Chapter 4

Annie Farley POV:

Hiding from you? The thought screamed in my head, a raw, bitter laugh rising in my throat. I wasn't hiding from you, Julian. I was hiding from the monster you created.

"There's nothing to talk about, Julian," I said, my voice flat, devoid of emotion. I stood up slowly, helping Mrs. Gable to her feet. "I have a job to do." I gestured vaguely at the coffee shop, a pathetic shield against his power.

His eyes, once filled with a warmth I' d believed was real, hardened. A flicker of anger, quickly suppressed, crossed his face. "A job? Making coffee? Is that what you call a life, Annie?" His tone was laced with a patronizing pity that made my skin crawl.

"It's a peaceful life," I countered, forcing a calm I didn't feel. "More than I ever had with you."

His hand shot out, grabbing my arm. His touch, once comforting, now felt like a brand. "Don't say that. Don't pretend what we had wasn't real."

"It was real," I said, yanking my arm free. "Real enough for you to burn it all down."

Before he could respond, a sleek black car, even more luxurious than Julian's Bentley, pulled up beside us. The window slid down, revealing Kaylene Avila. Her smile, once saccharine sweet, was now a triumphant smirk. She was even more stunning in person, flawless, perfectly coiffed, radiating an artificial glow.

"Julian, darling!" she chirped, her voice dripping with fake concern. "Are you alright? I heard there was a commotion." She stepped out of the car, a vision in designer clothes, and immediately linked her arm through Julian's.

My breath caught. It was a familiar scene, one that haunted my nightmares. Julian, the powerful protector, and Kaylene, the delicate starlet. A sickeningly perfect picture.

Kaylene's gaze flickered to me, a flash of malicious triumph in her eyes. "Oh, Annie," she said, her voice dripping with mock sympathy. "Long time no see. You've... changed." She made a show of looking me up and down, her eyes lingering on my scar, then on my simple barista apron.

Then, with a flourish, she held up a delicate, diamond-encrusted bracelet. My Grammy bracelet. The one Julian had given me the night I won. The night he betrayed me. "Julian gave this to me," she purred, her fingers stroking the cold metal. "He said it was always meant for someone who truly deserved it."

My stomach churned. It wasn't just the bracelet. It was the crushing realization, the final nail in the coffin of my naive past. Julian hadn' t just betrayed me for Kaylene. He had given her pieces of me. He had orchestrated everything, from the start. Kaylene was never just a rival; she was a co-conspirator.

Just then, another car arrived, this one with official-looking seals. Julian's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Watson, emerged, their faces etched with disapproval. They were society darlings, perfection personified, and they looked at me as if I were a stain on their pristine world.

"Julian! What is going on here?" Mrs. Watson demanded, her voice sharp. She ignored me completely, her eyes fixed on her son.

Mr. Watson, a man whose smile could freeze a room, finally looked my way. His expression was a sneer. "Annie. Still causing trouble, I see." He turned back to Julian, his voice lowered but still audible. "This is exactly what I warned you about, son. This kind of scandal, it's bad for the family name. Bad for the mergers."

"Our new investment deals are already being questioned," Mrs. Watson added, her eyes narrowing at me. "Your little drama queen act, Annie, nearly cost us millions. Kaylene has been a rock, Julian. A true blessing."

My mind screamed. My drama queen act? Your son destroyed my life! But the words wouldn't come out. They never did, not when it mattered.

Kaylene, ever the performer, squeezed Julian's arm. "It's alright, Mrs. Watson. Annie just needs a little guidance. Perhaps a chance to... contribute to the future." Her gaze, chillingly calculating, met mine. "Julian and I have been thinking. My new album is almost ready. It just needs that special touch, that raw, authentic emotion that you, Annie, used to be so good at."

She smiled, a predatory gleam in her eyes. "We're offering you a chance, Annie. A chance to ghostwrite for me. A form of... penance, Julian calls it." Her words were sweet, but her meaning was clear: You're my puppet now.

Julian' s parents exchanged approving glances. This was their solution: to exploit my talent, to muzzle me, and to use me to elevate Kaylene.

"Of course," Kaylene continued, her voice radiating confidence. "You'll be working behind the scenes. No credit, of course. Just a chance to be part of something great again. Don't worry, Annie. Your voice might be gone, but your words can still be mine."

A cold tremor ran down my spine. They weren't just offering a job. They were offering me a cage. A gilded cage, perhaps, but a cage nonetheless. And I knew, with a terrifying certainty, that refusing them was not an option.