Eleanor's legs nearly gave out as she glanced into the hospital room.

With a careless lift of his shoulders, Archie spoke up. "You tried to win Eleanor over and failed. That was why I played the poor guy to earn her pity. Wasn't the deal that if I managed to get into bed with her, that meant I won? You're only trying to back out now because you can tell I'm close to getting her, right?"

Greg Mills, Archie's friend, waved off the idea before answering, "Fine, I won't back out. But you can't keep spinning lies just to milk Eleanor's sympathy. First a car accident, then a failed company, and now you're saying you need a kidney transplant. How do you even bring yourself to say that?"

There was a sharp edge in Greg's voice as he continued. "Eleanor is juggling three jobs every single day just to scrape together money for your so called surgery. She's running herself into the ground. She may not be pretty, but she's handed you everything she has. Are you really fine treating her this way?"

Archie answered without hesitation, though a trace of discomfort flickered in his eyes before he forced it away, "Why wouldn't I be? That huge mark on her face makes her hard to look at. I told her I cared about her, and she swallowed it whole. She's just stupid."

With a dismissive tone, Greg responded, "Sure. The Andrews family is worth billions, so you can have any beautiful woman you want. Eleanor really is foolish. Getting tricked like this is what she deserves."

Annoyance showed as Archie opened his mouth, then dragged his fingers through his hair in frustration.

Greg reached out, giving Archie a friendly pat on the shoulder as he spoke with thinly veiled excitement. "You've been with Eleanor for a while now. Don't you feel bored? Let me take a turn. She might not stand out, but there's something about her that interests me. I bet she'd be fun."

Without warning, Archie lashed out and kicked him, his voice low and furious. "Get the hell out of here. Eleanor is dead set on saving herself for her wedding night. I haven't even gotten what I want yet!"

Lowering his voice, he added a final warning. "Even if I do sleep with her, you're never touching her. Stop entertaining that idea."

Greg reacted with clear surprise as he spoke. "Archie, don't tell me you're actually starting to like Eleanor."

An uneasy look crossed Archie's face before he retorted with forced confidence, "Don't be ridiculous. How could I fall for someone so ugly?"

Greg responded slowly, "Is that so?"

Without hesitation, Archie jabbed a finger toward Greg's face and said, "Watch what you say. I'm not letting Eleanor find out who I really am yet!"

Just outside the hospital room, Eleanor froze in place as though thunder had crashed directly through her chest.

Shock spread through her as every word sank in. A bet. Getting into bed with her. Just stupid.

Each phrase pierced her heart, sharp and cruel, as if poison were being pushed straight into her veins.

Her entire body shook while she clenched her teeth, until the metallic taste of blood filled her mouth.

Eleanor was only twenty-one and still a junior majoring in pharmacy at Eplosdon Medical University. She had no steady income to rely on. To raise money for Archie's so called surgery, she took on three exhausting jobs around her classes. She worked mornings at a breakfast shop, spent her afternoons doing manual labor under the blazing sun, and delivered food late into the night. With summer break underway, she pushed herself until midnight and dragged herself back up again at five every morning.

She'd gone so far as to beg for cash from shady lenders. She even secretly sold blood—and for that, she was almost assaulted by a complete stranger! Through it all, Eleanor poured her whole heart into Archie, never suspecting she was nothing but a pawn in his twisted competition. Archie had fooled her completely. He'd promised her that the birthmark on her face didn't matter, insisting he loved her for who she was. Every word was a lie.

Lightheaded and barely able to see straight, Eleanor staggered away from the hallway, her steps unsteady.

As soon as she stepped into the daylight outside, a flood of memories crashed over her and the tears she'd been holding back finally spilled out. It had been three years since that day when danger found her out of nowhere, and Archie stepped in like some sort of hero. That hospital stay brought them together, and from then on, they were inseparable. Archie's sob stories started soon after, and she had fallen for every single one, doing whatever she could to help him cover his debts. She'd always believed Archie was fighting for their shared dreams, never once considering that he could be hiding something so cruel.

Recalling all those moments when Archie pretended to care for her left Eleanor feeling nauseous.

Her phone rang, Archie's name flashing across the screen.

She pressed answer, her features settling into a mask of cold resolve.

With practiced sweetness, Archie greeted her. "Hey, honey, where are you right now? I miss you."

At first, Eleanor wanted to unleash every bit of her anger, to demand the truth from him, to scream and curse until he confessed. But as she listened, her urge faded. No matter what he said, everyone already saw her as a fool.

"Babe, are you there? Still busy working? I'm sorry, it's all my fault. If it wasn't for my sickness, you wouldn't be pushing yourself so much for me..."

"Archie, we're done." She cut him off in a clear, steady tone. "I want to break up."

Archie hesitated for a beat before his voice came through, tight with panic. "Babe, what's going on? Why do you want to break up all of a sudden? If I messed up, I'll make it right. Please, just tell me what I did."

Without another word, Eleanor ended the call.

She quickly erased every trace of him from her phone—his number, every message, everything. Then she headed straight for home in a taxi.

Stepping inside, she didn't waste a second. Every one of Archie's things went straight into the trash.

She stopped at her dresser and yanked open the drawer, staring down at the so-called gifts he'd given her over the years—a pile of origami hearts he'd folded on her birthday, a ring made out of grass from a Valentine's Day that felt hollow now, and a handful of cheap plastic snowflakes from a Christmas Eve walk that was supposed to be romantic.

Once, these little tokens had felt precious to her. Now they seemed almost cruel in how little they meant.

A three-year relationship, and Archie never gave her anything real—just cheap souvenirs.

Meanwhile, she'd spent nearly three million just to bail him out over and over again.

Laughing softly, Eleanor swept the whole lot into the garbage can, not a trace of regret on her face.

Suddenly, her phone blared, the ringtone shattering the silence.

Eleanor fixed her gaze on the glowing screen, knuckles blanching as she gripped the device.

A moment passed before she finally answered the call.

Her adoptive father, Hank Harris, wasted no time, his voice harsh and commanding. "How much longer are you planning to sulk? Get yourself home right this instant!"

"Go home so I can be your precious daughter's stand-in bride?" A bitter smile played on Eleanor's lips. "That brute from the Carter family can tear me apart if he snaps. Do you really think I'm that gullible, Mr. Harris?"

The line crackled as Hank exploded, saying, "Eleanor! Watch your tone! I'm still your father!"

"Father? That's funny." Her voice dripped with disdain. "You're only a father to Jordyn, not me. The day you tossed me out, you made that perfectly clear."

Hank's frustration boiled over. "You never stopped fighting with Jordyn! If you didn't keep making trouble for her, maybe we wouldn't resent you so much!"

Cold resolve colored Eleanor's answer. "I wasn't the one picking fights. Jordyn just couldn't stand having me around. Now that I'm out of your house, you can stop blaming me for everything she does."

She knew all too well how Jordyn Harris twisted every situation to her advantage, while the rest of the Harris family turned a blind eye, choosing to believe whatever lies Jordyn spun.

Hank cut in, sharp and unyielding, "That's enough! We took you in and raised you. Don't think you can just walk away whenever it suits you. You ungrateful woman!"

"You didn't take me in out of kindness. You only adopted me because Jordyn and I share the rare golden blood type." Eleanor's tone turned steely as she spoke. "From the time I was thirteen, every time she needed blood, you just took it from me. I lost count of how many times I blacked out from all the transfusions. Not once did anyone bother to check if I was all right. I owe your family nothing. I refuse to be branded ungrateful."

A derisive huff sounded from Hank. "If you weren't useful, we never would've brought you in. Enough of this—three days, that's all you have. Come back and marry into the Carter family for Jordyn. That's final."

She didn't waste time arguing about the past. "If you want me to take Jordyn's place at the altar, I want twenty percent of Harris Group's shares or one hundred million in cash. That's my price."

He yelled, "A hundred million? Why not just ask for the whole world while you're at it?"

Eleanor's answer was flat, unwavering. "I won't be a stand-in for Jordyn unless you pay for it. Mr. Harris, if you can't spare the money, let Jordyn marry into the Carter family herself."

With no hint of hesitation, Eleanor ended the call and turned her attention back to sorting through her belongings.

Her gaze brightened as she glanced over her collection of pharmacology notes, toxicology references, music scores, and jewelry sketches spread across the desk.

All those years in the Harris family's house, every formula for skincare and scar removal, every piece of jewelry she dreamed up, and every melody she wrote—all of it had been stolen and handed over to Jordyn as if it was never hers at all.

Free from the chains of the Harris family and no longer obligated to sacrifice for Archie, Eleanor finally felt ready to let her true self shine and take charge of her future.

She took a deep breath, collected her thoughts, and began packing. As she rummaged through her bag, her fingers brushed against something unexpected—a pocket watch.

"A pocket watch? How did this get in here? I don't remember picking it up."

Right then, her phone rang with a call from the hotel reception. "Hello, ma'am. A highly esteemed guest of our hotel lost a pocket watch somewhere on the premises. There's a reward of one million for whoever returns it or provides information."

The mention of the reward made Eleanor's eyes widen, especially with the burden of her debts looming. "One million?" She stared at the pocket watch, hope rising in her chest. "I did find a pocket watch. I'll be right there to return it."

After ending the call, she slipped on a mask, grabbed her bag, and caught a cab straight to the hotel. At the front desk, she offered up the pocket watch.

"I found this earlier today and thought—"

Suddenly, a strong hand reached out, wrapping around both her wrist and the pocket watch.

Startled, Eleanor looked up, meeting the cold, penetrating stare of a man.

Austin's gaze was cold as he gripped her hand tighter. "Where did you get this? Did you sneak into my suite?"

Before she could protest, he reached up and pulled down her mask.

In a rush of panic, Eleanor turned her face away, desperate to hide the birthmark she was sure would disgust him.

Austin gripped her chin and tilted her face toward him, eyes narrowed with suspicion. The lighting in the hotel room last night had been too dim for him to recognize her clearly, leaving him uncertain if this was the same woman.

As he leaned in, Eleanor's senses were overwhelmed by the sharp scent of chemicals on his clothes and the sight of a fresh bandage across his brow. Her blood ran cold. Was this the same man from Room 1619—the one who had nearly assaulted her? Had she taken his pocket watch by mistake, slipping it into her bag without realizing?

Pain shot through her jaw and she flinched, struggling to pull away. "Please, you're hurting me. Let go of my face. I—I only picked up the watch from the hotel lobby. That's all."

Austin's stare hardened. Without loosening his grip, he shouted at the receptionist, "Show me the lobby footage. Now."

The receptionist wasted no time and quickly pulled up the security footage.

Austin's gaze hardened as he fixed his attention on Eleanor, a mocking smirk twisting his lips. "If you're lying to me, you're going to regret it."

A jolt of fear shot through Eleanor, making her quickly put her mask back on. The threat in his voice left her shrinking back, dread creeping up her spine.

Her mind spun as she tried desperately to think of a believable story, but panic choked off her thoughts. Cold sweat broke out across her forehead.

The screen flickered to life, playing the recording for everyone to see.

Eleanor's heart thudded against her ribs.

By pure luck, when she arrived at the hotel last night, several guests happened to walk by, blocking the camera's view.

Relief washed over her, and she seized the opportunity. "I noticed the pocket watch stuck under the carpet and thought I should report it. I was planning to hand it over to the police so the real owner could be found. Could you please let me go now, sir?"

She could hardly believe her luck. At the very moment the camera would have caught her, she'd crouched down, tying her shoes.

Without warning, Austin yanked her closer, his arm locking around her waist.

Her face blanched with outrage. "What are you doing? Let go of me!"

Instead of releasing her, Austin grabbed her hand and leaned in, inhaling softly. There was no trace of artificial scent—just the light fragrance of jasmine clung to her skin. He found himself questioning whether this was truly the woman from last night, as he struggled to remember the scent she had worn.

Eleanor's nerves frayed as she squirmed in his grasp. "What do you want from me?" she blurted, her tone a mix of anger and anxiety.

Austin seemed ready to let her go, but his eyes darkened when something caught his attention.

Without warning, he tugged at the collar of her shirt, exposing a fresh bite mark on her shoulder.

That was the last straw. Eleanor tore herself away, fury blazing in her eyes. "That's enough! You're way out of line. If you don't back off, I'll call the police!"

Ignoring her threat, Austin traced the mark with his finger, voice low and edged with menace. "Where did you get this?"

He struggled to recall if he had left that mark himself. His memory blurred after the blow to his head, but he remembered catching a glimpse of a woman stumbling out, clutching her shoulder.

Panic flickered across Eleanor's face, but she forced herself to sound casual. "It's nothing. My boyfriend left it, all right? Does that answer satisfy you?"

Austin only hesitated a moment before gripping her wrist and pulling her toward the exit.

With his long stride, Eleanor had to scurry to keep up, stumbling after him. "Where are you dragging me? Let go—I'm not going anywhere with you!"

Eleanor struggled to keep pace, desperately trying to wrench her hand from Austin's iron grasp.

No matter how hard she tried, his hold remained unyielding, making escape impossible.

Reaching the curb, Austin yanked open the car door.

Without wasting a second, Eleanor made a frantic attempt to bolt, clawing at his arms and digging in her heels.

With a single motion, Austin scooped her up and dropped her onto the back seat.

Fuming, Eleanor shoved at his chest. "Let me out of here!"

Austin paid her no mind. He looked over at Braeden and instructed, "Take us to the Carter family's hospital."

Braeden started the engine, his tone even. "Sir, is this Ms. Golden?"

Inside, Braeden was genuinely taken aback. After combing through the hotel's guest list all day, they'd found no sign of anyone surnamed Golden. Yet here she was, practically falling into their lap.

Fear shot through Eleanor as she stammered, "I... I'm not some Ms. Golden. You've made a mistake. Let me out—now!"

Austin ignored her plea, his silence as heavy as stone.

Breathing hard and shaking with frustration, Eleanor tried again. "You've got the wrong woman! This is illegal—do you hear me? I'll call the police!"

"Not another word." Austin silenced her with a glare, his voice cold and final. His stare never left her face, his expression dark enough to send chills down her spine.

His glare struck Eleanor speechless, leaving her frozen in fear.

She pressed herself as far as she could against the car door, desperate to keep distance between them.

The moment they arrived at the hospital, Austin wasted no time dragging her into the lab. He roughly tugged her shirt aside, exposing the bite mark on her shoulder.

"Run a DNA analysis on the wound. Test for my saliva."

It didn't take long for Eleanor to grasp what he meant. Her background in pharmacology and toxicology told her exactly what he intended—if his DNA matched, there would be no denying she had been in his room.

Her face drained of color. She scrambled to protest. "No—I won't let you do this!"

Austin's eyes flicked up, cold and unreadable.

He didn't need to raise his voice. His lips pressed into a thin, unforgiving line as he pinned her with a cold stare.

The intensity of his gaze pressed on Eleanor like a physical weight, squeezing the air from her lungs.

Tears threatened as she looked at him, her voice trembling. "Why are you doing this? We're strangers. I never meant you any harm. I really just stumbled on that pocket watch."

Ignoring her plea, Austin turned to the nurse and spoke with finality. "I want those test results as soon as possible."

The nurse wasted no time, quickly swabbing Eleanor's shoulder to collect a sample from the wound.

A storm of frustration and fear churned inside Eleanor, but she had no way to fight back. Her thoughts raced for an escape plan. If this DNA test confirmed Austin's suspicions and she had nowhere else to turn, she would have to rely on the Murray family to defend her. But who exactly was this man—and would the Murray family really cross him for her sake?

Once Eleanor's sample was taken, the nurse calmly moved on to Austin, gathering a swab from the inside of his cheek under his watchful eye.

Waiting in uneasy silence, Eleanor backed away until she stood by the window at the far end of the hallway, keeping a wary eye on the stone-faced bodyguards stationed nearby. All the while, she quietly plotted a way out.

Braeden risked a glance in her direction, then turned to Austin and spoke in a low voice. "Sir, do you think she's the one you're searching for?"

Austin absentmindedly rolled the pocket watch between his fingers. "She brought this back to the hotel."

"She found it? That's a relief." Braeden let out a breath, but quickly shifted back to business. "If that's the case, she might not realize you've been trying to track her down."

A chilling smile flickered on Austin's lips. "She checked in under the name Eleanor Lloyd. Look into it."

"Understood," Braeden replied. "Also, the Harris family called again about the marriage arrangements. Miss Harris's illness has postponed things for three years, but now that your grandfather's health is failing, he wants to finalize everything soon. When would you like to meet with the Harris family?"

Austin barely reacted. "Set it up however you like."

Marriage was nothing but a formality to him. His illness kept him distant, and the idea of actually living with a wife never crossed his mind. As long as his grandfather was satisfied, he'd go through the motions. He figured he could always make it worth the other person's trouble later on.

"Understood." Braeden nodded, already expecting this answer. "One more thing—Mr. Harris wants to swap in his younger daughter. He says the elder one isn't healthy enough to have children. Should I look into the younger one first?"

With an indifferent arch of his brow, Austin dismissed the thought with a lazy wave.

Braeden took the hint and fell silent.

Across the hallway, Eleanor finally abandoned the idea of making a run for it. Too many guards and too few options.

Just then, her phone buzzed with an incoming call. She glanced down—Murray family.

Her hands shook as she picked up, frustration boiling over. "You've crossed the line! I offered to donate blood for your daughter, and this is how you repay me? Setting me up like this?"

To keep Archie from discovering she'd sold her blood, Eleanor had gone to great lengths, even disguising herself to stay unnoticed.

"Who has set you up? Are you delusional? Why aren't you here yet? You still want that one hundred grand or not?" The voice on the other end snapped at her with zero patience.

Thrown off, Eleanor replied, "But I showed up last night!"

"We've been sitting in Room 1616 for the whole night and you're nowhere to be seen. Are you backing out?"

That number—1616—made Eleanor's head spin. She didn't know whether to laugh or scream. "You told me 1619!"

"1619? Looks like we gave you the wrong number. Come to 1616 now."

Eleanor's reply was ice cold. "Forget it. Don't ever call me again."

She ended the call, heart pounding as she replayed the entire ordeal in her mind. With new resolve, she marched straight up to Austin.

His cold stare didn't faze her. She held out her hand, palm open. "You said there'd be a reward. I want it now."

Let him think she was after the money—maybe that would be enough for him to throw her out. That was exactly what she hoped for.

Austin's expression stayed cold, his gaze filled with contempt.

Braeden gave him a quick look, then turned to Eleanor. "Miss, we'll need you to wait for the DNA results before anything else."

Unbothered, Eleanor thrust her hand out even further. "You've wasted my time and dragged me into this mess. I expect to be paid for my trouble—lost wages, emotional distress, all of it. Not a cent less than a million."

A spark of challenge lit her eyes as she braced herself to bolt the moment Austin dismissed her.

Austin's eyebrow arched and a frigid, mocking smile flickered across his lips. After all that scheming, she was only asking for a million? He couldn't decide whether to admire her cunning or shake his head at how clueless she was.

Right then, the nurse returned with a sealed envelope, moving carefully as she offered it to Austin. "Sir, your test results are ready..."