Finn’s power in Dallas’s elite circle was something no one dared to challenge.

And now, he was turning that very power against me.

I had just started packing when my agent’s message popped up.

She told me Finn had made a bet with his drinking buddies, claiming I’d come crawling back within thirty minutes.

Then came her warning, saying, “Faith, if you still want a future in Dallas’s entertainment world, don’t cross Young Master Finn.”

I stared at her message in silence.

My eyes drifted over the room filled with gifts he’d given me over the years, tokens of love that now felt like shackles.

It was time.

Time to return everything.

Time to end it cleanly.

So I said, “Send me the address.”

When I arrived at the private lounge in the bar, I heard a soft, delicate voice float out through the door. It was Darcie’s voice.

“Finn, it’s a little stuffy in here. Maybe I should step out first?”

A loud crash echoed from inside, glass shattering against the floor.

Then came Finn’s furious voice, sharp and commanding. “Put those cigarettes out! Can’t you see she’s pregnant? My child can’t breathe that in!”

I used to sit beside him at these parties.

Back then, I was the one he shielded. He’d demand everyone stub out their cigarettes because I was allergic.

But it hadn’t lasted.

Eventually, he grew irritated.

“Faith, you’re an actress. Don’t act so fragile. These are my brothers. Just put up with it. Don’t ruin the mood.”

He knew the smoke would leave me coughing till dawn, but still, he told me to endure it.

Yet now, for Darcie, he was willing to turn on the very friends who’d fought by his side.

I swallowed the sting rising in my throat and pushed open the door.

Laughter exploded in the room.

“Well, well, look who couldn’t stay away. Our little movie star came crawling back to Brother Finn!”

“What’s the point of winning awards? Being Finn’s woman is the real prize!”

The tension between Finn’s brows vanished in an instant.

He glanced at his watch, the corners of his lips curling into a cold, smug smile.

“Twenty minutes. So much for all that pride, Faith.”

“Darcie’s been upset for hours because of your little jab. Apologize to her, and I’ll let it slide. I won’t make things difficult for you.”

All around us, mocking eyes swept over me, some amused, others tinged with pity.

In their minds, everything I’d earned in this industry was handed to me by Finn’s money.

But they didn’t know.

Two years ago, when Finn was betrayed and on the brink of losing everything, it was me who signed a sky-high gambling clause to keep his company from crumbling.

Seven years.

It took me seven whole years to finally see the truth: Finn never really loved me.

Otherwise, how could he look straight at me and not notice my pale complexion, the blood seeping from the IV mark on my hand?

My fingers felt numb as I threw everything down in front of him: the watches, the jewelry, the gifts he’d showered me with over the years.

“These are everything you gave me in the past seven years. I’m giving them all back.”

“From today on, we’re even.”

The room fell into a heavy silence.

Finn stared at me with cold eyes, but the hand clutching his glass turned pale, trembling with tension.

“You really think we’re even just because you say so? Don’t forget, your contract is still chained to me. Walk away now, and you owe ten billion. You’re nothing but an orphan without a family. How could you possibly pay that?”

When I was with Finn, I’d hidden my true identity, afraid my family would find me.

So I lied. I told him I was an orphan.

That lie used to be his soft spot, what made him pity and love me.

Now, it had become his weapon.

A sharp ache tightened my chest.

My eyes dropped to the diamond bracelet circling my wrist, the same bracelet Finn had given me seven years ago, saying it marked me as his.

But the bracelet felt tighter than ever as if squeezing the distance growing between us.

Suddenly sensing something, Finn sat up abruptly, his breath catching in his throat.

“Faith, don’t you dare.”

Before he could finish, I yanked the diamond bracelet from my wrist and flung it onto the growing pile.

“I’ll pay you the ten billion. I admit defeat for the seven years I lost in my youth.”

Finn moved to check my bleeding hand, but Darcie clung to him tightly.

“Finn, there’s so much blood… I’m scared…”

Before she could finish, her body went limp, and she fainted.

Finn scooped her up and barked furiously at everyone to clear the way.

I was about to walk away, but the next moment, he seized my injured hand, and a sharp, burning pain shot through my bones.

“You’re not leaving. Darcie has anemia, and you share her blood type.”

Determined, he dragged me into the car and sped to the hospital.

When the doctor revealed Darcie’s genetic disorder, thalassemia, and said her rare blood type required a family donor, Finn pushed me forward, voice cold as ice.

“Draw her blood. She’s RH-negative.”

My heart turned utterly cold.

Seeing my silence, Finn’s anger flared instantly.

“Darcie has no family. She’s in danger right now. Would it kill you to donate blood?”

I met his gaze quietly and took a slow, steady breath.

“Finn, I had a miscarriage two days ago. The baby was yours. I can’t give blood right now.”

A bitter laugh escaped him, laced with disbelief.

“So your jealousy runs that deep? You’d lie just to dodge donating to Darcie?”

“You better donate now. One blood donation and the ten billion contracts are wiped clean!”

In his eyes, my life was worth no more than ten billion.

He saw Darcie collapse from anemia but never once noticed I was a grieving mother mourning a lost child.

Dizzy and weak, I had to lean against the wall to keep from falling.

In the emergency room, a nurse hurried out.

“The patient’s anemia is critical. She needs a transfusion now, or we won’t save either mother or child.”

The doctor looked deeply troubled.

“What can we do? A celebrity came in with a miscarriage earlier today. Our blood supply is dangerously low. Even if we transfer from another city hospital, it won’t arrive until late this afternoon.”

Finn shouted with impatience.

“We ask you to donate just a little blood, and you put on this whole act? Darcie fainted, and now you’re doing the same? Faith, how did I never realize you were this fake?”

Seeing my refusal, he dragged me toward the blood donation room without mercy.

As I fought with all my strength, Finn’s voice cut through.

“I saved you seven years ago, and now you want to sever ties? How do you plan to repay a life-saving favor?”

“If you just behave and donate blood to Darcie today, once her child is born, I swear I’ll marry you. Darcie doesn’t have long. Won’t the child end up calling you mom anyway?”

At that moment, all my resistance felt hollow.

The fine needle pierced my vein.

The pain usually terrified me, but now I felt nothing but numbness.

They drew two bags of blood from me.

Watching Finn rush anxiously into the emergency room, my eyes burned, yet not a single tear fell.

“Finn, I’ve paid my dues. From now on, we go our separate ways. Let’s never cross paths again.”

Dragging my suitcase behind me, I rested for a day at a hotel before booking a flight to Miami the next morning.

After that, I went to the company and terminated my contract.

My agent called Finn several times.

He answered only the last call.

On the other end came his cold, ruthless roar.

“If she wants to leave, let her! Calling at this hour, don’t tell me it’s just for show!”

“She donates a little blood and vanishes without a word. Does she even respect me as her benefactor?”

Seven years of ‘love,’ to him, had always been just a transaction between a patron and his canary.

I couldn’t stop a bitter laugh from escaping.

My agent’s expression shifted from worry to resentment, blaming me once again for getting him scolded.

Finn angrily slammed the phone down.

My agent sneered without missing a beat, “I really thought you had locked Young Master Brooks down. Just days ago, he asked for your measurements. He was planning to order a wedding dress for you.”

“But in the end, you still got dumped.”

I knew the truth. That dress wasn’t meant for me but for Darcie.

She and I just happened to share similar body shapes, and he wanted to surprise her.

Without a moment’s hesitation, I signed the termination contract.

My agent, however, sneered with mockery, “The contract won’t be valid until Young Master Brook signs it. He’s waiting for you at the villa.”

“But here’s a piece of advice: playing the victim might work on stage, but if Finn truly cuts you loose, it’ll be downright humiliating.”

When I arrived at the villa, Darcie stood there, the wedding dress held excitedly against her.

She spotted me and walked over, her smile bright and genuine.

“Faith, Finn told me it was you who donated blood for me this time. Thank you so much.”

“Sorry for stealing your Best Actress award the last time.”

“That was Finn’s doing. He knew I was upset, so he used that award to cheer me up.”

“Oh, and Finn and I are getting married next month. I don’t know many people here. Why don’t you be my bridesmaid?”

I clenched the contract tightly in my hand and replied with icy calm, “Sorry, I don’t have time.”

My family was already preparing for my wedding.

They knew I was rebellious and hated being tied down too soon, but when they found out I was going to marry Archie, they even planned the engagement banquet.

Once I ended things with Finn, I would return to Miami and never look back.

Suddenly, Darcie threw the wedding dress at me, grabbed my hand, and burst into tears.

“Faith, why did you have to say those things?”

“I won’t let you have Finn!”

Then, as if I had pushed her, she collapsed to the floor.

Before I could react, Finn’s furious voice thundered behind me.

I barely had time to turn before his palm struck my face.

“Faith, what the hell do you think you’re doing?”

My ears buzzed, and I struggled to stay upright. He, meanwhile, gently helped Darcie to her feet.

She spoke softly, her voice trembling, “I just wanted to invite you to our wedding, but she said I stole her boyfriend. Finn, is that true?”

Finn’s eyes locked onto mine, cold and filled with disdain.

“Darcie, don’t waste your time on her lies. There are plenty of actresses desperate to get into my bed. Who does she think she is?”

“You should go rest upstairs. I’ll come be with you soon.”

Darcie shyly caressed her belly.

“I’ll wait for you with the baby.”

Once she left, Finn dropped the act, his face hardening as he flung a check at me.

“Faith, you served me for seven years. This ten million is the price of your youth spent at my side.”

“Don’t blame me for being ruthless. I warned you long ago.”

“Once Darcie gives birth, everything will be hers. Couldn’t you just wait a little longer? Why did you have to make a scene in front of her?”

At that moment, laughter erupted from me, tears blending with my mirth.

Today, I finally saw his true face, and I was utterly, completely disgusted.

No matter how fierce our past fights, I was always the first to forgive.

But with his arrogant, piercing gaze fixed on me, I pulled out the contract.

“The contract is signed. From now on, we owe each other nothing.”

Finn stared at the papers, stunned for a heartbeat, and then his face contorted with fury.

“Fine. Faith, this is your choice. Don’t regret it later!”

With a furious scrawl, he signed his name.

He flung it at my face like trash. “Get out of here!”

But I felt calmer than ever before. It was finally over.

I bent down, picked up the contract, and hailed a taxi away from the villa where I had spent seven long years.

At the airport, just as I was about to switch off my phone, an unexpected message caught my eye: an announcement from the company about my retirement.

“Shocking gossip: Faith’s life took a tragic turn. She suffered a miscarriage on set a few days ago, and now she’s been ousted from the production and officially retired.”

“I bet she was just desperate, trying to cling to Young Master Brooks by using tragedy to manipulate him. But he saw through it!”

“Darcie is still the prettiest. When she plays the violin, she’s so elegant and graceful. She and Young Master Brooks are a perfect match!”

The next moment, Finn’s call flashed across my screen.