She realized she had to accelerate her plans. Ever since she lost Finnian, her quality of life had plummeted dramatically.
If she couldn't find a way back to his side, she wouldn't just be losing the man she loved—her reputation, status, and wealth would inevitably slip away as well.
But what exactly was she supposed to do?
Sitting on the sofa, her gaze fell upon the open script lying next to her, flipped to the exact scene she was about to shoot.
It was an action sequence. She was scheduled to be suspended in a stunt harness. Wirework was grueling, but it was par for the course in a fantasy epic like *Embers of Eternity*.
Liliana stared down at the script, her eyes locked onto the lines of text. Suddenly, a spark ignited in her mind, and she narrowed her eyes.
An audacious, terrifying idea had just blossomed in her head.
She clenched her fists, her heart hammering wildly against her ribs with manic excitement.
It was beyond reckless. If she failed, it would be a catastrophic loss. But if she pulled it off, everything would be worth it.
She closed her eyes, weighing the risks for only a moment before making her decision.
Standing up, she walked deliberately toward the equipment room.
Meanwhile, Finnian was in his office, reviewing documents. The receptionist had informed him earlier about Liliana's arrival and how she had been turned away. He had merely offered a brief nod of acknowledgment and put it out of his mind.
But an hour later, his phone rang. It was Jenny Porter.
He hadn't planned on answering, but figuring it wouldn't hurt to hear what she had to say, he tapped accept.
"Yes, I'll send it right now," Jenny hurriedly replied.
Years ago, while inspecting a construction site, Finnian had nearly been crushed by falling debris. In that critical split second, Liliana had thrown herself into harm's way, saving his life.
He had walked away unscathed, but Liliana was left with a massive, disfiguring scar across her torso.
Debts of gratitude could be repaid, but scars could never be erased. Because of that, Finnian had carried a deep sense of guilt toward Liliana all these years.
Arriving at Liliana's hospital room, Finnian found her lying weakly on the bed. Her face was frighteningly pale, unmistakably the look of someone who had lost a significant amount of blood.
Her eyes were half-open, her expression pinched in pain. But when she saw Finnian walk in, a faint glimmer lit up her eyes. "Finnian, you're here. Did you come to see me?"
Finnian nodded. "What exactly happened? How did you fall from the stunt harness? Is the injury severe?"

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