Emily ryder is the perfectly polished singer and Vanessa’s so-called "best friend." Like Vanessa, she comes from wealth, but where Vanessa chose creation and design, Emily chose the stage, using her family's connections to propel a moderately successful music career. Beneath her glamorous public smile is a corrosive cocktail of envy and ambition.

​Cunning and subtly manipulative, Emily has always chafed under the genuine affection and effortless success Vanessa enjoys. Her friendship is a carefully constructed performance designed to keep Vanessa close while secretly tracking her movements and undermining her confidence. The only thing deeper than her loyalty to her own self-interest is her jealousy of Vanessa's fiancé, Jake. Her willingness to participate in Jake’s cruel scheme is not just a betrayal of friendship, but a calculated, desperate move to finally step into the life she believes she deserves—even if she has to play a small monster to get it.

Jake Yang is the golden boy with a heart of coal. At first glance, he possesses the dazzling charisma expected of a highly paid actor and the polish granted by a privileged family name. He is handsome, effortlessly charming, and utterly self-absorbed. But beneath the glittering facade of celebrity is a core of utter cruelty and calculation.

​Jake views his relationships, particularly his engagement to Vanessa, not as partnerships, but as props designed to enhance his public image. He is manipulative, seeing everyone around him—especially those who love him—as chess pieces to be moved for his convenience and pleasure. He is entitled and impatient; when Vanessa's memory loss seemed like an obstacle, he found the quickest, coldest way around it, never anticipating the brilliant trap he was setting for himself. Jake is a man accustomed to getting away with everything, but his latest act of deceit is about to expose the monster behind the megastar.