The icy splash of water hit Nora Winter's overheated skin, snapping her muddled brain into brief clarity.

She looked up and saw the man she'd "clung to" standing right in front of her.

He had discarded his jacket, letting it fall carelessly to the floor. Dressed in a crisp white shirt and tailored black trousers, his tall and lean frame stood out. His strikingly perfect features—sharp jawline and deep, piercing black eyes—were matched by an aura of cold indifference.

"Awake now?"

His voice was sharp and distant, barely masking his disdain.

Under his cold, mocking gaze, Nora felt a wave of embarrassment flood her. She choked out an apology. "I'm sorry."

Who would’ve thought that after stepping off the plane, eager to reunite with her estranged mother, she'd be met with betrayal instead? Her mother, Helen White, had arranged to send her to some sleazy old man under the guise of "care." Drugging her to achieve it, no less.

The thought made her stomach turn. She’d been out of her mind when she grabbed onto this man. If he hadn't been so composed, who knows how things could’ve turned out?

Lowering her head, Nora tried to bury the pain welling up in her eyes. She shrank into the bathtub, clearly not registering her disheveled state. Her beige dress clung to her damp frame, the fabric soaking wet and nearly transparent, revealing the blush pink of her undergarments. It was an image dripping with unintended allure.Alistair Turner’s dark eyes narrowed slightly, his fingers lightly rubbing together at his side. The girl in front of him—was she playing innocent, or was this genuine?

"Mr. Turner," came Lucas Ward’s voice from the bathroom door. "The doctor’s here, and the clothes have arrived too."

Nora Winter finally looked up, forcing a brief "Thank you for your trouble" out of her mouth.

She didn’t bother explaining herself. He was a stranger, after all. Over-explaining would only make her seem suspicious, maybe even guilty. She’d already caught the way he sized her up earlier—the mocking glint in his eyes was hard to miss.

Turning on his heel, Alistair left the bathroom just as the female doctor walked in. She placed the clothes on the side, administered a quick injection, and then quietly exited the room.

When Nora finished changing and walked out, still feeling a little weak, the room was empty. Her lips curled into a bitter smile. What was she expecting? For him to stick around, waiting to see if she clung to him?

After resting for the night, Nora knew she needed to head back to the Bennetts’ house. As much as she hated it, her belongings were still there. She grabbed a cab, dreading every mile of the ride.

The moment she stepped inside, the formerly warm and harmonious atmosphere in the Bennett home turned ice cold in an instant.

"And you’ve got the nerve to show up here?" sneered Sophia Bennett, her so-called "stepsister."

“I’m here to get my stuff,” Nora shot back flatly.She walked through the living room with a cold expression, heading straight to her room to grab her suitcase.

But Sophia Bennett wasn’t about to let her off the hook that easily. She stepped in front of Nora Winter and, without a word, delivered a sharp slap.

The stinging pain on her face caught Nora off guard. Her cheek burned, and she raised her head in anger, only to see Sophia glaring down at her with even more arrogance.

"Do you think you can act like this and get away with it?" Sophia spat, her voice full of disdain. "What do you think you are? Last night was a crucial event, and you had the audacity to vanish? That was supposed to be your chance to meet someone important. Do you even know who that man is? Do you even realize the trouble you’ve caused for the Bennett family? Your little stunt humiliated all of us!"

Nora pressed her hand to her tingling cheek and replied in a tone as icy as her expression, "If that man is so important, why don’t you go have him yourself?"

A fifty-year-old man, lecherous eyes, overweight and balding? No, thanks. She wouldn’t endure that, not in a million years.

"You—" Sophia’s face turned red as she began to lash out again, but Charles Bennett's voice cut through her fury.

"Sophia, enough. We’re all family. No need to get so worked up."Charles Bennett tried to maintain a calm demeanor, flashing a polite smile at Nora Winter. "Nora, we’ve always been thinking of what's best for you. Mr. Zhao is wealthy, single, and though he’s a bit older, he knows how to cherish a woman. Marrying into the Zhao family would mean a secure and comfortable life for you. Your mother has always felt guilty for not being there for you, and we just want to make up for it by finding you a good match."

Nora’s gaze turned icy as she looked at Charles Bennett and the woman standing next to him—her biological mother, Helen White.

"I don't need your so-called 'best intentions.'"

She wasn’t about to waste any more time. Stepping past them, she headed to her room, grabbed her suitcase—which hadn’t even been touched since her arrival—and prepared to leave. Just yesterday, she’d arrived in Dixian, happy to reunite with her mother. But instead of a heartfelt welcome, she’d been thrown into a disgusting setup.

Helen hurried after her, grabbing Nora by the arm with an anxious look. “Nora, honey, this is for your own good. Do you really want to stay stuck in that tiny town for the rest of your life? You’re so beautiful; you shouldn’t waste your life away like that.”

Nora coldly pulled her arm free without hesitation. “So, abandoning me for twelve years, cutting me out of your life, that was all ‘for my own good’ too?”

“I—” Helen started, but Nora didn’t give her the chance to finish. She brushed past her without another word and left.

Neither Charles nor the rest of the Bennett family made any attempt to stop her as they watched her walk away.Helen White watched as Nora Winter stormed out, leaving behind an atmosphere heavy with tension. Charles Bennett and Sophia Bennett were visibly displeased, their expressions dark. With a calming smile, Helen attempted to soothe them. "Don't worry too much. Yesterday, we might have acted too hastily. But I'm her mother—she can't completely cut off this bond. This will require some time and careful planning."

Sophia scoffed, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Helen, that's what you’re saying now. Are you really willing to just cast your daughter aside like this?"

Helen hesitated for only a moment before responding steadily, "Sophia, it’s not that I don’t care about my daughter. It’s that I care even more about your father, and this family. Charles, you understand how I feel, don’t you?"

Charles put an arm around Helen’s shoulder, offering a rare smile. "Of course."

---

Nora Winter, standing by the roadside, booked a car through her phone. She planned to find a hotel to stay at for the night.

Just as the car was en route, her phone rang—it was Bella Turner calling.

"Seriously, you've come to the city without even telling me? Some friend you are! Where are you now?"

The icy wall around Nora's heart thawed slightly at Bella’s familiar tone. "I was just going to find a hotel..."

"A hotel? Don't be silly. Come stay at my place."

"That’s not really convenient—I mean—"

"No excuses! That’s final. Tell the driver to head to the Gold Tower. I’ll meet you there, and we’ll grab something to eat."

Bella's confident, no-nonsense tone left no room for argument. After the call ended, Nora sighed, resigned, and gave the driver new directions.

When she arrived at the Gold Tower, she stepped out of the car, dragging her suitcase behind her. She set it down in the shade near the entrance, waiting quietly for Bella to arrive.Nora Winter was scrolling through her phone, waiting for Bella Turner to come out. Absentmindedly, she glanced up and noticed a man’s figure. He was still in his usual shirt and slacks ensemble, exuding a quiet yet commanding presence as he emerged from the building.

Surrounded by a group of people, the man paused briefly, said something, and the others respectfully watched him leave.

As the driver opened the car door, he paused again, but this time his sharp gaze shifted directly toward Nora.

Caught off guard, Nora froze for a moment before hurriedly dropping her head, pretending she hadn’t noticed. Her awkward attempt to feign calmness was obvious.

The car slowly pulled away, but Alistair Turner, leaning back in his seat, kept his eyes fixed on her through the window. His dark eyes seemed to linger, watching her until her figure disappeared from his view.

After a moment of silence, his voice broke the quiet, cold but deliberate. “Lucas, look into that woman.”

Lucas Ward, knowing exactly who he meant, didn’t question it. Situations like this—appearing to be coincidences—often weren’t. Twice now? Too much for mere chance. Coincidence? Their world didn’t believe in such naive notions.