Mrs. Ferguson almost fainted on the spot, clutching at the nearest person and


    desperately asking what had happened.


    A maid passing by, seeing her panic, quickly tried to exin. "Ms. ra liked that


    tree before she left, so the young master had it dug up for her."


    Unbelievable.


    Mrs. Ferguson''s face went chalk white, and she copsed right then and there.


    She was convinced now-ra hade to curse the Ferguson family. Of all


    things, she''d had to take the family''s lucky tree. Maybe ra really was their bad


    luck charm, just like those ill-fated stars people whispered about, destined to bring


    trouble wherever she went.


    Meanwhile, ra was totally oblivious to the chaos she''d caused. When she got


    back to Palm Bay, she asked someone to nt the tree just outside her floor-to-


    ceiling windows.


    The roots had barely settled when the butler called Dn, sounding frantic.


    "Young Master, Mrs. Ferguson just fainted."


    Dn frowned. Wasn''t she fine just a little while ago? How did things go south so


    quickly?


    "Did someone upset her?"


    The butler wiped the sweat from his forehead. "Ms. ra took the tree Mrs.


    Ferguson brought back from the temple. It meant a lot to her. She got too worked


    up and passed out."


    Dn paused, his gaze shifting to ra.


    She was standing under the newly nted tree, gently touching its leaves. The


    green jade bracelet on her wrist caught the light, perfectly matching the fresh


    leaves.


    She looked stunning.


    The butler was still talking on the phone, growing more anxious with Dn''s


    silence. "Young Master, maybe we should just-"


    "ra likes it. Find another one just like it and put it back for Mrs. Ferguson."


    The butler''s face changed. That tree was one of a kind-where was he supposed


    to find another?


    "But-"


    He didn''t get to finish. ra called out from under the tree, "Honey, is it okay if we


    keep it right here?"


    Dn didn''t bother replying to the butler he just hung up and walked over to


    ra, his voice soft. "If you like it, that''s all that matters."


    The next three days were a whirlwind. Dn was busy nonstop, handling the


    birthday party preparations. ra only caught glimpses of him when she was half-


    asleep at night.


    Then, on the eve of the party, a heavy rainstorm hit the city.


    ra felt strangely unsettled. The main hall at Palm Bay was full of people-


    nners, staff, strangers-finalizing everyst detail for the party.


    She stood upstairs, looking down at the crowd. She didn''t know any of them and


    didn''t feel like going down to mingle.


    When it was finally time for bed, she took a long soak in the tub, then slipped


    under the covers.


    In the middle of the night, a loud


    p of thunder woke her. She


    reached for the other side of the


    bed-empty. Dn still wasn''t back.


    She pulled her robe tighter and stepped quietly into the hallway.


    The house was silent except for a faint glowing from the study.


    She was about to call out, Honey,


    aren''t youing to bed?-but then


    she heard his voice through the


    door. It wasn''t the warm, gentle


    Dn she was used to. This voice


    was cold, detached.


    "I always wanted him gone. The more thoroughly he disappears, the better."


    Aiden was with him, sounding worried. "But-"


    Dn lowered his eyes, pushing a file aside. "A person like that, with a fate like


    his, doesn''t deserve ra."


    Let him disappear into darkness, then.


    ra pressed her fingertips against the door, holding her breath, making no


    sound.


    A sharp pain shot through her chest. She felt suffocated, like she couldn''t breathe.


    She crept back to the bedroom, bracing herself against the wall. Sweat beaded on


    her forehead, her back mmy.


    She couldn''t sleep-so she slipped out onto the balcony to feel the rain-cooled


    air.


    The wind was wild, carrying the scent of rain, damp and heavy.


    She tried to breathe through the ache, but it wouldn''t let up.


    She picked up the photo again.


    Dn was in it, she recognized him


    instantly. But the other man... she


    just couldn''t ce him. Every time


    she tried to focus on his face, her


    head throbbed, like it might split


    open.


    Who was he?


    She stared at the photo, lost in thought, almost hypnotized.


    Just then, the balcony door slid open and Dn''s voice broke the silence. "What


    are you looking at?"


    The photo slipped from her fingers and fluttered to the floor.


    She bent down to grab it, but his hand got there first.


    Long, graceful fingers picked up the photo.


    The storm outside seemed to fade away. In that moment, it felt like the whole


    world had gone still.