Her face lit up with a smile. “William! You knew I was coming? Did you come down to greet me?”
William didn’t hesitate. His response was a single, cold word: “Move.”
Summer’s smile froze, and her face went pale. “William, what did I do wrong?” she asked softly, her eyes quickly reddening. “I know you’re grieving Jane’s death, but you don’t have to take it out on me…”
She lowered her voice, as though pleading, “Jane wouldn’t want to see you treating me this way… not from wherever she is now.”
William stopped in his tracks and turned to look at her. His expression was icy, his voice sharp and deliberate.
“Summer, do you really think you’ve hidden everything so perfectly?”
Summer froze, her face turning white as the blood drained from it. “I… I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
William let out a cold laugh. “Actions always leave traces, Summer. After the fire, every single piece of security footage from the Grant Group disappeared overnight.”
Summer bit her lip so hard she tasted blood. Her voice wavered, trembling with indignation. “William, I did it to protect you! If I hadn’t taken the blame, you would’ve been completely ruined. How can you treat me like this after everything I’ve done for you?”
Her voice broke as she continued, “Jane is gone. What’s the point of waiting for her?”
She reached out and clutched William’s arm tightly. “You accepted my confession, didn’t you? That means you care about me too! Marry me, William. I don’t mind if your heart will always belong to Jane–I can live with that. I can accept it…”
William pried her hand off his arm, his face unreadable.
Their eyes met, and suddenly William smirked. His voice was calm but cutting:
“Summer, your little schemes aren’t going to work anymore”
He leaned in closer, his words deliberate and firm:
“Jane isn’t dead.”
Jane had just seen Suzy off at the airport and was walking back hohen she noticed that it had started snowing in Eldoria.
The snow fell gently, blanketing the city in white. It clung to her hair, dusting her coat, giving her the odd sense of a life frozen in time.
As she stepped inside her apartment building, Lucas greeted her.
“I was just debating whether I should pick you up from the airport,” he said, taking her puffer jacket and hanging it neatly on the coat rack. “The roads are slippery with all this snow.”
As Lucas glanced out the window, his gaze froze. Across the street, a man stood in the snow.
He was tall but unnervingly thin, like a shadow of himself. He swayed slightly, as though the wind alone could knock him over.
The man began walking toward them, his steps unsteady. A car raced past him, narrowly avoiding him, and Lucas instinctively called out, “Watch out!”
Hearing the warning, Jane turned to look.
Her heart dropped.
That familiar figure stood in the middle of the street, his dark eyes fixed intently on her, unblinking. He stared at her as if she might disappear if he looked away for even a second.
Jane’s pulse raced as a deep sense of unease settled over her.
a man realization downing on him. “So your real name really is Janet he murmured to himself
Lucas glanced between her and the man, realization dawning on him. “So your real name really is Jane,” he murmured to himself.
“Careful, cautious–yeah, ‘Jane‘ suits you,” Lucas thought, his mind wandering for a moment.
But when he looked back at the man, who was now following them at a distance, Lucas felt the tension in the air.
Jane, noticing his glance, said flatly, “Don’t look at him.”
“I’m not Jane, and I don’t know him.”
Lucas forced a laugh, though he was unconvinced. He had seen Jane’s expression the moment she recognized the man–it was raw an unguarded, impossible to fake.
Still, Lucas knew better than to press her. He respected boundaries, and if Jane didn’t want to talk about it, he wouldn’t ask.
Besides, it wasn’t lost on him that this man was obviously a rival. Lucas wasn’t about to help his competition.
Later that evening, Lucas walked Jane back to her apartment and even stayed for dinner. By the time he left, it was 8 p.m., and the snow piled up so high it covered half his shoes.
As he stepped outside, he spotted William again.
The man was still standing there, motionless, staring up at the apartment building like a statue frozen in time.
Lucas planned to walk past him without a word, but William suddenly brushed the snow off his head and strode toward him.
William’s voice was hoarse, rough, like it hadn’t been used in days. “You’re Lucas, right?”
Lucas blinked. “You know me?”
“I know everything,” William said, his tone flat. “I’ve had someone look into everything about her lately.”
He hesitated for a moment before asking the question that clearly burned in his mind. “Are you two… together?”
William’s jaw tightened, and for a brief moment, Lucas thought the man might punch him if he said yes.
But Lucas shook his head. “No. If anything, it’s just me chasing her.”
William visibly relaxed, letting out a long breath. “Good,” he muttered.
Without another word, William stepped aside, retreating into silence once more.
Lucas didn’t linger long. As he disappeared around the corner, William remained standing in the snow, staring up at Jane’s apartment.
Inside, Jane let out a long breath of relief as she saw Lucas leave. She pulled the curtains shut, blocking out the sight of William entirely.
She didn’t spare him another glance.
By midnight, the snowstorm had intensified, and local authorities were advising everyone to stay indoors.
Jane woke up in the middle of the night, startled from her sleep. After sending a message to the Parks sisters to let them know the studio would be closed the next day, she found herself unable to fall back asleep.
On a whim, she walked to the window and pulled back the curtains. She expected to see nothing but a blanket of white snow.
Instead, she saw him.
William was still there, standing in the same spot, his thin frame barely visible in the swirling snow.
But this time, something was different. Behind him, parked a short distance away, was a brand–new Lincoln–expensive and pristine. Clearly, William had come prepared to wait as long as it took.
Instead, she frowned, an inexplicable irritation rising in her chest.
At 7 a.m., a loud, insistent knock on her door jolted Jane from her fragile sleep. Frustrated, she stomped to the door and yanked snapping, “William, what do you want now?”
But it wasn’t William.
Her gaze landed on his assistant, who stood there awkwardly, looking as though he wished he were anywhere else. “Miss Jane, it
Jane’s expression softened instantly. She gave him an apologetic smile. “Sorry, I just woke up.”
The assistant cleared his throat and said, “Mr. Grant collapsed. He stood outside in the snow all night, and this morning he fainted hospital now, running a high fever. He was… delirious, calling your name over and over.”
He hesitated before adding, “I thought you should know. After all, Mr. Grant had spent so long thinking you were… well, gone.”
Jane stayed quiet, but the assistant pressed on. “Just a few days ago, he was on the rooftop of his building, about to jump. He want
you…”
When William opened his eyes in the hospital bed, the first thing he did was glance toward the door.
His assistant stood nearby, nervously wringing his hands.
“She didn’t come, did she?” William asked, his voice weak but sharp.
The assistant flinched. “I told
пол
were sick,” he replied quickly.
“And I told her I fainted?”
“Yes.”
“And that I kept calling her name?”
The assistant nodded reluctantly. “I told her everything exactly as you asked.”
William’s face turned pale as he sank back into the pillow. “And what did she say?”
The assistant hesitated, then finally answered, “She… she only said one word.”
“What word?”
“Oh.”
The single syllable hit William like a blow. All the strength drained from his body. “She doesn’t care…” he murmured, his voice trembling.
Once, even a small cold would have had Jane fussing over him, checking his temperature, making him soup. Now, she couldn’t even be bothered when he had collapsed in the snow.
William threw back the blanket and swung his legs over the side of the bed.
“Sir, you’re not well enough to leave-” the assistant started.
“Get the car ready,” William interrupted. “I’m going to see her.”
“But the snow’s too heavy! The roads are impossible-
“Then I’ll walk.” William’s voice
firm, unyielding.
Jane’s lunch was a simple affair: a bowl of instant noodles with an egg cracked in. She was halfway through eating when a knock came at the door.
But it wasn’t the assistant.
It was William.
Jane froze, startled. Her first instinct was to slam the door shut, but William quickly stuck his hand in the doorway to stop her.
“Jane…” he said softly, almost pleading.
The door caught his hand, and he let out a muffled grunt of pain, beads of sweat forming on his pale forehead.
Jane stared at his hand for a moment, sighed heavily, and opened the door. “Come in,” she said. “I have some first–aid supplies”
William smiled faintly, a glimmer of hope lighting his eyes as he stepped inside.
As Jane treated his injury, William couldn’t take his eyes off her. He thought–prayed–that this meant she was beginning to forgive him.
But as soon as she finished bandaging his hand, Jane stood up and said, “When are you leaving?”
William’s smile faltered. “When you come back with me,” he replied quietly.
Jane let out a soft laugh, shaking her head as she put the first–aid kit away. Her tone was resolute. “William, I’m not going back.”
She stood by the window, the snow falling heavily behind her. Her figure was framed by the pale light, cold and distant.
“Jane,” she said softly, her voice steady and emotionless, “is dead.”
“She died the day you told her that only she could save Summer.”
William’s entire body stiffened, his face going ashen. “It doesn’t matter,” he said hurriedly, his desperation showing. “Jane, you can live as
someone else. You don’t have to be Jane anymore. Just come back with me. It doesn’t matter who you are–as long as you’re with me, we can
back to the way things were. We’ll grow old together, just like we planned…
Jane cut him off with a quiet, bitter laugh.
“William,” she said slowly, “what if Summer really did save your life? Would you still say it doesn’t matter?”
William froze, unable to respond.
Jane’s gaze was unrelenting. “It’s irrelevant whether she’s Summer or someone else. What matters is that your life will always have more,
Summers in it.”
“The Jane who loved you is gone. She’s never coming back.”
She took a step back, her voice firm and unwavering. “Now, I’m just a stranger to you. And you’re a stranger to me.”
William stared at her, his heart breaking. Her eyes were clear, resolute. There was no hesitation, no trace of the love she once had for him.
And just like that, he finally understood.
The Jane he had known and loved was truly gone.
William refused to leave Eldoria. Instead, he rented an apartment across from Jane’s building, stubbornly staying close. Every day, without fail, he sent her a bouquet of yellow roses–her favorite. One bouquet a day, never missing a single one.
Three days after the snowstorm that had paralyzed the city, the ice finally melted, and Eldoria was greeted with a brief spell of sunshine.
When the studio reopened, the Parks sisters couldn’t resist teasing Jane about her “wealthy and devoted admirer.”
scene.
With William around, many of the studio’s issues miraculously resolved themselves. Jane had tried to refuse his help, but William ign protests and kept doing things his way. Eventually, Jane stopped arguing–it wasn’t worth the effort.
After all, she did benefit from it.
Near the end of January, Jane received a call from an unfamiliar number.
She hesitated before answering, and for several seconds, there was only silence on the other end of the line. Jane had a sinking feeling chest and chose to hang up.
The phone rang again almost immediately. This time, when she picked up, a familiar voice came through the speaker:
“Jane. It’s me.”
It was Summer.
Jane exhaled slowly, her tone resigned. “I knew you’d find out sooner or later.”
“Was it because of me?” Summer asked. “Is that why you left?”
Jane didn’t hesitate. “Yes. I was done being summoned to donate blood for you whenever you needed it. Summer, no matter what happer won’t help you again.”
“Are you coming back?” Summer pressed.
“No,” Jane said firmly, and before Summer could reply, she ended the call.
With a sharp snap, she removed the SIM card from her phone and tossed it into the trash.
She was determined to sever all ties with the Faulkner family. No more entanglements. No more compromises.
But just a few days later, another unfamiliar number called her new phone.
Jane declined the call, only to receive a text message moments later:
“Jane, come back immediately. Suzy has passed away.”
Jane shot to her feet, her face going pale.
Her hands trembled as she dialed the number back.
Summer’s voice answered on the other end, dripping with sarcasm. “Oh, I thought you’d never call me again.”
Jane’s voice shook. “What do you mean by that? What happened to Suzy?!”
“You want to know? Then come back and see for yourself,” Summer replied coldly.
Jane’s chest tightened, her breathing shallow. “You’re lying to me again, aren’t you?”
She hung up and immediately tried to call Suzy, but panic set in when the call didn’t go through.
Desperate, she reached out to everyone she could think of, but no one had seen or heard from Suzy recently.
Finally, losing all composure, Jane threw on her thickest coat and ran barefoot in her slippers across the snowy street to William’s apartment.
When William opened the door and saw her standing there, his eyes lit up with surprise and hope. “Jane? Did you need something?”
Jane’s hands were shaking, her eyes red. “Summer said Suzy is… is dead. Is it true?”
William’s smile vanished. He stepped aside and gestured for her to come in. “Come in. Don’t panic. I’ll call my assistant and confirm.”
Jane’s hands were shaking, hel
William’s smile vanished. He stepped aside and gestured for her to come in. “Come in. Don’t panic. I’ll call my assistant and confirm.”
He walked out onto the balcony with his phone, while Jane paced back and forth in his living room, circling the same spot over and ove
After what felt like an eternity, William returned. His expression was complicated as he asked gently, “Do you want me to book you the earliest flight home?”
Jane went back.
The moment she stepped off the plane, the familiar scent of the air hit her, and for a moment, it felt as though she had stepped into ano lifetime.
Behind her, William followed closely. “You should just stay at my place for now,” he offered. “You’re already used to it.”
“No need,” Jane said flatly. “I’ll say it again–I don’t want to be involved with you or the Faulkner family. I just want to find out what’s goin with Suzy.”
William’s chest tightened at her words, but he had no choice but to follow her silently.
After they cleared customs, William pushed Jane’s luggage as they walked out into the bustling streets. The festive atmosphere of the Li New Year was everywhere–bright lights, decorations, and cheerful music.
Jane looked around, feeling a strange mix of nostalgia and unease. She took a deep breath and quickened her pace, but then her gaze ca on something–or rather, someone–across the street.
Her bo40
sank.
It was Summer.
She was sitting in an electric wheelchair, holding a massive bouquet of sunflowers, her face bright with a cheerful smile.
Summer rolled closer, stopping directly in front of Jane. She held out the sunflowers and chirped, “Surprise! Welcome home, little sister.”
Jane didn’t respond. She hated sunflowers–she was allergic to them.
Her face darkened as she pushed the bouquet away and brushed past Summer without a word.
She had no intention of interacting with Summer or anyone from the Faulkner family.
But Summer followed her, her voice sharp and deliberate. “Why won’t you talk to me, Jane? Just because I needed your blood, you’re treatin me like this? Is that fair?”
As soon as Summer’s words rang out, Jane noticed something unsettling. A growing crowd had gathered around them, and many had their phones out, cameras pointed directly at her.
The lenses were all aimed at Jane, recording every second of their interaction.
The crowd suddenly parted, creating a clear path.
Through the opening emerged Mrs. Faulkner, tears streaming down her face, holding her phone up as she live–streamed the scene. Her voice trembled, loud enough to draw everyone’s attention.
“Look at her, everyone! This is my ungrateful second daughter. I raised her, fed her, clothed her, gave her everything! And yet, knowing her sister’s life is in danger, she refuses to even donate a little bit of blood!”
William’s expression darkened immediately. He stepped in front of Jane protectively, his voice cold and sharp. “Summer, what are you trying
to do?”
Jane tugged lightly on his sleeve and said in a low voice, “Let’s go.”
immediately opened the door for them.
But the mob followed them, pounding on the car windows like a scene out of a zombie movie.
The assistant handed William his phone, showing him the live stream from Mrs. Faulkner’s account. The viewer count had already clin into the millions, the screen flooded with furious comments:
[This woman is beyond selfish. That’s her sister, her family! What’s a little blood? It’s not like it would kill her.]
[Exactly! Our school organizes blood drives all the time. She’s just heartless.]
[If I had a daughter like that, I’d have drowned her at birth!]
William’s face grew darker with every passing second.
He reached out, instinctively trying to hold Jane’s hand, but she pulled away.
Instead, she asked him, her tone calm but firm, “William, how did they know my flight details?”
William froze, realizing she was suspicious of him. He quickly shook his head. “I didn’t tell anyone.”
Jane exhaled slowly, closing her eyes. For a moment, it seemed like she was trying to compose herself.
But the tension was shattered when her phone began to ring.
She glanced down at the screen–and froze.
The caller ID displayed a name she hadn’t expected to see: Suzy.
Her fingers trembled as she answered, and Suzy’s familiar voice came through, casual and light. “Hey, babe! What’s up? I saw you called
earlier. Sorry,
ve been out in the countryside sketching–no signal out there.”
It felt like a bucket of ice water had been dumped over Jane’s head.
Her body went cold, and her mind reeled.
After a few brief pleasantries, she hung up and turned to William, her expression unreadable.
Then, slowly and deliberately, she asked, “William, you knew Suzy was fine, didn’t you?”
William looked away, guilt written all over his face. He swallowed hard, trying to muster a response. “I… I just…”
“Forget it,” Jane interrupted, her voice cold and flat. She reached for the car door.
William quickly tried to stop her. “Jane, you can’t go out there. The crowd-‘
