Dominic did not ask any further. He casually removed his coat and placed it on the sofa. His gaze fell on the cake on the table, and he paused, his eyes lingering there for a moment.

“Yesterday, the birthday wish you made was...” he began hesitantly.

Looking at the probing in his eyes, Valerie replied lightly, “Well, since no one knew it was my birthday, it was a bit awkward, so I just made a joke. I didn’t expect everyone to take it that way. Sorry about that.”

Dominic sighed in relief.

“So what was your real wish?”

“I hoped for my mom and dad to have good health and for all their dreams to come true.”

It was a simple and heartfelt wish.

Dominic felt a soft tug at his heart. He reached out to lightly rub her nose with his hand and gave her a small smile. “You’re so filial. Your wish will surely come true.”

Valerie agreed with the sentiment.

She would find success in marriage. She would stay by her parents’ side and care for them until they grew old.

For the next few days, Dominic seldom left the house. During this time, he noticed that many things had gone missing from the house and brought it up several times.

“Where did the couple-mugs you bought go?”

“They broke a few days ago.”

“That tie you gave me—where is it now?”

“I’m not sure. It probably got blown away when I hung it out to dry.”

These were trivial, insignificant items, and Dominic didn’t pay much attention to them.

Valerie always brushed off his questions with excuses, offering her reasons before quietly compiling a long list of must-try local foods and snacks to enjoy before leaving the city.

Over the years, she had adopted a strict vegetarian diet to maintain her figure, and she hadn’t truly indulged in a feast without restraint for a long time.

Her efforts to preserve her appearance hadn’t brought her the kind of love she had hoped for.

Dominic didn’t like her, no matter if she was beautiful or plain, overweight or slim, with makeup or without.

The beauty she had sacrificed her health to maintain amounted to nothing in his eyes—and even less in Camilla’s.

The birthday cake had awakened a suppressed hunger within her, and it brought clarity to her. She came to realize that happiness wasn’t only about romantic love.

Food, flowers, the care of friends, and the concern of family, were all essential pieces of life.

She shouldn’t let one thing blind her to the others.

Valerie began going out more often, and Dominic took note of this. He stopped her one afternoon as she prepared to leave.

“Heading out again? Where to this time?”

“West side of the city. Eating out.”

“Meeting someone? Do you want me to drive you?”

He asked her casually, his gaze drifting toward the unending downpour outside the window.

Valerie shook her head as she bent down to put on her shoes.

“Not meeting anyone. I want to try some Japanese food. No need to bother—you don’t have to drive me.”

Dominic looked at her in surprise.

He remembered that she ate very little at each meal to maintain her weight so why had she suddenly developed such an appetite recently?

But it would be good if she ate more. She was too thin.

At the thought, he realized he had nothing to do that afternoon. He stood, grabbed his coat, and walked over to her.

“Come with me. It’s raining outside. I’ll give you a ride.”

Valerie hadn’t expected him to say that. She paused, momentarily startled.

The rain continued to fall harder, and the streets were almost empty. The ground was slick, and Dominic gripped the steering wheel tightly, instructing Valerie to take his phone out and plug it in to charge.

She followed his instructions, and as soon as she connected the charger, the screen lit up with an unread message.

[Hey, Dom, bar gathering tonight. Are you coming? Cam’s here too.]

Valerie glanced at the message and was about to pretend she hadn’t seen it when she heard Dominic’s voice.

“Reject it. Just say I’m taking you to try Japanese food and we’re busy.”

She turned her head slightly and caught the fleeting displeasure that showed on his face.

Valerie understood. She quickly typed a reply, sent the message, and just as she did, the phone rang.

It was Camilla.

Dominic saw the caller ID, and the corner of his lips instinctively twitched, though he hesitated about whether to answer it.

After several seconds, he finally pulled up at the roadside and took the phone.

“I already told you—”

“Dom, a group of guys just asked for my contact info. They were touching and harassing me, and I was so angry that I threw a bottle at them. Now they’ve trapped me in the bar. Come get me, please.”

The moment he heard that frantic, tearful voice, Dominic’s face turned dark.

He slammed his foot on the gas, twisted the steering wheel, and executed a sharp turn.

Unprepared, Valerie was thrown against the car door, her forehead struck by a flying ornament, which tore a gash into her skin.

Blood streamed down her face as she cried out in pain, clutching the wound with a hand and looking at him in bewilderment.

He hadn’t even noticed that she was injured.

His focus was entirely on getting to Camilla. His eyes were alight with barely contained fury, though his voice was steady.

“Don’t be afraid. Where are you now? Don’t hang up—I’ll be there in five minutes.”

All the questions she had been about to ask froze on her lips at his words.

She pulled out some tissues from her bag and pressed them against the bleeding wound.

The GPS repeatedly warned them of speeding, but Dominic ignored it, running through red lights without hesitation.

Seeing how fast they were going, Valerie adjusted her seatbelt.

Five minutes later, the car skidded to a stop in front of a bar.

It seemed as though Dominic had forgotten she was even in the car. He tore off his seatbelt and sprinted away.

Valerie hesitated before following him.

As soon as she entered the bar, she saw the shattered tables scattered across the lobby and immediately sensed something was wrong.

The sounds of shouting and fighting came from the second floor. She climbed the stairs and found herself in the middle of chaos, with two groups shoving and yelling at each other.

Near the entrance to the private room stood Dominic and four or five of his friends, having just arrived.

The man on the other side was someone Valerie recognized—Nate Thatcher, a well-known rival in their social circle and a long-standing adversary of Dominic.

Dominic had the perfect appearance and a good personality. From childhood, he had always excelled in everything he did. His love life, however, had its share of chaos as no heir from a wealthy family led a completely disciplined life.

His privileges and charms had earned him admiration from all the other socialites and heirs, making him the envy of many.

In contrast, Nate was everything Dominic was not. He was reckless, extravagant, and infamous for his wild lifestyle.

He was the poison in their social circle, a troublemaker through and through. His disdain for Dominic’s success had turned into relentless rivalry over time.

Dominic, however, ignored him at every turn, which only seemed to deepen Nate’s resentment of him.

After having harassed Camilla, Nate thought it was the perfect opportunity to settle the score.

With ten or so of his own men, Nate and his crew had completely surrounded the private room.

His blood-soaked hand continued to drip with crimson through his wrappings and his dark eyes radiated menace.

“The surveillance footage shows everything, Dominic. It’s clear that you made the first move. What? You’re trying to twist the truth and protect yourself? You think you can get away with this?”

Dominic’s lips twisted into a cold smirk as he drew Camilla into his arms. His voice was calm but sharp.

“You want compensation? Name your price.”

Seeing how much Dominic cared, Nate smiled mockingly, his eyes gleaming with menace.

“Compensation? She smashed my hand to the point of nearly breaking it. Of course, I’m going to the police! I’ll file a lawsuit if I have to, and if necessary, she’ll sit in jail!”

The expressions on Dominic and his men grew tense.

Dominic’s brow twitched as veins bulged on his forehead. His fury was barely held in check.

“This is such a minor thing. Do you really need to escalate this? Picking on a girl—what’s the point? If you want to cause trouble, then come at me,” he said through gritted teeth.

It was exactly the response Nate had been waiting for.

He signaled to one of his underlings to grab the fruit knife from the table. His voice dripped with malice.

“Fine. I won’t make this difficult for you. She destroyed my hand, so you’ll lose one hand too. That way, we’ll be even!”

Before the effect of his words had fully settled, the sharp blade of the fruit knife plunged into the door with a swift motion.

Several of Dominic’s friends immediately shielded him, their faces furious as they glared at Nate.

“Look, we’re all part of the same social circle! Don’t push it too far!”

Despite their words, no one knew better than Dominic just how serious the situation had become.

Nate had injured his hand that day. Even if things could be temporarily smoothed over, Dominic knew that Nate’s hatred ran deep.

He would find every possible way to retaliate, sooner or later.

If Nate couldn’t directly target him, he would attack his weak spot.

And everyone knew that Camilla was his weak spot.

Although Dominic could protect Camilla, the world was vast, and there would always be places he couldn’t keep watch over her. He couldn’t risk Camilla falling into danger in the future.

The best solution was to end everything today.

Having weighed the stakes and the consequences, Dominic no longer hesitated. He pushed the people beside him away.

His friends were shocked. They rushed to grab his hand, trying to stop him from doing something foolish.

“Dominic! Are you insane? You’re a pilot—if you damage your hand, your entire career is over!”

“She’s just some woman. Is she really worth it?”

But his gaze turned colder than ever before as he looked directly at Nate.

“Are you serious about this?”

“Of course.”

Dominic yanked the knife out of the door.

All the blood drained from Valerie’s face.

Her heart climbed to her throat, and before she could stop him, Dominic had already shielded the terrified Camilla. She had been crying to the point of fainting and had used his coat to block her view. He spoke in a low, steady voice to comfort her.

“Don’t be afraid. It’ll be over soon.”

With those words, amidst countless shocked gazes, Dominic raised the knife and drove it cleanly into the palm of his right hand.

A jet of blood shot out like a geyser, splattering everywhere. It was horrifying to witness.

His face paled in an instant, but he clenched his teeth tightly, and let out a muffled groan.

He didn’t want to frighten Camilla.

Through it all, he never once looked at Valerie.

Dominic was soon wheeled into the operating room.

His family received the news and rushed over. After hearing the full story from a few of Dominic’s friends, Mrs. Parker grew so angry that she smashed the beaded bracelet on her wrist.

“He’s maimed his right hand for a woman he's been obsessed with for years. I think he’s gone crazy!”

Dominic’s friends hurriedly stepped in to calm the parents, saying anything they could think of.

Several hours later, the operating room lights turned off.

The doctor emerged, pushing Dominic on a gurney, his tone laced with relief.

“The surgery was successful. With proper care over the next few months, he should be fine.”

Hearing those words, everyone present let out a collective sigh of relief.

Knowing that there would be no lasting consequences, Mr. and Mrs. Parker no longer wanted to see their wayward son. They boarded a flight to attend a meeting that very night.

Before leaving, the two thanked the hospital staff and the people who had stayed to assist.

However, when they reached the seating area where Valerie was waiting, they simply walked by as if they had not seen her as they thanked the staff on their way out.

Watching their retreating figures, Valerie understood everything in an instant.

So, Dominic had never told his family about his relationship with her.

And of course—why would he, when his relationships were bound to end anyway? Who was there to introduce them to?

For the days that Dominic was hospitalized, Valerie stayed by his side and took great care of him. She only managed four or five hours of sleep each day.

Looking at her increasingly haggard face, Dominic softened.

“I’m fine now. You should get some rest.”

He forced her to sit down and handed her a glass of water.

He didn’t explain what had happened that day, as though he struggled with how to put it into words. After a pause, he casually spoke to her.

“Have many people come to visit? I’ve been sleeping for so long—did I miss anyone? Camilla… has she come by?”

Valerie paused for a moment, her hand holding the glass of water. She looked at him steadily.

She knew that of all the questions he had just asked, only the answer to the last question truly mattered to him.

Her answer was brief.

“Everyone’s come. Camilla… I think she was traumatized so she hasn’t been here.”

Dominic frowned deeply, losing any interest in the conversation. He picked up his phone and laboriously began typing on the screen.

The continuous WhatsApp notification sounds filled the air.

Valerie knew that he was once again concerned about Camilla.

She stood up silently, went through the motions of completing the discharge paperwork, and prepared to leave.

As soon as the car reached their doorstep and before they could head inside, Dominic’s phone rang.

It was Camilla.

He turned around and left immediately.

Looking at the gauze-wrapped hand he held and his hurried steps, Valerie's words caught in her throat.

She looked away and turned back toward their apartment.

Dominic didn’t return for the next three days.

The closer the date of her departure grew, the calmer Valerie felt.

She planned to rest while looking for a job, so she spent her time checking recruitment postings in her hometown.

The day before she left, her high school classmates organized a reunion. With nothing to do, she decided to join and add to the lively gathering.

After so many years, her old classmates had all changed dramatically. The reunion was filled with nostalgic reminiscing as everyone reflected on how much time had passed.

When Valerie walked in, no one could believe that the stunning beauty standing before them was the same girl from ten years ago—a girl who had been nothing but a bookworm, awkward and out of place.

Despite their shock, Valerie appeared completely composed and at ease.

After exchanging pleasantries, she joined a few old friends at their table.

Once everyone had arrived, the class president stood up to propose a toast when the door suddenly burst open.