Addison walked out of the office, her mind filled with questions. Should she ask Ryan? But what if it wasn't him? That would only reveal that she had come to this company, and when Ryan asked her why she was there, what would she say? Addison blinked. If Ryan brought it up, she didn't want to lie to him, but that would mean revealing who she truly was. Lost in thought, she walked slowly along the shore, unknowingly returning to where she had parked her car. She sighed deeply, then slid into the driver's seat. The car drove past the stretch of beach, following the coastline into the distance, with the Zimmers building growing smaller behind her until it disappeared entirely, much like her thoughts. ... The next morning, the first light of dawn gently brightened the room. Addison had been feeling off lately and had not been sleeping well. She woke up early today, almost as soon as the sky began to lighten. Unable to sleep any longer, she got up and made herself breakfast. Since she had woken up so early, she decided to head to the lab earlier than usual to distract herself. Her lab schedule had been put on hold due to the purchasing project, so after breakfast, she planned to let Ryan know and get back to work. She quietly mapped out the day's tasks in her mind. But just as she was about to bite into her fried egg with a fork and knife, her phone rang. The ringtone was urgent. She furrowed her brow, setting down her utensils and standing up to answer the call. The caller was Marilyn. Addison's brow tightened further. She chose not to answer and let the phone ring out, waiting for Marilyn to hang up on her own. About two minutes later, the phone kept ringing. Addison rubbed her forehead, steeling herself as she pressed the end call button. She had already made up her mind not to get too involved with the Johnstons anymore, and she had made that clear to Marilyn. But it seemed like Marilyn still couldn't accept it.In the early stages of Marilyn's condition, her mental health had been poor, and during Addison's own difficult times, she had still been there, taking care of Marilyn without leaving her side. After three years of close care and living together, Addison had developed a deep affection for Marilyn. During those time, she had cut off contact with her own family. Without any family support, she had come to Halton alone, and Marilyn had become like a mother to her. But even with that emotional bond, Addison knew that some relationships had to end, and that was something she was very clear about. Not long after, the phone rang again, this time even more urgently. Addison grabbed the phone—it was Marilyn again. The phone rang on without stopping, vibrating insistently in her hand, as if the caller wouldn't stop until she picked up. Taking a deep breath, Addison answered the call, her heart heavy with resignation. "Ms. Daves!" The voice on the other end was frantic, but it wasn't Marilyn's. Addison felt a wave of unease. She asked, "What happened? What's going on?" "It's Mrs. Marilyn. She's not well. You need to come quickly!" It was Lana's voice, rushed and anxious. Lana had worked for the Johnstons for many years, always caring for Marilyn. Whenever Marilyn's mental health had slipped, Lana had been right there, helping. Normally, Lana wouldn't panic this much, as she was accustomed to it. Had something changed? Was Marilyn's condition worse this time? "Did you give Marilyn the medication I sent?" Addison's voice was low as she quickly grabbed her car keys and walked out of the house. "Help Marilyn to her bed for now." "I gave it to her, but she hasn't improved. I don't know what to do." Lana's voice trembled, guilt leaking through her words. "Don't worry. I'll be there soon," Addison said, heading to the garage. She tucked the phone between her ear and shoulder and pressed the key fob to unlock the car. "Give the phone to Marilyn. I'll try to calm her down when I get there. "She can't stay like this for too long," Addison added. "Okay," Lana replied, though her voice faltered. "Mrs. Marilyn, she won't take the call. I handed her the phone, but she pushed it away." Addison frowned. Marilyn wouldn't take the call? She grew nervous. "Why is Marilyn becoming unwell? Is there something that triggered this?" Addison asked, speeding down the road as she spoke. "Did Virginia go to the Johnston Residence again and upset her?" "I'm not sure." Lana's voice was filled with panic, clearly unable to think straight in the chaos of the moment. Addison realized that in Lana's state, getting any useful information out of her would be nearly impossible. She softened her tone, trying to reassure her. "I'll be there soon. Don't worry." Before long, Addison arrived at the Johnston Residence. She parked the car quickly, rushed inside, and sprinted up the stairs. But when she entered, all she found was Marilyn lying alone in bed. Lana was nowhere to be seen. Marilyn heard her enter. "Is that you, Addison?" "Yes, it's me," she replied, walking quickly to the bed and helping Marilyn sit up. "Marilyn, are you dizzy?" Marilyn didn't answer. Instead, she smiled weakly, her voice soft but filled with warmth. "Addison, you're here to take care of me. That makes me so happy." She looked up at Addison, whose face was furrowed with concern, her eyes filled with worry. The fact that Addison had rushed over so quickly showed that she hadn't truly let go of the Johnstons or Lance. It also meant that she genuinely cared for the people in this house, and she had acted with sincerity the entire time. This wasn't like what Virginia had said—Addison wasn't the person Virginia had tried to make her out to be. Addison had never been that kind of person. "What are you talking about? This is something I'm supposed to do. Are you in pain? Is it really bad?" Addison asked, her voice full of concern. She quickly looked around. "Where's Lana?" She asked a series of questions, but there was only silence. Marilyn didn't answer any of them. Addison's unease grew. She looked back at Marilyn. Her expression was completely calm, showing no signs of being unwell. Addison felt confused. After a moment, she slowly let go of Marilyn and stood up."Marilyn, are you lying to me?" Addison's face was now expressionless, her eyes cold as she stared at Marilyn. Her earlier anxiety was gone, replaced by a chilling indifference. She now looked at Marilyn as though she were a stranger. It dawned on her. She had rushed over here, and not a single one of the many bodyguards had stopped her. She had walked right in. Lana appeared agitated during the phone conversation, even fumbling over her words. Addison had thought it was because Marilyn's illness had worsened, but now she realized that Lana's panic was just to cover up her lies. In her worry for Marilyn's health, Addison hadn't noticed the inconsistencies. Now, she saw them clearly. "Addison, I didn't lie to you," Marilyn stammered nervously, seeing the stern look on Addison's face. "I really wasn't feeling well. That's why I had Lana call you. "But when you were on your way, I started feeling better. I didn't want to make you turn around." Marilyn's voice faltered; she looked unsettled. Addison's expression didn't change. "Since you're fine, I'll leave." She didn't believe Marilyn's words. "I hope you don't play these kinds of games again." "Wait, Addison, today is Steven's 70th birthday. Please stay and join us," Marilyn pleaded, her eyes wide with desperation. Addison finally understood. Marilyn had staged all of this just to get her to attend Steven's birthday party.