It wasn't until the party really got underway that I realized how attentive Daniel was to Serena.

He pulled out her chair and blew on the hot toasts for her. When her strap slipped, he set it back in place with a light touch on her shoulder.

None of that was ever for me. In the two years I'd been with Daniel, he never once did those things for me of his own accord.

I used to think that was simply his nature—cool, controlled, above such small courtesies. But it wasn't. He just wouldn't do them for me.

In ten days, Belcaster would be behind me. And with it, any chance of him treating me that way.

I held my glass of champagne, listening as Serena laughed softly and chatted with the other guests.

She spoke about recuperating in Norvane and how she'd missed Belcaster—every line polished, graceful, perfectly right.

Beside me, a woman whispered, "Rena's such a lovely young woman. With Daniel doting on her like that, the two of them are bound to end up together."

My grip tightened on the glass stem.

The host bounded up to lift the mood. "Alright, everybody, game time! We'll do a this-or-that round!"

As the big screen flared on, the host explained the rules. "Two photos will appear on the screen, and you pick the one you prefer. Mr. Falkner, since you're the guest of honor tonight, you're up first!"

First up was a pair of red wines. Without the slightest hesitation, Daniel chose the one on the left—the lower-alcohol one.

"Rena can't drink anything too strong," he explained.

The room whooped.

Next came two bouquets—roses and lilies.

Daniel picked the lilies. "Rena prefers white flowers."

The third pair showed two getaway spots—Maravea and Veylund.

"Veylund. Rena needs fresh air to recuperate," he said.

Every pick he made was about Serena.

I watched Daniel on stage and thought about our two years together. He never asked what I liked. He never remembered what I loved to eat or where I loved to go.

The host's voice rang out, brimming with excitement. "And now, the final round! This one's a little special—two beautiful ladies!"

The big screen lit with two photos.

On the left was Serena, in a white dress. She was smiling softly in a garden, looking as pure as an angel. On the right was a photo of me, in a red evening dress at a party, my gaze bold and blazing.

The room went quiet.

All eyes turned to Daniel. He stood on stage, staring at the screen, saying nothing for a few seconds.

Those seconds felt like centuries to me. I knew he'd choose Serena. Still, I clung to one last, fragile hope that he might pick me, even if it was just for show, or out of pity.

Daniel's voice came over the microphone. "I choose… Rena."

The room erupted in loud applause and good-natured jeers. I set my champagne down, turned on my heel, and bolted out of the private room.

In the restroom, I faced the mirror and drew deep breaths, trying to calm myself. I shouldn't have expected anything from the start.

Once I'd pulled myself together, I headed back out, ready to return to the private room.

The hallway was dim, shadows pooling in the corners. I had just turned the corner when a few drunk men blocked my way.

One of them staggered closer, reeking of liquor. "Hey, pretty thing. All alone? How about a drink with us?"

I stepped back. "Move."

Another reached for me. "Don't be so cold. We just wanna get to know you."

I kept backing up and, out of the corner of my eye, caught sight of Daniel standing in the doorway of the private room. He was talking to a guest.

I shot him a pleading look.

Daniel saw me. His expression darkened, and he made his way toward me.

Just then, a cry of pain rang out from inside the room. "Ouch! My foot…"

Daniel spun around to find Serena clinging to a chair, her face white as a sheet.

He hurried to her. "What happened?"

With tears gathering in her eyes, she looked heartbreakingly delicate. "I think I twisted my ankle."

Daniel crouched at once to check her ankle, forgetting I was there in the hallway.

Serena whispered something to him, and without even looking back, he said, "Don't worry about her. She'll handle it herself."

Right then, something in me died.

I snatched a bottle of red wine from the table beside me and smashed it against the wall. With a bang, shards flew, and the drunk men were startled.

I raised the broken bottle, its jagged mouth aimed at them. "Get lost!"

They saw the menace in my eyes and slunk off at once.

Shards dug into my palm, blood pattering onto the floor. I stared at the gash, felt the sharp burn, and told myself it was nothing.

…

After the party, I stood alone at the club entrance, waiting for a ride.

Daniel came out, guiding Serena forward at a slow pace. She spotted me and came over.

"Freya, I'm really sorry about earlier. I suddenly twisted my ankle. That's why Danny couldn't be there for you. But it looks like you handled it well."

Her gaze dropped to my injured hand, smugness flickering in her eyes.

I let out a cold laugh. "Yeah. I've always been good at handling things on my own."

Serena's smile was all sugar. "That's good. Honestly, I worried a little when Danny brought you here tonight. After all, you two…"

"What?"

She leaned in, her voice barely above a whisper. "You don't actually think Danny has any special feelings for you, do you? Freya, he only pities you. You're homeless now, and he's letting you stay out of kindness. That's all."

"Is that so?"

A flicker of malice showed in her eyes. "Of course. You saw the game tonight. Danny's heart has room for only me. He's been that way since high school and will never change."

Just then, a black sedan veered out of control, hurtling straight at us.

Daniel reacted instantly, lunging forward to pull Serena into his arms and shielding her. The car plowed into me, slamming me to the ground.

My mind went hazy when the car hit me. Pain flooded every part of me, but worse was the despair of being utterly abandoned.

Fragments of memory flashed through my mind.

Daniel sat behind his desk the first time we met, his gold-rimmed glasses catching a cold gleam. I tried to provoke him, and he didn't so much as flinch.

The first time he pinned me beneath him, he called me "princess" in that rough, husky voice.

I mistook it for love. Night after night, in his arms with his heartbeat in my ear, I believed I'd finally found home.

Then everything froze at that very moment from just seconds earlier.

Daniel lunged toward Serena, sweeping her into his arms without a second's hesitation. And me? I was just a stray soul, discarded in the path of danger.

…

I was lying in a hospital bed when I opened my eyes again. The room was so quiet I could hear Daniel talking on the phone.

"Rena, does it still hurt?"

His voice was so gentle it felt unfamiliar.

Serena answered in a weak voice, "Much better. Thank you, Danny. If you hadn't caught me in time, I might have…"

Daniel tried to calm her. "Don't dwell on it. The doctor said you were just shaken up. No external injuries."

"Danny, if we had to do it over, you'd still save me first, right?"

Daniel didn't hesitate. "Of course."

"But Freya was hit…"

Daniel's tone stayed even. "She has no reason to be upset. I'd naturally help the more vulnerable person first in an emergency. She knows that."

I shut my eyes, as if a knife had been driven straight through my heart. So in his eyes, I didn't even have the right to be angry.

I heard footsteps, and the privacy curtain was drawn back.

Daniel stood at my bedside. Seeing I was awake, he showed not a flicker of guilt. "Awake?"

I answered with a hum, my voice hoarse.

"The doctor says it's just a mild concussion. There are also some scrapes on your leg, nothing serious. I've arranged for the best team, and I'll stay for the next few days to look after you."

Staring at the ceiling, I said, "Thanks. I'll pay you back for the medical bills in ten days."

Daniel frowned. "What are you talking about? In ten days?"

I turned my head toward him. "I said I'd pay you back for the medical bills. And the cost of staying at your house, I'll settle those, too."

His face went a little stiff. "Freya, you don't need to settle anything with me."

My voice stayed calm. "Why not? We don't have any relationship to begin with, do we?"

The room fell silent for a few seconds.

Daniel seemed about to say something, but all he gave me was, "Get some rest."

He really did stay at the hospital to look after me over the next few days. He'd come by on schedule to check on me, make sure the nurses gave me my medication on time, and even feed me himself.

But I kept my distance—no tears, no fuss, no pouting, no tantrums. I treated him like a kindly stranger, polite yet detached.

Daniel seemed unsettled by it.

…

That third afternoon, Daniel sat at my bedside, watching me flip through a magazine.

"Freya," he said.

I didn't look up. "Yeah?"

"About that night…" Daniel hesitated. "I saved Rena first, not because I didn't want to save you. She isn't in good health. She couldn't have withstood the impact. It was the best choice—"

I set the magazine down and cut him off. "I know."

Daniel studied me, something unreadable flickering in his eyes. "You're really not angry?" he asked.

"Is that what you want?"

Just then, a commotion broke out in the hallway.

"Hurry! Get her into the ER!"

"What happened?"

"Ms. Jarman fell down the stairs. She's badly hurt!"

Daniel's expression shifted at once. He shot to his feet and said in a rush, "I have to take care of something."

He glanced back from the doorway. "I'll come see you later."

I listened to his hurried footsteps fade down the hall and closed my eyes, exhausted.

Once again, Serena had managed to pull Daniel away from me. And I didn't even have the strength to fight for him anymore.

Anyway, he'd be free to be with Serena openly in a week.

I woke from a deep sleep to a sharp sting in my arm. When I looked down, bright red blood had backed up into the clear IV tubing.

I pressed the call button by the bed.

A nurse walked in, frowning at the tubing. "How come no one's keeping an eye on you? Where's your boyfriend?"

"He's not my boyfriend. He had to leave," I said evenly.

"How long ago?" she asked as she changed the IV.

I looked at the clock on the wall. It was 2:00 am. Daniel had left at 7:00 pm. It had already been seven hours.

"A long time," I said.

The nurse shook her head. "That's just how the rich are. All they care about is appearances. When it counts, they are never around."

After she finished, I couldn't fall back asleep.

By dawn, I decided to get out of bed and stretch my legs. I pushed the IV pole into the hallway and overheard two nurses whispering to each other.

"That young woman in the VIP ward is fortunate. Her boyfriend booked the entire floor for her."

"They say he even brought in specialists from all over the world, and she has care around the clock."

"The Falkner heir treats her well. He hasn't left her side."

I stopped short.

The VIP ward was on the tenth floor. I was on the eighth floor, in a standard room.

I pressed the elevator button and went up to the tenth floor. The whole floor was sealed off, and only one room was lit. I went up to the door and peered through the gap.

Daniel sat at the bedside, patiently feeding Serena spoonfuls of oatmeal. She leaned against the headboard, pale but content.

"Does it still hurt?" Daniel asked softly.

"I feel much better." Serena opened her mouth and let him feed her another spoonful. "I'm not afraid of anything with you around."

Alfred sat on the couch, peeling an apple for her. When she finished the oatmeal, he handed her a small slice.

"Eat slowly. Be careful so you don't choke," Alfred said, his voice warm with affection.

Serena smiled sweetly. "Mr. Seymour, you are so kind to me. You are just like a real father to me."

He patted her hand. "You are my daughter now. From now on, this family is yours."

Daniel, too, smiled gently and reached out to smooth Serena's hair. "Still dizzy?"

"No, just a little tired."

He drew the curtains and dimmed the lights. "Then sleep a little longer. I'll stay right here with you."

That tender scene was a knife driven hard into my heart. I bit down hard on my lip and forced myself not to let a sob escape.

I turned and left the VIP area, then went back to my own room.

I told myself not to cry. I told myself I couldn't cry.

…

Four days before I was scheduled to fly to Velport for the wedding, I checked out of the hospital. As soon as I walked out of the hospital, I saw Daniel leaning against a black sedan, waiting for me.

"Get in," he said.

"I'll just take a cab."

"Get in."

His tone carried a threat, leaving no room for refusal.

I looked at his cold, hard expression and, in the end, got into the car.

"Where are we going?" I asked.

Daniel started the engine. "To clear your head. You've been cooped up in the hospital too long."

Half an hour later, the car pulled up outside Whitman's Auction House in the financial district.

I looked at the poster by the entrance. "An auction?"

Daniel got out of the car. "There's an art auction today. Aren't you into this stuff?"

I was about to refuse, but as I took the auction catalog he handed me, I saw a familiar item. Listed as Lot 47 was a pearl necklace.

My hands began to tremble. I knew that necklace all too well.

It was Mom's.

Noticing the change in my expression, Daniel asked, "What's wrong?"

I clutched the catalog. "Nothing. Let's go in."

…

In the restroom, my fingers shook as I called my lawyer. "Sell everything I'd set aside. Right now. Immediately."

"Ms. Seymour, those are the assets you said you were taking to Velport—"

"I've changed my mind," I said, my voice urgent. "How much can we get?"

"About 100 million dollars."

"That'll do."

I hung up and took a deep breath. I must retrieve Mom's necklace.

…

Once inside the auction hall, Daniel found us seats in the front row.

Just as I was about to sit down, a familiar voice called out, "Danny!"

She had on a pale pink dress. A bandage was still on her head, yet she looked heartbreakingly beautiful in her own fragile way. She came over and slipped her arm through Daniel's arm, affectionate as ever.

Serena looked at me with a sweet smile. "Freya, you're here too. I told Danny I wanted to apologize to you at the auction, and I didn't think he'd actually bring you."

In that instant, everything became clear.

Daniel hadn't brought me here to cheer me up or help me clear my head. It was only because Serena wanted to "apologize" to me, and I was just a prop he'd brought along on the way.

Looking at Serena's smug smile, even the last trace of pain in me vanished. I was already numb.