His gaze seemed to pass through Bella, looking into the more distant, dust-covered past.

"Let me tell you a story," he began. His voice was lower than usual, as if recounting a past that had nothing to do with him, yet was etched into his bones.

"About seven or eight years ago, in college. I knew a girl. She wasn't from our circle; her family background was very ordinary, but she was very smart and very hard-working. She was like a sunflower in the wild, always facing the light, with a vitality so vibrant it was impossible to look away."

Bella listened quietly, sensing that this story might be related to Linda, and her heart lifted involuntarily.

"She had vision and leadership; she wanted to run for student body president. She got in someone’s way—or perhaps, she was an eyesore to someone."

His gaze refocused on Bella:

"That person was Linda. At that time, she also wanted that position. Perhaps what she wanted even more was that feeling of being surrounded by stars and controlling everything. The girl’s appearance made her feel offended and challenged."

"And so, Linda used the most sordid, soul-destroying method. She found people... to defile that girl. Afterward, she even took photos and spread them all over campus and the internet."

Bella’s breathing suddenly hitched, her fingers curling tightly.

She thought of Linda’s airy comment: "I had people spread rumors that she was promiscuous, and she behaved herself."

Although she had had a premonition, hearing such specific and cruel atrocities still made her feel a physiological sense of nausea and chill.

"That girl... she couldn't handle it."

Ethan’s voice remained steady, but Bella heard the turbulent undercurrents beneath the calm surface.

"She jumped from the school’s highest experimental building. A life, just like that, was gone."

The room was deathly silent. Bella felt as if she could see that sunflower-like girl—whom she had never met—withering in despair and humiliation.

"The matter was hushed up and 'properly' resolved." Ethan’s tone carried a clear mockery.

"Mason stepped forward and suppressed most of the public opinion."

"He was already Linda’s most loyal knight back then. He gave that girl’s family a huge sum of money—enough for those ordinary parents, who had lost their only daughter and were consumed by grief, to shut their mouths and accept the narrative of an 'accident' or 'psychological issues.' The truth was covered up so easily by money and power. Linda didn't even receive any substantial punishment; she just transferred schools to avoid the limelight and soon appeared in public, glamorous and beautiful again."

"And I, at that time, was powerless."

"That girl..." Bella’s voice was a bit hoarse. "What was her name?"

Ethan was silent for a moment before slowly spitting out two words: "Xiang Qing. 'Xiang' as in direction, 'Qing' as in sunny day."

Born toward the sun, but never seeing a clear day.

"Did you like her?" Bella asked.

Ethan didn't answer, but Bella already knew the answer.

Bella took a deep breath, nodded slowly, and her eyes became firm and sharp once more:

"I understand. So, our goal is the same."

It wasn't just about making Linda and Mason pay for the harm they had done to her, but also about letting the sun shine into those dark corners deliberately buried by money and power, so that Xiang Qing’s grievances—along with the silence of countless potential "Xiang Qings"—could all be cleared together.

Chapter 20

After hearing Ethan’s story about Xiang Qing, Bella felt a chill run down her spine, gaining a deeper understanding of Linda’s malice.

It wasn't just personal jealousy or suppression directed at her; it was a disregard for others' lives and a destructive desire rooted deep within her character.

That Linda could drive Xiang Qing to her death over a student body president position made it unsurprising that she would do such things to Bella now, just to win back Mason and her so-called "status."

She no longer refused Ethan, moving directly into the villa he had arranged.

She couldn't die. She had to live, to see them brought to justice with her own eyes, to seek justice for Xiang Qing and for herself.

Linda did indeed send people to the hotel to deal with Bella again, but they ultimately came up empty-handed.

When Ethan told her this news, Bella broke into a cold sweat.

Thank goodness, thank goodness.

The courtroom was solemn and dignified.

When the prosecutor finished stating the shocking crimes, one by one—from Linda drugging Bella at the birthday banquet to arranging for an HIV-positive man to defile her—and presented the relevant evidence, it was the defendant's turn to provide their own defense.

Linda’s face was deathly pale; her fingers were tightly twisted together, her lips trembling as she threw a look of desperation at her defense attorney, who was just about to rise.

"Your Honor," Mason’s voice rang out, a step ahead.

"Regarding all the crimes Linda is accused of,"

Mason’s voice echoed clearly through the courtroom,

"I confess that they were all directed, planned, and executed by me. Linda... she was unaware. Or rather, what she knew was only the part I wanted her to believe."

As soon as these words were out, the entire court was in an uproar!

Even Linda looked up abruptly, staring at Mason in shock, having never anticipated he would say this.

Mason’s lawyer was also stunned; this completely deviated from the strategy they had discussed, which was to push the primary responsibility onto Linda to secure a lighter sentence for Mason.

"Mr. Mason, do you know what you are saying?" The lawyer was so anxious he nearly shouted.

The judge struck his gavel:

"Order! Defendant Mason, state your reasons and take responsibility for your words."

Mason took a deep breath, his gaze sweeping over Bella, who wore a cold, frozen expression at the plaintiff's table. A flash of complex emotion crossed his face before finally settling on the judgment seat.

"I know. I take responsibility for every word I say."

"The drugging at the banquet and finding that man... were my ideas."

"I was the one who wanted to step on Bella’s reputation to marry Linda."

"Linda was just worried about me and didn't want me to take the blame, which is why she said what she said. The matter has nothing to do with her. I did it all. I plead guilty."

"Objection!" Bella’s lawyer stood up immediately.

"The chain of evidence presented by the prosecution clearly shows that Ms. Linda was the initiator and direct executor in multiple incidents. Defendant Mason’s testimony is severely inconsistent with the objective evidence; he is deliberately shielding her!"

The courtroom debate was intense.

But Mason insisted on his guilt.

Linda fought desperately to absolve herself.

In the end, Mason was sentenced to twelve years in prison.

While Linda was only sentenced to less than half a year.

It was at this moment that Old Madam Quinn woke up.

Upon learning that her grandson was in prison because of Linda, she couldn't catch her breath and collapsed again.

Once she fell, she never woke up.

When Mason received the news of his grandmother’s passing, he finally shed tears of regret.

If he hadn't adopted Linda’s extreme methods, he wouldn't have angered Bella, and his grandmother wouldn't have...

He couldn't stop himself from banging his head against the wall until he was covered in blood.

Eventually, he was sent away for medical treatment under bail.

Six months later, Linda was released from prison and was quickly married off by the Lin family.

Ethan kindly passed this news on to Mason.

Twelve years traded for half a year; love deep as the ocean traded for eager severance.

Traded for the death of his own grandmother.

Mason went mad.

He regretted it again—he regretted falling in love with such a woman.

He had given her everything he possibly could.

He had even caused his grandmother's death.

Yet after she got out, she had severed ties with him so quickly.

What did that make Mason Quinn? Was he just a dog following Linda?

Married life wasn't easy for Linda, either.

How could Ethan possibly let her have a good marriage?

People like her deserved to be tortured and live a life of misery.

That man not only had special fetishes but didn't even treat her like a human being.

When Linda was beaten badly, she would throw threats at the man, saying, "Once Mason gets out, he won't let you off."

The result was always another round of brutal beatings from the man.

Twelve years flickered by.

The Quinn Group had long since been annexed by the Gu Group.

And Mason was finally released from prison.

Linda ran up to him.

"Mason, you love me the most, right? Save me, that man hits me. Help me hit him back."

Mason only looked at her with cold eyes and turned to leave.

He had already paid for his mistakes.

For the rest of his life, he wanted no further connection to Linda.

Linda tried to chase him, but the man grabbed her and delivered two slaps.

"Bitch, do you think he’s still the Mr. Quinn from before? He’s nothing but a stray dog now. How dare you let him hit me? If you don't serve Mr. Wang well today, I’ll send you to serve the homeless."

Mason ignored her and walked directly to Bella.

"Bella, in these twelve years, the only time I’ve missed is those three years we spent together. Easy, comfortable."

"Mason, during those three years, I truly did treat you as a friend."

Mason’s eyes lit up.

But Bella’s next words extinguished that glimmer again.

"Unfortunately, you are not worthy of being my friend."

Bella turned and left.

Seeing the two of them in such a miserable state made her heart feel at ease.

She hadn't expected to run into Ethan again.

Ethan looked at her, a smile in the corners of his eyes.

"This is their retribution."

"Yes, good begets good, evil begets evil. It’s not that the retribution won't come, it’s just that the time hasn't arrived yet."

Twelve years later, Bella had also matured a lot.

"Shall we celebrate?" Ethan proposed.

Bella shook her head.

"No, my husband and son are waiting for me."

She turned toward the car on the side of the road, where a man was standing holding a child, waving at her incessantly.

Ethan looked on with envy.

"An ordinary love—it truly is something to envy."

Twelve years ago, Ethan had asked Bella:

"If you are willing, I can marry you."

Bella had only shaken her head: "We are people from two different worlds."

Bella understood; he wasn't marrying her, he was marrying the value she carried.

With such high popularity, marrying her was equivalent to marrying traffic.

Marrying her meant exposure.

The Gu Group would make a fortune through her.

She didn't aim for great wealth or status; a plain and simple life was quite enough.

She returned to that native soil she had once fought with all her might to protect.

The villagers were grateful to her and cherished her.

She had also married her childhood sweetheart, whom she had adored for many years.

Twelve years had passed in the blink of an eye.

————————————

The End.