Outside, the deciduous trees in the yard stood bare and desolate. In the garden, a lone rosebush bloomed stubbornly against the cold, its deep red petals sharp against the winter gray.

"Andrea, why are you dressed so lightly? You'll catch a cold."

Charles had just returned home and immediately spotted his daughter standing by the window. Concern filled his eyes.

Andrea's heart jolted. Tears instantly welled up. It was her father-the man who had loved her the most.

She spun around and threw herself into his arms. In her previous life, she had ignored his objections and insisted on marrying Steven-breaking his heart completely.

"Dad... I missed you so much. I'm sorry..."

"Silly girl," Charles laughed, stroking her hair. "Didn't we just see each other this morning?" Then his tone turned serious. "Andrea, no more dangerous behavior. Dad's getting old-I can't handle scares like that."

She nodded vigorously. "Dad, from now on, I'll listen to you. I won't make you angry anymore."

"My Andrea has grown up." He sighed with relief, then deliberately put on a stern face. "Go upstairs and put on something warmer. You're still recovering."

"Okay, okay-I'll listen." She hugged him tightly, then ran upstairs.

From the second-floor landing, Melinda watched the scene with barely concealed jealousy. Her usually stern husband rarely smiled at her or Sandra-but with Andrea, he never held back his warmth.

Had he ever truly cared about her, his wife?

"Good evening, Auntie," Andrea greeted sweetly as they passed on the stairs.

Melinda smiled gently. "Go change and come down for dinner."

Once Andrea disappeared upstairs, Melinda's smile slowly faded. A chill crept into her eyes, replacing the warmth with something cold and calculating.

At dinner, Charles kept adding food to Andrea's plate until it formed a small mountain.

"Dad, if you keep feeding me like this, I'm going to turn into a little pig."

"A pig would still be adorable," he laughed. "You've lost weight. Here, have some soup."

He filled half her bowl with chicken soup, then poured some for Sandra and Darius as well.

"Thank you, Uncle Charles," Sandra said softly as she accepted the bowl.

Inside, bitterness surged through her chest.

No matter how hard she tried, she would never compare to his biological daughter.

...

The next day was Sunday-and also the day Andrea and Steven had planned to go out together.

She woke early, dressed herself beautifully, and calmly took in Sandra's barely hidden jealousy.

Just after nine, Steven arrived to pick her up. Dressed in a black overcoat, he looked refined and striking.

Andrea skipped toward him, her expression bright and innocent.

"Good morning."

"Good morning," he replied, his gaze so gentle it almost seemed to melt.

She smiled sweetly. With the nanny's help, she slipped on a white cape-like coat, looking like a porcelain doll. Grabbing her purse, she turned to Sandra.

"Sandra, are you sure you don't want to come? He's not a stranger. It'd be more fun with more people, right?"

She tilted her head toward Steven, eyes curved in a smile. "Don't you think so?"

For some reason, he felt the urge to ruffle her hair. But as his gaze swept over the Reed family's understated luxury, the thought faded.

He smiled politely. "Andrea's right. Sandra, why don't you join us?"

Sandra's eyes lit up.

'He called my name.'

Her heart raced. She wanted to shout yes-but when she saw Andrea secretly blink at her, looking almost pleading, she forced herself to calm down.

She smiled stiffly. "I already have plans with a friend. You two go ahead and have fun."

"That's a shame," Andrea said lightly, waving. "We'll be off then."

Steven nodded politely.

The moment they disappeared through the gate, Sandra grabbed a vase and smashed it onto the floor. Porcelain shattered as her beautiful face twisted with rage and jealousy.

"How long do I have to endure this?!" she screamed in the master bedroom.

"I liked him first! Why should I give him to that bitch Andrea?! I'm not willing-I'm not! He likes me too! We're meant to be together!"

Melinda pressed a finger hard against her forehead, furious.

"That poor boy again? What's so special about him? You're going to marry into a wealthy family someday. Stop wasting time on nobodies!"

"You can't say that!" Sandra shouted back.

"He may be poor now, but he's capable and ambitious! He'll succeed! I like men with drive!"

"Foolish!" Melinda snapped.

"No connections, no capital-no matter how hard he works, the best he'll ever be is a middle manager. He already lost at the starting line compared to real heirs."

She frowned, her patience wearing thin.

"Listen to me. With your stepfather's position, marrying into a wealthy family will be easy. Why cling to a poor man and make life harder for yourself?"

She paused, then added casually, "That Frederick Brown-he's interested in you, isn't he? He'd be much more suitable."

"Mom, Fredrick may be decent, but I don't like him!" Sandra clung to Melinda's arm, her voice soft and pleading. "The one I love is Steven. Please-help me..."

She lowered her voice, eyes glinting.

"Mom, if the Reed Corp were ours, we'd have money ourselves. Why would I need to marry into wealth and live under someone else's thumb?"

That sentence struck Melinda right in the heart.

After remarrying, she had married into money-but Charles was never the extravagant type. He wouldn't indulge her vanity or let her flaunt wealth recklessly. More than once, she'd been humiliated in front of other rich wives.

Once upon a time, she'd been a proper socialite herself. If not for her family's downfall... if not for her ex-husband's failure... why would she be reduced to reading another man's mood just to spend money?

Her expression darkened.

Sensing it, Sandra pressed harder.

"Mom, you've seen it yourself. No matter how hard we try, Uncle's favorite will always be Andrea. She's his biological daughter. He'll never leave us the inheritance."

She paused, then added softly,

"It used to be fine-Andrea was spoiled and reckless. We always thought she'd mess up eventually. But now? It's like she suddenly woke up. Look how happy Uncle is around her. Sometimes I even wonder... what if she's figured something out?"

Melinda's gaze sharpened. Her crimson nails dug into the edge of the table as she sneered.

"If we want to defeat Andrea, the first step is stripping her of Charles' protection. Once she loses his favor, what can she possibly do?"

Sandra's eyes lit up. "Mom... you have a plan?"

Melinda's nails scraped slow, deliberate lines across the tabletop. She leaned in and whispered into Sandra's ear, her eyes cold and venomous.

Sandra's lips curled into a delighted smile.

'Andrea... let's see how long you can stay so smug.'

The woman they were plotting against was currently dining with Steven at an upscale restaurant.

Andrea lowered her gaze, gracefully slicing into her steak. In her mind, each cut landed on Steven himself. Strangely enough, her mood lifted.

Love and hate really were separated by just a single thought.

In her previous life, she'd loved him to madness. If he so much as scraped his hand, her heart would ache. Now? Imagining how she might destroy him had become her favorite pastime.

"Andrea," Steven asked gently, "what do you usually like to do?"

She replied calmly, "Eat, sleep, study. Sometimes shop. Nothing special."

He froze.

He'd assumed this spoiled heiress was already interested in him-that she'd try to show off her charms or talk about refined hobbies. Even if she had none, she should've at least pretended.

Her answer was too straightforward.

Andrea neither noticed nor cared. She focused on her food, treating him as if he barely existed.

He tried again, bringing up a few more topics, but each one was met with a lukewarm response. The more she brushed him off, the more intrigued he became.

'So she's not the brainless, temperamental rich girl everyone talks about...'

When it came time to pay, Steven reached for his wallet, insisting on covering the bill.

Andrea stopped him and handed the waiter a gold card instead, smiling lightly.

"I said I was treating you. I can't very well let you pay."

He didn't push it further.

"It's still early. How about a movie?"

Her lips curved into a cool smile.

Last life, it had gone exactly the same way. Dinner, then a movie-a sentimental romance about childhood sweethearts. She'd cried her eyes out, and he'd gently wiped away her tears with a tissue.

That was the moment she'd fallen for him.

This time?

"I'm sorry," she said evenly. "I'm not feeling very well today. Maybe another time."

"Then let me take you home."

"No need. My driver's waiting outside."

He picked up his coat, intending to drape it over her shoulders. She took it from him casually and put it on herself.

Men were all the same.

The easier something was to get, the faster they got bored. The harder it was, the more obsessed they became. Especially men with ulterior motives-men who approached her with calculation.

Of course she wouldn't make it easy.

Distance. Temptation. Just enough warmth to keep him hooked.

That was how you drove someone crazy.

...

She returned home before four. Melinda and Sandra weren't around. The housekeeper said they'd gone out shopping after lunch.

After changing clothes, Ruby came in.

Ruby was the nanny's distant niece. Under her aunt's influence, she was fiercely loyal to Andrea. The two were close, calling each other by name in private.

"Andrea," Ruby whispered, lowering her voice. "I was cleaning Madam's room today and accidentally overheard her talking with the second young lady..."

She then repeated-word for word-everything she'd heard while hiding in the walk-in closet.

Andrea showed no reaction after hearing everything.

She'd expected Sandra not to give up on Steven so easily. In fact, that was perfect. The deeper Sandra's feelings ran, the harder she would fall.

In her previous life, Ruby had never overheard this conversation. Maybe her rebirth had already altered the course of events in subtle ways.

Seeing Andrea remain silent, Ruby grew anxious, thinking she'd been too shocked to speak.

"Andrea... are you okay?"

Andrea felt a flicker of warmth in her chest. She smiled gently.

"I'm fine, Ruby. Thank you for telling me."

"That's only right," Ruby said indignantly. "But those two are absolutely shameless. Should we tell Mr. Reed?"

"No." Andrea shook her head calmly. "We don't have concrete evidence. Even if we told my dad, he wouldn't act on it. And more importantly-I don't want to alert them."

Her eyes shifted slightly, and the smile at her lips turned chilling.

"I'm not afraid of them making a move. I'm afraid they won't."

Because when they strike, I will bury them alive.

Ruby stared at her, stunned. She almost thought she was seeing things. Andrea had always been willful, but kind-hearted. She'd never seen such a cold, dangerous smile on her face before.

"Ruby," Andrea said, taking her hand and speaking plainly, "I used to be foolish. I couldn't tell who was sincere and who was pretending. But now I see clearly. I won't let those people deceive me again."

She paused, her voice lowering.

"In this house, the only people I truly trust are you and Ms. Dorian. She's getting old-I don't want to drag her into this mess. Will you help me?"

Ruby bit her lip.

She wasn't well-educated, but she was observant. She'd long noticed that Melinda and her daughter were up to no good. Back then, both she and Ms. Dorian had tried to warn Andrea-but Andrea hadn't believed them.

Now that Andrea had finally woken up, Ruby had no hesitation at all.

Her gaze hardened with resolve.

"Andrea, my life is yours. I'll never betray you."

Andrea's eyes burned. She pulled Ruby into a tight hug.

"Thank you."

In her previous life, Ruby had been just as loyal. When the Reed family fell, the servants scattered one by one-but Ms. Dorian and Ruby had refused to leave, staying by her side through everything.

"I couldn't hear what they said at the very end," Ruby added anxiously. "They lowered their voices. What if we miss something important?"

Andrea smiled faintly-though the smile never reached her eyes.

"It's fine. I already have a pretty good idea of what they're planning."

...

Melinda and Sandra didn't return until evening, arms full of shopping bags.

Sandra pulled out two identical bottles of Chanel perfume and cheerfully held one out to Andrea.

"Andrea, this is Chanel's newest fragrance. One for you, one for me. At the Christmas masquerade, we'll wear the same scent. What do you think?"

It was an elegant, luxurious floral fragrance-soft, sensual, and intoxicating.

Andrea closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, smiling with delight.

"That's a brilliant idea! Other people wear matching outfits-we'll have matching perfume. Everyone's going to envy us."

"Then it's a deal," Sandra said sweetly.

Beneath her gentle smile, a flash of vicious intent flickered through her eyes.

...

Solandra University was one of the most prestigious schools in the country, and its Business Administration program was especially elite. Most students there came from influential families and would step straight into family enterprises after graduation.

They were proud, ambitious, and loved attention-so everyone went all out to shine at the academy's annual masquerade ball.

The ballroom glittered with opulence. Music flowed through the hall as well-bred sons and daughters of powerful families laughed and mingled, every movement exuding refinement.

Walking beside Sandra, Andrea smiled faintly.

"Sandra, you look beautiful tonight."

Sandra's black hair was swept up, her delicate face half-hidden behind a mask that revealed only her elegant nose and rosy lips. She wore a layered white gown as ethereal as a wedding dress, paired with crystal heels.

She looked every bit the perfect Snow White.

"You look great too, Andrea," Sandra replied politely-though inwardly she sneered.

'Dressed in black like that... does she think she's in The Matrix?'

"Wow-Andrea! That outfit is incredible," a man in a white tailcoat exclaimed as he approached them. "At this rate, I'm going to have to hand over my 'campus heartthrob' title to you."

A silver mask covered the upper half of his face, revealing a sharp jawline and a proud, straight nose. His beautiful eyes curved with charm as they fixed on Andrea, brimming with unmistakable interest.

Andrea propped her chin on her slender fingers and smiled lazily.

"Ethan... it's only been a few days, and you're already even more devastatingly charming."

Ethan was infamous at Solandra University-a rich playboy with a reputation for changing girlfriends faster than outfits. He'd set his sights on Andrea not long ago, but she'd never given him a second glance. Now that her attitude had suddenly shifted, how could he not be thrilled?

The heat in his eyes intensified.

He casually took two glasses of red wine from a passing server, handed one to her, and gently swirled the other. His smile turned playful.

"To be praised by Miss Reed herself... I could die happy. Would you do me the honor of sharing the first dance with me tonight?"

From start to finish, Ethan never spared Sandra a single look.

She was practically exploding with rage.

With her looks, she was usually the center of attention at every ball. This was the first time she'd been ignored so completely-like she didn't even exist.

"I'd be delighted," Andrea replied smoothly, clinking her glass against his and taking a small sip.

The moment she swallowed the wine, Sandra's eyes turned icy.

'Perfect. Andrea... just wait. Hell is waiting for you.'

She shot Ethan a venomous glance.

'You blind fool. Go to ruin with her.'

...

Steven searched through the glittering crowd for a long time before he finally saw her.

Andrea was dancing with a man in a white suit.

Her sleek black outfit clung to her curves-tight black top, leather jacket, fitted shorts outlining long, toned legs, knee-high boots emphasizing every step. She wore no mask. Her expression was cool and distant, eyes half-lidded, chin slightly raised, her pale skin glowing coldly under the lights.

Black and white figures moved together across the dance floor-bold, passionate, flawless.

The entire hall watched.

A mixture of awe, envy, and jealousy followed them like a tide.

Steven stared, unblinking.

Every time he saw her, she felt different-proud, playful, seductive, aloof. Which one was real? Or were they all?

She was like a poppy-beautiful, dangerous, intoxicating. And the closer he got, the deeper the addiction sank.

A few steps away, Sandra noticed his fixation. Her fingers tightened around her wineglass until they turned pale.

'He's mine.'

She downed the rest of her drink, set the glass aside, and walked toward him with deliberate grace.

The music ended to thunderous applause.

Ethan lifted an eyebrow, smiling.

"Miss Reed, tonight, you're undeniably the queen of the ball."

Andrea glanced toward the dance floor, where Sandra and Steven had just stepped into the spotlight. Her lips curved faintly.

"Mr. Grimm, are you complimenting me... or yourself?"

He leaned closer, subtly blocking her view. Her fragrance lingered at his nose.

"Then tell me-would you be my queen?"

Her brows lifted slightly, her smile unreadable.

"No. I already like someone else."

His expression darkened instantly.

"The man dancing with your sister?"

Andrea chuckled softly but didn't answer. She turned and walked away, her black-clad figure weaving through the crowd like the center of the universe.

Ethan watched her retreat, his face hidden behind the mask-but his eyes were frozen solid.

No woman had ever dismissed him like that.

'Steven? So he thinks he can steal from me? '

'He's courting death!'