Chapter 1

For my music, I nearly lost everything. Me—a billionaire's daughter—almost ended up with nothing.

Lucky for me, I found someone who believed in my talent. He adored me, pampered me, and spent a fortune producing my album.

Until I accidentally overheard what he really thought of me.

"She's nothing but an expensive escort. You think that's love?

"The only reason I keep her around is because she's pretty and clean enough that I don't have to worry about diseases. Otherwise, why would I bother with all this trouble?

"I'm getting engaged to the Sherwood family heiress next month. That's when it'll be time for her to disappear."

If I had any backbone, I would've vanished without a trace and left him drowning in regret.

But when I thought about my album... I totally chickened out.

There was no such thing as those dramatic stories where the guy chased after the girl he lost. To people with real money, beauty was just another commodity they could buy.

*****

I'd been dating Eric Goodman for almost two years now, and I was head over heels for him.

He was literally everything I'd dreamed of in a perfect guy.

Drop-dead gorgeous, sophisticated, loaded, brilliant—but what really got me was how he actually cared about my music and was willing to spend real money to help me make it.

My parents, however, were total opposite. They thought music was trash, something only failures did, and they never supported me for a second.

Honestly, they were just greedy capitalists who cared about nothing but money.

So when they went on a business trip, I took all my savings and ran.

I was going to make it big and come back to show them exactly what I could do.

But the truth was, while music itself was beautiful, the music industry was full of sharks.

When I got to Harmony City, this huge music hub, I thought I'd have it made in no time.

But I was so naive. Within weeks, some scumbag had scammed me out of every penny I had.

I got kicked out of my apartment in nothing but the clothes on my back, shivering like a lost dog in the rain.

That was when Eric showed up and saved me. He became my shelter from the storm.

He got me the best manager in the business, hired incredible songwriters and producers, and gave me access to the most expensive recording equipment money could buy.

I thought we had this deep connection. Like we really got each other.

We were soulmates!

I thought he loved me for who I was, that he saw something special in me worth investing in.

When my demo was finally ready, I rushed over to his office with the CD. I wanted him to be the first person to hear it.

But as I got to his door, I heard voices inside, and my name.

"Eric, you and Vivian have been together what, almost two years now?" someone laughed.

"You gave her the best writers, best producers. You've spent a fortune on some nobody. It has to be love, right? I mean, what else would it be?"

My heart practically melted. So I really did mean something to him after all?

I was just about to push open the door and give him the sweetest surprise when I heard Eric's voice, low and cold as ice.

"She's nothing but an expensive escort. You think that's love?

"The only reason I keep her around is because she's pretty and clean enough that I don't have to worry about diseases. Otherwise, why would I bother with all this trouble?

"I'm getting engaged to the Sherwood family heiress next month. That's when it'll be time for her to disappear."

The words hit me like a freight train. I couldn't move, couldn't breathe.

I staggered backward, my legs barely holding me up.

So this whole time, I was nothing but a booty call, something to satisfy his needs.

I clamped my hand over my mouth to keep from making a sound, but the tears were already streaming down my face.

How could he humiliate me like that?

How could he treat me like some cheap hooker he could use and throw away?

All those days of giving my heart, those sweet moments, the happiness, the warmth... it was all a lie.

I let out a bitter laugh.

And I was stupid enough to think he actually cared about me. That he promoted my career because he loved me.

Gosh, I was such an idiot.

I stared down at the CD in my hands, shame and rage burning through my chest.

What gave him the right to play with my feelings like that? And he even had the nerve to humiliate me on top of it.

Every part of me wanted to burst through that door and confront him. But some small voice of reason held me back.

If I went in there now, I'd only make things worse for myself.

So what was the point?

I guessed I really was blind this whole time.

Taking a shaky breath, I turned and walked away.

Tears started falling as I walked. I couldn't help it.

I finally broke down completely. I crouched on the sidewalk, wrapped my arms around my knees, and just sobbed.

I hated Eric so much. But I hated myself even more.

When I got home, I started throwing things into my suitcase. I was getting out of Harmony City.

I had to get away from him. I was so sick of living in his shadow.

Maybe if I disappeared, he'd realize what he lost. Maybe he'd actually hurt for once, like those guys in romance novels who didn't know what they had until it was gone.

I was about to grab my bags when I spotted the demo CD on my coffee table.

It was just sitting there, looking so small and forgotten.

That CD was everything to me.

Two years of my life were on that disk. Two years of late nights, of pouring my heart into every single track. All my dreams were wrapped up in those songs.

If I left now, it would all be for nothing.

Was he really going to take everything from me—my body, my heart—and now my dreams too?

No. Absolutely not.

I gritted my teeth and put everything back exactly where I'd found it.

Even if I had to leave, I wasn't going to slink away with my tail between my legs. I'd finish my album, and then tell Eric to get the hell out of my life.