I anonymously sent the dirt on Gordon Group to Blake's special assistant.

Blake acted quickly.


The next day, the Tax Department and Economic Crime Investigation Department jointly raided the Gordon Group.

The Gordon family's world collapsed.

Howard's father, the chairman of Gordon Group, suffered a stroke on the spot and was rushed to the ICU.


Gordon Group's stock immediately tanked, facing the risk of delisting.

And those female celebrities involved with Howard, all fearing for themselves, came forward to distance themselves from him, while taking the opportunity to throw him under the bus.


Howard became completely radioactive.

Even if he could escape from the kidnapping case, he couldn't escape the sanctions for economic crimes.

For the rest of his life, he'll never be able to recover from this.

Having dealt with a major concern, I felt especially relieved.

Even looking at Blake seemed much more pleasant now.

He's been very busy lately, occupied with acquiring the mess left by Gordon's company, leaving early and returning late every day.

But every day, I find milk and snacks he's prepared for me at my bedside.

This evening, he surprisingly didn't work overtime.

We took a walk together in the garden.

The moonlight was bright, and the evening breeze particularly gentle.

"Blake," I stopped walking and looked at him seriously, "thank you."

"Thank me for what?"

"Thank you for everything you've done for me."

Without him, I might still be manipulated by Howard, or even, might have died on that wedding night.

It was he who gave me a new life.

He looked at me, his dark eyes seemingly filled with starlight.

"No need to thank me."

"Protecting you is my instinct."

My heart skipped a beat.

The atmosphere was perfect, so I decided to press my advantage.

"Then you..." I licked my somewhat dry lips, "Do you still want to be my brother?"

He fell silent.

Moonlight cast shifting shadows across his face, making it impossible for me to discern his expression.

Just when I thought he wouldn't answer, and I was preparing to awkwardly laugh it off and move on.

He suddenly spoke, his voice unrecognizably hoarse.

"No."

"From the first day I saw you, I never wanted that."

He stepped forward and pulled me into his embrace.

This embrace was no longer the comfort between siblings, but seemed to release emotions he had suppressed for years.

"Vanessa," he whispered in my ear, "I've waited for this day for far too long."

Tears sprang from my eyes as I held him tightly in return.

"Me too."

Me too, I've waited for you a lifetime.

Fortunately, it's not too late.

Blake and I got together.

Without telling anyone, in secret.

Like two young people tasting forbidden fruit for the first time, enjoying this hidden happiness.

He would take me to mountaintops to watch the sunrise, to the seaside to light fireworks.

He would clumsily cook for me, then wait with an expectant face for my praise.

He would also carry me on his back along very long mountain paths when I was being lazy and didn't want to walk.

I never knew that the cold, distant Blake could have such a gentle and caring side.

He spoiled me rotten.

And I willingly surrendered to it all.

After the Gordon family's complete downfall, Howard was convicted of multiple crimes and sentenced to life imprisonment.

I heard he went insane in prison, constantly muttering my name, saying he wanted to kill me.

I just laughed it off.

He's nothing but a defeated opponent, not worth fearing.

Life seemed to finally return to normal.

But I always felt something wasn't quite right.

The [Gossip System] had been quiet for a long time.

This system, activated by my resentment, became unusually silent after my rebirth and revenge.

Until this day, when I received an anonymous package.

Inside was a diary.

The handwriting was elegant, and I recognized it immediately as my mother's.

I opened the diary, and the content inside struck me like lightning.

[Year X Month X Day, I brought Vanessa to marry Victor Foster. He's a good person, but I don't love him. I just needed someone to rely on, to give Vanessa a home.]

[Year X Month X Day, I discovered Victor Foster's secret. He has someone outside, and even an illegitimate son. That child is called Howard Gordon.]

[Year X Month X Day, Victor Foster brought Howard home, claiming to others that he was a friend's child, temporarily fostered. Looking at that child, my heart was filled with fear. The way he looked at me was full of hatred.]

[Year X Month X Day, I must find a way to protect my Vanessa. I've found out that Victor Foster's adopted son Blake has an extraordinary background - he's the heir of a top aristocratic family in the Capital who has been living away from home. If I could make him fall in love with Vanessa...]

The diary ended abruptly here.

My hand holding the diary was shaking uncontrollably.

Howard... is Uncle Foster's illegitimate son?

He and Blake, are they truly brothers?

And my mother, had she planned everything from the beginning?

I can't believe it.

That gentle and kind mother, how could she be such a person?

Just then, Blake walked in from outside.

When he saw the diary in my hand, his expression subtly changed.

"Vanessa, you..."

"What is this about?" I held up the diary, my voice trembling, "You knew all along, didn't you?"

"You knew Howard is Victor Foster's illegitimate son, knew my mother manipulated you, you knew everything!"

Blake fell silent.

His silence confirmed all my suspicions.

As if all my strength had been drained, I collapsed onto the floor.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Why did you hide it from me?"

He walked up to me, crouched down, and tried to embrace me.

But I recoiled like a startled hedgehog, shoving him away violently.

"Don't touch me!"

I looked at him, tears blurring my vision.

"Blake, in your eyes, am I just ridiculous?"

"Like a fool, being kept in the dark by everyone."

"No, that's not it." He explained urgently, "Vanessa, I just... didn't want you to know about these dirty affairs."

"I was afraid you'd be upset."

"Upset?" I laughed through tears, "I'm even more upset now!"

I stood up and stepped backward.

"Blake, I need to cool down."

After saying that, I ran out of the villa without looking back.

I needed an answer.

An answer about my mother, about all of this.