Chapter 6

“Even if you beat Aunt Rowena to death, Calvin won’t come back,” Travis said coldly, his voice devoid of warmth. “Don’t turn yourself into a laughingstock.”

His emotionless words only deepened the sorrow in Rowena’s eyes.

“Travis!” Rowena cried out, voice cracking under the weight of grief. “That woman is a bearer of misfortune. You should’ve gotten rid of her long ago!”

Good idea, Hailey thought darkly. It’d be wonderful if they kicked me out.

But Travis’s next move shattered that fragile hope.

Without warning, his hand clamped onto Hailey’s shoulder. In one effortless motion, he dragged her in front of Rowena like she weighed nothing more than a stray kitten.

“This woman,” Travis said, his icy gaze sweeping the room, “never wanted to return to the Blake mansion after leaving the hospital.”

His grip tightened.

“But I already told her—the rest of her life belongs to the Blake family. Alive, dead… even her ghost will still be a Blake.”

The room fell silent at his words.

He repeated it again. Cold. Final. Unshakable.

Alive, dead… her ghost would still be a Blake.

On the third repetition, Rowena let out a twisted, bitter laugh that sent chills down Hailey’s spine.

“Fine!” Rowena spat. “Let her rot in the Blake family as a widow for the rest of her miserable life!”

Humiliation and anger burned Hailey’s cheeks. Her teeth clenched so tightly they ached. The pity she’d once felt for Rowena in the hospital faded like smoke.

There’s a reason she’s this cruel, Hailey realized.

Glaring at Travis with pure disdain, she shoved his hand off her shoulder, her head held high as she walked past him without a word. Her blank expression masked the storm brewing beneath the surface.

The following days blurred together.

Inside the grand Blake mansion, it was as if Hailey didn’t exist. Neither the servants nor the family acknowledged her. It didn’t matter if she was the young lady of the house or a lowly maid—she was invisible.

Maybe… she thought bitterly, I really did die with Calvin at the hospital. Maybe I’m just a ghost now, haunting this place.

The suffocating walls closed in on her. Finally, unable to bear it any longer, she left the mansion.

Without permission. Without informing anyone.

The cool breeze outside brushed against her face, carrying the scent of freedom. For the first time in days, her lungs filled with fresh air.

If I’d known it felt like this, she thought, I wouldn’t have wasted so much time trying to fix things with those people.

A soft smile crept across her lips, light and genuine.

Unbeknownst to her, a pair of sharp eyes watched from the shadows.

Travis had just stepped out of the house. His gaze landed on Hailey’s fleeting smile.

“Follow her,” Travis instructed the driver in a low voice.

The black sedan trailed her at a distance, its speed deliberately slow to avoid drawing attention.

Hailey kept her head down, eyes on her phone’s navigation. She searched for the nearest bus stop, and in that moment, she finally understood—there were no convenient buses nearby.

The Blake family estate was so enormous it pushed public transportation far beyond reach.

In the distance, she spotted the small bus stop sign, but before she could get there, a familiar voice cut through the wind.

“Didn’t I arrange a car and driver for you?”

Hailey turned slightly, meeting Travis’s disapproving eyes as his car crept up beside her.

Samuel and the bodyguard exchanged uneasy glances, hearing the edge in their boss’s voice.

“I’ll call the butler… find out what happened,” the bodyguard whispered.

Minutes later, the report came back.

Besides the doorman, only three people knew Hailey had left the house—the driver, Samuel, and the bodyguard in the car.

Travis’s expression darkened.

“Dock the butler’s bonus this month,” he ordered coolly. “Fire the driver. Find a replacement.”

Samuel and the bodyguard exchanged another glance. Their boss’s reaction wasn’t out of anger toward Hailey—it was something… deeper. Something possessive.

Back at the mansion, everyone thought Hailey had fallen out of favor. They avoided her, thinking it was the safest way to survive.

But clearly, they misunderstood.

The black car rolled to a gentle stop beside her again. The door clicked open.

The same bodyguard stepped out, bowing slightly. His voice was polite but firm.

“Young madam… please get in the car.”