At Virginia's words, Addison's face tightened. She glanced around, searching for any cameras, but found none. Virginia noticed. With a slight smirk, she twirled a lock of her hair. "Don't waste your time," she said, her voice dripping with satisfaction. "I already checked. No cameras." Her eyes gleamed with smug superiority as she leaned closer. "Go ahead, call the police. Let's see who they believe—an orphan or the Johnstons." The moment Virginia stepped inside and saw Addison, she had immediately signaled for the bodyguard to check the premises for surveillance. "Well, it seems like you've learned something," Addison teased, her voice full of mockery. "I didn't think you'd be smart enough to check for cameras." Her eyes shone with disdain, clearly enjoying the moment. Virginia's frustration boiled over. "You—!" Addison's taunting words were clearly meant to sting. Virginia clenched her fists, her anger surging. She turned to the bodyguards. "Have you finished searching?" How dare an orphan with no connections, no power, talk to her like that? The lead bodyguard came rushing down, others trailing behind him. "Ms. Dolton, we've checked everywhere. There's no one else." "No one else?!" Virginia's eyes widened in disbelief. "That can't be!" Addison didn't answer, her cold stare enough to send a message. Virginia turned her gaze to Addison, narrowing her eyes. "Did you buy all those herbs?" A wave of unease washed over her as the words left her mouth. What if Addison really was the one? She didn't dare continue the thought. Addison leaned back in a heavy wooden chair in the middle of the courtyard, an amused smirk on her face. "What do you think?" Virginia stared at her, anxiety twisting in her gut. Could it be ... ? No. It was impossible. She shook her head quickly, dismissing the idea. Addison couldn't possibly be the one. She looked back at her, her voice hard. "Tell me the truth. Stop playing games." Addison's smile deepened, but she didn't show any fear. She raised an eyebrow, her voice calm. "Of course not." She couldn't afford to admit that it had been her who had purchased all the herbs. The way Virginia acted—so confident and full of authority—made it clear she was acting on Lance's orders. Yesterday, when Addison had bought the herbs, she'd given the suppliers Raven's business card. If Lance knew it was her making such a large purchase, his keen instincts might lead him to figure out her true identity as Dr. Nancy. That was a risk she couldn't take. Virginia's shoulders relaxed as she let out a breath of relief. Addison's response was exactly what she had anticipated. She was right—it couldn't be Addison. "So, what exactly are you doing here?" Virginia asked, her voice taking on a tone of superiority as she pushed aside any lingering doubts. "I ... " Addison stood up slowly, her eyes narrowing. She wasn't sure how to explain her presence. Before she could answer, one of the bodyguards hurried down the stairs, holding something in his hands. "Ms. Dolton, I found this upstairs!" Addison's eyes locked onto the bodyguard. In his hands were a bag of herbs and a leather notebook. Her brow furrowed. The bag of herbs—it was the one she had bought yesterday at the fair. She had selected a few, hoping to test them out later. But the leather notebook ... Her anger flared as she spoke in a cold tone. "Who gave you permission to touch my things? Give it back." "Give it to me!" Virginia's voice rang with disregard as she ignored Addison's words. The bodyguard walked up to Virginia and handed her the notebook, placing the bag of herbs on the stone floor.Addison's brow furrowed even deeper. She took a step forward to grab the notebook, but seeing the bodyguard standing behind Virginia, she knew she had no chance of winning this fight. Virginia casually accepted the notebook, walking toward the bag of herbs. She casually sifted through the plants with her fingers, eyeing them as though inspecting a prize. She raised an eyebrow. "Is this yours?" Addison didn't respond. She only stared, her gaze cold. After a strange dream the previous night, Addison had fallen asleep at the desk. When she had awoken this morning, the sound of knocking had startled her, and she had rushed to the door, forgetting the notebook where she usually recorded her thoughts on medicine creation. Virginia, noting Addison's silence, raised the notebook higher. "Is this yours as well?" "Give it back." Addison's voice was firm, frustration evident in her tone. She couldn't match the bodyguards' strength, but she quickly moved toward Virginia, determined to reclaim the notebook. She had long memorized the formulas and ideas. But this leather notebook—she had specifically designed it to give Ryan a thorough set of materials. Over the past few days, Addison had developed the habit of jotting down her ideas as they came to her. But, no matter how fast she was, she couldn't match the skill of the trained bodyguards. One of them pushed her back without effort. The push sent her stumbling. Her foot slipped, and she lurched forward, barely catching herself. "Oh?" Virginia's voice was dripping with mockery. "Give it back? I think I should see what's inside first." She pretended to flip through the leather notebook, her eyes glinting with amusement. Virginia abruptly closed the notebook, tucking it under her arm. She covered her mouth with one hand, feigning surprise. "Well, Addison, you look rather ... disheveled," she said, a smug grin creeping across her face. "Where's the arrogance you used to have? Where's your power now?" Addison's lashes fluttered, her expression unreadable. She stood there, isolated in this old town, with Keith nowhere to be found. The Daves had severed ties with her. Ryan wouldn't be showing up either. Even if he did, she didn't want him caught in the mess with Johnston Enterprise. After all, he was just an assistant. No one was coming to her aid. Virginia's tone grew more condescending. "Funny how the tables turn, isn't it?" "Lance's bodyguards are top-notch. Trying to snatch that book from under their watch? Ridiculous. You know that, don't you" Virginia's eyes narrowed with mockery. "No, you wouldn't know. Lance never gave you that many bodyguards. Probably never even saw one." She sighed dramatically, her words laced with venom. "How pathetic. Three years as my stand-in, and not a scrap of affection from Lance. Not even a bodyguard." Addison remained silent, watching her carefully. "What's wrong? Just because you have one bodyguard now, you think you're powerful?" Virginia sneered. Addison had seen her share of bodyguards with the Daves. Virginia scoffed. "One bodyguard? I bet you're just putting on an act. Deep down, you're probably furious with jealousy." Her laugh echoed—a sound too sweet to be genuine, grating on the nerves. "A lonely orphan talking so big." "You think you're impressive? Let me see what's in that notebook. I bet it's full of tricks on how to keep a man's heart," Virginia taunted, reaching for the leather book. "Though, what good would that do? You're the perfect example of how not to keep a man, aren't you?" she added, grinning. Addison stayed still, eyes fixed on her. There was no point in stopping Virginia now. Instead, she spoke calmly, "Even if you open it, you won't understand a thing. What's the point?" "I won't understand?" Virginia's voice dripped with disdain. She was a graduate of a prestigious school, after all. There was no way she wouldn't understand what this orphan wrote. "You, an uneducated orphan, think I can't understand your scribbles?" she shot back. With a smug look, Virginia flipped open the notebook. As she skimmed through the pages, her eyes dropped.Formulas. Chemical bonds. A jumble of letters she couldn't decipher. This was Addison's notebook? What was all this nonsense? She didn't understand any of it. For a split second, the confident mask slipped, replaced by a hint of confusion. How was this possible? Addison caught the moment of discomfort and smirked. "Well? Did you figure it out?"