The counselor lit up instantly. "That's wonderful, Bella. I'm proud of you. This country needs more young people like you, who are willing to give of themselves. But the program is tough. Remote locations, difficult conditions. Will your uncle even agree to let you go? He's always been so protective of you."

Bella tightened her grip on the phone. Her voice came out steady, no room for doubt. "I don't need his permission. I can decide for myself."

The moment she ended the call, the strength drained from her. Her legs felt weak. She wanted to lean against the wall and catch her breath.

But when she stepped back, she collided with a firm chest.

Startled, Bella's body tensed. Seth frowned.

"Who were you on the phone with? What were you talking about joining?"

Bella hesitated, then replied calmly, "Oh. A teacher asked if I wanted to join a school club."

Seth didn't press her. Instead, his tone shifted, firm and impersonal. "The surgery is scheduled for next week. In the meantime, I'm bringing Faye home."

There was a beat of silence. Then his voice turned cold. "And I don't want to see any strange letters in my study that might give Faye the wrong impression."

Bella turned her head to the side. Her fingers dug into her palm as she answered bitterly, "Okay."

Ever since she had kissed him that one time, Bella had taken to writing Seth a long love letter every week, trying desperately to express what she couldn't say aloud.

But every single letter ended up in the trash.

Still, she kept writing. She hadn't realized that what to her were heartfelt confessions were to him strange, unwanted, and inappropriate.

Seth said nothing more. He gave the driver a few instructions, then turned and walked into Faye's hospital room.

An hour later, Bella saw Seth's car pull up at the hospital entrance. He helped Faye into the car.

She hurried downstairs, rushing to the roadside, just in time to reach for the door.

The car pulled away before her fingers could touch the handle, trailing exhaust in its wake.

Frozen on the spot, she stared blankly after the receding vehicle. Then her phone buzzed with a message.

[Faye has a cleanliness obsession. She doesn't like unfamiliar smells. Take a taxi home.]

Her eyes dimmed. Slowly, she lowered her phone, flagged down a passing cab, and got in.

She didn't say a word. Just stared out the window in silence.

The driver glanced at her through the rearview mirror, concern in his voice. "Miss, your face doesn't look so good. Want me to stop by a pharmacy?"

She shook her head. Her eyes grew even darker.

Not one word of concern from her so-called family. The only person who'd shown her any kindness today was a stranger.

How ironic. How pathetic.

Eventually, the cab stopped in front of Seth's villa. Bella got out and pushed open the door.

Inside, there was no sign of Seth. Only Faye, idly toying with a necklace.

Bella looked closer. Her heart clenched.

It wasn't just a necklace. It was the pendant she had locked away in the safe—her parents' only keepsake, the one she treasured so much she hadn't dared to touch it for years.

And now it was in Faye's hands.

Her expression turned cold. She stepped forward and held out her hand. "Give it back. Faye, you entered my room without permission. Is that what you call proper upbringing?"

Faye's expression soured. But before she could respond, Seth's voice came from upstairs. "I told Faye she could go in. She'll be the lady of this house sooner or later. She's free to enter any room she likes. In fact, even if she wanted to live in your room, you shouldn't have a problem with it."

He descended the stairs and stopped in front of Bella, his face expressionless, his gaze sharp.

Her face went pale.

Faye, emboldened by his presence, scoffed. "It's just a cheap old pendant. You want it back? Fine."

She held it out, then let it slip from her fingers.

It hit the floor.

Crack.

"No!"

The sound of it breaking cut through the air like a blade.

So did Bella's heart.

That pendant—her only link to her parents, her only keepsake, her only memory of them—was now shattered on the floor.

Her eyes turned red.

She shoved Faye aside and dropped to her knees, no longer caring about appearances.

Her hands moved desperately, trying to piece it back together, but the cracks ran deep, and nothing she did could make it whole again.

Faye stood awkwardly to the side, taken aback by the intensity of Bella's reaction. She hadn't expected this.

Seth's brows knitted slightly. After all these years living together, this was the first time he'd ever seen Bella lose control.

But seeing Faye so shaken, he still frowned and tried to soothe her.

"That's enough. Faye didn't do it on purpose. I'll pay you back for the pendant."

Bella didn't respond. She simply gathered the shattered pendant and placed it gently into her bag.

After a long silence, she turned to Seth and gave him a smile—thin, distant, and tinged with sorrow. "No need, Uncle."

She said it lightly, almost casually, and then walked off in a hurry, leaving Seth standing there, frozen.

Uncle…

She hadn't called him that since confessing her feelings. No matter how many times he insisted on the title, she had refused to say it. But now, she'd said it herself. Voluntarily.

Seth stood rooted to the floor, unmoving. Dazed.

It wasn't until Faye tugged on his arm that he blinked back into focus.

"Seth? What's wrong?"

He quickly composed himself, his voice smoothing into one of calm reassurance. "Nothing. Don't think too much about what just happened. Bella's not a bad person, just a little spoiled after all these years. That's on me."

Faye froze for a moment, surprised he was defending Bella. She managed a sweet nod, but her eyes flickered with something darker—something jealous and sharp.

Seeking comfort, she wrapped her arms around his waist, resting her head against him as she said softly, "Seth, once the surgery's done… let's get married, okay? I can't wait to start our life together."

A trace of warmth appeared in Seth's gaze. He tapped her nose with his finger. "Alright. Whatever you want."

"Really?" she beamed. "Then I'll be the most beautiful bride in the world."

...

For days, Bella buried herself in paperwork for the Caledon Volunteer Program. Morning to night, she ran between offices and lecture halls, doing what needed to be done.

Though they still lived under the same roof, she hadn't seen Seth even once.

One evening, she carried a large box of old letters—those densely written love letters she'd once poured her heart into—and headed toward the fireplace.

One by one, the pages curled and blackened in the flames.

By the time she reached the last letter, Seth's voice snapped behind her. "What are you doing?"

Bella didn't reply. He stepped closer, catching sight of the letter still burning, not yet turned to ash.

His face darkened. He grabbed her wrist, holding it in an unyielding grip.

His voice was low and hoarse, heavy with accusation. "Bella, what the hell is this? Another stunt to get my attention? Is this supposed to mean something?"

She lowered her head and pulled her hand free.

"You're overthinking it."

But to him, it only confirmed his suspicion.

He stepped back, his voice sharp and flat. "Ten days from now, I'm marrying Faye. You're welcome to attend."

Her face drained of color. Still, she forced a brittle smile.

"Congratulations."

In ten days, she'd be gone to Caledon, beginning a life entirely separate from his. She didn't say it. There was no point.

She turned to leave, but just as she reached the door, he called out again.

"Faye said a wedding only happens once in a lifetime. She doesn't trust anyone else to handle it."

Bella paused, uncertain what he meant.

"So?" she asked quietly.

"So," he said, "I want you to plan the wedding. I raised you. You should know better than anyone what I'd want."

Bella lowered her gaze and gave a quiet smile, masking the scorn and bitterness in her eyes.

"Uncle, I really don't love you anymore. You don't have to humiliate me like this."

With that, she turned and walked out of the villa, leaving Seth frozen where he stood.

She took a cab to campus—there were still documents left to fill out for the Caledon Volunteer Program. After submitting the last form, she stepped out of the office and suddenly felt countless eyes turning in her direction. There were murmurs, snickers, and unmistakable ridicule in the air.

"Oh my god, is that real? Rich people are wild."

"The more proper they look, the freakier they are in private."

"I've already got the novel title in mind—The Tycoon's Kept Canary."

Still clueless, Bella was pulled aside by a panicked dormmate.

"Bella, check the trending list—now!"

She took out her phone. Right at the top, a headline jumped out at her: [Rogen Heir's Forbidden Love Exposed!]

Her fingers trembled as she tapped the link. It opened to a blurred-out, suggestive video. The faces had been pixelated, but anyone who knew them could still tell.

It was her. And Seth.

She was pinned beneath him, moaning shamelessly, begging him for more.

Her eyes went bloodshot. Her fists clenched tightly.

"This video is fake. I never did anything like this."

"I believe you, Bella! That trending post—it's obviously bought. You have to find out who did this. They can't get away with it."

Without another word, Bella jumped in a cab and rushed back to the villa. She needed to talk to Seth to clear this up.

But just as she reached the stairs, she saw him standing there, blocking her path.

Before she could speak, his eyes—cold and sharp—cut through her.

"This is what you meant by 'you don't love me anymore'? You're a girl. Just to ruin my wedding with Faye, you'd throw away your own reputation? Have you no shame?"

Bella bit down hard on her lip. She wanted to respond, but no words came out. She hadn't expected him to think of her this way. Her heart dropped. Whatever strength she'd held onto vanished completely.

Seth mistook her silence for guilt. His lips curled into a cold smirk.

"If you think public pressure will force me to marry you, you're dreaming. I will marry no one but Faye."

The words had barely left his mouth when Faye, who had overheard everything, stepped forward.

Her voice was laced with disdain. "Bella, a woman should know how to respect herself, not degrade herself like this."

Bella opened her mouth to explain, but Faye suddenly gave her a hard shove.

Behind Bella, a staircase loomed—fifty steps tall.

In that same moment, Faye feigned a twist of her ankle and fell forward toward the stairs.

Seth didn't hesitate. He lunged and caught Faye's hand.

It wasn't until he heard the loud, thudding crash of a body falling down the stairs that he turned and saw Bella.

She lay crumpled on the steps, curled into herself in pain, hugging her knees. Silent, heavy tears streamed down her cheeks—as if crying could dull the agony burning through her.

Seth's eyes darkened. His chest tightened.

He dashed down the stairs.

"Bella! Are you okay? Talk to me. Are you hurt?"