It was laughable.
I wondered what expression she would make when she discovered her "fortune" was worthless brass.
That night, a heavy fist pounded against my door. The frame shook with the force of the blows.
"Evan Dickerson! You dared to play me?"
The noise was deafening. Not wanting the neighbors to call the police, I yanked the door open.
Natalie lunged at me, grabbing my shirt. "You knew the gold was fake! Why didn't you tell me? Do you have any idea how humiliated I was at the pawnshop?"
I looked at her with icy indifference. "You broke into my home to steal, and you think you have the moral high ground?"
She stared at me in disbelief. Then she shoved me, her manicured nails digging into my chest.
"I was with you for two years! Those things should have been mine anyway!" she screeched. "The market price is 480,000. Pay me back! Not a penny less!"
She was strong in her fury. Her nails tore through the fabric of my shirt, raking across skin. A sharp sting bloomed across my chest.
I looked down at her hand. Mockery danced in my eyes.
That manicure cost 1,999—half a month of my living expenses at the time. She had demanded it, and I had transferred the money without hesitation. Over two years, I had spent at least 100,000 on her. My life had been an endless loop of work and sleep, saving every cent, only to have her act like this.
Even knowing her true nature, the reality of her greed still turned my stomach.
"Aren't you trying to latch onto a rich heir?" I asked, my voice dripping with sarcasm. "Why not let Carter spend money on you? Or does he not think you're worth the price?"
Her breath hitched.
She raised her hand and slapped me across the face.
*Smack.*
My head snapped to the side. My cheek burned. When she raised her hand to strike again, I caught her wrist mid-air and delivered a sharp backhand across her face.
"Enough!" I roared. "Natalie, get out. Don't make me throw you out."
The force sent her stumbling. She fell, her ankle twisting beneath her with a cry of pain. She clutched her face, panic flashing in her eyes—quickly replaced by venomous hatred.
"You hit me?" she hissed. "Evan, I will make you regret this. Just you wait!"
Hearing the threat, I laughed. A cold, jagged sound. I ran my tongue over the inside of my cheek.
Copper.
"Fine. I'll wait."
I slammed the door in her face. The wood barely missed her nose.
Days later, I formally signed the agreement with the angel investor. I threw myself into the project.
By day, I managed development, oversaw testing, and negotiated with suppliers. When exhaustion took over, I slept at my desk, waking only to refine the business plan.
On my screen, the project advanced, milestone by milestone. My life was simple, disciplined, and incredibly fulfilling.
In the previous life, at this very moment, I would have been confessing to a crime I didn't commit. The next eight years would have been a black void, with Natalie as the only spot of color in my mind. Her joys and sorrows had been my entire world.
I had never realized my life could be this... free.
The next time Natalie crossed my radar was when the web drama *Chasing Green* officially announced its cast. The production crew had bought a spot on the trending search list to generate hype.
Curious, I clicked the link.
**Female Lead: Natalie Fox.**
Her name was bolded at the top of the list.
She hadn't just joined the crew. She had secured the lead role.
As I stared at the screen, my phone began to ring.
