ANMELDENVincentCassia's sudden kiss still lingered in my mind, and no matter how hard I tried to push the memory away, all I felt was disgust. I had wiped my lips so many times after leaving the Vale mansion that the skin had almost turned raw, yet the feeling refused to disappear. Then, just as my thoughts threatened to consume me again, another face appeared in my mind. Nyelle.She hadn't eaten. That stubborn woman had walked away without touching a single bite of the food I'd made for her, even though her body was still weak. She was recovering from surgery. She was fighting cancer. Whether she liked it or not, she needed to eat.As the car rolled through the quiet streets, my eyes drifted outside until they landed on a small sandwich shop that was still open despite the late hour. A memory surfaced almost immediately. There had been several occasions when I'd noticed her quietly choosing sandwiches over everything else on the table. Back then, I hadn't understood why I paid attention to
NyelleThe moment I woke up in the middle of the night, only one thought occupied my mind. Cassia.She was gone from the mansion now, but I refused to believe she had walked away without leaving something behind. People like her didn't spend years weaving lies without keeping traces of them somewhere. No matter how careful a person was, there was always one mistake, one forgotten clue, one tiny crack that could bring everything crashing down.Taking a deep breath, I quietly slipped out of my room and made my way toward the bedroom she had once shared with Vincent. The room was eerily silent now, stripped of the woman's loud presence, yet it still carried the expensive perfume she loved to wear. My gaze slowly swept across every corner. I opened drawers one after another, searched through the wardrobe, checked inside cabinets, and even flipped through the books resting on the shelves. Minutes passed, but I found nothing useful.I let out a quiet sigh. Was I wrong?Just as I turned to l
Cassia"This wine tastes amazing."I swirled the glass lazily before taking another slow sip, savoring the rich flavor as a satisfied smile spread across my face. For the first time in what felt like forever, everything seemed to be falling perfectly into place. Nyelle was now the prime suspect in my accident from six years ago. The police had evidence. Vincent would eventually realize he fell Inlove with me, he'd have nowhere else to turn but me. I could already picture it so clearly. He would come back, apologize for throwing me out, beg for another chance, and this time I would make him earn it. The thought made me chuckle to myself. Funny how life always had a way of correcting itself. Nyelle thought she had won, but she had no idea the real game had only just begun.I lifted the glass again, silently toasting to my own victory. "Cheers, to my happily ever after."Just as the rim touched my lips again, my phone vibrated across the table. Damon. The smile stayed on my face as I ans
VincentWho the hell did this?The question kept repeating inside my head like a broken record as I paced back and forth across the bedroom. The room was dimly lit, and the only sound was the soft ticking of the clock on the wall. My gaze drifted to the bed, where Nyelle lay sleeping peacefully, exhaustion finally pulling her under after everything she had endured that day.She looked so fragile. The bruises on her wrists from Cassia's grip were still visible, and every now and then her brows would furrow in her sleep, as though she were trapped in another nightmare. My chest tightened. She had already suffered enough. She couldn't go to prison. She wouldn't survive it, not while she was still recovering from the accident, and not while she was secretly battling stage four cancer. She still had no idea that I knew about her diagnosis, and for now I intended to keep it that way. The last thing she needed was another burden weighing on her shoulders.I clenched my fists. No. I wouldn't
NyelleSix Years Ago"I heard Cassia is going on a date with that handsome man who visited the house the other day," one of the maids whispered excitedly as they dusted the living room. "He's from the Hale family. They're incredibly wealthy."I had been walking past the hallway when those words stopped me in my tracks.Vincent Hale.The name alone made my heart skip a beat.Not long before then, I had finally discovered his identity. The little boy I had pulled out of the sea years ago... the boy who had never left my memories... was Vincent. Ever since learning the truth, I had dreamed of meeting him again. I wanted to tell him that I was the little girl who had saved him. I wanted to know if he still remembered that day. More than anything, I wanted to see him smile one more time."I heard they're meeting at Carlton Restaurant this evening," another maid added with a grin. "Miss Cassia has been getting ready all morning."My heartbeat quickened.Carlton Restaurant...The quickest ro
NyelleCould this be Cassia's doing?The question echoed through my mind the instant the police officer finished speaking. My fingers curled tightly around the bedsheet as my heart lurched. Everything had happened too quickly. Cassia had just been exposed. She had just been thrown out of the mansion. And now, somehow, the police had arrived with evidence pointing directly at me. The timing was too perfect. A cold chill slowly crept down my spine as I looked from the officers to Vincent, trying to make sense of what was happening."What do you mean by that?" Vincent demanded, his voice sharp enough to cut through the silence. He stepped forward until he was standing directly in front of me, placing himself between the officers and the bed as though his body alone could shield me from the world. His eyes burned with anger. "You've made a mistake. My wife has nothing to do with this."The lead officer didn't flinch."We're not mistaken, Mr. Hale." His expression remained stern as he open
Nyelle“You’re finally awake.” The deep male voice instantly made my eyes snap open.For a few seconds, everything around me looked blurry and distorted. My head pounded painfully while darkness surrounded the room except for a single dim bulb hanging above me.Then reality hit. My breathing stoppe
Nyelle Cassia’s face twisted so violently with rage that for a second, she didn’t even look human anymore. “You seriously think you belong here?” Cassia’s voice came out sharp and furious, her eyes blazing so fiercely it almost looked like she wanted to rip me apart with her bare hands. For th
Nyelle“What kind of game are you playing right now?” Vincent’s voice came out in a harsh whisper, but the anger inside it still made my chest tighten painfully.His jaw flexed hard as he stared down at the words on my iPad like they personally offended him. The veins along his neck stood out sharp
Nyelle“It’s been five years… and I hate to admit it, but I’ve always loved you…”Vincent’s voice froze me the second I stepped into the dark living room.My fingers tightened around the small cake box in my hands while my eyes slowly adjusted to the darkness. Rose petals were scattered across the







