When she, under her identity connected to Miss Dawn, approached him for protection, he agreed immediately.

After all, Miss Dawn was known as one of the cleanest investors, someone who never crossed ethical boundaries, someone whose wealth was steadily climbing toward unimaginable heights.

There was no reason to refuse. Thus, he deployed his best team.

Of course, for a price. A very hefty one.

....

At the same time, Olivia refused to remain idle.

She had already gained a foothold in another department, her influence steadily growing. There was no way she would allow her family to suffer.

So she began investigating. Quietly. Relentlessly.

She tracked down multiple individuals connected to the institute.

But there was a problem.

Every single one of them died the moment she got close.

It was as if someone were erasing evidence... silencing them before they could speak.

Aurora felt both pride and concern.

’She’s risking too much...’ she thought, her brows knitting slightly.

Yet before she could focus further on that matter, another problem surfaced.

A woman named Bunny.

Lately, Bunny had been visiting their house frequently, despite being clearly told not to.

And yet... she acted as if she didn’t understand.

She stayed under the pretense of "taking care" of Theodore.

At first, when she had arrived, her eyes had been teary, her voice trembling with emotion.

"I’ve admired Theodore for a long time," she had said softly. "When I learned he was an injured... I couldn’t help but worry."

Her words had seemed sincere.

So the family treated her kindly, assuming she would leave after a single visit.

Even Theodore, though visibly uncomfortable, had merely given a polite nod, keeping his distance.

But Bunny didn’t take the hint.

Instead, she suddenly rushed forward and grabbed Theodore’s hand.

"I understand," she said earnestly, her grip tightening. "You must be surrounded by darkness right now... but remember, there’s always light at the end of the tunnel."

Theodore’s reaction was immediate.

He yanked his hand back as if burned, his eyes narrowing sharply.

"Don’t say such ominous things," he snapped, his voice filled with irritation.

Bunny blinked, clearly confused.

"I’m just telling the truth," she replied. "You must be hiding your depression..."

Before she could finish, Theodore practically jumped back, pointing at her as if she were something dangerous.

"Don’t label me like that!"

Bunny froze, taken aback.

This wasn’t how things were supposed to go.

’He should have accepted me...’ she thought, her expression stiffening. ’He should have promised to stay by my side...’

Instead... he looked at her like she was a threat.

Like a predator.

As Bunny stepped closer again, Theodore immediately retreated, hiding behind Adriana like a frightened child.

"Keep her away from me," he said hurriedly. "I’m getting scared."

The family members exchanged awkward glances, forcing polite smiles.

But Bunny’s expression darkened.

She misinterpreted everything.

"I understand," she said slowly, her voice taking on a strange edge.

"He can’t earn right now... so you’re all putting pressure on him. You’ve traumatized him to the point that he’s afraid of strangers."

Silence fell. Everyone stared at her. Stunned.

Even Aurora couldn’t help but feel a flicker of disbelief.

’I’ve seen delusional people before...’ she thought, ’but this... is something else entirely.’

Just as tensions began to rise and arguments threatened to break out...the doorbell rang.

Aurora didn’t waste a single second.

The moment the doorbell rang, she almost rushed toward it, her steps quick and light, as if she had just been handed the perfect excuse to escape the suffocating and bizarre situation Bunny had created inside the house.

’Finally... a way out of this madness,’ she thought, her fingers already reaching for the handle.

As soon as she opened the door and saw Jacqueline standing outside, she couldn’t help but raise her hand and give her a subtle thumbs up, her eyes gleaming with relief.

’Your timing couldn’t have been more perfect.’

Jacqueline noticed the gesture and smiled warmly, her expression soft and friendly.

Lately, she had been visiting the Waters family more often, and the more time she spent with them, the more she found herself growing attached.

There was something different about them.

Even though each of them secretly possessed wealth that most people could only dream of, none of them carried arrogance.

In fact, they were more humble than anyone she had ever met.

They welcomed her with genuine smiles, never once making her feel like an outsider.

They brought her small gifts, invited her to dinners, and included her in casual outings, moments that felt simple, yet deeply comforting.

To Jacqueline, visiting the Waters family had slowly begun to feel like a peaceful retreat, almost like a vacation from the chaos of her own world. 𝐟𝕣𝗲𝕖𝕨𝗲𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝗲𝚕.𝗰𝚘𝐦

Looking at Aurora now, she tilted her head slightly and asked with a curious smile, "Where’s Theodore? Is he inside?"

Aurora didn’t answer immediately.

Instead, she grabbed Jacqueline’s hand and pulled her slightly closer, lowering her voice as if sharing a secret.

"I need your help," she said quickly. "There’s a woman inside who’s practically throwing herself at Theodore."

Jacqueline’s brows lifted slightly, her expression sharpening.

"And what’s Theodore doing?" she asked calmly.

There was no trace of jealousy in her tone...only quiet evaluation.

’If he’s entertaining it... then I won’t interfere,’ she thought firmly. ’But if he’s not... then that’s a different matter.’

Aurora shook her head and let out a small, helpless sigh.

"She’s the one chasing him," she said, her lips twitching as if she didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

"He’s been trying to keep his distance the entire time. But honestly... with how she’s jumping around the living room, she might just end up falling into his arms at this rate."

Hearing that, Jacqueline finally relaxed, letting out a soft breath.

"Alright," she murmured, stepping forward. "Let’s see."

The moment she entered, the scene unfolded before her eyes.

Theodore was practically moving from one corner to another, his movements awkward and restrained.

Despite the visible pain flickering across his face, he kept trying to avoid Bunny’s advances, his body stiff with resistance.

Bunny, on the other hand, continued chasing after him, her expression determined.

When Jacqueline’s gaze landed on Bunny, she couldn’t help but notice how beautiful she was.

Yet, despite that, Theodore’s eyes held nothing but discomfort and rejection.

A faint warmth bloomed in Jacqueline’s chest.

’...So he’s really like this,’ she thought quietly. ’I found someone decent after all.’

Without hesitation, she walked forward and reached out, grabbing Bunny’s wrist just as she was about to close the distance again.

Bunny froze.

Turning around, she blinked in surprise before a polite smile spread across her face.

"Oh? Jacqueline," she said sweetly, "what are you doing here?"

Jacqueline let out a small chuckle, though there was a sharp edge hidden beneath it.

"Isn’t that the question I should be asking you?" she replied calmly. "You’re not related to Theodore in any way, are you?"

Bunny’s expression immediately shifted, her eyes turning glossy as if on the verge of tears.

"Why are you speaking so harshly?" she said, her voice trembling. "I came here out of concern. I just wanted to see him. It’s not like I’m harming him."

She paused, then added softly, "Besides... isn’t it because you failed as his girlfriend that I even got the chance to come here?"

Jacqueline’s expression didn’t change.

"I didn’t come here to listen to a lecture," she said flatly. "I came to ask why you’re acting so familiar with someone else’s boyfriend."

Bunny’s lips curled slightly, a faint, almost mocking smile forming.

"What boyfriend?" she replied lightly. "As far as I know, there’s no official relationship between you two."

But before she could continue...a sudden movement interrupted her.

Theodore rushed forward.

In one swift motion, he positioned himself behind Jacqueline, grabbing onto her like she was his last line of defense.

His hands wrapped tightly around her waist, and he leaned slightly against her shoulder, his voice hurried yet firm.

"Who said we don’t have a relationship?" he declared. "We’re practically engaged."

He tightened his hold slightly, as if afraid she might disappear.

"My wife and I are about to get engaged soon," he added, his tone leaving no room for doubt. "Who are you to say otherwise?"

Silence fell.

Bunny’s eyes widened, her face draining of color as disbelief filled her expression.

"How... how is that possible?" she whispered, her voice trembling.

Aurora leaned in closer, her voice soft enough that it barely brushed against the air near Bunny’s ear.

"Do you really think this is possible?" she murmured, her tone carrying a faint trace of amusement.

"According to the plotline, Jacqueline shouldn’t even be close to Theodore... and yet, here she is. Doesn’t that already tell you something is wrong?"

Bunny stiffened as if a cold draft had suddenly crept up her spine.

She stared at Aurora as though she were looking at something unnatural, something that shouldn’t exist.

’How... how does she know this?’ her mind screamed, a faint tremor running through her fingers.