Her body tensed, so I continued, “If not, then you’re one level beneath me. Oh wait—let me correct myself. Ten levels beneath, because I doubt Raphael even considers you a friend.”

Colette’s entire demeanor snapped. Her grip on my arm faltered, and for the first time, the composed mask cracked. The rage behind her gaze was raw, burning.

I did not see it coming until it was too late.

Splash.

The rich red wine soaked into my dress, staining the fabric like blood. A gasp rippled through the crowd. Before I could react, Colette shoved me—hard.

The world tilted. My back collided against the cold, unforgiving wall, pain exploding along my spine. A sharp gasp escaped my lips as the impact sent a ringing through my ears.

The room fell into stunned silence before the whispers began.

“What do you mean, Nadine?!” Colette’s voice rang out, feigning shock, twisting the narrative in her favor.

Her eyes darted around, taking in the growing audience, her mind already crafting a new scene—one where she was the victim, and I was the villain.

She placed a trembling hand over her chest, her voice dropping into something delicate, almost wounded.

“Why are you showing off your intimate relationship with Raphael? I know we’re friends, but isn’t that something you should keep private?”

Oh, she was good.

I was still catching my breath, still reeling from the force of her shove, when the murmurs spread like wildfire.

“Intimate? Wait… does that mean Nadine just slept with Raphael?”

“No wonder she was missing all night.”

“But isn’t that a bit much? Flaunting it in front of Colette? Poor girl.”

“Colette and Raphael are basically destined for each other. Their families have known each other forever.”

“Did Nadine do it on purpose? To challenge Colette?”

“I mean, I’ve had fun with my boyfriend, but I wouldn’t go around announcing it to the world.”

“Maybe Parisians think differently.”

At that moment, the cold sensation of wine also clinging to my skin sent a sharp shiver through me.

The deep red liquid seeped into my white blouse, darkening the fabric and making it translucent, exposing the lace outline of my black bra beneath.

Gasps and hushed whispers rippled through the crowd as people drew closer, their amusement turning into fascination, their mockery shifting into something more sinister.

"What a scene," someone murmured.

"Does she have no shame?"

"I bet she did it on purpose to seduce Raphael."

I gritted my teeth, the humiliation clawing at me like a beast, but I refused to let it consume me.

I slowly tried to push myself up, ignoring the way my legs trembled, the sharp ache in my back from the impact against the wall.

And then, a sharp, ugly expression flickered across Colette’s face.

For someone who had just staged a spectacle, she did not seem pleased by how it had turned out.

Still, she played her part flawlessly. Large, crocodile tears welled in her eyes as she let her voice break in feigned betrayal.

"Nadine, you know my feelings for Raphael, but why...?"

She sniffled, her delicate hands clenching over her chest as though she were the true victim in this scene.

The murmurs grew louder.

"Poor Colette… how could Nadine do this to her?"

"She was already humiliated, and yet she still flaunts that she had Raphael?"

"Disgusting. So shameless."

Just as I forced myself onto my feet, ready to end this ridiculous performance, a voice cut through the noise like a whip.

“What the hell are you all looking at? Focus on your own damn business!”

The authority in his tone silenced the crowd instantly.

I turned my head just in time to see Raphael, his sharp jaw clenched in fury, his piercing gaze sweeping over the gathered audience like a predator assessing its prey.

His steps were swift and controlled. Without hesitation, he reached for me, his hands firm yet gentle as he gripped my arms.

“Let me help you.”

Before I could protest, he had already pulled me up, his touch grounding me against the spinning dizziness of my emotions.

Then, in a move that stunned everyone, Raphael peeled off his jacket and draped it over my shoulders, shielding my soaked blouse from prying eyes.

The warmth of his body still clung to the fabric, a stark contrast to the icy humiliation I had just endured.

For a brief second, I looked past him—at Colette.

She was not jealous.

No, her expression was something far worse. Satisfaction.

She stepped closer, her voice laced with innocent regret. "Raph, sorry... I only wanted to hold Nadine’s hand and talk to her, but she rejected me, and the wine—accidentally spilled."

Raphael turned to her, his expression darkening like a brewing storm.

"Then can you explain why she fell?" His voice was lethal.

Colette’s lips parted, but nothing came out.

For the first time, she looked small and weak, like a child caught in a lie.

But before she could scramble for another excuse, someone spoke up—one of her loyal supporters, stepping in to defend her.

"From what I heard, Nadine was the one who started it. She boasted about her night with you to Colette. She was shocked, that’s all."

"Yeah, I would have been shocked too."

"She’s so shameless."

The word stung like a slap, whispered just loud enough for everyone to hear.

I felt Raphael’s grip on me tighten.

Then, his voice, sharp and cold, echoed through the room.

“Who just said that?”

Silence.

“Who dares to call Nadine shameless? Come forward if you have the guts.”

No one moved.

Not a single person met his gaze.

The weight of his fury pressed down on the entire room like a force of nature, making even Colette’s once-adoring followers shrink into the background.

Raphael scoffed, pulling me closer, his arm wrapping protectively around my waist like I was something precious.

“Whatever it is, it’s up to Nadine. I don’t mind either. Why are you all making such a fuss?”

Colette’s lips trembled, but she did not dare speak. She did the only thing she could—crying.

Her silent tears only fueled the sympathy of her supporters, who rushed to console her.

Raphael ignored them entirely. His attention was solely on me, his voice softer, almost coaxing.

“Come to my room. Let’s get you changed.”

But I shook my head, stepping back.

“No need,” I said, my voice firm. “I’m going home.”

“Okay, let me take you home.”

Raphael still behaved as if nothing had changed. He opened the door for me, helped me with my seatbelt, and drove at a steady pace, as if we were not on the verge of destruction.

But I was not in the mood to be coddled.

I turned to him, my voice cold, sharp. "Why are you still being sweet to me even though you're going to marry Colette soon?"

His hands tightened around the steering wheel. His face darkened, jaw clenching as if the question alone was enough to enrage him.

"Who said that?" he demanded. "Is it Colette? Is that why you two were fighting earlier?"

I let out a humorless laugh. "Did it look like a fight to you?" I shot back instead of answering his question.

Raphael exhaled sharply, running a frustrated hand through his dark hair, his usual composure slipping. "Listen, whatever you hear, it's not true. I will not engage with Colette, let alone marry her. I only love you, Nadine. I want to be with you forever.

"As for my parents' plan," he continued, "that was just their plan. I never agreed to it. Then…."

I cut him off, my voice colder than ever. "But you were always aware of Colette's unrequited love, right?"

He choked out, his grip on the wheel tightened.

"Then what’s the connection, Nadine? You know enough that I love you. That should be enough, right?"

His voice rose, frustration lacing every word.

It was not our first fight, but it was the first time I felt something break inside me.

I turned to him, my chest tightening with a pain I could no longer ignore. "It’s not enough, never enough.

"The truth is, you don’t really love me. You love me because I’m a Delaunay."

His head snapped toward me, disbelief flashing in his eyes.

"What do you mean? I don’t care who your family is!" he said fiercely. "I would be happier if you weren’t a Delaunay. Our relationship would be smoother if you weren’t tied to that name!"

"Yes, that’s right," I murmured. "You always think of me like that. A nuisance. A problem you need to overcome. A complication that shouldn't exist."

I took a shaky breath before delivering the final blow.

"So just get rid of me, Raphael. From now on, don’t worry about me. Don’t look for me. Just let me go."

And with that, I unbuckled my seatbelt, my fingers reaching for the door handle.

"What the hell are you doing?!" Raphael shouted, his voice laced with panic as he reached for my wrist. The car swerved slightly as he tried to regain control with one hand.

"Stop being unreasonable, Nadine!"

"Let go of me!" I struggled, trying to pull free from his grasp.

The car veered dangerously to the side, tires screeching against the asphalt. My pulse pounded in my ears. Everything was happening too fast.

Before I could even process it, our car crashed.

I felt my body being thrown forward, the world spinning as the windshield exploded into tiny shards.

For a brief moment, there was only weightlessness.

And then, darkness swallowed me whole.

When I regained consciousness, I could feel the ache in my body, a dull, persistent pain radiating from my head down to my limbs.

A thick brace supported my neck, an oxygen mask covered my face, and the weight of an IV tugged at my arm.

But what caught my attention first was the warmth of my hand. Someone was holding it.

I forced my heavy eyelids open, my vision hazy as I turned my head slightly, expecting to see Raphael.

And there he was. Sitting beside my hospital bed, his face bruised but otherwise unharmed, save for a few minor abrasions.

He was relaxed, seated comfortably, a stark contrast to my state.

But, since the anger still coiled in my stomach, with the last of my strength, I pulled my hand away from his grasp.

Raphael's fingers twitched at the sudden loss of contact. His sharp eyes flickered to me, widening with relief as he realized I was awake.

"Nadine..." His voice was breathless, laced with concern. He leaned forward, reaching out instinctively. "Are you okay? Does anything hurt?"

I did not answer. I was too disgusted with his act. By the way he looked at me with such concern.

My silence made him panic. His brows furrowed and he said hurriedly, standing up, "I’ll call the doctor. They need to check you again—make sure there’s no internal injury."

Minutes later, after the examination, they removed my neck brace and oxygen mask. My head was still throbbing, my limbs weak, but aside from the IV in my arm, I was stable.

"You’re lucky," the doctor had said. "It could have been much worse."

Raphael lingered by my bedside, his fingers brushing against my hair in a way that would have once comforted me.

"I’ll take care of the administration first," he murmured, his voice softer now.

Then, to my utter revulsion, he leaned down and pressed a lingering kiss to my forehead. A silent apology. A feigned regret.

I squeezed my eyes shut, my body stiff beneath his touch.

As soon as he left the room, my phone vibrated weakly on the nightstand. Its screen was cracked from the accident, but still functional.

I reached for it with difficulty, my breath hitching as Colette’s name flashed across the notification bar.

As I tapped the message open, a video file stared back at me, the play button almost mocking.

With trembling fingers, I pressed it.

The screen flickered to life, showing dimly lit security footage. At first, I could not understand what I was looking at—until I saw them.

Raphael’s parents.

They were seated in a grand dining hall, conversing with someone just outside the frame.

“…it’s been almost a year now. If she doesn’t leave willingly, we’ll have to force her hand,” Raphael’s father said.

“The Delaunay girl is reckless. One little accident and she’ll be out of Raphael’s life for good. That’s all we need.”

The blood in my veins turned to ice.

I barely noticed the message that followed until it flashed across my screen.

[That’s why, as your best friend, I warned you to leave. Or you’ll be in danger forever.]

Another message came in.

[Besides, Raphael has been using you all along. If you don't believe me, check the notes on his phone. You'll find every plan he's made to slowly destroy you and your family.]

Suddenly, memories of the accident flashed through my mind.

The blinding light that had engulfed us. The deafening screech of tires. The brutal impact that sent me crashing into darkness.

So, with Colette’s message seared into my brain, I realized the truth.

That was not just an accident. It was orchestrated.

How cruel could the Moreau family be, that they were willing to kill their own son in the process?

Suddenly, the door creaked open, pulling me from my thoughts. Raphael stepped in, his face etched with worry. His eyes softened the moment they landed on me, but I no longer saw him the same way.

Wordlessly, I reached for my phone, my fingers still trembling as I handed it to him.

His brows furrowed as he played the video. The color drained from his face.

"This…" His voice wavered. His grip on my phone tightened. "I… I had no idea."

I scoffed, turning my gaze away.

Raphael inhaled sharply. "Nadine, before the accident… I swear, I managed to swerve left to avoid the truck. But because of that, we hit the road divider. If I hadn’t turned in time, who knows what would've happened."

His words echoed in my ears, and the realization struck me like a bolt of lightning.

The truck never intended to hit Raphael.

If he had swerved right instead of left, the truck would have struck—ensuring my complete destruction.

But because he turned left… the truck deliberately avoided him.

It was never about us both dying. It was about me.

My breath hitched as the weight of the betrayal pressed against my chest.

"Raphael, I can't do this anymore," I said, my voice barely above a whisper. My hand reached for the IV in my arm, ready to rip it out.

His eyes widened in alarm. "No, no, clear your mind first, Nadine. Please." He grabbed my wrist, his touch desperate. "I had no idea at all. You have to believe me."

"Believe you?" I let out a bitter laugh. "Even if you didn't know, this is your family, Raphael. And I will never be safe with you."

His grip tightened. "Don’t do this, okay? If you pull that out, it’ll hurt. You can’t stand pain, right?"

I flinched.

He was right. Even the smallest cut made me cry. My pain tolerance was embarrassingly low.

But no physical pain could compare to what I felt inside.

Raphael exhaled, softening his tone. "I'll call the nurse. Let’s have them remove it properly, and then I’ll take you home, alright? I’ll talk to my parents again. You don’t have to worry about anything."

I said nothing.

Once I was discharged, we sat in the backseat of the car as his driver took us away from the hospital. Silence stretched between us, heavy and suffocating.

And then, Raphael casually asked, breaking the silence, "Would you accompany me to the Moreau Group Anniversary banquet next week?"

I remained silent, my gaze fixed outside the window, seething at how effortlessly he had orchestrated everything—down to inviting me to witness my own ruin without a shred of shame.

Mistaking my silence for lingering resentment over the ‘accident,’ he reached for my hand, his voice laced with sincerity. "I want to introduce you properly. Besides, that night marks my official announcement as the heir.

"I promise, they won’t lay a finger on you again. Not even a touch. This is our moment, Nadine. We’ll show everyone how serious we are, okay?"

With slow precision, I pulled away.

My voice was void of emotion as I finally replied, "Fine. But can I borrow your phone for a moment? I need to call my roommate that I’m heading back to the apartment."

Relief flickered across Raphael’s face at my seemingly placated demeanor. Without a hint of suspicion, he handed me his phone.

"Sure," he said easily. "Get some rest at your apartment. I’ll come pick you up in a week."

But what he did not know, I had no intention of staying by his side.

If this was to be the last time we were seen as a couple, a week later I would be gone.

I would make sure he suffered when I left. Before that, I needed to uncover the truth for myself—prove whether Colette’s words held any weight.

I would dig into the secrets Raphael tried to bury and let him see just how deep the betrayal ran.

I clenched my jaw and demanded, "Password."

He did not hesitate. "Our anniversary," he said softly.

Something in my chest trembled. How could he still dare to use that number!

Right, the man who sat beside me, pretending to be sweet and romantic.

But he was the same man who had secretly recorded our intimate moments. The same man who had intended to use those videos to destroy my family.

He was not someone who loved me. This was just another one of his tricks.

True to Colette’s words, I could find the video and the notes.

[How to Bring Down the Delaunay Family:

1. Make Nadine fall for me.

2. Uncover her weaknesses and exploit her.

3. Record an intimate video and leak it. (Damn, she’s still a virgin!)

4. Have thugs violate her, then discard her after that.

5. Farewell, Delaunay family. The Moreau dynasty begins.]

I clenched the phone in a vice grip, my hatred simmering beneath the surface. Every word on that screen confirmed the depth of his deception.

The carefully orchestrated betrayal, the next steps in his twisted plan—it all pointed to one conclusion. Once the intimate video was taken, the violation by thugs would come for me next.

No wonder he was so pleased to see me return to my apartment.

As soon as our car pulled up, I flung the phone back into his hand without a word. No gratitude, no parting glance—just cold indifference as I stepped out and strode toward the apartment building.

Behind me, Raphael's voice rang out, smug and victorious. "I can't wait to see you in a week, my love!"

I did not stop walking, but a smirk tugged at my lips.

"Yes, just wait for your downfall, Raphael."