After my dad's death, the man I loved finally revealed his true colors.

He told me he hated my dad and that the sight of me made him sick.

Then, he even sent me away to a mountain school for three years so I could learn how to behave.

There, I underwent electroshock therapy until I became mentally deranged.

By the time he brought me back, I had become timid and broken. Whatever love I once had for him had long since died.

Standing before the familiar mansion, I felt as though a lifetime had passed.

On the second-floor balcony stood a handsome man watching me with icy indifference.

It was Duncan Ford, the man who had sent me to that mountain girls' school three years ago.

My legs buckled, and my injured knees could no longer support me. I collapsed to the ground.

Duncan coldly glanced at me, then turned and went inside.

Moments later, a maid came out to bring me in.

"Ms. Larsen, let me take you inside to bathe and change," she said.

Embarrassed, I pulled back my muddy feet.

Once, I got severely punished for staining a carpet at school.

I froze, not daring to step forward.

The maid grabbed my wrist and dragged me toward the bathroom as if every second mattered.

The wound on my wrist hadn't fully healed. Her pulling reopened it, and fresh blood seeped out.

I flinched and pulled away.

"Can I go later?" I asked tentatively.

Suddenly, she bowed to me and apologized in tears. "I'm so sorry, Ms. Larsen. I didn't mean to be rough. Please don't be angry."

Her panic confused me.

Before I could respond, Duncan heard the commotion and came over.

Seeing him approaching, I stumbled backward in fear.

He hadn't changed one bit—still as icy as he was three years ago, like nothing could ever melt him.

He looked down at the maid, then turned to me and said slowly, "Jacqueline, it's been three years, and you're still so arrogant."

His tone wasn't particularly harsh, but it was enough to send a shiver down my spine.

"What's wrong? Are you mute?" he scoffed.

"N-No..." I replied in a small voice.

A flicker of surprise crossed his eyes.

He motioned for the maid to leave, and soon only the two of us remained in the room.

Instantly, the air felt thin.

When he raised his hand, I shrank back in fear.

"I'm sorry... I'm sorry! Don't hit me! I was wrong..."

I didn't even know what offense I was apologizing for, but the torture at that school had trained me to plead for mercy at the slightest movement.

"I'll behave, I swear."

Duncan paused, a satisfied smile gracing his lips.

"Good. You've become smarter after all."

Then he tried to approach me again, but I panicked and scrambled farther away.

I dodged his outstretched hand and hid behind a desk.

He studied me with a frown, and his gaze finally settled on my wrist.

"But you're still so clumsy. Look at your wrist—it's covered in injuries."

My heart sank.

No matter how "clumsy" I was, I would never have made that deep of a wound.

It was the trace of a suicide attempt—from the time I could no longer endure the torment at that school.

But Duncan couldn't tell. Or perhaps, he simply didn't care enough to pay any attention to me.

I hid my hand behind my back and said nothing.

After a moment of silence, his sigh reached my ears.

"Never mind. I'll have someone come bandage you up."

After Duncan left, I collapsed to the floor at once.

My hands trembled uncontrollably.

The fear of him had seeped deep into my bones.

My dad had served as the chairman of the Larsen Chamber of Commerce, and I was his only child.

He had worried that after his passing, there would be no one in the vast chamber I could truly trust or rely on.

So, he personally groomed Duncan to become the chamber's second-in-command.

The first time Duncan came to our mansion, he was only in his early twenties.

He was tall and slender, his voice caught somewhere between a teenager's and a man's, sounding calm and composed.

I hid behind a pillar in the hall and watched him secretly.

Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed me. I pressed a finger to my lips, signaling him not to reveal that he'd seen me.

After a brief moment of surprise, he lowered his head and smiled.

From that moment on, I never forgot that smile.

I had always been pampered, and all the servants at home were either afraid of me or tried their best to avoid me.

Only Duncan stayed by my side, never leaving me for even a second.

"Duncan, how come you're never mad?"

He wiped the water I had splashed all over his face and replied patiently, "Summer heat is intense. A little water helps cool down."

I surrendered completely to his calm composure.

I surrendered completely to his calm composure. I began to learn the piano, to paint, to become an elegant socialite with graceful manners—all in the hope that he would fall for me, too.

Not long after, my dad passed away from illness.

The vast Larsen Chamber of Commerce was left leaderless.

Relatives who had once been so kind to me suddenly turned into vultures overnight, watching me as if I were their enemy.

I had just turned eighteen at the time. Unprepared, I was pushed into a board meeting.

There, they joined forces to strip me of all my shares and rights.

I turned to Duncan for help.

But he was elected the new chairman.

Any trace of gentleness was gone from his eyes, leaving nothing but pure ice.

In truth, traces of his ambition had been there all along. I had simply been blinded by love, unable to see them.

No one could imagine how completely my world crumbled.

I raged in my room, even kicking away the servant who brought my food.

Duncan locked me inside and brought in his childhood sweetheart, Sophie Lawrence.

After meeting her, I finally understood what it looked like when Duncan truly loved someone.

He would drive dozens of kilometers late at night just to buy her favorite food on a mere whim.

And he would rent out an entire shopping mall just for her to enjoy.

I had never been granted such privileges.

Later, Sophie framed me for hurting her.

Duncan, who had already been trying to distance himself from me, saw it as the perfect excuse.

"Go to the girls' school to learn your manners for three years. Then I'll take you back."

Collapsing to the floor, I looked up at him in a daze.

His gaze was terrifyingly unfamiliar.

"No... listen to me. Sophie set me up. She—"

Duncan slapped me so hard my head snapped to the side.

"I know better than anyone what kind of person you are. Soph has always been gentle and kind-hearted. Back then, she even risked her life to save me from a fire. She's nothing like you."

I immediately tried to explain.

"What? No! That was me! It was me back then!"

His eyes filled with disgust, his tone harsh. "I remember clearly how your dad ruined my family. And I'm fed up with your arrogance and willfulness. If not for today, I wouldn't have been a simp and followed you around.

"I thought you might change after your dad died, but now you're even stealing credit from Soph?

"Jacqueline, could you be any more disgusting?"

Then, ignoring my struggles, Duncan sent me to a girls' school in the mountains to "learn to behave."

On the first day there, I still believed I stood a chance to resist.

I went on a hunger strike in protest.

But soon, a group of staff dragged me into the "Reflection Room." They pressed me down onto a bed and administered electroshock therapy.

The current wasn't enough to kill me—just enough to make me feel every bit of the pain.

Saliva and tears fell uncontrollably, and I even lost control of my bladder from the shocks.

By the time they released me, my mind had gone dull and vacant. No matter how they called my name, I showed no reaction.

The school also enforced a collective punishment system—if one girl ran away and her roommates didn't report it, everyone in the dorm would be punished.

That severed my last hope of escape.

Then one day, Sophie showed up.

Only then did I learn the principal was her sister.

At first, I had no idea.

When Sophie arrived, she told me Duncan had asked her to check on me. While the guards weren't looking, I hastily slipped her a letter, humbly begging her to deliver it to him.

I said that I would give up my family's assets and wouldn't compete with her for him.

All I wanted was to leave.

She helped me up as I bowed at her, disheveled, my hair a mess, her eyes full of false concern.

She promised she'd deliver the letter.

But at that time, I didn't see the mocking smile that crossed her face after I turned away.

In the dead of winter, a basin of icy water, mixed with actual ice cubes, was poured over me, drenching me from head to toe.

I stood in the middle of the sports field wearing nothing but a tattered short-sleeved shirt, surrounded by a crowd of students and staff.

The letter I'd given Sophie was now in the principal's hand, crumpled into a ball.

"Did you honestly believe sending a letter to Mr. Ford would change anything?"

The principal's smile was grim. "You really think he didn't know?"

Her words struck like a physical blow, leaving me completely stunned.

What a fool I had been.

I'd actually thought Duncan didn't know—that he might still have some shred of kindness left for me.

I had truly thought too highly of myself.

I was dragged back to the "Reflection Room." Clamps were attached to my fingers, connected to the electric source.

My body convulsed uncontrollably. They gagged me to keep me from biting my tongue when my consciousness grew dim and clouded.

As the current surged, it felt as though all my memories were being erased.

Fragments of moments with Duncan flashed through my mind.

I saw the man who gently comforted me in moments of rage, sat beside me reading while I practiced piano, and held me when my dad passed away...

Even now, it still baffled me. How could someone pretend so well?

He hated my dad and me so deeply, yet he acted as though he loved me.

If only he had told me earlier, I wouldn't have made things difficult for him.

But he chose to deceive me—making me lose everything, leaving me broken and miserable.

After that round of electroshock, I became a different person.

I no longer hoped Duncan would come for me. I just wanted to survive this abyss.

I became the principal's proudest masterpiece of reform.

Every morning at assembly, I was forced to stand on the podium and confess my "sins" to the crowd below.

I forgot who I was, or why I was even alive.

All I was fighting for was my daily bread and a scrap of peace.

I thought I would remain that lifeless and hollow forever.

But after three years, Duncan sent someone to pick me up.

In truth, aside from the scar on my wrist from my suicide attempt, there weren't many visible injuries when I was brought back.

The electric shocks had gradually dimmed my consciousness, dulled my mind, and slowed my reactions.

But on the surface, I looked just like anyone else.

In that state, Duncan wouldn't have to explain much to outsiders. No one would even notice anything was wrong with me.

I assumed that was why he brought me back—to silence the gossip and secure his position as chairman.

But I didn't have much time left to live.

He would probably be glad to hear that.

A few days later, in the afternoon, Duncan suddenly knocked on my door.

Terrified, I shrank beneath my blanket.

When he pushed the door open and saw me trembling there, his expression darkened.

But he didn't lash out.

"I'm holding a birthday party for you this evening. Now get up—I'll take you to buy clothes."

I didn't understand. What was the point of throwing me a birthday party? But I didn't dare refuse. Timidly, I got up to change.

He didn't leave. Instead, he stood behind me and watched.

I clutched the hem of my clothes, feeling uneasy.

But after a moment's hesitation, I began changing openly.

After those days in the mountains, I had long forgotten what shame felt like.

He brought me to a luxury boutique I used to frequent.

The sales associates who once knew me had all been replaced. Now, all I saw were unfamiliar faces.

They led me into the VIP room. I had no interest in anything and just pointed perfunctorily at a few items.

The saleswoman didn't seem surprised at all—her tone and manner made it clear she had been prepared long ago.

"I'm sorry, Ms. Larsen. Those pieces have already been reserved by Ms. Lawrence."

My finger paused briefly before I pointed at a few other items.

"Sorry, Ms. Larsen. Those are reserved for Ms. Lawrence as well."

No matter how slow I was, I understood—Sophie was toying with me.

Duncan must have treated her extremely well. Otherwise, she wouldn't dare target me so openly.

Left with no choice, I browsed through the outdated clothes and picked the simplest one.

"I'll take this."

Hearing this, the sales staff exchanged glances, their grins unmistakable.

When I appeared in that dress, Duncan frowned deeply.

The whispers of the guests reached my ears.

"Goodness, why is Jacqueline dressed like that?"

"The Larsen family has fallen. She wears whatever Duncan allows."

I clenched my fists, swallowing the bitterness.

"Have you lost your mind, Jacqueline? What are you wearing?

"Are you trying to play the victim and embarrass me?" Duncan demanded.

Seizing the moment, Sophie teased, "Ms. Larsen is just trying to save you money.

"But..." She paused deliberately. "What kind of socialite dresses like a prostitute?

"Oh, my apologies—I forgot Ms. Larsen is no longer a socialite."

She covered her cheek with a smile, and my throat tightened.

Just as I was about to talk back, I met Duncan's warning gaze and fell silent.

"Still, this dress is too unpresentable—her chest is practically exposed. It's not decent at all," Sophie continued.

With Duncan present, she boldly stepped forward to adjust the sash.

The dress I wore wasn't low-cut at all. Everyone could see that, yet no one spoke up against her blatant slander.

She had always been like this—playing cheap, nasty tricks. Aside from her pretty face, she was mean-spirited and had nothing else to offer.

I used to think Duncan couldn't see through her.

But later, I understood—one was easily blinded by love.

It went for both Duncan and me.

Sophia deliberately pulled the sash tight.

Feeling the pain, I instinctively tried to move away, but Duncan held my shoulder firmly.

"Why are you dodging? Do you want everyone to see your breasts?"

I looked at him, confused.

In the past, my heart would leap with joy at the sight of him. If he was busy and couldn't come, I'd wait at home all day, just hoping to catch a glimpse.

But now, with him standing right before me, I felt a bit disgusted.

After learning his true feelings for me—his deep-seated hatred all these years—and remembering my own single-hearted devotion, I couldn't help but feel sorrow.

I gave up struggling and let him drag me to the main seat.

Sophie picked up a glass of wine with a smile.

"Ms. Larsen, happy birthday."

It suddenly struck me that she and Duncan were truly made for each other. They both hated me so intensely, yet they knew exactly how to play their parts in front of others.

I hadn't eaten all day. The hunger-induced stomach problems from my time in the mountains were causing sharp cramps.

I meant to refuse the drink.

But Duncan said coldly, "Don't be ungrateful."

Helpless, I took the wine and gulped it down.

If I were being honest—I almost hoped Sophie had poisoned it.

That way, everything would just end, and I would finally be spared any more humiliation.

Without any warning, I passed out at my own birthday party.

In a semi-conscious state, I heard Duncan speaking with the family doctor.

"She had one glass of wine, then fainted. How is that possible?"

"It appears to be a sudden onset of gastritis, combined with severe low blood sugar. It seems she has been starving for a long time—her stomach is badly damaged. That's all the more reason she shouldn't be drinking."

Duncan sounded surprised. "But everyone knew how much she loved to drink in the past. Maybe she deliberately starved herself—couldn't get used to the plain food in the mountains and went on a hunger strike.

"She's been pampered since she was little.

"This has to be another one of her acts."

I couldn't help but let out a soft, self-mocking laugh.

My pride and dignity had been stripped away within the first few months at that school.

Plain food? I would have relished spoiled meals, wild grass, and even tree bark.

Even then, they kept me starving.

The longest I went without food was five days.

Driven by extreme hunger, I once caught and ate termites from the balcony.

To this day, I still remember their disgusting taste.

Duncan pushed the door open and entered.

"You made a fool of yourself at the party just to embarrass me, didn't you?

"What else have you got besides these cheap tricks?"

It seemed he was truly furious.

"N-No... I didn't..."

I only realized how violently I was trembling until I heard my own voice.

My fear of Duncan was carved deep into my bones.

I bowed to him reflexively.

The posture was so humiliating, but I had repeated it countless times at that school.

"I'm sorry. I won't make the same mistake again."

Duncan seemed stunned for a second.

Perhaps it was my imagination, but his tone softened slightly.

"If you can't drink, you should have told me. That would have saved us both the embarrassment."

Hadn't I tried to tell him before? It was just that he never believed me.

But I didn't dare retort.

I only said obediently, "Alright."

Duncan seemed even more taken aback.

"You've certainly changed a lot," he remarked.

I laughed bitterly inside. Three years ago, I would never have imagined that the pampered, privileged Ms. Larsen would become so meek.

But my blessed, perfect life ended the day my dad passed away.

Now, I was just a hollow creature struggling to survive.

Noticing my silence, Duncan spoke slowly, "You used to be so outgoing and spirited.

"You were pampered, yes, but you were also bright and full of life. How did you become so quiet?"

What was he thinking when he asked me that? I genuinely had no idea.

He was the one who instructed them to torture me.

He was the one who left me in the mountains without a single visit or inquiry for three years.

And ... he was the one who took away my family's legacy and turned me into this broken shell.

After a long silence, I replied with a faint smile, "I was young and ignorant back then, and I spoke without thinking. But I won't be like that anymore.

"Mr. Ford, please forgive me."

I bowed even deeper, feeling as though my spine were so heavy it might crush me.

Tears streamed down my face and rolled into my mouth. Only I knew how they tasted.

Suddenly, Duncan said, "The scarf you knitted for me before has worn out. Winter is cold—knit me a new one."

I licked the salty tears from the corner of my lips and said softly, "Perhaps not, Mr. Ford.

"Given your current status, my handiwork is no longer worthy of you."

"The one you knit is warm. I've grown used to it."

I laughed inwardly.

He had never worn the scarf I knitted.

This was surely another one of his tricks to humiliate me.

"Mr. Ford, my hands have no strength now. I—"

I wasn't lying. Since the shocks, all my movements had slowed down.

Duncan's patience seemed to thin. "Jacqueline, why do you think you still get to live here? Show some gratitude."

Knitting a scarf wasn't difficult, but keeping the stitches tight was a true test of skill.

In the past, to please Duncan, I had poured my passion into every stitch. Even when the needle pricked my skin, I felt no pain—only sweetness.

But now, I simply didn't have the strength anymore.

Late at night, my eyes red and tired, all I managed to create was a loose, uneven piece barely recognizable as a scarf.

It was riddled with dropped stitches and gaps.

As I stared at it helplessly, a sudden noise came from the window.

Instinctively, I hid inside the cabinet, as though I had been transported back to those school days.

Then, a face marked with wounds appeared outside the window.

Even in the darkness, I recognized those eyes.

My eyes widened in disbelief.

"Archer!"

The moment he saw me, his face lit up with surprise.

"Jackie!"

Archer Ballard was an enforcer at the school.

And he was my only friend.

I still remembered the time I failed a mission, and the principal ordered Archer to take me out and "teach me a lesson."

With a stern expression, he slapped me.

Terrified, I quickly apologized.

Then he dragged me somewhere else.

"I'm sorry for hurting you," he said, his voice dropping low. "I had to—we were on camera back there."

Then he handed me a small piece of bread.

"You must be starving."

After repeatedly making sure it wasn't a trick, I took the bread and devoured it.

Later, I learned that he had only taken the job as an enforcer to save money for his critically ill mother.

At first, he thought it was just a well-paid security position. By the time he learned the truth, it was too late to escape.

In fact, he was no different from me or the other girls—trying to run would only end in misery.

Yet he constantly took risks to help me in secret.

When I was locked in solitary confinement without food, he would sneak his own meals to me.

"How did you get out?" I asked.

He smiled, his tone as casual as if discussing the weather.

"I ran away because I was worried you'd been taken by bad people.

"They caught me and tortured me for three days.

"Then they thought I was dead and threw me into the backyard to be buried.

"So, I dug myself out and came to find you."

Despite his light tone, the dense scars covering his face revealed the horrors he had endured.

"You fool..."

Tears streamed down my cheeks. I could no longer tell whether it was heartache or just all the pent-up emotion finally pouring out.

He held me in his arms and whispered softly, "Don't be afraid, Jackie. Don't be afraid. From now on, I'll protect you. You won't be alone.

"Not anymore."

With Archer's exceptional combat skills, he was hired as one of the mansion guards.

During the days I was locked in my room, I often saw him waving to me from the garden.

At night, he would climb up and tell me stories while leaning against the windowsill.

"Hey, aren't we like Romeo and Juliet?"

I once teased with a smile.

He gazed up at the starry sky, swinging his legs gently, and didn't reply.

The camellias in the garden were in full bloom.

A soft breeze rustled his hair, brushing across his bright eyes.

After a long silence, he finally said gently, "I won't let you die here.

"I'm going to get you out."

Since Archer had shifts to work, he couldn't come to keep me company every night, or he might risk Duncan's suspicion.

Not wanting me to feel lonely, he brought me a newborn puppy.

He said it was a teacup dog, one that would grow no bigger than the size of my palm.

He named him "Alfie."

Alfie and I locked eyes.

I carefully picked him up, afraid I might hurt him with even the slightest pressure.

I placed some dog food Archer had brought onto my palm. Alfie sniffed at it, then licked my hand, his eyes still closed.

He was so tiny, so tender.

My heart completely melted.

His barks were even tinier than he was. Whenever someone approached my room, I would tuck him into my pocket, and no one ever noticed.

Having something to look forward to, my heart gradually grew steadier.

But peaceful days never last long.

Against my hopes, I soon saw an uninvited guest at my door.

Sophie leaned against the doorframe, her makeup flawless.

But her eyes on me were sharp as blades.

"So, this is what you knitted for Duncan?"

She fiddled with the scarf on the table with her long, manicured nails.

Sitting in my chair, I looked coldly at her.

"What are you doing here?"

She gave a light laugh. In the next second, she forcefully tore the scarf in two with both hands.

Then she tossed it back onto the table and exaggeratedly clapped her hands as if disposing of trash.

"Are you seriously planning to give this rubbish to Duncan? Ms. Larsen, those days in the mountains must have traumatized you.

"Even a cashmere scarf of his costs thousands of dollars. And you actually think this is good enough for him?"

Her words were like a knife, twisting deep in my heart.

I remembered the look on her face when she handed my letter to the principal, and those endless days and nights of torture.

Staring at her disgusting face, I forgot all fear. With a trembling hand, I slapped her.

Caught off guard, she failed to dodge. Her cheek reddened almost instantly.

"You!"

Just then, Duncan pushed the door open and entered.

He immediately pulled her into his arms, then turned and slapped me.

"Jacqueline, I never knew you were so two-faced.

"You act pitiful in front of me, yet you're this vicious with Soph.

"It seems you haven't changed at all."

At the sight of his stern face, I snapped back to reality. Instantly, my back broke out in a cold sweat.

Covering her cheek, Sophie complained in a soft voice, "I was just worried the scarf she knitted wouldn't be warm enough for you.

"But she suddenly tore it apart when I tried to give some advice."

My eyes widened, my lips trembling.

"Duncan, I didn't..."

His gaze was as deep and unfathomable as the sea.

"Jacqueline, I will never believe another word you say."

My entire body went cold.

Of course—in his eyes, that was exactly the kind of person I was.

He hadn't believed me three years ago. Why would he believe me now?

I gave a tearful, almost soundless laugh, my face hidden by my bowed head.

From his angle, the sarcasm was completely lost on him.

"I'm sorry. It was my fault. Mr. Ford, please forgive me.

"Spare me this once."

In the face of survival, my self-pride meant nothing.

Sophie wasn't satisfied.

Putting on a magnanimous act, she said, "Never mind.

"I'm sure Ms. Larsen just lost control of her temper in the heat of the moment—all those days trapped in the mountains must have left her repressed.

"I understand."

Understand? What did she understand?

She knew everything that had happened there in the mountains.

I was so sick of her games.

All I wanted was to be left alone and get some rest.

But Duncan grabbed my wrist, stopping me from turning away.

As I looked up, he snatched the torn scarf and hurled it into my face.

Several knitting needles were still tangled in the yarn. If I hadn't dodged in time, they would have stabbed my eye.

My heart still racing, I stared at Duncan—and at Sophie, who stood behind him wearing a faint, smug smile.

"Soph, don't speak up for her," Duncan said coldly. "She's always been good at acting."

He said it with such certainty, as if he knew me inside and out.

"Knit a new one. Tonight."

His tone left no room for refusal.

Tonight?

But Archer and I were supposed to escape tonight.

"No," I said without thinking.

Duncan's face darkened instantly. "What did you say?"

"No," I repeated, my voice timid but firm.

Without hesitation, he slapped me.

Blood trickled from the corner of my lip.

"Say that again."

"No."

He struck me again.

I swallowed the metallic taste filling my mouth and looked up at him. "I'm not feeling well. Can I do it another day?"

My voice was almost pleading.

But he only watched me with a complicated gaze.

"Jacqueline, you once said you'd be good to me for a lifetime. Now you won't even do this one small thing for me?"

I didn't want to remember the past.

What was the point, except to torture myself?

That hopeless affection had long since faded.

"Those were just childish words, Mr. Ford. You should forget them."

"Forget?" he repeated. "Do you think everyone is like you? I—"

Before he could finish, a sudden yap came from my pocket.

My heart sank. I tried to stop Alfie, but it was too late.

He leaped out and bit Duncan's hand.

In pain, Duncan tried to shake him off, but he never expected such a tiny creature could fight so fiercely for me.

He grabbed Alfie by the scruff of his neck, lifting him into the air. Alfie kept barking, stubborn and fierce.

Terrified he'd be hurt, I scrambled forward to take him back.

"Where did you get this dog?" Duncan demanded.

I was speechless.

I couldn't give Archer away—I couldn't implicate him.

"You refused to knit the scarf because of this dog? Or because of the person who gave it to you?"

Duncan's voice turned icy. "Jacqueline, you shouldn't keep secrets from me. You shouldn't care about anyone else."

"I'll tell you! I'll tell you, alright?" I cried out in panic.

But it was too late.

Duncan tightened his grip.

A sickening crack cut through the air. Then Alfie's head lolled to the side.

His eyes, still wet, looked at me as he let out one last weak whimper.

"No!"

A heart-wrenching scream tore from my throat, echoing through the entire mansion.

When I woke again, Alfie's body had already been disposed of.

One of the maids told me that he'd been thrown into the trash. That was all.

I fell gravely ill after that, burning with a persistent fever.

Despite the doctors' efforts, my condition didn't improve.

They said the sickness was rooted in my heart.

If I had no will to get better, even the most advanced medicine would be useless.

I no longer had any desire to see Duncan, whether he tried coercion or kindness.

That was, until he brought in Rufus Hale.

Rufus was a nationally renowned physician and an old friend of my dad's.

Some considered him eccentric, but he was a man of integrity.

Years ago, a fire destroyed Duncan's home, leaving him the only survivor in his family.

His body was severely burned, and he was barely conscious.

Only a thousand-year-old ginseng could save him.

But it was a treasure so rare it couldn't be bought with money alone.

I'd heard that Rufus had one, a family heirloom passed down through generations.

So, I bowed at his doorstep for an entire day and night.

It wasn't until the early hours of the morning that he finally opened his door.

He said he would give me the ginseng on the condition that I would do something for him in the future.

I agreed without hesitation.

He snorted, "You agreed so readily? What if I ask you to die? Or to give me your organs? Would you say yes to that, too?"

"Yes," I answered. "For him, I would."

Now, Rufus sighed the moment he saw me.

"I didn't want to come. But if you die, who will honor our deal?"

I knew his original demand had only been a test—he'd never truly intended to collect.

I offered a weak smile. "Sorry to trouble you again."

He was still as sharp-tongued as ever, but his heart remained soft.

Though his tone was full of disdain, he sat by my bed and began his examination.

As the seconds passed, his expression grew increasingly grim.

"Just tell me the truth, Dr. Hale," I said. "I can take it."

He frowned deeply. "Your constitution is dangerously weak. I'm afraid you don't have much time left.

"Did you give him all of the ginseng back then?"

I smiled bitterly, "His injuries were far worse than mine. At the time, all I could think about was saving him."

"You fool!"

Rufus couldn't hold back his curse.

"You never properly recovered, did you?"

I shook my head.

"Not long after that, my family fell from grace, and he sent me to that girls' school in the mountains. There, I was given electric shocks almost daily. It's a miracle I'm still breathing at all."

Rufus was so stunned that his hands stilled in midair. Then, overcome with anger, he kicked the chair over.

After pacing the room, he barely managed to control his fury.

Finally, he let out a heavy sigh and asked, "Do you regret it?"

Before I could answer, Duncan burst into the room, his face etched with worry.

"Dr. Hale, how is she?"

The moment Rufus saw him, his rage erupted anew.

"You bastard! How could you do this to her? Can't you see? She's dying!"