From the moment Adrian laid eyes on Evelyn, he sensed the suffocating weight of her sorrow—and beneath it, a volatile, simmering rage.

"I’ll drive you home," he said. He had kept his driver waiting.

Evelyn opened her mouth to refuse. Going home was out of the question; if she walked through the Ward family’s door now, the money she had just secured would be snatched away before she could even breathe.

"It’s alright, Adrian. I can make my own way."

Adrian didn't argue. He simply opened the car door, his tone brokering no dissent. "Get in."

It was nearly nine o’clock. He wasn't about to let a young woman wander the streets alone, carrying a small fortune in cash. Evelyn hesitated, realizing that after the immense favor he’d just done her, further resistance would seem ungrateful.

I’ll just have him drop me nearby and then double back, she thought, sliding onto the leather seat. "The driver can take me, you don't have to—"

Before she could finish, Adrian had already climbed in beside her. His presence filled the cabin, and Evelyn felt her muscles lock tight. She was terrified he would bring up the "incident"—the day she had saved his life. In her past life, Seraphina had never shared the grittier details of that day. Evelyn was treading on thin ice. Fortunately, Adrian remained silent, staring out at the passing streetlamps.

As they neared the Ward estate, Evelyn called out, "Stop here, Adrian! The road ahead is too narrow for a U-turn. I’ll walk the rest of the way."

Adrian nodded, the car pulling to a smooth halt.

"Thank you, Adrian," she said, stepping out into the cool night air. He gave her one long, unreadable look before signaling the driver to move on.

Evelyn stood still, watching the taillights fade into the distance. She felt a surge of grim satisfaction. If not for Adrian, she would never have settled the marriage dispute so cleanly, let alone walked away with five thousand dollars. Even if the bridges with Julian’s family were burnt, at least a thin veil of decorum remained—enough to ensure they wouldn't dare sabotage her at the factory later.

She waited until she was certain Adrian was gone, then adjusted her bag and began walking in the opposite direction. But as she reached the main road, she froze.

The car was there. Waiting.

Adrian stepped out, his gaze devoid of accusation, yet Evelyn felt the unsettling prickle of being seen through.

"A friend of mine is away on business," Adrian said calmly, as if he hadn't just caught her in a lie. "He asked me to watch his place. It’ll be empty for at least a month. You can stay there, if you don't mind."

A lump formed in Evelyn’s throat. She dug her nails into her palms, using the sharp sting of physical pain to force back the tears. Adrian’s kindness was a shield she could no longer refuse.

The apartment was on the third floor of a quiet complex. Two bedrooms, a clean kitchen, and a small living area. It was modest, but to Evelyn, it felt like a fortress.

"The neighbors above and below are all police officers," Adrian mentioned as he handed her the keys. "You’ll be safe here."

Evelyn’s eyes lit up. The presence of the law gave her a sense of security she hadn't felt in years. Once the door clicked shut behind him, she finally let her guard down. She paced the rooms, processing the day’s chaos, before pulling the dull stone ring from her pocket.

As she held it, the world seemed to shift. Throughout the evening, her anxiety had caused her to pick at her palms until they were raw and bleeding. Now, as she gripped the ring, she didn't notice the crimson smears being absorbed by the porous stone.

In a heartbeat, the room vanished.

Evelyn gasped, certain she had died or gone mad. She was standing in a vast, silent expanse—nearly fifty acres of pristine land. In the center stood a stone well, its depths vibrating with a strange, potent energy. This wasn't just a ring; it was Sophia’s true legacy.

With a thought, she was back in the apartment. The ring vanished before her eyes, sinking into the wound in her palm. As the skin closed over it, the injury healed instantly, leaving her hand unscarred and smooth.

A cold fury began to churn in her gut. Did Seraphina have this power in the last life? If that woman had enjoyed the bounty of this hidden world while Evelyn suffered in the dirt, then the debt between them had just doubled.

The next morning, Evelyn headed straight to the municipal office, her family’s household register in hand. Current policy dictated that in large families, only one child could remain in the city; the rest were sent to the countryside for "re-education"—a fate most considered a slow death sentence.

"Evelyn? You're actually volunteering for the rural program?" the clerk asked, his jaw dropping.

"Not just me," Evelyn said with a chilling sweetness. "I’m signing up my brother, Caleb, too."

The clerk peered at his ledger. "There’s only one spot left for the Northern territories."

"Perfect. Caleb hates the cold," Evelyn replied. "Send him South. Send him to the hottest, most grueling rice paddies you have. I’ll take the North."

The North had one harvest a year; the South had three. Caleb would be worked to the bone under a blistering sun. It was the least he deserved.

With the paperwork filed, Evelyn had one final bridge to burn: her job at the meat processing plant. Unlike Julian or the Wards, she had earned her position through merit. While she slaved away on the assembly line, Seraphina and Julian sat in air-conditioned offices, playing at being "colleagues" and spending Evelyn’s overtime pay on their secret trysts.

The thought made her blood boil with a "primeval rage," as if she were ready to poison their tea right then and there.

She bypassed the gossiping crowds at the plant and went straight to the Chief Accountant. He was a man known to be looking for a position for his daughter-in-law.

"You're selling your post?" the accountant asked, stunned. "Evelyn, why?"

"The engagement is off," she said, her voice dripping with practiced melancholy. "Julian... he had other interests. I can't bear to see him every day."

The accountant sighed, his sympathy piqued. "Julian did that? What a disgrace. I won't haggle with you, Evelyn. Is fifteen hundred dollars fair?"

It was the market rate, but Evelyn wanted a quick, clean break. She wanted an ally, not just a buyer.

"Make it a thousand," she said, leaning in. "Plus some trade coupons and your help in making sure the transfer goes through quietly. I just want to leave this place behind."