Vanessa turned and left without another word. Before she was out of earshot, I heard Mason's voice. "Vanessa, are we really just leaving? What about Beckett?"

Vanessa's reply was ice-cold. "Forget him. He's just putting on a show for sympathy. Besides, I've spoiled him for too long. It's time he learned his lesson."

With that, Vanessa drove off, ignoring my cries for help. I was desperate and broken, screaming for someone, anyone, at the bottom of the cliff. Tears streamed down my face. I had always been the one who gave more in this relationship.

Back when she dreamed of becoming a star, I used every connection and ounce of energy I had. I swallowed my pride and begged people on my hands and knees.

Later, to land her the scripts and endorsements she wanted, I went three days and nights without sleep. I drank until I had a bleeding ulcer.

At home, I took care of everything. I refused to let her lift a finger. Vanessa used to tell me I was the perfect man. She said she wanted to spend the rest of her life with me. I never imagined her idea of forever would be so short.

No one came to help, so I dragged myself up the cliffside again and again in desperation.

It got darker. The wound from the boulder earlier seemed infected now. The pain blurred my vision. I broke down and called Vanessa over and over, begging her to save me. No one answered. Just when I thought all hope was lost, the call finally connected.

"Vanessa, please, I'm begging you to help me..."

What came through the line was the sound of heavy breathing.

"Mason, slow down..."

I nearly threw up. My heart plummeted into the abyss.

That day, I thought I was going to die. Luckily, a nearby farmer found me. When I woke up again, I was in the hospital. I stared at the empty room. Then, I called my father back in Hartford.

"Dad, I agree. I'll come back for the arranged marriage and join the company to inherit the corporation."

Years ago, I ran away from Hartford to escape that arranged marriage. I came all the way here for school. That was where I met Vanessa.

I helped her build her career from nothing. I used every skill and connection I had to transform her from nobody into an award-winning actress. I put her on top of the world.

When her kidneys failed, I even gave her one of mine without hesitation. However, I regretted it now. She was not worth the depth of my love.

Dad's voice on the other end sounded relieved. "Seven years. You've finally come to your senses. Did you finally see that love is worthless?"

I closed my eyes and nodded. "Yes. My contract with her ends in a month. I'll be back on time."

After that, I spent a week in the hospital. Meanwhile, the internet exploded with news about Vanessa and Mason being together. The usually aloof Vanessa publicly confessed to Mason after a concert, promising to give him all the security he needed.

On Mason's birthday, she even rented an entire yacht to celebrate. Photos of them kissing went viral online.

I remembered how she used to forget my birthday or claim she was too busy to make time. Now, I realized it was never about being busy. She just did not care. A faint ache stirred in my chest, but I quickly pushed it aside.

When I finally made it back to the house, all of Vanessa's relatives and friends were there. Vanessa stood at the center of the crowd like a queen, holding Mason's hand.

Vanessa's mother, Patricia Winters, announced loudly to everyone, "The Laurent family finally has an heir. Vanessa is pregnant!"

"Mason's really something! He got Vanessa pregnant so fast. Not like that useless Beckett Cross. Seven years together and couldn't even give her a child."

Hearing that, my heart turned cold.

In all the years Vanessa and I were together, she never let me touch her. She said she wanted to wait until after marriage. Now, she already had a child with Mason. When Vanessa saw me, guilt flashed across her face for a moment.

"Where have you been all this time? I was planning to spend our wedding night with you the next day, but I couldn't find you, so Mason took your place instead."

When I did not answer, she continued, "Actually, your timing is perfect. Mason doesn't like living with other people. Pack your things and move to a hotel for a while. I'll cover the cost. Once the baby is born, you can come back and help me."

She started to transfer money, but I stopped her. "I came here today to pack my things anyway."

Vanessa froze for a second, then nodded with satisfaction.

Mason followed me into the room with a smug look on his face. "How pathetic. You're getting kicked out of your own place. But hey, if you get on your knees and beg me right now, I might let you stay."

I let out a cold laugh. "Do you even deserve that?"

He smirked and pulled out a marriage certificate with a flourish. "Vanessa and I are legally married now. You're the other man."

A sharp pain pierced my chest. Vanessa had actually married him.

Of course, she did. She was already carrying his child. What was a marriage certificate compared to that?

Mason leaned close to my ear and whispered, "You don't know this, do you? While you were waiting like a fool at the wedding, she was underneath me, bleeding everywhere. But to comfort me, she endured the pain without a word.

"Tell me, you were with Vanessa for all those years and never even slept with her. Are you impotent or something?"

I clenched my fist, about to punch him, but Mason deliberately leaned back and fell to the ground with a loud thud.

"Beckett, I was just trying to help you pack. Why would you hit me?"

Vanessa rushed over and slapped me across the face. "Beckett Cross, I knew you wouldn't leave quietly."

She threw all my belongings out the door in one sweeping motion, then pointed at the exit and told me to get out.

Vanessa's parents pinned me to the ground and forced me to apologize to Mason.

"You disrespectful piece of trash. Is this how you treat Mason? Apologize to him right now."

They held me down and slapped me 99 times. When the 100th slap was about to land, I finally could not take the pain anymore and apologized to Mason.

"I'm sorry. You can have Vanessa. I hope you don't regret it."

Mason looked at Vanessa with tender affection. "I won't regret it. Ever."

In the end, I was thrown out the door like trash.

A few days later, I went to the company to sign my resignation papers. HR signed off quickly. All that was left was Vanessa's approval. I was about to message Vanessa when I received one from her first. She sent me an address and said she had something to tell me.

Since the resignation agreement needed her signature anyway, I went. However, when I arrived at the address, no one was there. I was still debating whether to wait when Mason appeared in front of me with a group of large, intimidating thugs.

"Why is it you? Where's Vanessa?"

Mason smiled and rubbed his neck. That was when I noticed it was covered in hickeys. "Vanessa was too tired. She just fell asleep in my arms."

He was the one who sent the message. A bad feeling crept through me.

"You deliberately lured me here. What do you want?"

Mason did not answer. Instead, he gestured to the thugs behind him. In an instant, I was surrounded by those massive men.

Mason's voice turned cold. "Beat him."

One of them grabbed my head and slammed it against the ground several times. My vision blurred immediately.

Mason walked over and stepped on my head, looking down at me. "What do I want? To get rid of you, of course. Vanessa's completely devoted to me, but I still can't relax. Only when you're completely destroyed can I finally feel secure."

He pulled out a knife and slowly crouched down. I screamed and fought back with everything I had, but they pinned me down.

Tears streamed down my face and burned the cuts on my skin. The pain made me curl up. I stared at his face and swore to myself that one day I would make him pay.

Mason stood up and told his men to proceed with the plan. The next moment, someone doused the photography studio with gasoline.

Mason called Vanessa. "Vanessa, please come save me! Beckett said he's going to kill me!"

He calmly pulled out a lighter and lit a cigarette, then tossed the still-lit lighter onto the gasoline. Flames shot up instantly.

Vanessa arrived quickly. By then, the fire had spread throughout the entire studio.

Panic covered her face as she rushed in without hesitation. When she passed me and saw me lying on the ground covered in blood, her eyes widened in disbelief. She hurried over and helped me up.

Just then, Mason, lying on the ground nearby, called out weakly, "Vanessa, you're finally here. Please save me!"

Vanessa immediately dropped me and ran toward Mason.

I watched helplessly as she used all her strength to lift Mason, who was deliberately lying on the ground, and carried him out of the fire. I screamed for her to help me, but Vanessa's response was ice cold.

"This is what you get for hurting Mason. You deserve it. I already called the fire department. Whether you survive is up to you now."

With that, Vanessa left without looking back.

In the end, the flames consumed my body inch by inch. My consciousness faded. The only thing that remained clear was the smug smile Mason flashed me before he left.

…

At the hospital, Mason was deeply traumatized by the incident. He could not eat or sleep properly. Vanessa, who had never lifted a finger in the kitchen, personally made him chicken soup and took care of him herself.

Yet for some reason, Vanessa kept feeling inexplicably anxious. My image kept appearing in her mind. Hence, she decided to show some mercy and check on me in the next ward over. However, when she arrived, no one was there.

She immediately called her assistant, Sophie Jones. "Where's Beckett?"

Sophie sounded confused. "Vanessa, you don't know? Beckett died in the fire that day."

The phone fell to the ground with a crash. Vanessa's face turned deathly pale.