Hearing Verena's words, Lanny's expression darkened. "You're drunk."

Before she could react, he moved as if to lift her in his arms.

"Don't touch me!" Verena shoved his hand away, then lazily traced her fingers over the model's abs. "Professor Williams, I had no idea you're such a romantic. You'd go this far for the one you love?"

Lanny's gaze fixed on her hand. "Verena, don't push me."

She sipped her drink, ignoring him.

"Bethany saved my mother's life. That's the only connection we have," Lanny said, the patience on his face fading. "This is the last time I'll ask you—are you coming home or not?"

Since they had gotten together, Lanny had set strict rules. Verena had to be home before nine, no gatherings with her friends, all her sexy clothes discarded.

If she slipped up, he would sleep in the guest room and go a month without speaking to her.

Verena had always feared Lanny's silent coldness. Sometimes she would arrive just on time and feel her chest tighten under his sharp gaze.

When she loved him, she tread carefully.

But now? She was ready to let go, and his words meant nothing.

She said calmly, "Just so you know, you don't need to show up for the wedding on the 28th."

"Repeat that after you've sobered up," he said, expression blank, then lifted her over his shoulder.

"Lanny! You jerk! Let go of me!"

Verena struggled, punching his chest. "I'm serious! You're with me only because you're afraid I'd go after the man Bethany likes? Relax. Even if we break up, I don't care about arranged marriages…"

"Shut up, you're too noisy," Lanny said, tossing her into the back seat.

The ride left her head heavy, her body tingling with chills.

By the time they got home, she was feverish. Lanny placed her on the bed and fed her a pill.

The next morning, she woke to an empty side of the bed.

"You're awake," Lanny said, pushing the door open and brushing her forehead with the back of his hand. "You're still running a fever. I'm taking you to the hospital."

Verena opened her mouth to refuse, but his phone rang.

"Hello?"

After a brief conversation, Lanny's neutral expression shifted, first to surprise, then to relief. "I understand. I'll head there now!"

Hanging up, he added, "Bethany's awake. I'll go check on her. You take a cab."

Watching him leave, Verena felt a chill creep into her chest.

Suddenly, she didn't want to tell him about the wedding cancellation.

Why not string him along, toy with him, and make him chase an empty wedding day?

A sly smile curved Verena's lips.

...

At the Rehab Center.

Lanny rushed in and saw Bethany sitting up on the bed, dazed.

Their eyes met.

Her face lit up. "Lanny…"

He had barely stepped closer when Bethany wrapped her arms tightly around his waist.

"I thought I'd never see you again," she whispered through sobs.

Lanny's mother, Marilyn Williams, who had arrived just then, watched the scene unfold.

"Bethany, you're finally awake!" Marilyn's eyes glistened with tears. "We were worried sick these past two years while you were in a coma. And you don't even know, Lanny's wedding is in ten days."

"What?"

Bethany looked at Lanny, stunned.

"He's marrying your sister, Verena. Our family has always valued refinement and proper manners. Verena's bold, reckless nature makes her completely unsuitable for Lanny," Nash sighed. "You saved my life once, and I've always hoped you'd be part of our family. But your heart belongs elsewhere…"

"Mom," Lanny interrupted gently. "Bethany just woke up. She needs rest."

He led his mother out. When he returned, he saw Bethany staring at him with a strange expression.

"Are you okay? Do you feel unwell?" he asked, moving to call a doctor.

"Lanny, about my accident, it actually had something to do with Verena."

Lanny's eyes narrowed.

"She always claimed I took away the love our father was supposed to give her…" Bethany continued, her face turning pained. "Even while I was in a coma, I could hear things. Dad said he wouldn't press charges, because the person who caused it was Verena. Mom even argued with him about it."

Lanny fell silent.

He knew Verena could be wild and headstrong, but he never expected her to be this cruel to her own half-sister.

"I'll make Verena answer for it," he said, clenching his fists.

Bethany shook her head. "It's in the past. She's my sister. You can't really send her to jail…"

The word "jail" made Lanny's brow tighten.

He hadn't planned on punishing Verena so harshly, just holding her accountable.

"Mom said if Verena admits her mistake and apologizes, she won't pursue it any further," Bethany continued with a bitter smile. "You know Verena, she won't apologize easily…"

"Don't worry. I'll handle it," Lanny said in a cold voice.

Back at home, the house was empty.

It wasn't until evening that Verena returned, looking exhausted, her hand still bearing the IV bandage.

She snapped at the person on the phone, "She woke up—what's it to me? That illegitimate brat can never be my sister."

Hanging up, she headed upstairs.

"Bethany's accident was your fault," Lanny said coldly.

Verena froze, then laughed incredulously. "Are you serious?"

Lanny didn't reply.

He walked over, grabbed her hands, and shoved her into the guest room next door.

"You—"

Before she could react, the door clicked shut.

A sharp, heavy floral scent hit her nose.

She turned, seeing the room packed with fresh flowers.

"You're crazy! I'm allergic to pollen!" Verena shouted and pounded the door as her skin began to itch.

"Apologize to the cameras in the room," Lanny's deep voice said through the crack. "Admit that you caused Bethany's accident, and promise never to bother her again."

Verena's eyes widened in disbelief. "Why should I apologize for something I didn't do? Open the door!"

She pounded on it, thumping again and again, feeling suffocated by the overwhelming scent of pollen in the room.

Her skin was already flushed, red rashes spreading across her arms.

"Lanny, you bastard! Let me out! I can't breathe…" Verena screamed, her body slowly going limp.

In the living room, Lanny watched the surveillance feed on the phone, his expression unchanged.

"Why are you so stubborn, Verena?" he asked, taking a deep breath. "If you apologize, Bethany will drop any legal claims. Do you want to go to jail?"

"I didn't hit Bethany… why won't you believe me…" Verena's weak voice drifted out.

Lanny's brows knitted slightly, but he didn't soften.

"You're reckless and headstrong. If I don't let you learn your lesson now, you'll end up in even bigger trouble later."

He thought of all the complaints his mother had about Verena and decided this would be a good opportunity to discipline her.

"You'll come out when you admit your mistake," he said, then went upstairs.

In his study, Lanny worked while glancing at the surveillance every now and then. Verena was still lying on the floor, muttering curses under her breath.

He shook his head in exasperation.

At midnight, after finishing a sudden meeting, he realized he hadn't checked the feed in hours.

Picking up his phone, he saw that Verena had passed out.

Her pale cheeks and neck were covered in dense red rashes…

Lanny's heart twinged sharply.

He rushed downstairs and opened the guest room door. A suffocating floral scent hit him immediately.

"Why… won't you behave?" he sighed, lifting her into his arms and driving swiftly to the hospital.

Verena was rushed into the ER.

An hour later, a doctor emerged.

"The patient went into severe anaphylactic shock from a respiratory allergy. If she had arrived an hour later, she wouldn't have made it."

Lanny stiffened.

He had only meant to give her a small lesson. He hadn't expected it to be this serious.

In the hospital room, Verena remained unconscious.

Lanny tucked the blankets around her and stayed by her side all night.

When dawn broke, he rubbed his temples and went downstairs to get her breakfast.

Passing a VIP ward, he paused..

"Bethany, your cousin didn't do it on purpose. And now he's overseas, so there's no way we can pursue it legally…"

"I deserved to be hit and end up a vegetable?!" Bethany's shouted reply echoed.

Lanny pushed open the door and met her tearful eyes. "So Verena didn't hit you?

The room fell silent for a second. "…I… must have misheard while I was unconscious," Bethany stammered.

Seeing her guilt and helplessness, Lanny nodded. "Rest well."

He decided not to tell Bethany about Verena's allergic shock, or she would only blame herself.

Returning to Verena's room, he saw that she had awakened.

"About last night—"

Smack!

Before he could finish, Verena slapped him hard across the face.

"Get out!" she yelled, grabbing a vase from the bedside and smashing it against his head.

Crash!

Glass shattered.

Blood ran down Lanny's forehead.

He winced at the sharp sting. "Last night was a misunderstanding. As compensation, I canceled my symposium. Everything for the wedding will follow your plan."

Verena scoffed.

How many simps had she tolerated before he got so arrogant?

Rolling her eyes, she said, "Finished? Then get out already."

"I'm leaving for a business trip in a few days. Behave and don't cause trouble."

Lanny, knowing she was still angry, turned and walked out.

The room fell silent.

Verena shivered at the memory of being suffocated by pollen the night before, heart still racing.

She couldn't believe Lanny could be such a brute.

But how did he already know it was a misunderstanding after just one night?

Never mind.

Verena didn't want to think too much.

Over the next few days, she stayed in the hospital, working on her designs with her laptop.

Three days later, a charity gala hosted by a world-renowned jewelry brand was set to showcase the latest works of designers.

"Finally…" Verena exhaled, satisfied with her final designs. She changed clothes and prepared to check out.

Returning to her room, she saw Lanny and Bethany together.

"Lanny, I lied back then when I said I liked Vernon," Bethany said, stepping forward to hug him. "You don't need to marry someone you don't love for me."

Then she tiptoed and pressed a soft kiss on his lips. "Can we be together?"

Lanny fell silent.

His Adam's apple bobbed.

His hand hesitated as if he wanted to push her away, but he didn't.

With a loud bang, Verena kicked the door open.

She sneered at the two of them clinging together. "Couldn't afford a hotel room, so you have to get frisky everywhere in my room?"

Almost instinctively, Lanny stepped in front of Bethany. "Watch your words."

"What? Am I wrong?" Verena scoffed, shoving them toward the door. "Stop disgusting me!"

Bethany stumbled and hit her head on the doorframe.

"Ah!" she screamed, then passed out.

"Verena! Her brain already has a clot. You're trying to kill her?!"

Lanny's voice shook with fear and anger.

He scooped up the unconscious girl, glancing at Verena with utter disappointment. "You really are hopeless."

Verena froze.

Seeing the cold sharpness in Lanny's eyes, the kiss between him and Bethany, her heart slowly cooled.

Once she decided to let go, she realized she wouldn't hurt or mourn over a man anymore.

One man wasn't worth all that pain.

Verena drew a deep breath and packed her laptop into her bag.

Then she froze.

Why was her laptop open to her jewelCAD software?

She was sure she had closed it before leaving the ward.

Did she misremember?

She scratched her head and didn't think too much of it.

Just as she stepped out, her phone rang. It was the wedding planner.

"Miss Johnson, we've canceled the wedding scheduled for five days from now. Would you like to reschedule?"

"No need, " Verena said, ending the call.

From now on, she and Lanny would walk their separate paths. Forget marriage, they weren't even friends anymore.

For several days straight, Lanny stayed at the hospital to take care of Bethany. He never once came home.

Meanwhile, Verena packed up everything she owned, booked a moving truck, and then bought a ticket to Eurendale. She needed a real break, far away from all this mess.

In minutes, her closet was half-empty. All that remained were Lanny's suits, shirts, and neatly arranged ties.

Soon, the night of the charity gala arrived.

The ballroom glittered with gowns, tuxedos, champagne, and perfectly practiced smiles.

Verena hadn't expected to run into Bethany here.

As the event's guest jewelry designer, Verena was seated beside the brand's CEO, a clear sign of status and respect.

Before long, it was time to present the designers' works.

Several jewelry pieces flashed onto the massive screen.

Just as the host was about to introduce them, the entire room stiffened. There were two identical designs.

One was credited to Verena, and the other was Bethany.

"Someone must've uploaded the wrong image."

"But they look identical, even the micro-diamond layout is the same!"

"So who copied who?"

Whispers spread like wildfire, slipping through the crowd in seconds.

After checking backstage, the host returned with an awkward smile. "It appears both designers submitted these themselves. Sometimes creative inspiration overlaps…"

Verena rose from her seat. "That's my design. She copied me."

Her icy gaze locked onto Bethany.

"Miss Johnson, that's an unfair accusation," Bethany retorted calmly. "Before my accident, I won an international award for emerging designers. You say I plagiarized you? Do you have proof?"

"Of course." Verena smiled faintly. "I can produce every 3D draft and revision I've made. Can you?"

She opened her laptop, scrolling through the design software.

But the folder that should have contained dozens of draft files was completely empty.

Verena froze.

Tension crept through the whole ballroom.

"Miss Johnson, still looking?" Bethany scoffed.

She connected her laptop to the big screen. Moments later, her own "drafts" appeared.

She looked at the sketches on the screen, each one refined and reworked countless times, then said, "Inspiration doesn't come easy. You can steal a file, sure… but you can't steal talent."

A wave of shock rippled across the hall.

People glanced at Verena with mixed pity and criticism.

"My inspiration came from my father. When I was little, he won me a toy necklace at a carnival. I've kept it all these years," Bethany continued as she gave Verena a sweet, mocking smile. "Some people who've never known a father's love, I suppose they'll never understand."

Verena clenched her jaw. Bethany had struck precisely where it hurt deliberately.

But Verena never cared about that deadbeat man's affection.

"You claim this is your design?" Verena asked, walked up to the screen, and zoomed in on the 3D model.

Enlarged over and over, the pendant finally revealed two faint letters.

VJ.

"I always embed my initials into my drafts," Verena said coldly. "So tell me, are you Verena Johnson? Or do you admire me so much you put my initials in your 'original' design?"

Bethany was speechless.

Her lips parted slightly as she stared at the giant screen, her mind going completely blank. She couldn't form a single word.

Her silence said everything.

At this moment, the brand's CEO stood up, expression dark. "We are a century-old luxury jewelry house. We respect originality and condemn plagiarism in all forms. Please escort Miss Nash out."

"I—"

Bethany struggled, but security was already walking her out in disgrace.

The gala ended past ten.

In the parking garage, Verena spotted Bethany still there, clearly waiting for her.

"You stole the drafts from my hospital room that day, didn't you?" Verena demanded. "Shameless much?"

"The shameless one is you." Bethany's eyes burned. "You seduced Lanny while I was unconscious. Can't live without a man, is that it? Even a man I didn't want isn't yours to take!"

Verena shrugged. "No interest in Lanny anymore. You can have him."

"Gladly," Bethany said as she stepped closer, voice dropping dangerously. "The hotel staff said the security cameras here are broken. Not fixed yet."

Before Verena could process those words, Bethany splashed something across her.

Gasoline.

In the next heartbeat, Bethany flicked a lighter to Verena's hair.

With a fwoom, flames roared to life, scorching through the dimness of the parking lot.