Chapter 2

02.

Damon and I met back in college.

Back then, he was an obscure member of the film club, stuck with every dirty, exhausting chore.

During an outdoor shoot by the lake, someone maliciously tricked Damon into diving in to retrieve dropped camera gear, only to drive the boat away.

Clutching the heavy equipment, Damon struggled in the deep water, on the verge of sinking to the bottom.

Without hesitation, I jumped in to pull him out.

He was stubborn, refusing to let go of the gear even as he drowned. I was not strong enough, and both of us swallowed mouthfuls of murky water.

In the end, Chase, who had grown up with me, rushed over just in time and pulled us both ashore.

Damon was fine, and the equipment was saved.

But because of that day, I developed a severe phobia of water, destroying my lifelong dream of becoming a competitive swimmer.

Yet, I never regretted saving him.

After graduation, Damon wanted to direct his own films.

I emptied my entire savings to invest in him and used all my personal connections to open doors for his projects.

Eventually, his film became a massive hit, securing his place in the industry.

Over the next few years, everything went smoothly. We founded Thorne Entertainment together, turning it into an industry powerhouse.

No matter how many stars Damon signed, he always made sure to come home on time, bringing me a bowl of warm chicken soup from the corner diner.

I truly believed we were soulmates who would spend the rest of our lives together.

Until Maisie appeared.

Damon started coming home later and less often, and the warm soup disappeared completely.

Once, when my stomach pain became unbearable, I called him to ask if he could bring me some soup on his way back.

He answered with sheer impatience.

“I am busy. If your stomach hurts, take an Uber to the hospital. How is soup going to fix anything?”

I dragged my sick body toward the front door, but passed out from the agony before I could step outside.

It was the building security guard who found me and rushed me to the emergency room.

I had an acute gastric perforation, but there was nobody there to sign my surgical consent form.

I dialed Damon’s number over and over until my phone died, but he never picked up.

In the end, I had to beg the doctor through my tears to let me sign the form myself.

Later, I found out that day was Maisie’s birthday.

Damon had chartered a luxury yacht to throw a massive party for her, bringing the entire company along.

A yacht...

I had once begged him for a simple weekend cruise, even just for a single day, but he told me it was a complete waste of time.

Yet for Maisie, he booked a three-day celebration on the open sea.

It was never that he lacked time. He just did not have any time for me.

I wiped the tears from my face, ignoring his insults, and spoke in a calm voice.

“By the way, I saw Maisie’s prenatal report in your pocket today.”

Damon stiffened instantly.

After a brief silence, he stammered, “Don’t overthink it. The baby belongs to her secret boyfriend.”

“She is an actress whose career is taking off. If this gets out, it will ruin her. Keep your mouth shut about it.”