Susanne and Patrick weren't the type to keep secrets, but Renee had deliberately not told them the competition date because she didn't want them to make a big fuss. That left only one person: Travis. Just yesterday, he had called to wish her good luck. She hadn't expected him to surprise her today.Her roommates eagerly opened the box, revealing a long, silken gown in a shade of smoky lavender. The dress featured hand-sewn beads on the bodice, with pearls of varying sizes that shimmered gently under the light. The waistline flowed into two layers of ultra-thin silk, one darker, one lighter, creating a dreamy, ethereal effect."Wow, this dress is glowing even under our dorm lights! Imagine how it'll sparkle on stage!" One of her roommates mimicked an excited voice, making Renee laugh. "Stop laughing and get dressed! We need to do your makeup too."...An hour later, Renee stood like a doll as her roommates admired her. "You look stunning, Renee. If I weren't a woman, I'd probably fa
As Wendy watched Renee pick up the milk carton, she clinked her own carton against it eagerly."Cheers," Wendy said.Just as Wendy was about to take a sip, Renee quickly snatched the carton from her hand."This brand has several flavors. Let me see which one I like," Renee said, examining the carton. "Oh, Wendy, you bought the same flavor as mine?"Wendy immediately became flustered, her eyes fixed on Renee's hand. With a forced smile, she replied, "We have similar tastes, so I just bought the same one."She then grabbed the carton from Renee's left hand and took a quick sip, as if afraid Renee might want to switch.Renee raised her own carton and took a sip as well. "Thanks for the treat."Wendy watched intently as the liquid traveled up the straw and into Renee's mouth. Afterward, she smiled widely."You're welcome. I'm glad you like it.""Well, I'll head inside now," Renee said, walking into the waiting room with a neutral expression.As the door slowly closed behind Renee
As everyone's attention shifted to the floral ring on display, it became apparent that the overall design had become somewhat exaggerated in an attempt to highlight the large ruby at its center. It lacked the natural harmony found in the necklace and earrings.Annie's expression faltered slightly, her grip tightening on the microphone as she struggled to maintain her poise and grace."Thank you for your feedback, Professor Xander. I'll continue to improve," she managed to say.Mandy, pleased with Annie's attitude, decided to pay her a bit more attention."Ms. Simmons, your current designs have already far exceeded my expectations for this competition. I'm curious, is there any particular contestant you'd like to compete against?"The audience perked up at this question, finding it far more intriguing than simply viewing each piece one by one.Annie pondered for a moment before replying with a smile, "Actually... I have a classmate who's also participating. I've always admired her
Renee glanced at the audience, her gaze landing on a man in the VIP section. Beside him, an event organizer was speaking quietly, head bowed. The man seemed disinterested, holding a teacup and staring at Renee with dark, intense eyes through the rising steam. The pressure of his gaze made her uneasy, and she quickly looked away.Most of the audience didn't seem to expect much from Renee. After all, few contestants used million-dollar gemstones like Annie had, let alone with such innovative designs.The organizer shared this sentiment. "Mr. Grey, don't worry. I just spoke with Professor Xander. She's very impressed with Ms. Simmons. The first prize is surely hers."Carl sipped his tea and replied coolly, "Not necessarily."Confused, the organizer followed Carl's gaze to Renee on stage. After a moment of thought, he nodded. "I understand, Mr. Grey."Carl ignored him, fixated on Renee's striking figure. The organizer bowed and left, whispering to a staff member who quickly ran off.
Renee glanced at Annie, then took two steps forward."Even though we're classmates, are we really that close? Why would I need help from a competitor, especially in a situation like this?"Annie faltered, her expression turning wounded.One of the judges, aware of Annie's unusual background and seeing Carl standing behind her, quickly stood up and scolded Renee. "Renee, you dropped your own work, and Ms. Simmons was just trying to help you. Is this how you respond? Security! Take her out! If you have no work to show, you have no right to be here. Don't waste everyone's time."Annie discreetly wiped her eyes, casting a triumphant glance at Renee.But Renee remained unusually calm. "Who said I don't have any work?"She turned toward Annie and continued, her voice steady and deliberate, "Life is unpredictable. I prepared a second set of samples just in case."Annie's expression stiffened.The next moment, a staff member whom Renee had specifically hired to stand by came onto the s
Only Renee knew that her Sarah was the most wonderful daughter in the world. Since Sarah was old enough to understand, her only birthday wish has been for Renee to be happy.Sarah would always tell her, "Mommy, please don't cry anymore, okay?"She also said, "Mommy, other kids have their daddies help them put on their crowns."Later, when Sarah realized her father didn't care about her, she told Renee that she looked even more beautiful wearing the crown.Thinking of this, Renee's eyes reddened for a moment, but she had promised Sarah that she would never cry again, so she held back the tears.She raised her hand to gently touch the crown on her head, lifting her gaze slightly."Sarah, Mommy made you a crown. Do you like it?"Putting aside the earlier incident, Mandy was genuinely impressed with Renee's skills. Her design and creativity were more innovative than Annie's.Annie's work was good too, but there was one glaring flaw—the overly flashy ring.At that moment, Mandy sud
It wasn't until Mandy said, "Let's continue with the competition," that the tension eased.The host quickly shifted gears. "Thank you, contestants. Please take a moment to rest while we invite the next participant to the stage."Renee descended from the stage with a smile, but Annie quickly followed behind her."Did you know all along?" Annie demanded."Ms. Simmons, what are you talking about? I don't understand. That wasn't your work, so what could I possibly know?" Renee replied, feigning confusion.Annie glanced around to ensure no one was listening and lowered her voice. "Why did the necklace break?"Renee smiled faintly. "You didn't even bother to adjust the specs after copying my design? You can't even plagiarize properly?"With that, she turned to walk away, but after a few steps, she paused and looked back at Annie. "Didn't Uncle Carl warn you not to overdo it when he gave you the design? That ring was truly awful.""Renee Lacey!" Annie was livid, nearly losing her pois
Renee accepted the heavy trophy, her expression blank, as she gazed out at the audience. It felt like an invisible hand was clutching her throat, suffocating her, and reminding her of the challenge of escaping a predetermined fate—especially when facing an opponent with powerful support.But in the next moment, she tightened her grip on the trophy. In her past life, she hadn't even qualified to compete, but now she held a trophy that threatened Annie's victory. Finally, the cursed fate that had haunted her was starting to shift.One day, her desired path would align with her destiny.Renee lifted her head and smiled at the audience, especially at the owner of those dark eyes—Carl Grey.No one could bring her down anymore, unless... she fell on her own.In the audience, Jackson approached Carl and leaned in to report quietly, "Mr. Grey, it's done.""Good."Carl picked up his teacup, locking eyes with Renee, narrowing his gaze to hide his displeasure. Her dazzling smile under the
Wedding dress?When Renee heard those two words, she couldn’t help but feel the irony.Counting the time Annie had tried on wedding dresses, this was the second time she was involved. And both times, it was for Carl’s fiancee.It was as if these weddings couldn’t happen without her as a witness.She glanced at Ruby, who was smiling radiantly, her joy pure and simple. Unlike Annie, Ruby wasn’t manipulative; her invitation was sincere.It was precisely because of this that Renee felt like the bad guy.She was about to come up with an excuse to refuse when her phone buzzed.A sudden sense of foreboding hit her.Sure enough, it was a message from Susanne.“Mr. Grey has asked me to help prepare for Carl and Miss Sanders’ engagement party.”The weight of it crushed her.Whether Susanne would offend both the Sanders and Grey families—or remain unharmed—all hinged on Renee’s response.Her hands trembled as she typed out a reply:“Got it.”Ruby seemed to notice something was off a
Ruby didn’t notice anything unusual about Renee’s demeanor. She pulled out her phone and said excitedly, “Look, we took so many photos! I’m thinking of using some of them for the engagement party and wedding. Can you help me pick a few?”Renee glanced at Ruby’s phone. The photos of Ruby and Carl, both smiling brightly, felt like tiny stabs.Ruby, a young woman nurtured by love and privilege, carried an effortless elegance. Her joy seemed pure and contagious. Her smile was magnetic, lighting up every photo.Even Carl, standing beside her, looked more at ease than usual. The two of them looked perfect together—every photo captured their harmony.Renee, on the other hand, felt awkward, unsure where to direct her gaze.“They’re all great. You two should decide,” she said with a forced smile, quickly steering the conversation elsewhere. “By the way, why did you come to see me?”Ruby clapped her hands as if just remembering. “Oh, right! I almost forgot, I got so excited. The tie clip y
Hearing her mention fire, Carl froze.His mind drifted to the dreams he’d had countless times—the little girl who hated him, and the ending that always played out the same. In every dream, the girl ran into the flames, holding the hand of a woman whose face was always blurred. The two of them would smile at each other before disappearing into the fire.Taking advantage of his hesitation, Renee broke free from Carl’s grip, putting a few steps of distance between them.Her voice trembled with a mix of anger and desperation. “Uncle Carl, I can’t win against you. I know that. But I’m still a person. Haven’t you and your father humiliated me enough? Do you really need everyone pointing at me, calling me trash, for you to finally be satisfied?”Without waiting for a reply, she turned and walked away.Carl reached out, but all he caught was the coat draped over her shoulders.Renee stopped briefly, pulling off the coat without looking back. She continued walking until her figure disappe
Carl didn’t respond to her question. Instead, he grabbed her wrist and led her into the car.Outside the window, the scenery blurred as they drove, snow starting to fall again after some time. When the car finally stopped and the door opened, a fresh layer of snow blanketed the ground.As Renee stepped out, a cashmere coat was draped over her shoulders. The faint scent of Carl surrounded her, pulling her back into reality. She found herself standing in front of a villa.The sprawling garden, now blanketed in white, held a dreamlike beauty, hinting at how enchanting it must look when the flowers were in full bloom. Renee could almost picture it clearly.Because this was the house where she had set herself on fire in her previous life.Eight years of marriage had turned this beautiful home into a gilded cage.Staring at the house, her voice was icy as she asked, “What’s the meaning of this?”Carl’s gaze darkened slightly, his tone calm. “I’ll have someone pick up your belongings f
Joey assumed Renee had forgotten and went to the kitchen to retrieve the item. She placed it in front of her—a sleek yet extravagant men’s watch.Renee recognized it instantly. It was Carl’s watch.She knew because she had a matching women’s version.But she clearly remembered tidying up the kitchen the previous night, and the watch hadn’t been there. Unless… the person who had been with her during her fever was Carl.Levi hadn’t explicitly said the soup was his doing; she had simply assumed.As the dreamlike memories replayed in her mind, Renee’s hand trembled, spilling the ginger tea.Joey quickly grabbed some napkins to clean up. “What’s wrong?”Renee turned to the window, then suddenly grabbed the watch and dashed out.Inside the elevator, she watched the descending numbers, silently counting down. Her hand braced against the wall, her emotions a tangled mess. She had told herself over and over to let go, to stop pursuing this path.But she had to know the truth.She had
Joey pointed to Levi’s suit, drawing Renee’s attention to it. She suddenly realized that Levi’s suit was from the same brand as the one Carl had been wearing when he had brought her home, his face covered. Aside from a few subtle differences, they looked almost identical to the average person. Levi and Carl also had similar builds, which explained why Joey had mistaken him. “Joey, it’s not what you think,” Renee quickly tried to explain. But Joey wasn’t listening. She stood protectively in front of Renee, as though shielding her from making a bad decision. “Renee! You promised me you’d never go back to your ex!” “Ex?” Levi repeated thoughtfully, glancing at Renee with a faint smile tugging at his lips. Renee felt a wave of frustration, like she might faint from embarrassment despite being on the mend. Joey, oblivious, continued in a righteous tone, “Sir, what’s the point of showing up now? When Renee needed someone the most, you ignored her. Being sweet after the f
Warm water slid down Renee’s throat, easing the discomfort. She gradually calmed down as a gentle thumb brushed her lips, as if the person in front of her were handling something precious.He leaned closer, his heated breath falling softly on her face.Instinctively, Renee held her breath. Even though her vision was blurry, she could feel how close he was—so close that the slightest movement would bring their lips together.Just then, the medicine’s effect fully kicked in. Renee’s body went limp, and she collapsed onto the couch.The next moment, a tall figure leaned over, pulling her tightly into his arms. His heartbeat thudded steadily in her ears, a sound that was oddly comforting.In her half-conscious state, she felt a soft touch on her forehead.“Sleep,” a low voice murmured, deep and magnetic, lulling her into the darkness.When Renee opened her eyes again, she saw a white ceiling above her. She reached up to touch her forehead—thankfully, the fever had broken.But her b
“What do you mean by that? I’m not so old that I can’t run this family anymore!” Michael’s voice was sharp, his pride bristling. He hated being reminded of his age—it was his greatest fear.Carl’s tone was flat and unaffected. “Your health should come first.”Michael froze in his seat, his face turning pale with anger. But as a man who had managed the vast Grey family empire for years, he quickly regained his composure.He pulled out two documents and placed them in front of Carl, smoothly shifting the topic. “Here’s the list for the New Year’s gala invitations. Take a look.”Carl opened the list. It was almost identical to previous years—except for one addition: Susanne.“She’s your sister-in-law, after all,” Michael said coldly. “No matter what, she’s still part of the Grey family. Now that Linda is gone, it’s time for her to start contributing.”“Is that so?” Carl’s dark eyes locked onto Michael’s.Michael then gestured to the second document, his gaze sharp and calculating.
Carl sat silently through the night.At dawn, Ruby slowly opened her eyes. Seeing him still by her side, she felt both happy and guilty.Weakly, she said, “Carl, I’m sorry for making you stay with me all night.”Carl snapped out of his thoughts and slowly stood up. “I’ll get the doctor.”As he turned to leave, Ruby grabbed his hand.“Carl, I really like you. Can we be together? Of course, you can say no,” she said softly.Carl lowered his gaze to her, his expression unreadable. He gently pulled his hand away. “Let the doctor check on you first.”Watching him walk away, Ruby bit her pale lips, her eyes welling up.The doctor came to examine her and confirmed that she was out of danger. Soon after, she was transferred to a regular hospital room.Carl helped her lie down and said in a low voice, “Your brother will be here soon.”Ruby immediately grabbed his arm, her tone slightly anxious. “Carl, are you leaving?”“I got a message from home. I need to go back,” Carl replied, his