His Muse Wasn’t Me

I was once an award-winning night-sky photographer, but I put my camera away for the sake of Ryan’s career.​ For five years, I handled route planning, gear checks, scriptwriting, and video editing, willingly stepping out of the spotlight. That changed when I discovered he had featured his assistant, Chloe, in his award-winning work—personally checking her safety lines and publicly declaring her his creative partner—while dismissing me as nothing more than a nanny or housekeeper. I didn't argue， instead, I blacked out every trace of care I had recorded in my five field journals, flew to Iceland with a half-packed suitcase, and picked up my camera once more.​ It was only after I had completely vanished that Ryan finally recognized the sacrifices he had taken for granted. Chloe was dropped from the project after damaging equipment in a fit of jealousy. Ryan, having failed on his own, chased me down clutching those journals—but he could never win back the chance for a sixth forgiveness.