"Thank you, Oliver." Gwen smiled sweetly, leaning into his arm. She then averted her gaze to Angela and said, "By the way, I almost forgot, there’s a party at the villa tonight. Angela, you must come!"

Angela quickly deterred her gaze, clearly uncomfortable. "I have something else to do."

"Oh, come on," Gwen pressed, her voice dripping with sweetness. "It’ll be fun. We’re almost family now!" Seeing that Angela was unmoved, Gwen turned to Oliver with a coy smile. "Please, let Angela go with us."

It was the first time Oliver had insisted she attend an event for someone else. He usually preferred that Angela avoid mingling with crowds, yet for Gwen, he made an exception. Angela couldn't help but notice the difference in his treatment of Gwen versus herself.

It was a stark reminder that all his exceptions and indulgences were for Gwen. But Angela no longer felt the sharp pain she had at the beginning.

Some people come into your life, others leave. And now, it was time for Angela to leave.

After they left for the party, Angela let out a long sigh of relief. With the help of several movers, she quickly packed up her personal belongings. The house, her life with Oliver—everything—was in the process of being put behind her.

...

At the party, Angela stood quietly in a corner, a drink in her hand, lost in thought.

Gwen, accompanied by a few girls, approached her, eager to drag her into their fun. Reluctantly, Angela followed them to the poolside. She stood at the edge, looking out at the water, her mind far from the festivities.

Suddenly, she felt a sharp shove from behind, and before she could react, she was falling, the cold water engulfing her.

A loud splash echoed across the space, followed by the clatter of a nearby drink table tipping over.

As Angela struggled to push herself up, her head barely above the water, she saw glasses crashing into the pool. Gwen ducked instinctively to protect Angela, but the pool's edge scraped her arm.

Fresh blood poured from the wound, quickly turning the water a disturbing shade of red.

It was a horrific sight.

Although Gwen wasn't injured, the shock was clear on her face.

Oliver heard the commotion and rushed over. His eyes widened when he saw Angela flailing in the pool, crying for help. Still, he shifted his focus to Gwen, pulled her into his arms to comfort her in a smooth, practiced motion, and then barked orders to his bodyguards.

"Help Angela out of the water." He turned to the others, his tone commanding. "Take her upstairs to the guest room, change her—don’t let her catch a cold."

Before leaving, he paused, casting a last glance at Angela, still dripping wet and shivering.

Gwen, ever the opportunist, added one last, seemingly concerned comment. "Be careful, Angela." She gave a delicate smile. "You’re lucky to have such a caring aunt like me who dotes on you."

But as Angela met Gwen's eyes, she saw the fleeting gleam of triumph in her gaze masked behind the façade of concern.

...

After being swiftly treated by the private doctor, Angela rested on the edge of the bed, her arm bandaged. Then, she noticed Oliver standing by the door, his face unreadable. He held her phone in his hand—dropped by the poolside in the chaos.

"Thank you, Uncle," Angela said, biting back the pain from her arm as she extended a hand to take the phone. But Oliver pulled it back.

"When did you get in touch with your aunt?" he asked, his voice low and steady.

Angela's heart skipped.

"What did she say?" Oliver pressed. "Aunt Joanne just told you to call her back when you have time. What did she want with you?"

Angela's mind raced. Joanne hadn't mentioned anything about coming back, and Angela felt a brief sense of relief. Yet, Oliver's insistence on asking left her with no choice but to come up with an explanation.

"Um... Auntie is in New York City," Angela said, her voice calm. "She said she would send me some seasonal pastries."

Before Angela was born, Joanne had worked for the Watson family. She had cared for Angela until she was eight when an incident led Joanne to move to New York. There, she met a wealthy businessman and became his partner.

"Oh, and she asked if you had any flavor preferences," Angela added. "She said she’d prepare some for you, too."

Oliver didn't seem suspicious and tossed her the phone without further question.

"No need," he said curtly before turning and leaving.

After a few hours, Gwen's nephew, Ralph, escorted Angela back to the house. She had refused, but Ralph insisted, and it seemed easier to go along with him than argue.

When they reached the entrance, just as Angela was about to change her shoes, Ralph suddenly grabbed her from behind, pulling her into a tight embrace.

Startled, Angela struggled, trying to free herself.

But before she could do anything, the sound of the door unlocking echoed through the hallway. Ralph loosened his grip but still held one of her hands, his fingers tightly wound around hers.

When Oliver entered the room, his eyes immediately found Angela. Her head was lowered in shame, and her posture was stiff. Ralph was gently brushing her hair, his actions tender and almost affectionate. Still reeling from the earlier shock, Angela pushed him away and hurriedly ran to the living room.

Ralph, ever polite, greeted Oliver with a nod, then turned to Angela and waved.

"Goodnight," he said before leaving.

Angela collapsed onto the sofa, curling up and burying her head on her knees. She didn't notice the look in Oliver's eyes, dark and unsettling, like a storm waiting to break.

Oliver stood tall, his shadow looming over her. The air in the room grew dense with tension. Angela could feel the shift—his anger was palpable. She looked up, only to meet his gaze, filled with disgust that made her stomach churn.

"Uncle, he... He tried to touch me. I didn't..." Angela stammered, her voice trembling.

"There are plenty of hotels. Don't bring him back here!" Oliver's voice cracked with restrained fury. His anger surged in waves, a storm that he could barely contain.

His cold, burning fury felt like a knife in Angela's chest. Was he accusing her of flirting with Gwen's nephew? Was she the liar, the troublemaker, while everyone else was innocent? It was the same—no matter what happened, she was always the one to blame.

Her heart sank. The reality of it all hit her again. She didn't want to argue, didn't want to say another word. She sank further into the sofa, pulling a cushion over her head to shield herself from the world, from him.

Her wound throbbed, reminding her of the pain, of the bruises and cuts, both physical and emotional. She needed rest. She could feel her body trembling from exhaustion.

The sound of footsteps gradually faded as Oliver went upstairs. Angela remained there, eyes shut tight, and the soft weight of the cushion against her face provided a slight sense of comfort.

...

In the middle of the night, Angela was on the verge of sleep when she suddenly felt herself being lifted. The faint scent of sandalwood lingered in the air—an aroma that had once brought her comfort but now felt strangely overpowering. It was Oliver.

She remembered waiting on the sofa for him to come home when she was younger. She would often fall asleep before he arrived, and he would always find her there, never waking or scolding. He would gently pick her up, carry her back to her room, and tuck her in.

But now, the familiar scent of her room was missing. Instead, the more pungent scent of sandalwood mingled with the sharp, stinging tang of alcohol.

Oliver laid her down on his bed. The space beside her dipped as he joined her. Before she could react, he pushed her down with a heavyweight, his body pressing down on hers.

Without a word, his hands tore at her skirt, one sliding inside while the other grabbed her face, kissing her with a fierce urgency.

"You...I..." His words were muffled between their lips, and he kissed her harder as though trying to consume her entirely.

Angela struggled, desperate to break free, but the disparity in strength was overwhelming. His breath, warm and laden with the smell of alcohol, washed over her. Soon, the intoxicating scent made her dizzy, and she felt herself slipping, unable to resist.

This was not the same as before. She remembered that night—they had both been willing. But now, he was on the verge of marrying Gwen, and Angela was no longer willing to be used or swept away by his touch.

In a panic, she grabbed the hand that was wreaking havoc on her body and bit down hard.

His breath faltered, and for a moment, he stopped. But even as he collapsed beside her, he kept half of his weight on her, still pinning her to the bed.

Angela pushed with all her strength, but it was no use. She kept biting, trying to break free. It wasn't until the salty taste of his blood filled her mouth that she finally let go.

Oliver's breathing had become steady, and aside from the slight furrow of his brows, there was no sign of his usual intensity. He had drunk too much, Angela realized.

How much had he consumed to be this far gone?

...

The following day, Angela woke up alone. The bed was empty, and the room was silent. Panic rose within her. She quickly jumped out of bed, her heart racing, and ran to her room. She knocked over empty bottles, their clinking sound echoing loudly in the otherwise quiet house.

Oliver was gone.

She had to leave—now.

Last night, Joanne had called to tell her that the old mansion in New York had already been sold. Angela hadn't been surprised. The house had been sold at a ridiculously low price. It was just another sign that everything was changing.

Now, the house she lived in had caught someone else's eye. The realtor had already called, asking when it would be convenient for a viewing.

Angela tightly gripped her phone, her thoughts swirling. After a moment's hesitation, she decided to call Oliver.

The line rang, but there was only a busy signal before it abruptly disconnected.

Frustrated, she called his assistant instead. After waiting a few minutes, she was told Oliver was in a long meeting.

Angela sighed, making a quick decision. She contacted the realtor and set up a viewing for later. She couldn't stay here any longer—not with Oliver or Gwen.

She had to move on.

The low-key yet luxurious decor of the private room, combined with the custom piano gifted as a present, made the buyer sign the purchase contract without hesitation.

The price of $400 million, plus $70 million for the old house and the valuable items that had already been sold, left Angela with only a few million to reach the entire sum of $5 hundred million.

Since she was leaving, there was no reason to take any of the old belongings with her. Only the essentials for herself and Nala, along with some cash, were necessary. There were still many expenses ahead. To support herself, she started accepting commercial performances at an overwhelming pace.

For days on end, Oliver hadn't returned to the house. Angela busied herself, circulating between various orchestra banquets and events, trying to avoid him as much as possible. She thought that by staying out of his way, everything would remain calm and uneventful.

But fate had other plans. At the last shift at the private club, their paths crossed.

When the manager led her into the room, she saw Oliver celebrating Gwen's birthday. Most guests were familiar faces, but no one took the initiative to greet her. Instead, they watched her with ambiguous, almost judgmental expressions.

Angela lowered her gaze, nodded briefly, and went to the piano. She began to play the piece she had been instructed to perform. Around her, people were drinking, laughing, and chatting, their voices rising in a cacophony of merriment.

"Isn’t that the top-quality Steinway & Sons's grand piano sold for $20 million at last week’s auction?" one voice murmured. "Turns out Oliver bought it for his future wife!"

"Thank you, Oliver." Gwen's playful voice rang out as she lightly resisted his affectionate teasing. The room erupted with cheers.

"Kiss her! Kiss her!" someone shouted from the crowd.

The callousness of it all stung, but Angela quickly reminded herself that the noise was for them, not her. She only needed to focus on the piano and keep playing as she had been taught.

It wasn't until a hand pressed down on her piano keys, disrupting her playing, that Angela realized someone had come up behind her. She looked up to find Oliver standing there, his gaze cold and sharp, his scent of sandalwood unmistakable.

"Not going to move?" he asked, his voice low and commanding.