Chapter 5

Camelia looked straight into Bagaskara's eyes, challenging the tyranny of the man who claimed to be her father with a faint smile laced with venom.

"You want me to marry Morgan? Fine. On one condition... return every single asset and company that belonged to my mother—not one cent less!"

Bagaskara fell completely silent. His jaw clenched so tightly that the muscles in his cheeks twitched, his face flushing red as irritation surged through him at her uncompromising demand. Seeing that no worthwhile answer would come from him, Camelia turned gracefully on her heel. The sharp clicks of her heels echoed across the marble floor as she walked steadily away from the living room toward the front door.

The moment Camelia disappeared beyond the doorway, Vivian immediately threw herself into Bagaskara's arms. Wrapping her arms around her father's shoulders, she wore a sweet expression that concealed the cunning gleam in her eyes.

"Father, I'm certain Camelia will be completely destroyed after this," Vivian whispered, resting her head against him affectionately.

Bagaskara stroked his beloved daughter's hair, a cold smile spreading across his middle-aged face.

"Don't worry, my dear. She'll be ruined, and her life will end tragically... just like her mother's."

"That's right, Father. Morgan hates Camelia with all his heart. I'm absolutely certain he'll succeed in getting his revenge through this marriage!" Vivian replied cheerfully, as though her stepsister's suffering were the sweetest melody she had ever heard.

"You only need to be patient a little longer, Vivian," Bagaskara said, his eyes fixed straight ahead with undisguised ambition. "Once Camelia is gone and naturally removed from the picture, you'll become the sole heir to all this wealth... and you'll be the one standing beside Morgan at the altar."

Vivian lifted her head, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

"I'm sure our plan will never fail, Father!"

A trace of concern suddenly crossed Bagaskara's face. Loosening his embrace slightly, he frowned as he looked at his daughter.

"But Vivian... I'm suddenly afraid that Morgan might actually fall in love with Camelia someday. After all, they'll be living under the same roof."

Vivian burst into laughter, dismissively waving her hand at her father's concern.

"You don't have to worry, Father. Ever since high school, Morgan has hated Camelia to the core. He even swore in front of his father's grave that he would destroy her piece by piece!"

Bagaskara nodded slowly, his anxiety easing.

"You're right. Morgan could never fall in love with a woman from the family he despises."

"Have you forgotten?" Vivian smiled triumphantly, narrowing her eyes with satisfaction. "Morgan's father died in that tragic car accident because of the legal charges Camelia filed against him. There's no way Morgan doesn't hate her as much as we do. He wants to see Camelia utterly destroyed!"

Bagaskara patted his daughter's shoulder proudly.

"You truly are my smartest daughter."

Inside, Vivian rejoiced.

Sooner or later, Morgan will be mine completely. A man like him would never lower himself to fall in love with someone as ill-fated as Camelia.

Unbeknownst to them, behind the slightly opened wooden door leading to the side corridor, Camelia stood frozen. Her fists were clenched so tightly at her sides that her nails nearly pierced her palms as she struggled to suppress the rage coursing through her body. She had heard every disgusting detail of their conspiracy. The sincere laughter exchanged between father and daughter felt like the air in her lungs had suddenly turned ice-cold.

You really think I'll sit back after learning that you want me dead? Camelia thought, her eyes colder than the darkest night. A sarcastic smile spread across her pale face.

We'll see who drags whom into hell first.

Without making a sound, Camelia slowly stepped backward before turning around and swiftly leaving the cursed house. The moment she reached the front gate, a black sedan glided to a smooth stop in front of her. The driver's door opened, revealing a well-dressed man in a tailored suit with a calm and composed demeanor.

It was Noah—her personal assistant and most trusted right-hand man.

"Camelia, I've located your mother's former secretary," Noah said without wasting a second, politely opening the passenger door for her.

Camelia's previously dim eyes immediately lit up.

"Really? Then let's go deal with him right now. He holds an important key."

"Understood."

Noah quickly closed the driver's door, started the engine, and drove through the city toward an exclusive office building in the heart of the business district, where the former secretary now rented a luxurious office.

An hour later, Camelia and Noah walked down a granite-floored corridor toward the main reception area on the building's upper floor. The atmosphere was formal and eerily quiet. But just as Camelia reached for the large glass door leading into the VIP lounge, her footsteps came to an abrupt halt.

A tall man in an impeccably tailored suit stepped out from inside.

His broad shoulders, hawk-like eyes, and sharply defined jawline—the very features she knew all too well from that morning—stood only a few feet away from her.

Him again... Camelia groaned inwardly. Her heart skipped a beat as memories of the red marks she had seen on his body only hours earlier resurfaced.

Morgan stopped in his tracks.

His sharp gaze immediately locked onto Camelia. A flicker of surprise crossed his face before it was swiftly replaced by a cold, piercing stare. The temperature in the corridor seemed to plummet in an instant.

Sensing the tense atmosphere and Morgan's intimidating presence, Noah instinctively stepped in. Before Morgan could utter a single word, Noah moved forward, placing himself between them. Then, with gentle certainty, he wrapped an arm protectively around Camelia's shoulders, pulling her close as though shielding her from a genuine threat.

Morgan's eyes immediately dropped to Noah's hand resting firmly on Camelia's shoulder before shifting to the closeness between them. Something hot flared unexpectedly inside his chest—an unfamiliar surge of displeasure that struck him without warning, igniting a spark of jealousy he failed to conceal completely beneath his indifferent expression. His jaw tightened, and his gaze became razor-sharp, as though he wanted to tear Noah's hand away with his bare hands.

Morgan let out a contemptuous scoff, a mocking smile once again curling across his lips as he looked at Camelia over Noah's shoulder.

"How cheap," Morgan sneered in a low voice dripping with disdain, casting one final look of disgust before striding away with heavy footsteps, leaving them behind.