Warm steam filled the bathroom, blending with the soft scent of lavender in the air.

Resting against the edge of the tub, Alexia let out a quiet breath as the tension in her body slowly eased.

The water soothed her skin, yet her thoughts refused to settle.

After waking up with a second chance, she had wasted no time. The cellmate who poisoned her in her previous life was dealt with, and she kept her distance from everyone else in prison, leaving behind an image of someone no one dared approach.

Still, she knew Rachael wouldn't give up that easily.

No matter how careful she had been with her food and clothing, the prison had never been a place where safety could be guaranteed. Anyone determined enough could find a way to get close.

The road ahead would not be simple. One wrong step now could ruin everything before the vengeance even began.

After stepping out of the bath, Alexia slipped into the silk pajamas Lucy had prepared for her.

Alexia stood at the mirror and dried her hair while Lucy watched from the side, a hint of admiration in her eyes.

Alexia already had a face that drew attention, and the smooth fabric only made her presence stand out even more.

Her movements remained unhurried, yet the look in her eyes carried a distant chill that kept people from getting too close.

There was a contrast in her that couldn't be ignored. She seemed relaxed, almost careless, but something about her still made others uneasy.

That mix of quiet charm and hidden edge gave her a pull that was hard to look away from.

Anyone who earned Ethan's recognition would never be ordinary.

Once she finished, Alexia placed the hairdryer down and turned toward Lucy.

"Lucy, go get some rest tonight," she said. "Come with me to Tranquil Health Center tomorrow."

Lucy blinked in surprise. "Should I arrange an appointment first?"

"No need," Alexia replied as she walked toward her room. "We'll just head there."

Lucy watched her disappear down the hallway and shook her head without thinking.

Alexia didn't seem to realize that Tranquil Health Center wasn't open to just anyone. It required membership and was known for its strict privacy and high-end care.

Without a prior booking, even getting through the entrance would be difficult.

After a moment, Lucy turned to a nearby servant. "Go and arrange an appointment for Miss White."

The servant nodded at once. "Understood."

The following day, inside Tranquil Health Center, the hallway felt quiet and orderly.

Seated on a bench, Alan looked at Rachael with concern written all over his face. "If Alexia hadn't caused concern, you wouldn't have lost sleep last night. Look at you. You look exhausted."

Rachael leaned gently against his shoulder, her voice soft and affectionate. "Thank you for arranging such an expensive checkup for me, Alan. You always take such good care of me."

Alan reached out and tousled her hair with a fond smile. "You're my sister. Of course I'm going to take care of you. Who else would I do this for?"

A short distance away, the display screen called out the next number.

Alan lowered his gaze to the slip in his hand and did a quick count. "Just five more ahead of us. We won't be waiting much longer..."

His words trailed off as noise suddenly broke out deeper inside the clinic.

Several well-known medical experts rushed out at once, their white coats moving in unison as they formed a line at the entrance. Then, without hesitation, they bowed together. "Welcome, Miss White!"

The scene left everyone around them stunned.

These doctors weren't ordinary staff. Each one held a respected position in the field, and securing an appointment with them usually took months.

Even the high-ranking officials' wives had to wait until they had time.

Yet now, they had all gathered just to greet one person. Whoever she was, her status had to be extraordinary.

At the doorway, Alexia turned toward Lucy with a faint look of resignation. "Did you make an appointment for me?"

Still processing what she had just seen, Lucy struggled to respond, "I did. I thought it might be hard for you to get in otherwise. I just didn't expect... this."

A quiet breath left Alexia. "I had a feeling this would happen. Next time, don't make decisions for me."

Lucy lowered her head at once. "I understand."

At that moment, Philip Murphy, the director of the health center, stepped forward and personally led Alexia toward the VIP lounge.

"Why come here in person? If you needed anything, you could have told me. I would have arranged treatment at your residence."

Before Alexia could answer, a sharp voice cut through the moment. "Alexia? What are you doing here?"

Alexia paused and turned her head, spotting Rachael and Alan waiting nearby for their turn.

A sharp look flashed across Rachael's face as she stared at Alexia. She was unable to make sense of what she was seeing. How could someone who had just come out of prison, someone who grew up in the slums, be personally received by the director of Tranquil Health Center?

She was still waiting for her turn like everyone else, yet Alexia was already being led into the VIP area for a private consultation. It felt completely unfair.

Philip turned slightly toward Alexia. "Miss White, are you acquainted with them?"

Alexia cast Rachael and Alan a distant glance. "No, I don't know them."

She was about to continue walking with Philip when Rachael suddenly raised her voice.

"Alexia, why are you saying that? Are you really cutting ties with your family? You've just come out of prison, and you're probably not feeling your best, but we're still family. No matter what, we'll stand by you."

The hallway quieted at once, and every pair of eyes shifted toward Alexia.

So this was the James family's real heiress, the one who had just been released from prison.

Five years earlier, the James couple had made a public announcement about finding their biological daughter, stirring up a lot of attention.

Not long after, word spread that she had been jailed for fraud tied to business dealings.

Since then, the story had been passed around in elite circles as a source of gossip.

Many looked down on the girl who came from nothing, saying she lacked experience. She could have lived comfortably as the rightful heiress, yet she ended up behind bars because of her own choices.

People in the hallway stole glances at Alexia, curious about the woman everyone had labeled as foolish.

What they saw didn't match the rumors at all.

Her appearance was carefully put together. She wore a couture dress from Luxe Kingdom, a designer brand, and her hair was loosely tied, falling in soft waves that framed her neck.

When her eyes settled on Rachael, there was nothing warm in them. She carried herself with a quiet distance that made her seem untouchable.

Wasn't she supposed to be the unruly girl from the slums?

Then why did she carry herself with more composure than Rachael, who had been raised in privilege all her life?

Without hesitation, Alexia stepped forward and stopped right in front of Rachael. "Don't bring up family ties with me. You're not qualified to say that."

A faint curve appeared on her lips, though there was no warmth in it. "You've worn the James name for so long that you've convinced yourself it belongs to you."

Alan moved at once, placing himself between them as his expression hardened. "Rachael is the real heiress of the James family!"

Alexia's gaze shifted to him, and she let out a quiet scoff. "You're protecting the very person who fooled you. Keep doing that and see where it leads."

Anger flashed across Alan's face, and he was about to respond when her voice cut through again.

"I already told you. What Rachael owes me will be repaid, piece by piece. You'd better make sure all evidence of the crime she committed five years ago stays hidden, because if I find anything..."

Alexia's lips parted slightly, and her smile turned cold. "A game without any challenge isn't worth playing."

Murmurs spread through the crowd as the tension rose.

Could there be more to what happened five years ago than they thought?

Rachael's fingers tightened around Alan's sleeve as fear crept into her voice. "Alan, she... she's..."

Alan steadied himself and retorted firmly, "What are you even saying? The court already made its decision. Are you trying to blame Rachael for something she didn't do?"

A faint curve appeared on Alexia's lips. "That depends on whether you're capable of keeping it buried."

Without waiting for a response, she turned and walked toward the VIP section, leaving their darkened expressions behind.

No matter what she said, Alan would refuse to believe it.

Rather than argue, she chose to walk away and let her words linger in everyone's mind.

Rachael and Alan stood frozen, watching her disappear, neither of them able to recover right away.

Five years had changed Alexia completely.

A tremor ran through Rachael's voice as she spoke. "Alan, do you think she'll really expose what happened back then?"

Alan shook his head, trying to sound certain. "That's impossible. Everything was settled years ago. There's no way she has any proof."

Even as he said it, doubt crept into his thoughts.

The same girl they once cast aside and sent to prison now came back in a Rolls-Royce, received personally by Philip, and spoke with such confidence.

That unsettling smile of hers lingered in his memory, sending a chill down his spine.

At that moment, a nurse approached them with a polite expression. "Mr. James, Miss James..."

Alan snapped out of his thoughts and nudged Rachael. "It's finally our turn."

The nurse maintained her smile, though her tone turned firm. "I'm sorry, but our director has instructed that you are not to be seen here. Please leave."

"What are you talking about?" Alan's voice rose, anger flaring. "We've been waiting all this time. We're about to be called, and now you're telling us to leave?"

Rachael grabbed his arm in a hurry. "Alan, don't make this worse..."

But the situation had already slipped out of control.

The nurse pressed a button and called for security. Within moments, several guards approached them with serious expressions.

Alan clenched his jaw. He knew causing a scene here would only humiliate them further.

After shooting the nurse a glare, he turned and left with Rachael.

As they walked away, he muttered under his breath, unable to understand how Alexia had gained Philip's favor.

Even the nurse assigned to the VIP lounge found herself wondering the same thing.

Many powerful figures had offered high fees for Philip's attention, yet he rarely agreed to treat them personally.

Now, he had examined Alexia himself.

Inside the VIP room, Philip remained focused, unaware of the thoughts outside as he carefully studied Alexia's toxicology report. His expression grew more serious as he spoke. "Your system still contains several substances that have been suppressing your nerves for a long time, and there's more than one type involved."

Alexia's brows drew together. "Explain it clearly."

Philip pointed at different sections of the report. "This group affects your central nervous system. It can cause breathing failure during sleep and serious damage to your liver. This one interferes with your autonomic nerves and leads to lasting harm to your nervous system. And this..."

After going through each one, Philip let out a quiet breath. "Whoever did this didn't hold back."

A cold laugh escaped Alexia.

Just as she expected, Rachael had already made her move in this life as well.

If she hadn't stayed alert and avoided the worst of it, she might have never made it out of prison alive.

Carefully folding the report, Alexia kept it close.

She was determined to make Rachael pay for her wrongdoings.

Once Alexia stepped out of the Tranquil Health Center, Lucy's curiosity finally got the better of her.

"Miss White, why does Mr. Murphy treat you with so much respect?"

With a faint, indifferent smile, Alexia answered, "I only helped him solve a minor problem before."

Memories from her previous life surfaced quietly in her mind. Back then, a devastating medical incident had shaken the entire Tranquil Health Center. During what was supposed to be a routine minimally invasive procedure, a high-profile VIP patient had suddenly died of acute liver failure under Philip's care.

Soon after, the Health Regulatory Authority had launched a full-scale investigation, uncovering a critical oversight—the patient had carried a rare hepatic enzyme deficiency that standard preoperative screenings had failed to detect.

Because of that single oversight, Philip's medical license had been revoked, and the staggering compensation he was ordered to pay had nearly driven him into financial ruin.

Years later, the truth had finally surfaced. Three years after the incident, the laboratory director had been arrested in an unrelated case of data falsification. Under pressure, he had confessed that he'd been bribed by a rival facility to tamper with the patient's test results.

Unfortunately, by the time the truth came to light, everything had already fallen apart. Philip's reputation had long been destroyed, and under the crushing weight of it all, he had spiraled into depression, never managing to recover.

The moment she was reborn, Alexia wasted no time arranging for someone outside the prison to contact Philip, quietly steering him away from the looming disaster.

Through that timely intervention, Philip became an indispensable link in Alexia's growing network.

Just then, her phone vibrated in her hand.

Ethan's name lit up the screen.

After answering, she heard his deep, measured voice spill through the line. "How did the test results turn out?"

Casting a sideways glance, Alexia caught Lucy stiffening beside her, who quickly looked away as she pretended to admire the passing view outside the window.

"Nothing serious—just a few minor issues we can handle."

By now, she had already figured out that Lucy had been placed beside her by Ethan, quietly watching her every move.

Yet she hadn't imagined Ethan would lay it out so bluntly, calmly admitting Lucy had been reporting to him all along.

Such unguarded honesty wasn't carelessness—it spoke of deliberate trust.

Within a single night, he had dug into her past with unsettling precision, and instead of pulling back from their fragile alliance, he stepped forward, offering his hand first. That alone felt like a rare, promising sign.

"That's a relief." After a brief pause, Ethan's steady voice followed, measured but firm. "Get ready. You're coming with me to a banquet tonight."

One of Alexia's brows lifted slightly, a flicker of curiosity surfacing. "A banquet?"

Fresh out of prison, she had barely regained her footing, and the incident at the Tranquil Health Center had already rippled through high society, exposing her complete break with the James family.

By extending that invitation, Ethan wasn't merely being courteous—he was making a calculated, public statement, placing himself squarely at her side.

A trace of concern colored Ethan's voice as he asked, "Is something wrong?"

"Nothing at all." Warmth lingered in her tone as Alexia added, "I appreciate this, Mr. Campbell."

After witnessing the effort he'd put in, a quiet resolve settled in her chest—she refused to disappoint him now.

Night gradually draped itself over the city, and a century-old garden mansion glowed beneath mellow amber streetlights.

Within the mansion, muted lighting softened every corner, as frosted glass diffused the glow of wall lamps into shifting patterns across antique sofas and intricately gilded tables.

Between clusters of finely dressed guests, servers glided soundlessly, balancing trays of crystal flutes that caught the light with every subtle movement. All around them, a gentle piano melody drifted through the air, lending the gathering an unmistakable air of privilege and restrained elegance.

Dressed in a sharply tailored deep-gray suit, Ethan stood upright amid a circle of influential businessmen, exchanging measured words with quiet authority.

While he was maintaining the conversation, his eyes drifted toward the grand entrance in a seemingly offhand glance.

Half an hour had already passed since the banquet began, yet there was still no sign of Alexia anywhere in the hall.

Given what he knew of her sharp instincts, she would never willingly pass up a chance like this to expand her connections.

A flicker of unease surfaced—had something gone wrong along the way?

Approaching with an ingratiating smile, the host said with thinly veiled curiosity, "Mr. Campbell, I heard you were arriving with a lady tonight. Care to share which family this lucky young lady is from?"

Ethan pulled his attention back, his expression settling into calm composure as he answered evenly, "She comes from the James family."

The host gave a knowing nod, a smile already forming. "That makes sense. Rachael really is..."

Before he could finish, Ethan cut in flatly, his tone leaving no room for interpretation. "No. It's Alexia."

As soon as the words left his mouth, the noise around them died away into a heavy silence.

The Campbell Group's only heir… showing up with Alexia?

Even without mentioning her humble upbringing, the mere fact of her criminal record alone was enough to place her far beneath someone of Ethan's elevated standing.

A strained stillness crept in, thick and uncomfortable—until the villa doors were suddenly pushed open with a sharp, echoing swing.

A ripple of stunned whispers broke across the room, voices layering over one another in disbelief.

"Wow… she's breathtaking."

"Why haven't we seen her before? Who is she, exactly?"

"That gown—look closely, it's the newest Luxe Kingdom couture. Only three exist worldwide. She can't be ordinary."

Drawn by the commotion, Ethan turned—and the moment his eyes found Alexia, he went completely still.

Soft silk draped along Alexia's slender frame, the understated gown tracing every graceful curve as though it had been made solely for her. Warm golden light skimmed over her flawless skin, lending her an almost unreal glow.

Subtle makeup framed her features, leaving her natural beauty untouched, while the cool distance in her expression gave her an air that felt untouchable, almost otherworldly.

With unhurried ease, Alexia let her gaze drift across the room, brushing past the curious stares before finally settling on Ethan.

Caught in that fleeting moment of eye contact, Ethan felt his breath hitch, his chest tightening without warning.

Only a day ago, she had appeared understated and barefaced.

Now, she stood utterly transformed—confidence settling into her posture, grace softening every movement, her presence luminous and quietly irresistible.

Drawing in a steady breath, Ethan forced his expression back into its usual calm authority, smoothing away the flicker of surprise.

"Alexia, come over—let me introduce you to a few of the senior figures in the industry," he said with easy familiarity, his tone warm and composed, as though they had known each other for years.