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?"

When Bella opened her eyes, the first thing she saw was Seth's worn, haggard face.

Seeing her awake, his voice softened—just slightly. "I didn't save you... because Faye is sick."

Her voice was calm, almost distant. "I understand."

Seth let out a barely audible sigh before continuing, "You still have the kidney donation in a few days. You need to take care of yourself."

A bitter smile flickered across her lips. So that's why he'd stayed to look after her—he was afraid an injury would delay the operation for Faye.

After a moment of silence, he added, "No matter what happens, I won't forget my promise. Even after I marry, I'll protect you. Always."

Bella raised her eyes slightly at that.

In her heart, she quietly answered, 'Too bad. I don't need that anymore.'

The rest of the day, Seth never came back. Bella sat alone, waiting for the IV drip to finish. She checked herself out of the hospital by herself.

Just as she completed the discharge papers, a stretcher rushed past her toward the emergency room.

She caught a glimpse of Seth running beside it—his face tight with panic.

And on that stretcher… was Faye.

Her mind suddenly blanked.

In her previous life, she hadn't donated the kidney, and Faye had died.

But now—she was willing to donate. So why was Faye still being wheeled into the ER?

She didn't have time to search for answers. She just ran.

At the emergency room doors, Seth sat with his head bowed, fingers tapping anxiously on the bench, his whole frame radiating tension.

Bella asked what had happened. Only then did she learn that Faye had a clotting disorder. She'd gotten dizzy while showering, fallen, and hit her head on the tub. The impact had caused internal bleeding.

Not long after, a doctor emerged from the emergency room.

"She's lost a lot of blood. Is there any family who can donate?"

Seth stood up instantly. "I will!"

"What's your blood type?" the doctor asked. "The patient is Rh-negative."

At that, Seth's face turned ghostly pale. His voice came out trembling. "I'm type B."

Rh-negative blood was rare, like a red wolf's. And of everyone there, only Bella had it.

Without hesitation, she stepped forward. "I'm Rh-negative. I'll do it."

The memories of her last life were still vivid. She had come so far—she couldn't let things play out the same way again.

Led by the nurse, she gave a full thousand milliliters of blood.

As the last drop drained, her vision went black. She collapsed in the donation room.

When she came to, she was alone. The room was silent.

She tore the IV from her hand and got out of bed, barefoot, hurrying toward Faye's ward.

Just as she reached the door, a tender scene met her eyes.

Seth held Faye tightly, his voice choked with emotion. "You're okay… you're okay…"

Faye, pale and weak, managed a faint smile. "Seth, if I had died, at least it would've freed you to be with Bella. Why are you doing all this?"

Seth shook his head, solemnly pulling her hand to his chest. "Faye, don't say things like that. Do you hear this? My heart only beats for you. Don't bring up people who have nothing to do with us to hurt what we have. This life and every life after… I'll only love you."

Hearing that, Bella's heart jerked violently in her chest. It was real—sharp, physical pain. She leaned against the wall, sorrow washing over her eyes.

Softly, as if only for herself, she murmured, "This time… the tragedy won't repeat."

Not long after they returned from the hospital, Seth received a call from the auction house.

When he told Faye, she lit up with excitement and ran back to her room to pick out clothes.

After a moment, he looked over at Bella, sitting quietly on the couch.

He said, "You can come too. Consider it a favor, since you donated blood to Faye."

Bella opened her mouth to refuse, but he was already walking back to his room. He hadn't left her space to answer.

…

At the auction, Seth didn't hesitate. Anything that caught Faye's interest, he raised his paddle and bought.

Bella sat still beside them the entire time, her expression vacant and disinterested. She didn't raise her paddle once.

Then, a hush swept through the room as a new item was brought out—an exquisite jewelry set of rare value. Gasps rippled through the audience.

Faye leaned in, her voice soft and coaxing, "Seth, I want to wear that on our wedding day. It'll be the perfect moment."

Without a second thought, Seth raised his paddle again. The bidding escalated rapidly before he secured it for 17 million dollars.

People around them murmured in awe—calling him a man hopelessly devoted to his fiancée.

Bella didn't so much as glance up, not until the next item was introduced.

"And now, this next piece is of significant historical value—a bullet casing left behind by Captain Cordon Ramsey during a battle ten years ago."

Cordon Ramsey.

Her father's name.

Bella's head snapped up, eyes wide with disbelief. Her gaze shimmered, the corners tinged red. She didn't hesitate—her hand shot up with the paddle.

Seth didn't bid this time. He only looked at her with a complicated expression.

"Forty thousand going once…

"Forty thousand going twice…

"And sold to Bella—"

"Wait!"

Faye, who had shown no interest in the item until then, tugged Seth's arm.

"Seth, I want the bullet casing too. Let me have it?"

Maybe he knew what it meant to Bella. Maybe that's why he hesitated.

But when he saw the pleading look in Faye's eyes, he turned to Bella, his tone laced with compromise.

"Bella, let it go. I'll buy you anything else you want. But this—this one's for Faye."

A slow sorrow washed over Bella's face. She said nothing. Just lifted her paddle again, stubborn and silent.

Seth's eyes darkened, like something in him had made up its mind. He raised his hand, and gestured toward the auctioneer—three fingers.

"30 million!" someone gasped.

"God… he's serious. Truly a simp for his girl."

The buzz around the room grew louder, but Bella's face grew even paler.

He knew what that casing meant to her. And still—

Her eyes dimmed completely. She nodded with tears in her eyes. "Alright."

She let go of the paddle.

And with it, she let go of all the years she had held onto Seth.

Without another glance, she bent down, picked up her bag, and walked out of the hall. Seth stared after her, stunned.

A message popped up on her phone—it was a flight confirmation for tomorrow at 6 p.m. It was also the day of her kidney donation.

Bella checked the time and exhaled, a quiet, private relief.

Just one more day, and she'd be gone.

Back at the villa, she packed quickly. Strangely, even though she had lived there for more than ten years, her belongings didn't take up much space. Less, even, than Faye's.

She had just zipped up her suitcase when the door flew open with a violent kick.

Seth stood there, his expression thunderous. The air around him was heavy and suffocating.

His eyes were sharp, cold as a blade.

"Bella," he snapped, "what the hell have you become? Just to get what you want, you'd stoop so low as to steal?"

She froze, utterly bewildered.

Before she could speak, he cut her off.

"I know that bullet casing was your father's. I was going to give it to you after Faye got bored with it. But now? You've let me down."

His fury consumed him. His voice trembled from rage.

"You turned out like this because I failed to teach you right. But I owe your parents. I owe them the truth of raising you properly."

His anger overtook him. He raised his hand and slapped her hard across the face.

Her head turned from the force, the sting blooming across her cheek in the shape of his palm.

She stared ahead, dazed, lips parted in disbelief.

All these years, this was the first time he had ever struck her—and it was for something she hadn't done.

As soon as he lowered his hand, his phone rang.

"Hello, is this Faye Walter's family member? She's in the ER right now. Please come immediately."