The moment Dereck met Caroline’s wide, earnest eyes, he heard himself agree before he could think better of it.

“Fine. I won’t kick you out, but you can’t stay in my room,” he said, his voice gruff, but it was a concession.

Dereck was irritated by his own sudden change of heart. But the words were already out, and there was no easy way to take them back. He jerked his chin at the bodyguards, signaling them to escort Caroline out of his room.

Caroline, satisfied with the win, didn’t push for more. She needed this identity for now—whatever came later, she’d deal with it then.

The bodyguards closed in, escorted her downstairs, and left her in a servant’s room. Under their arrogant stares, Caroline had to swallow her pride. She’d simply moved from leaning on one person to leaning on another, and the bitterness of it stung.

After washing up and drying off, she suddenly realized, “Oh no.”

Her luggage was still with that cold-faced man! What was she supposed to do now?

She looked around the bathroom and nearly sagged with relief when she found a bath towel. Wrapping it around herself, she tried to figure out how to get her suitcase back. There was no way she could just walk into his room like that. Even if he didn’t get the wrong idea, she’d be mortified.

She decided to wait until he fell asleep, then sneak in and retrieve her belongings. It was absurd—having to steal her own luggage.

Lying on the bed, Caroline watched the clock intently, but eventually drifted off.

Meanwhile, after ordering the bodyguard to escort Caroline out, Dereck showered and got ready for bed. As he settled onto the mattress, his gaze fell on the stuffed teddy bear she’d left on the sofa. His eyes narrowed with cold amusement before he lay down to rest.

His sleep had always been light, and with the added toll of his illness, restful nights were scarce.

As he was in a light doze, the sound of the door lock turning jolted him awake. Dereck’s eyes snapped open—sharp and dangerous.

Who dared intrude into his room? Were they asking for trouble?

He lay still, like a predator ready for whoever dared step into his domain.

Sure enough, moments later, a shadow slipped into his room.

The faint light from the window revealed the newcomer: Caroline, wrapped in a bedsheet, awkwardly navigating the room. She bumped into furniture and winced in pain.

Despite the discomfort, she pressed on toward the closet, determined to retrieve her suitcase. Just as she reached the wardrobe, a voice shattered the silence.

“What do you think you’re doing, sneaking into my room at this hour?” Dereck’s voice cut coldly through the darkness.

Caroline froze, hand still on the closet door, as his voice rang out again.

“Turn on the lights.”

The room flooded with light, revealing Caroline standing awkwardly by the closet. She turned slowly, eyes closed and arms extended, faking blindness.

Dereck watched her little act and let out a dry laugh. “Pretending to sleepwalk into my room? Really?”

Caroline sighed inwardly at the taunt but stayed silent, resuming her quest for the suitcase.

Her silence left Dereck feeling as if he’d punched air. He shifted his gaze, noticed the bedsheet, and pieced together why she’d come.

“Your things are over here,” he said with a mischievous glint in his eye.

Startled, Caroline’s eyes flew open, locking onto Dereck with disbelief. Without a second thought, she launched herself onto his bed.

Caught off guard by her sudden move, Dereck could only watch as she scrambled onto the bed, swinging wildly at him.

“You jerk! Give me back my things or I’ll bite you!” she shouted, raining random blows on him.

Dereck, overwhelmed by her frenzied attack, was helpless. This unpredictable woman had somehow gained the upper hand, leaving him unable to defend himself, which only fueled his irritation.

Just as Dereck resolved to toss her off him, a sudden warmth rushed to his cheeks—and he found himself with a nosebleed.

Caroline instantly felt a draft and abruptly realized her situation. “Ah!” she screamed, grabbing the fallen bedsheet to cover herself.

“Don’t look!” she shouted, more concerned now with protecting her modesty than keeping up any act.

She hastily retreated to the floor, but the moment she landed, something clicked in her mind. She couldn’t let this end here. She needed this identity as cover. Mustering her resolve, she climbed back onto the bed, wearing a wide-eyed, earnest expression.

“Hey, I’ve got a gift for you,” she said, eyes shining with feigned innocence.

Intrigued despite himself—and more than a little bewildered by her sudden change in demeanor—Dereck raised an eyebrow. “What gift?”

With an air of mystery, Caroline simply answered, “Something special in my suitcase. I wanted to show it to you.”

Feigning indifference, Dereck replied, “I haven’t touched your suitcase; I don’t know where it is. Just take it and leave my room.”

“Thanks,” Caroline beamed, retrieving her suitcase and teddy bear backpack with a giggle.

“Thanks. I won’t bother you tonight; I’ll bring you the gift tomorrow,” she chimed, her voice syrup-sweet.

That relentless cheer grated on Dereck’s nerves. “Just get out,” he snapped, a slight shiver running down his spine at her sweetness.

Taking his words as a reprieve, Caroline hurriedly dragged her luggage and teddy bear out of the room, escaping as fast as she could.

Dereck watched the woman pull the door shut behind her, and only then did he let out the breath he’d been holding. Relief washed over him—just a little, but enough. Afraid she might come back, he shot out of bed, triple-locked the door, then sank back against the pillows. A smile crept across his face before he even noticed.

The next morning, Caroline woke up ravenous. Her stomach was screaming at her. She hadn’t eaten a single bite since she’d devoured that poisoned meal yesterday, and now hunger had her dizzy.

She still needed to deal with the scumbag who’d drugged her, but for now, she’d play along and protect her cover. Once things settled, she swore she’d get her revenge.

After freshening up, Caroline ventured out. The vast estate felt eerily empty. How could such a grand place feel abandoned? Was it haunted or something?

Her stomach growled again—right, food. She needed to find the kitchen. She wandered through the mansion until she finally found it, tucked away at the back.

One step inside, and her suspicion was confirmed: completely empty. How did that man stand living alone in a sprawling, silent house like this?

She shook her head, trying to banish him from her thoughts. Hunger was messing with her mind.

Caroline rummaged through the kitchen, but the fridge was as barren as a desert. “Gone to the fairy realm, maybe?” she muttered, leaving empty-handed.

After failing to find so much as a crumb, she trudged back to her small room and pulled out her phone. Takeout? Maybe. Then it hit her—she didn’t even know the address.

Just then, a knock at the door cut through her thoughts—music to her ears. She dashed over to answer it.

It was yesterday’s butler.

“What would you like for lunch, madam?” Kaisen asked politely.

Caroline put on a wide-eyed, innocent smile, her eyes sparkling with fake naivety. “Oh, anything you make. I’m sure I’ll love it.”

“Very well,” the butler said, and left without another word.

Starving, Caroline had no choice but to trail him to the kitchen.

Once there, she eyed the ingredients on the counter. Internally, she rolled her eyes, but she kept her mouth shut and waited in the dining room.

An hour later, she was nearly asleep by the time Kaisen finally brought the meal.

“Madam, lunch is served.”

Caroline straightened up, glanced at the three courses and a soup on the table, grabbed a fork, and dug in eagerly.

Kaisen watched the unrestrained young woman, smiled slightly, and excused himself.

After finishing every last bite, Caroline left the dining room satisfied and returned to her room.

Her phone buzzed. She switched screens and found two new messages.

From Allen: “Boss, the video you sent me is fixed. It’s in your email now. Check it out.”

From Tommy: “Boss, someone in the States is trying to find you.”

Caroline quickly replied to both.

To Allen: “Thanks. I’ll check the video right away.”

To Tommy: “Ignore them—unless they find a way to reach me.”

Switching back into her usual innocent demeanor, she set her phone aside and fired up her laptop to check her email.

Once the video downloaded, she watched it carefully. It wasn’t crystal clear, but it was a hell of a lot better than the garbled mess from before. Her hand clenched into a fist.

Scenes of her mother and brother played out like a movie in her mind—hazy, blurred by time. She’d only been eight when it happened.

The smoke-filled room in the video dragged her straight back to the nightmare of that morning—the day she lost her mother and brother and was quickly whisked away to another country by her uncle.

Her uncle and aunt soon followed, moving the whole family to the States. Caroline’s heart hardened as she remembered those responsible for her family’s tragedy. Her mission back home was fraught with risk, and she couldn’t afford a single slip-up.

She washed her face in the bathroom, pulled herself together, then returned to her room.

With her laptop on her lap, she logged onto a medical website. A new message instantly caught her eye: an urgent request offering a fortune to find the elusive healer, Lorrie.

Caroline clicked to read more and noted the substantial reward. Ah, money. She accepted the offer, arranged a meeting, and shut down her laptop.

Slipping back into her simpleton persona, she left her room. As the day wore on into afternoon, she wandered outside to the estate’s expansive garden.

Aside from Kaisen, the tranquil estate was deserted.

She found him tending to flowers and bounced over with childish enthusiasm.

“Are you the only one here, Uncle?” she asked, her expression full of naive curiosity.

Kaisen turned to her, smiling kindly at her presence. “Is there anything you need, madam?”

Caroline shook her head earnestly. “No, no. I’m just bored. It’s lonely being by myself.”

The butler felt a pang of sympathy. “The estate is indeed quiet, but there’s value in tranquility.”

“Oh,” Caroline replied, pretending to understand, before pointing excitedly toward the pond.

“Can I go play by the pond, Uncle?”

“Certainly, but please be careful,” Kaisen advised gently.

Caroline clapped her hands joyfully and skipped toward the pond without a care in the world.

Unbeknownst to her, Dereck watched her from the third-floor study window. As he took in her almost childlike movements, his phone rang. He glanced at the caller ID, silently pressed decline, and let the call go unanswered.

“Come in,” Dereck said without turning around. The door clicked shut behind Nathan as he entered the study.

Nathan, his assistant, stepped into the study, his voice cautious. “Sir, you wanted to see me?”

Dereck finally pulled his gaze from his work and swiveled his chair to face Nathan. “Nathan, I need you to look into that oddball.”

“Oddball?” Nathan repeated, thrown by the word.

Dereck lowered his eyes, thinking, then met Nathan’s gaze again. “Yesterday, the Hall family sent someone over—a total nutcase.”

Nathan’s eyes went wide. “But weren’t they supposed to send someone with medical training?”

A frown carved into Dereck’s forehead. His gaze went dark and cold, intense enough to make the room drop a few degrees. Nathan shivered and wisely kept his mouth shut.

After a beat, Dereck continued. “Crazy or not, dig into her background. If nothing sketchy turns up, good—saves us a headache. But if they sent someone sketchy...” He let the sentence hang.

Nathan got the message. With Dereck’s high-profile status, he couldn’t afford some unknown woman hovering close with unclear intentions.

Nathan nodded firmly. “I’ll get the team on it right away, sir.”

Dereck waved him off. Nathan left to handle it.

Once alone, Dereck turned back to his computer and buried himself in work.

Meanwhile, Caroline had reached the lake. Her eyes sparkled with mischief as she took in the shimmering water. But even while wandering, she spent more time plotting an escape route out of the castle than admiring the view. Her main goal: find a discreet way in and out without tipping off the guards.

The estate wasn’t exactly crowded, but the gates were locked down tight. The security made sense—the castle was huge, and only a few people lived inside. Her cover as a mentally unstable woman meant she couldn’t just waltz out the main gates without drawing attention. Add Dereck’s total lack of trust in her, and the whole thing was a minefield.

Caroline took a deep breath and studied the towering walls. They were high as hell, topped with broken glass, electric wires, and alarms—a setup that practically dared you to try. Climbing over? That was begging for trouble. Injury at best. Worse at worst.

Just the thought sent a chill down her spine. Clearly, scaling the wall was a no-go. She needed another way.

As she walked, lost in thought, the autumn sun warmed her skin, cut now and then by a crisp breeze. The grounds stretched forever. It took Caroline nearly half an hour to stumble into a wooded area.

She followed the woodland path deeper, not sure where it led, while mentally mapping the estate’s layout.

Meanwhile, Dereck had finished his official work and wheeled himself downstairs for fresh air. When he entered the garden, he found Kaisen, the butler, tending the plants. He approached him.

“Kaisen.”

The butler straightened, dusted off his clothes, and came to Dereck’s wheelchair with a respectful bow.

“Sir.”

“Have you finished watering the plants?”

“Yes, sir,” Kaisen replied, bowing again.

Dereck nodded, his eyes drifting over the blooming garden as he sank into thought. Kaisen, catching the silence, stood by and waited.

After a long pause, Dereck refocused. “What’s on the menu tonight?”

“Butternut squash soup, roasted lobster with garlic herb butter, pecan-crusted fish, a hearty beef stew, and an arugula pear salad.”

“Hmm.” Dereck checked his watch. “It’s getting late. Let’s head back.”

“Certainly,” Kaisen agreed, guiding Dereck’s wheelchair back to the castle.

Two hours later, Kaisen had set the table for dinner, and Dereck sat down, freshly washed and ready to eat. As Kaisen placed the last dish on the table, he suddenly remembered something.

“Sir, the lady of the house hasn’t returned yet.”

“The lady?” Dereck paused, taking a second to remember he was married now. “Where is she?”

“This afternoon, she said she felt cooped up inside and went for a walk in the garden to get some fresh air.”

“Is she still out there?” Dereck frowned slightly.

“Possibly. She left while I was watering the plants, and I haven’t seen her come back.”

Dereck nodded and handed his bowl to the butler. “Serve me some soup.”

Kaisen obeyed, but couldn’t help asking, “Sir, won’t you wait for the lady to join you for dinner?”

“No. Don’t wait,” Dereck replied, taking the bowl of soup and sipping a little.

He was just about to reach for the fish when Caroline burst in from outside, announcing her arrival like a hurricane.

“Wow! Dinner’s ready. I’m starving!” she exclaimed, theatrically patting her stomach.

She plopped into the chair and looked at Kaisen. “Can you get me a bowl and some silverware? I’m so hungry I can hardly move.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Kaisen replied, turning to fetch it—only to be stopped by Dereck’s voice.

“Wait, Kaisen.”

Kaisen paused and turned to face his employer. “Sir.”

Dereck eyed the disheveled woman in front of him: clothes dirty, face smudged with soil. Irritation rose in him. Maybe he should’ve been more careful with her last night.

“Go take a bath,” he ordered coldly.

“Ah?” Caroline blinked at him, confused.

“Go take a bath,” he repeated, louder.

She pouted, pretending to be reluctant. “I’m starving. Can’t I eat first and then wash up? So heartless.”

Her words made Dereck’s brow twitch. He slammed his fist on the marble table, and the sound echoed.

“Get out and wash up.”

Seeing that he was genuinely angry, Caroline decided not to push it. Her act would only hold up so long, so she obediently left the room.

In her room, she cleaned herself thoroughly, making sure she was spotless before hurrying back to the dining room.

But when she returned, the scene before her lit a flare of irritation inside her.