The older woman seized Kinsley’s collar, her hatred raw and unforgiving. Then, without hesitation, she yanked the diamond bracelet from Kinsley’s wrist and hurled it to the ground.

The delicate diamond shattered into pieces.

Enzo said nothing.

But in that silence, everything became clear.

They were no longer a couple.

They were no longer the ones who had once spoken of forever.

They had become something else: victims and criminal’s kin.

Kinsley had wanted to uncover the truth.

But before she could take a step forward, her father’s body was found near the reservoir two days later.

And the world whispered the same verdict: he had taken his own life out of guilt.

The Moore Corporation had crumbled.

Overnight, everything was gone.

All that remained was her mother, trapped in madness, a hollow shell of the woman she once was.

Kinsley had always been stubborn. She had juggled five jobs a day just to pay for her mother’s treatment, pushing herself beyond exhaustion.

But even as her body withered under the strain, her mother remained comatose, clinging to life by the thinnest thread.

Now, returning to the present, Kinsley curled into herself, bone-deep exhaustion pressing down on her.

Only in this fragile moment could she steal a sliver of relief.

But once the sun rose, she would once again become the Kinsley, even she could barely recognize.

It wasn’t that she hadn’t tried to leave.

But every time she did, Enzo dragged her back.

“Kinsley, do you think your father’s death can erase the damage he did to my family?”

His voice was ice, sharp and unrelenting.

“I want you to stay in Cascadia and suffer, just like I do, every single day.”

They were the same.

Both had lost everything overnight.

And Kinsley hadn’t hesitated to agree.

Not long ago, the doctors had sealed her fate: a brain tumor.

Maybe, in the near future, she would forget everything.

Or maybe she was already living during borrowed time.

“Kinsley, your mother passed away last night.”

She answered groggily, her fingers numb against the phone. Her legs had long lost their strength and as the news settled in, her body weakened, leaving her frozen in place.

The servants who passed by hesitated, their curious gazes lingering. But when she offered no response, they left, their presence dissolving into the background.

Closing her eyes, she forced herself to steady. When she finally spoke, her voice trembled.

“Rowan, please help me. I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

As the call ended, she struggled to stand, her steps unsteady as she forced herself forward.

At the hospital, she stood before the glass window, staring blankly.

The woman on the bed was no longer breathing.

Her mother’s voice echoed in her mind, fragments of a past that could never be reclaimed.

“Kinsley, I don’t believe your father would harm anyone. He was innocent, just a scapegoat.”

“Don’t go to the Keller Family. I won’t accept treatment either. I just want you to live well.”

“Kinsley! I dreamed of your father again. His body was covered in wounds and he was crying out in pain. I think he’s coming to take me with him.”

Her eyes snapped open, bloodshot and filled with grief.

Tears welled up, spilling silently onto the floor.

At some point, Rowan had appeared behind her.

“Auntie left peacefully. She didn’t suffer too much.”

She wiped her tears with trembling fingers, letting out a soft, weary sigh.

“I know. I know it all.”

“But now, I’m all alone.”

Rowan’s heart clenched. He wanted to pull her into his arms, to shield her from the weight of this loss.

But he had no rightful place to do so.

The piercing ringtone shattered the silence again.

Kinsley numbly picked up the call.

"I'm going on a business trip tonight. My mom is in the hospital. Take care of her."

Before she could utter a word, the call ended.

Rowan had overheard Enzo’s voice and fury flickered in his eyes.

"Kinsley, how can he treat you like this?"

“What happened back then wasn’t your fault. And both of you lost your fathers; doesn’t he know what that pain feels like?"

She remained silent for a long moment before speaking, her voice soft but unwavering.

"Rowan, I know you mean well."

"But I owe him. This debt will be repaid soon."

Rowan’s gaze darkened, his lips pressing into a thin line.

Then, out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of the medical report she pulled from her bag.

"My doctor reviewed it. He recommends I seek treatment abroad."

"So, I’m leaving."

Rowan reached out instinctively, his fingers curling around her wrist. For a brief second, words hovered at the edge of his tongue, an urge to confess what had long been buried.

But fear crept in. If he spoke, would he lose even their fragile friendship?

In the end, he let her go.

Instead, he fished a small candy from his pocket and pressed it into her palm.

"Peach-flavored, your favorite."

Kinsley curled her fingers around it and hurried off.

Near Samantha’s hospital room, she took a deep breath, composing herself.

The moment she stepped forward, a pillow flew out and struck her.

Samantha’s furious voice cut through the air.

"Did Enzo not call you?"

"If you don’t come, who will take care of me?!"

Her sharp eyes burned with disdain, her glare ice-cold.

Quinn stood nearby, draped in a princess-style gown that looked painfully out of place.

Wrinkling her nose in irritation, she spoke with thinly veiled disdain.

"I can’t blame Auntie for being upset. Since Enzo assigned you to take care of her, you should at least do it properly."

"What’s that smell? Kinsley, when did you become so unkempt?"

Kinsley swayed slightly, a sudden wave of dizziness washing over her.

Steadying herself, she forced her legs to move and walked to Samantha’s bedside, glancing at the medical chart.

A common cold.

The sight made something snap inside her. Without another word, she turned to leave.

To Samantha, it was an unforgivable offense. Disrespect. Defiance.

Throwing off her blanket, she pushed herself forward and grabbed the hem of Kinsley’s dress.

"Where do you think you’re going?"

"If Enzo didn’t stop me every time, do you really think you’d still be standing here?"

"A murderer’s daughter, how clean can you be?"

"Who knows if every penny you spend is built on the blood of others!"

The commotion spilled into the hallway, drawing a crowd. Murmurs and whispers filled the air.

Kinsley tried to wrench free, but her strength was fading fast.

She opened her mouth, but any words she had were swallowed by the rising noise.

Then, pain. Her head slammed hard against the metal railing.

A sharp, white-hot ache burst behind her eyes.

The world around her blurred, voices turning into distant echoes.

Somewhere in the haze, she heard her name.

"Kinsley! Kinsley!"

Rowan had just arrived, intending to check on Samantha.

Instead, she saw Kinsley collapsing.

Rowan hadn’t expected to walk into this scene.

Panic gripped him as he rushed forward, crouching down to gather Kinsley into his arms.

Without hesitation, he turned and bolted toward the emergency room, his heart hammering against his ribs.

Behind him, Samantha stood frozen, momentarily stunned. Quinn, too, seemed slightly shaken, her fingers tightening around the fabric of her dress.

"Auntie, I think he was Kinsley’s university classmate. They seem really close."

Samantha’s expression darkened.

"Then why is she still clinging to my son?!"

"Quinn, you have a kind heart, no schemes, no deceit. Never let yourself be wronged, understand?"

Not once did she spare a thought for Kinsley’s condition.

Meanwhile, inside the emergency room, the situation had turned dire. The hospital had already issued two emergency notices.

"Kinsley! Stay awake! You’ll be okay!"

The usually composed Rowan was visibly shaken, his voice raw with urgency.

Kinsley barely managed to pry her eyes open.

"I’m fine," she whispered, her voice barely audible.

And then, darkness swallowed her whole.

***

Kinsley’s eyelids fluttered open and the first face she saw was Enzo’s.

Her lips parted, dry and cracked, but no sound came out.

Enzo barely spared her a glance, his voice laced with indifference.

"You're awake?"

She stared at him, dazed, as if time had rewound to the past, back to when his presence still held warmth.

Feigning a few coughs, Enzo rose from the chair, his expression unreadable.

"Since you’re fine, get up already."

"I was only gone for a few days and you’ve already stirred up trouble."

"Apologize to Quinn and this matter ends here."

Kinsley’s lashes quivered. She looked at him, confusion flickering in her eyes.

Seeing her hesitation, Enzo let out a low chuckle, void of humor.

"You don’t remember? Before you fainted, you bumped into Quinn. She’s fragile and now her leg is broken."

A cold scoff echoed in Kinsley’s heart.

Her hand instinctively rested on her lower abdomen as if seeking comfort in the silence. The words of defiance swirled on the tip of her tongue, but in the end, she swallowed them whole.

"I understand."

Enzo’s gaze darkened, something unreadable flickering behind his eyes. His voice turned even colder.

"Good. Don’t think faking an illness will get you out of this."

"Rowan was your classmate, wasn’t he? He seems awfully heartbroken over you."

For a fleeting moment, jealousy thickened the air between them.

Then, without another word, Enzo straightened and strode out.

The moment Enzo left, Kinsley struggled to sit up.

After a brief moment of thought, she stepped out, her mind set on one thing: finding Quinn’s ward.

When she arrived, the sight before her made her pause.

Quinn sat on the hospital bed.

"Enzo, I'm really fine. The wedding date is already set; we can’t postpone it over something this minor."

"Here, touch it and see. It’s really nothing."

A sudden tickle clawed at Kinsley’s throat, forcing out a harsh cough.

Enzo’s body stiffened. In an instant, he was by her side.

His hand lifted slightly, hesitating mid-air, before he withdrew it as if burned.

Turning away, his voice was steady, emotionless. "The wedding will proceed as planned. Just focus on recovering."

"And as for you, atone for your mistakes. Isn’t that what you do best?"