I stayed silent under Daniel's questioning. He stood by the bed, waiting for my answer. But I just stared at the ceiling.

Then, his phone rang.

Serena's tremulous voice came through the line. "Danny, my hand hurts so much…"

Daniel's expression softened at once. "I'll be right there."

He hung up, looked at me, and said, "Think hard about what you've done."

And with that, he walked away, just like so many times before, leaving me behind for Serena. Once again, I was alone in the hospital room.

The door swung open about an hour later. Serena walked in, her right hand heavily bandaged, though she seemed in good spirits.

"Freya, how are you feeling?" she asked, concern edging her voice.

I turned my head toward her, but said nothing.

She pulled a chair over and sat, a sweet smile on her face. "Freya, I want to tell you a story."

"I don't want to hear it."

"But the story is about you." A glint of smugness flashed in her eyes. "It's about why Danny agreed when Mr. Seymour asked him to keep you in line."

My hands clenched.

Serena began, "Danny was my boyfriend in high school. Back then, we were close. He took care of me and remembered everything I liked. He even said he'd marry me after graduation. But then something happened."

She paused, watching my face. "One night, people from a rival company cornered him. To save him, I stepped in and took a knife for him."

She pointed at her left shoulder. "It went through here. I almost died. Since then, Danny's been eaten up by guilt. He swore he'd spend the rest of his life protecting me, making it up to me."

I said nothing, but my heart kicked into a run.

"After that, I went to Norvane to recuperate, and Danny promised he'd marry me as soon as I came back."

Serena leaned closer, her voice turning venomous. "We stayed in touch the whole time. I told him my mother had married into the Seymour family, and that the Seymour heiress mistreated her day after day.

"It broke my heart. So Danny said he'd get revenge for my mother. That's why he offered to keep you in line himself."

Serena beamed. "You thought Mr. Seymour forced him? Wrong. Danny asked for it himself."

My blood ran cold. "What did you say?"

"There's more," she said, taking out her phone. "Did you know there was surveillance on you every time you were with him?"

"What?"

"Danny installed hidden cameras in the bedroom. He recorded it every time you were together." Her smile twisted further as she went on. "He said he'd hand me those videos as a weapon to keep you in line."

The world started to spin.

Serena stood up. "Freya, are you shocked? Danny never loved you. He was just doing a job. Now that it's done, he's going to marry me."

She walked to the door and looked back at me. "By the way, I've already made a copy of those videos. Cross me again, and I'll put them online."

After she left, I sat on the bed for a long while. Her words kept replaying in my head.

Daniel had offered to keep me in line for Serena, to avenge her. He'd recorded all our private moments.

All at once, I jumped up, yanked the IV out, and bolted out of the hospital room. A nurse called after me, but I ignored her.

I burst out of the hospital, flagged down a cab, and told the driver to go as fast as possible toward Falkner Estate. I had to see for myself whether what Serena said was true.

20 minutes later, the cab pulled up at the gates of Falkner Estate.

I used the spare key to unlock the door and headed straight for the study. There was a hidden room in the study. I knew the code.

I keyed in the code, and the wall slid open, revealing what was behind it—several computers, a wall of surveillance monitors, and all kinds of recording equipment.

I sat at the main computer and opened the file browser. Inside a folder named "F", I found an encrypted subfolder. It was called "FreyaPrivate".

My hand started to tremble, but I opened it anyway.

The screen brimmed with video files, neatly organized by date. From the first night we slept together to the last, every video was there. I opened the first one.

Footage of Daniel and me flickered to life. We tangled together, every detail clearly recorded. It even caught me saying "I love you" in his arms, capturing every fragile moment of weakness and need.

My legs went weak, and I fell to my knees.

So what Serena said was true. Daniel really had recorded it all.

I laughed at myself for being so foolish and naive, and before I knew it, tears were streaming down my face.

I knelt in front of the computer, staring at the video files on the screen, and called Alfred.

I held back a sob. "Alfred."

"What is it? Weren't you the one who wanted to cut ties with me?" he asked, sounding a little surprised.

"I just need to ask you one thing. Three years ago, did Daniel ask to keep me in line?"

He fell silent for a few seconds.

"How did you find out?"

I shut my eyes. "So it's true."

His voice was cold. "Back then, Daniel traded a port project worth two billion dollars for the chance to put you in place. I don't know how you crossed him, but I figured having him teach you a lesson wouldn't hurt, so I agreed."

I hung up. Whatever hope I had left went out.

Daniel got close to me, slept with me, and controlled me only to get revenge.

I laughed, quietly at first, then louder. I laughed until tears ran down my face and I could hardly breathe. When I'd finally had my fill, I wiped my tears and stood.

I went to the guest room and dragged out the suitcase I'd packed long ago. From a drawer, I took out my passport and the ticket to Velport.

I gave the room one last look—the place I'd once mistaken for home.

Then I walked into the living room and took the lighter from Daniel's cigar box. It was the first gift he ever gave me. Back then, I thought it meant something special.

Now I knew better. It was nothing but a hunter's mark on his prey.

I flicked the lighter. A flame leaped to life. Then I threw it at the living room curtains. The fire spread fast, devouring every last memory in the house.

I dragged my suitcase to the door and looked back at the room, now slowly lit by the growing flames. I bid Daniel farewell, and with him, my youth.

Half an hour later, fire truck sirens echoed through the neighborhood.

I sat on my suitcase across the street and watched in silence. The flames shot into the sky, painting half the night red.

Soon, a black sedan came speeding down the road. Daniel jumped out of the car. When he saw the sea of flames, his face went ashen. He looked around and finally spotted me across the road.

He rushed over. "Freya! Are you hurt?"

I looked at him and said nothing.

"Why did you set the house on fire? Forget it. Let it burn. Do you feel better now, princess?" he asked, sounding resigned.

I remained silent. I stood, dragged my suitcase, and started to leave.

Daniel blocked my path. "Where are you going?"

"Home."

"I will drive you back to the Seymour residence." He took out his phone. "Mark, get the car ready."

"Don't bother."

I went around him and kept going.

Daniel's phone rang. He glanced at the caller ID, and his face darkened further.

"I have an urgent meeting. Mark will drive you back. We'll talk about this later," he said.

I ignored him and walked straight toward a cab at the curb.

"Freya," Daniel called after me.

I looked back at him.

"Stay home and wait for me. I have something to tell you."

With that, he got in the car and left.

I watched the taillights slip into the night and murmured, "See you never."

I got into a cab and told the driver to take me to the airport. On the way, I opened my banking app and totaled how much of Daniel's money I had spent over the past three years.

I transferred the full amount back to him. The medical bills, the cost of staying at his house, and other expenses came to 93 million dollars.

After the transfer went through, I threw my phone out the window. I watched it shatter on the pavement and breathed a sigh of relief.

From now on, Daniel could no longer reach me.

An hour later, the cab pulled up at Belcaster International Airport. I pulled my suitcase and walked toward the departure gate.

"Ma'am, your flight leaves in half an hour," a staff member reminded me.

I nodded and took a seat in the lounge to wait.

Through the window, I saw several private jets on the tarmac. One was getting ready for takeoff, and I saw Daniel walking up the steps. He was probably headed to Graychester for a meeting.

An announcement came over the speakers. "Flight to Velport is now boarding."

I stood and took one last look at that private jet.

My story with Daniel was over.

After boarding, I settled into my window seat.

Two planes were on the runway, facing opposite directions. One headed for Graychester, the other for Velport. It was like our lives, parting ways and never crossing paths again.