At the unexpected voice, Aaron lifted his head, and his eyes shrank in alarm.

Standing there was Jonathan, the grandson of the richest man on the whole continent.

How on earth did Evelyn end up being the one who saved Jonathan's life?

"Mr. Bailey..." Aaron lowered his posture at once, terrified of offending the future ruler of the Bailey family.

Born as the illegitimate son of a small noble family, he had long learned that survival meant pleasing people like Jonathan.

After completing two consecutive surgeries, Evelyn was already drained. The argument with Aaron had taken what little strength she had left.

While Jonathan and Aaron exchanged words, a wave of dizziness swept over her. The edges of her sight dimmed, and her knees buckled beneath her.

Before she could hit the floor, Jonathan moved in quickly and wrapped an arm around her waist to steady her.

The softness of her frame caught him off guard, and for a fleeting second, his composure wavered. Even so, his expression stayed distant and controlled.

Turning his gaze on Aaron, Jonathan said, "Mr. Foster, you seem to forget that Grace General Hospital doesn't revolve around you. I'm the largest shareholder here. What gives a minor shareholder like you the nerve to threaten the woman who saved my life?"

Shock flickered across Aaron's and Karina's faces as they looked at each other in disbelief.

Since when did Evelyn form ties with someone as untouchable as Jonathan, let alone become his savior?

Their legs felt unsteady, as though they might give out at any second.

Forcing an awkward grin, Aaron hurried to explain, "You misunderstood, Mr. Bailey. I was only joking with Evelyn. She saved your life. At Grace General Hospital, no one would ever dare dismiss her."

Without giving Aaron another glance, Jonathan bent down and lifted Evelyn with ease. Then he strode off, leaving Aaron and Karina rooted in place, their faces drained of color.

Cradled in Jonathan's arms, Evelyn shifted awkwardly and tried to free herself. "Mr. Bailey, you just got out of surgery. You shouldn't be carrying anything heavy."

Warmth from his body seeped through the thin fabric between them, and his nearness made Evelyn uneasy.

Beneath the sharp scent of disinfectant clinging to him, there lingered a clean, woody fragrance that made her lose focus for a brief second.

Keeping his expression distant and his steps steady, Jonathan answered coolly, "Do I look as fragile as your fake husband? You think I can't carry someone as light as you?"

Nestled against his chest, Evelyn murmured, "Thank you..."

For a fleeting moment, she felt that the man who was legally tied to her didn't seem so bad after all.

...

By the following morning, Evelyn arrived at the law firm carrying the waiver Jonathan had already signed. The inheritance process went smoothly, and assets valued in the hundreds of billions were officially registered under her name.

Staring at the figures displayed in her account, she stood still in disbelief.

Never in her life had she seen that many zeroes attached to her name.

Before she could sort out how to manage such an overwhelming fortune, a man approached. It was Matthew's assistant, Charles Marshall.

"Ms. Mason, your father asked me to escort you back to the Dale estate after the inheritance has been completed. He told me to make sure the relatives don't take advantage of you."

Confusion flickered through Evelyn's mind. What relatives was he talking about?

Even so, she entered Charles' car and made her way toward the Dale estate.

The estate proved why the Dale family was known for its immense wealth. The grandeur of the place was breathtaking.

However, the moment Evelyn stepped inside, a bucket of filthy water was dumped from above and drenched half of her body.

A woman wrapped in flashy designer clothes strutted over, her gaze dripping with disdain. "So you're Matthew's daughter? You look like you just crawled out of some backwater village!"

At the harsh tone, Evelyn narrowed her eyes slightly. She lowered her head and focused on wringing out the dirty water soaking her clothes. Whatever she felt stayed buried behind her lashes.

From the living room couch, a woman let out a cold laugh. "Mom, you've got it wrong. She was born before Uncle Matthew even married. She's an illegitimate daughter. This is the Dale estate, not some shelter that takes in trash off the street."

"Get out of here! If you don't leave, I'll shoot you!" A boy around seven lifted a toy water gun and pointed it straight at Evelyn's face.

Before she could step back, a blast of cold water hit her head and splashed down her face.

She reacted on instinct and raised her hand to cover her eyes. Cold water slid down her cheeks and neck, soaking her again.

When she lowered her hand and looked up, the warmth in her eyes was gone.

"Did you see that? Even a child can't stand you. Stop standing there and leave." The woman on the couch, Hannah Dale, continued her sarcastic taunts, while her mother, Emely Dale, didn't bother stopping the boy and watched with open disdain as he kept spraying water at Evelyn.

Something dark settled in Evelyn's gaze. She stepped forward without hesitation and pulled the toy gun from the boy's hands.

The instant it left his grip, he broke into loud sobs.

Evelyn turned back slowly. There was no trace of hurt on her face, only a quiet, cutting calm.

Emely strode over and jabbed a finger toward Evelyn. "You're even picking on a child now? Have you no shame?"

Hannah folded her arms and sneered, "What else can you expect from country people? No manners at all. Evelyn Mason, right? If you've got any sense, you'll leave right now."

Evelyn's eyes stayed dark. She turned the toy gun over in her hand, then aimed it forward and pulled the trigger. Water sprayed straight at Emely and the boy.

Emely froze for a split second. She clearly hadn't thought Evelyn would fight back. Then she shrieked and threw her arms up, trying to block the water splashing across her face and clothes.

Evelyn didn't stop. She had been drenched in water, so she saw no reason to hold back.

"Evelyn! How dare you? Do you even know who I am? I'm Matthew's sister. I'm your aunt. You should be apologizing to me and showing some respect!" Emely shouted, shaking with fury.

Evelyn lifted her brow slightly. "My aunt? Since when does an aunt welcome her niece by drenching her?"

Then she paused as if something had just crossed her mind. "And you should probably get one thing straight. This house is already under my name. If anyone needs to leave, it's not me."

Emely's expression twisted. She clenched her teeth so hard her jaw tightened. "That's ridiculous! I've lived here for more than ten years. This is our home!"

A quiet laugh slipped from Evelyn. "However long you've stayed doesn't change the ownership. I own this place now. Should I call the police and have you escorted out?"

Her words hung in the air, and for a moment, no one spoke.

The little boy, who had been hiding behind Emely, suddenly shoved past her. His eyes were red with anger as he rushed toward Evelyn. "You're horrible! I'll bite you to death!"

His small, stocky body barreled forward. He opened his mouth wide and aimed straight for Evelyn's arm, determined to force her out.

Evelyn looked down at him, and a cold curve touched her lips.

She watched his path for a brief second. Then she lifted her leg without hesitation and kicked him away.

A heavy thud echoed as his short body hit the floor.