"Eloise, you're almost 22 now," her mother, Maeve Patnick, said on the phone, her voice filled with hope. "You've got five boys to choose from. Have you made up your mind yet?"

Eloise Patnick stood silently by the tall window, her fingers brushing against the frame. The sunlight poured in, but it couldn't warm the chill in her eyes.

"I've already made my decision," she replied softly.

"I knew it!" Maeve laughed happily. "You used to follow Ronald around everywhere when you were little, so it must be him, right?"

"No, I'm not choosing him," Eloise replied, her tone steady.

There was a sudden silence on the other end of the line.

Maeve asked, unsure, "Then... Do you want to choose between Vincent, Leonel, or Tobias? They've all liked you for so long."

"I'm not choosing any of them."

Maeve let out a shocked breath. "That only leaves Mario. But you two have never gotten along! You can't possibly..."

"I choose him." Eloise cut her off, sounding completely sure. "Mom, I want to marry Mario."

"What?!" Maeve's voice shot up. "Eloise, you and Mario have been fighting since you were kids! You pushed him into a pool when you were five, put chili powder into his birthday cake when you were ten, and threw his limited-edition sneakers into a fountain at 15..."

As Maeve listed all the crazy things she'd done to Mario, Eloise couldn't help but smile a little.

Maeve added, "Just last year, you told me you never wanted to see him again. He was so upset that he left the country. Why are you suddenly changing your mind?"

Eloise lowered her eyes, pressing her fingertips together.

Because she was reborn, she realized Mario had been the only one who truly loved her, and she had never even noticed.

In her previous life, she'd stood in this same spot and happily told her mother she would marry Ronald Kobeck.

But she never imagined that the cold and proud heir of the Kobeck family would fake his death to escape their wedding, just for another woman, leaving her drowning in heartbreak for 20 years?

She was born into the rich Patnick family in Los Angeles. Maeve was close friends with the ladies of the Kobeck family, the Bristow family, the Dester family, the Griffith family, and the Nygard family. That year, all six of them got pregnant around the same time. The other five gave birth to sons. Only the Patnick family had a daughter, Eloise.

On the day she was born, the five other ladies were filled with envy and rushed to hold the adorable baby girl. They even ended up arguing over who would become her future mother-in-law.

Left with no choice, Maeve agreed that when her daughter turned 22, she could choose a husband from among the five families.

In her previous life, she picked Ronald right away.

The man she had spent her whole youth chasing, believing that he would be the one to bring her happiness.

But just before their wedding, his plane crashed, and no one ever found his body.

She spent 20 years searching for his body, never once giving up.

During that time, Vincent Bristow, Leonel Dester, and Tobias Griffith stayed close to her. They treated her with kindness and care, trying to help her move on and step out of the shadows.

She was grateful for how sincerely they treated her, but no matter how hard she tried, she just couldn't forget Ronald.

Until that rainy night...

While walking through the rainy streets of London, she caught sight of Ronald, the man she thought was dead, pinning Cecilia Rifkin against a wall and kissing her.

Cecilia—the poor scholarship student she had once supported—now held tightly in the arms of her fiancé.

Nearby, Vincent, Leonel, and Tobias stood quietly. After the kiss ended, they gently placed a coat over Cecilia's shoulders and handed her some fruit. With soft concern, one of them said, "You kissed for so long your lips look swollen.

"Don't worry, Cecilia. Just stay abroad and live happily with Ronald. We'll take care of Eloise here. She'll never find out where you are."

At that point, it became painfully clear that Ronald had loved Cecilia for a long time, even faking his own death just to run away with her.

She also realized that the other three had feelings for Cecilia, too. They were only pretending to care about her so she wouldn't ruin Cecilia's happy ending.

When she found out, she ran away in panic, but sadly, she ended up in a car accident. On the opposite side of the road, the four men just watched without helping as she lay dying.

Finally, there was Mario, the one she had despised since childhood. The man she often spoke badly about was the one who gathered her remains and cried quietly at her grave.

"Eloise!" Maeve's voice pulled her thoughts back. "Are you still listening?"

Eloise took a deep breath, her fingers slightly shaking. "Mom, I've made my decision. I will announce Mario as my fiancé at my 22nd birthday party.

"Please ask him to come back right away." She hesitated, then added with quiet strength, "It would be better if you and Dad tell him yourselves. He probably won't take it seriously otherwise."

Although Maeve didn't quite understand what she was thinking, she loved her deeply, so she just sighed and said, "Alright. If you really want this, we'll fly to Switzerland tomorrow."

After ending the call, Eloise finally let out a breath and slowly turned to go upstairs.

She opened the hidden compartment in her walk-in closet and discovered four elegant gift boxes placed neatly in a row, a sparkling diamond necklace from Ronald, a limited-edition watch from Vincent, an auction-worthy painting from Leonel, and a special custom perfume from Tobias.

Each item was worth a fortune—and each one held a lie from the previous life.

Without a second glance, she gathered the gifts and walked out.

Just as she entered the garden, a voice she knew well called out.

"Ronald..." Cecilia's eyes were red, and her words were trembling, "Ms. Patnick's 22nd birthday is coming up. She likes you so much, she'll definitely choose you. Once that happens, you'll be a married man soon. I won't be able to stay by your side anymore. She paid for my school, and I still kept seeing you behind her back. I've already let her down too much."

She lowered her head, and her voice got softer. "You're the heir of the Kobeck Group. I'm just a poor student who could only keep studying because of the Patnick family's help. This time we had together... just forget it."

Eloise stopped walking.

Not far away, the four men had gathered around Cecilia.

Ronald's face darkened as he held her by the wrist. "Who said you could go? I don't care if she chooses me. I only love you.

"Don't worry. I've already made a plan. If she chooses me, I'll fake a plane crash the day before the wedding, give up everything, and escape with you."

"Cecilia, don't worry," Vincent said kindly, handing her a handkerchief. "After you two leave, the rest of us will distract Eloise and make sure she never finds you."

Leonel smiled faintly. "Exactly. Just enjoy your happily ever after with Ronald."

"Cecilia, you don't have to worry about anything while we're here," Tobias added gently.

"But..." Cecilia whispered, biting her lower lip as her eyes filled with tears. "If Ms. Patnick finds out, she'll be heartbroken."

The four men spoke together, "You're the only one we care about. Eloise doesn't matter to us at all!"

Eloise stood quietly behind a tree, feeling like her heart was being squeezed by something invisible.

Yes, whether she lived or died had nothing to do with them.

That's exactly how they treated her in her previous life.

She walked forward with the gift boxes in her arms, her face cold and blank. Her heels tapped sharply against the stone path.

"Ms. Patnick?!" Cecilia suddenly looked alarmed and rushed over. "Why are you here..."

Eloise didn't glance at her. "Take out the trash."

"I'll do it for you!" Cecilia quickly reached out. "Your family paid for my college. I promised to do whatever it takes to repay you!"

"No need," Eloise replied coldly.

"You don't have to be so formal, Ms. Patnick..."

While they were talking, Cecilia suddenly twisted her ankle.

"Ah!"

She cried out and grabbed onto Eloise's arm. The next second, both of them tumbled into the pool nearby.

Cold water instantly covered Eloise's head.

She couldn't swim. She struggled to stay above the surface. "Help..."

On land, the four men jumped into the water at the same time, but not for her.

She saw them rush toward Cecilia, fighting to reach her first, while she slowly sank deeper and deeper.

As water rushed into her nose, she faintly saw Ronald carrying Cecilia to safety, Vincent taking off his coat to wrap around her, Leonel pressing on her chest, and Tobias calling for an ambulance...

In the end, Ronald lifted Cecilia's chin and kissed her hard.

Eloise stared at Ronald blankly as he performed mouth-to-mouth resuscitation by the pool. Cold water dripped from her hair, but it was nothing compared to the chill sinking into her heart.

In her previous life, Ronald had always acted distant. Even if he brushed against her by accident, he would rush to wash his hands. She used to think he was just a clean freak or that he simply wasn't interested in women. She believed, with time, he would let her into his heart.

But now she realized that his heart already belonged to someone else.

And she had never meant anything to him.

Eloise used all her strength to pull herself out of the pool, digging her fingernails into the wet ground as she crawled forward.

She can't die now.

She still had to marry Mario.

A short distance away, Ronald finally stopped giving mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. Cecilia coughed and slowly opened her eyes.

"Cecilia!" Ronald let out a breath of relief, quickly scooping her into his arms. "I'm taking you to the hospital."

He turned and walked away without even sparing a glance toward Eloise, who was soaked from head to toe.

Just then, the other three finally snapped out of their shock and noticed Eloise crawling out of the pool by herself.

"Eloise!"

Vincent was the first to reach her. Even though he was dressed in a dark blue suit and looked worried, he still carried himself with grace. Leonel and Tobias followed closely behind. The three of them standing together looked like they were a magazine's models.

"Are you hurt?" Vincent asked, reaching out to support her. "Things happened so fast just now, we..."

"We thought Cecilia was you," Leonel interrupted, trying to explain quickly.

Tobias held out a towel. "Yeah, the water was murky. We couldn't see clearly."

Eloise accepted the towel. Her fingertips were ice cold.

What a terrible lie.

The pool water was perfectly clear. Cecilia was in a white dress, while she had on red. How could anyone mix them up?

Vincent said softly, "You should get checked at the hospital. We'll go with you."

When Eloise looked up, she saw the barely hidden urgency in their eyes.

Did they really want to accompany her? Of course not.

They were just looking for an excuse to go check on Cecilia.

"No thanks, I'm fine," she said coldly, tossing the towel back.

Leonel frowned. "That won't do! You're soaking wet. What if you get sick?"

Eloise cut him off, "If you want to go to the hospital, go without me."

The three of them exchanged uneasy glances.

"But we're not hurt. There's no reason for us to go," Tobias said, trying again. "Please don't be upset. It really was a mistake earlier. To make it up to you, we won't go to work for the next few days. We'll spend time with you instead."

Eloise didn't reply. She simply turned and walked away.

Her soaked outfit clung to her skin, making every step feel like a struggle. But she kept her head held high and never looked back.

Over the next few days, the three men each tried different ways to win her over.

Vincent sent a brand-new designer gown straight from Paris Fashion Week. Leonel airlifted a rare pink diamond necklace. Tobias even sent her a limited-edition sports car.

"Eloise, there's an auction tonight," Vincent said softly, handing her an invitation. "Would you like to come? It might help take your mind off things."

Eloise saw how hard they were trying and couldn't help but scoff inside.

The auction venue was grand and filled with light from glittering crystal chandeliers that made it feel like midday.

She entered slowly in high heels. Her champagne-colored gown outlined her graceful figure perfectly. But as soon as she stepped in, she froze.

In the VIP section, Ronald was gently helping Cecilia sit down, his movements filled with care.

The man wore a well-tailored black suit that made him look tall and slim. His eyes, once the ones that caught her attention, now held a soft look for the woman sitting beside him.

When Ronald noticed her, he gave a small frown and surprisingly walked toward her.

His tone was cold and emotionless, like he was talking about something formal. "Did your mom talk to you about choosing a fiancé?"

Eloise lifted her gaze and looked right into his unreadable eyes.

"I know you like me, but I don't like you, so don't choose me," he said without holding back.

After saying that, he turned and walked off, staying close to Cecilia like she was someone very important to him.

"Eloise, don't be sad," Vincent said, rushing over and gently placing his hand on her shoulder. "Just because Ronald can't see your worth doesn't mean no one else does."

Leonel adjusted his gold-rimmed glasses, a gentle smile in his warm, almond-shaped eyes. "That's right. The three of us all like you. We'll always be on your side."

Tobias took a glass of champagne from a waiter and handed it to Eloise, his face full of concern. "Here, my princess. Have a drink and try not to think about stuff that makes you sad."

Eloise stared at the three men in front of her, each showing her affection, and let out a small, bitter smile. Her fingers were ice-cold as she took the glass.

"I'm fine," she said in a soft, flat voice.

"But seriously," Vincent whispered as he leaned in, his breath brushing her ear, "Eloise, back then, you sent Mario abroad. Now only four of us are left. So who will you choose? We're all dying to know."

Eloise was going to say, "I don't want any of you," but instead, what came out was, "You'll find out soon enough."

That one line made the air around them tense.

Eloise simply gave a small smile. She had gone through two decades of pain in her previous life. What did it matter if they endured just a few days of torture?

Once the auction officially began, the three men kept trying to figure out what Eloise wanted, but she just shook her head each time.

Meanwhile, Ronald kept buying everything Cecilia showed interest in.

Diamond necklaces, antique pocket watches, emerald bracelets...

Eloise looked over, but unlike her previous life, she didn't feel that heartbroken anymore.

She felt nothing—calm, emotionless—as she stared straight ahead, her face cold and unreadable.

It wasn't until the final item was unveiled that Eloise's eyes suddenly widened. The moment the auctioneer lifted the black velvet cloth, her heart skipped a beat.

That was her mentor's final masterpiece—"Mistry Spring Mountains"!

The familiar brushstrokes on the painting instantly reminded her of her mentor's thin, frail hand before he passed away.

She remembered how he used to gently pat her head and say, "Eloise, this painting holds the work of my entire life..."

Now that her mentor has passed away and his wife spends her days in tears, buying this painting would surely bring her some comfort—and help ease the pain of missing him.

"Eight hundred thousand," she said as she raised her paddle without hesitation.

"Ronald..." Cecilia whispered, tugging on Ronald's sleeve. "This painting is so beautiful."

Ronald didn't hesitate. He lifted his paddle and said, "Two million!"

Eloise clenched her jaw. "Three million."

"Five million."

The number kept rising, and the entire auction hall fell silent. Out of the corner of her eye, Eloise noticed Vincent and the other two lowering their paddles—just because Cecilia seemed to want the painting more.

What a joke.

Only ten minutes ago, they had promised her, "Eloise, we'll get anything you want."

Her fingers dug into her palm as she raised her paddle again. "Eight million."

"Thirteen million."

"Fifteen million."

At last, Ronald shocked everyone. He raised his paddle for unlimited bidding.

He stood up to make the payment, his long legs—sharp in tailored pants—stepped across the carpet. He didn't spare so much as a glance at Eloise's pale face.

Vincent said quickly, trying to comfort her. "Don't be upset, Eloise. If this painting matters that much to you, I'll check backstage and see if there's anything similar. I'll get it for you..."

"I'll help too," Leonel added right away.

"Count me in," said Tobias, following after them.

Their backs became harder to see as they rushed off, and Eloise blinked away the sting in her eyes. She took a steadying breath, suppressed the sadness in her heart, and made her way toward Cecilia, who stood in the spotlight, adored by all.

"Name your price for the painting," Eloise said, her voice calm as ice. "I'll pay five times, ten times, even twenty times. Just say it."

Cecilia laughed softly, her eyes glinting with smugness. "So even Ms. Patnick knows how to beg?"

She tilted her head and gave an innocent blink. "But money isn't everything. I'm not planning to sell this painting right now. Still, if you really want it that badly, get on your knees and beg. Maybe I'll give it to you."

Eloise's breath caught for a second.

The girl in front of her always played the helpless act around men, but in front of her, she was cruel and full of herself—it was sickening.

This was exactly why Eloise couldn't stand Cecilia, in either her previous or current life.

She never understood how those four men had all fallen for someone like this.

Eloise's hands curled into tight fists. "I told you, money's not a problem."

"But I just want to see you kneel," Cecilia said, her smile bright but cold. "If you don't..."

Eloise's eyes moved to the painting Cecilia was holding carelessly.

It was the final painting her mentor had ever worked on—the one his wife thought about every single day. Remembering the elderly woman crying made Eloise feel like her heart was being crushed.

"Fine. I'll kneel."

At last, she slowly dropped to her knees in front of everyone.

The icy marble floor stung through her thin clothes, but it didn't hurt as much as what she felt inside.

When she stood up, her voice was flat and eerily calm. "Now, will you hand it over?"

Cecilia's smile suddenly twisted into something cruel.

Right in front of Eloise, she grabbed both sides of the frame with both hands and...

The sharp sound of the painting being torn echoed through the silent auction room.

"You!" Eloise shouted, fury surging through her. She lifted her hand, ready to slap her.

"Eloise!" Ronald's voice roared through the room like a sudden storm. "What on earth are you doing?"

"Ronald..." Cecilia whispered, covering her face as tears filled her eyes. "Don't be mad at her. This is all because of me. I shouldn't have joined you at the auction."

She gently pulled at the hem of his shirt, her voice trembling just enough to seem pitiful. "Ms. Patnick has feelings for you. Seeing you treat me so kindly must have upset her.

"I know my presence has made things hard for all of you..." Cecilia suddenly shoved Ronald aside and stumbled back. "If I'm causing problems, then I'll just vanish!"

Without another word, she turned around and bolted toward the floor-to-ceiling window.

"Cecilia!"

Ronald's voice echoed across the hall, but he couldn't stop her in time.

"Crash!"

The shattering glass and the dull thump of something heavy hitting the ground echoed in Eloise's ears like a scream.

She hurried to the window, only to find Cecilia lying still in a red pool, looking like a broken-winged butterfly. And yet, at the corner of her lips was a twisted, triumphant smile.

Ronald completely lost it.

Eyes filled with fury, he scooped Cecilia up from the pool of blood. His voice was raspy and full of panic. "Get her to the hospital, now!"

His glare shifted to Eloise like a blade ready to strike. "You'd better hope she survives, or I swear—you'll pay for it with your life!"

Under the harsh, cold lights of the hospital hallway, time felt frozen.

A doctor came rushing over, out of breath and clearly anxious. "She's losing a lot of blood. We need a transfusion immediately. But she has Rh-negative blood. We're running out in the blood bank..."

Ronald turned swiftly, eyes narrowing at Eloise as if targeting her with a weapon. "You're Rh-negative, too."

"No... Don't..." Cecilia mumbled faintly from the hospital bed. "It's my fault. Ms. Patnick has anemia. Please, don't take her blood..."

"Even now, you're still thinking of her?" Ronald held her hand tenderly, his voice soft like he was calming a scared child. But the second he turned back to Eloise, his tone became ice-cold. "Tie her up."

"Ronald, you wouldn't dare!"

"See if I dare!"

Eloise was shoved down hard onto the operating table, the cold surface sending chills up her spine.

She struggled wildly, managing to knock over a tray of tools with her legs. Metal instruments clattered loudly as they scattered across the floor.

"Hold her down!" Ronald barked.

Three or four bodyguards rushed forward, pinning her arms and legs with brutal force.

Her hair was a tangled mess, and during the scuffle, her gown ripped, exposing her pale shoulder.

"Ronald!" she screamed, her voice filled with a kind of despair she'd never known before. "You're going to regret this..."

"You're the one who'll regret it," Ronald replied with a cold smirk, pushing the needle into her arm himself.

As the blood began to flow, Eloise's vision started to fade.

Her mind drifted, pulling her back to a rainy night in her previous life.

Headlights slicing through the dark, the sharp screech of tires, and the indifferent faces of Ronald and the others standing across the road.

Only Mario, the sworn enemy she once despised more than anyone, had run to her, his steps unsteady as he gathered her bloody body in the rain.

"Mario..." she whispered through tears that mixed with blood, staining the operating table like wilted red petals. "When will you come back... I miss you..."

Her voice grew weaker and weaker until finally, it disappeared into the cold, sterile air.

When Eloise opened her eyes, the dazzling white light made her instinctively lift her arms to shield her face. The many needle holes on her skin reminded her of the cruel moment someone had taken her blood without consent.

"Eloise! You're awake at last!"

Vincent was the first one to rush to her side. His eyes, usually soft and charming, now looked full of fake concern. He reached out to touch her cheek, but Eloise turned her head away without thinking.

"We're sorry we didn't get here sooner," Leonel spoke in a soft tone that almost sounded like a whisper. "What Ronald did was terrible. How could he force you to give blood?"

Tobias handed her a glass of water. "Rest for now. We're going to settle things with Ronald right now."

Her throat was sore and dry, but she silently watched their awkward acting.

She had seen this exact moment too many times in her previous life. Every time Ronald hurt her or pushed her aside, these three would appear right away, using comforting words to fill the emptiness.

But what happened after that? They would always find reasons to leave and run to their beloved crush, the one they've cared about all along.

"No need," she said, her voice rough and weak. "I just want to be alone."

The three men exchanged looks. Vincent was the first to speak. "Alright. Get some rest. We... we'll come back soon."

They left quickly, even forgetting to close the door behind them. Eloise stared at the small opening and could hear them whispering in the hallway.

"Has Cecilia woken up yet?"

"Ronald won't let anyone in..."

"Let's go buy her favorite dessert..."

As the hospital room door finally closed, Eloise couldn't help but laugh, tears rolling down her face.

She felt so drained that she didn't even have the strength to expose their lies.

For the next several days, Eloise stayed alone in her hospital room.

Each time the nurse came in to check her bandages, she paused for a moment, as if wanting to say something, but in the end, she just let out a soft sigh.

"Ms. Patnick, your friends didn't visit today either?"

Eloise gently shook her head, her gaze landing on the vase of lilies beside her bed, now drooping with age.

Vincent had brought them three days ago. The flowers were wilting, their edges turning brown and curling up, just like the fake kindness they showed.

Her phone buzzed. A new message appeared from Leonel, "Eloise, something urgent came up at work. We had to fly overseas. We have hired the best nurse for you, so you'll be fine."

Then a message from Tobias followed, "Eloise, we'll bring you back a gift when we come back!"

Lastly, Vincent sent one too, "Focus on healing. When we get back, we'll take you to your favorite French restaurant."

Eloise didn't even look at the screen again. She tossed her phone aside without a second thought.

She didn't really mind if they showed up or not. What bothered her more was how careless the nurses they hired were.

One spilled hot water on her hand, another didn't notice when blood started backing up in the IV tube, and someone yanked the bandages off too roughly during a dressing change, making her wince in pain...

Instead of getting better, her wounds stayed the same, and she ended up with even more burns and bruises.

"I want to be discharged from the hospital."

Eloise couldn't take it anymore and went through the discharge procedures, even though everyone tried to stop her.

Meanwhile, Vincent, Leonel, and Tobias wrapped up their so-called work matters and came to pick her up from the hospital.

As they walked past the VIP room, they caught part of a quiet conversation coming from a door that wasn't fully shut.

"Just one more sip, okay?" Ronald's voice was soft and full of care. "The doctor said you need to eat more to get your strength back."

Eloise stopped in her tracks and glanced through the small opening. She saw Ronald gently feeding soup to Cecilia. He held the spoon with long, steady fingers, treating her like she might break.

A nurse walking by whispered to her co-worker, "Mr. Kobeck's been by Ms. Rifkin's side every day. He even postponed company meetings. He really adores her."

Eloise's hand tightened around the edge of her shirt without her realizing it.

"Eloise..." Vincent quickly walked up, his face full of concern. "Don't let it get to you. Ronald's blind, but the three of us like you."

Leonel added gently, "That's right. At your birthday party, you can pick one of us."

Tobias also came over and said, "We promise we'll take good care of you."

Eloise gave a soft smile, but her eyes were as cold as ice. "I'm not choosing anyone."

Then she spoke clearly, pausing between each word, "I don't want any of you four."

The three guys exchanged glances, and at the same time, a doting smile tugged at the corners of their lips, clearly thinking she was just being a stubborn girl.

Tobias suddenly leaned a little closer and said, "Here's an idea. Eloise, the weather's been amazing lately. Why don't we go to the stables and get some fresh air?"

She replied coolly, "I'm not interested."

"Don't be like that. Getting some air will help you feel better," Leonel tried to convince her.

Without waiting for a reply, Vincent grabbed her arm and guided her into the car. "Let's go."

The Palos Verdes Stables were surrounded by green grass, and the wind carried a fresh, grassy smell. But Eloise only felt a deep, cold emptiness inside.

"Eloise, go ahead and pick a horse to ride," Leonel said, handing her a helmet. "We'll get some snacks ready for you."

She accepted it with a blank expression and randomly chose a calm-looking mare.

Right now, she just wanted to get away from these suffocating people, even if it was just for a moment of peace.

As the horse started moving gently, the wind brushing her face helped her forget everything for a short while.

But just as she let her guard down, a sudden commotion erupted in the distance.

"Neigh!"

Suddenly, hundreds of horses came charging from nowhere, stampeding straight toward her.

Eloise tried to turn her horse around in panic, but it was already too late.

She yanked the reins with all her strength, but the terrified horse wouldn't listen.

In the middle of the panic, she was thrown from the saddle and hit the ground hard.

"Ah!"

As the first hoof smashed into her leg, Eloise heard a sickening crack of bone breaking.

Then came the second, and the third...

She curled up on the grass, blood slowly staining the green beneath her. Right before her vision went black, she faintly noticed three shadows standing far away, watching her fall apart without a trace of emotion.

When her eyes opened again, a harsh white light made her flinch and squint. Her whole body was wrapped in bandages, so tightly and thoroughly that it barely felt like her own. Even the slightest movement sent waves of searing pain tearing through her.

From outside the room, Ronald's voice came through, sharp and cold, "You guys have gone way too far."

Eloise held her breath, barely daring to move.

He continued, "I only asked her to draw some blood for Cecilia, but instead, you bribed nurses to hurt her and even released hundreds of horses to trample her like this. Now she's lying there with fractures all over her body. She almost didn't make it."

"She had the nerve to bully Cecilia. This was just a small lesson," Tobias said with a chillingly casual tone.

"Having to pretend to like her every day makes me sick. If it weren't for Cecilia, I'd never waste time pretending to play happy family with her," Vincent added, his words cutting like a knife.

Eloise bit down hard on her lower lip, the sharp taste of blood spreading across her tongue.

It turned out those "accidental" burns, the blood backing up in the IV, and even this so-called "accident" were all done on purpose to get revenge for Cecilia.

She just couldn't figure it out.

Even if they didn't like her, they had still grown up together as childhood friends.

They used to pat her on the head and call her sweetly, used to stay by her bedside all night when she was sick, and used to go out of their way to plan surprises for her birthdays...

But now, because of Cecilia, a girl they had barely known for a few months, they had completely shattered her, both inside and out.

She wanted to run over and scream at them, to cry and shout, but the sharp pain crashed into her like a wave, and Eloise fell into darkness again.

She had no idea how much time had passed. When she finally opened her eyes, the hospital room was silent, and the only light came from her phone screen, which showed three new messages.

"Eloise, we're truly sorry. We didn't watch out for you like we should have. We feel ashamed to face you, so we flew abroad overnight to buy something nice for you as an apology."

"Please rest well and heal. We'll come back soon."

"Just say what you'd like, and we'll bring it back for you."

Eloise slowly set her phone aside, feeling too drained to even feel hurt anymore.

She didn't want to face them or listen to any more fake apologies. All she wished for was to rest quietly by herself in the hospital.

But then, without warning, someone pushed the door open.

Cecilia entered the hospital room, her heels clicking loudly. Her makeup was flawless, and her complexion looked bright and healthy—completely different from Eloise, who was covered in bandages.

"I heard you got hurt really badly," she said sweetly, though her tone was clearly mocking. "Ronald has been looking after me lately, feeding me personally, staying with me every night..."

She tilted her head, feigning innocence. "And you're stuck here all alone with no one even bothering to visit you. That's kind of sad, isn't it?"

Eloise turned her face away, not wanting to look at her.

Suddenly, Cecilia leaned over and pressed down hard on Eloise's fractured leg.

"Ah!" Eloise cried out from the sudden jolt of pain and shoved her back on instinct.

Cecilia stumbled back a few steps and fell hard to the floor, staring in disbelief. "How dare you push me?"

Getting back up, she dusted off her clothes and said through gritted teeth, "Ronald treats me like I'm the most important person in the world. He's so gentle with me. And you... You dare lay a hand on me?"

She gave Eloise one last hateful glare. "Just wait."

Then she slammed the door as she stormed out.

Eloise felt her chest tighten. Something told her things were about to get worse.

Sure enough, not even ten minutes passed before Ronald stormed in and kicked the door wide open.

"Eloise!" he shouted, eyes bloodshot. He rushed over and grabbed her by the throat. "Cecilia came here out of kindness, and you sent some thugs to hurt her?"

Eloise's eyes widened in shock. "I didn't..."

"Still denying it? If I hadn't gotten there in time, who knows what could've happened!"

He inhaled deeply, his voice turning cold. "I know you like me, but I've told you again and again that I don't like you. If you dare hurt Cecilia, I'll never forgive you. I'll hate you forever."

Eloise started coughing hard, tears welling up in her eyes. "I swear... I didn't do that..."

"Fine," Ronald said with a cold smirk that sent a chill down her spine. "You won't admit it? Then you'll pay for it."

He clapped his hands, and five tall, muscular men walked in one after another.

Eloise's body froze. "Ronald! What are you planning to do?!"

"What else could it be?" Ronald said coldly, glaring at her. "You tried to hurt Cecilia. Now you'll face the consequences."

Eloise tried to sit up, but her body was too badly injured to move. "You've lost your mind! If you do anything to me, it'll ruin the partnership between our families!"

Ronald gave a cold chuckle. "If it's for Cecilia, I don't care if the Patnick family becomes my enemy." He turned to walk out before adding, "Have fun."

Eloise collapsed on the bed, screaming, "Ronald! How can you be this heartless?!"

He stopped at the door, looked over his shoulder, and said, "Since you're so scared, I'll give you a choice. If you promise not to choose me as your fiancé at your birthday party, I'll call them off for now."

"I never would've chosen you!" Eloise said, her voice scratchy. "No matter who I had to choose, it wouldn't be you!"

Ronald's face darkened. "Not me? Do you really expect me to buy that?"

He gave a cold laugh. "You've been tagging along after me since we were kids. You've had feelings for me all this time. If you're going to be this stubborn, don't blame me for what comes next."

As the door shut, five men stepped forward and closed in.

Eloise closed her eyes in despair, and all she could hear was the sound of clothes tearing...

"Don't... get out... let go of me..."

Five thugs sneered and pressed down on her, while she was covered in bruises and unable to even muster the strength to struggle, only able to look on in despair as their dirty hands reached for her collar.

"You can't run away, Ms. Patnick, the man at the front grinned, revealing his yellowed teeth, "Tonight, let us take good care of you."

The sound of fabric tearing was particularly harsh in the quiet ward, Eloise bit her lip tightly, the taste of blood spreading in her mouth.

She couldn't die here, let alone be destroyed by these beasts.

The next second, she suddenly pushed away the person closest to her and threw herself towards the window with all her remaining strength.

"Bang!"

The glass shattered with a loud noise, and the piercing cold wind howled into the ward.

Eloise fell heavily from the second floor, feeling a sharp, tearing pain in her right leg. But she didn't care about that, dragging her broken leg and desperately running outside.

"Damn it! Chase! came the angry shouts of the thugs behind."

Eloise was afraid of being caught, so she ran as fast as she could, stumbling forward. But the next second—

"Boom!"

The glaring headlights came straight at her, and a speeding car driving in the wrong direction crashed into her body.

Eloise was thrown out, landing heavily on the ground, with blood instantly spreading from beneath her.

Eloise lay in a pool of blood, her consciousness fading, a buzzing sound in her ears.

She heard the sound of the car door opening, followed by footsteps approaching.

"Damn it, Vincent, you're really ruthless! Leonel's voice came through, "Ronald has already had someone humiliate her, and you still want to drive and hit her?"

"If she hadn't run away, I wouldn't be in this situation, Vincent sneered. "Who made her run?"

"Unfortunately, she was lucky enough not to be hit and killed, Tobias said with regret. "If she had died, the three of us wouldn't have to keep pretending in front of her, and we could just stay with Cecilia."

Eloise's heart felt like it had been tightly squeezed, causing her almost to suffocate in pain.

Originally... they really wanted her to die.

When Eloise woke up again, she was lying in a hospital bed, covered in bandages from head to toe, like a mummy.

"Eloise! You finally woke up! Vincent was the first to come over, his eyes filled with concern, as if the cold-blooded person who had hit her with a car was not him at all."

"I'm sorry, we were in a hurry to come back to see you and didn't see the road clearly, accidentally bumping into you, Leonel held her hand, his voice gentle."

"We also heard about Cecilia being bullied in the hospital, Tobias sighed, "but we believe that she must have framed you."

Eloise quietly watched them, her eyes filled with a dead silence.

"Rest well, we will go talk to Ronald and make sure justice is served for you this time! Vincent gently patted her hand before the three of them turned and walked away."

Eloise closed her eyes, a self-deprecating smile playing at the corner of her mouth.

Talked?

They were just eager to go see Cecilia.

This time, Eloise was seriously injured and stayed in the hospital for a full two weeks.

On the day of her discharge, Vincent and two others came to pick her up in person.

When she was brought back to her own villa, she found Ronald and Cecilia standing in her living room.

"What are you doing here? Eloise asked coldly."

Ronald looked up, his eyes cold as if he were looking at a stranger. "I brought Cecilia to pack her things. She won't be living here anymore."

"Why? Eloise tugged at the corner of her mouth, the wound was pulled, causing her to inhale sharply in pain. "Is she afraid I'll bully her again?"

"You know best, Ronald sneered, "Letting her stay here any longer, she might end up losing her life one day."

Eloise clenched her fists, her nails digging deeply into the palms of her hands.

They were all blind in their eyes and hearts, completely unable to see clearly who was bullying whom!

"Ronald, I have packed up, Cecilia suddenly walked over with red eyes, her voice choked up, "But... my trophy is missing."

"What trophy? Ronald frowned."

"It's the one I won in the last piano competition, Cecilia bit her lip, tears threatening to fall but not falling, "That's the only trophy I've ever won..."

Ronald's eyes turned cold as he looked directly at Eloise and said, "Bring it out."

Eloise sneered, "I didn't take it."

"Ms. Patnick had everything she wanted since she was a child, and she didn't lack this trophy of mine. Cecilia looked at Eloise with a sense of grievance, "Why can't she just give it back to me!"

"Cecilia, Eloise said if she didn't take it, she didn't take it, Vincent pretended to be impatient, "Why are you still lingering here?"

"Yes, just a trophy, Leonel and Tobias agreed."

Ronald sneered and took out his phone directly, "Come here."

In an instant, more than a dozen bodyguards rushed in.

"Smash it for me, Ronald said coldly, "until you find the trophy."

"Ronald! Don't go too far! Vincent immediately stepped forward to intervene."

"What? You guys want to protect her? Ronald squinted his eyes. "Fine, then come with me now for a race. If I win, you won't stop me. If I lose, I'll take Cecilia away immediately."

The three of them exchanged a glance and nodded in agreement.

Eloise stood aside, watching the farce with a cold eye.

She knew better than anyone that Vincent was the top race car driver in Los Angeles, never having lost a single race.

However, the result of the game was quite intriguing.

Vincent lost.

Leonel lost.

Tobias also lost.

Eloise found it utterly ridiculous as she watched them getting off the race car with a pretended look of regret.

They really put a lot of effort into acting in this scene.

Ronald stepped back into the villa, his slender fingers coldly waving: "Smash."

His voice was like poisoned ice, "Turn this place upside down, we must find Cecilia's trophy."

"Bang-"

"Crash-"

The bodyguards rushed in, smashing the expensive antique vases, spilling the precious red wine on the floor, and tearing apart the custom-made furniture. The entire villa turned into ruins in just a few minutes.

Eloise stood in the midst of the chaos, looking at everything expressionlessly.

Her nails dug deep into the palm of her hand, but she didn't feel any pain.

These destroyed objects, like her shattered dignity, can never be pieced back together.

"Found it! a bodyguard shouted loudly, running down from the second floor with the gilded trophy in hand."

Ronald took the trophy and left with Cecilia, satisfied.

As she left, Cecilia glanced back at Eloise, a victorious smile playing on her lips.

"Eloise, don't be sad, Vincent approached and comforted gently, "In the future, we will build you another villa exactly the same as this one."

"Yes, we'll buy new things for you that were smashed, Leonel and Tobias chimed in."

Eloise looked at them and suddenly laughed, a smile on her face that carried an indescribable irony. "Do you not get tired of pretending like this?"

The three of them were stunned: "What?"

Eloise didn't say anything else and walked away.

Eloise moved into the new villa in the suburbs, staying indoors all day, waiting only for Mario to return home.

It wasn't until the eve of her birthday that she finally went out to the most upscale dress shop in town to pick out a dress.

As soon as she walked in, she saw Cecilia.

The two of them both had their eyes on the same dress.

"I took this dress, Eloise said lightly."

The shop assistant recognized Eloise's identity and immediately smiled obsequiously, saying, "Ms. Patnick has such good taste! This dress is a global limited edition, only someone of your status is worthy of it!"

With that, she glanced disdainfully at Cecilia and said, "As for some people... let's look at something else. These high-end designer dresses are not something that commoners can wear."

Cecilia's eyes welled up with tears, and she immediately took out her phone to make a call: "Ronald... come quickly... I was bullied..."

Eloise's heart tightened, immediately realizing that something was wrong.

She didn't even have time to change into her evening gown before she turned and ran out.

Just arrived at the parking lot.

"Bang!"

The back of her head was in severe pain, and she blacked out completely, losing consciousness.

When consciousness slowly returned, Eloise found herself suspended on the outer wall of the Patnick Group building.

At the sixty-ninth floor, the cold wind cut her skin like a knife. She looked down and realized she was only wearing thin underwear, her exposed skin turning blue in the cold wind, almost losing consciousness.

"Awake?"

Ronald's cold voice came from above.

Eloise struggled to lift her head and met those phoenix-like eyes that had once captivated her, but now only radiated a chilling coldness.

It was him...

Did he personally strip her naked and then hang her up on this tall building?!

Eloise's pupils contracted sharply, her heart feeling as though it was being tightly squeezed by an invisible hand.

She hadn't had time to question yet, when Ronald had already bent down, his long fingers pinching her chin.

"Eloise, you used to enjoy competing with Cecilia for things, right? Well, remember today's lesson well. Next time you try to snatch something, think carefully about whether you can handle the consequences."

After speaking, he let go of her hand, turned around and walked away, not even sparing her an extra glance.

Eloise heard the footsteps gradually fading away in her ears, followed by the faint conversation in the hallway.

"Daring to steal from Cecilia, we need to make her suffer a bit, Vincent's cold voice carried a hint of cruelty."

"Come back in an hour to save her? Leonel pushed his glasses up, his tone light and airy, as if discussing the weather for the day."

"Why not hang out for a day, we can't die anyway, Tobias chuckled in agreement. "It's the perfect time for us to go pick out a new dress for Cecilia."

The footsteps of the three people gradually faded away, leaving only Eloise hanging alone in the air on the sixty-ninth floor.

The cold wind was piercing, Eloise was shivering all over, her lips turning purple from the cold.

She gritted her teeth tightly, but tears uncontrollably streamed down her face.

Why...

Why did they treat her like that?

She used to think that even if they didn't love her, at least there should be some childhood friendship between them.

It now appears that they treated her even worse than strangers.

The next morning, early risers on their way to work stopped one after another, pointing and discussing Eloise, who was suspended in mid-air.

"Oh my goodness! Isn't that Ms. Patnick?"

"How was she hanging there? And... dressed like that?"

"Tsk, how embarrassing..."

Eloise looked down at the ant-like crowd below, feeling ashamed and angry, wishing she could just let go of the rope and jump down.

Just then, Vincent and the other two finally arrived late.

"Eloise! I'm sorry! Vincent rushed over, looking anxious. "We just found out that Ronald had tied you up here!"

Leonel quickly took off his coat and draped it over her trembling body: "Don't be afraid, we'll take you back."

Tobias also crouched down and said softly, "I'm sorry, we promise that we will never let you be hurt like this again in the future."

Eloise slowly looked up and saw their hypocritical masks, then suddenly smiled.

That smile was so desolate that it broke people's hearts.

"Get lost."

The three of them were stunned: "Eloise?"

"I said, go away, Eloise pushed them aside, struggling to stand up, "All the harm I've suffered, isn't it all from you guys?!"

The three of their faces changed slightly, but quickly returned to a gentle expression.

"Eloise, you misunderstood, we really didn't know..."

Eloise didn't want to listen anymore, she turned around and left.

On the eve of his birthday, Vincent and two others visited again.

"Eloise, Vincent leaned against the door frame, his gaze intense, "You were going to choose Ronald tomorrow, right?"

Eloise looked at them expressionlessly and said, "I said I wouldn't choose him."

"Don't be upset, Leonel sighed. "If Ronald rejects you, don't worry, we've got your back."

"Yes, Tobias took a step forward, his voice low, "we loved you so much, why did you have to be so fixated on Ronald, why couldn't you just turn back and look at us."

Eloise found it ridiculous.

Why did they think she would still choose among them?

"Don't worry, she turned around, her eyes calm as water. "I won't choose any of you."

The three of them exchanged a glance, obviously not taking her rejection seriously, only thinking that she was throwing a tantrum. They quickly left.

However, it wasn't long before Ronald also arrived.

"Eloise, I know you will choose me tomorrow. He stood at the door, dressed sharply, his eyes cold. "I admit it, but you must promise me, you are not allowed to hurt Cecilia again in the future, otherwise—"

"I wouldn't choose you, Eloise interrupted him."

Ronald sneered, "Do you think I would believe that?"

He was too lazy to say more to her, so he turned around and left.

Eloise wearily closed her eyes until the phone ringing broke the silence.

"Eloise, Maeve's voice came through, "we have already spoken to Mario, he will be at the venue on time tomorrow."

She hesitated for a moment and asked, "Are you really sure you want to choose Mario?"

Eloise clenched her phone, her fingertips trembling slightly. "I'm sure!"

On the birthday, the banquet hall was magnificent, with crystal chandeliers reflecting dazzling light.

Eloise entered in a red dress, the hem of the dress swaying behind her like flames, stunning the audience.

Vincent and the other two immediately surrounded him.

"Eloise, Vincent's gaze was intense, his voice low, "you looked so beautiful today that I couldn't take my eyes off you."

"This dress suits you very well, Leonel said gently with a smile."

"Happy birthday, Eloise, Tobias handed her a glass of champagne."

Eloise was about to speak when the venue suddenly fell into an eerie silence.

She turned her head to look—

Ronald walked slowly into the room with Cecilia by his side.

And on Cecilia's body, she was wearing the exact same red dress as her!

The whole audience was in an uproar.

Vincent and the other two's faces changed suddenly, and they immediately made an excuse to leave: "Eloise, we have something urgent to attend to. We'll come back to see you later."

Eloise stood still, her heart sinking heavily.

Ronald walked straight towards her, his voice cold and chilling: "Eloise, either you go back now and change into a different dress, or-"

His eyes narrowed dangerously, "I personally peeled it."

Eloise held onto her skirt tightly, not moving at all.

Ronald lost his patience and waved his hand, signaling, "Someone, take her to change clothes."

Two bodyguards immediately stepped forward and forcibly dragged Eloise away.

Ten minutes later, Eloise reappeared at the venue wearing a plain white dress, her face as pale as paper.

The banquet officially began, and the host smiled and asked, "Ms. Patnick, who would you like to choose as your fiancé today?"

Eloise took a deep breath and said, "Just wait a little longer."

Vincent frowned, "Eloise, who were you waiting for?"

Just at that moment—

"Bang!"

The door of the banquet hall was pushed open.

Eloise's parents, Maddox and Maeve, walked in, followed by a tall and imposing man.

He was dressed in a well-tailored black suit, with sharp features and a cold expression, exuding a powerful aura that was suffocating.

Came back.

He finally came back.

Eloise's eyes instantly turned red, tears blurred her vision.

She walked towards him without hesitation, her voice choked but determined: "I choose him! Mario Nygard!"