Nica slowly opened her eyes, only to realize she was lying in a strange hospital room. The bright lights above her made her blink repeatedly as memories of the previous night came rushing back.

The party.

Chris.

Ella.

The betrayal.

A sharp pain shot through her chest.

She tried to sit up and remove the IV drip attached to her hand, but a warm unfamiliar hand gently stopped her.

"You need to rest," a deep masculine voice said calmly. "You haven't fully recovered yet."

Something about the touch felt strangely comforting.

Before Nica could respond, the door suddenly opened.

Chris and Ella walked in together, acting as though nothing had happened. Their expressions were full of fake concern, as if they had not been caught kissing the night before.

They did not notice the man standing beside Nica's bed.

Chris rushed forward dramatically.

"Nica! What happened to you?" he asked. "When I got home last night, I couldn't find you anywhere. I was so worried."

Nica stared at him in disbelief.

Worried?

The same man who lied to her, humiliated her, and betrayed her now stood there pretending to care.

Her stomach turned with disgust.

The stranger beside her noticed how uneasy she looked. He cleared his throat loudly.

Chris and Ella immediately turned toward the sound.

The moment Chris saw the man, all the color drained from his face.

"U... Uncle?" Chris stammered so loudly he nearly choked on his own breath. "What are you doing here?"

Before the man could answer, Nica spoke first.

"He brought me to the hospital."

Ella's eyes widened.

For the first time, she truly looked at the stranger.

He was tall, broad-shouldered, handsome, and carried himself with effortless authority. His expensive suit fit perfectly, and his cold expression made him even more attractive.

Ella swallowed hard.

In her mind, greed rose instantly.

I must have this man for myself.

Nica noticed the look in Ella's eyes and felt sick again.

How could Chris, a worthless cheat, be related to someone like this?

Lost in thought, she barely heard the doctor enter the room.

"You're stable now, Miss Matthew," the doctor said with a smile. "You may be discharged today."

Nica nodded quietly.

She got out of bed and packed her few belongings, eager to leave as quickly as possible.

The stranger stepped forward.

"I'll take you home."

Nica looked at him, surprised by the offer.

"No, thank you," she said politely. "You've already done more than enough for me. I can manage on my own."

Chris immediately laughed.

"Uncle, Nica is a strong girl. She can take care of herself, right Nica?"

Before Nica could answer, Ella quickly linked arms with Chris and added sweetly,

"I've known Nica for years. She's very tough. If she says she can do it, then she can."

Nica clenched her fists.

The shamelessness of the two people standing before her was unbearable.

"I'll be leaving now," she said coldly.

Without waiting for a reply, she walked out of the room.

She kept walking until she reached the hospital entrance, finally breathing in fresh air.

Then suddenly, two voices spoke at the same time behind her.

"Nica, I just...."

"You looked......"

She turned around.

It was Chris's uncle.

The two of them paused, then looked at each other before speaking again.

"You first," they both said together.

For the first time that day, Nica almost smiled.

A small laugh escaped them both.

Nica lowered her gaze.

"I just wanted to thank you... for everything."

"It was nothing," he replied smoothly.

Then his eyes moved over her hospital gown.

"Although... you still looked beautiful in that hospital gown."

Nica blinked in surprise.

"Really?"

He smirked slightly.

"I was joking."

For the first time in days, Nica laughed genuinely.

"My name is Nica Matthew," she said.

He gave a small nod.

"Jordan Avila."

The name sounded powerful.

Jordan stepped closer.

"Now let me drive you home."

Nica shook her head again.

"I don't want to bother you."

"You're not a bother."

He paused, as if wanting to say something else.

"Actually... I have an offer to....."

Before he could finish, Nica suddenly remembered something she had left behind in the room.

"Oh no!"

Without another word, she rushed back upstairs.

But the moment she reached the half-open door, her steps froze.

Inside the room, she saw and heard something she was never meant to witness.

As Nica approached the half-open hospital room door, she was about to step inside when she suddenly froze.

What she saw made her stomach turn.

Ella was kissing Chris shamelessly.

Chris held her tightly, pressing her against the wall as they continued kissing without care. Ella's fingers ran through his hair while she laughed softly, completely comfortable in his arms.

Nica's chest tightened painfully.

She could not believe they would behave like that in a hospital room, especially after everything that had happened.

Unable to bear the sight, she quietly stepped back, intending to leave before they noticed her.

Then Chris spoke.

"You know I love you so much," he said smoothly. "Especially because of that portrait you drew during the contest. It was valuable, meaningful, and full of life. I admire talented women."

Nica's eyes widened.

That portrait?

She was the one who had painted it.

Ella had only stood beside her during the competition, yet somehow she had stolen all the credit.

And the truth was worse.

Ella could barely draw a straight line.

Chris kissed Ella's forehead lovingly.

"I'll be right back," he murmured before walking toward the bathroom.

The moment he disappeared, Nica pushed the door open and entered the room.

Ella jumped in shock.

For a second, fear flashed across her face.

Had Nica heard everything?

But Ella quickly recovered and folded her arms.

"You really are pathetic," Ella said mockingly. "Chris has never loved you. He only kept you around because you were useful."

She stepped closer with a cruel smile.

"He can barely stand to look at you. All he wants is me."

Nica's pain slowly turned into anger.

"What if I tell Chris the truth?" she said calmly. "That you never painted the portrait. That you don't even know how to properly hold a pencil."

Ella's face went pale.

So she had heard everything.

Panic rose inside her.

If Chris found out the truth, he would never forgive her.

Just then, Chris walked back into the room.

In an instant, Ella threw herself backward and pretended to faint.

"Ella!" Chris rushed forward and caught her.

Then he turned sharply toward Nica.

"What did you do to her?" he shouted. "What have you done?"

Nica stared at him in disbelief.

He had not asked a single question.

He had not even given her a chance to speak.

He simply chose Ella.

Again.

Chris stormed over and grabbed Nica's wrist roughly.

"I'm talking to you!"

Before he could say another word, the door opened.

Jordan Avila walked in.

His expression darkened the moment he saw Chris holding Nica.

Without hesitation, Jordan grabbed Chris's arm and forced him to release her.

Then he delivered a hard punch across Chris's face.

Chris stumbled backward in shock.

Jordan stood tall between them, his voice cold and dangerous.

"Touch her again, and you will regret it."

The room fell silent.

Even Ella, still pretending to be weak, looked terrified.

Jordan turned to Nica.

"Come with me."

Still shaken, Nica followed him out of the room.

Once they were alone in the hallway, she exhaled deeply.

"Thank you," she said softly. "For helping me."

Jordan looked at her for a moment.

Then she remembered something.

"You said earlier that you had an offer for me," she said. "What did you mean?"

Jordan's gaze sharpened.

"I want you to become my contract wife for six months."

Nica's breath caught.

"In return," he continued, "I will give you status, power, and protection."

The hallway suddenly felt too small.

Her heart was already broken.

Her trust was shattered.

And now the ruthless uncle of the man who betrayed her was asking her to marry him.

Nica could not answer immediately.

Jordan held her hands and said whatever you decide just let me know.

Should she accept the offer...

Or walk away from every thing?

Nica arrived home, thinking about that offer and questioning why he would make such an offer. Was he pulling my leg? she wondered. What could I possibly offer him, and what would he gain from that contract?

She eventually let go of the thought and began listening to music through her headphones while drawing the natural beauty that surrounded her. After she was done, she got bored and decided to go to the mall to get a few things for herself.

While shopping, Chris and Ella spotted her and approached her. Chris said, "You just got lucky," then grabbed the pencil she was holding and mocked her.

"It's not like you even know how to draw a straight line or understand what this is used for. Just give it to your friend Ella, the real artist who actually knows her craft."

Ella, though nervous inside, pretended to act tough. "Nica, I know how much you admire my portraits and wish you could draw like me..."

Before she could finish, Nica cut her off with laughter. "So you mean the opposite?"

Chris immediately defended Ella. "Ella is the real artist, so stop saying nonsense."

Nica laughed again. "You really think she is the artist?"

Ella grew uneasy and quickly thought of a way to distract them so she could leave with Chris. She held her stomach and said, "Chris, please take me to the hospital. I'm not feeling too well."

Chris immediately carried her out of the mall. As they left, Ella turned back and gave Nica a smug smirk.

Nica shook her head. Just as I thought. Pretending again. She's always pretending.

She continued shopping peacefully until she bent down to pick up the pencil that had fallen. A man rushed forward and picked it up for her.

"Jordan? What are you doing here?" she asked in surprise.

Instead of answering directly, he asked, "Are you an artist?"

"Yes," she replied.

Jordan smiled. He loved purchasing portraits from a particular artist known as Color Muse-not realizing that the artist was standing right in front of him.

He began speaking excitedly. "I love portraits. I own collections like Divine Faces, Silent Strokes, Dream Frame, and Grace in..."

They both said at the same time, "Color."

They looked at each other and smiled. Those were some of the collections he had at home, and Nica was speechless because they were all her works.

Then Jordan asked, "How do you know about those portraits?"

Nica quickly replied, "I love portraits too, and I draw, remember?" she said, raising her pencil to make her point. "I also do my research."

Nica felt truly happy hearing someone speak of her work with such admiration-especially someone like Jordan, the same man who had offered her a contract. She found herself helplessly drawn to him as he spoke, yet she could not bring herself to reveal that she was Color Muse.

The more they talked, the more they realized they had so much in common.

Suddenly, Jordan's phone rang. He excused himself to answer the call.

While he was away, Nica quietly left without saying goodbye.

When she got home, she was shocked to see her bags outside and her door locked. A note was attached to the handle:

I have given you enough time to pay your rent. Someone has already paid for it.

With nowhere to go, she whispered, "I have to find Jordan."

Having no contact information or address for him, she hurried back to the mall. She was devastated to discover he had already left.

Then a hand tapped her shoulder.

"Are you okay?" a voice asked.

"Not at all," she replied as she turned around.

The moment she saw him, she screamed, "Jordan! I've been looking everywhere for you. I've accepted your offer... if it's still available."

Jordan looked at her calmly and said,

"No... the offer is no longer available."