Chapter 1
For seven years, I had a secret relationship with Finn Brooks. And just when I thought we could finally stand in the light, his so–called first love sent him a medical report: kidney failure.
Without a word, Finn packed his bags and flew overseas overnight to bring her back.
The Best Actress nomination that had my name written all over it? Gone. Reassigned to her on Finn’s orders.>
I called him, my voice trembling with disbelief. But he snapped before I could even ask.
“Darcie is dying. Do you have to be this petty? It’s just a damn award, you’ll have plenty more chances!“>
“She lost a kidney trying to save me. She was kidnapped, for God’s sake. I owe her everything. I have to be there for her every second.” “As for the announcement, let’s wait until she recovers, alright?“>
The call ended. I stared at the screen, stunned by how absurd the whole thing was.
He didn’t know I had made a deal with my family: If I didn’t win Best Actress by 28, I’d have to go back and marry the man they chose.
Finn had just made it official: his long–time girlfriend was pregnant.
On the post he tagged Darcie Bennett in, I clicked like and commented softly, [Wishing you a long and happy life together.]}
Seconds later, my phone rang.
His voice burst through the quiet café, sharp and furious.
“Faith! What the hell do you mean by that?“}
“Darcie has kidney failure! She just wants to keep the baby. Is it wrong for me to support her?“)
“Even if I go public with her, that doesn’t change how I feel about you! Why would you comment something like that and upset her?“}]
I glanced down at the IV needle in the back of my hand.
Yesterday, during filming, I fell from a high wire.
I lost the baby. I hadn’t even had the chance to tell him.
And then I saw his announcement.
A tightness gripped my chest, sharp and unrelenting. My fingers curled instinctively into my palm.
“Finn, let’s break up.“>
He laughed, a cold, disbelieving sound.
“Besides threatening to leave, what else can you do?“}
“All those roles, those endorsements, who do you think handed them to you?“>
“You’re already 28, Faith Harper. You’re not that fresh–faced 21–year–old anymor
Who els
would even want you?”
“I never said I didn’t want you. I just told you to be patient. Once Darcie has the baby, we’ll get married.”
“You haven’t lost anything. So tell me, how have I wronged you?“}
Seven years. I’d stood beside him in silence, never named, never acknowledged.
From twenty–one to now, I had given him all my youth.
He wanted obedience. I gave him fire.>
In the beginning, he called it charming. Said I was unlike anyone else.”
But now….
My silence made him snap.
“You’re the one who wanted a breakup? Fine, have it your way. But I’m telling you, by tonight, you’ll be the one crawling back, begging me to take you.”
Right then, I heard Darcie crying in her sleep from a nightmare, and the call cut off without warning.
I yanked out the IV, grabbed my clothes, and walked out of the hospital without looking back.§
My fingers trembled as I dialed a number I hadn’t touched in years.
“Archie, want to get a marriage license?”
The screech of tires came through the line as if he’d just spun off a racetrack.}
Then came rustling, scrambling noises, followed by his breathless voice.
“Get it? I’ll get it right now! I don’t even care about my life. I’ll fly back this second to marry you. Faith, I’ve waited eight damn years. If you dare trick me again, just try it!”
I drew in a sharp breath, my throat tightening, my eyes stinging with tears I refused to shed.§
“If you don’t show up, you’re a dog.”}
Finn held enormous sway among Dallas’s elite.
In less than ten minutes, he stripped me clean of everything.”
Every endorsement I’d signed was immediately reassigned to Darcie.!
Now, the headlines exploded with scandal, painting me as the shameless third party who ruined their so–called seven–year romance.
Seven years ago, I had run to the capital alone just to escape an arranged marriage.§
I almost got tricked into becoming a hostess.
It was Finn who had pulled me out of that pit.
