"Julian, you're so amazing!" Clara clapped her hands.

Julian laughed and said, "There's more where that came from."

He pulled a coin from his pocket, flipped it between his fingertips, and gripped it in his palm. Then, he took Clara’s hand, flipped it over, and leaned down to kiss the back of her hand.

Nina stood at the doorway, staring at that hand.

It was the same magic trick he had once used on her hand, sliding a ring onto her finger, kneeling on one knee amidst a sky full of snow, saying, "I only perform this trick for my future wife."

Now, he was giving it to someone else.

Nina withdrew her gaze, but the door was suddenly pushed open.

Julian stood in the doorway. Seeing her, the laughter still lingered on his face. The expression faltered, then slowly turned cold.

"What are you here for?"

Nina looked up at him. He stood in the light; she stood in the shadows of the hallway. He was wearing the shirt she had bought him, cufflinks she had gifted him, his collar slightly open, revealing his collarbone.

She suddenly felt it was a bit laughable. "Meeting the owner about business," she said.

Julian looked at her, his lips moving as he took a step forward. "You’re here to see me, aren't you?" he said.

Nina looked up at him.

"Have you made up your mind?" he asked.

Nina was stunned for a moment.

"Apologize." Julian stared at her. "If you’ve decided, go and apologize to her. She’s soft-hearted; if you speak to her nicely, she won't give you a hard time."

The hallway was quiet, the sound of Clara humming a tune coming from the distance.

"Apologize for what?" she asked.

Julian frowned, just about to speak, when footsteps sounded behind him.

"Oh? Ms. Sinclair is here?"

It was a theater staff member, a young girl carrying two cups of coffee. Her eyes lit up when she saw Nina.

"Are you here to bring food for Julian again?" the girl walked over with a smile, looking behind Nina. "What did you bring today? Julian loved those pan-fried dumplings last time; we all say his wife is so thoughtful..."

The girl’s voice trailed off.

She noticed Nina had nothing behind her. No insulated bags, no food containers, none of the things she used to carry in bags large and small.

Julian also looked behind her, and upon seeing her empty hands, the expression on his face shifted.

Looking at that shift in his expression, Nina suddenly remembered the past.

Every time she came in the past, she had brought things. The pan-fried dumplings he liked took an hour and a half to drive for. The pear soup for when his throat felt sore, she would have the housekeeper simmer for four hours. Because he was prone to catching colds during the change of seasons, her bag was always stocked with medicine.

Back then, every time she pushed open the backstage door, his eyes would light up.

After a two-second silence, Julian took a step back, his expression turning cold again, as if nothing had just happened.

"Fine," he said, his voice colder than before. "Then you don't have to come in."

The owner was waiting in the office. Nina didn't beat around the bush and told him directly that she wouldn't be making the investment for the next quarter.

The owner was stunned and began trying to persuade her to stay, saying the theater had relied entirely on Ms. Sinclair for the past two years, but Nina shook her head.

She pushed open the office door and froze.

The hallway lights had all gone out; it was pitch black, and she couldn't see a thing.

Nina stood where she was, her heart skipping a beat.

She pulled out her phone and turned on the flashlight. The beam reached out, illuminating only the small patch of ground at her feet. The hallway was long, with the green "Exit" sign at the far end emitting a faint glow in the darkness.

She took one step forward, then two, then three.

Her hands were shaking. Her phone was shaking. The beam was shaking.

Her heart was pounding so fast she couldn't catch her breath. The darkness surged in from all sides like water, engulfing her.

Her fingertips trembled, and she subconsciously clenched her hand. Raised in luxury since childhood, she never loved the kind of pitch-black darkness that left her unable to see her own hand, yet right now, she had no choice.

She quickened her pace, and halfway down, she suddenly heard a burst of cheering.

Nina stopped and tilted her head, inching forward step by step.

Standing by the side curtain, she saw Julian standing under the spotlight, snapping his fingers. Snow began to fall above the stage.

Clara stood in the snow, wearing a white dress, tilting her face up to let the snowflakes fall on her skin, smiling like a little girl.

Everyone was clapping, laughing, shouting "Happy Birthday."

Julian snapped his fingers again, and a cake appeared in Clara’s hands. Clara closed her eyes, hands clasped together, covered in snowflakes.

Nina stood in the darkness, watching the snowfall.

Something felt blocked in her chest, suffocating her.

She pushed the door open and stepped out. A cold wind swept over her face, blowing away the last bit of bitterness in her heart.

Once, when he accidentally turned off the lights and left her in the dark, she had mentioned to him then that she didn't like the dark.

He had promised her seriously, saying he would keep it in his heart.

As it turned out, in Julian’s heart, Clara was more important than anything—so important that even the promises he had made to her could be completely ignored and cast aside.

Nina looked up at the night sky. The surge of emotion lasted only a moment before she suppressed it entirely.

"Nina!" Julian ran over. "What's wrong?"

Nina said nothing.

He seemed to remember something. "Why did the lights go out?"

He looked back at the pitch-black hallway and then turned to look at her. "You wait here, I'll have someone turn them back on."

Just as he was about to turn away, a hand grabbed him.

Clara emerged from the darkness and stood behind Julian, glancing at Nina before lowering her head.

"Julian," she said softly, "that magic trick isn't finished yet, everyone is still waiting..."

Julian paused.

Clara looked up at him, her eyes bright and filled with a hint of pleading.

"Won't you ask her to stay and watch?"

She walked forward two steps, standing in front of Nina, and reached out her hand. Nina pulled away reflexively, and Clara suddenly let out a gasp.

Her foot slipped, and she fell backward, tumbling off the edge of the stage.

Chapter 5

The next morning, Nina was jolted awake by the vibration of her phone.

"Sinclair Group heiress bullies a commoner? Exclusive photos from the scene exposed."

In the photo, she stood on the steps while Clara tumbled down. It captured only that split second, making it look as though Nina had pushed her.

The second photo. Clara was on her knees, looking up at her, while Nina wore a cold, indifferent expression.

The caption read: "To steal a man, the Sinclair heiress drives away his childhood sweetheart, forces her to kneel, and now resorts to physical pushing? Is this the confidence that comes with being wealthy?"

The comment section was already in an uproar. Nina gripped her phone, her fingers turning cold.

A second call came in—it was her father. "Handle it. Use whatever means necessary to suppress this."

Nina stood up and drove to the hospital.

Julian stood by the bedside. Clara was semi-reclined, her hands wrapped in gauze, her face pale. Seeing Nina enter, Clara shrank back, and Julian turned around. "You still have the nerve to come here?"

Nina ignored him and walked straight to the bedside, staring at Clara.

"What do you want?" Clara was stunned for a moment, looking up at her.

Nina's voice was calm. "You were the one who leaked those photos. What do you want?"

Julian stepped over, shielding Clara. "Nina, that's enough."

Clara looked up at her, cast a glance, and lowered her head again. After a few seconds, she spoke softly:

"If you were willing to perform the water tank escape with Julian, that would be for the best."

Julian frowned, looking down at Clara.

Clara tugged on his sleeve, whispering persuasively, "Julian, this is the best way for Nina, isn't it? Her company's stock has fallen; performing a show would restore her reputation."

Julian frowned and brushed her hand away, his tone deepening. "The water tank escape is out of the question. Change it to something simple; that one carries risks."

Nina watched the two of them bickering with cold eyes, a faint, chilling smile curling her lips. She replied indifferently, "Fine."

Three days later, a staff member walked up to her, looking anxious. "Ms. Sinclair, the props have been changed at the last minute. Please prepare yourself."