Addison sat for a while longer but still did not see anyone approaching. She looked around, puzzled. This isn't right. Such a loud noise should have attracted attention; why hadn't anyone come? Is everyone deaf? Or is the location of this dressing room incorrect? As she considered this, Addison had a realization. She tried to remember the route Georgina had taken her along to this place. It seemed a bit secluded, didn't it? At the time, she was so focused on keeping herself covered with a blanket to avoid exposure. She had walked with her head down, not noticing her surroundings. Now, thinking about it, the path they took was unusually quiet, with hardly any guests or even staff around. It was quite isolated. Addison clenched her fists, a silent realization dawning on her. Georgina must have planned this in advance; how else could she have chosen such a remote spot? Taking it a step further, her clothes were drenched by Georgina, and even the wounds on her hands were caused by the broken wine glass Georgina had handled. If Georgina had intended to harm her from the start, then soaking her clothes must have been part of her plan. Addison furrowed her brows, struck by Georgina's cunning. She had been careless. She had thought that even if Georgina was influenced by Virginia, she would still have her own judgment and not just blindly follow Virginia's lead. She had not expected Georgina to fall so easily under Virginia's influence. Virginia's charm was alarmingly effective on both men and women. It was one thing for Virginia to deceive Lance, but now Georgina was deceived as well. Addison's emotions were a tangled web, and she found herself at a loss for words to describe Georgina. She was undoubtedly kind-hearted, perhaps too much so. She was not naive, yet she was not exactly sly either. There was an innocence about her, but underneath it lurked a hint of scheming ... It was a complex mix that was difficult to pin down. Addison sat alone on the cold marble, overwhelmed by a sense of hopelessness as her last shred of hope faded away. There seemed to be no way out. Looking on the bright side, she might have to wait until the conference concluded to make her exit. On the downside, the remoteness of this place meant that it was likely no one would come by. After the guests departed, the organizers would probably only clean the main areas, potentially overlooking this secluded spot altogether. This could mean spending days here, alone ... Sitting there, she began to feel the chill. A persistent cold draft seemed to target her directly. She rubbed her arms, feeling goosebumps pop up over her skin. Her dress, a light chiffon, was suitable for the heated conference venue, but this unheated dressing room was a different story, feeling especially cold. Shivering, Addison pulled out a blanket that had been stuffed into her bag earlier, wrapping it around herself. If she could not leave tonight, the chilly temperature might be more than just uncomfortable—it could be life-threatening. She was now grateful for Ben's insistence on bringing the blanket. Without it, she doubted she would have lasted even two hours. Yet, even with the blanket wrapped around her, the relentless cold wind continued to sweep through. Addison huddled down, seeking a slightly warmer corner of the room. She squatted down, wrapping herself tightly and trying to stay warm. Without a phone to check the time, she could only guess that her grandfather must have already arrived, and the exchange meeting would be at its peak.She wondered if her grandfather was disappointed not to see her. Would he think she was intentionally avoiding him? He must be very disappointed. She, his granddaughter whom he had raised from a young age, sent abroad to study, and to whom he had taught all his knowledge of herbal medicine without reservation. Yet, in the end, she was willing to sever ties with the entire Dave family for the sake of a man. She had not appreciated all the years of nurturing. Even after three years, she still stubbornly refused to see him. From her grandpa's perspective, she could feel that she had gone too far. He must be very disappointed. Even the strongest love cannot withstand being shattered time and time again by disappointment. Addison squatted on the ground, silently hugging herself, feeling colder than ever. Wrapped in this somber mood, not only was her body cold, but her heart was frozen too, chilled from the inside out. ... On the other side, in the warm hall, Virginia sat elegantly on the couch, her face lit up with a carefree smile. She cradled a glass of wine in her hand, enjoying each sip. When she was in a good mood, even the wine tasted much sweeter. As Virginia sipped her wine, she smirked, unable to suppress the corners of her mouth. The gleam in her eyes was dark and ambiguous. She pondered how Addison might be faring in the cold dressing room. She had deliberately turned off the heating there. As she swirled her glass, her emotions surged with a sense of cruel satisfaction. Virginia narrowed her eyes. Addison deserved to feel a bit of chill, to understand the pain Virginia had endured.A few hours earlier. After Georgina had left, Virginia quickly excused herself from the crowd. She was only putting on a facade for Georgina's sake. As soon as Georgina was gone, she could not wait to escape the throng. She did not want to linger in a crowd so large. She had spent a considerable sum on her dress and did not want it ruined by being jostled and squeezed. Moreover, the conversations swirling around her were steeped in advanced medical and chemical jargon, topics she found utterly incomprehensible and uninteresting. So, Virginia stood on the outskirts, keeping an eye on Georgina. She knew Georgina was not just heading to the restroom but was actually going to stand up for her, which put Virginia in a good mood. She did not have to get her hands dirty dealing with Addison herself. Yet, despite her glee, a twinge of unease lingered. Georgina, known for her integrity and kindness, was unlikely to do anything too harsh. As a pampered young lady, she lacked the means for dealing with people harshly. This meant that even with Georgina's support, Addison would not likely suffer much. This felt incredibly unfair to Virginia. She had been kidnapped and held in a filthy, abandoned factory, subjected to constant harassment by crude men, and even suffering a broken leg—all because of Addison. The thought that Addison might only receive a mild rebuke was intolerable to Virginia. Her anger nearly led her to crush the wine glass in her hand. Driven by her fury, she followed Georgina closely from the open platform to the dressing room. Virginia watched as Georgina emerged from the dressing room alone, leaving Addison inside, unharmed and casually changing clothes. Witnessing this, Virginia felt a surge of anger; she knew Georgina was too soft-hearted to do anything to Addison. Realizing she couldn't depend on others, Virginia decided to take matters into her own hands.After Georgina left, she noted the remoteness of the location and the lack of people around. Though she could not confront Addison directly, she knew subtler methods could work. Virginia slowed her pace, approached the door without hesitation, and swiftly locked it. She double-checked to ensure that there was no way Addison could escape. Then, with a casual flick, she turned off the heating, leaving Addison to face the cold. Now sitting on the couch, Virginia emerged from her reverie, pleased with her own cunning. The strategy had been perfect. On the surface, it might have seemed like Georgina's doing, but she was the real puppeteer behind the scenes. Addison would never suspect her. No one would know. Savoring the thought, Virginia found a twisted pleasure in her actions. Making Addison uncomfortable brought her joy. The more discomfort she could cause Addison, the happier she became. She replayed the scenario over in her mind, each recollection bringing a deeper sense of satisfaction.