"If Adam's mom loves you that much, why don't you just marry her? Forget about being her daughter-in-law. Wouldn't it be better to be her wife instead?" Renee said coolly.

Her tone was calm, her words smooth and unhurried. But somehow, every syllable hit like a slap.

Kayla's face flashed through a mix of emotions—from shock to anger. She hadn't expected Renee to be so sharp-tongued.

"Y-you're just jealous!" Kayla snapped. "You know Adam loves me, that's why you won't divorce him. You're just trying to get under my skin!"

Renee didn't even flinch. Instead, she pulled out her phone and sent a message to her assistant, asking for a change of clothes.

Then, she looked up, gave Kayla a mock thumbs-up, and spoke in a sugary tone like she was talking to a clueless toddler: "Wow, Princess Kayla is so smart. Good job."

"You… you witch!"

Kayla was fuming. But no matter how angry she got, she couldn't win. Not against Renee. Frustrated and furious, Kayla stormed out of the room.

A few minutes later, Adam returned. Just as Renee opened her mouth to ask about the discharge papers, he cut her off with a scolding.

"Renee, did you bully Kayla?"

She blinked, stunned. So, Kayla had run off crying and played the victim.

"I didn't," Renee said flatly, shaking her head.

Adam's voice rose as he retorted, "Don't lie to me. I saw her leaving the hospital in tears! I told you, she's Julian's little sister. I've known her since she was a kid! She's like family to me! Can you stop acting like this? How do you expect me to explain to her brother if you keep treating her this way?"

Every word hit like a punch to the chest.

Renee leaned back against the pillows. Her long lashes lifted slightly as she looked at Adam, the man she had known so well. Too well. But right now, this version of him didn't feel like the man she remembered.

This wasn't the gentle, thoughtful man who used to love her so deeply he couldn't even raise his voice at her. Now, he was yelling at her. And for someone else at that.

Though her heart sank deeper and her throat tightened, Renee managed to ask, "Have you finished the discharge paperwork?"

Knowing that Adam wouldn't believe her even if she explained, she changed the subject on purpose.

"You seem totally fine to me, so why don't you go do it yourself?" he snapped.

With that, he turned and stormed out. The door slammed behind him.

Renee sat there, staring at the empty space where he once stood. Her beautiful eyes, once bright and full of light, now looked dull. She felt like a wounded deer deep in the forest, left to lick her own wounds in silence.

She looked down and laughed bitterly. From the worried look on Adam's face when he first arrived, to the angry way he stormed out just an hour later, it was clear who really mattered to him.

His "Princess Kayla" came first, always.

In the end, Renee had no choice but to go downstairs alone to handle the discharge paperwork.

The hospital was crowded, so she had to wait in line.

When it was finally her turn to handle the paperwork, she was surprised to find out she had a refund of over four thousand dollars waiting. She explained her situation briefly to the staff and asked for the phone number of the kind person who had helped her.

Back in her hospital room, Renee's assistant had already brought her clothes. She changed quickly and went straight home. As expected, Adam wasn't there.

Upstairs in the bedroom, memories of all the sweet moments she had shared with him flooded her mind—the laughter, the gentle touches, the happiness. For a moment, she let herself get lost in the fading warmth of those memories.

Outside, a bird sang on a tree branch, its clear call pulling Renee back to reality. She shook her head, then started packing her things. The designer bags in her closet and the sparkling jewelry in her jewelry box were gifts Adam had painstakingly chosen for every little occasion.

He used to care about her so deeply. Now, his cold indifference was such a sharp contrast that Renee still couldn't quite get used to it.

She spent the entire morning packing up the bags and jewelry, then drove to a luxury resale shop to sell everything all at once. She made 25 million, which she planned to use for charity.

After she was done, she sat in the car and called her best friend, Alison Zeller. The phone rang for a while before she answered.

"Hey, you silly goose! Did you finally remember me?"

Renee sighed. "Alison, I want to rent a place."

"Did you have a fight with your jerk husband?" Alison asked, quickly realizing that something was wrong.

"Sort of," Renee said quietly. She didn't want to spoil her friend's vacation abroad, so she kept it simple. "Just a little fight. I just want to get away for a while and calm down."

"That scoundrel! If he's hurting you, I swear I'll tear him apart when I get back!" Alison said fiercely. Then, she added, "But hey, forget renting. I've got a place at Platinum Heights. You can just move in there. It's been empty anyway. Doesn't matter if you stay for a little while or even a couple of years."

After they finished chatting, Alison sent Renee the building number and the security code. Since Renee had nothing else to do today, she decided to drive to the place.

Platinum Heights was an upscale riverside residence nestled in one of Harbor City’s most prestigious neighborhoods. Land here was precious, and every home was decorated with luxury and style. It was a place where rich people gathered.

Renee had always known Alison was wealthy, but even though they had been best friends for years, Alison never talked about her family's wealth, and Renee never asked.

As Alison had already spoken to the security guards, Renee got into the neighborhood easily and headed towards Building A, Unit 2. While waiting for the elevator, she replied to some important work messages on her phone.

Ding.

When the elevator doors opened, Renee stepped inside without looking up.

"Ugh!"

Suddenly, she bumped right into a solid chest. The impact made her nose sting, and her eyes watered from the surprise.

"Ow…" Renee covered her nose and gasped.

Through her blurry, watery vision, she saw a man wearing a deep red shirt and a silver necklace. His strong chest was clearly visible beneath the fabric. Looking up, she saw a face with sharp, defined features. The elevator lights cast a soft golden glow around him, making his features look almost magical. Even through her tear-filled eyes, she could see how incredibly handsome he was.

Wait… his clothes looked a lot like the man who had saved her yesterday.

Even with that thought running through her mind, Renee hurriedly apologized, "I'm so sorry! I wasn't watching where I was going."

As Jasper looked at the woman standing so close to him, surprise flashed in his eyes.

Her again?

His gaze settled on Renee. Her long hair was pinned up casually with a claw clip, soft bangs framing a beautiful face—rosy lips, pearly white teeth, perfectly shaped brows, and captivating eyes.

She wore a loose off-shoulder denim dress that made her fair skin look even whiter. Her long, graceful neck and delicate collarbones were both sexy and elegant. Without a trace of makeup, she still carried herself with effortless elegance, a beauty that could turn heads.

Even the small bandage on her forehead didn't take away from her beauty. But those tear-filled eyes made her look fragile and helpless, someone one couldn't help but want to protect.

Why was it that every time Jasper ran into this woman, she always looked so lost and vulnerable?

"Your nose okay?" Jasper asked, sounding genuinely concerned.

Renee rubbed her nose and gave a playful smile. "It's the real deal, so it's nothing too serious."

He let out a quiet chuckle, his smile easy and warm. "Good. Glad to hear it."

Interesting woman, he thought as he walked past her and stepped out of the elevator.

Once he was gone, Renee pressed the button for her floor. She leaned against the wall, head bowed slightly, still rubbing her sore nose.

She let out a deep breath and muttered, "Ugh… that hurt like hell. What is that guy's chest made of, steel?"

Maybe because she was looking down, the tears that had been welling up finally slipped free, falling straight down. She had no idea Jasper was still standing just outside the elevator, watching the whole thing.

As the doors slowly closed, blocking his view, a small smile tugged at his lips. "Stubborn little thing."

Just then, his phone buzzed. Jasper glanced at the screen. The caller ID lit up with a familiar name—Alison.

He sighed and picked up. "Let me guess. Out of money again?"

Alison laughed on the other end. "You always get me, my dear brother."

"How much this time?" he asked as he walked toward the exit.

Alison thought for a second. "Hmm… let's say 50 million."

Jasper let out a disbelieving laugh. "50 million? What are you doing, taking a world tour or buying yourself a country?"

"Oh, come on, Jasper! I'm broke, just help me out," she whined, piling on the charm.

Of course, there was no way she could tell him the truth. Her company was on the verge of collapsing, and she needed serious cash to save it.

Jasper wasn't fooled. "Let me guess. Your company's about to go under again?"

Alison screamed in frustration. "Hey! Don't jinx me! My company's doing just fine, thank you very much."

"Yeah? If business is so great, why are you asking me for money?"

"T-that's because… I just… I haven't even made my money back yet!" Alison sputtered on the other end.

She let out a dramatic sigh and switched to full-on guilt mode: "Anyway, are you sending it or not? If not, your poor little sister will starve overseas."

Jasper's smile faded as his tone turned serious: "I'll have Luke wire you a million later today. But this is your last shot. I'm giving you six more months. If your business still isn't turning a profit by then, you're coming back to work for the family. No arguments. You'll follow every decision they make."

-

Up on the 29th floor, Renee wandered through the spacious apartment, soaking in every detail of the place. The entire unit was wide open and airy, with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the river. From here, she could see nearly half the city.

The stunning view left her in awe. It almost felt like it had some kind of magic, calming every ounce of frustration in her chest.

She found herself thinking that once her divorce from Adam was finalized, she was going to buy a place of her own. Something just like this, right here in this neighborhood. She loved everything about this place, from the layout to the river view.

After sitting by the window for a long while, she suddenly remembered the man who had saved her life. She picked up her phone, found the number she had been given, and dialed.

It rang a few times before a deep voice answered: "Who is this?"

"Hi, this is Renee Whitley," she said simply. "I'm the woman you rescued and took to the hospital yesterday. I just wanted to call and thank you."

Jasper was in his office, flipping through documents when he heard her introduce herself. He raised an eyebrow. Until now, he hadn't even known her name, as Luke had handled the whole thing.

He stood, holding his phone in one hand and his coffee in the other, walking over to his own massive windows as he spoke in an easy, unhurried voice: "It was nothing. Just glad I could help."

His voice was deep and smooth, with the kind of rich tone that could stop someone in their tracks. On the other end of the line, Renee couldn't help but think he must be a kind man who probably looked as good as he sounded.

"I don't know if you have time, but I'd love to buy you dinner sometime," she said, hoping to repay him for the medical bills.

Jasper's eyes narrowed slightly, a flicker of mockery flashing across his face. His voice cooled just a little as he replied, "No need. I don't date married women."

He was long used to women throwing themselves at him, pulling every trick in the book to get his attention. It was nothing new.

His sharp, deep-set eyes drifted toward the view outside. Across the river, he could clearly see the apartments at Platinum Heights. Funny. Wasn't that where Renee lived too?

Meanwhile, Renee sat in stunned silence. A moment ago, she had been feeling nothing but gratitude for her so-called Good Samaritan. Now, her impression of him had plummeted to the ground.

Seriously? What an arrogant lunatic!

"I think you misunderstood. I only wanted to buy you dinner as a way to say thank you, and to repay the money you covered for my medical bills," she clarified, her voice turning cold.

"No need," he replied flatly.

Her polite tone vanished as she added, "I don't like owing people. This number is linked to your Venmo, right? I'll add you and transfer the money."

Before he could say another word, she hung up. Less than a minute later, his phone buzzed with a notification. He opened it, finding a friend request from Renee. Her profile picture showed a bright blue sky, with a delicate hand holding a heart-shaped piece of foxtail grass.

Jasper stared at the request for a moment, then tapped accept before he even realized it. A message came through right away, along with a transfer of five thousand dollars.

[Thanks for the help. This covers the medical bill you paid.]

Her words had a faint edge of sarcasm to them.

Jasper hesitated for a second before accepting the transfer. Out of politeness, he sent back a simple thumbs-up emoji, not bothering to type a single word. But right after he hit send, a red exclamation mark popped up.

[System message: You're not friends with this user.]

Jasper stared at the screen for a moment.

Seriously?

His usually cool expression twitched, then he let out a quiet, disbelieving laugh before taking a sip of his coffee.

-

It had been a week since that night at the hospital, when Adam stormed off in anger. He hadn't come home since. Over the phone, he said he was away on a business trip to the coast. He used to take Renee along on every trip. This time, he didn't.

Renee didn't bother asking questions. Honestly, she didn't care enough to dig. Every day, she showed up for work right on time, sticking to her usual nine-to-five routine.

Monday morning, Adam came straight to the office from his trip. But this time, he wasn't alone—there was a new personal assistant by his side.

Renee walked into the elevator, holding her resignation letter, and headed straight to Adam's office.

As she passed the break room, someone called out to her: "Long time no see, Ms. Whitley."

Renee paused and glanced over. Kayla stepped out of the break room in a sleek black suit, heels clicking against the floor. Her makeup was flawless, and she carried a steaming cup of tea, looking smug and radiant.

"Something you need?" Renee asked coolly.

Kayla casually brushed her shoulder-length hair behind her ear and offered her hand with a sweet smile. "Let me introduce myself. I'm Adam's—oh, sorry—Mr. Graham's new personal assistant. Looks like we'll be working together from now on, Ms. Whitley. Hope we get along."