Chapter 3 No Forgiveness

"What are you doing?" Stanley's voice was deep and gentle, with a lazy, flirtatious edge.

In her past life, Catherine had loved listening to him talk. In this life, it just made her sick.

"None of your business."

Stanley froze. This was the first time Catherine had spoken to him so harshly. He assumed she was still upset about the new song.

"I know you're in a bad mood," he said, softening his tone. "But you have to understand—your second brother is family. Everything he does is for your own good."

Catherine laughed bitterly inside. Of course. He was here to speak for Harper.

In her past life, Stanley had called to persuade her too. Back then, she trusted him completely and gave the song to Harper. The result? The song went viral the moment it dropped, dominated every music chart, and launched Harper straight into A-list status. It even landed her a spot on a huge variety show. Stanley was on that show too. On the surface, everything looked normal, but Catherine knew her boyfriend too well—the way he looked at Harper couldn't hide the attraction.

Before she could investigate further, she died in the car accident. In her final moments, she saw Stanley rush to Harper without hesitation.

Catherine took a deep breath. The Taylor family's coldness had only disappointed her, but Stanley's betrayal had pierced her heart.

Fortunately, in this life, she didn't care anymore.

Her voice dripped with sarcasm. "For my own good, or for Harper's good?"

Stanley sounded confused. "What does this have to do with Harper?"

"You say her name so affectionately. Are you going to tell me there's nothing between you two?"

Stanley felt a pang of guilt. He cursed himself for the slip. "She's your sister. I care about her because I care about you. It's just a habit. Don't read too much into it."

Catherine was sick of his excuses. "Stanley, let's break up."

"You—"

Before he could finish, she cut him off coldly. "Since you like Harper, I'll make it easy for you. Don't contact me again. We're done."

She hung up.

Stanley stood frozen, completely shocked. How did she find out about him and Harper? He thought he'd never slipped up. Could the new song issue really have made her this angry?

He tried calling back. The line wouldn't go through. He checked his social media—she'd blocked him everywhere.

Catherine was serious. A panic he'd never felt before washed over Stanley.

Meanwhile, Catherine was about to make herself a proper dinner when her former agent called. They'd ended their contract but stayed friends.

"Catherine, how bad is it with the Taylors? Taylor Entertainment just issued a notice—they're blacklisting you industry-wide."

Catherine was adding cream to her mashed potatoes, her tone completely calm. "That sounds like them."

"So what are you going to do?"

"Play along."

She tasted the potato salad and smiled with satisfaction.

After hanging up, she leisurely made a sandwich, fried some chicken pieces, and carried everything to her computer. She ate while opening her browser.

She hadn't logged into Instagram in ages. Her last post was a year ago.

As soon as she logged in, she saw Stanley's messages:

[Catherine, I know you're angry. Let's talk. Stop making a scene.]

[You've always been reasonable. Why are you being so stubborn this time?]

[I trust you won't disappoint me. Call me back when you've calmed down.]

That same condescending, lecturing tone. Never once considering things from her perspective.

Catherine noticed Stanley still followed her account. Soon enough, his fans would flood her comments with abuse. She remembered how, back when paparazzi caught them having dinner together, his fans attacked her—called her a nobody trying to climb the social ladder by dating a movie star. The comments were vicious.

But now, she didn't care.

She had real work to do: release her new song.

In her past life, she'd witnessed firsthand how powerful this song was. So what if the Taylor family blacklisted her? They couldn't block every listener's ears.

After publishing it, she continued enjoying her dinner peacefully.

Soon, likes and positive comments poured in. As she scrolled through them, her eyes accidentally fell on her arm.

The time had gotten longer.

So being liked by people could extend her lifespan?

Catherine fell into thought. In her past life, she'd desperately wanted to be loved but died full of resentment. In this life, she'd stopped hoping for love, yet now she had to rely on others' affection to survive.

Was it because her past resentment was too strong? Did she need to use the love she received in this life to dissolve that resentment before she could truly live again?

She smiled bitterly. She'd long forgotten what being loved felt like. Now she just wanted to live.

Meanwhile, at the Taylor family mansion.

Wyatt had already given the order: no company was to sign Catherine or give her any opportunities. Taylor Entertainment was a top entertainment company in the industry, and its boss was the Taylor family's eldest brother, Wyatt. When he spoke, no one dared disobey.

"All set?" Jordan leaned against the study doorframe, looking relaxed. "Catherine just doesn't know when she has it good. We've treated her well, but she's never satisfied."

At the mention of Catherine, Wyatt also looked disappointed. "This time we need to teach her a lesson. Show her what happens when she leaves us."

Jordan nodded confidently. "Just wait for her to come crawling back with an apology."

"Wyatt, Jordan." Harper's gentle voice rang out. "I made you fruit salad. Try some."

She wore a semi-sheer pink lace nightgown, her skin showing through. She smelled of sweet perfume as she walked over to Jordan and set down the plate. She naturally picked up a piece of cantaloupe with a fork and held it intimately to Wyatt's lips. "This one's especially sweet."

Wyatt looked at her tenderly. The fruit scent mixed with her perfume, and his gaze grew softer. "Harper, you're so thoughtful. Catherine couldn't compare."

"Don't be angry about Catherine," Harper said. "We're family. Don't let this little thing cause problems."

Jordan ruffled her hair. "Silly girl. You're just too kind."

The three were enjoying the fruit salad when Wyatt's phone suddenly rang.

It was the company calling.

"Wyatt, a single just appeared out of nowhere on the new song chart. In one hour online, it's already passed Harper's breakthrough hit in plays. It's really taking off."

Wyatt's expression darkened.

Whose song was this powerful? Harper's breakthrough hit had dominated the charts for a year with no one able to beat it.