Early in the morning, all the luxury brands delivered the current season's haute couture straight to the manor for Winnie to choose.

Winnie deliberately held up a backless gown in front of Sebastian to show it. "Donna Quinn, is this too revealing? Don Quinn dislikes women wearing too little outside. Only you weren't too particular about such things."

I sat by the window drinking coffee, glancing briefly before saying, "Don Quinn did dislike it before, but since he now cares about you, maybe his taste has changed."

Sebastian heard this, and his face darkened. He sneered and ordered Winnie to try on the gowns.

After trying on the gowns, Winnie said coquettishly, "Don Quinn, I'm a little hungry after trying on these dresses for so long. I heard there's top-quality caviar in the kitchen. It was shipped by the shipping line you chartered specifically for Donna Quinn."

My fingertips trembled slightly. That was the shipping line Sebastian had specially commissioned at great expense for me because I was picky with food.

I thought Sebastian would at least hesitate a little, but he did not even look up. He merely flipped through a magazine page casually. "If you want it, just have someone get it. No need to ask about such trivial matters. You know everything I have is yours now."

After the chef brought the caviar over, Winnie took a bite, immediately frowned, and spat it onto the napkin. "It's so fishy. ​​Don Quinn, is this spoiled?"

Sebastian looked at me with disgust. "Nicola, what are you thinking? You fed her rotten food?"

Confronted with Sebastian's scolding, I calmly picked up my spoon and gracefully took a bite of the caviar they had turned down right in front of him and Winnie.

I swallowed my food and looked at Sebastian. "The caviar just arrived this morning. It's not that it went bad, but Don Quinn's taste has become cheap these days."

Sebastian's grip on the glass tightened immediately.

Seeing this, Winnie's eyes immediately reddened, and she threw herself into Sebastian's arms. "I'm too narrow-minded; I've embarrassed Don Quinn."

Sebastian wiped away Winnie's tears. "Vision is linked to power. Since Nicola doesn't care, you'll be in charge of the manor's expenses from now on."

Sebastian thought I would make a fuss and beg for mercy, but I calmly answered, "Perfect. I'm tired of managing these trivial matters anyway. Since she likes to manage them, let her do it then."

With the housekeepers watching, I swiftly took out a card from my wallet, gently placed it on the table, and pushed it toward Winnie. "Since you're managing the expenses, this card should also belong to you."

Sebastian had been waiting for me to soften and plead for forgiveness, but he never expected me to not only stay unfazed but also to cut off my own financial support.

The sneer on Sebastian's lips instantly froze. He icily ordered George, "Report all matters to Winnie from now on. Also, Donna Quinn cannot leave the manor without my permission."

I looked calmly at Sebastian and made my final request, "Since I have nothing to do at home, I'd like to visit my parents' graves at the cemetery in the western suburbs tomorrow."

Sebastian paused and then turned around to scrutinize me. He assumed I was going to my parents' graves to weep, so a flicker of vengeful satisfaction and contempt flickered in his eyes. He waved his hand dismissively, "Go ahead, but I'll have someone follow you."

I lowered my head, concealing the indifference in my eyes.

Six months ago, I had already transferred all the Scott family's hidden assets through Ethan.

The cards and the people were no longer my concern.

It drizzled in the early morning.

I put on a black dress and stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, looking out at the grey sky outside.

"Donna Quinn, the car is ready." George stood at the door, followed by two Soldati.

I nodded, took an umbrella, and walked out of the manor. The two Soldati sent by Sebastian flanked me.

The car stopped at the entrance of the cemetery in the western suburbs.

I walked up to my parents' tombstones and slowly knelt down.

White daisies were placed in front of the tombstones. The Soldati stood five meters away, holding the umbrella and watching my every move.

"Dad, Mom, I came to see you," I muttered, gently touching my father's name on the tombstone. "I'm sorry for letting you down. I failed to protect the Scott family and myself."

The sound of the rain grew louder, almost drowning out my voice.

Just then, a tall man in a black windbreaker held an umbrella and walked to the neighboring tombstone. He bent over and placed a bunch of white roses, slowly and devoutly.

It was Ethan.

I did not look up and kept speaking in a low tone. Ethan finished paying his respect and turned to go. As he walked by me, his foot slipped on the wet moss, and he bumped into my shoulder hard.

"Sorry," he mumbled.

In that moment, a microcapsule was slipped into the inner pocket of my trench coat.

"It's alright," I said, helping myself to my feet against the tombstone and brushing the dirt off my clothes.

Ethan nodded, opened his umbrella, and disappeared into the rain.

The Soldati assumed it was an accident and did not think much of it.

I knelt for another half hour until my knees were numb with cold before finally getting up to leave.

It was noon when I returned to the manor.

I had just reached the master bedroom door when I noticed it was ajar, and I could hear Winnie's voice from inside.

I pushed the door open.

Winnie stood in front of my dressing table. She wore an emerald pendant around her neck; it was a keepsake from my mother. I rarely wore it, keeping it locked in a safe. Only Sebastian and I knew the combination.

"Donna Quinn is back?" Winnie smiled smugly when she saw me. "Don Quinn told me to wear it to the banquet tomorrow night. The color is beautiful; it goes perfectly with my dress."

I stood in the doorway, staring at the pendant around her neck. It was the one my mother had placed around my neck before she died. She held my hand, telling me to keep it safe.

"Take it off," I walked over.

Winnie froze, her smile stiffening. "Why are you so fierce, Donna Quinn… I'll give it back to you."

She reached for her clasp, but her fingers "accidentally" slipped. The emerald pendant flew from her hand and slammed to the floor.

With a crisp crack, the pendant shattered into pieces and scattered across the floor.

Looking at the wreckage, my blood froze.

Slap! I raised my hand and slapped Winnie across the face. I used a lot of force, so Winnie's fair cheek instantly turned red and swollen.

"Ah! I didn't mean it!" Winnie covered her face and screamed as tears poured out.

Footsteps came from the stairwell.

Sebastian strode into the room. Seeing the mess on the floor and Winnie crying, he shielded her behind him before turning around to look at me. "Nicola! What's wrong with you? It's just an old pendant."

I crouched down, my hands trembling as I picked up the shards. The sharp edges cut my fingertips, dripping blood onto the emerald fragments. "Sebastian, have you forgotten?"

I looked up at him, adding hoarsely, "This is a keepsake from my mother."

Sebastian stiffened, a flicker of panic in his eyes. However, he quickly looked at Winnie behind him, and that guilt vanished instantly. He impatiently loosened his tie. "Haven't I bought you enough jewelry all these years you've been the Donna?"

I said nothing and only stared intently at the shards on the floor.

Sebastian pulled out his checkbook, scribbled down a string of numbers, and threw it at me. "Alright, here's five million dollars; enough to buy ten of these junks. Take the money and go back to your room. Don't get in Winnie's way."

The check fluttered to the ground, joining the shattered emerald pieces.

Holding Winnie in his arms, Sebastian slammed the door and left.

I knelt on the floor, picking up the shattered emerald pieces one by one. Blood flowed from my fingertips, staining my palms red.

Nicola Scott would not exist again after tonight.

On the evening of the dinner party, luxury cars were parked at the manor entrance.

Sebastian was dressed in a suit and tie, holding Winnie's hand as they walked down the stairs.

The haute couture gown was dazzling, but the faint slap mark on her cheek made her look a bit comical.

Sebastian stood at the top of the stairs, looking up at me.

"You should reflect on your actions at home. You can go out again when you learn to be magnanimous."

Winnie waved to me from downstairs. "Donna Quinn, don't worry. I'll take care of Don Quinn for you, and I'll also enjoy tonight's applause for you."

I nodded calmly. "Okay, I wish you a pleasant evening."

After Sebastian left, someone locked the door of the master bedroom on the second floor and removed all the communication devices.

The motorcade roared away, and the manor fell into a deathly silence.

I took out a mini phone from the closet and sent a text message to the encrypted number.

Nicola: [Start the operation.]

The signed divorce agreement was placed in a prominent position, with the shattered emerald pendant lying on top of it.

My fingertips touched the cold pendant, and suddenly I remembered the question Sebastian asked me.

Why did I not care about him? I cared. Seven years ago, I loved him more than anyone else.

I had been with him at the poker table where I could be shot at any moment and on the high seas where countless desperados surrounded the ship. In the end, all I got was his scandals, his lover's explicit photos, and the endless ridicule of others.

When I questioned him, Sebastian's explanation was always just a dismissive statement: "I love you, but it's impossible to demand that the Don have only one woman."

"Sebastian, I gave you love; you rejected it yourself." I said inwardly.

Without hesitation, I swallowed the capsule Ethan gave me.

A sharp, agonizing pain instantly struck me, and my internal organs churned. I gritted my teeth and knocked over the candlestick beside the bed in my last moments before losing consciousness.

Flames engulfed the carpet, and the smoke alarm blared.

Upon hearing the alarm and a loud crash, the Soldati outside burst through the door in a frantic rush. They found me on the floor, with the fire starting to spread.

"Quick! Call an ambulance! Notify Don Quinn!"

A Soldato checked my breath and trembled in fear.

My face was deathly pale, with no breath or pulse.

The ambulance arrived incredibly quickly.

The paramedics rushed in, swiftly lifted me onto a stretcher, and displayed the pre-prepared electrocardiogram to the Soldati—it was too late.

At the dinner party, Sebastian was clinking glasses with a European arms dealer, arrogantly declaring, "The Scott family's original shipping routes have all been converted into channels suitable for transporting firearms."

Other mafia members were toasting Sebastian. They openly discussed the illegal mining share in South America, praising Sebastian's ruthlessness and how he had tripled production as soon as he took over.

Sebastian's phone vibrated incessantly.

He hung up impatiently, but the caller called again. Sebastian picked up angrily. "I told you not to bother me unless the sky falls!"

A Soldato's trembling voice came from the other end of the line. "Don Quinn, the manor is on fire. The doctor announced Donna Quinn dead at the scene!"

Crack. The champagne glass in Sebastian's hand fell to the ground.

The surrounding guests' laughter instantly blurred. His mind went blank as he roared, "What nonsense are you spouting?"

Winnie tried to grab him, but Sebastian shoved her away violently, causing her to fall heavily to the ground. Her pale hand instantly scraped the ground, drawing red blood.

Ignoring the uproar, he stormed out of the hall like a lunatic.

By this time, I was already lying on a private medical jet bound for Zurich.

Ethan sat beside me, watching the heart rate curve on the monitor return to normal while tightly holding my icy hand. He whispered, "Nicola, welcome back. You're free from now on."