I slapped his hand away, forced my expression flat, and took one long breath.

"The kidnapping. That was you?"

"Yes."

"The drugs. Also you?"

"Yes."

"The videos, the trending list, the trolls ripping me apart—all you?"

He blinked, then let out a short, contemptuous laugh.

"All me."

Every answer came that easy, that bare—like hiding it from me had never even crossed his mind. A knife shoved straight into my chest. He didn't even care enough to lie anymore.

I lifted my face. My eyes were shot through with red. "But why me?"

"Why did it have to be me?"

The day Clyde proposed, I'd already decided to give up the career I'd spent over a decade clawing my way through.

And now, just like that, he'd knocked me right back to where I started—back to nothing.

Ground every last illusion and scrap of happiness I had into dust.

"Deidre, you do what you're told. No connections, no family to back you up. You'd scrape and fight just for a walk-on role. Honestly—you were the perfect pick."

He glanced down at Victoria as he said it,

the tenderness in his eyes completely unconcealed.

"Besides, my mother's never liked Victoria. But put someone worse in front of her, and suddenly Victoria doesn't seem so unacceptable. You understand?"

I couldn't tell anymore whether it was rage or humiliation. My chest was so tight I could barely breathe.

"Clyde, isn't this too cruel to Deidre? She didn't know a thing. Using her like this... I feel terrible about it..."

Victoria's voice floated out, soft and fragile as a kitten's.

Clyde pulled her against his shoulder, his tone dripping with indulgence.

"Don't worry. I'll handle her."

He turned to look at me.

"Deidre, since you've heard everything, I won't beat around the bush."

"I need you to play along until the curtain falls."

Acting—for professionals like us, it was as routine as breathing. But coming from the mouth of the man I loved, it was nothing short of laughable.

"Oh? And how would you like me to play it? What's the rate?"

Clyde ignored the mockery in my voice entirely. His expression was dead serious.

"I need you to keep being my fiancée. Keep up the public displays of affection. Keep being Victoria's foil. It won't be long. Two months, tops."

"Once her new drama wraps and my parents have fully accepted her, I can drop you without it getting ugly."

I could barely believe what I was hearing.

"How shameless can you possibly be? You actually think I'd agree to this?"