Luca was briefly caught off guard by her remark.

Everything he possessed today had come from the mysterious system that had changed his life overnight. Looking at it from that perspective, wasn’t his rise really the closest thing to divine intervention?

Fortunately, Camilla had no idea just how close her offhand guess had come to the truth.

Luca smiled, deciding to steer the conversation elsewhere.

"By the way, what’s with the long face? Don’t tell me your latest corporate boyfriend dumped you."

It was meant as a harmless joke, but Camilla didn’t smile.

That alone was unusual.

Ever since they’d known each other, she’d always been the cheerful one. She was the kind of person who could strike up a conversation with anyone and somehow brighten the mood wherever she went. Seeing her standing in the supermarket with such a troubled expression felt completely out of character.

Camilla lowered her eyes and remained silent for several seconds before finally speaking.

"Luca..."

Her voice was unusually soft.

"I know I don’t really have the right to ask this."

She took a slow breath.

"And I know what Vanessa did to you."

Another brief silence followed.

"But..."

She looked up at him, her eyes filled with hesitation.

"Could you come with me to the hospital and see her... just once?"

Luca’s expression remained calm.

At first, he’d assumed Camilla was the one who needed help. If she had been facing financial trouble or some other serious difficulty, he wouldn’t have hesitated to lend a hand.

But the moment Vanessa’s name entered the conversation, the warmth in his expression disappeared.

It wasn’t anger.

It was simply indifference.

"I’m not going."

He adjusted the shopping bag in his hand and offered her a small nod.

"Take care, Camilla."

Just as he turned to leave, Camilla reached out and caught his forearm.

"Please, wait."

Her voice trembled.

"Vanessa just came out of emergency surgery. She’s really in bad shape, and I..."

She bit her lip.

"I just thought..."

Before she could finish, Luca gently but firmly interrupted.

"Camilla."

His voice wasn’t loud, but it carried a firmness that stopped her in her tracks.

"What happens to Vanessa has nothing to do with me anymore."

He looked directly into her eyes.

"I’m grateful for everything you’ve done for me over the years. You’ve always treated me like a friend, and I’ll remember that."

His tone softened slightly.

"But Vanessa and I are over."

"There isn’t any resentment left."

"There isn’t any attachment either."

"If you’re the one who needs help, tell me."

"If it’s within my ability, I’ll do everything I can."

"But if this is about Vanessa..."

He slowly shook his head.

"I’m sorry."

"My answer won’t change."

Luca carefully removed her hand from his arm.

"I hope this doesn’t affect our friendship."

"But I also hope you won’t ask me to revisit a Chapter of my life that’s already ended."

Without another word, he turned and walked toward the checkout counters.

Camilla remained where she was, quietly watching his figure disappear into the crowd of shoppers.

She didn’t try to stop him again.

After paying for the groceries and leaving the supermarket, Luca walked beneath the warm afternoon sun, the bags swaying lightly at his side.

His thoughts, however, lingered on the conversation.

He didn’t regret refusing to see Vanessa.

That decision had been made long ago.

What bothered him was the way he’d spoken to Camilla.

She hadn’t been trying to manipulate him.

She was simply worried about someone she’d considered family for years.

She hadn’t deserved to become the target of his frustration.

Luca let out a quiet sigh before pulling out his phone.

After thinking for a moment, he sent her a message.

«Camilla, I’m sorry about earlier. My frustration wasn’t directed at you, and you didn’t deserve to be caught in the middle. I hope you won’t take my words to heart.»

Barely two minutes later, his phone chimed.

Camilla: It’s okay. I understand. Don’t worry about it.

A faint smile appeared on Luca’s face.

At least that was settled.

He slipped his phone back into his pocket and continued walking toward Golden Water Bay, his pace steady beneath the bright afternoon sun.

The moment Luca pushed through the front doors of Naomi Monroe’s luxury penthouse, his gaze settled on her. She stood gracefully in front of the grand vanity mirror, playfully turning a high-end ionic hair dryer in her hands. Her long silk hair hung damp and glistening... she had just stepped out of the master shower.

He crossed the room with quiet, fluid steps and gently took the dryer from her. Lifting the fragrant strands with his fingertips, he switched it to low heat and began drying her hair for her.

The simple, intimate act stirred something deep in his memory. Suddenly, he was back in Ashford with Sophie Kennedy, performing the exact same gentle routine in their suite at The Grand Majestic Hotel.

"What’s going on in that head of yours?" Naomi asked. Her voice carried a note of puzzlement as she watched his reflection in the mirror. He had gone completely still.

Luca blinked and shook his head quickly, snapping back to the present. "Nothing serious, girl. Just enjoying the view."

He resumed running his fingers through her silky locks, carefully drying each section. In the mirror, Naomi caught the brief, distant look that had crossed his face. She gave a tiny twitch of her nose and let out a soft, playful huff through her nostrils. For now, she held back from pressing him further.

’That scoundrel has definitely done this for another woman before. Despicable!’

Seeing her adorable pout in the reflection, cute yet clearly annoyed, Luca found it both hilarious and a little embarrassing. Here he was, drying Naomi’s hair while his mind wandered to Sophie. What kind of tangled situation had he gotten himself into?

They say a man stays a foolish boy until the day he dies, and the old philosophers were probably right about that.

"All done," he said, switching off the dryer and setting it on the marble counter. He leaned forward, wrapping his arms around her waist from behind and pulling her back against his chest.

"Are you actually mad at me, queen?"

Naomi arched an elegant eyebrow at his reflection. "What would you do if you were in my position?"

"Uh..." Luca let out an awkward chuckle and scratched the back of his head. He laughed again but offered no defense.

A wave of helpless affection washed over her. This man was utterly impossible. And yet, somehow, her heart had fallen completely for him. At this point, there was no one left to complain to.

Especially after last night. Their relationship had already left the station and was speeding down the tracks. No refunds possible now.

Even this morning, Naomi chose not to dwell on his past. As long as she could stay by his side, her heart felt full.

"I’m heading to the kitchen to make you some lunch," he murmured. "Why don’t you relax on the sofa and watch TV for a bit?"

The second his arms loosened, Naomi reached back and caught his wrist, holding him in place. Her lips stayed pursed in clear protest.

Luca’s heart melted at her clinginess. He pulled her firmly back against him, found her sweet lips, and kissed her deeply until all complaints faded.

A few heated minutes later, he finally released her flushed face and headed toward the kitchen.

As Naomi watched his tall, powerful frame leave the bathroom, her legs suddenly felt weak. She lifted her eyes to the mirror. Her pupils shimmered with a watery glow, and a rosy blush spread across her collarbone, neck, and all the way to the tips of her ears.

She buried her burning face in her hands, hardly believing this was the same shy girl who had been so boldly affectionate moments earlier.

’Ugh! This is all Mom’s fault for coming over the other day!’

Elena Monroe had filled her daughter’s head with endless unfiltered advice about men and women, even making sure the nightstand drawer was properly stocked.

Luca walked into the main kitchen and passed the island counter, heading toward the glass doors that opened onto the sunlit balcony. There, hanging on the line, were the freshly washed duvet covers and luxury sheets from the night before. A wave of memories rushed back to him.

Out of all the women he’d slept with, Naomi was in another league entirely.