Chapter 2

"Anna, I'm sorry. I got ahead of myself… I thought you would be happy." Blake's eyes were red-rimmed as he reached out to grab me. "Don't go. Let's talk about this, alright?"

If this were before, I probably would've melted on the spot. But now, all I could think of was how he'd told Anson he would break my limbs and lock me up.

I took a step back, dodging his hand. I heard myself say airily, "It's not your fault. I'm just done."

"Done?" Blake's lashes trembled, as if he genuinely couldn't understand what that meant. "You don't love me anymore?"

Under the streetlight, I saw the broken look in his eyes. His acting was so convincing he could've won an award.

A comment floated past.

[To be fair, Blake wasn't completely faking it these past years… This kind of hurts.]

That reminded me of something. I lifted my head and looked straight into Blake's eyes. "Blake, over the past six years, was there even one second that you truly felt happy?"

His eyes widened just a fraction. He didn't answer, but the comments exploded.

[Did she find out the truth?]

[Holy shit! One high-intensity scene, coming right up!]

[Blake, why are you just standing there? Start lying!]

The wind was freezing. I tightened my grip on my suitcase and walked away, disappearing into the night. No footsteps followed.

Only the countdown in my head ticked clearly. 9 days, 23 hours, 59 minutes. The game wasn't over yet, but this player no longer felt like following the rules.

I hailed a cab and got in, slumping against the window. I couldn't stop my hands from shaking, but it wasn't from fear. It was from excitement.

So this was what it felt like to drop a six-year act. It was like I was finally able to breathe.

The countdown flickered coldly in front of my eyes. 9 days, 23 hours, 10 minutes.

I had less than ten days to live, and it was all because of someone who would never love me. What a joke.

"Miss, where to?" the driver asked, glancing at me in the rearview mirror.

I rattled off the address to my old favorite cafe by the river. Blake said it was "too noisy and messy" and had stopped me from going there.

Comments drifted across my vision.

[Where is she going? Shouldn't she be running for her life?]

[That look in Blake's eyes when she left was terrifying…]

[Am I the only one who thinks she looks really good in that red dress?]

Outside the window, the city's neon lights streaked backward.

For six years, it was like I'd been living in a glass dome, seeing everything through Blake's filter. Now, the glass had shattered. The wind rushed in, carrying the smoky smell of late-night food stands, the damp river breeze, and strangers' laughter and small talk.

It was so real that it made me want to cry.

The cafe was still in its old spot. When I pushed the door open, the bell over the door chimed.

The owner, a middle-aged man with a graying beard, was taken aback when he saw me. "Joanna?"

"Hi, Eddie. Long time no see," I said.

"It really is you!" Eddie Calhan wiped his hands and came out from behind the counter. "What's it been, five, six years? You used to love that window seat. One latte and you'd be there all afternoon working on assignments…"

Only then did I remember that before meeting Blake, I used to come here to do my assignments. Back then, I was a student at a film academy with dreams of winning Best Actress. I used to fill the margins of my scripts with notes.

And after that?

After that, Blake had said, "Acting is too hard. I'll take care of you. The entertainment industry is a mess. It's not good for you. Anna, you've got me. That's enough."

And I'd actually believed him. I'd given up auditions, turned down contracts, locked my dreams in a drawer, and handed him the key.

"Your usual?" Eddie asked.

"Yeah." I paused. "And a slice of tiramisu."

I used to never dare order it. Blake said I "put on weight too easily and that it won't look good on camera".

But now, I only had ten days left. Who cared if I put on a little weight?