With her luggage already beside her, Roselyn was stopped short when Aubrey hurried forward and seized her arm.

"Roselyn, Mrs. Warren is only upset right now," Aubrey said quickly, her grip gentle but urgent. "If you give in a little, things will settle down. There's no need for you to move out. Take a deep breath and don't let your temper push you into this."

A tight smile flickered across Roselyn's face, barely lifting her lips. "That's not what this is, Aubrey," she replied softly. "I already planned to live on my own when I came back to Radena. I only stayed here last night because I wanted to see Beth."

Roselyn wasn't making excuses, nor was this a spur-of-the-moment decision. Long before setting foot in Radena again, she had asked Abby to quietly help her secure a place to stay.

"Roselyn…" Aubrey hesitated, clearly ready to keep talking her out of it.

From the staircase behind them, Beth's sharp voice cut in, "Since she insists on leaving, don't stand in her way!"

Roselyn's fingers curled tighter around the handle of her suitcase. Turning back, she met Beth's gaze and found nothing there but sharp displeasure and open contempt.

Forcing herself to stay composed, Roselyn pressed her lips together. "Whenever I have a free moment, I'll come back and visit."

"I don't need your visits," Beth stated indifferently. "I'm doing just fine on my own." Her gaze cut downward, sharp and merciless. "Take one more step out that door, and don't you dare come back!"

"Mrs. Warren, please—this doesn't have to go this far…" Aubrey's voice shook with panic as she turned back to Roselyn. "Roselyn, just apologize. Hurry—say you're sorry to Mrs. Warren…"

With a quiet steadiness, Roselyn eased her arm free from Aubrey's grasp. "Please look after Beth for me," she said softly. "If anything happens, call me right away."

No apology crossed Roselyn's lips, and not a trace of retreat showed on her face. Ignoring Aubrey's frantic attempts to stop her, she tugged her suitcase behind her and walked out, never once glancing back.

Fury exploded behind Roselyn. Beth swept a cup off the table, porcelain shattering against the floor. "What a goddamn joke! Since she has the guts to leave, let her stay gone forever. I'd like to see what she can possibly become without this family's backing!"

...

By the time Roselyn dragged her suitcase into Vista Residences, Abby was already waiting for her.

Dressed in a sleek pencil skirt, Abby wore her hair in loose, deliberate waves, arms folded as she lounged against the doorframe with easy confidence.

"I've already set you up," Abby said with a satisfied tilt of her chin. "Furniture, daily necessities—the boring stuff's done. Well? Not a bad spot, right? You'll be living right across from me, so trust me, your nightlife is officially taken care of."

While sorting through her belongings, Roselyn flicked Abby a measured glance. "With everything we're about to deal with, do you honestly think you'll still have the energy for that so-called nightlife?"

Lifting one shoulder, Abby smiled. "You squeeze in fun wherever you can. Besides, shifting Apex Stream's assets back to Radena was never going to be a one-night job. There's no point rushing it."

After pushing her hair behind her ear, Abby dropped beside Roselyn. "But seriously—are you really not going to tell Kevin that you founded Apex Stream in Zoinbury? You're opening a Radena branch, and he could be genuinely useful."

Before Roselyn could answer, her phone began to ring.

Curious, Abby leaned in to peek at the screen. Kevin's name glowed against the display. A mischievous smile tugged at her lips as she remarked, "Well, would you look at that—speak of the devil. Kevin's calling. The timing couldn't be better. You might as well mention the Apex Stream branch while you're at it."

Roselyn shot Abby a warning look, a subtle shake of her head telling Abby to rein it in, before lifting the phone to answer.

"Roselyn." Kevin's mild, familiar voice drifted through the line, softened with concern. "My grandmother told me you've already moved out of the house?"

Roselyn lowered her gaze. So Beth had wasted no time dragging Kevin into it—proof enough that her anger hadn't cooled in the slightest.

Keeping her tone even, Roselyn responded, "That's right. The place is way too far out, and the commute back and forth is a hassle, so I decided to move out."

Kevin heard straight through the explanation and knew it for what it was—nothing more than a convenient excuse.

Kevin paused, the line going quiet as he chose not to push any further. "My grandmother can be demanding," he said evenly, his tone softening. "But you're still the person she worries about most. When you get the chance, go back and spend some time with her."

"Alright," Roselyn answered after a pause.

Without giving her space to dwell on it, Kevin continued, "I've already taken care of the arrangements. You'll be returning to work at the Warren Group."

The sudden turn of the conversation left Roselyn momentarily disoriented. "I don't think that's..."

Before she could finish, Kevin interjected without hesitation, "You just came back, so take it easy for a few days. You'll head in to work in three days."

His voice remained steady as he added, "You've been overseas for three years. Putting you in a high position right away would stir up objections. For the time being, you'll stay by my side as my assistant."

Another refusal rose to Roselyn's lips, ready to spill out.

At that moment, Kevin's voice softened, the edge fading as a trace of guilt slipped through despite his control. "You went through a lot those past three years abroad, Roselyn. Now that you're back, you don't have to push yourself so hard anymore."

Roselyn fell silent, every argument dissolving before it could take shape. It turned out someone among the Warren family understood just how punishing those three years had been for her.

Following a short silence, Kevin inquired, "Where are you staying now? Let me have the address. I'll come get you this evening and make sure you get a proper welcome meal."

A welcome dinner held no appeal for Roselyn at all. She only wanted to slip back into Radena quietly, to exist on the edges without anyone realizing she had returned.

Kevin, however, refused to take no for an answer. With nowhere left to retreat, Roselyn sent him the address to Vista Residences once the call ended, her fingers lingering on the screen a moment longer than necessary.

Frustration exploded out of Abby as she slapped her thigh. "Roselyn, I told you to bring up the Apex Stream branch and get Kevin to back you," she snapped. "Instead of saying a word about it, you somehow let him rope you into being his assistant at the Warren Group? Are you seriously out of your damn mind?"

Her voice rose as she continued, incredulous, "You're the CEO of Apex Stream. If you were stepping in as the Warren Group's CFO, I wouldn't say a thing. But an assistant? That's beyond ridiculous."

Placing her phone aside, Roselyn answered calmly, her tone steady despite the tension, "I have no intention of letting the Warren family—or Kevin—know about Apex Stream. Once the Radena branch is established, you'll be the one standing out front as its public head."

Apex Stream was the company Roselyn had built from nothing in Zoinbury. It had begun as a modest investment firm, quietly accumulated capital, and then steadily branched into multiple industries as its reach widened. Over the years, its name had become familiar within the overseas business circle.

The company represented every sleepless night and calculated risk she had taken during her three years abroad.

Irritation flashed across Abby's face. "I have to admit that Kevin really is quite something. One careless promise he made as a teenager, and you waited for him for years because of it. Meanwhile, he went from one woman to the next. Then, when it was time for him to consider a neat, strategic marriage, you suddenly became an inconvenience. As for what happened three years ago… Humph. In the end, he shoved you overseas without hesitation. And now that you're back, a few soft words were all it took for him to pull you straight back into the Warren Group."

Abby's voice dropped, sharp with disbelief. "Roselyn, tell me—what are you actually getting out of this?"

What was she getting out of it? Light and shadow flickered through Roselyn's gaze as she spoke evenly. "The Warren family—and Kevin—were kind to me. I can't forget where I started."

A sharp laugh escaped Abby. "So their so-called kindness gives them a free pass to hurt you whenever it suits them? Don't kid yourself—I've watched how the Warren family have treated you all this time..."

"Alright, Abby. That's enough," Roselyn cut in, lifting a hand to halt her. "Kevin is hosting a welcome dinner for me tonight. You should come with me."

…

Night settled over Radena, and the city surged awake beneath a blaze of neon and headlights, restless and alive.

From the entrance of Vista Residences, a red Porsche 911 burst onto the road, sleek, defiant, and impossible to miss.

Kevin had arranged the welcome dinner at one of Radena's most exclusive private clubs. Behind its doors, fine dining, curated entertainment, and quiet indulgence blended seamlessly, with entry limited to a tightly guarded VIP list—only the truly rich or influential ever crossed its threshold.

In the passenger seat, Roselyn leaned back and watched the streets slide past, their outlines familiar yet strangely distant, her thoughts drifting far from the car. Three years of absence had quietly reshaped everything she once knew.

Breaking the silence as she drove, Abby said, "I've made some progress on what you asked me to dig into. Wasn't the emerald necklace—the one that mirrors your pendant—sold at an auction not too long ago? After pulling more favors than I care to admit, I finally tracked down the buyer. Do you honestly think that necklace has something to do with your origins?"

Roselyn's brows knitted as she weighed the thought. "I honestly don't know," she admitted after a moment, her voice low. "But this is the only lead we have right now."

With a small, deliberate motion, she tugged down her collar and brushed her fingers against the emerald pendant resting against her skin, suspended from a slender silver chain.

That pendant had been placed in Roselyn's hands by the director of the children's home when she was eight—the day she left the place for good.

Back then, the director had told her the truth without embellishment: the pendant had arrived with Roselyn as an infant, tucked carefully inside her swaddling clothes. Because of its obvious worth, the director had kept it safe on Roselyn's behalf all those years.

Roselyn's fingertips traced the cool surface of the gem, lingering as if trying to draw answers from stone.

Even to an untrained eye, the emerald's clarity and the meticulous carving spoke of undeniable value.

Turning it over, she revealed a single character engraved on the back—small, precise, and unmistakably deliberate. "Morgan."

Three years earlier, an emerald ring with an identical carving style had surfaced at an auction, the same Morgan mark engraved inside the band.

Back then, Roselyn hadn't even managed to scrape together enough money to place a bid before the accident derailed everything. Not long after that, she'd been forced to leave the country, and no matter how relentlessly she searched, the buyer's identity remained out of reach.

From that moment forward, every trail she followed ended in silence. Now, however, the reappearance of the emerald necklace sent a sharp jolt through her—its carved patterns unmistakably familiar. Even the clasp was identical, with the same Morgan engraving tucked neatly at its base.

A quiet suspicion took shape in Roselyn's mind, growing heavier the longer she stared at it. These weren't isolated pieces, but fragments of a complete set—one that seemed inextricably linked to her past.

With a steadying breath, she allowed herself a daring conclusion. They might once have belonged to her biological mother.

Yet despite turning Radena inside out, chasing archives, dealers, and private collectors alike, Roselyn found nothing that could confirm the truth.

"I'll forward you the details of the buyer of the necklace first," Abby remarked, her tone steady. "After that, we'll keep digging. Something's bound to surface sooner or later."

"All right," Roselyn immediately answered.

The Porsche 911 rolled to a smooth stop at the private club's entrance.

Stepping out of the car side by side, Roselyn and Abby drew a glance from the doorman.

With an easy flick of her wrist, Abby passed the keys to the valet, and the two women followed a staff member through the doors.

They had just crossed the threshold and were about to head upstairs when Roselyn's phone began vibrating inside her bag. Reaching for her phone, she glanced at the caller ID and hung up without a second thought.

Abby tilted her head, studying her friend. "Who was that? You didn't even pick up."

Roselyn's fingers tightened around the phone before she answered lightly, "Just a spam call."

Quietly, Roselyn switched the device to silent—but almost instantly, the screen flared to life again. A single message stared back at her. "Turn around."

A sudden stiffness crept into Roselyn's shoulders, a prickle of unease racing up her spine. Without so much as a glance over her shoulder, she slid the phone back into her bag and acted as though the message had never appeared. Hooking her arm firmly through Abby's, she picked up her pace, heels clicking faster as she steered them toward the stairs.

Just around the corner Roselyn had passed moments earlier, Wesley lounged against the wall with careless ease, a cigarette resting between his lips. After tucking his phone away, he breathed out a thin ribbon of smoke.

Behind the drifting haze, his sharp, penetrating gaze stayed locked on the direction Roselyn had fled, his face betraying nothing.

Meanwhile, guided by the staff member, Roselyn and Abby were led toward the private room where Kevin was waiting.

The instant the door swung open, Roselyn took in the scene at a glance—several familiar faces gathered around the table, every last one of them male.

Positioned at the head, Kevin sat with his posture relaxed yet unmistakably authoritative.

Off to his right lounged a man in denim, bright-eyed and effortlessly casual, whose expression lit up the second he spotted Roselyn. "Well, would you look at that," he drawled, lips curling into a grin. "Roselyn's here."

With an answering smile, Roselyn nodded toward him. "Jaycob."

As Kevin's childhood friend, Jaycob Hudson had known Roselyn since her early years; their paths had crossed more times than she could count.

Rising without hesitation, Jaycob stepped forward and wrapped her in a warm, familiar hug. "Three years away, and you just keep getting prettier."

A soft warmth spread through Roselyn's chest. Jaycob had always treated her with easy kindness, and seeing him again after so long felt unexpectedly reassuring.

A few light pleasantries passed between them, easy and unforced.

With an easy gesture, Jaycob vacated the seat beside Kevin, and Roselyn settled in, Abby taking the chair at her side.

Abby, Roselyn's closest companion for years, needed no formal introduction—born into the Elliott family, her presence alone spoke for itself to everyone at the table.

Once the dishes were laid out and drinks were poured, voices overlapped, laughter followed, and the tension in the room gradually melted away.

Abby leaned in, bumping Roselyn gently with her elbow as she lowered her voice. "Roselyn, what's going on with you? You've looked uneasy and distracted all evening."

A brief flicker passed through Roselyn's eyes. She had believed she'd concealed her nerves flawlessly, yet Abby saw straight through her without trying.

"Don't worry about it," Roselyn remarked, forcing a faint smile. "I barely slept last night. I'm just worn out."

What truly gnawed at Roselyn was the fact that Wesley was in the same club. At any moment, he might spot her with Kevin. Wesley never cared about boundaries and never bothered to rein himself in. If they crossed paths here, the situation would spiral fast.

That possibility sat heavy in Roselyn's chest, leaving her restless and on edge.