Hank Renfrow, the old industry titan, took one look at the situation and immediately understood.

"Well, well, if it isn't Mr. Searle? You're usually so cold and controlled, but the second someone messes with your stepmom, you just lose it, don't you? Now that you've taken over the Searle fortune, what's next? Are you planning to take her too?"

The crowd burst out laughing.

Before Brandon could react, Nina grabbed his arm and pulled it down. He swallowed his anger, let go of Hank, and snatched up a glass to ease the tension.

"I respect every one of you here. That was out of line, and I apologize. Let me propose a toast to all of you."

Rosalie stood outside the door, her heart aching as she watched the scene unfold. Everyone knew Brandon never drank. But tonight, he downed three glasses for Nina's sake.

Still, the big shots weren't satisfied. They insisted Nina drink three rounds herself.

Brandon stepped in front of her, shielding her from their demands. "Her health isn't good. She can't handle alcohol. I'll drink for her."

"Well, Mr. Searle, if you've already had three, what's a few more?"

They refilled his glass again and again until he had downed more than a dozen drinks. By the time the bottles ran dry, even the big shots had to admit they were impressed by how much he could hold.

"I've been drinking with you all today, so just do me this one favor—leave my stepmom alone. Push me on this and you'll wish you hadn't."

Without another word, Brandon grabbed Nina's hand and strode out of the private lounge. He didn't see Rosalie standing just outside. In his hurry, he threw the door open with such force that it sent her sprawling to the floor.

As she fell, an antique vase toppled from the cabinet, striking her head with a sickening crack. Blood immediately began pouring down her face, drenching her outfit in crimson.

A horrified waiter scrambled to call an ambulance.

Rosalie lifted her head, her vision swimming with blood. The only thing she could make out was Brandon walking away with Nina without a glance back or even a flicker of recognition that she had ever been there.

And this was the man she had chosen to marry in secret, betraying her parents, friends, and everyone who trusted her.

She knew better than anyone how the Searles had nearly crushed the Lardners years ago and almost ruined her father, Rolf. And still, she had loved Brandon against all reason.

A bitter laugh tore from her throat. She had no one to blame but herself.

Half an hour later, an ambulance took Rosalie to the hospital. She had her head wound treated alone. There were ten stitches in total.

That night, she stayed in the hospital by herself.

…

Rosalie woke up the next morning to find that Brandon still hadn't called. She checked her phone and saw the video Nina had posted the night before. No faces were visible, but Rosalie immediately recognized Brandon's hands blow-drying Nina's hair.

The caption was pure Nina, sly and misleading as always. "He worries I'll get lonely, so he stays with me sometimes. He has grown up so thoughtful, making me proud."

The whole act was just a front for what was really happening between Nina and Brandon. Somehow, everyone bought it.

Rosalie's blood boiled. This was how Brandon and Nina had tricked her into a bland marriage.

She had given up everything for him, molding herself into his perfect woman. She even stopped drinking her favorite wine because he couldn't stand the smell. And for what? In the end, he still chose Nina.

The moment the idea struck her, Rosalie picked up the phone and called a reporter. "Mr. Declan Searle's widow is having an affair with some man at Searle Manor. Stake the place out and you'll get your front-page scoop."

It hadn't even been a year since Declan's death. For someone of the Searles' standing, Nina jumping into a relationship with Brandon so soon was sure to cause a scandal.

But after two hours, there was still no sign of the photos online.

Just as Rosalie was about to leave the hospital, Brandon's call came through. His voice was cold. "Get to Seaforth Club. Now."

An hour later, Rosalie arrived at Seaforth Club. The second she pushed open the private room door, her gaze landed on Nina perched beside Brandon.

Nina wore sunglasses and a hat, bundled up like she was trying to hide from the world. She dabbed at her tears with a handkerchief.

Brandon kept his distance from Nina, but Rosalie could still see the worry in his eyes.

He didn't even notice the bandages wrapped around Rosalie's head. He might not have realized she was there if she hadn't spoken up.

"Why'd you call me here?" Rosalie muttered.

Brandon finally turned to look at her, his eyes locking on hers as his forehead creased in a frown. "Did you call the reporters this morning?"

Rosalie went still. Her gaze flicked instinctively toward Nina, who had already removed her sunglasses. The bruise around her left eye was now visible.

When Rosalie remained silent, Brandon's disappointment deepened. "I had someone track the call made to those reporters. It came from your number. They confirmed a woman tipped them off about a huge story. That's why they swarmed Searle Manor. Do you even realize how far you've crossed the line? One of them barged in for a photo, and his camera slammed right into her eye."

Nina cut in, "Drop it, Brandon. Maybe we were wrong about Rosalie. Why would she work with the media to slander me?"

Brandon's gaze turned frosty as he stared Rosalie down. "Was it you or not?"

Rosalie had only told them the truth. What was so bad about that? Her lips curled into a bitter smile. She had spent the entire night alone in the hospital, nursing the head wound Brandon had given her. Had he even bothered to check on her?

Now here she was, right before him, and he didn't give a damn. But the moment Nina shed a few tears, he was suddenly grilling Rosalie like a criminal. Another sharp crack splintered through Rosalie's heart.

"If you weren't at Searle Manor, how would you know all this so well?" she shot back.

Brandon's expression went cold.

Rosalie didn't let up. "If you're calling it slander, then you must think Nina's innocent. Or do you actually believe she'd find another man shortly after your father died?"

His gaze turned dark. "Don't be ridiculous. She'd never do something that stupid."

Nina jumped in quickly, saying, "Rosalie, don't get the wrong idea. These reporters will spin anything for a headline. Brandon's only looking out for the Searle family name. He's already spent a small fortune keeping those reporters quiet. Nothing damaging will get published."

Rosalie bit her lip, keeping quiet.

Nina had already won the bet, but that didn't stop her from throwing Brandon's favoritism in Rosalie's face in the last ten days before Rosalie left.

The only thing Rosalie was grateful for was having signed the divorce agreement. At least she wouldn't have to suffer this humiliation every single day from now on.

"Alright, let's drop today's matter," Nina said before changing the subject. "Rosalie, what happened to your head?"

Rosalie didn't respond.

Brandon glanced at her. "She must've bumped into something."

"The wound's bleeding, though. I'll get someone to bring fresh bandages."

With that, Nina strode out of the private room.

When only Rosalie and Brandon were left, he sighed and said, "Whether you called the media or not, I want you to stop going after Nina and doubting her. She's already in a tough spot without her husband to support her."

Rosalie's fists clenched tightly. And what about her own husband? Who was he supporting?

"Regardless, she's still my stepmom. I'll appreciate it if you treat her well," Brandon added, gently taking her hand. "Be kind to her, and I'll be even kinder to you."

Rosalie couldn't stop the bitterness that twisted inside her as the words tumbled out. "Have you ever thought of me as your wife, Brandon?"

"Of course."

"Then why would you let your wife suffer like this?"

Before Brandon could answer, a frantic shout cut through the air from outside the private room. "Everyone, out! There's a fire!"

Brandon tensed up, immediately dropping Rosalie's hand before darting outside.

Seaforth Club was in complete chaos. An electrical fire raged out of control, filling the halls with thick smoke as Brandon frantically searched for Nina.

Meanwhile, Rosalie had just stepped out of the private room when the panicked crowd shoved her back inside. The door slammed shut behind her, locking her in. Desperate, she banged on the door. "Help! Let me out! Is anyone there?"

But everyone was too busy scrambling to escape the burning club. Her shouts were lost in the chaos.

Smoke slithered in through the door gap, sending Rosalie into a fit of violent coughs. She yanked off her coat, pressed it tightly over her nose and mouth, and bolted for the window.

Just as flames surged into the room, she clenched her teeth, rammed her shoulder into the glass, and leaped.

Seaforth Club loomed three stories above the ground. The landing sent a jolt of pain through her body, leaving her unable to drag herself forward. Her legs burned, and it felt as if they had been smashed to pieces.

Just then, she caught sight of the fleeing crowd. There was Nina, freshly rescued, hovering over Brandon's unconscious form on a gurney.

A knot of dread coiled in Rosalie's chest. Biting back the pain, she forced herself up just in time for the paramedics to grab her and bundle her into an ambulance.

When they finally reached the hospital, Rosalie ignored her own injuries and hurried straight to Brandon. He was being wheeled into the emergency room, his legs covered in bloody burns.

"Brandon!" Rosalie stumbled after the gurney, her eyes wild with fear.

But the first thing he said when he weakly opened his eyes was, "Nina... Where is she? Is she safe?"

Rosalie went still.

His voice was faint as he continued, "Let me see her. I need to know she's safe..."

The doctors rushed to wheel him into the emergency room, but he kept calling for Nina, insisting on seeing her before they treated him.

Rosalie's voice was desperate. "Brandon, please! You need help now. Your burns are bad. You can't wait!"

But Brandon didn't care about his injuries. There was only one thing on his mind. "Nina… I need to see Nina…"

Rosalie staggered back a few steps at his desperate calls, her eyes glistening with tears.

He had already thrown away his life once, leaving her behind in the flames to save Nina. And now, here he was, risking himself all over again just to ensure Nina's safety. Didn't he realize that the pain he was causing Rosalie now hurt more than dying ever would?

At that moment, Nina finally hurried over, grabbing Brandon's hand from beside the gurney. "Don't worry about me, Brandon! I'm fine! You need help now. I'll be right here when you're done!"

With just those words from Nina, Brandon finally relented and let them wheel him into the emergency room.

The doctor approached, holding the surgical consent form. "Who here is family to the patient?"

Rosalie instinctively rose to her feet, but Nina snatched the paper from the doctor. "I'm his legal mother. That means I'm the one who signs."

With that, she shot Rosalie a smug look.

And she was right. Rosalie and Brandon had married in secret. She didn't even have the right to call herself his family.

Meanwhile, Nina could stand proudly by Brandon's side without question. As his stepmother, she wielded that title like a weapon, stealing every role that should have been Rosalie's.

No one knew Rosalie was Brandon's wife. Sometimes, not even Brandon remembered.

She sat slumped on the bench with her eyes fixed on the floor, her heart heavy with pain.

Just then, Nina walked up. "You've seen it for yourself. No one can ever take my place in Brandon's heart. He'd die for me without a second thought. Marrying you was just a way to hide our relationship. I'm only showing you this because I want what's best for you so that you can finally move on. Don't waste another second waiting around for him."

Rosalie shut her eyes. Holding back tears, she asked bitterly, "Do you really enjoy watching him live and die for you?"

"I just need him to keep proving he loves me—the same way I love him with everything in me."

"If you love him that much, why did you leave him and marry his father in the first place?"