Virginia's face became deathly pale. Why does Lance speak to me so harshly? "Lance, what do you mean by that?" she asked, her voice trembling as tears welled up in her eyes. It made her look heartbreakingly fragile. "You think I'm dragging the Johnstons down, don't you?" Her words came in broken, shaky fragments, her breath hitching between sobs. Lance's sharp gaze remained fixed on her. Virginia continued, "I know I'm not like Addison. She's capable. She helps the Johnstons, while I ... I'm useless. I've always felt bad about it." Lance's words pierced straight into her heart. "I even tried to help before, but all I did was make things worse. That made me feel very uncomfortable." It was clear that he was criticizing her for not being able to assist the Johnston like Addison. Her tears flowed harder as she spiraled deeper into her despair. The thought of being compared to Addison, who always seemed perfect, only added to her anguish. Caught in her whirlwind of emotions, Virginia failed to notice when Lance left. By the time she finally looked up, he was gone. Lance?! He abandons a weak woman like me to stand alone on the street. She couldn't believe it. Her anger instantly flared, feeding into her already wounded pride. Furious, she grabbed her expensive, limited-edition handbag and hurled it to the ground. The pristine, white bag landed on the dusty road, instantly tarnished by grime and dirt. Virginia stared at the bag on the ground, her brows furrowing. The once-spotless white fur was now smeared with filth, looking dirty and pathetic. She let out a bitter laugh, her voice tinged with self-mockery. That bag is just like me. I'm a lady whom Lance dismisses without hesitation. Where is the so-called pure and unattainable muse now? What a joke. Men are so unreliable! Virginia was so angry. She had just bent down to pick up her handbag when she abruptly changed her mind. Straightening up, she marched over in her 2-inch heels and stomped the white handbag fiercely. The already dusty bag instantly became a muddy, unrecognizable mess.Stepping on the bag multiple times only alleviated a little of her rage, but it was enough to make her feel slightly better. Her heart, which once held love for Lance, now felt hollow. The days of his cold indifference had taught her that men were unreliable. If I want something, I have to rely on myself. Still, her gaze darkened with determination. Lance wasn't someone she'd give up on so easily. If Addison thought that she could just waltz in and take him, she was sorely mistaken. If Addison dares to snatch what's mine, I'll make her pay. "Ms. Dolton ...," a horrified man's voice suddenly came from next to her. His voice was trembling with a trace of fear as if he had witnessed something terrifying. Startled, she turned to see a tall, broad-shouldered man in a sleek black suit. The bodyguard's burly frame was at odds with the nervous expression on his face. At first glance, he was frightened by Virginia's actions just now. Virginia instantly masked her earlier fury, her face softening into an innocent, almost fragile expression. She ran her fingers through her hair, feigning nonchalance. "Oh ... I, uh ... my bag fell on the ground just now," she stammered, her voice light and unassuming. "There was ... a bug inside. It scared me, so I tried to stomp it out. Did I scare you?" She glanced at the man, half expecting him to run. After all, who would've thought Lance had the conscience to send someone for her? She'd assumed he'd just leave her stranded. The bodyguard blinked, still stunned by the dramatic scene he'd just witnessed. "Did Lance send you to pick me up?" Virginia asked sweetly, her tone now soft and endearing. Her sudden shift in demeanor made the man involuntarily rub his eyes in confusion. Is this the same woman who'd just fiercely stomped on a designer bag? When he didn't respond immediately, she repeated her question patiently, "Did Lance ask you to come get me?" "Uh ... yes," the bodyguard finally replied, snapping out of his daze. "Is there a bug in it? Let me help you check." After saying that, he squatted down and looked at the bag carefully. Virginia quickly waved him off. "Oh, no, no! It's so filthy now, don't bother about it. Since Lance sent you, let's just go, shall we? "It's pretty cold out here. I'd rather not stay outside too long," Virginia murmured, wrapping her arms tightly around herself.The bodyguard slapped his forehead as though just remembering something. "Ah, almost forgot! Mr. Gu specifically asked me to bring a blanket for you." "Really?" Virginia raised a brow. "He said you weren't dressed warmly enough and didn't want you catching a cold." The bodyguard quickly jogged over to the car, returning with a small blanket in hand. Virginia accepted the blanket and draped it over her shoulders. The warmth seeped in immediately. "Let's go," she said. "What about the bag?" The bodyguard's gaze drifted to the now mud-streaked white furry handbag lying abandoned on the ground. Virginia didn't even glance back. Her tone was haughty and indifferent. "Leave it. I don't need it anymore." A bag stained with filth had no place in her life. ... Lance's car pulled smoothly into the familiar confines of Pendomium Heights, navigating the winding roads as effortlessly as if he were driving to his own family estate. He stopped in front of the villa, stepped out, and glanced upward. The second-floor windows were shrouded in darkness, devoid of even the faintest flicker of light. There was no sign of life inside. Frowning, Lance tugged back the sleeve of his coat and glanced at his watch. It's 8 PM, a time for dinner. Addison isn't home. Where does she go at this hour? Leaning against the car, he stared at the villa for a while, the quiet stillness around him amplifying the tension in his chest. Finally, he lit a cigarette. For some reason, the glow revealed an unexpected trace of loneliness in his otherwise stoic expression. Though the cigarette burned steadily, Lance didn't take a single puff. Instead, he twirled it between his fingers, almost mesmerized by its ember's glow. The cigarette eventually burned out, leaving behind only a trail of ash that he casually flicked away. His gaze lifted once more to the second-floor windows, but the scene remained unchanged. It was dark and uninviting. His already apathetic demeanor got frigid once the cigarette went out as if he was waiting impatiently for what would happen next. Then he returned to his car, and the vehicle sped off, leaving nothing but a trail of dust behind. Just as Lance's car exited Pendomium Heights's gates, another vehicle passed by in the opposite direction, heading toward the villa he had just left. Addison was sitting in that car with Ryan beside her. Her gaze casually drifted out the window. Isn't that Lance's car? The car drove very fast as if it was venting the anger of the owner. Her eyes narrowed to get a closer look at the car. The distinct license plate confirmed her suspicion. That's right. It's Lance's car. Her brow arched as her thoughts began to churn. What was Lance doing at Pendomium Heights? Noticing her subtle shift in expression, Ryan, who was driving, glanced over. "Is there something wrong, Dr. Daves?" Addison shook her head lightly. "It's nothing." Ryan didn't press further. "By the way, Michael just called. He said the funding issue has been resolved, and the new batch of medication will be ready for production soon. Things should move forward smoothly now." "Is that so?" Addison nodded. Looks like the director's team is working efficiently. Ryan parked the car at the villa's entrance and unbuckled his seatbelt. His voice carried a note of warmth and admiration as he added, "Congratulations, Dr. Daves." She blinked, caught off guard. "Congratulations? For what?" Ryan grinned. "Once this medication, you collaborated with the Fullers, officially hits the market, it'll not only catapult the Fullers into one of the few companies in Halton capable of rivaling the Johnstons, but your international reputation will also soar." His genuine enthusiasm made her chuckle. "It's not in production yet, Ryan. There are still a few flaws that need to be addressed." Ryan nodded. "Don't worry, Dr. Daves. I'll work with you to make sure it's perfect." "Good." Addison smiled as she nodded.