Chapter 168

I found Julain without much effort.

He was sitting alone in the corridor, staring out at the snow-covered courtyard. The cold light made his face look hollow, like something slowly losing its warmth. A person standing at the edge, unsure which way to fall.

When he noticed me, something flickered in his eyes. For a second, he almost said my name.

Then he caught my look.

“Hello… Aunt RIley,” he corrected himself quickly.

Good.

I glanced around, checking angles, reflections, shadows. No cameras. No curious eyes. My shoes were smudged with dirt, so I crouched down, wiping them with a tissue as if that was all I cared about.

I leaned closer and whispered a few words.

Julain let out a long breath. “I understand p>

He always did.

He knew I was using him. And he knew he didn’t have the freedom to refuse.

Whether it was to make amends, to strike back at Camilla for almost ending him, or to repay a debt he could never escape his path had already closed behind him. There was no turning back now.

I stood and walked away without looking at him again.

To anyone watching, it was nothing more than a casual greeting. No suspicion. No trace.

Now was the moment to pull his strings carefully, when it mattered most.

It was ironic.

Julain had once danced to Camilla’s tune without question. Now, he had willingly placed the leash in my hand.

Fate had a cruel sense of humor.

Even in my past life, I hadn’t escaped being used. Julain wasn’t so different from me. Neither of us ever truly had a choice.

As for Lincy p>

I still couldn’t decide whether she was brave or just foolish.

Even after Camilla had deceived her, even after walking so close to danger, she still dared to come to the Hudsons’ place looking for Yenik. She hadn’t learned a thing.

They hid behind a wall, voices low but sharp. Lincy poured out her anger, blaming me for everything, her words full of resentment and hurt pride.

It was obvious she was Monica’s daughter soft-hearted, driven by fantasy, always believing love would save her.

Yenik listened patiently, nodding at the right moments.

To him, Lincy was nothing more than a backup plan. Someone he could soothe with a few gentle words and empty promises.

Men like him always knew which buttons to press.

No one valued a woman who didn’t value herself first.

I knew that lesson well. I had paid for it dearly once.

A woman had to stand on her own before she expected anyone else to stand with her.

As Lincy continued venting, Yenik quietly transferred money to her account.

Five hundred thousand.

More generous than Zack, at least on the surface.

But compared to what he had spent at the auction before, it was barely anything.

Yenik wasn’t stupid.

With the situation shifting so quickly, he knew that if Lincy lost her footing, he might never recover what he’d invested. His earlier generosity hadn’t come from kindness it had been strategy.

For the past two years, Lincy had been useful. Through Grant, she had opened doors for him.

Now?

He was hedging his bets.

That was why Yenik had spent so freely before.

But the moment Lincy stopped being useful, he would drop her without hesitation. People like him never kept what no longer served them.

“Only three hundred thousand?” Lincy complained, her voice sharp. “That’s nothing. I can’t even buy a decent dress with that p>

Yenik sighed, already slipping into his soothing tone.

“We spent too much at the auction last time. The company accounts are still a mess, and cash is tight right now. Don’t worry. Your father dotes on you. Once he cools down, your card will be restored p>

Lincy relaxed instantly.

“You’re right. How could that b*tch RIley ever compare to me?” She leaned closer to him. “Yenik… when are you breaking things off with Camilla p>

His face stiffened for a moment.

“Lincy… she’s carrying my child. My family won’t allow me to cut her loose yet p>

She frowned.

“But listen,” he added quickly, lowering his voice. “Once she gives birth, she’s gone. We never made it official, so there’s nothing to worry about. That child was an accident. I never wanted it p>

Then his tone turned stern.

“And don’t do anything reckless again. No more desperate moves. I spent a lot of connections and money getting you out this time p>

Lincy wrapped her arms around him.

“I knew you were the one who helped me. RIley took all the credit like always.” She laughed lightly. “By the way, Camilla is lucky. I didn’t expect her brother to drive that kind of car. What a coincidence p>

Listening from a distance, I couldn’t help but sigh.

Thank goodness they didn’t have children together. Anyone raised by the two of them would likely turn out just as blind.

They still treated Nolan’s death as an accident. They still didn’t realize Camilla was poison wrapped in silk.

I used to be the same.

Too trusting. Too kind. Too willing to believe people meant well.

That mistake had cost me everything once.

Women like us had to learn early kindness without caution was an invitation to be torn apart. Survival meant seeing danger before it smiled at you.

Yenik comforted Lincy for a while longer before they finally parted.

“Wait for me,” he said confidently. “I’ll bond with you next year p>

Lincy walked away glowing with hope.

Just like her mother once had.

The moment she stepped outside, Theo smoothly redirected her toward the grove.

The Hudsons’ garden was beautiful even in winter. Orchids and daisies dotted the paths, and the grove stood tall and green despite the cold. Snow drifted down slowly, settling against white walls and dark tiles, turning the place into something almost unreal.

Then Lincy froze.

Ahead of her, Camilla rested her head against Julain’s chest, his arm loosely around her shoulders.

My breath caught.

For a split second, I worried Lincy might lose control and ruin everything.

But she didn’t.

She quietly lifted her phone and snapped a picture.

She knew enough about Camilla and Julain’s past to sense something was wrong but she knew nothing about the child.

Julain stiffened. A flicker of disgust crossed his face before he gently moved Camilla away from him.

“Julain Camilla whispered, eyes filling with tears. “Don’t you want me anymore p>

She looked fragile. Breakable. Just like she always had.

Once, that act had worked on him.

This time, it wouldn’t.

And standing there in the cold, watching the pieces slide into place, I knew

The hunt had already begun.