I was utterly speechless at his question. The way Mark acted so self-righteous, you'd think he'd forgotten that he was the one who once said he'd climb to the top step by step with no help from anyone. Later, just to shake me off, he smeared my name and called me a crazy stalker. In the end, I died under the wheels of one of his deranged fans.

After my rebirth, I severed all ties with him without hesitation and he didn't even try to make me stay. It wasn't until a week later, when I saw the news about the start of filming for his new drama trending online, that I realized he had been reborn, too. I couldn't understand it. Mark reached a height in just five years that most people couldn't dream of achieving in a lifetime. He got everything he ever wanted. So why did he still paint himself as the victim and force me to apologize in public?

I slowly reached for the check and, under everyone's shocked gaze, stuffed it back into Mark's pocket. "Money doesn't come easy. You should keep it and buy yourself some health supplements." My eyes deliberately drifted to a spot near his waist and Mark's face instantly flushed red.

Despite his fame over the years, Mark's been tangled up in several scandals. He's often seen shopping with rich older women. Although he always explained it as necessary business networking, everyone knew the real reason. Still, no one dared to call him out on it directly. I was the first. The onlookers held their breaths, awkwardly clutching their wine glasses.

"You ungrateful cleaning lady! What do you mean? I was trying to help you out of kindness and you dare to act like this!" Mark burst out angrily.

I kept my polite smile. "Don't get me wrong. I'm just concerned about your health, nothing more."

Frustrated, Mark stood there looking grim. Sarah yelled aggressively to the throng while her eyes darted. "Since Miss Storm insists on refusing Mark's kindness, we won't force her. But as former lovers, Mark can't bear to see her doing such hard and tiring work. If anyone in the crew needs a supporting actress, perhaps we could consider Miss Storm ... "

"Sure, it's a bit tiring, but it pays better than being a janitor. Let's treat it as doing a good deed … " Her tone was sweet and sincere.

Unfortunately, someone interjected sarcastically before she could finish. "Miss Bane, you know not everyone can be a supporting actress. Even with limited screen time, you still need the right face. Someone like Miss Storm … "

They paused, glancing at me awkwardly, prompting a few chuckles from the crowd. "Well, my team is looking for someone to play a whore. I wonder if Miss Storm would be interested?"

The room exploded with laughter. I also laughed softly and calmly set down my wine glass. "Thank you all for your kind offers, but I don't think there's anything wrong with being a janitor. At least I earn my living with my own two hands."

"Tch, there she goes again, putting on an act," someone scoffed. "We went out of our way to offer her a job and she turns up her nose at it."

"Exactly. This woman's just being stubborn. She's rejecting us now, but she'll probably beg for our contact info after the party!"

"Yeah, she's perfect for that role, really. Saying no with her mouth, but her body's saying yes."

Before I could even respond, Mark walked up to me again. This time, his face was full of irritation. "Westlyn Storm, you've hit rock bottom. Who are you trying to impress with that attitude?"

"Go get changed. Let the directors see if you can act." His tone was commanding as if he genuinely believed he was doing me a favour.

"No, thank you." I politely refused, but the assistant director beside me didn't care for manners.

He shoved me straight toward the dressing room. "Come on, Miss Storm, enough with the act already. Let's be honest. You've got a decent figure. You could probably land a supporting role in an adult film ... "

I felt his hand slide down my back, growing bolder. I quickly slapped it away, my senses on high alert. "What do you think you're doing?" I glared at him.

He clearly frustrated by my rejection. That man later grabbed my collar, raising his other hand to strike me. "You ungrateful little tramp! I was doing you a favour and this is how you repay me?"

I instinctively closed my eyes, bracing for the slap. Fortunately, the blow never came. Mark had seized the man's wrist in a tight grip. "Alright, Mr. Zander, just let it go. Do it for me."

His intervention surprised me. I'd expected him to relish my public humiliation, not come to my rescue. Sarah's face twisted with jealousy at seeing Mark standing up for me, but she soon pointed at my neck and exclaimed, "Look, the necklace on her neck. Isn't it the one that belonged to Declan Shaw, the blockbuster king?"

When Sarah mentioned the most famous actor in the entertainment industry, all eyes in the gala hall were focused on me. I realized then that the necklace hidden beneath my clothes had been exposed during the scuffle.

I calmly adjusted my neckline, but Sarah rushed forward and yanked the necklace off me. The chain dug into my skin as she pulled, making me suck in a sharp breath. She examined it closely, turned it over in her hands, then raised it triumphantly. "I'm sure of it! This is definitely the exact same necklace Declan never takes off!"

That woman was right. Declan gave it to me, but was all this drama necessary? I blinked and was just about to take it back when someone in the crowd shouted, "You're just a damn janitor! How could you possibly have Declan's necklace? Be honest, did you steal it?"

"I was wondering the same thing! Declan was invited to today's event but still hasn't shown up. When I asked the staff, they said he's been looking for something ... "

"That settles it! This cleaner stole Declan's necklace! No wonder she turned down Mark's check and the job we offered her. She already hit the jackpot!"

They were all so convinced, practically ready to condemn me on the spot. "Everyone ... " I cleared my throat. "Is it possible that this is mine and it just happens to be the same style as the one you're talking about?" I tried to explain, but they laughed as if I'd told a joke.

"Yours? And it's the same style?" Sarah's voice rose sharply as if she'd finally caught me in a lie.

"You're so ignorant! The emerald on Declan's necklace is a priceless treasure, auctioned off at Christie's in this country five years ago for two hundred million dollars!"

"You couldn't even fake emerald of that quality, let alone find a matching one!"

"You're just a lowly janitor! Your lies don't even make sense!"

I was genuinely shocked to learn the necklace's value. Sarah certainly knew her stuff, but she didn't realize that Declan had bought two pieces of jade at the auction. He'd given me the more exquisite one while keeping the slightly inferior piece for himself. "Believe it or not, this is mine," I insisted.

"Please give it back to me!" I reached out to Sarah without being servile or arrogant. Still, the sleazy director who had tried to grope me earlier grabbed me. "The evidence is right here and you're still lying! You reacted so strongly when I touched you just now. You must have something else hidden in your body. Let me search you!"

He reached into my body without saying a word, his expression sickeningly lecherous. The crowd around us watched with barely hidden glee, some even cheering him on.

"Stop it! You have no right to search me!" I forcefully broke free from his grasp, my voice sharp with rebuke.

"He might not have the right, but the police do! I'm calling them right now! With that necklace's cost, you're going to jail!" Sarah held the necklace high above her head while pulling out her phone, only to be stopped by Mark.

Mark looked at me with a complicated expression, his voice low and admonishing. "Westlyn, do you really need to hit rock bottom before you finally admit the truth? Would it kill you to just tell the truth for once?"

I was close to tears. What I was saying was the truth! What I really couldn't understand was their whole performance. What good could possibly come from pinning a false accusation on me?

"Mark, it's no use protecting her now. Her mistake is too outrageous. She needs to face the law to learn her lesson." Sarah bit her lip, still speaking softly, even though Mark's reaction had made her furious.

The people around them began to chime in, voices rising in agreement. Just then, the doors to the gala hall swung open. Two rows of bodyguards in black suits flanked a tall, handsome man as he strode inside with a commanding presence. All the lights seemed to spotlight him at once as if a god had descended from the heavens.

Someone in the crowd couldn't help but shout in excitement. "It's Declan!"

In an instant, the crowd that had just been surrounding Mark and Sarah now rushed toward Declan. Mark leaned closer to me, lowering his voice. "Westlyn, you stole something that expensive. Declan isn't going to go easy on you. Just admit what you did and I'll try to put in a good word. Maybe he'll give me some face ... "

I ignored him, turning to look at the man in the crowd. He impatiently pushed through the people in front of him and only when he spotted me did his expression soften. He walked straight towards me. Declan removed his sunglasses, wrinkled his nose slightly and gazed at me with his captivating, beautiful almond eyes. "Westlyn, you said we'd come together. You didn't wait for me. I've been looking for you for so long. You've been naughty. I'm going to punish you. Kiss me."