
Of course most people just preferred to call her lucky. To gush about how blessed she was to 'catch' such a perfect boyfriend. They would ask her, with sickly sweet smiles on their face, "Tell us, Clary. How did you do it? He used to go for the tall model types but now…" and they would trail of meaningfully.
It didn't matter whether they completed or not. Clary knew what they meant. He used to go for the model types not the dowdy ones like you.
Even her mother felt like that. She had tried expressing these feelings to her mother dearest only to be chided. "You should thank your lucky stars that someone as charming and kind as Jace took an interest in you. I always used to worry about you with your passion for those strange Japanese comics and dark art. You never spent much time with people, other than Simon. Then I met him and I knew that Jace would take care of you. So stop this whining, do you know how many woman would love to trade spots with you?"
She did know which was what started this in the first place. It wasn't that she was jealous or worried that Jace was cheating on her. She knew he wouldn't. It was just the way everyone seemed to think that…well that she didn't deserve him, that he was better than her. And she knew that even Jace felt that way, that her pursuits, her achievements were inferior to his. Why though? Didn't she deserve someone who would value her, who would understand she was special too? She was tired of the comparison and the "you are so lucky Clary"s.
She hadn't won an Oscar, it was true. She wasn't voted as 'the sexiest'. She didn't have a million followers, at least not in her own right just as Jace's wife. But she wasn't entirely worthless. She had her paintings displayed in over a hundred galleries. Her last painting had sold for over 2 million. The National Museum had even held an exhibition in her honour, not that Jace had bothered to attend- he was too busy throwing a party in honour of his sixth nomination for the 'Best Actor' award. A nomination, not even an actual award!
It was unfair really, the way that everyone from her mother to her friends to her only brother was in love with him. The way that they were besotted with him. They were hers so was it too much for her to expect for them to take her side at least once in a while? Or even try to understand, to see her point of view? But no, in Jace they saw all that they never saw in her.
So she kept quiet, never let anyone know. She tried to change, to fit everyone's expectation. Her paintings became her only outlet.
Their relationship was perfect. They were the perfect couple.