Chapter 2

At the private hospital, Julian claimed there were no available beds and dumped me in the hallway.

With my eyes swollen shut, I could clearly hear the whispers from the nurses station.

"Is she the fraud who stole the real daughter's place for twenty years and drove her away?"

"She looks awful. Will her face scar?"

"What do you know? This is manipulation. A few tears, playing the victim, and she gets to keep her luxury lifestyle."

It wasn't like that.

When Nora returned to the Sterling family, I was genuinely happy.

I had already prepared myself to leave.

I just couldn't bear to let go.

I couldn't let go of the twenty years of family bonds with Richard, Eleanor, and Ethan.

And I couldn't let go of the small crush I had on Julian.

But in this life, I only wanted to stay as far away from them as possible.

"Ava, I finally found you."

A young man ran up, panting. I forced my burned eyelids open and recognized him.

Noah Brooks. My subordinate for the past three years.

"It seems you're the only one willing to visit me now," I said, my voice hoarse, forcing a bitter smile.

"How could you say that? Everyone is worried about you. The project is just busy, so I came to represent the team," Noah quickly explained.

Even though I knew it was just polite filler, the words still brought a sliver of warmth to my chest.

"What were Ethan and Julian thinking, leaving you in the hallway?"

"It's too loud here. You can't rest."

His next sentence froze the smile on my face.

"Ava, Julian asked me to pass on a message. If you give up Nora's address, he'll have the hospital move you to a VIP suite."

I stared up at him.

"Noah, you've been with me since you joined the company."

"When you messed up, I cleaned it up. I put my own reputation on the line to vouch for you. That's the only reason you are where you are today."

Noah looked away, unable to meet my gaze.

"Ava, I'm doing this for your own good."

"Just tell me where Nora is, and I'll go beg Julian to get you a room."

"Get out."

I propped myself up on the edge of the bed, grabbed the pillow next to me, and hurled it at him.

Noah clearly didn't expect me to explode. His face instantly turned ugly.

"What's all the screaming? This is a hospital," Julian's voice came from behind.

My body trembled uncontrollably. The burns on my face throbbed with sharp pain.

Julian walked up to the bed and blocked the nurse who was about to change my dressings.

"I'll give you one last chance, Ava."

"Tell me where you hid Nora. Or else."

My face felt like it was on fire, but in this life, I refused to accept my fate.

"When you clear my name about those photos, I'll tell you."

I knew Julian had the evidence of my drink being spiked, the secret recording, and the full video of him helping cover it up.

In my past life, I begged desperately, and he didn't waver for a second.

In this life, I was betting everything on whether Nora's whereabouts could force his hand.

"You!"

"You really are low-class trash. How dare you make demands?"

He was furious. If Ethan hadn't arrived just in time to hold him back, he would have lost it.

"I have a way," Ethan said.

Chapter 2

At the private hospital, Julian claimed there were no available beds and dumped me in the hallway.

With my eyes swollen shut, I could clearly hear the whispers from the nurses station.

"Is she the fraud who stole the real daughter's place for twenty years and drove her away?"

"She looks awful. Will her face scar?"

"What do you know? This is manipulation. A few tears, playing the victim, and she gets to keep her luxury lifestyle."

It wasn't like that.

When Nora returned to the Sterling family, I was genuinely happy.

I had already prepared myself to leave.

I just couldn't bear to let go.

I couldn't let go of the twenty years of family bonds with Richard, Eleanor, and Ethan.

And I couldn't let go of the small crush I had on Julian.

But in this life, I only wanted to stay as far away from them as possible.

"Ava, I finally found you."

A young man ran up, panting. I forced my burned eyelids open and recognized him.

Noah Brooks. My subordinate for the past three years.

"It seems you're the only one willing to visit me now," I said, my voice hoarse, forcing a bitter smile.

"How could you say that? Everyone is worried about you. The project is just busy, so I came to represent the team," Noah quickly explained.

Even though I knew it was just polite filler, the words still brought a sliver of warmth to my chest.

"What were Ethan and Julian thinking, leaving you in the hallway?"

"It's too loud here. You can't rest."

His next sentence froze the smile on my face.

"Ava, Julian asked me to pass on a message. If you give up Nora's address, he'll have the hospital move you to a VIP suite."

I stared up at him.

"Noah, you've been with me since you joined the company."

"When you messed up, I cleaned it up. I put my own reputation on the line to vouch for you. That's the only reason you are where you are today."

Noah looked away, unable to meet my gaze.

"Ava, I'm doing this for your own good."

"Just tell me where Nora is, and I'll go beg Julian to get you a room."

"Get out."

I propped myself up on the edge of the bed, grabbed the pillow next to me, and hurled it at him.

Noah clearly didn't expect me to explode. His face instantly turned ugly.

"What's all the screaming? This is a hospital," Julian's voice came from behind.

My body trembled uncontrollably. The burns on my face throbbed with sharp pain.

Julian walked up to the bed and blocked the nurse who was about to change my dressings.

"I'll give you one last chance, Ava."

"Tell me where you hid Nora. Or else."

My face felt like it was on fire, but in this life, I refused to accept my fate.

"When you clear my name about those photos, I'll tell you."

I knew Julian had the evidence of my drink being spiked, the secret recording, and the full video of him helping cover it up.

In my past life, I begged desperately, and he didn't waver for a second.

In this life, I was betting everything on whether Nora's whereabouts could force his hand.

"You!"

"You really are low-class trash. How dare you make demands?"

He was furious. If Ethan hadn't arrived just in time to hold him back, he would have lost it.

"I have a way," Ethan said.