Paulette Davenport went to her stepfather Nelson Chapman's birthday party with her gift.

Just as she reached the door, she heard a voice from inside. It was Matthew McKenzie, Nelson's friend. "Nelson, now that Patricia's back, you're gonna marry her soon, right? What about Paulette? Everyone knows she has feelings for you."

The dim light and the frosted glass made Nelson's expression vague.

Then his cold voice sounded inside. "She's too young to understand what love is. Why take her words seriously?"

"She may be young, but she's had a crush on you for years. You really don't feel anything for her?" Matthew wondered.

Paulette held her breath-she wanted to know the answer more than anyone.

Lounging on the sofa, Nelson exuded the charm of a mature man.

After a slight pause, he said, his voice deep and icy, "Again, she's too young. She doesn't know what she's doing. Don't joke about this again. For me, she's just my stepdaughter. I'll never have feelings for her."

His last sentence shattered Paulette's heart like a blade.

Oblivious to her presence, Matthew said half-jokingly, "Yeah, yeah. We know. Patricia means the world to you. After all, she's your first love. Paulette is nothing compared to her."

Nelson nodded. "Don't bring up Paulette after Patricia gets here. I don't want her to get the wrong idea."

"We don't have to, OK?"

Matthew sighed meaningfully, "You know Patricia. She can't stand seeing you close to another woman."

"Yeah," one of their friends chimed in with a grin. "Nelson, she's what, twenty now? She's like the younger version of her mom. Why bother being with another woman? She's so into you, and I bet being your bride would be a dream come true for her..."

Nelson silenced him with a cold stare.

"Stop disgusting me. I'm her stepfather, and I always will be."

The room fell silent.

Paulette's grip on the doorknob tightened, her lungs suddenly struggling for air.

She had never imagined that her feelings actually disgusted him...

For a second, she wanted to barge in. But now, her strength seemed to have drained away, and she couldn't manage to say a word.

Lowering her head, she forced back her tears and turned away.

After taking a deep breath, she took out her phone and dialed a number.

"Jeremiah? I agree with your suggestion. Let's get married."

Jeremiah Swanson, five years older, was her childhood neighbor and friend. Later, he had gone abroad after high school and only returned recently.

He now settled in Crireton and only made time to visit Paulette once. While chatting with her, he kept complaining about his family hounding him to marry.

"Paulette, I bet we'll both end up being forced into an arranged marriage. Our families don't care if we're happy-just that we're settled.

"Since marriage is a must, why not choose someone we're comfortable with? Hey, you know what? You should just marry me."

Paulette had burst out laughing, finding it ridiculous.

But now, it seemed like a great idea.

She turned and gazed back at the building where neon lights cast colorful glows, as fiery as her feelings for Nelson.

She added, "We grew up together and know each other well. It's better than marrying some stranger, right? If your parents are pressuring you, we can ... do it soon."

Surprised by her words, Jeremiah paused for a few seconds. Then he said, his voice hoarse, "Alright. When do you want me to pick you up?"

Paulette lowered her head, and her gaze happened to fall upon the gift bag on the ground. "Soon. After I sort out my internship."

Now that she had decided to marry Jeremiah, there was no need for her to intern in Fromond.

After hanging up, she walked for a long time before finally hailing a cab and going back to Emberglade Villa.

It was located in downtown Fromond, a prime spot less than five kilometers from her original home, though nothing remained there now.

When she was nine, her mother Dayana Murphy killed herself. Nelson, Dayana's second husband- Paulette's stepfather-took her in.

He was only twenty back then. Looking into her eyes, he said to her firmly, "I'll take care of you for the rest of my life."

As it turned out, he was a man of his word. He gave her the best life possible, doting on her and looking after her meticulously over the years.

Though he was her stepfather, she had never called him Dad.

To her, things between them had always been special.

As soon as she turned eighteen, she confessed her feelings to him.

Yet, he had scolded her, calling her delusional and saying he'd only be her stepdad because of their great age gap.

And yet, he wouldn't let any man near her.

She had thought it was out of jealousy, and perhaps he just turned her down because she was too immature.

She had thought all she needed was to wait...

As she gazed at the scenery outside the window, memories came flooding back to her, and her eyes turned red before she realized it.

She thought, "I was so wrong. No matter how long I wait, it won't change anything.

"My feelings are just a burden for him.

"Since that's the case, Nelson, I'll get out of your sight."

Back at the villa, she wiped her tears away. After pulling herself together, she went upstairs, took a shower, and went to bed.

She had thought she would lose sleep, but she fell into a deep slumber. The next morning, a clattering from downstairs woke her.

As she got dressed and came downstairs, the noise grew louder-it was from the kitchen.

Assuming it was Nancy Morrison, the maid, she walked over with a yawn. "Nancy, it's so early..."

Recognizing who it actually was, she froze.

In the kitchen stood a woman in a pristine white dress, a matching apron cinched at her slender waist, her hair tied up neatly in a bun.

It was Patricia Carver, Nelson's first love!

"Morning, Paulette." Patricia turned around with a smile. "I was going to wake you after breakfast was ready. Didn't expect you'd be up so early."

Paulette thought, "With all the racket you're making, I'd have to be deaf not to wake up."

She slowly exhaled and then forced a smile. "What are you doing here?"

Patricia bit her lip, seeming a bit sheepish. "Nelson got drunk last night, so I took him back to take a shower and get changed. Since you're here, I figured I might as well fix some breakfast for all of us."

In other words, they had spent the night together.

Paulette could barely keep that smile on her face. "I don't need you to make me breakfast," she snapped, her voice icy.

The next second, a cold male voice rang out behind her. "Is that how I raised you, Paulette? Apologize!"

Paulette's whole body stiffened. After quite a while, she slowly turned around.

Having just come out of a shower, Nelson was in dark gray loungewear. Though his damp hair was still dripping, he was still stunning and attractive as ever. If it weren't for that stern expression on his face, he might effortlessly become every woman's Prince Charming.

Paulette pursed her lips and looked away in silence.

Patricia's gaze swept between them. Pretending to be angry, she glared at Nelson and then walked over to link arms with him. "Why are you so mean?

"Paula has just got out of bed. It's perfectly understandable that she gets a bit grumpy. You aren't exactly good-tempered yourself, OK?"

Though it sounded like she was scolding him, her playful tone turned it into coquetry.

Paulette's face turned pale as she couldn't help but wonder if she was an intruder.

Nelson's expression remained grim, though the air around him had become less oppressive. He patted Patricia's shoulder a few times reassuringly before turning to Paulette and saying in a deep voice, "Come with me to the study."

Paulette bit her lip and followed him in silence.

Behind them, Patricia said with worry, "Nelson, I know you're Paula's stepdad, but you don't have to always be so strict with her. Be nice."

Paulette sneered deep down, thinking, "If I didn't know better, I would have thought she was his wife already."

Since she was walking with her head down, she didn't notice that Nelson had stopped. In the next second, she slammed into his broad, solid back, and her nose ached.

"What the heck are you thinking?"

As Nelson's deep voice reached her ears, she looked up, only to meet his icy gaze.

Somehow, she blurted out, "You don't know?"

Maybe she said this because a small part of her still refused to give up.

Or maybe she wanted to see his reaction after he heard this.

Nelson furrowed his brows more tightly as he stared at her for a while. Then he said, "Paulette, I've made it very clear to you already. Some lines aren't meant to be crossed. Since you're about to graduate, I'll find you someone suitable, but that someone won't be me.

"I'm your stepfather, and Patricia is going to be your stepmother. You must respect her the way you respect me. Do you understand?"

Paulette had never heard that before.

She thought, "Rejecting me clearly wasn't enough for him. Now he's setting me up.

"Jeremiah's right. We're both gonna be forced to get married.

"What exactly am I still hoping for?

"I've made up my mind, haven't I?"

Taking a deep breath, she suddenly felt that giving up on someone wasn't as hard as she had thought.

She nodded obediently. "Yes, Dad."

Nelson paused slightly.

He arched an eyebrow, surprised by her reaction.

In the past, she had only called him "Dad" when she messed up and wanted forgiveness. For conversations like this, she'd only talk back.

Figuring she had realized her mistake, he said, his expression softening a bit, "Tricia is so nice to you, fixing breakfast for you and all. Don't be so hostile toward her, alright?"

Paulette thought, "Even if she hadn't, you would have fixed it for me anyway.

"Besides, I never asked her to do that in the first place."

But she didn't argue. She just nodded and said, "I see. I'll try to get along with her."

Nelson felt something was off as he saw her like this. He gazed at her face, his eyes deep, and after a moment of hesitation, he asked, "Why didn't you come last night?"

Yesterday was his twenty-eighth birthday.

Paulette did come.

It was just that no one cared.

She said softly, "I stayed at school for a late meeting. Then I came straight home because I was so tired. Dad, happy birthday."

She just wanted to deal with everything and then leave him as soon as possible. So, she didn't think explaining was necessary.

Nelson nodded. After hesitating for a while, he still reached out and stroked her head. "If anything happens, tell me. Don't keep it all inside. OK? Now let's go downstairs for breakfast."

Paulette never expected that one day, she'd have breakfast prepared by her "rival in love" with the man she loved.

She wanted to find some excuse to leave at first. Yet, on second thought, now that she had decided to leave Nelson, she ought to accept such a reality.

She wouldn't have to endure it much longer anyway.

After breakfast, Nelson went upstairs to change.

Paulette was about to go back to her room, too. She had to go to school today to talk to her professor about her internship in Crireton.

"Paulette." Just then, Patricia's voice rang out behind her.

She turned around and saw Patricia standing at the kitchen door in cleaning gloves, her casual elegance making her no different from the hostess.

Though Paulette was deeply upset, she maintained expressionless and responded, "Yeah?"

"Nothing important, really. I just want a quick word with you."

The smile on Patricia's face was gentle, though her eyes were devoid of any emotion. "Nelson told me you've been a straight-A student all these years, and you even skipped grades a few times. You're about to graduate, right? Have you figured out where to intern?"

She pretended to care, but Paulette knew she was probing.

Paulette smiled, "I don't think it's got anything to do with you, Patricia."

Nelson had said she could intern at the Chapman Group, which made her thrilled, thinking she could finally stand by his side and thrive together.

But not anymore.

She no longer wanted that.

Patricia's expression froze for a second before she forced a smile. "I'm just trying to express my concern. After all, Nelson is a man. There's stuff that can be hard for fathers to talk about with their daughters."

Paulette wanted to say that was so not true. She had always shared everything with Nelson over the years.

But she was looking at his first love, his beloved.

So, she didn't retort.

She just said, "I see."

Her reaction surprised Patricia, whose eyes flickered. After a few seconds, Patricia said tentatively, "You're twenty years old, right? I presume things are getting awkward living together with Nelson. Hey, why don't you move in with me? I'll be so happy to have company."

Paulette had seen enough tangled affections in dramas.

She had always thought those plots were exaggerated. Yet now, she realized reality was just as dramatic.

Patricia just wanted her to stay away from Nelson.

She took a deep breath, trying to suppress the irritation that was really getting to her.

But in the end, she chose not to hold back anymore. She stepped forward, looked Patricia in the eye, and said, "Shall I thank you for caring about me so much?"

At this precise moment, Patricia almost mistook Paulette for Nelson-their presence was equally intimidating. She instinctively stepped back a few times and stuttered, "N-No."

Suddenly, her gaze shifted to a certain point behind Paulette as she said gently, "Paula, you never have to worry about me taking Nelson away from you. You'll always be the one he cares about. I..."

Before she could finish, she tripped over the sliding door track and fell backward hard.

Paulette wanted to help her, only to be yanked by her with great force and shoved against the table.

Nelson looked at her with nothing but disappointment and coldness in his eyes. "Paulette, you let me down. The older you get, the viler you become."

Nelson's gaze was chilling to the bone, and Paulette couldn't utter a word.

Her side slammed into the dining table, and the sharp pain was killing her. Yet, all Nelson did was pick up Patricia carefully and then stride out with her in his arms.

Tears streamed down Paulette's face uncontrollably. She sniffed, not being able to move at all.

A few minutes later, someone opened the door.

It was Nancy.

Humming, she walked briskly to the dining room. Upon seeing Paulette, she exclaimed and said with astonishment and distress, "Ms. Davenport? What happened? Why are you crying so hard?"

Paulette couldn't hold back any longer. She said, her voice trembling, "Help me, Nancy... Please... It hurts so much."

Nancy called the property management for a car and took Paulette to the nearest hospital.

The doctor gave her a check-up. Luckily, there was no serious damage.

"Be careful these days. Avoid any pressure on your waist and remember to apply the spray regularly," the doctor reminded her after filling out the prescription. Then she comforted Paulette while looking at Paulette's pretty face, "The bruises may seem a bit terrifying, but they'll go away. Don't worry."

Paulette thanked her and then left the hospital with Nancy.

"Ms. Davenport, would you like me to call Mr. Chapman?" Nancy asked.

"No."

Patricia knew Nelson's attention was all on taking care of Patricia right now. Why would he give a damn about her?

She curved her lips self-mockingly and tried to move her waist slightly. It didn't hurt that much anymore, so she stuffed the spray into Nancy's hand and said, "You may go back. I'm going to school now."

Nancy was a bit worried. "Can you manage?"

"The doctor said it was just some bruises, right? I'm fine, Nancy."

It took Paulette a few minutes before reassuring Nancy, who finally left reluctantly.

As Paulette sat in the car, she couldn't help but sigh, overwhelmed by mixed emotions. It seemed she had been protected well since living together with Nelson at eight, but when she was really hurt, only Nancy was with her.

But she didn't feel bitter about it.

People always parted eventually.

Things between her and Nelson just ended sooner than she expected.

After submitting several documents, she told her professor about her internship in Crireton.

Her professor was very surprised. "Crireton? Don't you think it's a bit too far? You said you couldn't bear to leave Mr. Chapman, so you'd intern at his company, right? Besides, he's gonna be so worried."

She didn't know how to explain the tangled web between her and Nelson. Pondering for a while, she said, "We aren't related by blood. Besides, I'm already twenty. I don't want him to worry about me anymore, and it's time for me to be independent. I'm sure he'll be all for it."

Her professor nodded and sighed, "I guess. But he's so good to you-ask anyone in school, and they'll all agree with me. Even now, he still drives you to and from campus, protecting you from all the boys.

"No matter what, it's always a good thing to want to be independent. Go ahead then. It'll be a great opportunity for your growth. I believe in you-you'll make your mark no matter what you do."

Paulette nodded and left after chatting with her professor for a while.

Though her college years were brief, everyone here knew how much Nelson was concerned about her.

When she was a freshman, he had even bought a condo next to the campus just to better take care of her.

But...

Those days were gone.

Now, he was with the woman he wanted to take care of for the rest of his life, and she was no longer wanted. Maybe he was even annoyed by her existence.

Her departure would be the gift he wanted the most.

She thought he wouldn't come back because he had to look after Patricia.

To her surprise, the moment she stepped inside, she saw him dealing with work on his laptop on the sofa.

Hearing the sound, he turned around to look at her. "Your classes were over?"

She was stunned for a second before realizing he might have heard from Nancy that she had gone to school.

"Yes," she answered while putting the things she had taken back from school in the cabinet. After hesitating for a few seconds, she asked, "Is Patricia alright?"

Nelson frowned and said with displeasure, "Patricia? Where are your manners?"

Knowing he wanted her to address Patricia as "Ms. Carver", she said flatly, "You're about to get married soon, right? What's wrong with me calling her by her first name?"

The disapproval in his eyes was still obvious, but for the first time, he didn't scold her anymore.

Instead, he changed the subject. "I was so worried back then and was a bit too rough. Nancy told me you bumped into the table. Is it serious?"

Paulette clenched her fists on both sides and soon unclenched them. Lowering her head, she said, "No."

But he obviously didn't buy it. He thought, "Nancy told me she was in so much pain that she cried miserably.

"She has barely cried ever since I took her in. It must have hurt a lot for her to cry like that..."

Frowning, he put the laptop aside and walked toward Paulette. "Let me see..."

Seeing him reaching out, Paulette took a big step back instinctively. His hand froze in mid-air as he had never thought she'd avoid his touch.

"Paulette?"

He looked up at her, his gaze obscure.

"I was just really worried about Tricia back then. I'm sorry that I overlooked you. Could you accept my apology?"

"Indeed, you were so worried about Patricia that you didn't notice me at all," Paulette thought.

That familiar dull ache flashed through her chest once again. As she kept her head dropped, Nelson couldn't see the expression on her face. He only heard her say in an utterly flat voice, "I tripped. That was all. It was nothing compared to Patricia's injuries. You should go back and be with her."

"Are you really OK?"

"Yes."

Nelson looked at her skeptically for a few seconds before finally relaxing.

He thought, "It seems she's telling the truth. I know her well-if she was badly hurt, she would have made a scene already."

Just as he was about to say something, his phone on the sofa rang. He walked over and answered it, his gentle voice almost making Paulette feel like he was an entirely different person. "Tricia? What's up?

"What? You should have been more careful. Is it bad?"

He grabbed his jacket from the sofa as he continued, "I'll be there in a second."

As he hurried to the door, he suddenly remembered Paulette was still behind him. He then turned around and said, "Call me if you need anything. And stay home. Alright?"

Paulette watched as he went out, got into his car, and drove off.

As the engine's roar faded into the distance, she exhaled softly, the pain in her waist flaring up again.

Just then, her phone in the bag buzzed. She took it out, and upon seeing Jeremiah's name flashing on the screen, she actually felt the urge to cry.

She answered.

Then she said, her voice carrying grievances that even she wasn't aware of, "Jeremiah, I'm hurt."

Jeremiah had never heard Paulette speak in such a vulnerable tone. As he was stunned, he heard her faint sob.

He said, his voice tightening, "What happened? Did you go to the hospital? Where are you? I'll have my friend take you to the hospital..."

The concern in his voice was undisguised.

Paulette couldn't help but chuckle through tears.

"My waist bumped into the table. It's nothing."

She took a few deep breaths, no longer that frustrated. Then she said as she walked over to the sofa and sat down, "I went to the hospital already. The doctor said there was no serious damage and then prescribed me some medicine."

After saying this, she seemed to hear him breathe a sigh of relief. Then he said, "Can't you at least protect my wife for me when I'm away?"

He addressed her as his wife so naturally.

Somehow, Paulette actually found his voice exceptionally pleasant to the ear. She blushed, scolding, "I'm not your wife."

"Not yet."

Light footsteps came from the end of his line before he said, his tone returning to its usual laziness, "Paulette, I look forward to the day this title becomes official."

Paulette didn't know how to respond.

She and Jeremiah went way back.

She had always thought of him as her friend, and to think he'd be her husband felt more or less weird and ... exciting.

At a loss for what to say, she simply changed the subject, teasing, "You're not gonna fly over now, are you?"

After a moment of silence, Jeremiah smiled bitterly, "That was the plan. But I just realized I'm abroad now. The last-minute business trip started yesterday."

Paulette parted her lips, but no words came out.

She was just joking and was surprised to know he really wanted to come over to her.

In an instant, she was overwhelmed by a kind of feeling that made her both warm and want to cry. Before she could say anything, Jeremiah continued, "One of my friends runs a massage center. I'll text her number to you later. Go see her tomorrow, OK? With her help, you'll recover faster."

"No..."

He interrupted her, "Don't say no to me, Paulette.

"We're about to get married, and I'm supposed to take care of you. I feel bad enough that I'm not there for you now. You can even yell at me if that's what you want. OK?"

This was the first time someone had cared about her so much ever since Patricia came back.

She sniffed and nodded.

Realizing he couldn't see her, she said, her voice barely audible, "OK."

The massage center was located in the city center. After stepping inside, Paulette learned that it was an exclusive establishment with a members-only reservation system. In other words, non-members couldn't even get in.

The owner was Annabelle Patel, a pretty woman, who was also Jeremiah's former classmate.

After giving Paulette a waist massage, Annabelle walked her to the door personally.

"Come straight to me next time you're here. No matter how swamped I am, I always have time for Jeremiah's girlfriend." Annabelle blinked, the curiosity in her eyes more than obvious. "In exchange, could you tell me more about you and Jeremiah?"

Annabelle was so curious.

Jeremiah had always been proud and aloof since he was little. She was slack-jawed when she learned he had fallen for a twenty-year-old.

After spending some time with Annabelle, Paulette had already become friends with her. She liked Annabelle very much.

She shrugged and said truthfully, "There isn't much to tell. We just happened to find each other compatible life partners."

Annabelle widened her eyes, clearly not buying it.

Just as she was about to press further, a female voice filled with surprise rang out. "Paulette? It's really you!"

Paulette and Annabelle turned around at the same time.

What came into their view was a couple standing shoulder-to-shoulder with their fingers interlaced, and their perfect height difference painted the image of an ideal match.

Nelson looked around before his gaze fell upon Paulette. He frowned, asking, "What are you doing here?"

Before she could answer, Annabelle said with a cold snort, "I can't believe someone's stupid enough to ask such a question. Don't you know where you are? People get hurt and come here for a massage to help with their recovery. Why else would they be here? To shop?"

If it were others, they would have been concerned about offending their customers, but not Annabelle. She had never been a fan of flattery.

The expressions of Nelson and Patricia changed at once.

Paulette wanted to laugh, but she couldn't.

Nelson forgot about her injury completely and took Patricia here.

Which one of them was his beloved was obvious enough.

But perhaps this was for the best. At least it saved all three of them a lot of trouble.

She tugged at Annabelle's sleeve and whispered, "This is my stepdad and ... stepmom."

Annabelle arched an eyebrow. Her eyes darted between the three, and she instantly sensed something was off.

With a smile, she said, "Gosh, I'm so sorry. I wasn't aware you were her elders. I didn't mean to offend you."

Somehow, the word "elder" seemed sarcastic when Annabelle said it. Besides, she wasn't much younger than Nelson and Patricia anyway.

Nelson's gaze turned deep. After quite a while, he looked at Annabelle and Paulette and asked, "Ms. Patel, do you know Paulette well?"

"Not exactly, but I'm..."

Annabelle met Paulette's gaze in time.

She instantly caught Paulette's drift and changed the subject, saying, "I always aim at making my customers my friends. I'm sure we'll be friends, too."

Paulette secretly breathed a sigh of relief and echoed, "Anna's massage skills are amazing. We hit it off."

Only then did Nelson remember about Paulette's waist injury. He had forgotten about it because she had said yesterday that it wasn't serious.

Frowning slightly, he said with worry, "Paulette, are you feeling better now?"

Standing next to him, Patricia saw the concern in his eyes clearly.

Her eyes darkened as she remained silent.

Paulette, however, had grown immune to his belated concern. She wasn't sad or moved and just replied absently, "Yes, much better."

Noticing the look on her face, Nelson figured she was still upset. He gripped Patricia's hand slightly before letting it go.

He knew Paulette was short-fused, and things would get nasty if she made a scene here.

Patricia lowered her head to look at her hand that was put down by him and clenched her fists tightly.

But Nelson didn't notice it. Like any other parent, he put on an authoritative look and said to Paulette in a deep voice, "Since you're better, go back home and get some rest. Don't wander around outside. If your injury flares up, you'll be a crybaby again."

He made it sound like she cried a lot in front of him.

Smiling, she looked at his eyes and said, "Don't worry, Dad. That won't happen ever again."

The resolution in her eyes somehow made Nelson feel she was cutting all ties with him, and a sharp pain in his heart shot through his entire body in a second before quickly vanishing.

He looked away and said, "Get a cab home. I'll stay with Tricia as she gets a waist massage."

Paulette glanced at him without saying anything.

Then she grabbed Annabelle's hand. "Anna, I'm off. I'll come here when you aren't that busy."

Catching her drift, Annabelle smiled meaningfully and pinched her face playfully, "Alright. Come here after you're together."

By saying that, she meant Paulette and Jeremiah.

Yet, Nelson got her wrong.

After Paulette left, he immediately said to Annabelle seriously, "Ms. Patel, Paulette is just my stepdaughter. And she will always be."

Annabelle parted her lips, wanting to say something, but she didn't.

She thought, "Forget it. If he insists on playing dumb, who am I to expose him?"

With a meaningful smile, she said casually, "Alright. My bad. Paulette should be with someone younger. Given your age, I don't think you have much to talk with her about."

She saw every subtle change in Patricia's expression clearly.

She thought, "A narcissist with a scheming woman? Sounds like a perfect match to me.

"I wonder how he's gonna react when he knows the truth."

Her interest was piqued. With a bright smile, she waved at one of her staff members not far away.

Then she said to Nelson and Patricia, "I've got something to do. Sorry. I hope you enjoy your time here."

Just then, her staff came over. She said something in the man's ear expressionlessly and turned around with her signature smile. After nodding at Nelson and Patricia, she turned to leave gracefully.

Once she was back in her office, she told Jeremiah everything that had happened.

Then she concluded, "Paula's stepdad means something special to her. Are you confident in winning her over?"

It was already evening in Hotruesia. Sitting next to the floor-to-ceiling windows, Jeremiah gazed out. The city's night view was reflected in his dark eyes, making them even more obscure.

He retracted his legs crossed on the desk and said in a deep voice, "I'll deal with work over here as soon as possible and come over to pick her up."

"The answer is yes then."

Annabelle licked her rosy lip. "I can't wait to see you win her heart."

"I'm in for a great show," she thought at the same time.

After hanging up, Jeremiah fiddled with his phone for a few seconds before opening WhatsApp and sending a message to his pinned contact, "Are you done with the massage?"

Paulette had just gotten into the car when she received his message.

She couldn't help but smile as her gaze fell upon it.

"Yes," she replied.

"Anna's massage skills are amazing. I didn't feel any pain at all."

"Thank you, Jeremiah."

She even sent him a fist-bump emoji after that.

Jeremiah felt a bit helpless.

After pausing for a few seconds, he replied, "I'm glad it helped. You may go there a few more times. She's idle every day, and I'm sure she'll be happy to see you."

Paulette knew Annabelle and Jeremiah were close, and her smile grew bigger.

"She said we can go and hang out with her together after you're here."

She said "we".

Jeremiah lowered his head and smiled, his deep-set eyes sparkling with affection and joy, which made him even more attractive.

They chatted for a bit till Paulette's phone's low-battery alert chimed.

She texted, "Get some rest. I'll go back and take care of some things. Good night."

After marrying Jeremiah, she would move to Crireton, so she needed to sort out what to bring with her.

As for the rest...

Since Nelson and Patricia wouldn't want them anyway, she had to get rid of them in advance.

It was already the afternoon when she went back to the villa. She charged her phone and then started to rummage through every cabinet and drawer to sort out her stuff, losing track of time gradually.

When Nancy came upstairs to tell her dinner was ready, it was already evening.

She went back to her room and grabbed her phone before heading downstairs together with Nancy.

"Mr. Chapman called and said he wouldn't be back for dinner tonight," Nancy said while glancing at Paulette. Then she continued with a sigh, "Ms. Davenport, can't you talk things out with him? He sounded upset. I think it's because ... you didn't reply to his messages."

Paulette paused slightly before taking out her phone to check.

Sure enough, there were several missed calls and WhatsApp messages from Nelson.

She dismissed the notifications and said flatly, "I didn't hear the ringtone."

Having watched her grow up, Nancy had already thought of her as family. Nancy said earnestly, "Ms. Davenport, you're so young, and you're gonna meet a lot of people on your way forward. Don't act on wild impulses. Nothing is worth risking your health over. OK?"

Knowing Nancy was genuinely looking out for her, she wrapped her arm around Nancy's shoulders and said seriously, "OK. Nancy, I promise."

She had made up her mind to get over Nelson.

From now on, nothing related to him was her concern.

After dinner, she found the number for a charity library online as she wanted to donate her whole book collection.

She received a call from Margie right after she hung up.

"Johnny will be a month old tomorrow, and we're planning on having a small gathering tomorrow night. We'll throw Johnny a big party when he's a hundred days old. Will you join us, Paula?"

Margie Anderson grew up with Nelson and watched Paulette grow up. She was friends with Paulette, too.

Since Margie called, Paulette would be there.

But...

Nelson surely would be there as well.

After hesitating for a while, Paulette figured she was overthinking it.

So what if Nelson showed up? Maybe it was a bit awkward that he turned her down after she confessed her feelings for him, but she didn't do anything wrong. Why would she avoid seeing him?

Early the next morning, she went to a nearby mall and bought Margie's son Johnny Mitchell a gift.

The address Margie texted her was an estate in the countryside.

By the time she arrived, there were already a lot of people chatting in the main hall.

They were all friends, and most of them knew things between Nelson and Paulette had been tense lately. Upon seeing Paulette, those who knew the inside story started to whisper among themselves with meaningful smiles.

Noticing this, Margie quickly came over and held Paulette's hand.

"Paula, you know they always joke around. Just ignore them. Come with me. I want you to meet Johnny."

Paulette smiled casually.

"It's fine. What they say is the truth anyway."

She and Nelson indeed had a fallout because of another woman.

Seeing she wasn't playing tough, Margie sighed, "Honestly, I thought Nelson would be with you sooner or later."

She thought, "Paula is so kind and pretty. Besides, Nelson has always doted on her. How could he possibly not have any feelings for her?

"Does he really love Patricia that much? Or he simply doesn't even know what his heart wants?"

Paulette smiled, "Perhaps we aren't meant to be together. I won't force it anymore. Well, guess what? I bought a gift for Johnny. I hope he likes it."

"Of course, he will." Margie was relieved to see Paulette wasn't upset. She tapped Paulette's nose and said, "On Johnny's behalf, I hope you find your other half soon and make sure that fool regrets it."

For some reason, Paulette actually thought of Jeremiah. She replied, her tone carrying joy that even she didn't realize, "I already have."

Just as Margie was about to ask for more, someone else beat her to it. "Are you seeing someone?"

The familiar voice made Paulette tense up at once. She turned around and saw Nelson, who seemed a bit angry.

The atmosphere suddenly became awkward, and Paulette's gaze inadvertently swept over Patricia, who was standing next to Nelson.

Though Patricia said nothing, she clearly saw the gloat flickering in Patricia's eyes.

She pursed her lips and said in a small voice, "No.

"Margie asked me if I had already found an internship, and I answered truthfully."

Coming back to her senses, Margie echoed, "That's right. Since Paula is graduating, I want her to work at my company."

Nelson's gaze lingered on Paulette's face for a second before he said in a deep voice, "That won't be necessary. She'll intern at the Chapman Group."

Only then did Patricia say with a smile, "Paula is a straight-A student at school, right? I'm sure she'll shine anywhere. Nelson, why don't you ask her if she's got a dream company in mind?"

Nelson was already used to handling things for Paulette and said instinctively, "She has zero real-world experience. How could she possibly tell what's good for her and what's not?"

Paulette thought, "It's so typical of him.

"It's always he who calls the shots."

Staring at the floor, she retorted, "I'm about to be twenty-one. I know what's good for me."

A trace of surprise flashed across Nelson's eyes before his expression darkened.

He took it that Paulette said this just to get under his skin, thinking, "Her temper's getting worse every day."

He wanted to ask her what this was about, but then he realized they were at Margie's party.

"I'm glad to hear that," he said, his voice glacial.

"Now that you're here, behave yourself. We'll come back together later."

With this, he took Patricia to greet the others, not sparing Paulette another glance.

Paulette was already used to his indifference after these past few days.

She thought, "Who cares? He can be as indifferent as he wants.

"Since I'm about to leave anyway, I'm actually glad that he leaves me alone."

Witnessing the whole thing, Margie felt sorry for Paulette. She wrapped her arm around Paulette's shoulders, comforting her, "I had no idea Nelson was this strict. Why would you be attracted to such a fossil? Ignore him."

Paulette nodded heavily. "I won't be upset because of him again."

Presuming Paulette was in a terrible mood, instead of taking her to meet the others, Margie showed her around the estate.

It was nestled between hills and rivers, and the scenery here was amazing.

Paulette was a bit guilty. "Margie, sorry. I shouldn't be taking up your time like this. It's about Johnny today, but you're here, stuck with me."

"Don't say that. We're just here to relax, right?" Margie smiled while raising her eyebrow. Then she said, lowering her voice, "If Nelson is mean to you again, just think that he's going through a middle age crisis in advance."

After pondering for a while, Paulette still didn't tell Margie she was leaving.

Nelson wouldn't have a chance to be mean to her again.

It was already late when the party finally ended. Those people took turns to hold Johnny in their arms, and upon leaving, someone who was drunk boldly teased Nelson and Patricia.

"When are you getting married? You're not getting any younger. The clock is ticking. When your baby's a month old, throw them a big party, too. We'll get our gifts ready!"

All of a sudden, the entire hall fell silent.

Several people imperceptibly looked at Paulette.

Sympathy filled their eyes.

Patricia blinked shyly and said, as if she hadn't noticed anything, "Sure. Everyone will be invited.

The atmosphere was finally no longer that awkward.

After teasing them for a little while, everyone left.

Paulette had no choice but to sit in Nelson's car.

Patricia sat in the passenger seat and cranked up the AC and the music skillfully. Then she turned around to offer Paulette a piece of gum, saying, "Nelson brought this back from Kirbury for me. It's not available in town. Give it a go."

Looking at her hypocritical smile, Paulette said expressionlessly, "Thanks, but no."

In the next second, she met Nelson's disapproving gaze through the rearview mirror.

She pretended she hadn't noticed and lowered her head to focus on her phone.

Patricia was a bit awkward. She froze for a second before turning around.

Then she stuffed the gum into Nelson's mouth. "It seems Paula isn't interested."

On the way back, Nelson and Patricia chatted. Patricia brought up all kinds of topics, such as who was getting married and which high-end wedding dress they had chosen, and said they should meticulously plan their own wedding, too.

Nelson responded in a loud voice. Maybe he deliberately wanted Paulette to listen.

But Paulette wasn't paying any attention to their conversation at all.

She was chatting with Jeremiah on her phone.

"Johnny is adorable. His cheeks are so soft and squishy. I could just nibble on them!"

Jeremiah texted her back, "He's just turned one month old?"

She replied, "Yes. That's what today's party is about."

He sent her a voice message after a few seconds.

As she stared at her screen, her gut told her it wouldn't be anything good.

She clicked the button to convert it to text.

"You like babies? We'll have one then."

She knew he was joking but still couldn't help but chuckle. Could her intuition be any sharper?

After quite a while, she suddenly sensed something. Looking up at the rearview mirror, she saw Nelson frowning at her.

Then she noticed Patricia's sullen look.

She was baffled.

What did she do?

Now that she thought about it, Patricia had been complaining about the property management for being useless. She had been splashed all over when the water pipe at her home burst.

Paulette bit her lip to stop herself from chuckling.

She wasn't laughing at Patricia. Would either of them believe her?

No one said anything on the remaining journey. Soon, the car arrived at Patricia's place, finally calling an end to the suffocating atmosphere.

Nelson got out of the car, opened the door for Patricia, and said softly, "If something like this happens again, don't call me. No need to tough it out alone."

She sniffed. "Alright... I just don't wanna trouble you."

"Stop it. I'm your boyfriend, OK?"

Paulette remained still in the back seat.

She averted her gaze, not wanting to watch the lovebirds.

Nelson went back into the car after a few minutes. He glanced at Paulette deeply, seeming he'd deal with her after they went back home.

The car sped all the way home, and Paulette calmly got out.

Sure enough, Nelson scolded her right after entering the door, looking displeased, "Paulette, I've told you already. If you're upset, come to me. What was that about?"

"What was what about?"

Paulette looked up at him. "I wasn't laughing at her."

"Then what were you laughing at?"

"I..." Paulette stuttered.

She couldn't tell him the real reason.

Or he would have lectured her for three days straight.

Seeing her in silence, Nelson frowned even more. "I'll make this clear to you one more time in case there's any confusion. I'm your stepfather and will always be. I'll only ever care for you as family."

It wasn't exactly news to Paulette, but his harsh tone still brought a dull ache to her heart.

Though it didn't hurt much, it was undoubtedly upsetting.

She looked him in the eye and said indifferently, "Rest assured, Dad. I'll know my place. There won't be any improper thoughts."

It was the answer Nelson wanted to hear.

Yet, for some reason, as he looked into Paulette's indifferent eyes, he suddenly felt something heavy and almost suffocating.

He looked away and pursed his lips. "Go get some rest. I don't want to scold you all the time, so just learn to behave."

Looking at his retreating figure, Paulette pulled a wry smile.

What did she do? She didn't tell him she'd attend Margie's party and happened to giggle when Patricia was complaining.

Then he scolded her for misbehaving.

That made sense.

After all, she used to be a hundred percent well-behaved.

No matter how unruly she had been when around others, she had always been the sweet, obedient girl in front of him.

She had never disobeyed him, doing whatever he asked her to do and distancing herself from those he frowned at.

But not anymore.

From now on, she'd be true to herself.

After the unpleasant conversation, Nelson hadn't shown up for days. And Paulette hadn't just been sitting around, either. Her classmates were getting ready for their jobs, and she had meals with them before leaving.

Then she started to pack up.

After all, she had been living in Fromond for years. She had quite a bunch of stuff, and it'd be unrealistic to take it all away.

She decided to sort out those important things and donate the rest.

Maybe Patricia would soon move in with Nelson.

Presumably, neither of them wanted her traces in the villa.

She pulled out her suitcase, put all the clothes she wanted to take away on the bed, folded them one by one, and then packed them away.

With the music playing, she was actually in a good mood.

As she was almost done, Nelson's cold voice rang out at the door.

"Why are you packing up?"

Slightly surprised, she paused for a bit. Then she said, "My internship will begin shortly. I've got some time, so I wanna pay a visit to Monty, Maxine, and Elnora."

Though Nelson had raised her, his brother Monty Chapman, sister-in-law Maxine Lynch, and grandmother Elnora Chapman felt more like family to Paulette. They had always been nice to her.

She didn't know whether she'd ever be back after leaving this time.

So, she was supposed to say goodbye to them.

Nelson had panicked for a second upon seeing her with the suitcase. Her answer reassured him, and he nodded. "When? I'll give you a ride."

The Chapman Group was a family business, but it began in Litchton, a city next to Fromond.

Paulette shook her head. "No need. I can go by myself."

He didn't say anything.

She looked up and happened to meet his gaze tinged with puzzlement.

She realized something. She had seldom turned him down because she knew he didn't like it.

After pondering for a while, she added, "You've spent so much time with Patricia lately. Besides, I'm not a kid anymore. I can manage."

As she expected, his expression changed the second she brought Patricia up.

He said coldly, "Tricia has just come back. Of course, I should show her around. She's been away for years, and everything here feels unfamiliar now.

"Go back by yourself then. But don't try to stir the pot by saying anything to Monty and Maxine. You know exactly what kind of person I am. None of your little games will work."

As he walked away coldly, Paulette looked up at his back and let out a derisive laugh.

She thought, "Does he think I'm back to complain to them?

"I'm so glad I've moved on.

"Or his reaction like this would have killed me."

Taking a deep breath, she gathered herself and finished packing the remainder of her belongings.

Just as she sat down, Jeremiah texted her, asking her if she was done packing.

She texted him back, "I'm wrapping up. Oh, and I wanna go back to the Chapman's mansion to spend some time with Monty, Maxine, and Elnora."

Jeremiah replied, "OK. Tell me if you need anything."

After a while, he texted her again, suggesting she get another massage from Annabelle.

He then sent her a voice message directly as if he had known she'd say no. As she clicked the play button, his deep voice rang out. "Annabelle told me about your waist injury. If you don't recover well, there may be lasting damage. Are you up for that, Ms. Davenport?"

Paulette couldn't help but shiver. Of course, she didn't want to spend the rest of her life with an injured waist.

After hanging up, she went out and took a cab.

She arrived at the massage center half an hour later.

As she went upstairs to the front desk, the receptionist smiled gently, knowing her obviously, "Ms. Patel is busy right now. Could you wait for a bit? She'll be out soon."

She nodded and followed the receptionist to the lounge.

After a while, someone walked out of a private room not far away.

It was Patricia.

Today, she wore a Chanel-style suit. Her long hair was braided into a plait, cascading down one shoulder, adding a touch of refinement and gentleness to her temperament.

Patricia spotted Paulette, too. She was slightly stunned before walking over with a smile.

"Hey, Paula."

Not interested in talking with her, Paulette nodded and lowered her head to sip some water.

Patricia's expression changed slightly as she pursed her lips. "Paula, I've never done anything to hurt you, right? Why are you so hostile to me?"

"You think too much."

Getting hostile was a kind of reaction.

But Paulette felt nothing when facing Patricia, so she didn't have any reactions at all.

Looking at Paulette, Patricia thought, her heart filled with great hatred, "Paulette's always been so indifferent. It's like she's so great that she couldn't even be bothered to talk to me."

Forcing a smile, she said, "Oh, really? That's good to know. Then... Since I'm Nelson's girlfriend, don't you think you should be spending more time with me?"

Paulette was puzzled. "Yeah, you're his girlfriend, not mine. Why would I wanna do that?"

Patricia was rendered speechless for a second.

"How ... could you say this?"

"Why?" Paulette put down the glass and looked at her.

"Patricia, if you wanna be with Nelson, go ahead. Stop treating me like some kind of imaginary rival because I'm not."

When saying this, she thought, "I'm not stupid.

"Patricia's probed repeatedly because she wants to be sure there's nothing going on between me and Nelson.

"How ridiculous.

"What else does she want? Nelson's been utmost clear that he's not interested in me."

Finally, Patricia couldn't maintain her friendly facade anymore. She said through gritted teeth, "Don't tell me you don't have any feelings for Nelson."

"I had," Paulette said truthfully, not intending to hide anything. "But not anymore. You don't like me, and the feeling is mutual. From now on, we'll just stay out of each other's way. Don't bother pretending."

Patricia had prepared a lecture, but Paulette's words left her speechless, and she actually didn't know what to say.

After quite a while, she sneered, "Yeah, right. Say whatever you want. It doesn't change the fact that you're still living with your stepdad though you're an adult now. Have some shame!"

Paulette had suggested moving out during college, but Nelson wouldn't agree, saying she couldn't take care of herself.

Now, it had become Patricia's excuse to accuse her.

Paulette clenched her fists. "I'll move out."

Patricia pressed on, saying sternly, "When?"

Before she could answer, suddenly, someone else chimed in, "My, my. Ms. Carver, does Mr. Chapman know you're bullying Paulette like this?"