Chapter 1

Alyssa Lambert, the only daughter of the world's wealthiest family, falls in love with Justin Fuller, a poor man whose company went bankrupt and is burdened with billions in debt.

In the third year of concealing her identity to stay by his side, Justin finally pays off all his debts, starts a new company, and makes his debut on the Nova Exchange.

As Alyssa watches his confident figure on stage, she thinks it's time to reveal her true identity.

When she arrives outside the private room booked for the celebratory banquet, she happens to overhear the lively chatter inside.

"Justin, Alyssa has faithfully stayed by your side for three years and was even willing to live in a basement with you. Now that you've paid off your debts and the company is publicly listed, isn't it time to propose to her?"

"Yeah! When the company was just starting up, and you had no money to hire people, Alyssa practically split herself into three and only slept four hours a day. She even took the initiative with every difficult deal. Where else would you be able to find such a great girlfriend? You'd better marry her soon!"

Alyssa's hand freezes on the doorknob, and she feels a wave of unease creep over her.

She had hinted about marriage before, but each time, Justin dodged the question by saying he still couldn't provide her with a good life.

Now that the company went public, would he… finally bring up the topic of marriage?

"I haven't forgotten the kindness Aly has shown me these past three years. I also believed she was the one for me, but…" Justin leans back on the couch with a glowing cigarette between his fingers.

Everyone's gaze is fixed on him, while outside the door, Alyssa feels her heart skip a beat.

"Claudia is back."

Chapter 1

Justin Fuller's low voice was especially clear in the quiet of the private room.

"Claudia Reed?" one of his friends instinctively exclaimed.

The friend sounded somewhat frustrated as he said, "Three years ago, she broke up with you without hesitation and went abroad the moment your family went bankrupt. You kneeled in the rain, begging her to stay, but she didn't look back.

"Don't tell me you haven't let go of such a gold-digging woman!"

Justin exhaled a cloud of smoke, his expression indistinct in the hazy fog.

After a long while, he finally said softly, "Yeah."

That one word was like a poisoned dagger plunged deep into Alyssa Lambert's heart, causing her so much pain that it felt almost impossible to breathe.

She had never imagined that after three years of living together and staying faithfully by his side, he would still be unable to let go of the woman who had abandoned him.

Alyssa had stood by him from the lowest point of his life to his triumphant comeback.

Three years ago, the Fuller family went bankrupt overnight and became burdened with countless debts.

Justin's then-girlfriend, Claudia, broke up with him without hesitation and went abroad.

Despite being faced with these two blows, Justin didn't sink into despair. Instead, he stepped up and shouldered the responsibility alone, publicly vowing that the Fullers wouldn't collapse as long as he remained—and that they would rise again one day.

Alyssa happened to see that interview, and with just one look, was instantly captivated by his presence.

To prevent Justin from misunderstanding her motives, she concealed her identity as the sole heiress to a wealthy family. She portrayed herself as an orphan who was once aided by the Fullers and stayed by his side under the pretext of repaying their kindness.

She stayed with him from night until dawn to handle business, helped him deal with deliberate hurdles at social gatherings, and eased his stress after days of never-ending work.

For three years—amounting to over a thousand days and nights—she was the one by his side. Alyssa bore witness to his gradual return from rock bottom to the top.

Everyone said that true feelings were revealed in hard times, and that once the company went public, the first thing Justin would do was to marry her.

Alyssa also secretly looked forward to that day.

Unexpectedly, when the company did go public, Justin claimed that he still couldn't let go of Claudia, the woman who had once abandoned him.

Tears continuously streamed down Alyssa's face while she stood at the doorway.

The conversation inside continued.

"What about Alyssa, then? She stayed with you for three years. Is she really not as important as Claudia? If she learns you don't love her, she'll leave you."

"She won't," Justin replied with certainty. "Alyssa is an orphan. I'm the closest relationship she has in this world. She wouldn't leave me. She's helped me so much these three years, after all.

"Even though I can't marry her like she wants, I'll ensure she lives comfortably for the rest of her days."

Orphan… Couldn't marry her… Ensuring she lived comfortably for the rest of her days…

Each word hit Alyssa like a sledgehammer, striking her again and again until she was left dizzy and reeling.

Alyssa couldn't bear to listen any longer and stumbled backward.

It was only when she confirmed that no one was in the hallway that she broke down. She slid down the wall to the floor and allowed her tears to flow freely.

It turned out that Justin saw their three years together as something money could buy off.

But Alyssa wasn't an orphan. She was the only daughter of the world's wealthiest family, and she would never cling to a man whose heart belonged to another woman.

As for his promise of ensuring she would live comfortably, she had no need for that either.

Alyssa wiped the tear stains from her face, took out her phone, and dialed her mother's number.

"Mom, I've decided to come back and inherit the family business."

Chapter 2

Marilyn Hale was overjoyed to hear that her daughter, who had been away for three years, was finally willing to return home.

"That's wonderful! It's about time for you to take over the family business.

"Oh, and the other day you mentioned wanting to introduce someone to me and your dad. It must be your boyfriend, right? Will he be coming back with you this time?"

When Alyssa first learned that Justin's company was about to go public, she had decided to tell him about her true identity on the day of the listing and then introduce him to her parents.

But now…

Alyssa's hand tightened around the phone as she struggled to hold back the overwhelming emotions.

"I have no boyfriend. It was a misunderstanding."

The voice on the other end paused, but ultimately, Marilyn didn't ask anything further. She only sighed and said, "Alright, then. The company will be holding a local press conference in five days. Aly, you'll attend it as the company representative before coming back to Albion.

"It'll be the perfect time to announce your status as heiress to the public."

Alyssa hummed in agreement. She chatted a bit more with Marilyn before hanging up.

Just then, someone happened to push the private room door open. When they saw Alyssa, they asked in surprise, "Alyssa, when did you get here?"

Instantly, the noisy clamor in the room quieted down.

Alyssa could very clearly feel a burning and somewhat nervous gaze lock onto her. She pursed her lips and swallowed down the bitterness that filled her chest.

She tried her best to make her voice sound no different from usual as she said, "I just arrived."

Inside the room, Justin quietly let out a sigh of relief. He smiled at her and said, "Come on in. This celebratory banquet wouldn't be complete without you."

His words prompted friends to chime in.

"That's right! If it weren't for Alyssa staying by Justin's side all this time, the new company probably wouldn't have gone public this fast."

"Alyssa can help Justin secure contracts and also take care of his daily needs. We're all really envious."

"You'd better treat her well, dude."

These were Justin's good friends who helped him establish the new company. They had all witnessed how Alyssa had firmly stayed by his side over the last three years.

Alyssa understood they were trying to persuade Justin to give up on Claudia, who had once abandoned him.

Justin didn't respond at that moment. He simply picked up a glass from the table and took a sip.

Of course, Alyssa noticed his evasive attitude. Her lips twitched faintly as she sat down.

She played dumb, saying, "Congratulations."

When he heard that, Justin turned to look at her with a gentle expression. It was as if the person who had uttered those heartless words earlier was someone else altogether.

"Alyssa, thank you for staying by my side for the past three years. Without you, I—"

Midway, he was abruptly interrupted by a woman's voice at the entrance of the private room.

"Justin, I'm back…"

Claudia's eyes were slightly red-rimmed as she stared at the man sitting in the center.

Justin's hand that was holding the glass tightened abruptly, and his knuckles turned white. His expression instantly turned icy as he enunciated each word slowly.

"Claudia Reed, how dare you show your face in front of me?"

Seeing his chilly demeanor, Alyssa lowered her eyes and sneered internally. If she hadn't personally heard him admit that he couldn't let go of Claudia, she might have been fooled by this icy attitude.

Claudia bit her lower lip, looking like she was on the verge of a breakdown. "I… I know you resent me for leaving you back then, but I…"

Halfway through her sentence, she stopped and didn't continue. Instead, her eyes glistened with unshed tears as she said, "I heard your company went public, so I wanted to congratulate you in person.

"I've said my congratulations, and I know I'll only be a bother here, so I'll leave now."

After speaking, she cast a sorrowful look at the expressionless Justin before covering her face and leaving.

At that moment, the private room was eerily quiet, with everyone focusing their gaze on Justin.

A long while later, he finally let out a light laugh and set down his glass. "Why are you all looking at me? Today is a celebratory banquet. Don't let an irrelevant person ruin the mood. Let's continue."

Only then did the others become lively again.

For the rest of the celebration, everyone tacitly avoided mentioning Claudia, acting as if she had never shown up.

Only Alyssa noticed that even though Justin smiled and celebrated with his friends on the surface, he kept secretly glancing toward the door.

She withdrew her gaze and self-mockingly downed the drink in her glass.

After the celebratory banquet ended, everyone bid farewell to each other.

Alyssa and Justin walked side by side toward the parking garage.

A cold, sharp gust of wind blew by, and she instinctively held herself.

The next moment, a warm coat fell over her shoulders.

"The weather has gotten cold. Remember to keep yourself warm." Justin's voice was gentle as he thoughtfully fastened the buttons for her.

While staring blankly at the man in front of her, who was meticulously buttoning the coat, Alyssa suddenly recalled that it was also a cold winter when she first came to Justin three years ago.

That was when he was at his poorest.

The two of them had huddled in a basement that had no heating and could only keep warm by snuggling close to each other.

Whenever he noticed that her hands and feet were still cold, he repeatedly got up in the middle of the night. Each time, he would refill the hot water bottle before tucking it into her arms.

As the heiress to a wealthy tycoon family, Alyssa had never experienced such harsh living conditions. Yet, on that freezing winter night, she could feel the fiery heart in her chest thumping fiercely.

The scene before her instantly pulled her back to that winter night. Suddenly, she felt an urge to hear his answer to her question, even though she already knew what he would say.

"Justin, will you marry me?"

Chapter 3

The moment the words left Alyssa's mouth, Justin's figure froze in place. His gaze wavered slightly as he said, "Alyssa, the company just went public. It's a busy time for the business now."

Was he really busy with work, or was it just an excuse because he didn't love her?

Alyssa let out a faint chuckle and nodded faintly. "Alright, I understand."

Dodging the question was often the best answer in itself.

Alyssa didn't press further and headed straight for the parking garage. They had only taken a few steps when the man beside her suddenly stopped.

Alyssa followed his gaze and saw a figure in the distance. The person had their head buried in their knees and was crouching under the dim glow of a streetlight.

It was Claudia.

Justin's gaze remained glued to that figure as he spoke hoarsely. "I have something to attend to. Head back by yourself for now."

After saying that, he strode toward the woman.

Alyssa's feet remained rooted to the spot. She watched helplessly as Justin reached out and pulled Claudia into a corner.

Claudia staggered a little from the pull. Justin didn't move to support her, but his pace noticeably slowed.

Alyssa's hands subconsciously tightened by her sides. And in the end, she decided to follow them.

At the corner of the hallway, Justin grabbed Claudia's wrist. His eyes were bloodshot as he said, "You said you were leaving. Why are you still here?"

Claudia looked at him with red-rimmed eyes. "I… I just wanted to see you one more time."

Justin laughed coldly. He practically gritted out through his teeth, "You left so decisively back then. Why come back now?"

Claudia broke free from his grip and threw her arms around his waist. He buried her head against his shoulder and said in a choked voice, "I never wanted to leave you! It was my father who didn't agree to us staying together.

"He threatened to use you against me, saying if I didn't break up with you, he'd join forces with others to oppress you."

Justin didn't push her away. His hands clenched into tight fists as he said in a subdued tone, "Even if you had your reasons, you could have told me. We could have faced it together. But you chose to run away and only returned after three years.

"Now, what makes you think I would want a woman who once abandoned me?"

Tears streamed down Claudia's face, and she looked up at him through blurred vision.

"I didn't come back expecting us to be together again. I know you've had another woman by your side these last three years. I just wanted to see you one more time."

She let go and stepped back a few paces. In a broken voice, she said, "Knowing you're doing well is enough for me. I'll keep my dist—"

Before she could finish her sentence, her body suddenly went limp, and she fainted.

Standing nearby, Alyssa watched as Justin's cold facade crumbled and how he immediately gathered Claudia into his arms.

"Claudia?" His voice trembled slightly.

When he realized she had only fainted due to overwhelming emotions, Justin visibly relaxed.

He gently stroked her cheek, no longer suppressing his true feelings. He looked at the woman in his arms with a gaze full of calm affection.

"Claudia, it seems I'm completely at your mercy."

After saying that, he lifted her into his arms in a bridal carry.

Alyssa stood where she was and watched the man's figure gradually disappear from sight.

She suddenly felt a patch on her cheek. Upon reaching up to touch it, she found it was already wet.

Over the past three years, Justin had always treated her well. Even at his poorest, he would save up to buy her things.

Thus, she had believed it to be love.

But today, after witnessing how he interacted with Claudia, she suddenly realized that this was what Justin looked like when he truly loved someone. He would get angry and say things he didn't mean.

When he was with Alyssa, though, he only ever kept up a gentle facade.

Chapter 4

Justin didn't return that night.

Late into the night, while scrolling through TikTok, Alyssa came across a video tagged in the same city she was in.

In the video, a man was leaning over, his slender, well-defined hands tucked under hospital bed sheets.

The caption contained one simple word. "Reunion".

Even though the man's face wasn't shown, Alyssa could recognize that it was Justin at a glance.

During the year they lived in the basement rental, she had snuggled against the embrace of those hands countless nights. Of course, she could recognize them now.

It seemed that… he and Claudia had reconciled.

Perhaps Alyssa had stared at the screen for too long, for her eyes stung slightly. She turned off the screen, pulled the blanket over her head, and fell into a deep sleep.

…

Early the next morning, Alyssa was woken by noises outside.

She came downstairs to find Justin and Claudia sitting in the living room. There were several suitcases placed beside them.

When he noticed her presence, Justin cleared his throat and explained, "Claudia just returned to the country and has nowhere to stay. She'll be living here for a while."

Claudia peeked out from behind him and asked somewhat apologetically, "Ms. Lambert, you won't mind me moving in, will you?"

Alyssa shook her head indifferently and went straight to the kitchen to make herself some toast for breakfast.

This villa was purchased after Justin's company gradually got on track, so it didn't matter to her who Justin wanted to bring home.

Besides, she would be leaving soon anyway.

Claudia carried her suitcase upstairs. The next instant, an exclamation came from upstairs.

Claudia came downstairs holding a watch and presented it to Justin.

"Justin, this is the birthday gift I gave you before. I never imagined it would still be here!"

Alyssa instinctively looked at the watch. She suddenly remembered the time when creditors were hounding Justin. He had taken everything of value—the villa, luxury cars, antique collections—and mortgaged them to the bank one by one.

When it came to this watch, his eyes betrayed his inner struggle. In the end, he took it back and simply said, "Let's keep this for now."

At that time, his gaze was filled with nostalgia and reluctance.

In the three years that followed, he would often take out the watch and stare at it blankly.

Alyssa had initially thought the watch was something his family had left him. Only today did she learn it was a gift from Claudia.

He had kept it only as a memento to remember her by.

In that moment, Alyssa finally realized how laughable it was that she believed she had a place in his heart over the past three years.

For three years, he had never forgotten Claudia. Even though she had abandoned him and gone abroad, he still couldn't let her go.

All it took was her showing up, a few tears, and a vague explanation for him to forget the painful past and forgive her.

Alyssa smiled sarcastically, turned, and went upstairs without glancing at the two of them again.

…

In the following days, Claudia made herself completely at home. Her presence could be felt in every corner of the villa.

She mentioned she didn't like the gray curtains, so Justin had someone replace them with the cream-white ones she preferred.

She said the paint on the walls was too dull, so Justin had them repainted in warm tones.

She said she wanted to see Juliet roses, so he had the freshest rose cuttings flown in from abroad and transplanted into the garden.

When they'd first bought this villa, Justin was always busy with work. Thus, Alyssa had handled all the furniture selection and interior design alone.

Now, she could only watch as the traces that belonged to her were erased little by little.

Vanishing along with them was the love she had for Justin.

Chapter 5

The day before the press conference happened to be the birthday of Lily Clark, Justin's mother.

As it was the first grand celebration since the Fullers' comeback, the event was held on a lavish scale.

In the afternoon, Justin called numerous stylists over. He also had his assistant bid for several pieces of high-end jewelry and had them sent to the house.

Claudia began directing the stylists as they rushed to place the jewelry on her.

As for Alyssa, she just looked at the jewelry in the boxes and shook her head. "I won't wear these."

Justin was momentarily taken aback, then said with a smile, "Alyssa, the company has gone public now. You don't have to help me scrimp and save anymore."

Claudia spoke up, feigning consideration. "Justin, since Ms. Lambert doesn't want to wear them, don't force her. I heard she's an orphan, so she probably isn't used to wearing such things."

Alyssa replied calmly, "Indeed, I'm not used to it."

After all, her own jewelry would often cost tens of millions or even hundreds of millions. She really wasn't used to jewelry worth just a few million dollars.

Seeing her insistence, Justin didn't press further.

…

By the time they arrived at the banquet hall, most of the guests were already waiting.

Justin was immediately surrounded by business partners and pulled aside to chat, leaving only Alyssa and Claudia together.

Alyssa didn't like staying with people she wasn't familiar with, so she went straight to the dessert table on the other side of the hall.

As soon as she left, all the socialites gathered around Claudia.

"Claudia, you're amazing. You just returned to the country and are already by Mr. Fuller's side once more."

"That's right. You were apart for three years, yet you can still get back together. It seems he never forgot you."

"Of course. Back in the day, Mr. Fuller was famous for doting on you."

Claudia smiled smugly when she heard this. With a triumphant glint in her eyes, she glanced covertly at Alyssa before pretending to be bashful.

"Don't say such things. I've only just returned and am staying at Justin's place temporarily. Ms. Lambert has been by his side these past three years. I'm sure Justin doesn't think of me anymore. We're just friends now."

As she spoke, her eyes reddened slightly.

The people around Claudia looked Alyssa up and down with slightly disdainful expressions.

Those who could attend this birthday party came from wealthy and influential families, so naturally, they looked down on her as an "orphan".

They didn't lower their voices as they made snide remarks, and as such, Alyssa heard their comments clearly.

"The Fullers have made a comeback, and Mr. Fuller is the hottest rising star right now. Doesn't she know her own worth as an orphan?"

"Exactly. She just latched onto him when the Fullers were down. Mr. Fuller probably just lets her stick around out of gratitude for these years of companionship. Her status isn't befitting of the current him."

Alyssa only chuckled lightly when she heard their disparaging remarks.

Indeed, her status and Justin's didn't match. But it wasn't that she didn't deserve Justin. No, it was he who didn't deserve her.

After the birthday party officially began, everyone presented the gifts they had brought for Lily.

Alyssa also offered the emerald pendant she had prepared. Lily accepted the gift, and without opening the box to look, handed it to the staff member behind her.

She took Alyssa's hand and said with a smile, "Aly, we really owe it to you for staying faithfully by Justin's side over the past three years. I'm just happy you could come. You didn't need to bring a gift.

"Now that Justin's company has gone public, the Fullers must repay this kindness of yours. Tell me—what would you like? How about a house?"

Having grown up wealthy, Alyssa perfectly understood the true intention hidden beneath Lily's seemingly gentle demeanor.

It was a veiled warning. Her companionship for the past three years could only be exchanged for material compensation, and anything more was absolutely out of the question.

When the Fullers went bankrupt, Alyssa's arrival had moved Lily to tears. Thus, Lily had always treated her well for the past three years.

Now, with the Fullers' comeback, Lily was starting to draw a clear line.

Even Alyssa, who had witnessed her share of the world's fickleness, couldn't help but feel a surge of derision in her heart. She initially came to the birthday party just to say goodbye to Lily, but now, it seemed that wasn't necessary either.

At that moment, Claudia presented a box to Lily. "Mrs. Fuller, this is a gift for you. I hope you like it."

Upon Lily's opening of the gift box, a necklace adorned with multi-colored gemstones was revealed.

Deep down, Lily resented Claudia, the woman who had once abandoned her son. But when she saw the dazzling necklace, she couldn't help but gasp in admiration.

Claudia noted her reaction and smiled. "This is a necklace that once belonged to the Albion royal family. I acquired it abroad. The moment I saw it, I thought it would suit you perfectly."

Lily did indeed like the necklace very much. She eagerly held it up against her neck, prompting everyone around to offer her praise and flattery.

Alyssa thought the atmosphere was becoming stifling, so she turned to leave.

However, Claudia specifically called out to her. "Alyssa, what do you think of the gift I gave Mrs. Fuller?"

Alyssa looked at the necklace in Lily's hands. She hesitated briefly before calmly saying, "The design is exquisite, and the craftsmanship superior."

The triumphant gleam in Claudia's eyes darkened when she heard that evaluation.

But then, Alyssa added, "It's a high-quality counterfeit."

Chapter 6

The word "counterfeit" struck Claudia like a blow to the head. A flash of panic passed through her eyes before she replaced it with an incredulous expression.

"Ms. Lambert, I personally bid on this jewelry. How could it possibly be a counterfeit?" she exclaimed.

Lily's expression also turned somewhat displeased at Alyssa's words.

At that moment, someone in the crowd remarked mockingly, "What would an orphan like her know? She's probably just making it up!"

Those words prompted others around to chime in.

"Exactly! Ms. Reed would never give anything fake."

"It's laughable that someone who knows nothing about jewelry dares to judge authenticity so casually."

As the ridicule grew louder, Claudia calmed down. She looked at Alyssa with contempt in her eyes.

Justin happened to finish his conversation and walked over just in time to hear this exchange. He nodded apologetically to the group.

"My apologies, everyone. Alyssa doesn't understand these things," he said.

Then, he turned to look at Alyssa. His tone sounded slightly reproachful as he said, "Alyssa, don't speak carelessly at such important events."

Alyssa didn't back down, instead looking straight into his eyes. "What I said is true."

Her mother had long since acquired the legitimate necklace, so this one was undoubtedly a counterfeit.

Claudia tugged at Justin's sleeve, saying in an aggrieved tone, "Did Ms. Lambert slander me on purpose to make Mrs. Fuller misunderstand me? All this because she dislikes me?"

Justin's eyes widened slightly with anger when he heard this. "Claudia has nothing against you. There's no need for you to act this way toward her. She just came to congratulate my mother on her birthday."

Upon hearing him immediately pin the blame on her, Alyssa stared at Justin fixedly.

She suddenly recalled a time during their startup days, when a business partner deliberately gave her a hard time. Even though it was an important partnership for Justin, he had unhesitatingly chosen to believe and defend her.

Now, the woman he truly loved had returned, so of course, his protective instincts were redirected at Claudia.

In the end, Alyssa said nothing. She simply turned and left the suffocating banquet hall. She went to the rooftop terrace to get some air, but a familiar voice came from behind her.

"Alyssa, you've seen it for yourself these past few days, haven't you? So what if you've faithfully stayed by Justin's side for three years? The person he truly loves is still me!"

Claudia shed her pretense. Her tone was mocking, which was a stark contrast to the wounded look she'd worn earlier.

Alyssa glanced up at her. Not wanting to argue with Claudia, she responded casually, "Congratulations, then, Ms. Reed."

Claudia's expression stiffened momentarily, for she hadn't expected such a calm reaction. In the next moment, she stepped forward and grabbed Alyssa's wrist with a somewhat agitated expression.

"If you know Justin loves me, why are you still staying by his side? You should have left him the moment I returned!

"You're just a poor, pathetic orphan. Why don't you look in the mirror and see if you're even good enough for Justin?"

Her sharp nails dug into Alyssa's wrist.

Alyssa instinctively tried to pull away. But Claudia held on tightly, refusing to let go.

In the midst of their struggle, Claudia's foot suddenly slipped, and terror filled her face as her entire body tipped backward.

Alyssa's pupils contracted, and she immediately reached out to try and grab her. But it was already too late.

She could only watch helplessly as Claudia tumbled down the stairs.

The loud noise attracted the attention of everyone in the banquet hall downstairs.

Justin's expression shifted when he saw Claudia lying on the floor, moaning in pain. He immediately rushed over and scooped her into his arms.

"Don't worry, Claudia! I'll call a doctor right now," he said, his voice trembling slightly with fear.

"Justin." Claudia weakly touched his cheek, "Ms. Lambert… She… didn't mean it…"

That blatant attempt at misdirection instantly shifted all the blame onto Alyssa.

Justin immediately looked up at Alyssa, his gaze piercingly cold. "Alyssa, why did you push Claudia down the stairs? Was slandering her earlier not enough?"

Alyssa subconsciously dug her nails into her palms. Even though she knew deep down that he wouldn't believe her, she still tried to explain herself.

"I didn't. She slipped and fell on her own."

Justin's expression grew even colder, and his tone hardened. "Fine. Since you won't admit it, then you can also experience Claudia's pain for yourself."

With that, he signaled to the nearby bodyguards.

Alyssa instantly felt her heart leap into her throat, and she backed away, step by step.

"If you don't believe me, you can check the surveillance footage. I told you—it wasn't me," she insisted.

But Justin didn't show the slightest sign of letting up. Instead, he gestured to the bodyguards.

The bodyguards, having received the order, approached and pinned Alyssa against the stairwell. She struggled desperately, but she was no match for the strength of grown men.

The next moment, a powerful force came from behind her.

Instantly, Alyssa's world spun, and it felt as if her entire body had been run over by a truck. Warm liquid trickled down her forehead.

She lay on the ground and struggled to open her eyes, only to see Justin's back as he carried Claudia away.

A tear slid from the corner of her eye, and in the next moment, she was swallowed by darkness.

Chapter 7

When Alyssa woke again, she was already lying in a hospital bed.

Justin stood by her bedside. His expression no longer held its usual tenderness, but instead carried a cold detachment.

"Alyssa, I'm grateful you stayed by my side when the Fullers were at their lowest. But that doesn't mean you can lay a hand on Claudia.

"I want you to apologize to her," he demanded.

As Alyssa looked at him, she suddenly laughed.

It turned out he was waiting at her bedside, not because he cared, but because he wanted to make her apologize to Claudia as soon as she woke up.

Besides, he was the man who could order her to be pushed down the stairs. Why would he worry about whether she was hurt?

"I won't apologize to her. I didn't push her."

Seeing she was still making excuses, Justin stared at her intensely. His gaze held disappointment and anger.

"Then you can self-reflect here at the hospital. Until you admit your mistake, you're not allowed back to the Fullers."

After saying that, he slammed the hospital room door and left.

He left in a hurry, so naturally, he didn't hear Alyssa say, "Justin, I'm going home. I won't be returning to the Fullers."

At that moment, her phone chimed. It was a text from Marilyn.

"Aly, the press conference starts in three hours. Here's the address."

Alyssa sent a brief reply and removed the IV needle from her hand before discharging herself from the hospital. She then hurried to the address Marilyn had provided.

…

Meanwhile, Justin was thoroughly asking the doctor about Claudia's injuries. When he learned she was fine and only sustained superficial wounds, he sighed in relief.

"Claudia, don't worry. I'll definitely make Alyssa apologize to you," Justin said.

Claudia's gaze shifted before she spoke, pretending to be gracious. "It's alright. Ms. Lambert has been by your side for three years. Don't destroy your relationship because of me. Let's just think of it as an accident."

But Justin insisted, "No. She was in the wrong. It's only right that she apologizes."

Out of sight, Claudia smirked slightly, then quickly put on a look of concern. She said hesitantly, "But what if Ms. Lambert gets angry and takes it out on you?"

Justin suddenly recalled the sight of Alyssa on the hospital bed, her gaze utterly devoid of emotion, and an odd feeling crept over him.

Alyssa had never looked at him like that before. It was as if she had made up her mind to cut all ties with him.

But Justin shook the strange thought from his mind.

Alyssa was just an orphan. Three years ago, she stayed by his side when he had nothing, so how could she possibly cut ties with him now?

He was the closest relationship she had in this world.

Fortunately, Claudia was fine. As long as Alyssa was willing to apologize, he would forgive her and bring her back home.

"She won't do that," Justin said with certainty.

Claudia looked down, masking the hatred that lingered in her eyes. When she looked up again, she had already resumed her gentle demeanor.

"That's good," she said.

At that moment, the TV was broadcasting the Lamberts' press conference.

This was the first public appearance of the Lambert family's heiress, and only a handful of leading media outlets and high-profile families received invitations.

As up-and-comers, the Fullers obviously weren't qualified to receive an invitation.

The host held the microphone, his voice brimming with excitement as he said, "Please join me in giving a warm round of applause as we welcome the Lambert heiress, Alyssa Lambert, to the stage!"

Alyssa Lambert?

When he heard the familiar name, Justin snapped his head up and fixed his gaze intently on the screen.

He still harbored some hope that it was only someone with the same name. That had to be it.

But the next second, a face he knew all too well appeared in the center of the screen. It was the orphan he had been thinking of—Alyssa!