Lorraine Devine had pursued Sebastian Cadwell, heir to the Cadwell family, for more than ten years. She took care of his daily needs and handled everything at the company.

But as Sebastian's grandfather, Ronald Cadwell, lay dying, Sebastian warned her not to mention their engagement.

"You know I'm not marrying you. I'm marrying the person who saved my life."

She knew Sebastian had never been fond of sexual desire, yet he found comfort in watching that woman's video, clearly loving her deeply.

Sebastian would never know it was she who had saved him all those years ago.

But none of that mattered anymore. She had agreed to Ronald's last wish and was about to fly to San Diego to marry Sebastian's paralyzed uncle.

***

"It's alright. I'm willing to marry your paralyzed son."

Lorraine knelt beside Ronald's sickbed, her tone so calm it sounded as if it didn't concern her at all.

Ronald let out a long sigh, and the grayness of his sick face softened a little.

"It's just Sebastian's bad luck! You're a good kid. All these years, I've treated you like my own granddaughter."

"I've already been very lucky," said Lorraine.

"We'll arrange the wedding soon, but..."

Ronald's voice grew firm.

"You saved Sebastian's life back then. Later, the trauma made him sick and nearly killed him. You knew he'd forgotten everything. Losing those memories is actually a good thing. I hope you'll keep this secret and never upset him."

"Okay." She agreed immediately.

Lorraine understood that the Cadwell family had truly nurtured her all these years, but also kept her trapped.

If the details of Sebastian's kidnapping were ever revealed, the entire Cadwell family would be shaken.

She didn't need an engagement to keep her quiet. She would never say a word because she couldn't bear to hurt Sebastian.

Ronald finally loosened his grip on the bedsheet.

"Forgive me for being selfish. I'll sign over the San Francisco branch and the country estate to you, as a bit of compensation."

"Ronald, I want the new branch in San Diego."

Ronald paused, surprised. "The San Francisco branch is stable, the staff is solid, and you've fit in well. Haven't you always wanted to be in charge?"

"But I'm moving to San Diego."

Ronald's gaze grew distant.

He remembered Lorraine as a nine-year-old, carrying his only grandson Sebastian for dozens of kilometers through the mountains, rescuing him from kidnappers.

After surviving, Sebastian promised to marry the person who saved him.

But soon after, Sebastian's trauma became severe. He was delirious with a high fever for a long time.

When he woke up, he'd forgotten the kidnapping and Lorraine, left only with a strange aftereffect.

He developed a fear of women, refusing to let any woman touch him—except Lorraine.

Because of this, Lorraine was bound to the Cadwell family by a single engagement contract.

But as Sebastian grew older, he grew more and more resentful of the engagement.

Now, things had gotten to the point where Lorraine couldn't even stay in San Francisco.

Ronald couldn't help but feel guilty.

He agreed to Lorraine's request and told someone to call Sebastian in.

As soon as Sebastian entered and saw Lorraine, he frowned.

He lowered his voice and said in her ear, "Don't be shameless and bring up the engagement now! You know I'm not marrying you."

Lorraine clenched her fists.

"What if Ronald brings it up?"

"Wouldn't you refuse him?"

His tone was full of mockery. "You've been leeching off the Cadwell family for years. Haven't you taken enough money? Don't even think about anything else."

Lorraine thought she had let it go, but his words still made her eyes sting with tears.

"Sebastian..." Ronald called his precious grandson over. "Promise me, protect Lori. She's done so much for you."

Sebastian's expression froze. He hadn't expected Ronald's final request to be about Lorraine.

"Say it!" Ronald seemed to use all his strength, coughing violently.

"I'll protect Lorraine," Sebastian gritted out.

Ronald waved them out of the room.

A cold breeze slipped in from somewhere, and Lorraine shivered.

Sebastian spoke up behind her, his voice slow and mocking.

"What kind of spell did you put on Grandpa? I'm his real grandson, and all he has for me is one sentence?"

She didn't want to answer, but he grabbed her arm.

"I can protect you, but I have one condition."

Lorraine turned and raised an eyebrow at Sebastian.

"I want Violetta to be my secretary."

The day after Sebastian met Violetta Martell at the bar, he found her a job at the company.

Lorraine, suspicious of Violetta's background, made Violetta her own assistant so she could keep an eye on her.

She snorted, "So impatient, aren't you?"

"Don't think your little tricks will work. Grandpa's leaving soon, and no one will have your back. Then the Cadwell family will be mine, and who's going to listen to you?"

"I'm looking forward to it."

Lorraine turned and went to the bathroom to wash her face, trying to clear her mind.

Ronald was giving out his final instructions, and the heavy tasks of inheritance and funeral arrangements were looming.

Following Ronald's orders, Lorraine called the company executives.

But before she could get through, her headset picked up a burst of noise.

Her room was next to Sebastian's, with only a wall separating their bathrooms.

She realized her headset had accidentally connected to Sebastian's phone.

Just as she took off her headset, she heard a rustling sound from the bathroom next door.

She stood there, stunned.

All these years, Sebastian never let any woman near him except her. If anyone else touched him, he'd get anxious and wash his hands over and over.

Eventually, only Lorraine was allowed to tie his tie, arrange his clothes, and ride in the car with him.

She had found joy in these small privileges.

She thought the kidnapping trauma had scarred Sebastian so deeply that he'd never desire a woman again, and she'd become his only safe person.

But now, the muffled breaths and soft thumping sounds were proof enough. He still had desires, but only for the woman in the video.

Lorraine only listened for a few seconds before she knew it was Violetta's video.

A few months ago, they'd run into a strip show at a bar.

Sebastian hated it and was about to leave when a girl crawled across the big table, stopping right in front of him.

Violetta dropped her sultry act and looked up at Sebastian with big, wet eyes.

"Hey, cutie. Do you remember me?

"Back when we escaped together, you said you'd marry me."

Lorraine's warning bells went off. She shoved Violetta aside and told her to stop making things up.

But Sebastian was transfixed, his Adam's apple bobbing as he asked Violetta in a low voice, "Is it really you? I've been trying to find you, but no one would tell me where my savior went."

From that moment, Sebastian's eyes stuck to Violetta.

Lorraine reminded him that you couldn't trust a stranger's words.

But Sebastian wouldn't listen.

"Why should I trust you? Go tell Grandpa to tear up that stupid engagement. I promised her when I was a kid that I'd marry her and give her a good life."

Lorraine's hands shook with anger.

The person she'd protected for over ten years had been stolen away with just a few words.

She watched Sebastian take off his jacket and wrap it around the nearly naked woman.

She watched him, for the first time, willingly touch another woman and lead her away.

Suddenly, Lorraine felt exhausted. She didn't want to protect him anymore.

Before leaving, Sebastian had his assistant hand out 1,000 dollars to everyone present, telling them to delete the videos of Violetta dancing from their phones.

But he kept a copy for himself, to comfort himself late at night.

Listening to the low, broken sounds coming from the next room, Lorraine couldn't help but knock on the wall.

The noises from the room next door came to an abrupt halt.

Lorraine called out, her voice loud and clear, "What's wrong, that's all you've got?"

The satisfaction she felt from teasing and mocking didn't last more than a few seconds.

In the mirror, Lorraine's expression turned bleak.

She had always thought that maybe one day Sebastian would fall for a girl with a good family background and striking looks.

She never imagined she'd lose to a plain, utterly unremarkable strip club dancer.

She couldn't understand how Sebastian could fall so hard for such obvious, flimsy lies.

Footsteps echoed in a rush downstairs, snapping her out of her thoughts.

A housekeeper knocked on her door to tell her that Ronald was gone.

She hurried to tie up her long hair.

The moment she stepped out, she ran into Sebastian.

She shot him a glance and deliberately remarked, "Mr. Cadwell, you really don't care about the time or place, do you?"

A flicker of embarrassment crossed his face, but he quickly regained his composure.

"If it weren't for knowing you were next door, I wouldn't have lost the mood."

They walked down the stairs side by side. Some people were quietly sobbing, and others looked lost and helpless.

Lorraine took a deep breath, cleared her mind, and started organizing everything that needed to be done. Only then did everyone begin to settle into their own tasks.

Hands in his pockets, Sebastian asked, "You're handling the funeral, right? I'm bringing Violetta with me."

Lorraine's brow furrowed. "Ronald isn't even cold yet, and you're already getting off to her videos—now you want to bring her to the funeral? Are you out of your mind?"

Sebastian let out a cold laugh. "You can insult me all you want, but you'd better not insult her.

"And just so you know, I'm telling you, not asking."

Lorraine forced herself to stay calm. "She's not part of the Cadwell family, and she's not a relative or friend. What am I supposed to list her as?"

He looked up and shot back, "And what's your role here?"

Lorraine watched his easy stride, her nails digging into her palms.

When Ronald was alive, Sebastian would at least show some restraint.

Now that Ronald was gone, Sebastian's father was always abroad and couldn't care less, and his paralyzed uncle in San Diego was no help at all.

He dared to act so recklessly only because he knew that, no matter how chaotic things got, Lorraine would always clean up after him.

Lorraine looked at the Cadwell family, now a complete mess, and thought to herself that soon, she wouldn't be cleaning up after him anymore.

For days, Lorraine was busy with funeral arrangements and was hardly home.

In the past, she would personally make Sebastian's breakfast every morning, but now he'd gone several days without a proper meal.

Sebastian sensed something was off, but it wasn't until just before the memorial service began that he understood—when he saw Lorraine in a sharp black suit.

She used to go out of her way to please him. He once said he liked girls in dresses, so she wore dresses year-round.

It was the first time he'd seen her stop trying to win his favor, and for a moment, Sebastian was caught off guard. But he quickly looked away.

At the memorial, Lorraine was adjusting the placement of the funeral wreaths. The black suit made her look even more worn out.

"Ms. Devine, do you need any help?" Violetta stepped forward to ask.

Lorraine's tone was icy. "You could've waited until after the service to offer."

Sebastian's face darkened.

"I'm sorry, Ms. Devine. I am your assistant. I should've come earlier to help, but Mr. Cadwell had me organizing his office files the last few days."

Violetta's voice grew smaller and smaller until she dropped her head.

Lorraine had been running herself ragged, while Sebastian had whisked Violetta away for some trivial tasks, just so she wouldn't have to do any real work.

Seeing Violetta's wounded look, Sebastian said softly, "Why bother explaining? Once the service is over, you'll be my assistant. I decide your assignments."

Lorraine cut in coldly, "You're still my assistant for now. Go to the entrance and handle the guest reception."

Violetta's face fell, and Sebastian's brows knitted together.

He took Violetta by the wrist. "You're staying with me today. You're not going anywhere."

Lorraine stared at him, disappointment clouding her eyes.

An hour earlier, she'd just received a call from Sebastian's paralyzed uncle, Mervin Cadwell.

Because of his health, he couldn't attend in person, but he mentioned the wedding date over the phone and had already booked Lorraine's plane ticket for a month from now.

She bustled around like the lady of the house, but at the memorial, there was no place for her. All she could do was stand by, ready to step in if anything went wrong.

Violetta stood beside Sebastian, greeting guests as if she were the one engaged to him.

"If she's at the funeral, she must have Ronald's approval, right?"

"She seems so timid, and she's nothing special. Is this really the woman the Cadwell family chose?"

"What do you know? Sebastian is crazy about her. I saw him just now, when no one was looking, asking if she was tired and rubbing her back."

Someone gossiping turned to Lorraine, "Miss, you seem to be in charge here. Are you Mr. Cadwell's assistant? Is that his fiancée next to him?"

Lorraine kept her face blank as she replied, "I'm not sure," but her heart clenched for no reason.

She'd barely eaten in days, too busy managing Ronald's funeral.

Only now did Lorraine feel a crushing wave of exhaustion.

Her legs buckled, and she fainted.

A coworker helped Lorraine into a nearby lounge, letting her rest for a while until she finally regained her strength.

Sebastian didn't bother checking on her. Instead, he sent a message about the catering arrangements.

"How did you handle the food? Where is it? Vivi's been standing for hours—she's tired and hungry. If you didn't set anything up, go buy something! Now, immediately!"

"Sebastian, you're unbelievable. Truly considerate," Lorraine thought bitterly.

She asked someone to take them to the lounge for a bite to eat.

Lorraine herself went to Ronald's memorial, laid down flowers, and bowed her head in silence.

She didn't owe the Cadwell family anything anymore.

After the service, she didn't return to the Cadwell home. Instead, she headed for an old red-brick building on the outskirts of the city, built back in the 1980s.

The hallway lights had long since burned out; she fumbled in the dark until she unlocked her door.

The ancient TV was still playing a soccer match, and the man sprawled across the couch was fast asleep.

Out of habit, Lorraine picked up the empty beer bottles from the floor and switched off the TV.

Suddenly, the phone on the table chimed.

She glanced at the screen, spotting a message from an unknown sender.

"I'll send the rest in a few days. What are you so worried about? Didn't I already give you the 35,000 dollars down payment?"

Lorraine's heart leapt into her throat.

Her deadbeat biological father hadn't worked a day in years. For him to receive such a large sum, nothing came to mind but something illegal.

She scrolled through his messages and, sure enough, someone had sent him 35,000 dollars a few months back.

The man on the couch woke up, bleary-eyed. "Why are you home? Not staying with your rich husband tonight, missing your broke old dad?"

Lorraine's voice was cold. "Why did someone send you money?"

He dodged, careless. "What, you join some rich family and now you don't recognize me? You never give me a dime, and now I'm not allowed to take money from someone else?"

Lorraine kicked him. "Why did they pay you?"

He looked at her—her fierce glare actually made him flinch.

"How should I know? Someone came asking about when you were kidnapped years ago. Just told a story for 80,000 dollars. Easy money."

Lorraine hurled the phone at his face. "Are you insane? Who did you sell the information to?"

The drunk was fully awake now, pain snapping him to attention. "You've got nerve, huh? Don't think just because you grew up and joined the Cadwell family, I won't lay a hand on you!"

"Who did you sell it to?" Her eyes flashed with real menace.

He pulled up the text and shoved it in Lorraine's face. Instantly, she understood.

"If you say one more word, I swear I'll make you regret it." She spat the threat and stormed out.

She arranged to meet Violetta, but only had her sit in the passenger seat, driving wordlessly out of the city.

"Ms. Devine, where exactly are you taking me?"

Lorraine drove farther and farther, the road growing more desolate, until she was winding along a mountain pass.

"Ms. Devine, if I've done something wrong, please tell me—I'll fix it! Where are you taking me?"

When Violetta tried to send a message for help, Lorraine took a sharp turn, sending the phone flying to the floor.

"Do you know what's on your right?" Lorraine asked in a low voice.

Violetta shook her head, confused.

"A cliff."

Violetta stared out into the darkness, panic rising.

"Do you realize what you're doing? You're lying to Sebastian about the kidnapping, just like we're driving along the edge of a cliff in the dark."

Lorraine slammed her foot on the gas, sending the car hurtling toward the edge. Violetta shrieked, clutching her head in terror.

Just as the car was about to go over, Lorraine jerked the wheel and slammed on the brakes, stopping inches from disaster.

"Don't say I didn't warn you. If you keep this up, next time you won't be so lucky.

"Get out."

Violetta, sobbing and covered in tears, scrambled out of the car.

Lorraine sped away.

She couldn't get through to Sebastian, so all she could do was teach Violetta a lesson—make her think twice before getting in over her head.

The next morning, as soon as Lorraine arrived at the company's parking garage, someone grabbed her from behind, clamping a hand over her mouth and nose.

She tried to fight back, but the stench of chemicals made her dizzy and weak.

When she came to, she was strapped into the front seat of a roller coaster.

Her wrists and ankles were tied tight; there was no way to break free.

She looked around. The amusement park was completely deserted.

A bell chimed, and the rickety old coaster began its climb, creaking loudly.

Her back arched, panic rising—her fear of heights was overwhelming.

At the peak, her heart pounded in her ears, terror reaching its breaking point.

With a whoosh, the coaster plunged, twisted, and flipped upside down.

Lorraine's insides felt crushed together.

When the ride ended, she fought the urge to vomit, her eyes burning red.

"What do you want from me?" she shouted.

"Sorry, Ms. Devine. Someone wants you to experience real fear."

Her mind spun wildly in the depths of panic.

Who was it? Who knew about her phobia and wanted to torture her like this?

"Ms. Devine, you'd better hold it in. There are 98 rides left."

The man in the control room sounded mocking.

Lorraine couldn't stop shaking, her mind blurring with every climb and plunge.

She vomited until she was filthy, even bile spilling out, and collapsed limp in her seat.

The man in the control room checked her breathing, then spoke into the phone.

"Boss, she's out cold. Should I keep going?"

"Continue. After 99 rides, send her to the hospital."

The voice sounded as if it came from the ocean's depths, but Lorraine recognized it instantly.

Her blood ran cold.

The one who knew her weakness—and wanted her to ride the roller coaster 99 times—was Sebastian.

The same Sebastian she'd carried on her back, sprained ankle and all, to save him from danger.

The hours Lorraine spent on that roller coaster were the most hopeless of her life.

She would have preferred to die right there, or even under the moonlight in the wilderness at age nine, rather than face the truth of being so cruelly betrayed by the one she loved most.

She had no idea how long she'd been unconscious before she finally opened her eyes.

The first thing she heard was Violetta sobbing nearby.

"It's all my fault. If my phone hadn't died last night and I'd arranged a driver for Ms. Devine in time, she never would've been kidnapped and hurt."

"It's not your fault. Blame her. She's just like her deadbeat dad—sooner or later, you reap what you sow."

Sebastian's words were like a sharp knife, slicing straight through Lorraine's heart.

Just hearing their voices made her shiver.

She gripped the blanket tightly and said coldly, "Go show off your affection somewhere else."

Before leaving, Sebastian made sure to remind her to approve Violetta's transfer paperwork.

Lorraine curled up, a chill running through her body.

The day she was discharged and returned to the office, Lorraine was hit with a complaint.

As an assistant, Violetta had withheld an important contract instead of passing it on to her boss, causing a major deal to fall through. The compensation alone involved millions.

Lorraine listened to her subordinate's report, rubbing her temples hard.

"Handle it by the book. If she needs to be fired, fire her. If we need to sue, then sue."

"But..." her subordinate hesitated, "Mr. Cadwell already made the colleague who submitted the contract take the fall. He's demanding that person pay the company 30,000 dollars."

Lorraine slammed the files onto the desk in anger. "This is ridiculous!"

"Get Mr. Cadwell on the phone. If he keeps this up, he'll destroy morale."

"Whose morale?" Sebastian pushed open the door, Violetta following behind.

"I'm sorry, Ms. Devine. I didn't mean to hold up the contract. You know I had an accident that night, and when I got to work the next morning, I was so sick that Mr. Cadwell sent me home. I never imagined it would cause such a big problem."

Violetta dropped her head, fat tears rolling down her cheeks.

"A contract that important shouldn't be delayed just because an assistant calls in sick. Whoever's in charge should do whatever it takes to keep things moving."

Sebastian's icy gaze locked onto Lorraine.

He might have made the other employee take the blame, but everything he said was meant for Lorraine.

In the end, he believed she was the root of the problem.

Lorraine let out a cold laugh. "So, she bears no responsibility at all?"

"I've already punished her—she's lost two days of paid leave."

"The employee was fired and has to pay 30,000 dollars in damages, but she only loses two days' vacation? Sebastian, as the branch manager, I can't accept that."

"Lorraine, do you actually think you're the boss of this company?"

Lorraine took a deep breath and turned to leave. Soon, she'd be heading to San Diego anyway—she was done cleaning up this mess.

Just then, the office door was suddenly kicked open.

The employee who'd been fired stormed in, eyes red with rage, charging straight at Violetta.

"You bitch! If I can't live, neither can you!"

Sebastian reacted instantly, grabbing Violetta and pulling her out of harm's way.

But in the chaos, he shoved Lorraine aside.

She staggered, a flash of steel catching her eye, followed by a dull thud and a searing pain in her abdomen.

"M... Ms. Devine..."

The former coworker stared blankly at Lorraine, the knife buried deep in her stomach. Blood dripped steadily onto the floor.

Lorraine's breath caught in her throat. She gasped for air, but couldn't draw in a single breath.

She turned to look at Sebastian, but all she saw was him covering Violetta's eyes.

"Don't look, or you'll have nightmares."

Darkness closed in, and all sound faded away.

In that darkness, she remembered the moonlight from when she was nine.

The bright moon lit her path, but the sleeping boy was no longer on her back. Her footsteps grew faster and faster.

"Rich people have it good. That patient in Room 2315 just got a scare, and her boyfriend flew the country's top specialist in overnight—so spoiled."

"Not every rich person has it easy. Look at our patient here—she got tons of gifts, but not a single visitor."

Lorraine woke from her coma to the sound of nurses chatting.

The corner of her hospital room was piled high with Hermès gift boxes.

The door opened quietly.

"Ms. Devine, you're awake?" Violetta stood timidly at the entrance.

Sebastian walked in behind her, but he never once met Lorraine's eyes.

"The attacker's been arrested. You don't have to worry anymore."

Violetta opened the food container and set it in front of Lorraine. "I made you seafood chowder. If you don't have much appetite, maybe try a little."

Without even looking, Lorraine pushed her hand away.

"Lori, Vivi means well. You don't have to be so harsh."

"It's my fault..." Violetta's eyes filled with tears, her voice trembling with guilt.

Lorraine had no energy for her drama.

"Anyone with half a brain knows you shouldn't eat seafood while you're healing. Are you trying to shorten my life?"

Sebastian paused, his tone finally softening a bit. "Vivi didn't mean it. Don't blame her. After all, she once saved my life."

Lorraine gave a bitter laugh. "You really believe she saved you?"

Violetta bit her lip, her face ghostly pale, but Sebastian didn't notice at all.

"I believe her," he said, gripping Violetta's hand tightly.

"The first time I saw her, I recognized those eyes. Maybe I've forgotten everything else, but that look—I remember it so clearly. I must have met her before."

Lorraine couldn't understand how Sebastian could believe he'd been rescued by a girl whose only reaction to trouble was to cry.

She tugged at the corner of her mouth. "Pathetic."

"Lorraine! We came here out of kindness. Don't push it too far!"

Lorraine turned away from them, accidentally pulling at the wound in her abdomen, sucking in a breath to stifle the pain.

After that, Sebastian didn't show up again.

Instead, Mervin called every day after hearing about her accident, always checking in on her recovery.

Sometimes, Lorraine wondered if a marriage with someone who cared enough to ask after her well-being was already more than respectable.

More than two weeks later, Sebastian came to pick Lorraine up from the hospital.

He didn't even give her time to rest at home before dragging her straight to a business dinner.

"Our last deal with the Stratos Group didn't go well. This time, there's a 150 million-dollar project on the table—we have to land it."

Lorraine caught sight of Sebastian's stormy expression in the rearview mirror and almost laughed.

"So now, after just a short stay in the hospital, Mr. Cadwell—who never cared about company business before—is suddenly desperate.

"What'll he do when I leave for San Diego?" she wondered.

The Stratos Group people were notoriously tough. Every time Lorraine had negotiated with them in the past, it felt like she was being skinned alive.

But tonight, she sat quietly off to the side, silent as an outsider.

Halfway through, she excused herself to use the restroom, and Sebastian followed her out of the private dining room.

He blocked her way, impatience clear in his eyes. "This deal with the Stratos Group is critical."

"So?"

Sebastian faltered for a moment, then softened his tone.

"I know you're angry with me, Lori. After all these years, it's not like I don't care about you. As long as we don't talk about marriage, you'll always have a share in the Cadwell family's success.

"If you want money, a subsidiary, a house—I'm not stingy. Even your deadbeat dad, every time he came asking for cash, I gave him plenty."

Lorraine's eyes widened in shock. So her father had been secretly asking Sebastian for money all these years. No wonder Sebastian grew to despise her, always lumping her in with her father and saying they'd both get what was coming to them.

She felt faint, steadying herself against the wall. "Don't worry. There's no engagement between us anymore."

Sebastian smirked.

"I meant what I said. You don't have to hide anything from me. That emerald necklace you ordered—wasn't it for your wedding?"

Lorraine paused, then answered plainly, "It was for my wedding, but you're not the groom."

She'd bought the necklace for herself, to wear at her own wedding. The design was based on a sketch her mother had drawn before she passed away.

Her mother was gone now, and Lorraine wanted to marry with her blessing.

Sebastian let out a cold laugh. "Hand over the necklace. Vivi likes that design. You're not in a hurry to get married—just order another one."

Lorraine's breath caught in her throat.

"She doesn't deserve it!"

Sebastian was furious.

"She doesn't deserve it? If you and Grandpa hadn't kept me from searching for the woman who saved my life, I might have found her years ago. She wouldn't have had to struggle so much. You look down on her because she's a stripper, but have you ever thought—if Grandpa hadn't taken you in, what would you be? Maybe you wouldn't even be good enough to be a stripper!"

"I don't judge her for where she came from. I judge her for being a fraud."

Sebastian stared at Lorraine for a long moment, his gaze icy and merciless.

"Fine. I'm curious to see which happens first—you handing over the necklace, or me tossing your father in jail."

They returned to the private room in silence. By then, the clients were drunk.

Someone from the Stratos Group, having heard some gossip, started egging Violetta on to do a striptease.

"Mr. Cadwell, don't be so stingy. You're hiding your beauty away—let us enjoy her too! Have her give us a little show."

Violetta's cheeks flushed as she shrank behind Sebastian, visibly uncomfortable.

Sebastian was already seething, and the Stratos Group's antics only made him angrier.

He clenched his jaw, fighting the urge to lash out.

Suddenly, he relaxed his shoulders and started laughing.

"Vivi's dance wouldn't be much fun. Don't you want something new? How about having Ms. Devine give you a show?"

The whole table of drunks erupted in cheers when they heard the suggestion, whistling and hollering.

"This is wild!"

"If you get Ms. Devine to do a striptease, we'll sign the contract right here—totally worth it!"

"So that's why Ms. Devine's been so quiet tonight—she's got a show-stopper up her sleeve!"

Lorraine's eyes burned with fury, but not a single person in the room was on her side.

"Strip! Strip!"

The chanting grew louder, wave after wave.

"Ms. Devine, let me find you some music!" Even Violetta joined in, egging her on.

Lorraine's eyes shimmered with tears. She forced a crooked smile and whispered, "All right, then. Watch closely."

She shrugged off her blazer without hesitation, drawing screams from the crowd.

Staring straight at Sebastian, she slowly lifted the hem of her silk shirt.

"Is this what you wanted?"

The first person to spot the angry red scar, still healing on her abdomen, gasped sharply.

The room fell silent—you could hear a pin drop.

"Sorry, everyone. I'm not at my best tonight. Sorry to kill the mood. But I think you've all seen my sincerity, haven't you?"

That scar was too shocking. The drunks sobered up, a little rattled.

Lorraine threw her jacket back on and walked out alone. No one said another word.

She didn't want to go back to the Cadwell residence, and she definitely didn't want to return to the house littered with empty bottles.

When the driver asked where she wanted to go, she was silent for a long time. In a city this big, there wasn't a single place she could call home.

For some reason, she found herself longing for San Diego. Maybe there, she'd finally have a place to belong.

She called her best friend, and luckily, her friend's boyfriend was out of town, so she had a place to crash for her last few days in San Francisco.

In the middle of the night, Sebastian texted her.

"Where are you? You just got out of the hospital—why aren't you home? Do you want to die out there?"

The next day at noon, Sebastian texted again.

"You're not coming to the office either? You've got guts! Learned how to run away from home, huh?"

She didn't reply. She removed Sebastian from her pinned chats.

Sebastian didn't contact her again after that, but she saw a photo of him and Violetta together on Violetta's Instagram.

The two of them were making a big heart with their hands inside a Ferris wheel, and Violetta was clutching a Barbie doll.

Violetta had captioned it, "Thank you for protecting my inner child!"

Lorraine stared at the Barbie in the photo for a long time, until the sky grew dark and she realized the tear tracks on her face had dried.

So Sebastian had remembered all along—the promise he made to a nine-year-old girl to one day buy her the most expensive blinking Barbie at the supermarket, and ride the biggest Ferris wheel in the amusement park with her.

But how could he forget who he'd made that promise to?

The day Lorraine went back to the Cadwell family to pack her things, she happened to run into Violetta at the door.

Violetta was on the phone with a friend, oblivious to Lorraine behind her.

"Oh my god, a CEO of a whole corporation, and he gives me a Barbie worth a few dozen dollars as a gift when he confesses? I feel like such a joke.

"And he begged me to post it on Instagram—seriously, I'm dying of embarrassment. Everyone's roasting me for it!

"You're laughing? I've spent tens of thousands just to reel in this big fish! Help me figure out how to get him to propose—gotta see what he's really worth.

"Don't worry, he won't catch on. That loser Lorraine's already been kicked out—went smoother than I ever imagined."

Lorraine quietly slipped inside.

Just as she entered, she ran into Sebastian getting ready to head out.

He looked like he was in a great mood. "Hey, you remembered to come home? Good thing I had the housekeeper save some soup for you—have her heat it up."

Watching him hurry away, Lorraine asked softly, "That black scarf I gave you—where did you put it?"

It was the last scarf her mother knitted before she passed away, and Lorraine wanted to take it with her to San Diego.

"What black scarf? Probably tossed it." Sebastian replied offhandedly.

Her nose stung. She turned away so he wouldn't see her face.

Sebastian changed his shoes and asked, "What time's the signing ceremony tomorrow?"

"No idea. I'm not your secretary."

"What do you mean? You're not going?"

"No. I've got plans."

Sebastian hesitated, a flicker of annoyance in his eyes. "What could be more important than the company's signing?"

Leaving him and starting her own life was, in fact, far more important than the company.

"Did you forget what day tomorrow is?" Sebastian asked, voice low.

Lorraine answered with silence, her back to him.

After packing, Lorraine waited until Sebastian was out and snuck into his room.

She held out hope, rummaging through every corner of his closet, but didn't find the scarf.

Dejected, she suddenly spotted it on his nightstand, tucked inside a clear gift box.

She didn't understand—if he didn't like it, why keep it somewhere he'd see it every day?

She opened the box, took out the scarf, and stuffed it into her suitcase.

Early the next morning, Mervin's assistant was already waiting at the Cadwell residence's door to pick Lorraine up—he'd come all the way from San Diego for her.

Just before boarding, Lorraine got a message from Sebastian.

"Did you really forget what today is? Why didn't I get a birthday wish from you at midnight?"

She turned off her phone and looked out the window.

From now on, her life and Sebastian's would never cross paths again.