Chapter 2

“Damian, this move of yours is genius, though. Ten minutes of Kira’s high-definition, uncensored live stream for a single credit? It’s practically a giveaway! And a whole night for a dollar? Cheaper than dirt!”

Damian sneered, his expression icy.

“A single credit is giving her too much credit. Does she really think she’s some big star? She dared to treat Briar like that, so I’m going to make sure she knows exactly what she is!”

He slowly opened his phone and sent a voice message to the group chat.

“Tonight, we continue. One credit gets you a new pose. First-person view, do whatever you want. Anyone who wants in, sign up.”

Then, he even packaged last night’s video and sent it out again.

My body trembled, my teeth nearly biting through my lip.

No wonder he’d blindfolded me last night, tormenting me in every way possible.

The men in the room had their phones on speaker, broadcasting the video, their lewd comments filling the air. And I, too, was drowning in despair.

The sharp pain on my lip kept me clinging to the last shred of my sanity.

I couldn’t understand why Damian, who had pursued me for three years—the man who publicly doted on me, who couldn’t bear to see me suffer even the slightest harm—would treat me like this.

I knew he was extremely possessive. Every time, he’d leave all sorts of marks on my body.

He’d also frequently take me to various places to seek thrills, even demanding that I say embarrassing things, which always seemed to excite him.

The old me had gone along with it, thinking it was just our little kinky fun as a couple. I never imagined it was all just a prelude to his humiliation of me for the sake of his childhood sweetheart.

The comments from the hospital room grew more and more explicit. I hugged myself tightly, trembling all over.

As a popular actress, I’d just started making a name for myself with my acting skills when Damian begged me to mentor a newcomer.

Before that, I’d only heard about Damian’s childhood friend, Briar.

“Damian values Briar so much! She’s been his little shadow since they were kids. She’s so cute and thoughtful!”

The first time we met, Briar actively called me “Sister” and greeted me, but I later found out she was actually a year older than me.

Still, for Damian’s sake, I was willing to guide her a little.

But I never expected that on the very first day of shooting, she’d ask to add a slapping scene.

The director reminded her she could fake the hit, but she slapped me twelve times in a row, then pushed all the blame onto me.

My face was swollen beyond recognition. Not only did she not apologize, but she burst into tears, acting like *she* was the one who’d suffered a great injustice.

Seeing the shooting schedule delayed, the director, with a dark expression, insisted she had to fake the hit, and only then did the scene finally wrap.

Everyone looked at the red, swollen finger marks on my face with pity. I was heartbroken, but all I wanted was an apology.

Briar cried hysterically, but under Damian’s watchful eye—he was visiting the set—she finally apologized.

“I’m sorry, I made a mistake.”

But she acted like she’d been immensely wronged, retreating into her private car.

At the time, Damian just told me she was spoiled, and he looked at the injuries on my face with concern.

I never imagined that very night I’d become the star of a private stream, all because he thought I wasn't even fit to be compared to his childhood sweetheart.

Yet, that very morning, he’d held my face in his hands.

“Briar is my childhood friend. She’s seen it. Even my parents have seen it. I hope we can have everyone’s blessing.”

He was the one who said he’d love me forever, but then he betrayed me without hesitation.

Our three years together, it turned out, meant nothing compared to a single tear from his childhood friend.

If that’s the case, why did he ever bother with me?