When Lina got into the car, she was contemplating her conversation with Kaden. Once again, Kaden had left her with more questions. He was a mysterious and secretive man who revealed the smallest details that left people wanting more.

Lina sighed. ​​

“So much for staying away from him…” Lina mumbled to herself.

Each time Lina tried to distance herself from him, he magically shows up. Was this enormous city that small?

Ritan was known as the global port city in the past, where every export and import would arrive before it was shipped out to other places in the country.

Nowadays, it was the headquarters of large Fortune 500 companies, making it one of the most technologically advanced and wealthiest cities in the world.

“Ritan has always been prosperous,” Lina muttered to herself, recalling how beautiful the city looked in the past, where royalties grazed the throne, and horses pulled carriages.

The spurt of Ritan’s growth started with the Second King who had doubled the kingdom’s territory, tripled the profits, and quadrupled the population, leading it to become the most advanced nation in its area.

All because of a single Commander.

“What was that, Young Miss?” the driver asked, believing he heard her say something.

“Oh, it’s nothing,” Lina said.

Lina leaned back in her seat and stared out the window. Soon enough, the car came to a rolling stop. She remembered her father testing all of the drivers by holding a cup of overfilled coffee. If a single drop spilled, then the driver was disqualified.

“We’ve arrived, Young Miss,” the driver politely told her.

“Thank you,” Lina warmly told him.

Despite being raised in a cut-throat upper-class society where the workers were as changeable as a piece of clothing, she always strived to treat people well.

It was basic decency, yet not many do it. For what? The sake of pride?

Her grandfather once told her it’s pride that brought a person’s ruin.

– – – – –

“Young Miss, you’ve returned,” the butler immediately greeted her.

“Yes, is grandfather still home?” Lina asked, ready to return the black card that she hadn’t swiped.

The sun was quickly setting and nightfall was approaching. Lina had completely forgotten to get groceries, but also, ask why her credit cards had been locked. She knew it must’ve been because her grandfather wanted her to use the black card…

“Unfortunately not, Young Miss. The Master left shortly after you did,” the butler spoke.

“And where is he now?” Lina asked, taking the hot towel offered to her by a nearby maid. She said her thanks and the maid quickly bowed her head.

“Most likely in the Main Mansion,” Evelyn answered for the butler, taking a good look at her daughter’s outfit.

Instantly, Evelyn scowled at how hideous Lina looked. They said a mother’s beauty gets drained by her daughter. And the old-wives tale was not a lie.

The minute Evelyn was pregnant with Lina, she could feel her future and beauty fleeing away. If only she had accepted the other proposal, instead of pinning for Lina’s father… Maybe then, she wouldn’t be living in some wretched Second Mansion.

“The Main Mansion?” Lina echoed.

Lina was disappointed and had hoped to enjoy dinner with her grandfather. But knowing her mother’s hatred for him, she didn’t voice it out loud.

“Where your uncle and his wife is,” Evelyn spat out. “You know, the Main Mansion should’ve been ours, had you gotten over your dramatic excuse of getting out of boarding school.”

Lina was irked by her mother’s insensitive comments. She breathed through her nose and reminded herself to remain calm.

Anger always leads to unthoughtful arguments. If Lina was going to argue with someone, she’d prefer to be level-headed.

“Mental illness and trauma isn’t a dramatic excuse,” Lina calmly said.

Lina was beginning to contemplate the idea of moving out, but her grandfather would never allow that. Every time she tried to ask, someone always had an excuse.

“Nowadays, you kids have too much time and luxury that you create stupid mental illnesses as an excuse,” Evelyn scoffed.

Evelyn crossed her arms and glanced at her daughter’s simplistic outfit. With all the wealth in the world, Lina decided to wear what? A t-shirt, jeans, and plain earrings. Once again, Lina managed to disappoint her. By now, it was a sport Lina had mastered.

“Just because you refuse to go to therapy doesn’t mean you can project your issues onto me,” Lina deadpanned.

After being insulted by her mother so many times, Lina had grown thick enough skin to not care about it. Even so, it didn’t stop her disappointment.

Before Evelyn could respond, a warm spoke up.

“Oh, you’re home!” Milo chirped. “Just in time for dinner. We were waiting for you—”

“Eat first,” Lina said, flashing him a quick smile as she began to approach the staircase.

“Huh, why?” Milo asked, frowning.

“I’m going to take a quick shower first,” Lina said.

“You mean your one-hour showers? How is that quick at all?” Milo snorted.

“Says the one who takes an hour and thirty minutes to get ready,” Lina scoffed. “What do you even do in the bathroom? Fall into the toilet?”

“Yeah, and it’s very hard to get out,” Milo argued back.

Lina rolled her eyes. “I’m sure it is.”

Before Lina could second-guess her decision, she walked upstairs and straight into her room. Tossing off the clothes from this morning, she wondered how to discard the revealing black dress.

“I should donate all of them,” Lina muttered, glancing into the back of her closet where all of the scandalous outfits were found.

Shaking her head, Lina quickly used the bathroom, took a shower, and soon, was stepping out in her pajamas. She was rubbing her wet hair with a towel when her phone went off.

Instantly, Lina approached it and saw it was her grandfather. Her brows shot up.

Why was her grandfather calling her so late at night? Did something happen?

Without hesitation, Lina picked up the call. “Hello?”