To tone down Camila Ackley's unruly streak, her father called in Zachary Maddren—his most trusted subordinate—to straighten her out.

To Camila, Zachary was nothing more than an employee, and she certainly wasn't about to take orders from him.

So, she pulled all kinds of stunts to make him back off.

On her first day at work, she went ahead and smashed his Porsche.

But Zachary just shot her a calm look and said, "Have it towed for damage assessment. The repair costs are coming out of Camila's paycheck."

The next day, she swapped his meeting slides with adult videos.

Zachary stayed cool as a cucumber. He rattled off the whole original proposal and secured the key project, leaving everyone impressed.

Camila refused to give up. At a business dinner, she slyly slipped a very potent drug into his drink, hoping he'd make a fool of himself in front of everyone.

But the joke was on her. Zachary carried her to the presidential suite, where they spent a night of wild passion that left her aching all over.

Everyone said he was noble and upright like a real gentleman.

But only Camila knew just how wild he could get, pinning her to the bed and taking her all night long.

He had slept with her everywhere—the backseat of his Rolls-Royce, the conference room desk, even against the floor-to-ceiling windows of his top-floor office...

In her striking red dress, Camila had grown used to the firm hold of this controlled, self-disciplined man at her waist as he "taught her lessons" in every imaginable way and position.

One night, after another round, Zachary disappeared into the bathroom.

At that moment, Camila received two messages from her best friend, who expressed frustration over her apparent lack of resolve.

"Seriously, Camila? Have you lost your mind?"

"Zachary is merely a small-time CEO in your family's subsidiary. And for him, you're breaking off your engagement with the heir of the Madderford family, the wealthiest family in New York?"

Camila didn't reply.

What they didn't know was that Zachary was, in fact, Zachary Madderford.

He was the very heir to the Madderford family.

The man she loved so desperately that she wanted to have him every night was exactly the one she was engaged to.

It should've been a great thing.

Still, Camila felt no joy whatsoever.

After a moment of silence, she called her father, Howard Ackley.

"I'll step aside and let Mollina marry the Madderford heir, but I have one condition..."

Right away, her parents' excited voices came through the phone. "What is it? Just name your price. We'll agree to anything!"

"I want 3.5 billion dollars," Camila said coldly, looking down.

"3.5 billion dollars?" Howard's voice shot up. "Have you lost it? Do you want us to go bankrupt?"

Camila let out a cold scoff. "Drop the act. The Madderford family promised you 5 billion dollars. 1.5 billion of that is going straight into your pockets, and Mollina gets to join the wealthiest family in New York. What a deal. You must be ecstatic."

Sure enough, Camila's parents fell silent.

A couple of seconds later, Howard said excitedly, "Alright then, it's settled!"

"Hold on, how can we be sure you won't back out at the last minute?" Camila's mother, Maria Ackley, suddenly asked.

That cautious tone felt like a knife stabbing right through Camila's heart.

She thought she'd grown accustomed to their favoritism over the years, yet a familiar ache still pierced her heart.

"I've already taken care of everything. I'm leaving for good in two weeks," she said, her voice shaking slightly.

Twenty years ago, she was the apple of her parents' eyes, showered with love and attention.

But then one day, her parents brought home a girl, Mollina Ackley, her biological older sister, who had been kidnapped as a child.

Feeling guilty about Mollina's tragic childhood, they started pouring all their love into her.

From that moment on, Camila began to face all sorts of unfair treatment.

The princess-themed bedroom she liked? That got handed over to Mollina.

The competition entry she spent three months of late nights on was given to Mollina, too.

Even the honorary medal she earned after risking her life to save someone ended up going to Mollina...

Camila had thrown a fit and made a big scene, but all she got was their scolding. "Your sister has been through so much, while you've had it easy for so long. What's the harm in letting her have this?"

She felt like a stuffed animal being gutted, watching in helpless horror as every piece of her was slowly pulled out and given to Mollina.

Even the engagement to the Madderford heir, set up by her grandmother before she passed, was on the verge of being snatched away and handed to Mollina.

It was the last straw. Camila got into a huge fight with her parents, almost wrecking the entire villa. So when Howard heard Zachary was good at handling people, he sent her to work with Zachary, hoping to curb her unruly nature.

Snapping out of it, Camila let out a long sigh and picked up Zachary's phone.

The password was Mollina's birthday.

Camila's hand froze for a second before she opened WhatsApp.

Zachary had pinned his chat with Mollina right at the top.

As she scrolled through their chat history, she saw that Zachary, who usually called her childish, had saved every cute emoji Mollina sent him.

He always acted serious around her, but he reminded Mollina to eat and take breaks every single day.

He often left her messages unread, yet he'd share every tiny detail of his life with Mollina.

And next to Camila's name? A muted icon.

A sarcastic smile tugged at the corner of Camila's lips.

Memories of the first time her heart raced for him flashed in her mind.

Back then, she had caused a scene at a cocktail party and messed up the project Zachary had worked so hard to land. He'd instantly shoved her into the bathroom and ripped her skirt.

Camila was so furious that she bit him, but he just pressed her against the sink from behind, kissed her earlobe, and said in a deep voice, "Cami, be good."

That one word—"Cami"—was all it took to completely break down her defenses.

Since Camila's grandmother passed away, no one had called her that anymore.

Perhaps it was the weight of all those lonely years finally catching up to her.

Or maybe it was because he truly cared.

He would protect her when creeps bothered her.

He would step in and take her drinks for her during business dinners.

Moreover, during one of her business trips, she ran into a landslide. Just when she thought it was all over for her, Zachary showed up and literally dug her out with his bare hands. He even carried her on his back for five whole kilometers to get to the hospital.

At that moment, his handsome face came into sharp focus through her blurry vision.

Suddenly, all those little moments they shared came rushing back to her. Right then and there, Camila realized she had really fallen for him.

So she prepared a special gift, planning to confess her feelings to him.

But when she went looking for him in the study—full of excitement—she overheard his phone call.

"Mr. Madderford, how much longer are you going to keep up the act of being just a small-company CEO? You can have anything you want! So why stick around at the Ackley Group, making only 350,000 dollars a year? Don't tell me it's just so you can be close to Mollina—to pay back that favor from when you both got kidnapped?

Zachary's face was indifferent as he said, "Without Molly, I wouldn't have survived. So I owe her."

"But aren't you still engaged to her younger sister? I thought you were with her because you liked her and wanted to marry her..."

Zachary let out a slight chuckle.

"She's just a spoiled little brat—definitely not cut out to be Mrs. Madderford."

Each word felt like a sharp knife, stabbing deep into Camila's heart!

So it turned out that Zachary had always been in love with Mollina.

And Camila was nothing more than a spoiled fling who needed some discipline!

At that moment, Camila tossed the carefully wrapped gift right out the window.

She was done with Zachary.

And she would end their engagement.

The thought of that day made Camila's eyes burn with unshed tears.

Suddenly, the bathroom door swung open. Zachary stepped out, and when he noticed her teary eyes, he paused.

"Why are you crying? Did I go too hard on you?"

His thumb brushed over her swollen lips, his voice low and magnetic.

Water droplets trickled down his collarbone. He had rolled up his shirt sleeves casually, showing off his well-defined arms. But beneath that relaxed vibe was a pulse-pounding sexual tension.

Camila's eyelashes fluttered as she turned her head away. "Just go away!"

Zachary smirked a little, looking like he was in a good mood. "Want me to carry you to the bath?"

But just as he said that, a message popped up on his phone.

He quickly turned off the screen, but Camila still caught a glimpse. It was from Mollina.

"Zachary, it's thundering! I'm so scared!"

Zachary frowned slightly and then looked at Camila. "I've got something urgent at work. I need to go."

Without waiting for her reply, he grabbed his coat and walked out briskly.

The moment the door shut, a loud rumble echoed through the room.

Suddenly, a clap of thunder boomed outside the window.

Camila couldn't help but shake all over, her back tensed up right away, and her face went pale.

She was scared of thunder, too.

Once, when she was with Zachary, she got so freaked out that she burrowed into his arms and held on tight, not wanting to let go.

He just chuckled softly and said, "The girl who's fearless about everything else is actually scared of thunder? How dramatic."

Now, when Mollina got scared of thunder, he just took off without thinking twice, looking all worried with his brows furrowed.

The difference between loving someone and not was so obvious.

Camila's eyes were full of sarcasm.

Another loud clap of thunder boomed.

She curled up into a little ball, shaking like a leaf.

Not long after, Mollina sent over a photo. In it, Zachary—who could stay chill even during their intimate moments—was holding Mollina in his arms, wrapped up in a blanket, while gently patting her and comforting her again and again.

His expression looked so gentle.

Camila bit her lower lip hard and tossed her phone to the ground.

She spent the whole night in a daze. As dawn broke, she got up, changed her clothes, and headed back to the Ackley manor.

As soon as she walked in, Howard shot her a look of disdain. "Out partying again? Can't you take a cue from your sister and be more sensible? You're just making us worry!"

"She's sensible?"

Camila let out a sarcastic snort. "I think you two should get your eyes checked at the hospital, and while you're at it, maybe check your hearts too. Because clearly, you're blind both inside and out!"

"Camila!"

Howard slammed his hand on the table, his eyes wide with anger. "How could you talk to us like that?"

"Dad, don't get mad."

Just then, Mollina chimed in. "Starting your day off angry isn't good for you, you know."

Camila glanced over at the sound of her voice and saw Mollina grinning from ear to ear, with Zachary standing next to her.

This man, who had said there was some urgent issue at work, was now holding Mollina's coat and bag, playing the part of the perfect boyfriend.

Camila quickly turned away. She really didn't want to look at him at all.

"Zach, what brings you here?" Maria asked.

"I'm just here to give Mr. Ackley an update on the project," Zachary replied, looking as calm as ever.

Mollina chimed in with a playful smile. "Dad, I'm starving."

Howard immediately switched to a loving dad mode. "Then come sit! Join us for breakfast!"

Camila glanced at the spread on the table.

Every dish was Mollina's favorite while her own tastes seemed totally ignored.

"Molly, I'm gonna pour you some juice. It's great for your skin."

"Molly, try this sunny-side-up egg. I made it just for you!"

Camila watched the cozy scene of the three of them together and felt a cold laugh echo inside her.

"Camila, why aren't you eating?" Mollina asked, pretending to be confused.

Before Camila could say anything, Mollina grabbed a cup of hot milk and handed it to her with a smile. "Here, have some milk."

"I don't want it. Just take it away," Camila said, frowning.

But Mollina kept pushing the cup closer. "Come on, just try a sip. It's really good!"

"I told you I don't need it!" Camila raised her hand to push the cup away, but she didn't expect Mollina to suddenly shake her hand.

The hot milk spilled out and splashed all over Camila's hand.

"Ah!"

Before Camila could react, Mollina screamed instead. The cup fell to the floor and shattered into pieces.

"Molly!"

Howard and Maria jumped up right away, grabbing Mollina's hands to check on her.

Blisters were popping up on the back of Camila's hand from the hot milk, but they just ignored them.

Instead, they turned on her. "Molly was nice enough to offer you some milk, and not only did you turn it down, but you also made her hurt herself!"

Camila tightened her grip. "It's because I'm allergic to milk!"

But before Camila could finish her words, Mollina jumped in. "Mom, Dad, it's fine. I bet Camila was just grumpy from waking up. She didn't mean it."

Seeing Mollina's fake concern made Camila feel sick to her stomach.

When Mollina first returned home, Camila actually felt bad for her older sister, who had been through so much.

She even gave Mollina her favorite stuffed animal, totally unaware of how much trouble this poor sister would cause her.

At first, it was just small things.

Mollina cut the flowers that Maria had cared for so lovingly, but then left the scissors in Camila's room and blamed her.

She broke an antique vase Howard treasured, tricked Camila into standing by the shards, and accused her of smashing it.

Later on, things just got crazier and crazier.

Camila had put in so much effort for half a year to get ready for this competition, but then she lost her entry certificate. Yet Mollina acted all wronged and said it was an accident.

Once, Mollina even jumped into the river and almost drowned, but she lied and claimed Camila pushed her.

And every single time, Howard and Maria would yell at Camila for no reason at all.

Whenever she tried to stand up for herself, they brushed it off as excuses and accused her of being bitter.

Slowly, she started to realize. From day one, Mollina never really saw her as a sister, and their parents' love didn't seem to be hers anymore.

So, Mollina was back at it again, trying to frame Camila once more.

But Howard didn't even try to find out the truth. He just pointed his finger at Camila's face and started shouting, "You've totally messed up a perfectly good breakfast with all this drama! When are you going to get over that awful temper of yours?

"How did I end up with such a stuck-up and bossy daughter? You're nothing like your sister!"

Camila bit her lip, watching her parents surround Mollina. When she saw that smug look in Mollina's eyes, she got so mad that she actually laughed.

When she was younger, she might have cried and tried to defend herself.

But now, she said, "What do you mean by stuck-up and bossy?"

She smirked. "This is what stuck-up and bossy looks like!"

She yanked the tablecloth hard.

With a loud crash, all those fancy breakfast dishes went crashing down onto the floor, making an absolute mess.

Zachary glanced at Camila, a quick flash of emotion flickering across his face.

Howard's angry shout boomed through the living room. "Camila, get out!"

Camila just let out a cold laugh and walked away without looking back.

The sound of her high heels clicking on the marble floor was sharp and clear, like a slap in the face.

There were still two weeks to go. She hadn't wanted things to get so messy, but why did Mollina have to push her buttons?

Well, now nobody was going to have an easy time with this.

But just as she stepped onto the street, someone suddenly covered her mouth and nose from behind.

Camila struggled for a bit, but then she passed out.

When she came to again, she found herself stuck in a cold storage room.

Above her, she heard a bodyguard's voice.

"Mr. Maddren said we need to teach you a lesson—so you stop hurting Ms. Mollina."

Camila froze for a moment, her fingers tightening up suddenly.

Just because of Mollina's almost non-existent burns, Zachary was going to throw her in here?

"Let me out!"

Camila gritted her teeth and yelled, but all she could do was watch helplessly as the door slammed shut behind her. Her throat got sore from shouting, but no one answered back.

Darkness and cold wrapped around her in a flash.

She curled up in the corner, shaking all over, but her heart felt even colder than the chilly storage room itself.

Right before her phone lost signal, she got a message from Mollina.

It was a photo of Zachary gently taking care of Mollina's barely noticeable burn. The worry on his face hit Camila hard.

He was so sweet and caring with Mollina, yet he treated her like dirt.

He even locked her in that freezing storage room just to teach her a lesson.

Camila stared at the photo, her eyes getting red.

She had clearly told him she was scared of the cold. Back then, he seemed totally chill about it, but he still took off his coat and gave it to her.

She thought that kind of care was just for her—turns out, she was fooling herself.

Because that care didn't even come close to what he showed Mollina.

Camila laughed as tears rolled down her cheeks.

It wasn't until she felt so frozen that she was losing consciousness that the door to the cold storage room finally opened.

Through her blurry vision, she saw a tall figure standing in front of her.

Before she could do anything, Zachary scooped her up into his arms.

"Let me go!"

She squirmed, but Zachary held onto her wrist.

His voice was low and calming. "It's okay, I've got you."

At his words, Camila felt a sudden twinge of sadness in her nose.

She couldn't help but think back to that one time she was tricked by a competitor and locked in a storage room. It was Zachary who searched all over the city to find her and then held her close to comfort her.

"It's okay, I'm here."

His voice had been so calm, but it really stuck with her.

She had foolishly thought maybe he liked her, too.

But now that she looked back on it, he was just infuriating.

Not only did he not like her at all, but he also punished her without even bothering to figure out what happened first.

"Don't touch me!" Since Camila couldn't break free, in desperation, she leaned forward and bit him just to make him let go.

Zachary frowned and started the car right away.

When they got back to the villa, he just picked her up and set her down on the comfy couch in the living room without saying anything.

Camila was about to lose it when she saw Zachary grab a hot sandwich and hand it over to her.

"Eat. Then get back to work at the company," he said firmly, making it clear there was no way she could refuse.

Camila turned her head away. "I don't need you sticking your nose in my business. Just give me some space!"

"Give you space?"

Zachary smirked a little, leaning one hand on the couch beside her. He looked at her with a half-smile. "You really think you can hold back?"

The words stabbed her like a knife to the heart.

He had known for ages that she couldn't live without him.

But there he was, just standing by like a stranger, watching her sink deeper and deeper while acting all indifferent.

Even his teasing tone felt like some smug winner gloating.

Camila bit her lip and stayed quiet.

Zachary looked at her pale face and said slowly, "You didn't mean for today to happen. Why didn't you stand up for yourself?"

Camila froze for a second.

She thought, "Did he see everything?"

"What's the point of defending myself?" Camila shot back with sarcasm in her voice. "No one would believe me anyway."

They always took Mollina's side, convinced she was the bad guy. No matter how much she tried to explain herself, it would be pointless.

"I believe you."

These words, even though he said them in a pretty normal tone, hit Camila's heart like a gentle but heavy weight.

She stared at him, feeling dazed.

With a cold laugh bubbling up inside her, she thought, "Is this what his 'trust' really meant—punishing me?"

Honestly, she didn't care about his so-called trust at all!

"But Molly is your biological sister. She's kind. Why do you have such a grudge against her?"

Camila's fingers dug into her palm.

"Mind your own business!"

Grinding her teeth, Camila shoved him away. Then she got up, marched back to the guest room, and slammed the door shut.

Zachary didn't come to see her all day.

But Mollina sent her a photo.

It turned out that Zachary had been with Mollina the whole time.

They went on a cruise together, enjoyed a candlelit dinner, danced the waltz on the deck—even the sunset was pink.

Plus, he even opened bottle caps for her, handed her a napkin while she was eating, and took off his coat to drape it over her shoulders when she said she was cold.

Things he had never done for Camila.

He, who always looked so serious and never smiled, actually beamed in front of Mollina—a sight that really hurt Camila's heart.

She buried herself under the covers and booked a flight for two weeks later.

Just hang in there for half a month. Once everything's sorted out, she won't have anything to do with Zachary anymore.

The next day, she woke up early and ran into Zachary just as he was heading out.

"Get in the car."

Camila turned to walk away, but he grabbed her and pushed her into the seat.

"Let me go!" She fought to get out of the car.

"Do you want me to hold you here and make you late?"

She froze for a moment. Looking at his face, it didn't seem like he was joking around.

But she had an important meeting that day. She'd pulled several all-nighters getting ready for this proposal, and she really believed it would be seen as top-notch.

She needed to be on time, so she had no choice but to give in.

However, during the meeting, Mollina presented her proposal right before Camila.

As the PowerPoint appeared on the big screen, Camila's face changed in an instant.

Because this proposal was exactly like hers!

"Dear shareholders, I'm going to share my proposal now..."

"That's not her proposal!"

Camila jumped up and interrupted Mollina angrily, "This is my idea, she copied it!"

Mollina looked shocked and hurt. "Camila, you can't just throw around accusations without any proof. This is obviously my work."

"You're being ridiculous!"

Camila turned to Zachary with worry in her eyes, "This proposal belongs to me!"

She had clearly worked on it right in front of him before; he even gave her feedback back then.

But when their eyes locked, Zachary just said flatly, "Camila, this is an important meeting. Don't cause trouble.

"Mollina, go ahead with your presentation.

Camila froze. It felt like something inside her just crumbled at that moment. So this was the "trust" he had talked about.

Handing over her hard work to someone else.

Stepping all over her pride and letting others humiliate her.

Whispers from her coworkers buzzed around her.

"Ms. Camila has always been so full of herself. She loves taking credit for other people's work."

"Exactly! She's just a pretty face. What skills does she even have? Mr. Maddren really knows how to see things clearly."

"Only Ms. Mollina actually has real talent."

Mollina glanced at Camila, her eyes full of smugness and a bit of challenge.

"Everyone, please look at the big screen..."

But before she could finish her sentence, Camila suddenly got up and walked over to Mollina.

In the middle of everyone's confusion, Camila smirked coldly, then grabbed a cup of water and slammed it down hard onto Mollina's laptop.

Bang!

This move caught everyone off guard in a heartbeat.

Mollina let out a scared scream and huddled into Zachary's arms. "Zachary, I'm so scared..."

He quickly wrapped his arms around her to comfort her, but then shot a cold look at Camila. "Camila Ackley, I told you to let Molly finish the presentation. If you keep acting like this, don't say I didn't warn you."

Camila could feel the chill and warning in his eyes.

He hardly ever used her full name; this meant he was really upset.

But all Camila did was give a sarcastic laugh and glance at poor Mollina. "Didn't you say this proposal was all yours? Even without the laptop, you should be able to explain it clearly, right?"

A flicker of guilt crossed Mollina's face. She pulled at Zachary's sleeve and said, "There's just so much in the proposal. I really can't remember it all clearly..."

"The first part is a summary of the orders from North America and Southeast Asia this quarter..."

Camila jumped in quickly, speaking without missing a beat.

Everyone's expressions shifted slightly as they opened up their project plans.

"The second part is a detailed financial breakdown of the company we want to acquire..."

The soft sound of pages turning filled the conference room, along with Camila's clear and organized voice.

"Right now, the assets are worth 2 billion dollars, while liabilities sit at 850 million dollars. So that gives us a current ratio of about 239.16%...

"Which means it meets our acquisition criteria."

As soon as she finished speaking, the whole room went completely silent.

Everything—even the detailed data—fit together perfectly.

Even those who had been criticizing Camila at first were now looking at her with respect.

But Mollina's face was getting more and more twisted.

"So, I think it's pretty clear now who really owns this proposal, right?"

Camila looked over at Mollina. "You, the one who stole my idea, still need to explain yourself to everyone."

Mollina turned pale instantly and stumbled back a bit.

But just then, Zachary jumped up to support her and shot a cold glare at Camila. "Camila, what you're doing is way out of line and messing up the meeting. Security, get her out of here!"

"What do you mean?"

Camila pressed her fingers into her palm, disbelief written all over her face.

"I'm just standing up for myself! Why should I be the one to leave? If anyone should go, it's her!"

"Drag her out!" Zachary interrupted sharply, his voice icy.

"Ms. Camila, please come with us."

The security guards moved in and grabbed Camila without hesitation.

"Let me go!" Camila fought back, her eyes blazing as she glared at Zachary. "Zachary, you can't tell right from wrong!"

But he didn't even look at her. He only shielded Mollina with a cold indifference that felt like ice.

And the smug look Mollina shot at her was like a knife, stabbing straight into her heart.

Camila laughed bitterly, tears welling up in her eyes as she did so.

"Let me go! I'll walk out on my own!"

Camila had just twisted her ankle while dragging herself around, and the sharp pain made her frown like crazy.

But she still bit her lip hard, stood up straight, and walked away step by step.

After leaving the conference room, she headed straight to Zachary's office.

She grabbed a golf club and slammed it down hard onto his fancy desk.

When Zachary returned from the meeting, he found his entire office in chaos. There was hardly any space to stand.

Camila sat on the only decent couch, looking totally blank.

He frowned and finally said in a low voice, "You've wrecked the office. Are you feeling better now, Ms. Camila?"

Camila slowly looked up and let out a cold laugh. "Why aren't you with that thief you're so into—the one who swiped someone else's proposal?"

"Molly is your biological sister. Why do you have to be so harsh?"

Zachary sounded annoyed. "Even if you want to stand up for yourself, there's no need to embarrass your sister like that.

"Camila, you're an adult now. You really should learn to keep your cool."

Camila laughed. She must have been blind before to fall for a guy who was so obviously biased toward others.

All she could feel was relief that soon she'd be gone.

Just then, her phone on the desk lit up with a message from the airport.

"Ms. Camila, your flight ticket has been booked. Here are your seat details."

Camila's expression shifted slightly as she tried to ignore the message, but it was too late.

"A flight ticket?" Zachary's face went cold in an instant. "Where are you going?"

"It's none of your business!"

Camila instinctively reached for her phone, but Zachary grabbed it first.

"Give it back!"

She stretched out her hand to snatch it away, but he held onto her wrist tightly. The grip hurt, and she frowned. "Let go!"

"Seriously, where are you planning to go with that plane ticket you booked?" Zachary fixed her with a sharp stare that didn't blink.

"I'm going on vacation to the Maldives with the male model I hired! Are you happy now?"

Camila stood tall, refusing to back down even a little bit.

"A male model?" Zachary's face darkened right away. He laughed, but there was nothing funny about it. "Alright then. Looks like I haven't put you in your place properly for way too long."

"What do you mean?"

Camila suddenly felt a chill run down her spine. She turned to bolt, but he yanked her back and pressed her against the clear glass wall of the office.

"What are you gonna do?"

With a swift motion, he didn't hesitate to pull down the zipper on her back, leaving a big patch of skin exposed to the air.

"Zachary!" This time, she was genuinely scared. "Have you lost it? This is your office..."

"It's not like we haven't done this here before."

He grabbed her struggling hands and pinned them firmly against the wall.

"But this is a transparent glass wall!"

"So what?" His lips brushed against her ear as his voice turned rough. "Cami, you were the one who pushed me first. Now it's time for you to face the consequences."

Camila felt like she had been thrown into an ice-cold ocean, her whole body freezing up from head to toe.

Why did he treat Mollina like a precious gem but act like she was just some casual hookup he could boss around without any care?

Just because she embarrassed Mollina in the meeting, he wanted to humiliate her—not just physically, but by making sure everyone stared at her, totally wrecking her dignity!

"Ugh!"

All her attempts to fight back were as pointless as a praying mantis trying to stop a speeding chariot. She had no choice but to press against the cold wall, watching people walk by outside.

She bit down hard on her lower lip, determined not to make a sound.

But he was hell-bent on breaking her spirit, pushing in with an even deeper, crushing force.

Finally, Camila just couldn't take it anymore. Her nails scraped hard against the glass, making a really embarrassing noise.

It felt like everyone outside was staring at her, taking in how messy she looked.

The tension in her heart snapped all of a sudden. Tears started streaming down her face, and she felt completely drained as her body slipped down.

Zachary picked her up with one hand, zipped up her clothes, and took a good look at how shattered she appeared. He paused for a second, and his voice softened just a bit. "Don't worry, the glass has been replaced. It's one-way and soundproof......"

Camila slapped him across the face, her eyes blazing with anger. "Zachary, you jerk!"

Grinding her teeth, she dragged herself away on weak legs.

He really was such a jerk!

Luckily, he didn't dig any deeper into the whole plane ticket thing.

If he had, with his super-controlling nature, he would've done even worse stuff to her.

Camila held onto her phone tightly as she got ready to head back and pack her bags.

She had just made it to the first floor of the office building and was about to grab a taxi when she spotted Mollina waving around the keys to a shiny new sports car right in front of her.

"Zachary had this car custom-made just for me. There's only one like it in the world."

Mollina said with a grin. "Camila, want me to give you a ride?"

"No thanks," Camila scoffed, covering her nose. "I'm not really into cars that smell too much like fake sweetness."

"Camila!"

With no one else around, Mollina dropped her fake act immediately. "You're just acting tough! Just wait...I'll get Mom and Dad to kick you out of the Ackley family soon!"

Camila shot a scornful look at her. "That dump is only something a piece of trash like you would care about more than anything else, right?"

Mollina's expression darkened. She grabbed Camila's arm, her voice sharp. "Camila, I dare you to say that again!"

"I could say it a thousand times and you're still trash! Let go of me!"

As they struggled, a sudden loud crack echoed through the air.

Camila looked up and saw the huge chandelier above them come loose, dropping straight toward both of them.

Mollina's scream pierced through her ears, almost making her eardrums ring.

At the last second, she spotted Zachary rushing over with a look of panic on his face.

But he just brushed past her without even looking back and pulled Mollina into his arms like nothing happened.

As for Camila, she got slammed by that heavy chandelier. Blood was pouring out nonstop, and her whole body was shaking uncontrollably.

It felt like her bones were being ripped apart, and the pain shot through her like fire.

Camila forced herself to open her eyes and looked at Zachary.

The guy who had been tough on her before but always showed up to protect her when things got rough.

Right then, though, he was only focused on Mollina, who was perfectly fine in his arms, worry written all over his face. Not even a single glance came her way.

And once again, Mollina wore that smug smile, as if to say, "Look at you, Camila. You've lost again."

Camila laughed bitterly as tears streamed down her cheeks. Her throat tasted metallic from blood mixed with despair. The pain felt almost suffocating.

Finally, she ran out of strength and slipped into darkness.

When she woke up again, Camila found herself in a hospital room.

There was nobody by her bedside.

Her injuries throbbed with a burning pain.

Outside the door, nurses were chatting quietly.

"That guy is so hot—and so caring for his girlfriend."

"Right? She just twisted her ankle by accident, but he looks like something awful happened. Even her parents are here all the time, checking on her constantly. And look at this girl over here. She's all banged up, yet no one has come to see her."

Camila pulled out the IV needle, leaned against the wall, and hobbled step by step into the hallway.

Sure enough, at the entrance of the VIP ward, she spotted Zachary along with Howard and Maria.

Zachary was adjusting the height of Mollina's hospital bed, constantly checking in to see if she was comfortable.

Howard poured her some water and even blew on it to cool it down before handing it over.

Mollina said something playfully, and Maria gently wiped the water stains from the corner of her mouth with a handkerchief—her movements were soft and full of love.

This cozy scene made Camila catch her breath.

Tears started to fill her eyes.

It felt weird. She had promised herself to let go, but her heart still hurt like being poked by a thousand tiny needles, leaving her struggling for air.

She thought to herself. "Camila, don't cry."

She lifted her head, trying hard to hold back the tears.

Because honestly, no one would care anyway.

She went back to her room, and before long, Zachary walked in.

"Does it still hurt?" he asked. He had noticeable dark circles under his eyes and looked pretty worn out. His eyes were glued to her the whole time, like he was a bit worried.

In the past, Camila would have definitely cried and made a scene about why he saved Mollina first.

But now, she didn't say anything. She turned away from him, avoiding his gaze.

She was uncomfortably quiet.

Zachary frowned, thinking she was just too weak to talk, so he didn't ask any more questions.

Over the next few days, he hardly set his work aside, staying at the hospital to look after her.

But oddly enough, Camila—who used to chat away non-stop in front of him—was completely quiet the whole time.

She went through her treatment quietly, ate and slept without a fuss, and just waited for the day she could leave.

Three days before discharge, she stepped out onto the balcony for some fresh air.

She stood there for what felt like ages when she faintly caught Mollina's voice on a phone call.

"Oh, don't worry about me! They're treating me like royalty right now; they'll never find out. The real Mollina has been dead long ago."

After a quick pause, Camila jumped into action.

Her face went pale all of a sudden, and she bolted out, only to lock eyes with Mollina's smug grin.

When Mollina realized who it was, a hint of guilt flashed across her face. "What are you doing here?"

Camila's eyes burned with rage. "You're such a fake!"

"And what if I am?"

A spark of malice lit up in Mollina's eyes. "Now that you know, let's have some fun."

Before Camila could say anything, Mollina let out a loud wail. "Camila, I just came to check on you! Even if you're mad at me, you wouldn't hit me, right? Ah!"

As soon as she finished speaking, she shrieked again and tumbled down the stairs.

She landed hard on the hospital corridor floor with a loud thud.

Everyone gasped, and all eyes were on Camila.

Camila froze for a second. When she glanced to the side, she caught her parents' furious glares.

"I—"

"Molly!"

Zachary rushed over right away, scooped Mollina up in his arms, and shot a cold stare at Camila.

Camila stood there helplessly as he carried Mollina and strode off.

At the same time, Howard and Maria yelled at her angrily, "Camila! You've completely lost it!"

The whispers around her felt like sharp, poisoned knives.

"Wow, how ruthless! Ms. Camila is really going after her own sister!"

"She's totally out of control! Mr. Ackley and Mrs. Ackley need to step in and teach her a lesson!"

"Exactly! She needs to be put in her place! Make her say sorry!"

Howard even quickly told someone to grab a whip. "Hold her down!"

"Let me go!" Camila yelled as she struggled, "That woman isn't my sister at all! She's a fake!"

The whip came down hard on her, cutting off whatever she was about to say.

"Camila! You're not just being stubborn and bossy; you hurt your sister. Now you're even trying to pin this on her! Do you admit you messed up or what?"

"I didn't do anything wrong! I won't admit it!"

Camila bit her lip really hard.

Another whip struck. Camila shook all over, cold sweat dripping from her forehead.

But she wouldn't let out a single scream; she was extremely determined.

"She's the fake one here! You're just too blind to see it! You can't even tell who your real daughter is!"

"You!" Howard's face twisted in anger. One whip after another came crashing down on Camila.

Blood poured out, quickly soaking through Camila's clothes.

When the last whip hit, it actually broke apart.

Camila fell to the ground, barely hanging on.

And right in front of her stood Zachary.

She struggled to look up at him.

She thought he would do what he usually did—scoop her up into his arms and reassure her, saying, "It's okay, I'm here."

But this time, Zachary's expression was serious.

"Camila, you really are impossible," he said.

His words hit her like a punch to the gut.

Suddenly, she laughed through her tears. "Yeah, I'm impossible. So what's Mr. Maddren gonna do to 'set me straight' this time?"

"I can't deal with you anymore," Zachary shut his eyes for a moment and then spoke coldly, "Take her to the police station. Hold her there for three days."

The next three days were the worst nightmare of Camila's life.

She was beaten and insulted. Salt was poured into her open wounds. Her screams echoed throughout the prison walls.

No one bothered to treat her injuries. They got worse and became inflamed, causing her unbearable pain.

"Mr. Maddren said we need to discipline you properly!" someone jeered.

Camila curled up on the ground, biting her lips until they bled.

She couldn't believe Zachary would do this to her, but every act of torment felt like a sharp slap, burning against her face.

After three long days, she was finally let go.

Zachary stood in front of her with a cold voice. "Have you realized your mistake?"

Camila remained silent.

Zachary looked at her pale, fragile face and frowned, softening his voice. "Cami, sending you to the police station wasn't meant to punish you. It was just that..."

"Mr. Maddren, the car is ready. We can't delay the meeting any longer," his assistant chimed in.

Zachary paused for a moment, gave her a long look, and finally said, "Take her to the hospital. We'll sort everything else out when I get back."

He turned away and rushed off.

Camila watched him leave with cold eyes.

After a bit, her phone buzzed.

"You've received a transfer of 3.5 billion dollars."

Right after that, Howard called. "You'd better stick to your word and get out of here for good."

"Don't worry, I'm not coming back."

Camila let out a cold laugh, hung up the phone, and quickly found her chance to slip away from the watchful eyes. She grabbed her packed bags and rushed to the airport.

Before she left, she slipped a recording into a box—a big "gift" for Mollina.

Then she pulled out her phone's SIM card and tossed it in the trash.

She stood tall with confidence, striding forward without any hesitation.

From now on, her future was wide open, ready to take her wherever she wanted.

She was completely in charge of her own life!