I Stopped Loving Him When He Let Me Bleed Out novel Chapter 53

*Smack.* The sound was crisp and loud.

Finn's head snapped to the side.

A bright red handprint quickly swelled on his cheek, stretching from his cheekbone down to his jaw.

He didn't move, but his grip immediately loosened.

The second she cried out in pain, he dropped her hand.

Hurting her had been the absolute last thing he wanted.

Sienna stared at his face.

The red welt bloomed before her eyes, spreading like an ugly flower.

She hadn't held back; her own fingers were still stinging.

But she had no regrets. That slap was four years overdue!

"Finn Fletcher," she said, "you sicken me!"

Her voice trembled slightly.

It carried four years of grievances and repressed fury.

All those endless, sleepless nights, the days she spent burying her face in a pillow so no one would hear her cry—it all ignited into this blazing inferno.

She looked at Finn, her eyes empty of tears, empty of petty resentment. There was only utter disgust.

"Get out. I never want to see you again."

Landon was equally stunned.

He couldn't imagine Sienna ever showing this kind of ferocity.

He couldn't help but wonder just what this man, Finn, had done to make her despise him with such visceral intensity.

The slap also forcibly snapped Finn back to reality.

Only then did he realize just how disastrously out of control he had been.

It was the single loss of control in his thirty years of life.

"I won't bother you," Finn said, his voice dropping low.

His Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed hard.

"I just want to ask you one thing."

"Where did you get that scar on your wrist?"

He shouldn't have asked.

The moment the words left his mouth, Sienna's face drained of color.

General Director Julian Cross came jogging over from the covered bridge, megaphone in hand, a delighted grin plastered across his face.

He stopped in front of Finn, looking him up and down before glancing at Sienna, then at Landon.

"A love triangle, emotional extremes, toxic dynamics—this is exactly the kind of angst the audience eats up!" Julian clapped his hands, beaming from ear to ear. "You there, what's your name?"

A crew member whispered a hesitant warning.

"Things got pretty ugly. That guy threw a punch, someone might need to call the cops."

"Shut up," Julian snapped, glaring at the assistant. "What cops? If the police show up, it's a PR nightmare. The investors poured millions into this. Are you trying to ruin me?"

Realizing they had misstepped, the crew member immediately shut their mouth.

"Great face, amazing acting skills. I love it!" Director Cross turned to his crew, his tone absolute. "Sign him. Give him a role tomorrow. The Commander. Yes, The Commander. The one who shares a scene with The Spring Muse."

An assistant walked over with a clipboard, uncapping a pen and flipping to a blank page.

"Sir, may I ask your name?"

"Director Cross, you've got it wrong. He's not an actor. He's just a tourist."

Landon finally pushed himself to his feet.

Director Cross's shrewd, calculating gaze swept between the three of them twice before his smile slowly faded.