Chapter 4

I sat on the floor, clutching the few torn pages, my eyes so dry they ached.

Richard looked at me, and regret flashed across his face.

But he quickly looked away. His expression turned cold again, and he walked out of the apartment.

Owen came over and helped me to my feet. He sighed. "Ms. Lawson, please don't blame Mr. Crane. The board found out you'd been secretly meeting with an independent producer. They were planning to sue you for breach of contract and demand a fortune in damages. Mr. Crane destroyed the screenplay to stop you from going independent. He wanted to keep you at the company so he could protect you."

"Protect me?" I took a deep breath and straightened up.

"Don't bother. It makes me sick."

I went back to my bedroom and destroyed everything Richard had given me over the past twenty years, cutting and tearing it all to pieces before throwing it outside my door.

Around noon, someone from Helen's team brought me a check for the screenplay rights and a plane ticket to London.

"Ms. Carver says to be careful," the courier said quietly.

I took the check and ticket, my eyes stinging.

On the way to the airport, I checked the entertainment news.

The headlines were full of Richard's lavish billboard displays for Daisy and news of her new global endorsement deal with a top luxury brand.

My phone buzzed. It was Richard.

"Be at the Peninsula Restaurant in thirty minutes," he ordered. "I'm your adoptive father, and you'll do as I say."

I didn't argue. I had the driver turn the car around.

In a private room at the restaurant, Daisy jumped to her feet when I walked in, her eyes red.

"Eve, I'm so glad you could make it!

"Richard told me all your comeback endorsement deals fell through. I feel terrible about what happened. I really do."

Daisy bit her lip, putting on a sincere expression. "You know what? Richard just got me several global endorsement deals with major luxury brands. Why don't I give you one? I mean, you don't have any work lined up right now, and this industry can be brutal when you're out of the spotlight. I don't mind making a little less if it means I can make things up to you."

"No, thanks," I said calmly. "Mr. Crane gave those deals to you, so keep them. I'm leaving anyway. I have no intention of sticking around Hollywood just to scrape by."

Richard was stunned. He obviously hadn't expected me to say no.

Daisy glanced at me, then sent Richard to get her a hot cocoa.

Once he was out of earshot, Daisy finally dropped the act.

She tossed a confidential script for a major production onto the table in front of me.

One glance was all it took. The plot had been lifted straight from the screenplay Richard had torn up.

"Don't look so grim, Ms. Lawson."

Daisy's voice was still sickeningly sweet. "That's right. I stole your work. You must hate my guts, huh?"

I looked at her calmly. "You stole it. Do you really think Richard will take your side once he finds out the truth?"

"The truth?"

Daisy leaned closer, her voice dripping with contempt. "You actually think I give a damn about Richard?

"What I care about is his connections, his influence, and his power to make me an A-list star.

"And this script? I already sold it to his biggest rival for a fortune!

"You know, I almost feel sorry for you. You nearly died saving that man, but all I had to do was shed a couple of tears, and he tore your mother's precious manuscript to pieces with his own hands."

I stood, picked up my bag, and gave her a cold stare.

"Being a rich man's plaything comes at a price. Enjoy your little victory while you can. One day, those people you're so desperate to please might chew you up, bones and all."

Then I turned and reached for the door handle.

Daisy grabbed the glass beside her, smashed it, and dragged a shard across her own face, leaving a bloody gash.

"Don't get too cocky, Eve!" she snarled behind me. "Your career in Hollywood is over!"

I gave her a cold look, turned, and left.

I'd just reached the airport when Richard called.

"Eve! What the hell have you done?!"

The moment I answered, Richard's icy voice came through.

"You stole a confidential screenplay from one of the company's biggest productions, and you slashed Daisy's face! Get back to the office right now!"

I stopped walking and let out a bitter laugh. "Richard, why won't you just check the security footage for once?"

"What is there to check?" he snapped. "You think Daisy would deliberately scar her own face and throw away her career?

"Eve, if you don't come back right now, I'm washing my hands of you for good!"

"As you wish, Mr. Crane."

I said it calmly and hung up.

Sitting in the departure lounge, I opened my laptop, pulled up the security footage from the restaurant's private room, and scheduled it to be sent to Richard.

Then I removed the SIM card from my phone and boarded the plane without looking back.