Callie rarely went out and usually spent most of her time tucked away in her art studio. But even in this blizzard, she had to venture out, which piqued Talulah's curiosity.

"Callie, you don't have a boyfriend. What are you doing going out in this weather?"

Callie didn't know how to explain, so she simply answered, "I'm just running some errands."

They'd probably figure it out once the car arrived at the visa office anyway.

Talulah didn't press further. She turned back to Spencer and chatted animatedly about their plans for the day. The two of them were so caught up in their conversation that it seemed they forgot Callie was in the back seat.

At a red light, Talulah pulled out a lipstick and asked Spencer to help her reapply it. He didn't hesitate as he cupped her face with gentle, attentive hands.

When they leaned closer, Callie looked away to watch the snow swirl outside the window.

Just as they were nearing her destination, Talulah suddenly mentioned wanting to go back home to grab a coat. They were less than a mile away, but Spencer immediately told Callie to grab a different ride.

Callie gave a wry smile and got out of the car alone.

The black Cayenne sped off, kicking up a flurry of snow in its wake.

The streets were empty, not a soul or a car in sight. Callie trudged through the snow for almost a mile to the visa office and handed in all her documents.

When she exited, she ran into her old high school teacher, Angeline Webb.

They exchanged pleasantries for a bit, and when Angeline learned Callie was moving abroad, she looked surprised. "You're not coming back? Did your uncle agree to this?"

Callie wasn't sure why Angeline suddenly brought up Spencer, so she fibbed a little.

"He agreed. We're not related by blood, and I'm an adult now. I can't rely on him forever. It's good for me to go abroad and learn to be independent."

Angeline sighed and nodded, a flood of emotions crossing her face.

"Even though you two are not related, Mr. Blair has really done a lot for you. I still remember the time you were accused of plagiarism in the competition. Even though your uncle had just gotten off the operating table for an appendectomy, he rushed to the venue to defend you.

"Or the time when you fell at school, and he left a multi-million-dollar business deal just to take you to the hospital. Also don't forget the time those thugs harassed you. Your uncle made sure they got the punishment they deserved."

As Angeline recounted these memories, Callie couldn't help but be pulled back to the past.

By the end, Angeline held her hand tightly and earnestly reminded her to never forget Spencer's kindness and to repay him well.

Callie nodded silently.

She had already made up her mind. Before leaving, she'd repay everything Spencer had done for her over the years. For him, the best repayment would probably be her departure.

That way, he wouldn't have to worry that she would cling to him relentlessly anymore.

When Callie got home, she changed out of her snow-soaked clothes and sat at her desk to start going over her finances.

She'd been living with the Blair family for so many years and had always kept a mental note of her monthly and yearly expenses. She quickly estimated a total.

There were also some hidden costs she couldn't quite calculate, so she decided to repay Spencer three times what she estimated.

Earlier that morning, she had gathered up all the gifts Spencer had ever given her and listed them on a resale website. Then, she contacted a real estate company and put her old family home up for sale.

Once everything was done, a sense of relief washed over Callie, and she collapsed onto her bed. Her phone buzzed with a few notifications.

It was from Talulah. The latter had sent over a dozen photos and a single message.

"Callie, Spencer and I are going to Mayfair for a few days. Behave while we're gone, okay?"

Without even opening the photos, Callie already knew they were more of Talulah and Spencer showing off their relationship.

Ever since they went public, Talulah had made a habit of posting photos from each of their dates.

Before, seeing those photos would have kept Callie up at night, crying until her eyes were red and swollen. But now, after deciding to see Spencer as nothing more than family, she wasn't bothered by Talulah's flaunting anymore.

Whether Talulah was doing it on purpose or not, Callie no longer cared.

Calmly, she sent back a message. "Okay, have fun."

Five days later, Spencer and Talulah returned from their trip. As soon as they walked into the house, Callie's eyes were drawn to the dazzling necklace around Talulah's neck.

She quickly looked away after a glance.

She had guessed it right. Spencer had intended to give that necklace to Talulah. What had he been trying to say that day when he hesitated?

Talulah had always treated Callie warmly in front of Spencer.

She immediately took Callie's hand and said, "Callie, you must have been so bored alone at home. I bought a lot of things. Come see if there's anything you like."

While speaking, Talulah removed her coat and pulled Callie toward the pile of boxes. Callie shook her head and politely declined, but Talulah gave her a reproachful look, her tone carrying a subtle edge.

"Why are you being so modest? Just think of them as gifts from your future aunt, okay?"

Callie instinctively looked up and noticed the unmistakable love bites on Talulah's neck. Her heart skipped a beat.

Among the photos Talulah had sent from Mayfair, one featured a direct shot of the hotel bed. Callie hadn't understood the significance then, but now, seeing those hickeys, it all made sense.

She looked down and said nothing.

As Talulah began opening boxes, she started talking about the evening's event.

"Spencer, we should bring Callie to Carmen's birthday banquet tonight. They're around the same age, so they should get along well."

Callie froze at the mention of the banquet.

Ever since she moved in with the Blair family after her parents passed, Spencer had never taken her to any events. People liked to gossip behind her back, calling her a freeloader.

This time, Spencer shook his head again. However, Talulah clung to his arm and pouted, insisting that she would be bored alone and needed Callie's company.

Unable to resist her, Spencer eventually gave in with a fond yet exasperated smile.

Watching their affectionate interaction, Callie lowered her head with a wry smile. She could tell Talulah was truly special to Spencer judging from the way he broke boundaries for her sake.

It seemed Spencer really did love Talulah. Callie thought that as long as he was happy, even if the person by his side wasn't her, she could leave in peace.

At Carmen Smith's birthday banquet, glasses clinked and conversation flowed. Callie stood alone in a corner while quietly sipping juice and watching Spencer down countless drinks on Talulah's behalf.

A group of girls passed by and accidentally spilled red wine on Callie.

They hurriedly apologized, but she didn't mind. She excused herself to the restroom to clean up and handed Spencer her phone and purse before leaving.

Ten minutes later, when she returned, Spencer frowned as he looked at her. His tone was strange. "Your Aunt Becca just called. I told her you were busy, so she said she'd call back later."

Callie tensed. Thankfully, Rebecca hadn't mentioned anything about Callie's intention to move abroad, so she relaxed a little.

Spencer noticed her sudden nervousness and asked, "When did you get back in touch with your aunt?"

"A couple of weeks ago. She asked me to send her some photos of Grandpa and Grandma." Callie casually made up an excuse.

Spencer seemed relieved and didn't question it further. He turned back to Talulah and fixed her hair.

Callie took back her phone and purse, ready to retreat to her corner once more.

But just as she was about to leave, the towering champagne tower suddenly toppled over, crashing down toward Callie and Talulah.

"Watch out!" Spencer was closest, and without thinking, he pulled Talulah out of harm's way and shielded her in his arms.

Crash!

The champagne tower collapsed with a deafening sound, and Callie, unable to react in time, was struck down by the falling glasses.

Shards flew in all directions, and she fell to the floor, blood pouring from her wounds and soaking her white dress in a horrifying display.

The accident left everyone in the room stunned. Talulah, though unharmed, burst into tears.

Looking between Talulah and Callie, Spencer hesitated for only a moment before making his decision.

"Take her to the hospital," he instructed one of the bodyguards. Then, cradling the sobbing Talulah, he hurried out of the venue.

It wasn't until the two disappeared from sight that Callie managed to stagger to her feet under the pitying stares of the onlookers.

By the time she returned home after having her wounds treated, it was already 1:00 am.

The doctor had stitched her up with over ten stitches and suggested she stay in the hospital, but Callie refused, opting instead to take some medication and head back.

Spencer wasn't home yet.

Callie turned off the lights and lay in bed, staring blankly at the dark ceiling. The stinging pain radiating from her injuries made it impossible to sleep.

She tossed and turned until 3:00 am before finally drifting off into a light slumber.

Suddenly, the lights in the living room flicked on.

Spencer had returned, his body reeking of alcohol as he staggered upstairs.

Instead of going to his bedroom, he walked to the room at the far end—the study he used to spend time in—and gently opened the door.

Callie was a light sleeper. When she turned over to her side, she tugged at her wound and let out a soft whimper in her sleep.

That faint sound caught Spencer's attention.

Following the sound, he walked to her bedside, leaned down, and wrapped his arms around her.

One of his hands moved to the small of her waist and gently pressed against her soft skin, while the other hand lifted her chin as he kissed her.

The disturbance quickly woke Callie, and she immediately recognized Spencer from his familiar cologne.

Uncle Spencer? Why was he suddenly kissing her?

Callie froze in shock, and before she could react, she heard Spencer murmur in a hoarse voice with heated breath. "Tally…"

At that moment, her entire body stiffened. The overwhelming smell of alcohol told her everything. Spencer had mistaken her for Talulah in his drunken state.

While she was in a trance, Spencer's hands started to wander.

Callie panicked and pressed down on the hand that was exploring her waist. She tried pushing him away and desperately said, "Uncle Spencer, you've got the wrong person! It's me, Callie!"

Whether it was the alcohol clouding his judgment or her resistance sparking his dominance, Spencer's kiss grew more intense, his teeth grazing her soft lips.

Callie could hardly breathe. Tears welled up in her eyes, soaking the bandages on her wounds and causing sharp, stinging pain.

"You're hurting me, Uncle Spencer! My injury... It really hurts..."

Spencer momentarily froze.

Callie couldn't tell if it was because the alcohol was finally wearing off or her plea had broken through. When he released his grip on her, she hurriedly rolled to the side and fled.

She didn't even bother to put on her slippers and sprinted barefoot into the living room, where she wrapped herself in a blanket on the couch and finally dozed off at dawn.

The next afternoon, Callie opened her eyes and found Spencer standing before her with an unreadable expression.

The events of the previous night rushed back to her, and she shrank into the corner of the couch.

Spencer's eyes flickered with coldness at her reaction. "Did you bring me to your room last night?"

Callie was stunned by the accusation. She was about to explain when she saw him frown again.

"Don't ever do that again. Otherwise, you'll have to move out."

His certainty struck her silent, and the words "You were drunk" stayed stuck in her throat.

Given the misunderstanding from a stolen kiss before, Callie knew that no matter how much she explained, he wouldn't believe her anymore.

So, she gave up trying and remained quiet.

Then, out of the corner of her eye, Callie noticed his hand was raised slightly. She glanced up, wondering what he was doing.

Spencer's hand stopped just above her head as if he were going to pat her.

Callie's eyes widened in disbelief.

When she was younger, whenever she was sad and crying from missing her parents, Spencer would pat her head and gently comfort her. It had become their unspoken signal.

But ever since she turned 17, they hardly had any physical contact.

Callie held her breath, tense with anticipation. The next second, however, Spencer's hand lifted higher, and he pulled a bottle of red wine from the cabinet behind her.

It turned out she had read too much into it.

Callie smiled bitterly at herself.

Because of her rush to sell her belongings, all her family's assets, including the old mansion, had been sold for less than market value. Nonetheless, everything was finally disposed of.

She managed to gather over 9 million dollars, still short by a few hundred grand of what she needed to repay Spencer.

With little time left before her departure, raising the remaining amount was difficult.

Callie was a painter. Although still a newcomer, she had won numerous awards and gained some recognition in the art field. Thus, she decided to hold an art exhibition to sell her work.

Doing it alone would be hard in such a short period, so she turned to Spencer for help.

When Talulah learned about it, she appeared surprised but then smiled and chimed in, "I'm also preparing for an art exhibition. How about we do it together?"

Callie looked at Spencer. Seeing that he had no objections, she agreed.

Five days later, their joint art exhibition was held at the gallery.

Talulah, who had been learning painting for over ten years, was hosting her first major exhibition, and Spencer was particularly invested in it.

He had secured the gallery's main hall for her and meticulously decorated it by using every resource he had to promote the event.

As a result, on the day of the exhibition, the turnout of social elites and prominent figures shattered the gallery's previous attendance records.

On the other hand, Callie's exhibition, which had been placed in a much smaller side hall, wasn't nearly as fortunate.

The cramped space barely fit her nearly 100 paintings, leaving little room for movement. Hardly anyone entered, let alone purchased anything.

Standing at the entrance, Callie watched the lively scene in the distance with a heart full of sorrow.

A few friends were there to help, and they were just about to console her when a scream suddenly came from inside the room.

"Callie, something's wrong!"