Today was Mateo Naillon's wedding day, but the bride wasn't Catalina Higgin, the woman who had slept with him for three years. It was someone else entirely.

Backstage at the venue.

Mateo was dressed in a suit and had Catalina pinned against a table. His hand grabbed her hair as he indulged in his pleasure.

Outside, footsteps and chatter approached. Catalina frowned in pain.

"Let go... Someone's coming..."

But the more she resisted, the more amused Mateo became.

"Then stay quiet. Imagine what people would say if they found out you were messing around with the groom right before his wedding."

Tears slid down her cheeks, her face pressed against the cold tabletop.

When he was finished, Mateo tossed her clothes toward her without a hint of care.

"Get dressed. Don't let anyone see you."

She collapsed to the floor, weak and humiliated. Moments like this had happened again and again, but she never thought he still wouldn't let her go on the very day he was marrying Valerie Morozov.

As she stepped out of the room, whispers followed her like shadows.

"Isn't that the fallen rich girl? What now? Became the Naillon family's lackey? I heard she works as Valerie's assistant now."

"She still thinks she's the heiress of the Higgin family? That family's long gone! Even her parents were destroyed by Mateo, and now their daughter is acting like his pet. How pathetic."

"If I were her, I'd rather be dead."

***

Catalina froze. A cold, numb feeling spread from her feet up. Every cruel word seemed to carve itself into her memory.

She had once been the most renowned heiress in Chicago. Mateo was the boy she rescued from a dog cage.

She had taken care of him and treated him with sincerity, and in return, he seemed to care for her in every possible way.

But when she brought him home to meet her parents, asking for their approval, Mateo gave her three cruel surprises instead.

First, he fabricated evidence accusing her father of corruption and handed it over to the authorities. Catalina cried and begged him to stop, but it was no use. Her father ended up being sentenced to ten years in prison.

Second, Mateo threatened to send her mother to red-light districts to sell herself. Catalina pleaded with him for mercy. But the blow was too much. Her mother collapsed on the spot and passed away.

Third, he made her sign a contract, forcing her to become his personal toy. For three long years, she had to suffer through shame and abuse.

***

Catalina cried so hard she felt like she would pass out. She screamed at him, demanding to know why he had done all of this. But instead of an answer, Mateo yelled back at her.

"Because of your parents! They destroyed my dad until he jumped from the roof of the Higgin Group building. Thirty floors! He died right at the front door! Do you have any idea how much that hurt?"

Catalina's entire body shook. She stared at him with burning eyes, full of hatred.

Then she burst into laughter, her eyes red with tears. So that was it. Mateo had gotten close to her just to get revenge.

And she had led her parents right into his trap.

She snapped out of her thoughts, her hands clenched tight. Her chest ached from the grief. The image of her mother's death would stay in her mind forever.

The wedding carried on as if nothing had happened. Catalina stood by the stage, watching Mateo kiss Valerie. Her face showed no emotion.

Three years ago, she had almost become Mateo's bride. That thought made her lips curl into a cold smile.

Once the ceremony ended, Catalina got a call from the hospital.

"Hello, is this Ms. Higgin? It's time for your follow-up check."

Catalina dropped what she was doing and hurried to the hospital. After the checkup, the doctor looked very serious.

"Your kidney failure has progressed to the final stage. It's already caused heart failure. If you don't start treatment immediately, you won't have much time left. At worst, just a week..."

Catalina felt a small chill in her heart, but oddly enough, she also felt lighter than ever.

"I already knew. I'm not getting treated."

For years, she had been trying to end her life, but Mateo always stepped in to save her, only for her to suffer again.

She was tired of it all. This time, no one would be able to stop her.

When Catalina came back to the Naillon's residence, she ran into Valerie, who was clearly upset. The moment she saw her, Valerie snapped, "Catalina, it's my wedding day! Where were you? You were supposed to be watching my things!"

Catalina froze for a moment, then replied with a calm voice, "I had to visit the doctor."

The word "doctor" made Mateo pause for a second. He looked puzzled and asked, "Why were you there?"

Catalina turned away and answered, "Just caught a small cold."

Right after she spoke, Mateo's expression turned cold again.

"You'll need to ignore these little health issues from now on—unless Valerie says otherwise," he said firmly.

His words sank deep into Catalina, and she quietly nodded, almost robotically.

Valerie folded her arms with a scowl forming on her face.

She said, "Everything went through your hands. Now my wedding ring is missing. How do you plan to fix this, Catalina?"

In truth, Mateo had put the ring on her finger himself. She never gave it to Catalina.

Catalina's lashes fluttered faintly. "I... didn't see it."

Valerie sneered. "I gave you the ring myself. Are you saying I imagined that?"

Catalina was about to defend herself, but Mateo's cold stare silenced her.

"Hand it over. Don't hold onto things that aren't yours. Got it?"

Each word stung like ice. Catalina stood frozen, but she understood the hidden message.

It was like a silent warning. Any love they once shared had ended three years ago.

For a moment, Catalina wanted to laugh. He had been the one to destroy her family. Did he honestly believe she still had feelings for him?

The love once blooming inside her had long turned to dark vines of hatred.

She lifted her head and locked eyes with Mateo. "I told you, I didn't take it."

Before she could do anything else, Valerie grabbed her bag and dumped it out. A glimmering diamond ring dropped onto the floor.

Valerie snatched it up and cried out in shock, "My ring! I've been searching everywhere for it, and it turns out it was in your bag!"

Her face showed both anger and sadness as she leaned into Mateo's arms.

"Mateo, look! She's even resorted to stealing from me..."

Catalina narrowed her eyes. How could she have taken a ring she didn't even recognize?

"I didn't steal anything," she said firmly.

Mateo's face darkened further. He was already used to how stubborn Catalina could be.

He grabbed the ring from Valerie's hand and gently said to her, "This one's been touched by filthy hands. Give it to me. Don't worry, I'll buy you a brand-new one."

Catalina stood there, frozen, as Mateo held up the ring toward her.

"You like it?" he asked, voice cool.

"Then it's yours."

She didn't respond—still in shock—when the housekeeper brought a blowtorch from the kitchen.

The ring was placed on the floor and quickly heated until it glowed red-hot. Mateo slipped on protective gloves, a soft chuckle playing on his lips.

"Don't you like it? Let me personally put it on for you."

"I said no, I don't want that thing!"

No matter how hard Catalina tried to avoid it, Mateo kept pressing the heated ring onto her finger.

Her hands eventually turned red from the heat, and the bleeding from her burned skin quickly stained the ring with blood.

Even though it hurt badly, she managed to hold back her screams.

She knew Mateo enjoyed watching her break down and beg, but she wouldn't give him that satisfaction.

When her legs went weak from the pain and her eyes filled with tears, Mateo let out a low laugh.

He said, "Just a little warning. Next time, do better and treat Valerie right, you might get something good in return."

She had gotten used to being humiliated by him. But this time, he was doing it for another woman, and that made her heart ache.

That night, Catalina took the initiative to go to Mateo's study.

He raised an eyebrow in surprise. Catalina never came to him on her own like this.

He grabbed her and ran his hand along her leg, but before he could do anything else, she shoved him back.

"The three years are up. I want to end our contract," she said firmly.

Mateo looked taken aback, his face showing a trace of awkwardness.

"Really? You can't hold out just one more day?"

His eyes fell on her finger, still red from the ring's burn, a permanent scar now marking her skin.

For three long years, she had lived under the torment of the man who had ruined her, enduring humiliation time and again. She had wished for death more times than she could count.

But every attempt only brought a heavier price. Mateo would punish her harder, biting into her skin and leaving her collarbone bloody and bruised.

He once told her, "Catalina, even if you want to die, it has to be with my permission.

"Each mark I leave on you is a reminder of your disgrace."

Those memories spun in her mind like broken glass, and she had grown sick of living like that.

Now that he had a wife, he had no reason to keep using her for his twisted thrill.

Trying to hold back her feelings, Catalina said quietly, "Yes, I can't take it anymore."

After he finished talking, Mateo let out a cold laugh, his arms tensing up.

"Fine, I'll give you what you want. But as long as I'm still around, don't even think about getting away from me."

Catalina saw the veins popping on his arms as he angrily tossed the contract at her.

"Take it. Now leave."

She stayed silent as the sharp edge of the paper brushed her cheek. She bent down, grabbed the contract from the floor, and walked out without looking back.

As she looked down at the papers in her hand, a strange feeling of relief settled in her chest like something heavy had finally been lifted.

The next morning, Catalina was shaken awake and dragged along to go shopping with Mateo and Valerie.

She followed behind them, holding their bags, and watching the two of them walk ahead together. When they passed by a luxury store she used to love, the staff who recognized her whispered to each other quietly.

She was used to being looked down on, and as she spaced out, something terrible happened. A man in the center of the shopping mall suddenly began splashing sulfuric acid at the crowd around him.

Before Catalina could react, it splashed onto her arm and leg. The burning made her fall to the ground, wincing in pain.

Hearing loud cries from ahead, she lifted her gaze and saw Mateo standing in front of Valerie. Even though he protected her, Valerie's arm still got a little splashed.

Watching Mateo gently lift Valerie hurt her heart, though she didn't know why.

Without sparing her a glance, he left without hesitation, leaving Catalina lying helplessly on the ground.

Maybe it was the pain, or maybe it was just her mind giving in; she passed out.

When she opened her eyes again, she was in a hospital bed. Both of her arms were covered in bandages.

But only one of her arms had actually been hurt. She was puzzled and asked the doctor nearby, "Did my right arm get splashed too? It really hurts."

The doctor checked the chart and said, "No, but you had a skin graft. That kind of pain is normal."

Catalina's eyes widened. "A skin graft? That can't be true!"

The doctor replied, "You didn't know? Your skin graft was given to that VIP patient, Ms. Morozov."

She sat in shock for a moment before asking, "Who gave permission for that?!"

Why should she be the one to suffer for someone else's accident?

Just then, Mateo walked into the ward. He wore all black and had a cold expression.

"I gave permission," he said calmly.

Catalina's eyebrows drew together, and her eyes turned red as she looked at his dark ones.

"What gives you the right to decide things for me?" she asked.

Her voice shook as she tried to hold back all the frustration building inside her.

Mateo responded, "Because you belong to me, every part of you.

"Now eat."

He placed a lunchbox on the table. Catalina glared at it with a cold expression, then gave a sarcastic laugh. She thought to herself, "Even now, after everything, he was still keeping up the act?"

Her eyes burned red as she looked at him, and then she angrily knocked the lunchbox to the floor.

"I'm not eating!"

Mateo lost his temper at that. He grabbed her chin roughly, picked up the spilled food, and shoved it toward her mouth.

"Stop fighting with me! You're eating whether you want to or not!"

Tears streamed down Catalina's cheeks, but before anything else could happen, a doctor burst in, shouting, "This is a hospital! If you want to argue, take it outside!"

After that, Mateo paused, brushed his hands off, and stared down at her.

"Catalina, don't test me. I'm running out of patience."

When she heard that, Catalina suddenly burst into laughter, her eyes filling with tears.

"Oh really? Then you've been putting up with me for three years. Go on, kill me if you dare!

"Kill me just like your dad died! Why don't you drag me to the rooftop yourself?"

Mateo's hands were shaking from how hard he was clenching them, but deep down, he knew she was just trying to push his buttons.

He stayed quiet for a moment, then slowly unclenched his fists.

"You want to die? I won't let that happen."

With those words, he turned and walked out of the ward. Catalina felt a chill take over her whole body, making it hard for her to even breathe when she tried to speak.

She brushed away her tears, her face still full of stubborn pride.

Either way, it won't be long before she leaves.

Over the next several days, Mateo remained in the VIP ward, never leaving Valerie's side.

He never once came to see Catalina. A doctor even approached her personally to talk.

"Ms. Higgin, are you really refusing treatment? Your condition seems to be getting worse.

"These past few days, you've lost even more weight. Aren't your family coming to see you?"

If the doctor hadn't pointed it out, Catalina herself might not have noticed how skinny her arms had become, almost like walking sticks.

Maybe it was because she hadn't heard anyone speak to her with care in a long time, tears welled up in her eyes.

She replied softly, "I appreciate your concern, but I won't be seeking treatment. And... I don't have any family left."

Three years earlier, the people she cared for most had lost their lives because of the man she once loved. Looking back now, it was almost laughable.

What she wanted most was to find peace soon and apologize to her parents.

Once Valerie recovered, Mateo forced the weak Catalina to leave the hospital and look after Valerie every day.

To cheer Valerie up, Mateo went out of his way to throw a party for her.

It was a celebration of her recovery, and the skin on her arm now looked flawless, as if the injury had never happened.

He gave Catalina a black credit card and said coldly, "I'm throwing a party for Valerie and inviting all the top people in Chicago. You'd better not mess this up."

She gave a small nod and went to ask Valerie directly about her favorite things.

Valerie said she liked roses and cakes with lots of cream.

When the party started, the entire hall was decorated with red roses, and each table had a champagne-colored cake. Even the ribbons were the bright red shade Valerie preferred.

Valerie entered the venue with her hand wrapped around Mateo's arm. As they stepped inside, Mateo's gaze shifted slightly.

Just as the crowd broke into applause, Valerie's face suddenly changed.

Mateo quickly noticed her unhappiness and asked in a low voice, "What's wrong?"

"Why are there only red roses everywhere? It looks so cheap! I clearly told her that I hate red roses!"

Mateo was surprised, but his expression quickly turned cold as he shot a sharp glare at Catalina.

She blinked slowly, holding back the words that almost slipped out.

She understood the warning in Mateo's eyes and also realized what was behind Valerie's complaint.

Valerie walked over to a red-covered table and picked up a beautifully decorated cake.

She took a bite without thinking and suddenly let out a sharp scream.

"Catalina! Why is this made with cream?! Don't you know I'm allergic to cream?"

Everyone in the hall turned their eyes toward her, and Catalina froze in shock. "Didn't you say..."

Before she could finish, Mateo cut her off, his angry glare making her feel like he wanted to crush her.

"Catalina, you couldn't even handle such a simple task like organizing a party? What's wrong with you? Did you do this on purpose?"

Catalina's voice turned cold. "No, I didn't mean to..."

Valerie held tightly onto Mateo's arm and said, "Mateo, this party was supposed to be for me, and now she's completely ruined it..."

Seeing the upset look on Valerie's face, Mateo frowned without realizing it.

"Catalina, what do you plan to do about the mess you've made?"

He completely ignored Catalina's attempts to explain. Catalina realized it didn't matter what she said; he wouldn't believe her anyway.

Her chest tightened slightly, and she curled her fingers into fists. "Then what exactly do you want from me?"

Mateo gently held Valerie by the waist and turned to her. "Valerie, what do you think?"

Valerie's gaze flicked toward the dog cage sitting nearby. A smile curled on her lips. "Mateo, I don't mean to make things hard for her. But look, there's a cage right next to her. Why don't we have her crawl in and bark for us a few times?"

"Since there were a bunch of people around, I figured it might as well be some fun for the crowd."

Mateo glanced at the cage and hesitated for a moment.

But once he looked into Valerie's eyes, his resolve faded.

"Alright, whatever you say, go."

Catalina's eyelashes trembled. As she stared at the cage, a memory surfaced.

Back then, he was like a beaten stray, beaten and humiliated by others. Catalina had pitied him and spent a large amount of money to take him away from that life.

Now, he wanted her to go through the same thing, locked in a cage.

With that thought, Catalina suddenly burst out laughing. Mateo looked shocked but quickly lowered his voice. "If you just say sorry to Valerie and ask her to forgive you, and if she's satisfied, maybe I'll let you go. How about that?"

Catalina looked into his cold, shadowy eyes, and the smile vanished from her face.

"I didn't do anything wrong. Why should I apologize?"

Her defiance made Mateo's expression turn cold. He didn't bother holding back anymore.

Right there, in front of the crowd, he ordered two guards to shove her into the cage.

The people surrounding them chuckled and jeered. Valerie stood close and leaned down to whisper, "This is what you get for trying to seduce Mateo. Don't think I don't know what happened between you two.

"I want everyone to see you crawling like a dog."

She burst out laughing again, then strutted over to Mateo and shouted at Catalina, "Catalina, why don't you bark for us a couple of times? If it makes me happy, I'll let you out."

Catalina stared at her with a chilling glare, but her eyes were full of burning fury.

The crowd around them began shouting, too. "Come on, bark for us!"

"Yeah! Let's see how a fallen heiress plays the dog!"

***

Voices full of mockery kept echoing in her ears, but Catalina refused to make a single sound.

One person tried to force her mouth open, but she bit down hard, tearing into their skin.

Others stepped forward, ready to hit her to force her into giving in, but Catalina gritted her teeth and took the pain without shedding a tear.

Mateo finally ran out of patience and snapped at Catalina, his tone sharp, "The tougher you act now, the worse I'll make you suffer later!"

Thirty minutes later, he held an urn in his hands. As soon as Catalina saw it, her legs gave out and she fell.

She knew that urn. It was her mother's urn.

Her body shook uncontrollably, panic flaring in her eyes like wildfire.

"What... what are you doing?"

Mateo laughed when he saw her reaction.

"Looks familiar? I had to work hard to dig this up."

Catalina froze, her mind struggling to process what he'd said.

"You dug up my mom's grave?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper.

Tears rolled down her cheeks as she trembled and dropped to her knees, pleading.

"I was wrong! I won't do it again! Please just put my mom's ashes back where they belong, okay?"

Mateo looked at her coldly and smirked. "And what about the barking? Where is it now, hmm?"

"Woof! Woof! Woof woof..."

The second her eyes landed on the urn, it was as if the last string holding her together was broken. Her spirit, once strong, completely gave out.

Again and again, she barked like a dog, shutting out the laughter and ridicule around her.

At that moment, her pride and will were crushed, beyond repair.

Mateo gave an approving nod, and just as he was about to set the urn down, Valerie suddenly bumped into him.

Catalina saw it happen and cried out, "No!"

Crash!

The ashes spilled out, scattering across the ground. Valerie walked right over them in her tall heels, looking regretful.

"Oh no! I didn't mean to. I tripped..."

The sight felt like a wave crashing down on Catalina, leaving her completely breathless.

Her tears fell rapidly, and she cried out with a broken voice, "Mom...

"Why? Why are you doing this to me?"

Catalina's face twisted in pain while Valerie grinned at her like she was nothing more than a dog.

She seemed to enjoy seeing every bruise on Catalina's body and liked how Catalina pleaded without fighting back.

Because of her desperate screams, Catalina's body reacted badly, and sharp pain hit her chest like a wave.

She started to cough hard and nearly coughed up blood, her eyes filled with hatred as she stared at Mateo.

Although Mateo looked calm on the outside, his eyelashes trembled slightly as he watched her.

Watching her thin figure crawl stubbornly out of the cage brought back memories of when he had once been trapped himself.

Catalina grabbed the cage and shook it with all her strength, like a furious animal trying to escape, her eyes fixed on the ashes on the floor.

Mateo stood there frozen. He had tried everything to break her for the past three years, but her pride had never wavered.

Now, for the first time, he saw her completely crushed, nothing like the proud woman he remembered.

His mind went blank as he watched her hands, clinging to the bars of the cage, skin nearly torn apart. And just for a fleeting moment, a strange, unfamiliar ache pierced through his heart.

Without thinking, Mateo ran over and opened the cage door.

He reached out instinctively to hold her, but she shoved him away.

He stayed still, watching as she dropped to her knees in front of Valerie, digging through the ashes with tears pouring down her face.

"I'm sorry, Mom... I'll take you back home now.

"It's my fault, everything... It's all my fault...

"Please, don't hate me, okay?"

***

She muttered the words to herself like someone who had lost their mind, her whole body shaking.

Mateo never imagined things would end up this way. He thought seeing her suffer would satisfy him.

But why couldn't he smile at all?

He stepped closer to Catalina and grabbed her arm, right over the area where the skin graft had been done.

She winced and yanked her arm away. "Get away from me!

"Mateo, you will die a miserable death!"

His eyes widened, and for a moment, his heart seemed to stop.

After picking up the ashes that were left, Catalina quickly wiped her face, stood up, and stared coldly at Valerie.

Valerie hesitated, then stammered, "Why are you looking at me like that? I didn't kill your mom!

"She's already gone. Ashes can't change anything. I didn't mean to step on them. Why are you blaming me?"

Catalina's lips curved into a chilling smile. Her expression darkened.

"Oh really? Do you think no one noticed it was on purpose? Still acting like you're innocent?"

Valerie froze, and the moment she looked into Catalina's eyes, a shiver ran down her spine.

"I didn't! I swear!"

But Catalina's eyes turned bloodshot.

"Then, apologize to my mom. Say sorry to her, right now!"

Catalina's outburst startled Valerie, making her panic. With a loud shriek, she rushed to hide behind Mateo and grabbed the sleeve of his suit.

"Mateo, I swear... I didn't do it on purpose..."

Catalina tried to grab Valerie's arm, but Mateo blocked him.

"Stop it, Catalina. Valerie already said it wasn't intentional. Why are you still acting out?"

"We won't blame you for ruining the party. Consider us even."

Hearing this, Catalina gave a slight smirk. A dull, painful throb echoed from her chest.

"Even? Do you think a party is equal to my mom's ashes?"

Her body trembling, she stepped forward toward Valerie, but Mateo shoved her to the floor.

"That's enough! What more do you want? You need to learn your limits," he said.

Catalina lifted her tear-filled eyes and stared at him, memories from three years ago flooding her mind.

She wished things had been different. If only she had never met him, would her life have remained whole?

A cold laugh escaped her lips. "Mateo, the biggest mistake I ever made was letting you into my life," she said sharply.

Mateo froze, unable to say a word. Then, Catalina started coughing and collapsed right there.

As her eyes slowly shut, she noticed the panic on Mateo's face, and she let out a quiet laugh.

"Why would Mateo care about me? I just want everything to end. If I die, at least I'll finally be free."

When Catalina opened her eyes again, she found herself on a hospital bed. The strong smell of disinfectant made her feel even worse.

Just then, the kind doctor she knew from her previous visit came into the room. "Ms. Higgin, I'm sorry to say this, but you might not make it past the next couple of days."

Catalina noticed a hint of sorrow in his gaze. Strangely, hearing those words felt like a weight was lifted.

She said calmly, "That's fine. Thank you.

"If anyone asks, please keep this between us."

Right after she finished, Mateo's voice echoed from outside the room.

"What's wrong with her?" he asked as he stepped into the room.

He looked at the doctor with concern written all over his face.

Of course, Mateo wouldn't let her leave this world that easily.

Noticing Catalina's blank stare, the doctor paused before responding, "She's fine, just exhausted."

Mateo's tense expression relaxed, and a mocking smile crept onto his face.

"I told you to stop faking illness around me. As long as you're still breathing, you'd better do your job."

Catalina avoided his eyes. Just one glance at him would bring back every cruel thing he had done to her.

Each memory hit her like a knife, too painful to bear.

But soon, she'd be with her mother again. That thought brought her peace.

After Mateo left, Catalina quickly got off the hospital bed.

Once she got ready, she headed straight to the prison where her father was locked up.

She hadn't visited him even once over the past three years. Not because she didn't want to, she just couldn't bring herself to go.

She felt too ashamed to face her father. Sitting across the glass partition, she finally saw the face she knew so well, his figure much thinner than before.

He used to be full of energy. Now, as she picked up the phone to speak, tears rolled down her cheeks without stopping.

"Dad... I'm so sorry.

"This is all because of me. I was too scared to come see you all this time. I left some money behind for you. Please, stay safe and take care..."

She didn't have the courage to continue. If he found out what really happened, she feared it would break him.

His hair had gone completely gray, and his voice shook as he said, "Catalina, I don't blame you. I never could..."

Hearing those words made her chest tighten painfully, like a needle was stabbing her heart.

She almost couldn't bear to leave.

She handed over all her savings to someone trustworthy, hoping they could give it to her father once he got out.

But when that day came, he would never be able to see her again.

Catalina carefully returned her mother's ashes to their place and secured them with a new lock.

Then she sat in front of her mother's grave.

"Mom, I'll be joining you very soon.

"Please wait for me."

There was nothing left in this life that she truly cared about anymore.

Right when she was preparing to leave quietly without saying goodbye, her phone suddenly rang.

"Ms. Higgin, I was the chief financial officer at your dad's company back in the day. About Mr. Naillon's father and his fall from the rooftop—I'm ready to tell you the truth. Do you still want to hear it?"

Catalina's fingers curled up tightly without her meaning to. She had been waiting for answers for three whole years, and they only came now, when it was almost too late.

She let out a small, bitter laugh. Life really wasn't fair.

She replied, "All right. I'll be here."

They planned to meet somewhere, and the man showed up in front of Catalina holding a USB flash drive.

"This is the footage from that day. For years, I stayed out of this situation and didn't want to get involved. But now, I've changed my mind. Here, take a look."

Catalina's heart was pounding, and she couldn't stop herself from feeling anxious.

When she opened the video, it showed Mateo's father, Daniel Naillon, standing on the top floor of the Higgin Group.

Besides him, Catalina's father was there too, trying to convince Daniel not to do anything drastic.

But he shouted like he'd lost control, his voice shaking with sobs.

"I stole company money without permission, and there's no way I can fix it. I don't have any other options left.

"My son still needs help. Please support him when I'm gone. That's all I can ask."

After saying that, Daniel jumped off the roof without hesitation.

The man shut the laptop. "After he passed, your dad and I took care of his children. We never came forward until now. I only recently found out that he had grown up to be a popular figure today.

"And... he's the one who brought ruin to your family."

Hearing that, Catalina couldn't stop herself from shaking.

For three years, she had waited—clinging to hope, desperate for answers. All she ever wanted was to survive.

All she ever wanted was for Mateo to leave her family alone. Nothing more.

But life had worn her down so completely, she ended up laughing without meaning to.

The man handed her the USB drive, and without saying much, she took it and went straight back to the Naillon's residence.

When she stepped inside, she saw Mateo standing there with a cold expression. He looked like he'd been waiting for her all this time.

"Where did you go? Don't you realize you're not allowed to leave without my permission?"

Catalina didn't bother replying. Her face was pale, and she seemed too weak to even argue.

Her eyes, still red from crying earlier, looked completely dull as she tossed the USB drive toward him.

"Your dad stole company money and ended his life because he was afraid of what would happen next."

Mateo glanced at the USB while holding a half-smoked cigarette between his fingers, letting out a mocking laugh.

He said, "Where did you get this fake proof?

"It's been three years already. Why are you still blind to reality?"

Catalina let out a faint laugh. She had forged evidence many times before just to convince Mateo to spare her family.

But now, there was no need for that anymore. The real answer had finally come to light again.

She didn't feel like saying anything and simply watched as Mateo inserted the USB into the computer.

The image of Daniel and the sound of his voice came back to him, causing his fingers to shake.

After finding out everything, he couldn't stop the tears from falling.

"Catalina, your forgery this time is almost convincing," he said.

Catalina gave a small laugh. "That is the truth."

He had never seen such a firm look in her eyes before, and it made his chest tighten with anxiety.

He shouted, "No way! It was your parents who caused my dad's death!

"Don't think I can't figure out what's on your mind!"

His expression turned sharp and angry, but Catalina stayed calm and gave a cold smirk.

"If your dad saw how you're acting right now, he'd be heartbroken.

"You're nothing but a joke, Mateo."

His fury boiled over at that, and he shoved her against the wall.

"You don't deserve to mention my dad!

"I'm not wrong about this! Catalina, what are you trying to pull?"

Catalina burst out laughing as she stared at him, clearly seeing the hesitation in his eyes.

"Mateo, you destroyed my whole family and took away all our joy. I'll make sure you suffer every single day," she said through clenched teeth.

She burst into laughter, loud and almost mad.

Catalina smiled, but tears slipped down her cheeks. Then a harsh cough took over, and she spat out blood.

Mateo's brows drew together, and a hint of concern flickered in his eyes.

"Catalina! Are you okay?"

He tried to lift her up, but she pushed his arm away.

"Don't touch me. Your hands are covered in blood. It's disgusting!"

She noticed the hopelessness on his face and the grief hiding behind his gaze.

At last, he knew what it felt like to hurt.

After that, her body collapsed, and his voice calling her name started to fade away.

Everything felt strangely peaceful. At long last, this was the moment she had waited for.