M''s phone buzzed, the vibration thrumming through her chest like the beat of a drum, sharp and relentless. An uneasy premonition crept in, and her hand trembled as she answered the call.


    The moment she picked up, Ms. Sophie''s anxious voice burst through the line. "Ms. Suthend, can youe to Eldermere as soon as possible? Chairman Suthend-there''s been an ident!"


    A dull ringing filled her mind.


    Fighting off a wave of dizziness, M gripped the edge of the long dining table just to steady herself. Her voice came out thick and strained. "My-my aunt, what happened to her? Is she...?"


    There was a short, heavy pause.


    "I''m so sorry."


    "I''ve been careful, just as you asked, monitoring Chairman Suthend''s messages—nothing seemed unusual. But after lunch with some old friends, she looked unwell on the way home. She made a phone call-I only caught a bit, something about the Montgomery boy and the Harvey family. Before she even hung up, she copsed. She''s in the hospital now-they''re trying to save her."


    Sophie''s words stabbed through M''s eardrum like icy needles, the ringing in her head growing louder. Her stomach churned, nausea rising up; she struggled to breathe as panic tightened her chest. She tried to speak, but her voice failed her. All her mind could grasp was a single, desperate thought-


    Her great-aunt was fighting for her life.


    And she might not make it.


    "Ms. Suthend? Ms. Suthend?"


    Ms. Sophie''s worried voice finally broke through. M managed to find her own, shaky and broken. "She... the hospital... what''s happening?"


    "She''s still in surgery. The doctors say it''s a sudden cerebral hemorrhage, but she got to the hospital quickly. The bleeding isn''t severe, and they think her chances are good-you need to stay calm."


    Then Sophie added, more urgently, "But just in case, you must get here as soon as possible. You''re Chairman Suthend''s only designated heir. If anything happens, all of Splendid''s affairs will fall to you. We need you at the main office, to keep everyone steady."


    Sophie had been Jade Suthend''s most trusted aide, following her even before Splendid was founded. She knew, as M did, that from the very first day, Jade had drawn up a will: should anything happen to her, M would inherit everything -her estate, her shares, her legacy.


    So when disaster struck, Sophie''s first instinct was to call M.


    She had to call M.


    "There can''t be an ''in case''!" The pain in M''s head was blinding. She couldn''t make out half of what Sophie said, but shetched onto the note of pessimism in her voice andshed back, hoarse and desperate.


    "Mom?"


    Her voice, suddenly loud and sharp, startled Adrian. He hurried over, reaching for her hand, but M instinctively pulled away. Her eyes, red with tears, fixed on her son—somewhere in her chest, a bitter resentment red up, impossible to


    suppress.


    Why?


    Why now?


    "Mimi? Mimi?"


    Forrest, watching from the side hall, sensed something was wrong and rushed over. He tried to steady her, to lead her away, but M shook off his hand.


    She lifted her gaze to the upper floor.


    On the curved balcony above, Giselle lounged against the railing, chin propped on one hand, a mocking smile lighting her beautiful eyes. Her lips moved in a silent taunt, as if to say-


    Look.


    This is your son.


    Your family.


    No, not family-because you have none left now. Your only family is about to be taken from you. Because of your child.


    You''ve lost.


    M''s vision swam with red.


    She couldn''t hear or feel anything but rage. She brushed away the hands


    reaching for her and strode up the spiral staircase toward Giselle.


    Giselle watched her approach with the smug calm of a victor, her smile full of triumph.


    The next instant-


    Smack!


    Smack!


    M''s handsnded hard, twice, across Giselle''s face, leaving vivid red marks that shattered her pride and wiped the smile clean away.


    Giselle clutched her cheek, staring in shock at the woman before her, who was shaking with fury and hatred.


    "You hit me! How dare you hit me in the face!"


    Giselle''s expression twisted into anger. She drew back her hand to strike M in return, but when her gaze flicked past M''s shoulder, her anger dissolved in an instant, reced by trembling tears. She wailed, "Lysander, she''s lost her mind! She just attacked me out of nowhere-"


    Lysander strode over and caught Giselle as she stumbled into him. His brows drew together as he looked at M. "Exin."


    By now, a crowd had gathered.


    Rosalind, seeing her daughter in tears, stormed over, her face thunderous. She raised her hand to strike M, who stood there numb and hollow.


    "How dare youy a hand on my daughter!" Rosalind shouted.


    Lysander''s eyes narrowed.


    He stepped forward, but Giselle''s wailing grew louder; she staggered, pulling him back, and he could only watch as Rosalind''s hand swung down-


    But the p nevernded.


    "Mrs. Harvey, let''s not lose ourposure," Forrest said coolly, intercepting Rosalind''s wrist with a firm grip.


    Rosalind struggled but couldn''t break free.


    Just then, Charles arrived, pulling Rosalind protectively behind him. His gaze toward Forrest had turned cold and sharp.


    "Mr. Whitmore, what is the meaning of this? M struck my daughter in front of everyone. My wife only wants to defend our child-how is that wrong? If you won''t allow her to defend herself, then at the very least, M should apologize to my daughter!"


    The onlookers seemed to agree, nodding and murmuring their approval, the room buzzing with judgment.