Caden's assistant soon arrived with the clothes. He didn't ask a single question. After giving a polite nod, he turned and left as quietly as he came.

Inside the bathroom, Kaylee stepped under the running water and let the heat rinse everything off her skin. Once she finished and got dressed, she headed straight back to the Harris estate.

The moment she crossed the entrance, her eldest brother Cory Harris' voice rang through the house, loud and furious.

"Does she even think about this family? Acting like that and dragging our name through the dirt... if people find out she slept with a director just to land a role, how are we supposed to face anyone?"

A cold look settled over Kaylee's face as she walked into the living room. Joyce sat beside Cory, leaning in with concern as she spoke in a soft voice. "Cory, please don't get so worked up... you know how harsh that industry can be. Maybe Kaylee just panicked and made a bad choice because she wanted a chance so badly. When she comes back, try to talk to her calmly. If things really get out of hand… she can leave the industry and stay here. We can support her anyway."

Every word sounded caring, and her tone made it seem sincere. If Kaylee hadn't already lived through this once before, she might have believed it.

Kaylee remembered clearly how Joyce played this exact role before, acting like she was helping while pushing the family to force her out.

This time, Kaylee wouldn't let that happen.

A faint smile appeared on Kaylee's lips as she stepped further in.

"I'd really like to understand something," she said, her voice calm but sharp. "What do you mean by 'a bad choice'? Does that include slipping something into someone's drink so they end up being sent to some director's bed? Or maybe sneaking around with someone else's fiance?"

The questions caught Cory off guard. He didn't follow what Kaylee meant at all. Joyce, on the other hand, went pale.

Why would Kaylee suddenly talk like that? There was no way she could know... right?

Joyce had buried her relationship with Declan where no one could find it. As for the incident with the drug, she had planned every detail, from disguising herself and paying off the server to sending them away afterward. Not a single loose end had been left behind.

Kaylee had to be bluffing.

With that thought, Joyce forced herself to stay composed and put on a confused expression. "Kaylee, what are you even saying?"

Joyce didn't give Kaylee a chance to speak. She shifted her tone in an instant, putting on a wounded look. "Now that you're back, stop throwing out strange accusations. Just be honest about what you did. We're your family, and we can still help you deal with it."

Her words pulled Cory's attention right back. He turned toward Kaylee with a cold stare. "Do you even understand how serious this is?"

A short, humorless laugh slipped from Kaylee. "Serious? What exactly did I do? Other than coming home and apparently ruining everyone's mood?"

Both Joyce and Cory went silent, caught off guard by her reaction.

They had expected panic. Maybe excuses. Maybe tears. What they got instead was Kaylee being calm and sharp, pushing back without hesitation.

"You still refuse to admit anything!" Cory grabbed Joyce's phone and pushed it right in front of her. "Take a good look. This is what you've done. Did you think you could just walk away and nothing would follow you? The hotel cameras recorded everything. If Joyce hadn't spent a fortune to keep this quiet, this would already be online! You almost destroyed this family's reputation, and you're still acting like you don't know anything?"

Without much interest, Kaylee glanced at the video on the screen.

There were no clear photos this time since she avoided the paparazzi.

The footage only showed her barely steady as someone helped her into that hotel room. After that, Sean Phillips entered using a keycard.

And that was enough for her own brother to decide she had sold herself?

She lifted her head and looked straight at them. A faint, mocking smile appeared. "So this proves what? That I wasn't in a clear state and some man entered my room? That's your evidence?"

Cory's anger flared again. "He was in your room with you. You really think that means nothing?"

A harsh laugh broke from Kaylee's lips. "Let me ask you something. If that video showed Joyce instead of me, what would you think? You'd say she was a victim. You'd assume someone broke in to hurt her. You'd be furious, wouldn't you?"

She stepped closer, grabbed Cory by his tie, and pulled him toward her, her voice dropping cold and cutting. "But when it's me, you don't hesitate. You call me shameless and decide I must've been sleeping with that man for some role?"

Cory went still, unease flickering across his face.

Kaylee didn't ease up. Each word came out steady and heavy. "You never treated me like your sister. That's the real reason. One unclear video is enough for you to judge me. You don't care what actually happened because you already made up your mind."

As Cory hesitated, his expression no longer as firm, Joyce's hands curled into fists at her sides.

Something was off. Kaylee wasn't acting like she usually did.

Before, she would always stay quiet and accept the blame. Now she was pushing back, and she wasn't backing down.

"Kaylee, that's not what Cory meant. He's just worried about you. And even if the director set you up, people will still talk. Your reputation has already taken a hit. After all—"

Joyce tried to steer things back, speaking with fake sympathy as she pushed the idea that Kaylee had slept with the director. Kaylee struck her across the face without letting her finish.

"Did you actually see anything happen between him and me? Or are you basing everything on that clip? You think that's enough to decide who I am?"

She reached out and grabbed Joyce by the hair, forcing her to face her. Her eyes were cold. "You must be disappointed. I didn't fall into whatever you planned. I walked out of that situation just fine."

Joyce pressed a hand to her cheek, stunned.

She knew Kaylee got out of that room, but she never thought Kaylee would be so certain it was her. She certainly didn't expect her to fight back like this.

"What do you think you're doing? You actually hit Joyce?" Cory scolded. He snapped out of his shock and rushed forward, pushing himself between the two women. One arm moved in front of Joyce as if she needed protection. "You think you can accuse her like that without anything to back it up? You're just reacting because you got exposed!"

"Kaylee... I never did anything to hurt you." Joyce sobbed, clutching his sleeve as tears ran down her face. "I know you don't like me, but if you want me gone, I'll leave. Just tell me. Why would you slander me?"

Kaylee's expression didn't soften. Instead, a slow smile formed, sharp and unsettling. "You're calling it slander? So you really think I came here with nothing?"

Without another word, she took out her phone and tapped on the screen. A video appeared, pulled from the banquet the night before.

In the footage, a woman stood near the corner, wrapped in a coat with her face hidden behind a mask. She kept looking around before slipping a thick stack of cash and a small bottle into a waiter's hand. Not long after, that same waiter dropped something into a glass of champagne and carried it straight to Kaylee.

The color drained from Joyce's face until nothing was left.

Cory's hand, which had been gripping her shoulder, slowly fell away. His eyes stayed on the screen, unmoving. Even with her face covered, he knew that figure. There was no doubt in his mind. The woman in the video was Joyce.

How could Joyce have done something like this?

Cory stared at his two younger sisters standing before him, his chest tightening with indecision.

Kaylee stood there in silence, waiting for him to say something.

He now held the position of head of Harris Group. He wasn't outright cruel toward Kaylee, yet he wavered far too easily, forever dancing to Joyce's tune.

Now that proof had been laid out, even if he chose not to immediately take her word for it and punish Joyce on the spot, even if he only sent someone to verify her story, Kaylee was prepared to give him one more opportunity.

Joyce was already on edge, yet she kept dabbing at her tears, putting on a helpless front. "Kaylee, it really wasn't me. How could I ever have slipped something into your drink?"

The three of them remained locked in a stalemate.

Just then, a tall figure came down the stairs, stepping in front of Joyce in a swift motion and snatching the phone from Kaylee's hand.

"And you think this is enough to drag Joyce's name through the mud?" Gavin Harris, Kaylee's second brother, gave it a cursory glance before letting out a mocking laugh. "Who knows what kind of shady nonsense you pulled, you clueless bumpkin, to end up getting yourself into trouble, and now you're trying to pin it on Joyce? Keep dreaming! It takes two people to make something like that happen. If you weren't seducing that director, how did he wind up in your room? You're the one with dirt on you, yet you've got the nerve to splash it onto Joyce?"

His eyes were cold and dismissive as he raised his voice. "Get down on your knees and apologize to Joyce right now, and then publicly declare you're quitting the industry and hand everything over to her. Otherwise, don't bother staying in this house!"

Cory pressed his lips together, hesitating for a long while before finally speaking. "Kaylee, apologize to Joyce, and we'll drop this here. No matter what, you shouldn't have lashed out physically."

Joyce immediately seemed emboldened, leaning into Gavin's embrace as she sobbed softly. "Gavin… don't be angry with Kaylee. I'm sure she was simply desperate. I'll be alright…"

Kaylee watched them clinging to each other, her stomach turning with revulsion. Gavin was a well-known racer, aloof and sharp-tongued in public, yet before Joyce, he turned into nothing more than a spineless flatterer, blind to right and wrong.

Kaylee said nothing. She simply rolled her wrist once, and then swung her hand again, striking Joyce across the face.

Gavin's expression snapped in shock as he reached out to seize her. "Are you asking for trouble?"

"I hit her, and I just did it again. What can you do about it?" Kaylee answered by catching his wrist, pivoting smoothly, and flipping him over her shoulder, sending him crashing hard onto the floor. She looked down at him from above. "I have no attachment to this family. I'd rather let everything go to waste than hand it over to that shameless woman. Since you've chosen her as your sister, then we're done here."

She released his arm without another glance, ignoring the crease in Cory's brow as she turned to pack her things and leave the house.

Joyce watched her walk away, a flicker of satisfaction glinting in her eyes.

She had only planned to ruin Kaylee's name. Who would have thought Kaylee would be foolish enough to cut ties with the Harris family herself?

Now, Joyce believed all of Declan's, Cory's, and Gavin's affection would belong to her alone.

But with Kaylee gone, wouldn't getting hold of the inheritance left by Kaylee's grandfather become troublesome?

Putting on a worried expression, she spoke through tears. "Cory, Gavin, is it really alright to let Kaylee walk out like this? She's just a girl…"

Cory gave no reply, a strange irritation stirring inside him.

"Joyce, you're far too soft-hearted. How long do you think she'll last out there? She's only putting on a show to dodge an apology." Gavin let out a cold scoff before turning to the butler. "Cancel every card the family ever gave her. Let's see how long she can keep up that pride when she's got nothing left. When she comes crawling back, she'll have no choice but to apologize properly!"

The butler paused, looking uneasy as he spoke. "The family never issued Miss Kaylee any card."

Gavin and Cory both froze.

Kaylee had been back for more than two years, and not once had they given her a card?

Then how had she been covering her daily expenses all this time? And where had the money come from for all those costly gifts she had given them?

Right then, Kaylee lingered outside the house. The air carried a faint chill, yet a restless thrill surged through her chest.

At last, she had cut herself free from her loathsome so-called "family", and from this point forward, her life belonged solely to her.

Still, before stepping into that new beginning, there was something she needed to take back—the shares her grandfather had left behind.

By the time she had finally united with her family, her grandfather's health had already begun to crumble, and before his final breath, he had entrusted her with twenty percent of the company shares he had owned.

In the life she had lived before, she had clung to the idea of family and handed those shares over to the Harris family to manage. Now, with her mind sharpened and her vision clear, there was no chance she would allow them to profit off her again.

First things first, she needed somewhere to stay.

She slipped her phone from her pocket, thumb gliding over the screen before selecting the contact of her friend—Karl Hopkins, a well-known producer.

The call connected almost instantly. "Hey, sweetheart, what's going on?" he asked.

Kaylee didn't bother with small talk. "I need a place to stay. Can you sort out somewhere quiet for me?"

Karl answered without hesitation, "You can crash at my brother's empty villa. Just so happens, I've got a little favor to ask…" He cleared his throat lightly. "Next month's show is a big one, and I need you to come up with something breathtaking for me."

The corner of Kaylee's lips twitched.

If she had known there'd be strings attached, she might have just checked into a hotel instead.

Karl had been the same man who dragged her into acting for films before.

Truth be told, in this lifetime, Kaylee could have walked away from the entertainment world altogether, but remembering how Joyce had snatched away the roles meant for her in the past, she had no intention of stepping back just yet.

After a moment of quiet thought, she agreed. "Fine, I'll design something for you, but I've got an audition this afternoon. If it works out, I'll be tied up filming, so you'll have to wait," she said.

"That's fine, you're worth waiting for," Karl said before giving her an address. "He won't be staying there for a while, so make yourself comfortable. I'll leave the key with property management."

Kaylee flagged down a cab, stowed her luggage, and headed straight for the audition venue.

The film she was trying out for, "Finale," was the very project Joyce had later used to secure the Best Actress award. The director had actually personally invited Kaylee to audition for the role, and if things hadn't fallen apart in her previous life, that role should have been hers.

This time around, she would not let anyone snatch it away.

The taxi pulled up quickly, and the moment Kaylee stepped out, she saw a crowd already gathered outside.

She had arrived rather late, nearly at the tail end of the auditions.

To her surprise, inside the room, not only were the director, Evan Moss, and the producer present, but Declan was seated among the panel of judges as well.

Her hands curled into tight fists at once, a chill settling deep within her gaze.

The instant Declan noticed her, his expression darkened. "What are you doing here?" he demanded.

Before she could respond, he went on, irritation sharpening his tone. "Who told you I'd be here? Kaylee, can you quit hovering around me? I'm working. Why are you making a scene?"

Evan stiffened slightly, clearly caught off guard by the fact that the two of them knew each other.

The Harris family had kept Kaylee's status under wraps, so hardly anyone knew she was engaged to Declan.

Kaylee steeled herself, burying the loathing in her gaze, shot him an icy look, and said, "Mr. Edwards, we're not exactly acquainted. Don't get ahead of yourself. I'm here on business as well."

She turned, dipped her head toward the director, and said, "Good day, Mr. Moss. May we begin?"

Evan jolted back, gathering himself. "Certainly. Choose a scene and let's get started."

Declan stared, utterly taken aback.

His uncle had funded the production, which was how he'd landed a seat on the audition panel, yet he hadn't followed the casting and never imagined Kaylee would be called in.

On top of that, he knew Joyce had her sights set on this film, and Kaylee ought to have given the opportunity to her.

Still, Kaylee's abilities couldn't possibly measure up to Joyce's; this was likely nothing more than a formality.

Kaylee didn't spare Declan so much as a glance as she picked up the script.

In her former life, she had committed the script to memory long before auditions were held and revisited this film countless times after the release even though she didn't get the role.

"Finale" was a wartime story in which the heroine, Alexandra Gill, a celebrated opera singer as well as a patriot with unyielding resolve, moved through hostile territory while relaying intelligence to her side and providing funds and supplies. Along the way, she developed feelings for the male lead, Sam Davies, an army officer. In the end, Sam fell on the battlefield, and the enemy arrived at the theater to revel in their victory. Upon the stage, she delivered one last performance before locking the theater from within and setting both herself and the enemy ablaze.

"Mr. Moss, I'll take the closing scene." She shut the script. "I'm prepared. Shall we start?"

Evan hadn't anticipated her decision, considering it was the most demanding scene. The actresses before her had steered clear of it because of the difficulty of performing without props during the audition and the lack of young performers trained in classical opera-style singing.

Noticing the resolve in her eyes, he didn't press further and gave a small nod. "We'll begin."