I Married A Billionaire, Not You

Chapter 3 Her Script Was Stolen

With ten days to go until the wedding, Declan Forsythe's lilies filled my temporary studio, every corner overflowing with their fragrance.

I stared at the script file on my computer, titled A Decade of Light, and clicked "Save" one last time.

This was the culmination of a full year's work. Within it lay the ten years of youth I had spent with Lucian, rising from nothing to the pinnacle of the entertainment empire.

Originally, I had intended this to be my final gift to him on our ten-year anniversary, also marking my transition from behind-the-scenes screenwriter to the forefront as a creative.

Now, it was nothing more than a work document I needed to hand over before leaving.

That night was the company's annual gala. I attended as one of the in-house screenwriters, wearing the simplest black dress. It was my final appearance in this circle.

Lucian took the stage as the CEO to deliver his speech.

Then, Renee appeared in an extravagantly luxurious haute couture gown, naturally linking her arm with Lucian's.

"Today, I have wonderful news to share." Her voice was saccharine as she spoke into the microphone. "I will play the female lead in the company's annual drama, A Decade of Light. And I want to especially thank Lucian."

She paused and shot a provocative glance at me. "Thank you, Lucian, for giving me the sole screenwriting credit for this script as a gift."

The room erupted. Countless eyes turned toward me. Everyone in the circle knew how many sleepless nights I had spent writing A Decade of Light.

I stood in the audience, watching Lucian on the stage.

He met my gaze, picked up the microphone, and said, "It's just a name change for business purposes. Renee needs to present a capable-woman persona. Finance will triple the original writer's copyright fee as compensation."

His eyes fixed on me, a silent warning hidden in their intensity. "Don't be stubborn. When you come out to work, you need to follow the rules."

I did not cry. I did not scream. Amid all the mocking eyes, I slowly walked to the stage.

Renee instinctively stepped behind Lucian. "Elena, don't do anything stupid."

I did not take the microphone. I simply pulled the thumb drive containing the original script from my purse. Right in front of Lucian, I snapped the thumb drive in half. I tossed the broken drive into the champagne tower piled high nearby.

"No need for compensation," I said to Lucian, smiling faintly. "It feels… tainted."

Then, I lifted my skirt and turned, resolute, walking off the stage.

Miles leaned against the wall, clapping mockingly. "Nice performance, Elena. So you finally stopped forcing Lucian into marriage? Playing hard to get perfectly."

I stopped and looked at him seriously. "Thanks, but next month, I'm actually getting married."

Lucian, who was right behind, heard that sentence. His steps froze. He retreated into the shadows, leaning against the wall, fumbling for his cigarette case.

He bit down hard on a cigarette, going through half a pack. His nails dug deep into his palms, leaving streaks of blood.

His assistant approached cautiously and whispered, "Mr. Lawson, your cuff."

Lucian looked down. The smoldering cigarette had burned through his expensive shirt cuff, scorching his wrist. But he seemed not to feel the pain. A new kind of panic sprouted deep in his chest.

'She's really leaving me.'

For the first time, that thought struck him with crystal clarity.

What he didn't know was that the original manuscript of A Decade of Light had already been securely filed under his full copyright, every word accounted for.

He had planned to invest heavily to release a separate theater version, crediting only her name. But his own arrogance had shattered all of it.