My encounter with him had probably been a mistake from the start.

For five years, we had been together. In the eyes of the world, I was his companion; behind closed doors, I was merely his bed partner.

He never once acknowledged our relationship.

Then, on my birthday, photos surfaced of him embracing his fiancée at the airport.

That was when the truth hit me like a slap in the face: I had never truly mattered.

"Daniel, now that you and Delilah are together, what about that little girl who was always by your side?"

"I was just playing around with her. I’m not going to marry her. My mom doesn’t control me."

It didn’t take long before I found solace in the arms of his best friend.

Yet, despite everything, Daniel knelt before me, confessing he had been wrong.

….

Today was supposed to be my day.

Usually, I’d fill the table with my favorite dishes, eagerly waiting for him to return with a cake and a gift, something he always picked with such care.

But today, I waited and waited. The food grew cold, yet he never came.

Just as I was about to give up, my phone buzzed with a message from my assistant, Lyla Wood.

[Eliana, you need to see this.]

Curious, I clicked on the link she had sent.

A bold headline greeted me:

[Top actress Delilah Watson returns today, and Innovex Group’s heir personally picks her up at the airport.]

I clicked through the photos, each one more damning than the last.

There he was, grinning from ear to ear, running towards Delilah with open arms.

So, this was it.

I had been lying to myself all along.

The comment section was flooded with well-wishes and congratulatory messages, but they all felt like daggers to my heart.

[They’re a perfect match, the Watson family and Evans family, a flawless pair.]

[Yeah, I heard they’ve known each other since childhood. Childhood sweethearts, even!]

Someone had tagged me in the comments.

[Then what about Eliana Lewis?]

[She’s got nothing, no power, no status. She only climbed up because of Daniel. Now that the real deal is back, I bet she’ll be out in the blink of an eye.]

…

I let out a bitter chuckle. I knew it was time to walk away.

We were never meant to be in the same world, not from the start.

If I hadn’t let impulse lead me to Bloomington for that art school entrance exam, I wouldn’t have been left stranded with empty pockets, wandering the streets aimlessly.

I probably never would have met Daniel, leaning casually against a Maybach, cigarette dangling from his lips.

Back then, he had the look of a carefree Playboy while I was just a wreck, sitting on the curb like a stray dog, gazing at the shimmering city lights.

The coat he handed me felt like warmth from another world.

"Thank you!"

He stood there beside me for a while, his gaze softening. "Aren’t you going home?"

"I don’t have a home anymore."

His expression faltered for a moment, and I knew then that my mother was gone; my father had remarried and had another son, leaving me as if I were invisible.

I tilted my head to the sky, staring at the broken moon, feeling like my heart was just as fragmented.

And then, out of the blue, he asked, "Do you want to come with me?"

As if I had no control over myself, I said yes. Without a second thought, I slipped into his car.

From then on, I became Eliana, the girl at his side.

Five years had passed in a blink, and I had carved out my place in the entertainment world.

But now, it felt like it was time to wake up from this dream.

I glanced around the villa, each detail hitting me like a memory.

I could almost feel his presence on the couch, working away while I lay beside him, reading my script.

In the kitchen, I could almost sense his arms wrapping around me from behind, his voice asking when dinner would be ready.

He had stomach issues, so I always cooked light but thoughtful meals just for him.

I remembered the moment when our intimacy reached its peak when he looked into my eyes and whispered.

"Don’t fall in love with me."

Only now did I understand. We were never meant to be together.

I pulled out the suitcase I had brought with me that first day, about to open it, when the door swung open.

"Eliana, I’m back."

As soon as he shed his black coat, he crossed the room and pulled me into his arms, the cake box in his other hand.

I instinctively pushed him away, the sharp scent of expensive perfume hitting me like a slap.

Confusion flickering across his face, his eyes fell on the empty dining table.

“The food’s cold. I thought you’d already eaten out, so I tossed it.”

It took him a moment to process before he placed the cake on the table and nuzzled my cheek.

“Sorry, Eliana, I couldn’t return for your birthday.”

Then, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small gift box. Inside, nestled in velvet, was a dazzling necklace that shimmered like stardust.

He smiled at me, that familiar glint in his eyes. “Do you like it? I saw it on a business trip to England. I thought of you the moment I saw it; it seemed made for you.”

At that moment, I had no strength left to argue, to question, or even to care. I had no right to do any of it anymore.

Let him do whatever he pleased. It didn’t matter.

So, with a flat tone, I simply said, “I like it.”

He seemed oblivious to the coldness in my voice. Gently, he brushed my hair aside, his fingers warm as he began fastening the necklace around my neck.

As he fastened the necklace, a sudden thought struck him, and he spoke, “Don’t let the trending searches get to you. Delilah and I grew up together. After all these years, she’s like a little sister to me.”

His flimsy excuse hit me like a cold breeze, filling me with nothing but disdain and disappointment. I was left momentarily speechless.

Like a sister? The way they had embraced in those photos, intimate, even tender, didn’t look like anything siblings would share.

Even now, he still thought I was naïve. Did he really think he could have it both ways?

But I couldn’t bring myself to challenge him. I simply nodded, the movement stiff and automatic, and muttered, “Hmm.”

His gaze then landed on my suitcase, and a flicker of confusion crossed his face.

“Why’s your suitcase out? Are you leaving?”

I hesitated, almost instinctively wanting to lie, “It’s just nothing, I just…”

But before I could say anything, his phone rang urgently.

He glanced at the screen, his expression shifting in an instant. Without a moment’s hesitation, he answered the call.

A few seconds later, he tossed a quick, “I have something to take care of. Go to bed first,” grabbed his coat, and rushed out the door, not sparing a second glance.

Watching his figure disappear down the hallway, an unexpected wave of relief washed over me.

Good. He was gone. Now I could finish packing in peace.

With quiet determination, I packed my clothes into the suitcase, each item slipping into place like pieces of a puzzle. As I folded them, memories of our time together flickered in my mind, playing out like a silent movie.

Before long, exhaustion crept in. My body, tired from the physical strain, felt heavier with every movement. The weight of my broken heart threatened to pull me under, leaving me hollow, as though my very soul had been drained.

Dragging my feet, I stumbled toward the bathroom to wash away the remnants of the day.

Just as I was about to lie down, the buzz of my phone on the bedside table jolted me awake.

My heart skipped a beat.

Fearing it was something work-related, I summoned every ounce of energy to move. With effort, I pried my eyes open and reached for my phone.

A friend request notification flashed on the screen.

When I saw “Delilah” appear, my hand stilled.

By all logic, she was my rival; I should’ve declined immediately.

But something pulled at me, some unseen force that had me clicking “Accept” before I even realized it.

Almost instantly, a video appeared in the chat window.

A storm of emotions churned inside me as my finger hovered over the screen. With a shaky breath, I tapped play.

The video flickered to life, filled with swirling smoke, and I recognized the familiar setting of the Evans family’s private clubhouse.

Daniel sat at the center, exuding effortless calm. Felix lounged beside him, casually throwing out words that made my stomach churn. “Daniel, now that Delilah’s back, your family’s engagement is basically a done deal. What about the one at home? Your mother won’t let any obstacles stand in her way.”

My heart dropped, the weight of his words sinking in like a stone.

Daniel’s lips curled into a mocking smile, his voice cool and detached. “She’s just a distraction. I’m not marrying her. My mother can’t do anything about it.”

The words struck me like a knife to the chest, leaving me gasping for air.

“Well, that’s how we rich kids operate, isn’t it? Always keeping something on the side.”

His words blurred into nothingness, the truth of what I was to Daniel crashing over me.

A plaything. That’s all I had ever been.

Years of devotion, love, and sacrifice, all for a cruel joke in his eyes.

Unable to watch any longer, I dropped my phone, the weight of his betrayal suffocating me. Tears streamed down, soaking my pillow.

Just then, a loud commotion broke through my grief, followed by the unmistakable sound of fireworks exploding in the distance.

Instinctively, I slid the window open, the night air hitting me with a chill. Bright fireworks exploded in the sky, a magnificent burst of colors that should have been beautiful, but to me, they were nothing more than cruel reminders of what I had lost.

My heart felt like it had been cast into an icy abyss, its weight sinking lower and lower.

Before I could pull myself from the dark abyss of my thoughts, my phone buzzed again. Another message from Delilah.

Another video.

The scene unfolded in Evercrest, where the night sky was set ablaze with a breathtaking fireworks display.

Beneath the brilliant lights, Daniel knelt, holding a stunning engagement ring, his gaze locked on Delilah, filled with something I had never seen for me: genuine affection.

“Delilah, will you marry me?”

Her face lit up, radiant with joy, and without a moment’s hesitation, she answered, “I do!”

The sound of cheers and applause rang out from the crowd, a chorus of congratulations that seemed to mock the emptiness in my chest.

Then, another message popped up.

[I once mentioned wanting fireworks over Evercrest just for me. So, he arranged for the whole city’s fireworks to go off in my honor.]

[Did you really think you were important to him? You were just a toy, one he’d toss away when he was done with you.]

The words hit me like a thousand needles stabbing deep into my heart, the pain so raw it left me gasping for air.

I had once believed love was a bond of sincerity, something that would be reciprocated, but I was nothing more than a cruel joke to him.

I had been too naive, lost in my own web of illusions, only to be left battered and broken in the end.

That night, social media erupted.

[The Crown Prince of Innovex Group Proposes to Miss Delilah Watson at Evercrest!]

The headline shot to the top of the trending list, climbing to unbelievable heights as if mocking my pain.

The comment section flooded with blessings, an endless tide of congratulations pouring in like waves, drowning me in their hollow cheer.

But every kind word felt like a dagger, piercing deep into the already fragile pieces of my heart.

With trembling hands, I dialed my agent’s number, my breath shallow as I waited for the call to connect.

The moment I heard Reagan Collin’s voice, I didn’t waste a second. “Reagan, I want to terminate my contract.”

My agency had long been backed by Daniel’s investment. If I wanted to sever all ties with him, canceling the contract was the only way to truly escape.

I had worked tirelessly through the grind of the entertainment industry, my wealth built on years of sweat and sacrifice.

I knew I had more than enough to cover the termination fee.

With Daniel behind me, I could finally carve my own path in this chaotic, unpredictable world.