ZIA

"Are you sure you want to ask that? After everything you've done?" I laughed cynically, sarcastically. "You hurt my family for Casey!"

Noel's grip on my wrist tightened, making my veins feel like they were about to burst. "I told you not to be jealous of her. We're just bestfriends!"

For a moment, I was trapped in that gaze. Remembering the man who had once helped me escape the bitterness of the world when my father went bankrupt, who made me believe there was a safe place by his side—now standing in front of me with a cold stare. As if I were an enemy to be defeated.

Seeing my tears flow, Noel's gaze softened. So did his grip, which loosened.

"Zia, calm down. Everything will be fine. The wedding will still happen and—"

"What's that smell?" I cut him off sharply when my nose caught the pungent aroma. My eyes widened instantly. "Shrimp! Who dared to cook it here?"

"Casey really wanted to eat shrimp, so she asked your sister to cook it," he replied casually.

"Noel!" My voice broke. "You know my sister is allergic to shrimp. Just touching it gives her a rash, and you... you told her to cook it?!"

He fell silent.

I pushed him hard in the chest. My breath was ragged. Quickly, I turned and left him, heading for the kitchen.

When I got there, my heart almost stopped.

Zea was standing near the table, her hands covered in red rashes. The little girl's face was pale, her eyes wet. "Sis..." her voice trembled. "I didn't want to, but Casey forced me. She said if I didn't obey, Dad wouldn't be able to go to the hospital for treatment anymore."

My body shook violently. I immediately grabbed Zea and pulled her into my arms. "Oh my God, Zea..." my voice broke, full of guilt. "Don't listen to her anymore, she's a liar."

Noel entered the kitchen a few seconds later. He looked at the rash on my sister's hand, then took a deep breath. "I forgot that Zea is allergic to shrimp," he said flatly. "I just feel sorry for Casey. She hasn't had an appetite since she felt guilty about your father. I thought—"

"You thought?!" my voice screeched, almost out of control. I stared at him with anger I could no longer contain. "Noel, you can't justify everything with Casey! You saw yourself how Zea suffered because of your negligence. What did she do wrong? She's just a child!"

His face stiff. "I'll pay all of Zea's hospital bills."

I froze for a moment, then looked at him with disgust. "You always think that way. As if money can fix everything. Not everything can be solved with money, Noel! My sister is innocent. She has nothing to do with you, let alone Casey! All this time, I've been supporting her with my own sweat as your secretary, and you've ruined everything!"

I couldn't bear to look at his face anymore. Quickly, I lifted Zea's body, held her tightly, and rushed out.

"Noel, don't come!" I snapped when I heard his footsteps behind me.

"But you can't drive in such a panicked state. Let me take you," he replied quickly.

I gritted my teeth. Part of me wanted to reject him completely. But I saw Zea starting to weaken in my arms, her hands trembling with a rash that was getting worse. I had no choice.

With my jaw clenched, I continued walking towards the car. Noel opened the back door, and with a heavy heart, I got in.

On the way to the hospital, my tears fell incessantly. Everything had been falling apart lately.

"Zia," Noel's voice came from the front, calm but threatening, "I'm sorry. But consider this a warning. You're too jealous of Casey, too bold in talking about canceling our wedding. Don't do it again if you want your life and your family to remain peaceful."

My hands clenched tightly. But I ignored everything. Instead, the plan in my head was going perfectly. I would leave him soon!

As soon as Noel carried Zea to the hospital room, I ran to the lobby to meet Amanda.

"Miss Zia, everything is ready. You just need Mr. Noel's signature and your employment contract will be terminated."

I quickly accepted the resignation letter. "Thank you."

Before Amanda left, Noel's voice came from behind. "Zia?"

I turned around. I tried to stay calm and put on a straight face.

He approached me. He read my expression for a moment. When he didn't find anything strange, his suspicion immediately disappeared.

"Why did she come?" he said, looking at Amanda, who was smiling professionally.

"It's about your company’s business" I said briefly.

He just nodded. "I have to go see the decorated building as soon as possible," he said, glancing at his watch.

My eyes widened. "What?"

He smiled thinly. "The wedding will be moved up to the day after tomorrow. To avoid your indecisiveness. I don't want you to change your mind again."

He was really cunning!

I had intended to take care of this signature when conditions allowed. But because of this, I was forced to act more quickly.

"Oh, in that case, you have to sign this business document first." Holding my breath, I tried to act normal.

He glanced at the document I handed him. "What's this? Ignore it for now, I have to go see the decorations."

I swallowed hard. I wanted everything to work out. "Noel, this has to be signed. It says—"

My words stopped when he took his pen and signed quickly. His face looked annoyed. "There, satisfied?"

I pulled the document back. My heart was relieved to see him walk away. I looked at Amanda triumphantly.

"Keep it with you. After I give you instructions, you can put it on Noel's private desk."

"Understood."

As I stepped back into the hospital to check on Zea, my cell phone rang. My brow furrowed at the unfamiliar number.

A video came in. I opened it quickly. My eyes widened as I saw Casey filming herself entering my father's room.

Her hand deliberately showed the camera, pulling my father's blanket and pushing his wheelchair until it crashed into the table. My father fell halfway off the bed, his face contorted in pain.

I staggered. My breath caught in my throat. Without thinking, I ordered a taxi, then called Finn. "Please take care of Zea at the hospital. I have something to take care of," I said hurriedly.

As soon as I arrived home, I immediately pushed open my father's bedroom door. The sight made my heart sink. My father was tied up, his body slumped in his wheelchair.

I ran, wanting to free him. But a rough hand pulled me from behind, dragging me until I fell. Instantly, my wrists were tied, my mouth covered with duct tape.

"I'm sick of seeing you in Noel's life for two years," Casey's voice was clear, cynical and disgusting. "Now let me show you something."

My father was pulled under the bed by Casey's men. I was also dragged there, our bodies pinned down in the cold darkness. I struggled, but the bonds were too strong.

ZIA

I saw the footsteps Casey's men leaving the room. Soon after, new, heavy footsteps arrived.

"Where's the old man?"

A voice I recognized—Noel.

"He's being taken for a walk by my men." Casey spoke sarcastically. "Why, have you started to care about him?"

I could see from the gap in the bed that Casey's shoes were moving closer to Noel.

"Honestly no. I'm just afraid he'll die. That would be troublesome, my wedding and Zia's could be delayed again," he said lightly. "Why are you telling me to come home quickly? I'm almost at the building decoration site."

"Forget about the building location, don't you miss me?" Casey's voice softened, seductive Noel. "Do you really want to marry her?"

"Yes. Didn't we agree on that from the start? I'm marrying Zia just to tie her down. If one day she finds out that I was the one who hit her parents' car, she won't be able to run away. She won't be able to report it."

It took me a few seconds to digest Noel's words.

The world feels like it's spinning in my head. My heart felt like it was breaking. My breath caught in my throat as the memory came flooding back. Two years ago, my parents' car was in an accident. The perpetrator got away. My father lost his eyesight and my mother lost her life. After being left by his wife and losing his sight, my father fell into depression. His company went bankrupt.

It was the most difficult time of my life. Until Noel suddenly appeared in my life, becoming my savior. He offered me a job and often covered my father's company's losses.

But now it turns out that he... is the cause of the destruction of my life.

"Very clever, Noel," Casey chuckled. "So you're done playing with her father's company?" Casey asked.

"Enough is enough, the company is bankrupt. That accident was a stroke of luck for me. From there, I was able to take over Mr. Alfred's investors, steal his money," Noel laughed heartily. "And now, I can only watch their stupidity as they think of me as a guardian angel. When in fact, I am the mastermind behind it all."

My eyes burned. My body stiffened. I was too angry and could hardly believe it.

Casey wrapped her arms around Noel's neck. "Then... let's enjoy our time while they're gone."

Noel bent down and lifted Casey into his arms.

"I want to have dinner out of town, okay?" Casey whined.

"Of course, Honey."

Their footsteps faded away.

My body felt completely weak. I couldn't count how many tears fell.

Bur I turned to the side. Dad was staring at me with pale, shocked eyes, his hands trembling. But suddenly his body convulsed, his breathing became heavy, his face turned white.

"No... Dad!" I screamed in my heart, trying to break free from the restraints. The duct tape on my wrists hurt my skin, but I didn't care. On the fifth try, I succeeded.

"Dad!"

I untied him and removed the duct tape from his mouth. Then I carried him out from under the bed. "Dad, please hang on, how do you feel?"

My father didn't say anything. His body was limp. Instead, his eyes were closed. I cried my heart out. I hoped it was all a dream.

"No, you can't leave!"

I touched his pulse, which was no longer beating. His breathing had stopped. So had my world, which felt completely shattered.

—

After a simple funeral, I walked out of the house, feeling weak. I looked like a living corpse, while my heart felt heavy the whole time.

The evening sky embraced me. It told me that I had lost my beloved parents. My tears flowed again.

Not far from the house, my phone rang. A message came in from Noel:

[Jack said you're not at the hospital anymore. Are you at home? Please bring Casey's scarf from your house to the address I sent you. She'll have trouble sleeping tonight without her favorite thing.]

Another message appeared.

[Hurry, she was kind enough to help prepare for our wedding tomorrow. Everything is ready.]

I blocked that number easily. Marriage? Noel was too confident. What kind of fool would marry a man who had killed two members of her family?

Instead, I called Amanda.

"Now put that resignation letter in Noel's private room."

Second step, I called Finn.

A heavy voice greeted me immediately. "Your sister is safe with me, Zia. Even though it hasn't been a week, I already know what's happening to you now. Need a ride?"

My blood boiled. My nails dug into my skin as I clenched my fists too tightly. "Yes. Now I don't just want to leave, Finn. I want revenge that matches their actions!"

"I've tracked your location. I'll be there in a minute."