Julian kicked him aside without changing his expression and walked straight out.

The assistant followed closely behind, whispering: "Mr. Yan, after all, this is Madam’s maiden family..."

Julian’s eyes were cold: "I know."

"Release the news. If she doesn't come back, I will force the Jiang Corporation into bankruptcy. I want to see just how long she can hide."

The assistant bowed his head: "Yes."

Flora, far away in Los Angeles, also heard the news.

They said there had been a massive upheaval in New York, and that the Yan heir had gone mad, setting his sights on the Jiang family.

Luna spread the financial newspaper out before her and pouted: "This is a threat aimed at you."

Flora was indifferent: "Let him attack; it’s exactly what I wanted. It saves me the trouble of doing it myself."

Luna propped her chin on her hand: "I actually don't think this Julian is entirely indifferent to you. Have you truly let him go?"

"Let him go?" Flora laughed.

She said: "Luna, there is a blood feud between him and me, do you know that?"

"When I was locked in that cold storage room, when I tried everything to save that child but couldn't, I swore in my heart that I would make him wish he were dead."

"Julian was arrogant his whole life," she laughed, tears spilling from her eyes. "His whole life, he never learned how to write the word 'concession.' So, let me be the one to teach him."

Luna fell silent.

A long while later, she pressed her hand on Flora’s shoulder:

"Your proposal was passed by the board. Soon, the company will be opening a new department."

"Flora, go do it. I will support you forever."

Leo walked out wearing an apron, carrying a steamed fish, and started shouting nonsensically: "Sister Flora! I support you too!"

Luna turned around and rolled her eyes at him:

"You naive little fool, what do you know?"

Leo flicked his apron, refusing to take it:

"Who are you calling a fool? How do I not understand? I know how to provide emotional value, I can cook, and I have a great body, too!"

Luna was about to retort when she suddenly squinted suspiciously:

"Wait, the words you’re using, they aren't right."

"Who are you providing emotional value to, and who are you showing off your body to?"

She crossed her arms and circled him, scanning him up and down:

"You never used to be so diligent about cooking before, did you?"

"None... none of your business!" Leo’s ears turned freakishly red. He grabbed his bag and turned to leave. "I have class, I’m going!"

Leaving Luna in a state of confusion, she turned to ask Flora:

"Am I getting old? Do universities even have weekend classes now?"

Flora spread her hands and shook her head, indicating she didn't know.

"Lunatic." Luna placed a piece of fish into her bowl. "Flora, let’s just eat!"

15

In New York, late at night, Julian returned home exhausted.

He took off his suit jacket and loosened his tie. Just as he was about to undo the buttons, a pair of soft, slender white hands wrapped around his waist from behind.

Summer hugged him, her voice soft and coquettish: "Julian, you haven't seen me much lately."

Julian’s body stiffened. The next second, he impatiently tugged at her arms and threw her to the ground like a piece of trash.

Summer was somewhat flustered. She quickly scrambled up, fixing her hands neatly by her sides. The seductive air from a moment ago was gone, replaced by a sense of trepidation:

"Mr. Yan, do you... no longer like me like this?"

"Before, you said you liked me to be bold and daring..."

Julian stared at her coldly, staring until Summer felt her scalp tingle and her legs go weak, before he finally spoke:

"Summer, you certainly are daring."

Summer broke out in a cold sweat, forcing herself to play the innocent card:

"Whatever Mr. Yan likes is fine. As long as it’s something you like, I can do it."

Julian sneered, gripped her chin, and tilted her face up, his gaze bearing down on her:

"Whether you’re truly naive or just pretending, your showing up today reminded me that it’s time to settle the account regarding the photos at the charity auction."

Summer broke into a cold sweat.

Julian knew?

As she stammered, her mind raced:

"Mr. Yan... it was you who said you liked me to be a bit bad. I thought that since Ms. Flora was being rude to me, me retaliating would fit the personality you wanted..."

She stuttered: "I didn't think about truly hurting Ms. Flora. She... she should be fine, right?"

Julian laughed, applying pressure to her chin. Summer winced in pain, her brows knitting together.

He said: "Summer, being too clever is just foolish. If you want to play games on me, you better weigh whether you can afford the consequences."

"She is not someone you have the right to touch."

Julian released her and waved a hand at the bodyguards outside the door:

"Take her away and dispose of her."

Summer’s face turned white. Having been by Julian’s side for so long, she couldn't possibly misunderstand what "dispose of her" meant.

At this point, there was no need to keep up the act.

She lunged forward frantically, struggling desperately to break free from the bodyguards:

"Julian! You were the one who told me to imitate her! You allowed me to trample on her!"

"You tacitly approved of all these things! Why are you putting on this act of deep affection now!"

"If you really liked her, go find her yourself! Why make me imitate her? You’re a psychopath, that’s what you are! Who doesn't know that you never valued Flora as a person at all!"

Julian’s eyes were frigid: "Take her out."

Several bodyguards surged forward and restrained her.

Summer was completely panicked. She knelt on the ground, crying piteously:

"I was wrong... Julian, I really didn't have that much malice. I was just angry that she smashed that cake in my face."

"Look at me," she begged, tilting her face up. "I was meticulously crafted by you. My face was made according to your requirements, exactly the same as Flora’s."

"Julian, you can't bear to do this, right? Let me stay with you, please? Even if it’s just like keeping a cat or a dog—I’ll be very obedient, I’ll never dare to make another mistake again."

Julian’s brows tightened. He leaned down and clamped his hand over Summer’s face:

"Don't use her face to make such disgusting expressions. You don't deserve it."

Summer’s hopeful look was utterly crushed.

Just as she was about to be dragged away, Julian suddenly spoke:

"Wait."

The bodyguards stopped at his command.

Summer stiffened, a flicker of hope reigniting.

Julian looked at her and suddenly narrowed his eyes, smiling:

"I suddenly remembered she has other uses. Keep her. Lock her up."

Summer stiffened, a sense of impending doom washing over her.

As she was dragged away, the entire room fell silent.

Julian felt his way to the edge of the bed and sat down slowly.

He suddenly understood many things he had never wanted to think about—and never could fathom.

Why, even though he clearly didn't like Flora and treated her with utter indifference, he couldn't resist creating an identical replacement.

He had been with Flora for ten years.

Flora was always loud, radiant, and possessed an immense sense of presence.

He loathed it intensely, pushing away this woman who had forced her way into his quiet life, time and time again, with endless impatience.

Until one day, he suddenly felt a sense of quiet—a quiet that felt strangely unfamiliar.

He suddenly realized that Flora hadn't clung to him in a very long time.

Flora was old; she wasn't vibrant anymore, her words were few, and the light in her eyes had faded.

Julian looked at her, thinking of those gray, dusty old sweaters in the storage room she hadn't worn in years.

He felt even more restless, though he couldn't say why.

Julian thought: it’s better to have more life and noise.

Then he met Summer—a freshly graduated intern, young, radiant, extroverted, and beautiful.

She reminded him of Flora.

What a coincidence; the year Flora married him, she had also been just twenty-one.

And so, everything that followed happened. He went to great lengths, like crafting a work of art, pathologically molding Summer into someone else.

When he let her wear the red dresses he bought, when he allowed her to overstep and act out, his mind was entirely filled with the young Flora.

It was such joy.

He wouldn't admit it was love, but he had never missed anyone like that before.

In the darkness, Julian heard his own heartbeat, clear as a drum.

He... liked Flora.

He had liked her for a long time.

More than he had ever imagined.

16

In the blink of an eye, a month passed.