A/N: We hear a little more about Jade, and what is it really like to be her. Enjoy! S.K.

Chapter 4: Isolation

Jade's daily routine started in the predawn hours when most of the world was still wrapped in slumber. She frequented the gym, arriving early when the sun had yet to grace the sky with its light. With a hat pulled low and sunglasses shielding her eyes, she made sure to remain inconspicuous, fully covered in her workout attire.

Her morning ritual consisted of a rigorous routine, beginning with a full circuit on the cardio machines. She pushed herself through each set, her breathing steady and determined. Jade then transitioned to the weights, where she worked on sculpting her body further. Her workouts were intense, but they were a crucial part of her life, keeping her physically and mentally balanced.

As the early morning HIIT class commenced, Jade seamlessly joined in her body a testament to her dedication. After thirty minutes of intense training, she made her exit, not lingering or socializing with others. She preferred anonymity in this space, a place where she could be just another face in the crowd.

Her journey home led her to a smoothie shop, where she grabbed a post-workout drink. Then it was back to her apartment, where she could finally shower in private. Jade had her reasons for keeping her body and identity concealed at the gym. She didn't want people to compare themselves to her, especially not to the younger, emaciated version of herself that she had once been. Now, at 27, her body had matured with well-defined curves, but she kept them hidden from prying eyes.

Jade was resolute in her decision to remain modest, avoiding the male gaze and, in turn, keeping the female gaze at bay as well. She had chosen a life of celibacy since the age of sixteen, and it was a decision that suited her perfectly. Her gym ritual was a solitary sanctuary, a place where she could focus on herself and her well-being without the intrusion of others.

After her rigorous gym session and the solitary journey home, Jade indulged in a luxurious shower. It was a daily ritual that she took her time with, often extending well beyond twenty minutes. Jade had become a connoisseur of self-care, embracing the pleasures of life that were once restricted. Her shifts at work started later in the day, affording her the opportunity to relish a fulfilling breakfast.

After a life deprivation in her youth, now reveled in the joy of food. She was a self-proclaimed foodie, delighting in the richness of flavors and spices. She particularly enjoyed the fiery sensation of spices that tingled on her tongue and the pleasant pain as they slid down her throat. For breakfast, she prepared herself an omelet with chorizo, jalapeños, and spicy salsa, topping it off with a dollop of sour cream. As she savored each bite, a sense of happiness washed over her, a joy she had been experiencing for the past five years.

Her therapist had once told her that dancing was Jade's way of regulating external stimulation. It was her means of coping with the world around her. So, after her decadent breakfast, Jade allowed herself to dance, an expression of her unbridled contentment.

Once her morning rituals were complete, she turned her attention to her emails, hoping to find any news from her agent. Jade disliked examining her financial situation, but she couldn't ignore it. The burden of debt left behind by her parents weighed heavily on her shoulders. She had to allocate all her residuals to clear their debts, leaving little for her own use.

Every time she did she thought back to when this should have been a red flag for the adults around her. Jade lived in an oversized mansion. The house was opulent, a symbol of extravagance and wealth. It cost multiple millions of dollars, a sum that neither Jade nor her parents could afford. But as a seven-year-old, Jade was oblivious to the intricacies of finance. Her parents paraded luxury in the form of Bentleys and Rolex watches, while the furniture in their mansion was so expensive that Jade wasn't even allowed to touch it.

As Jade walked toward the kitchen in her memory, she opened the fridge to find it almost empty, save for a bottle of wine. Her parents were frequent diners at fancy restaurants, sometimes taking her along. The establishments they frequented served exotic and unfamiliar dishes, often in small portions. Regardless, Jade learned to acquire a taste for delicacies like escargot and caviar, appreciating the culinary world her parents introduced her to in their extravagant lifestyle because she never knew when she would be able to eat next.

There was a time, she played Angelina Jolie's toddler on screen. With her dark hair and captivating blue eyes, Jade bore a remarkable resemblance to her on-screen movie mom. The older actress often took a special interest in Jade, frequently pulling her into her trailer during breaks.

One day, while Jade was on set, Angelina leaned down and asked, "How old are you, sweetie?"

Jade, her eyes wide with awe, replied, "I'm seven, and I'm in second grade."

Angelina studied Jade for a moment, her face registering surprise. "You look so young," she remarked.

Jade's memories also included a poignant scene where she was fighting sleep due to low blood sugar. She kept dozing off because of her hunger, which made it challenging to stay awake. Angelina, concerned for Jade's well-being, bought her a giant burger and had her sit in her trailer.

As they ate, Angelina asked gently, "Are you hungry, sweetie? You need to eat to have energy for your scenes."

Jade, her eyes wide and grateful, nodded. "Yes, thank you."

Angelina's expression grew more serious as she talked to Jade. "You shouldn't be hungry on set. Your parents should make sure you have enough to eat. If they don't, you need to tell someone. You're a growing girl, and you need proper nutrition."

From that day on, while on set, Angelina intervened in Jade's life in a positive way. With the actress' scrutiny, her mother ensured that Jade received additional calories each year, slowly increasing her intake to help her cover the severe deprivation she had placed her daughter under. It was the moment she realized what her mother had been doing, and she always remembered Angelina's kindness and concern.

Yes, Jade loved Acting, because she always got to eat on set. Still, she didn't overdo it. She didn't want Mamma to be angry with her, so she started to deprive herself so that she didn't have issues when she got home.

Tears streamed down Jade's cheeks as the painful memory of her past faded. It was a recurring ordeal she had to endure each time she revisited the dark chapter of her life. In her solitude, she allowed herself to cry, releasing the pent-up emotions that often plagued her.

After a moment, she took a deep breath, trying to regain her composure. As she wiped her tears away, her eyes fell on an email notification. It was from the government, informing her that one of her residuals had been released. Though it was the smallest one, it brought a smile to her face. This signified a shift, a glimmer of hope in her life. It meant that any new work she acquired would provide her with the full benefits of her earnings, no longer vulnerable to exploitation.

Jade knew that she had a long road ahead to rebuild her career and regain relevance in the entertainment industry, but this small victory felt like a step in the right direction, a ray of hope in her otherwise challenging journey.

Jade's struggles, and self-discovery, far surmounted the struggles of living a normal life with a famous face. She was lucky because she was a baby when she started, and her face has changed a lot. But she was Twenty when she fell off the grid, and the face she has now, though It has changed and was healthier than that sallow excuse for a youthful glow, still had a face that was widely recognized.

As she left for her shift at the coffee shop with a renewed sense of determination, her optimism was quickly shattered by a derogatory remark from a passerby. The woman's cruel words stung, A youthful mistake had led to her public demise, then the Parental scandal, then the Sex tape that she released to put Ben away for good. Jade had long abandoned any desire to apologize to anyone for her unapologetic existence. Her past was marred by moments of desperation and self-preservation, actions she had taken to protect herself from the harsh realities of the entertainment industry.

As she walked down the street, her thoughts drifted to a memory from her darkest days in show business. The memory of Lena was a guest star in Genious High. Lena had shown her love and understanding when she needed it most. Their brief encounter had changed something inside Jade, sparking a realization about her own desires and identity.

Jade had initially pushed the girl away, masking her confusion with harsh words and a cold demeanor. But later, as the weight of her traumatic experience with the predatory producer bore down on her, she reached a breaking point. In a moment of vulnerability, she had sought solace in Lena's arms, opening up about her past and the abuse she had endured.

Jade was 16, and she sat perched on a barstool, her fingers tapping idly on the edge of her half-empty glass. The dimly lit bar cast a somber glow on her face, a mix of bitterness and sadness etched in her features. She was underaged, but Fame did little to keep her from places like these. "If you're old enough to have adult problems, then you're old enough to sit at my bar." The bartender had once told her, so she kept going back. She took a long sip from her drink, a concoction of flavors she barely tasted.

Lena, the girl sitting beside her, was older, her eyes holding an understanding that transcended their years. Jade leaned closer, her voice barely above a whisper as she began to share her story, a tale of innocence lost in a world that often demanded too much.

"You know," Jade sighed, "this industry... it's not what it seems. I've been in it since I was a kid, and... I hate the way they treat kids like me. Like I'm a commodity. I just want to play. I know getting paid to play pretend is supposed to be awesome. But I'm not in it for the money."

Lena's gaze remained fixed on Jade, concern painted across her features. She brought her own drink to her lips and took a sip, allowing the younger girl to continue.

"Yeah, it's a messed-up world," Lena replied softly. "But why do you keep doing it?"

Jade hesitated, the words lingering on her lips before she let them escape. "It's the only way I can escape the monsters."

The concern in Lena's eyes deepened as she listened intently to Jade's confession.

"What do you mean?" she asked softly.

Jade paused, her gaze dropping to the bar counter, and then she continued in a hushed tone, her voice laced with a bitter edge. "Ben. He's been doing things to me since I was twelve. I... I told my mom once, and you know what she said? She told me I had to give a little in this industry."

Lena's eyes widened in shock and sympathy as she absorbed the weight of Jade's confession. The two of them sat there in the dimly lit bar, sharing a heavy moment. The harsh realities of the entertainment industry loomed over them, a world that often demanded far more than they were willing to give.

Their connection deepened, and they slept together, a moment of physical and emotional intimacy that Jade had rarely experienced. She realized that her aversion to physical intimacy was not about sex itself but rather her aversion to men. It was a profound revelation that reshaped her understanding of her own desires.

In the end, Jade chose to protect herself, both emotionally and physically. She disappeared from Lena's life, leaving her hurt and angry. The girl's reaction reinforced Jade's belief that trusting others with her heart and body was a perilous endeavor.

As Jade navigated the complexities of her past and present, she found solace in the knowledge that she was no longer willing to apologize for being herself. Her journey toward self-acceptance and independence continued, with the scars of her past shaping her into the strong, resilient woman she had become.

As time passed, Lena chose to speak about Jade in ways that weren't entirely true. She mentioned to people that Jade had acted dismissively and had called her a derogatory name. It was a partial truth, for there had been a day when Jade, plagued by her own struggles, had lashed out. But Lena omitted the part where they had connected on a deeper level, where their souls had entwined in a shared moment of intimacy, a secret they chose to protect.

However, Lena's actions took a darker turn. Out of resentment for the Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) that had been slapped on her by Jade's parents, she sought vengeance. She used the smear of Jade as being homophobic to retaliate, a claim that couldn't have been further from the truth.

As their stories became entangled in a web of secrecy, pain, and misunderstanding, the bond between them seemed irrevocably broken. Jade learned that in a world of fame and ambition, trust was a rare commodity, and the only one she could truly rely on was herself.

Jade's life had transformed into a lonely existence. She had lost everything - her family, her financial security, and her friends. The trust she had once placed in people had been shattered, leaving her with a sense of isolation and self-reliance. In the midst of it all, Sinjin had been the first person she had let in her life, in her desperation to find a roommate so that she could keep a roof over her head after her parents ruined her.

Jade pushed her cap lower on her face, concealing her features as much as possible. She hurried to the coffee shop, mentally preparing herself to put on the customer service facade she had grown accustomed to. For her, it was more of an acting exercise than a job – act like you care, smile, hand the customer their coffee, punch out, and go home. The routine was monotonous, and it felt like she was reliving the same day over and over again. Every day seemed to blend into the next, a never-ending cycle of repetition in her life.