SECRETS & SCANDALS

I died on a rainy day.

The vibrant maple leaves, usually scattered across the mountainside, were nowhere to be seen because Conrad Reese couldn't wait any longer.

I tumbled down the steps, blood pooling beneath me.

But he wasn't satisfied.

He shoved me down the stairs again and again, each time more forcefully.

The pain was so intense that I could barely make a sound, but I still couldn't help but ask, "Why… are you doing this?"

I didn't understand.

Our families had always been close, and Conrad and I grew up together.

For over a decade, my family had supported him in securing his position as the heir.

But he set a trap, pulling my father into it, leading to the destruction of my family and my father's death from a heart attack.

"Why, Conrad?" I gripped his clothes, desperate.

Conrad's face was pale, almost ghostly, and though he was the one who ruined my family, his expression made it seem as if I was the one who had wronged him.

"This is what you all owe Kelly," he spat, gritting his teeth.

Kelly?

Kelly Dunn?

The name felt unfamiliar, and it took me a moment to remember her.

Then I remembered her face—the innocent, fragile look that came to mind without warning.

I couldn't stop myself from laughing.

Five years had passed.

It turned out that Conrad had never forgotten her during all this time.

He had blamed her death on me, blaming the entire Harmon International.

"Conrad, you're really—"

An idiot!

I didn't get the chance to say the words before Conrad had his hands tightly around my neck.

My breath was slowly drained from my chest.

Blood dripped from the corner of my mouth.

It looked just like the red leaves that had fallen on the ground.

"Shirley, are you having another headache?"

The cold rain vanished.

The hard floor disappeared.

The crisp autumn air filled the space, and the room buzzed with guests.

It was my 22nd birthday party and my engagement party with Conrad.

Maybe God wanted to give me a second chance; in the blink of an eye, I was reborn.

Not only was I alive, but I was back at the age of 22.

This year, Harmon International was thriving, and my father had made it into the top ten on the Forbes list.

This year, Conrad and I were still not engaged.

"Of course, she's having a headache," someone behind me chimed in with a tone of malicious glee. "Yesterday, Conrad admitted in front of the media that the little secretary is his girlfriend."

My best friend, Melanie Jennings, turned around and tried to confront that person, but I stopped her.

It wasn't just an admission of her being his girlfriend.

Three months ago, when Conrad had gone out of town for business, his competitors had drugged him, and Kelly had slept with him to "save" him.

Conrad suddenly realized that she was his true love and wanted to marry her.

Including yesterday, the media had already caught them together three times.

"Shirley, don't listen to the media. You and Conrad have known each other since you were kids. You've shared so many years together…"

I looked at Melanie and shook my head.

Her words stopped abruptly.

I knew exactly what she wanted to say.

A week ago, I had woken up in my home.

One week was enough for me to sort out everything that had happened in the past five years.

"Shirley," Melanie suddenly reminded me, "Conrad is coming."