"Lance ... are you really just going to stand there and watch Addison take the necklace?" Virginia's frustration bubbled up inside her, but she couldn't bring herself to charge forward and grab the necklace back. Instead, she stood there, eyes locked on Addison, unwilling to blink. She feared the woman might casually drop the necklace onto the ground without a second thought. "Didn't I already tell you?" Lance's voice was cold, his tone sharp. "That plant you stepped on is called Divofrass ... " He didn't bother questioning whether Virginia had truly stepped on it by accident; he was uninterested in the details. "I've already explained how valuable it is. Do you understand?" He continued, his words hitting hard, devoid of emotion. "Your necklace isn't even worth a fraction of what Divofrass is worth." The impact of his words was immediate. Virginia felt as if the air had been sucked from her lungs, her body freezing in place, stunned and unable to move. It was as if she had been struck by a bolt of coldness.Lance's directness stung. She wasn't oblivious; she understood the meaning behind his words. Even if Divofrass is truly a rare and expensive plant, I stepped on it by accident. Can't Lance, at least, say something to defend me? Is it really so difficult for him to stand up for me, for his own woman? Why isn't he doing anything to stop Addison from taking the necklace? The two of them combined might really give me a heart attack. It feels like I'm invisible to them, just a background figure in their world. Is Addison his partner? Am I just the third wheel? Meanwhile, Addison continued to play it cool, flipping the necklace between her fingers as she made her way to the stairs in front of the Daves Residence. She was cautious this time, keeping an eye on Lance. After what had happened earlier, she wasn't going to let him get the jump on her again. She moved with purpose, eager to reach the door before he could catch up. In the blink of an eye, she stood at the heavy brass gates of the Daves Residence. Without hesitation, she gave the door a firm knock.The sound of the knock echoed through the air, filling the space with a deep, resonant tone. It was unmistakable, and the same noise that had reverberated before. Lance, who had been watching from afar, quickly turned, planning to rush over and stop Addison once again. But he hadn't expected her to act so quickly this time. As always, he was a step too late. With a scowl on his face, he left the fuming Virginia behind and walked toward Addison. Virginia watched his every movement, eyes narrowing as she saw Addison standing just a few steps ahead. "Addison ... she really knocked?" she muttered in disbelief. At first, Virginia had thought Addison was simply pretending to be brave, making a show of knocking on the Daves' door while secretly too scared to do it. But now, she saw that Addison wasn't bluffing at all. For a moment, Virginia stood still, a smile slowly creeping across her face as she let out a quiet laugh. She had thought Addison was just acting out of her depth, but now ... she realized this woman truly didn't know what she was getting herself into. The Daves' door wasn't something that could be knocked on lightly. Once someone knocked, there was no turning back. With a sarcastic grin, Virginia quickly moved to follow Lance's lead. Addison knocked again, this time with more force. But once again, there was no answer. The door remained silent, and not a single movement could be seen inside. As she was about to knock again, she heard footsteps approaching from behind. Without needing to look, Addison knew it was Lance and Virginia catching up. Without missing a beat, she picked up the pace, knocking even more urgently. She wasn't about to let Lance get the best of her again. "Addison, why won't you listen?" Lance's voice came from behind, cool and accusing. Why should I listen to him? Is he some sort of oracle whose every word must be followed? Why should I obey his orders? The absurdity of it all made her almost laugh. Addison didn't bother to acknowledge Lance. She acted as though she hadn't heard him at all, her focus solely on the door as her knuckles continued to strike it. Each knock became more urgent, and soon, her hand began to ache. Where is everyone in the Daves residence? Why isn't anyone answering? The two people who greeted them earlier—have they disappeared? Three years ago, the Daves Residence always had a security guard stationed by the door, and it was unheard of for someone to knock repeatedly without receiving a response. Addison hadn't been to the house in a while, so she wasn't sure what had changed over the years. She had no idea why the security guard had been removed from the entrance. When she left, she had been in such a rush that she hadn't grabbed her keys. Normally, she would just ride with Leon, and they would drive straight into the residence. She never had to worry about entering the house on foot. But now, she had no idea how to get in. Feeling stuck, she considered calling Leon to send someone to pick her up. But what really surprised her was that Lance, who had yet to receive a response from her, was just standing there, silently watching. He didn't try to stop her. Is today the day the sun rose in the west? Lance isn't intervening? Addison thought to herself as she kept knocking, her thoughts racing. For a while, the only sound was the dull thud of her knuckles on the door. The more she knocked, the sharper the sound became, possibly due to the material of the door. What had started as a soft thump gradually turned into a clear, ringing noise. That sound filled the air, lightening Addison's mood just a little. But before she could fully enjoy the moment, a sharp, mocking voice broke through. "Addison, it's not going to make a difference no matter how many times you knock." Virginia, walking slowly, appeared on the stairs next to Addison. "Everyone has their delusions, but don't you think there's a limit?" Virginia sneered. "Even if you knock your hand off, the Daves residence won't open the door for you." Her words were bitter, driven by the anger she felt over the necklace being taken.Addison didn't flinch. She shrugged, acting completely indifferent. "Whatever." Her complete lack of reaction only seemed to fuel Virginia's anger. Virginia took a deep breath, gritting her teeth before spitting out, "Let's make a bet, then." Addison raised an eyebrow, rubbing her sore wrist. "A bet? What are we betting on?" "We'll bet whether the Daves will open the door for you!" Virginia declared. "If they do, I'll give you this bracelet I'm wearing. If not, you'll return my necklace." Virginia was determined to teach Addison a lesson, convinced that the stand-in wasn't worthy of her things. But she didn't stop there. "And not just the necklace—you'll also give me that white sapphire bracelet you're wearing." The bracelet Addison's wrist, made of shimmering white sapphire, was valuable. Virginia, with her sharp eye for quality, had immediately noticed the most expensive item Addison was wearing. Addison couldn't help but laugh quietly to herself.After all this, Virginia is still obsessed with the necklace. But if Virginia wanted to make it a game, Addison was more than happy to play along. Losing the diamond necklace hadn't taught Virginia anything, so Addison thought she might as well make her lose a little more. Maybe that would help her learn a lesson. "Alright, I'll take you up on your bet. Let's see who comes out on top." Addison was sure Virginia would regret this decision. Virginia, clearly unaware of the trap she had walked into, stared at Addison for a moment in stunned silence before breaking into a wide grin. "Great! I love a bold person like you, Addison!" This was a bet she was sure to win. She had expected Addison to back out, but instead, the woman had foolishly accepted. Virginia was eager to claim victory. With the bet set, Virginia raised her hand and knocked on the door alongside Addison, making the sound even louder, as though trying to ensure the people inside would hear them. She could hardly wait to watch as the Daves shut Addison down.The sharp knock made Addison smile, the corners of her lips curling up. The show is about to begin.