The most luxurious hotel in Y City was alive with a grand party.

Fancy cars kept pulling up to the entrance, causing passersby to instinctively step out of the way. Along with the hotel’s own security, there were private bodyguards milling about, and they’d even invited a number of celebrities. The whole setup made people really curious—who had the money and power to throw an event like this?

Outside the red carpet, a crowd of reporters and fans had already packed in. Every time a celebrity stepped out, a wave of frenzied screams followed.

Another car rolled up, and necks stretched across the crowd—but the door didn’t open right away.

Inside the car, the chauffeur glanced at the woman in the back seat who hadn’t moved a muscle, her head lowered. He gently reminded, “Miss, we’ve arrived.”

The sudden voice startled the woman in the back—so stunning she looked like a porcelain doll. She sharply lifted her head.

Beautiful eyes, but cold as ice.

The chauffeur caught her gaze through the rearview mirror and quickly looked away, chilled by the sharpness in her stare.

Emily Cooper turned her face toward the window.

A red carpet stretched all the way to the hotel entrance. Groups of businessmen strolled toward the building with their female companions, chatting and laughing. Stars posed in front of flashing cameras, dressed to the nines.

She couldn’t remember the last time she’d been around such a lively, bustling scene.

She pulled her gaze back and looked down at her hand. This hand was no longer thin and calloused from years of restoring antiques. It was long, fair, and flawless—more elegant than that of a hand model.

It felt like a joke the universe was playing on her. She was back, back to one year ago—two months before she and Ethan Deangelo were supposed to be engaged, and three months before her father would be killed in a scheme orchestrated by him.

She let out a quiet laugh.

It sent a shiver down the chauffeur’s spine.

Why was she laughing? And why did it sound so eerie?

“I’m back,” she whispered to herself. “And that’s all that matters.”

Emily didn’t get out of the car yet. Instead, she pulled out her phone and made a call.

It only rang twice before someone picked up, the voice on the other end familiar and full of affection.

“Sweetheart, did you get to the hotel? I tried, but I just can’t make it back tonight. You're representing the Cooper family tonight. If you’re not into socializing, just go say hi to your Grandpa Egerton and then hang out with Ethan. If that boy can’t even protect his girlfriend properly, what’s the point?”

Tears stung her eyes and spilled before she could stop them. She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to rein in her swirling emotions, but her voice still trembled.

“Dad…”

“Hey! Baby girl, what’s wrong? Did someone upset you?”

Her voice was soft, a little shaky, and that was enough to make Abner Cooper’s concerned voice spike in panic—from halfway across the planet.

“Who was it? Tell me. I’ll have my assistant book the next flight home right now—I’ll deal with it myself.”

Emily took a deep breath, trying hard to keep her voice steady yet firm. “Dad, I don’t like Ethan anymore. I want to break up with him.”

Silence.

A long pause. Then finally, her father asked, “Did Ethan do something to hurt you, sweetheart?”

Emily thought about the things Claribel Cooper had said just before her death. She didn’t plan to hide the truth, though she wasn’t ready to spill everything just yet.

“Yeah. I saw him with another woman.”

Her goal was to expose the whole mess between Ethan and Claribel, lay it all out in the open. Only by dragging them through the mud and showing them what it felt like to lose everything could she get the closure she craved.

On the other end of the line, sharp breathing could be heard. Abner was clearly furious.

“That punk Ethan—I swear, when I get back, I’ll give him a piece of my mind!”

“Dad,” she interrupted calmly, “this is between me and him. You don’t need to step in.”“No way, I’m not gonna let you suffer like this.”

“I’m not suffering,” Emily replied calmly, her gaze fixed on the window with a cold glint in her eyes. “I don’t even like Ethan Deangelo anymore.”

She turned slightly, her voice steady but firm. “I’m your daughter, the only heir to Cooper Group. Please, trust me.”

Abner Cooper was quiet for a moment, then sighed and gave in. “If you’re sure, handle it your way. But the second someone tries to hurt you—I’m stepping in.”

“Alright.” Emily’s lips curved into a faint smile. Her dad always had her back, unconditionally. Just that one sentence eased so much of the weight on her chest. They exchanged a couple more words before hanging up.

She was back. Her dad was still alive. And those who messed with them—well, they better start worrying.

And then there’s you, Cedric Lee. Did you know that after people die, their souls might linger for a while? I saw you taking revenge for me. I heard you tell me you loved me.

Fell for me at first sight?

Well then, this time around, I want to get to know you properly. Are you ready?

Emily put her phone away and finally got out of the car.

The second the bodyguard opened the door for her, a wave of gasps erupted.

“Oh my god! Isn’t that Miss Cooper? She’s stunning! So elegant and graceful—total rich-girl vibe!”

“No wonder they say she's the prettiest woman in Y City. If she joined showbiz, she’d totally dominate with that face.”

“Come on, with her background? Cooper family’s money? Why would she even think about going into entertainment?”

The crowd was in full chaos. Even the celebrities at the event looked dull next to her.

Emily didn’t pay any attention to the chatter. Her smile was subtle, her posture poised, as she walked calmly toward the hotel entrance.

People moved aside as she passed, making way for her without hesitation. No one dared block the path of Y City’s elite—especially not the heiress of the Coopers.

...

Tonight’s event, hosted by the Egertons, took place on the 12th floor. Several elevators were designated just for their guests.

Once Emily got there, she stopped by the guest services to register the Cooper family’s gift, then headed into the banquet hall.

The hall was luxurious to the extreme. Under soft violin music, well-dressed socialites chatted away with champagne in hand.

Her entrance didn’t go unnoticed—quite a few young guests looked over and whispered to each other.

“Whoa, Emily Cooper just walked in.”

“Didn’t her dad fly overseas on a business trip? I thought she would show up with Ethan Deangelo.”

“Come on, they’re still just dating—not even engaged yet. Why would they make a joint appearance?”

“Still, how did Ethan even land someone like Emily? Talk about lucky.”

“Well, to be fair, Ethan’s charismatic, classy, and teaches at a university. Smart, good-looking—friggin' dream match.”

...

Emily walked up to Mr. Egerton and raised a glass she picked up from a passing server. “Happy birthday, Grandpa Egerton. Wishing you a long life, eternal youth, and endless happiness.”

“Haha! You always know what to say, kid.” Mr. Egerton chuckled warmly and chatted with her for a bit before calling over his granddaughter to accompany her.

Linda, her high school classmate, leaned in close after they stepped aside and whispered, “Cedric Lee’s here too. If he gives you trouble, just let Ethan step in.”

The feud between the Coopers and the Lees ran deep—families at odds for generations. In private, they didn’t even acknowledge each other. In business, they fought tooth and nail.

That kind of tension trickled down to the younger generation.

Emily and Cedric had been more like sworn enemies than classmates. Back in high school, they somehow ended up in the same class, and Cedric constantly found ways to butt heads with her. After graduation, he went abroad for four full years and only came back late last year.The moment he landed back in the country, he went straight into the Lee Corporation. In the business world, he was known for being ruthless and efficient—with zero patience for nonsense. A lot of people secretly called him a lunatic.

Emily Cooper tried to steady her racing heart and asked as calmly as she could, “Where’s Cedric Lee?”

“Probably with my brother,” Linda Egerton said, glancing around. “Or maybe he stepped outside.”

The venue was a garden hotel, with a huge open-air garden just outside the banquet hall.

Emily tightened her grip on the wine glass and gave a small nod.

Right then, a smooth, cultured voice called from the side, “Emily, there you are.”

She and Linda turned around at the same time.

Ethan Deangelo was wearing a royal blue suit tonight. He was undeniably good-looking, and his charming demeanor didn’t go unnoticed—plenty of women had their eyes sneakily glued to him.

Linda winked at Emily with teasing eyes. When Ethan walked over, she grinned and said on purpose, “Well, since Ethan’s here, I’ll leave you two alone. Have fun!”

Then she tactfully slipped away on her own.

Emily tilted her head and looked at Ethan. The man had always played the doting boyfriend role in front of her, but behind the scenes, he and her cousin were sneaking around. In the end, he even got her father killed and pinned it on Cedric just to use her hatred as a weapon to make more money. Then he and her cousin lived the good life together.

The memory made her stomach turn. She didn’t even bother to play nice anymore—the chill and distance in her eyes were impossible to miss.

Ethan caught the look and paused, clearly thrown off. “Emily? What’s wrong?”

Emily suddenly smiled, dazzling him in an instant.

She lifted her wine glass and said, crystal-clear, “Ethan Deangelo. Long time no see.”

Ethan blinked in confusion—they’d just met two days ago, hadn’t they?

Emily leaned in, her soft fragrance drifting over. The way she looked tonight—her stunning face, flawless makeup, and that curve-hugging dress—was enough to short-circuit any man’s brain.

Ethan’s eyes darkened with interest without even realizing it.

He didn’t see the disgust buried in her gaze.

“Emily,” he murmured gently, almost automatically.

But then her voice cut through the air like ice. “Ethan Deangelo, we’re done.”

Meanwhile—

Henry Egerton glanced at Cedric Lee, catching the direction of his eyes. He followed Cedric’s gaze and instantly spotted Emily getting close to Ethan. With a quick click of his tongue, he smirked and said, “Damn, Emily’s really leveling up, huh? Remember how you used to always mess with her in high school? Now look—she’s got herself a fiancé. They’re getting engaged soon, y’know. Wanna hear how they met?”

Cedric’s fingers clenched around his glass, his expression unreadable. The blue sapphire on his left ear glinted coldly in the light.

“What’s it got to do with me?”

Henry shrugged. “Didn’t you two always butt heads? Just saying—Emily met him during her first year of college. She fell into a lake or something, and Ethan saved her. After that, he started wooing her all gentle and sweet, and by the time she graduated, boom—official couple. If you go head-to-head with her again, her guy’s definitely gonna back her up.”

Cedric’s face went even colder, a faint sneer flashing in his eyes. “You think that weak-looking poser would even last a minute if I wanted to deal with him?”

With that, he turned to head in their direction.

“Whoa, chill!” Henry quickly moved to block him, startled by his reaction. “Dude, I’m just joking—don’t take it so seriously! This is my grandpa’s birthday party, for crying out loud.”

Cedric scoffed, clearly unimpressed. “You seriously think I’d start drama at a party?”

Then he turned and strode off in another direction without looking back.