My mind went hazy when the car hit me. Pain flooded every part of me, but worse was the despair of being utterly abandoned.

Fragments of memory flashed through my mind.

Daniel sat behind his desk the first time we met, his gold-rimmed glasses catching a cold gleam. I tried to provoke him, and he didn't so much as flinch.

The first time he pinned me beneath him, he called me "princess" in that rough, husky voice.

I mistook it for love. Night after night, in his arms with his heartbeat in my ear, I believed I'd finally found home.

Then everything froze at that very moment from just seconds earlier.

Daniel lunged toward Serena, sweeping her into his arms without a second's hesitation. And me? I was just a stray soul, discarded in the path of danger.

…

I was lying in a hospital bed when I opened my eyes again. The room was so quiet I could hear Daniel talking on the phone.

"Rena, does it still hurt?"

His voice was so gentle it felt unfamiliar.

Serena answered in a weak voice, "Much better. Thank you, Danny. If you hadn't caught me in time, I might have…"

Daniel tried to calm her. "Don't dwell on it. The doctor said you were just shaken up. No external injuries."

"Danny, if we had to do it over, you'd still save me first, right?"

Daniel didn't hesitate. "Of course."

"But Freya was hit…"

Daniel's tone stayed even. "She has no reason to be upset. I'd naturally help the more vulnerable person first in an emergency. She knows that."

I shut my eyes, as if a knife had been driven straight through my heart. So in his eyes, I didn't even have the right to be angry.

I heard footsteps, and the privacy curtain was drawn back.

Daniel stood at my bedside. Seeing I was awake, he showed not a flicker of guilt. "Awake?"

I answered with a hum, my voice hoarse.

"The doctor says it's just a mild concussion. There are also some scrapes on your leg, nothing serious. I've arranged for the best team, and I'll stay for the next few days to look after you."

Staring at the ceiling, I said, "Thanks. I'll pay you back for the medical bills in ten days."

Daniel frowned. "What are you talking about? In ten days?"

I turned my head toward him. "I said I'd pay you back for the medical bills. And the cost of staying at your house, I'll settle those, too."

His face went a little stiff. "Freya, you don't need to settle anything with me."

My voice stayed calm. "Why not? We don't have any relationship to begin with, do we?"

The room fell silent for a few seconds.

Daniel seemed about to say something, but all he gave me was, "Get some rest."

He really did stay at the hospital to look after me over the next few days. He'd come by on schedule to check on me, make sure the nurses gave me my medication on time, and even feed me himself.

But I kept my distance—no tears, no fuss, no pouting, no tantrums. I treated him like a kindly stranger, polite yet detached.

Daniel seemed unsettled by it.

…

That third afternoon, Daniel sat at my bedside, watching me flip through a magazine.

"Freya," he said.

I didn't look up. "Yeah?"

"About that night…" Daniel hesitated. "I saved Rena first, not because I didn't want to save you. She isn't in good health. She couldn't have withstood the impact. It was the best choice—"

I set the magazine down and cut him off. "I know."

Daniel studied me, something unreadable flickering in his eyes. "You're really not angry?" he asked.

"Is that what you want?"

Just then, a commotion broke out in the hallway.

"Hurry! Get her into the ER!"

"What happened?"

"Ms. Jarman fell down the stairs. She's badly hurt!"

Daniel's expression shifted at once. He shot to his feet and said in a rush, "I have to take care of something."

He glanced back from the doorway. "I'll come see you later."

I listened to his hurried footsteps fade down the hall and closed my eyes, exhausted.

Once again, Serena had managed to pull Daniel away from me. And I didn't even have the strength to fight for him anymore.

Anyway, he'd be free to be with Serena openly in a week.

I woke from a deep sleep to a sharp sting in my arm. When I looked down, bright red blood had backed up into the clear IV tubing.

I pressed the call button by the bed.

A nurse walked in, frowning at the tubing. "How come no one's keeping an eye on you? Where's your boyfriend?"

"He's not my boyfriend. He had to leave," I said evenly.

"How long ago?" she asked as she changed the IV.

I looked at the clock on the wall. It was 2:00 am. Daniel had left at 7:00 pm. It had already been seven hours.

"A long time," I said.

The nurse shook her head. "That's just how the rich are. All they care about is appearances. When it counts, they are never around."

After she finished, I couldn't fall back asleep.

By dawn, I decided to get out of bed and stretch my legs. I pushed the IV pole into the hallway and overheard two nurses whispering to each other.

"That young woman in the VIP ward is fortunate. Her boyfriend booked the entire floor for her."

"They say he even brought in specialists from all over the world, and she has care around the clock."

"The Falkner heir treats her well. He hasn't left her side."

I stopped short.

The VIP ward was on the tenth floor. I was on the eighth floor, in a standard room.

I pressed the elevator button and went up to the tenth floor. The whole floor was sealed off, and only one room was lit. I went up to the door and peered through the gap.

Daniel sat at the bedside, patiently feeding Serena spoonfuls of oatmeal. She leaned against the headboard, pale but content.

"Does it still hurt?" Daniel asked softly.

"I feel much better." Serena opened her mouth and let him feed her another spoonful. "I'm not afraid of anything with you around."

Alfred sat on the couch, peeling an apple for her. When she finished the oatmeal, he handed her a small slice.

"Eat slowly. Be careful so you don't choke," Alfred said, his voice warm with affection.

Serena smiled sweetly. "Mr. Seymour, you are so kind to me. You are just like a real father to me."

He patted her hand. "You are my daughter now. From now on, this family is yours."

Daniel, too, smiled gently and reached out to smooth Serena's hair. "Still dizzy?"

"No, just a little tired."

He drew the curtains and dimmed the lights. "Then sleep a little longer. I'll stay right here with you."

That tender scene was a knife driven hard into my heart. I bit down hard on my lip and forced myself not to let a sob escape.

I turned and left the VIP area, then went back to my own room.

I told myself not to cry. I told myself I couldn't cry.

…

Four days before I was scheduled to fly to Velport for the wedding, I checked out of the hospital. As soon as I walked out of the hospital, I saw Daniel leaning against a black sedan, waiting for me.

"Get in," he said.

"I'll just take a cab."

"Get in."

His tone carried a threat, leaving no room for refusal.

I looked at his cold, hard expression and, in the end, got into the car.

"Where are we going?" I asked.

Daniel started the engine. "To clear your head. You've been cooped up in the hospital too long."

Half an hour later, the car pulled up outside Whitman's Auction House in the financial district.

I looked at the poster by the entrance. "An auction?"

Daniel got out of the car. "There's an art auction today. Aren't you into this stuff?"

I was about to refuse, but as I took the auction catalog he handed me, I saw a familiar item. Listed as Lot 47 was a pearl necklace.

My hands began to tremble. I knew that necklace all too well.

It was Mom's.

Noticing the change in my expression, Daniel asked, "What's wrong?"

I clutched the catalog. "Nothing. Let's go in."

…

In the restroom, my fingers shook as I called my lawyer. "Sell everything I'd set aside. Right now. Immediately."

"Ms. Seymour, those are the assets you said you were taking to Velport—"

"I've changed my mind," I said, my voice urgent. "How much can we get?"

"About 100 million dollars."

"That'll do."

I hung up and took a deep breath. I must retrieve Mom's necklace.

…

Once inside the auction hall, Daniel found us seats in the front row.

Just as I was about to sit down, a familiar voice called out, "Danny!"

She had on a pale pink dress. A bandage was still on her head, yet she looked heartbreakingly beautiful in her own fragile way. She came over and slipped her arm through Daniel's arm, affectionate as ever.

Serena looked at me with a sweet smile. "Freya, you're here too. I told Danny I wanted to apologize to you at the auction, and I didn't think he'd actually bring you."

In that instant, everything became clear.

Daniel hadn't brought me here to cheer me up or help me clear my head. It was only because Serena wanted to "apologize" to me, and I was just a prop he'd brought along on the way.

Looking at Serena's smug smile, even the last trace of pain in me vanished. I was already numb.

The auction officially began. I gripped my paddle tightly, waiting for Lot 47.

At last, the auctioneer raised the pearl necklace. "Lot 47, a pearl necklace. Opening bid, five million dollars."

I raised my paddle immediately. "Five million dollars."

"Ten million dollars," came Serena's voice from right beside me.

I looked over. She was all smiles, her paddle raised.

"15 million dollars," I said, raising my paddle again.

Serena didn't even pause. "20 million dollars."

The price started to soar. 30 million dollars. 50 million dollars. 80 million dollars…

Sweat slicked my palms. My lawyer had said everything I owned was worth about 100 million dollars in total, but the price had already climbed to nearly 120 million dollars.

"120 million dollars."

Serena raised her paddle with ease, as if she were naming a trivial number.

The auctioneer looked at me. "Ma'am, would you like to continue?"

My hands trembled. I couldn't raise the paddle again. I didn't have enough.

All eyes were on me, Daniel's included. Swallowing my pride, I turned to him.

My voice shook. "Daniel, lend me some money, please. This necklace was my mother's. It's the only thing she left me."

Daniel looked at me. Something complicated flickered in his eyes. Just as he reached for his black card, Serena turned to him as well.

In a sweet, wheedling tone, she said, "Danny, I had nothing growing up. This is the first necklace I've ever truly loved. Could you ask Freya to let me have this one?"

She caught his sleeve, her eyes bright with expectation.

Daniel looked between Serena and me, silent for several seconds—seconds that felt like an eternity.

"Let Rena have it," he said at last.

A chill ran down my spine. My world collapsed around me.

The auctioneer's voice rang out. "120 million dollars, going once! 120 million dollars, going twice!"

I wanted to beg Daniel again, but when I opened my mouth, nothing came out.

"120 million dollars—third and final call! Sold!"

The instant the gavel fell, my heart went cold.

Thrilled, Serena clapped and turned to me. "Freya, thank you!"

Smug satisfaction was written all over her face.

After the auction, Serena said she had a headache, and Daniel went to get her medicine. I sat alone in the lounge, watching the staff clear the items away.

Ten minutes later, Serena came to the backstage area and stopped in front of me.

I got to my feet to meet her. "Serena, would you trade me the necklace for something else?"

She lifted a brow. "Trade it for what?"

I forced myself to stay calm. "I have a sports car and a few high-end watches. The total doesn't come to 120 million, but if you give me a little time, I'll make up the rest. All I ask is that you return the necklace."

Serena shook her head. "I don't need those."

"Then what do you want?"

She thought for a moment, then smiled. "I want you on your knees, begging."

"What?"

Something vicious flickered in her eyes. "Get on your knees, apologize, and beg me for the necklace. After how you treated me before, it's your turn to beg."

I stared at her, my fists clenched. Thinking of Mom's keepsake, I sank to my knees.

"Good. Let me show you where the necklace is," she said.

Serena wore a triumphant smile as she took out her phone. She pulled up a video and handed it to me. On the screen, a dirty stray wagged its tail, a pearl necklace around its neck.

It was Mom's.

Serena's smile turned sickly sweet. "See? This is where it is now. I think it suits the stray perfectly. A bitch's things belong with a dog."

My blood went cold. "What did you just say?"

Serena put her phone away. "I said a bitch belongs with a dog. Wasn't your mother a bitch? She deserved to be hit by a car and die. Now her keepsake is on a stray. That fits, doesn't it?"

"Which hand did you use to put the necklace on the dog?" I asked, my voice so soft I could barely hear it.

Serena was still grinning. "My right hand. Why?"

I snatched the dinner knife from the table and plunged it into her right palm. Blood spurted, and she let out a piercing scream.