Three months ago, I was the notorious gold-digger girl at Nanda.
Three months later—
Turns out I’m the vicious supporting female lead.
Today was Emerson Hale’s birthday party, the rich second-gen boyfriend of Natalie Ashford.
And right now, she was being stopped at the door.
"Miss Ashford. The young master is in the chess room playing with Miss Sinclair," Butler Lin said politely, but the distance in his tone was obvious.
One sentence, and Natalie Ashford got it.
No need to come in. You can leave now.
There was no grievance or anger on her face. Even that tiny flicker of disappointment was tucked away in an instant, leaving only a faint, gentle smile.
She carefully handed over the cake box. "It’s okay. Please give this to him later for me, and wish him a happy birthday."
Her voice was soft, like the lazy breeze drifting through the afternoon.
When she turned to leave, she didn’t look back.
Separated by only one wall, the villa garden on the other side was full of perfume, designer clothes, and noisy laughter.
For Emerson Hale’s birthday party, basically all the younger generation of Nancheng had shown up.
A few girls in custom gowns stood beside the champagne tower, glancing toward the gate with mocking smiles tugging at their lips.
"See? At least she has some self-awareness."
"A girl like that managing to latch onto Young Master Hale is already her ancestors burning premium incense. How would she dare actually throw a fit?"
"Acting sensible, playing pitiful—honestly, not a bad move. Too bad the real one is right here."
"Showing up with some cheap cake like Young Master Hale would care. Be serious."
Those sharp little comments mixed into the laughter like fine needles, one after another.
In the lounge area at the corner of the party, Arabella Sinclair lightly stirred the juice in her glass, wearing the perfect amount of apology on her face.
"Jin’an, I’m really sorry. It’s all my fault. I lost at truth or dare, and they insisted I come up with a reason so you ‘couldn’t see visitors.’ I had no idea the next person to show up would be Natalie."
She frowned slightly, looking worried. "She’s your girlfriend. If she gets stopped outside like this, won’t she be upset? Tomorrow you have to explain it to her properly, okay? Don’t let her misunderstand."
The boy she called Jin’an lounged back in a white rattan chair, lazy and relaxed, mottled sunlight falling over him.
He was absurdly good-looking—clean-cut and striking, with deep-set eyes and a straight, elegant nose. His plain white shirt was crisp to the point of spotless perfection, sleeves rolled casually to reveal cool pale wrists, lean and refined. Everything about him carried that natural, untouchable air of privilege and distance.
Emerson Hale didn’t even lift his eyelids. He just looked at the iced soda water by his hand and said flatly, "It’s fine."
After a pause, he added in that cool, indifferent voice, "She won’t be angry."
On the electronic screen by one side of the garden, the live gate surveillance was playing in real time.
No arguing. No clinging. No drama.
That figure in white handed over the cake, then turned and started walking down the mountain road step by step.
The sunlight stretched her shadow long across the cold concrete.
She walked slowly, never once turning around.
Her thin back on that empty road looked so small, like a flower petal that might get blown away by the wind at any second.
Halfway down the mountain, her phone screen lit up in the dimmest glow.