Carolyn wasn't sure how she made it out of the psychiatric facility. She had disguised herself as a community service volunteer to gain access, hoping for a moment with her mother. To see the once-glamorous woman reduced to this... it felt like the final thread of her old life had snapped. There was no going back to Lewis Manor. She had contemplated returning to Scott, but fear held her back—fear that Chloe would intervene and redirect all of Scott's simmering hatred toward her. Scott probably despised her utterly. After her mother's crimes, she was nothing but a living reminder of the betrayal. A burning anger twisted inside Carolyn. Why had her mother chosen to have her with a man like Ernesto? What had he possibly offered? In looks, capability, or genuine care, he paled in every comparison to Scott. If Scott had been her father, none of this would have happened. Ernesto was despicable. He'd kept who-knows-how-many mistresses and treated her mother like a personal bank. When everything collapsed, Carolyn had made discreet inquiries. She'd learned that after Ernesto was taken into custody and realized his powerful backer had abandoned him—facing the certainty of life imprisonment—he had hanged himself in his cell the following night. He'd taken the coward's way out. That wretched man. How she loathed him. But now... where could she go? If her former fans, her public, saw her like this... what then? She had been a rising star, adored. How had she fallen so far? She was penniless and too terrified to show her face. In the days since the gala scandal, she'd been living like a ghost, jumping at shadows. She was paranoid that Chloe was orchestrating her downfall, too scared to even book a proper hotel, terrified Scott would send someone to detain her. She could only drift from one miserable hiding place to the next, disguised and desperate. What options did she have left to reverse this? The psychiatric facility was located in a remote suburban area. She had fled on foot and now faced a long, bleak walk back toward the city. She hadn't worn heels in what felt like ages. The low growl of an engine approached. A flashy cherry-red sports car was coming down the lonely road. Instinctively, Carolyn yanked the hood of her coat lower, hiding her face. A car like that... someone visiting a patient, probably. She had to get away, avoid drawing any attention. Fear was her constant companion now. She was terrified of accidentally running into anyone connected to Chloe. She was utterly alone. If she fell into Chloe's hands now, her life would truly be over. That bitch Chloe had all the luck. She'd come from nothing, from some backwater, yet everything fell perfectly into place for her. Carolyn tried to veer away from the road, but the red car seemed to adjust its path toward her. It drove past, then slowed, its brake lights glowing before it began to reverse smoothly. Carolyn's heart hammered. She kept her head down, internally pleading, "Move faster, just keep walking!" The sports car rolled to a stop precisely beside her. The driver seemed to be toying with her, revving the engine with a throaty roar that shattered the quiet. The sudden noise made Carolyn flinch violently. Her legs nearly buckled. Fear rooted her to the spot. Had Chloe's people found her? Defeated, Carolyn stopped walking and stared directly at the car. "What do you want?" she shouted, a burst of desperate bravado. She had nothing left but her life, and she was prepared to be reckless. If this was Chloe's doing, she'd drag someone down with her. The driver's side window slid down soundlessly, revealing Jennifer's face. "Ms. Lewis, what a surprise! Or should I call you Ms. Mason now? Which do you prefer?" Carolyn's eyes narrowed. She knew this woman, of course. The smug smile currently playing on Jennifer's lips was infuriating. But it wasn't Chloe. The immediate, primal fear subsided, replaced by wary hostility. Jennifer was no friend to Chloe either. Her presence here was no coincidence. She'd known Carolyn would be here. She's well-informed. More capable than she looks. Seeing no point in maintaining the feeble disguise, Carolyn reached up and pulled back her hood, revealing her face, now stripped of its usual careful makeup. "Jennifer. What do you want?" Watching Carolyn's defiant glare, Jennifer's smile remained intact. "I don't want anything in particular. I just happened to see you and thought I'd say hello.""What a remarkable coincidence," Carolyn retorted with a sarcastic snort, forcing a brittle smile of her own. She glanced into the car. It appeared Jennifer was alone. Even if she had malicious intentions, there wasn't much she could do single-handedly.