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.
Natalie Fox's voice dripped with smugness.
"See? It proves that even without your pocket change, I can still land a production."
"Once this drama airs, I'll blow up. I'll break into the mainstream, my path to stardom will be paved with gold, and I'll have endless glory."
"When you're so broke you can't even afford a meal, feel free to come crawl back. Kneel and beg. For every kowtow, I'll toss you a hundred bucks."
I didn't bother responding. Just hung up.
Despite the mockery in her tone, something else bled through—a tremor of exhaustion.
A cold sneer curled my lips.
Three days ago, a traffic violation notice had landed in my inbox. The car was an anniversary gift I'd given Natalie, though it was still registered under my name.