Chapter 1

"Aunt Becca, I've thought it over. I'll leave the Blair family and move abroad to live with you."

Rebecca Rhodes brimmed with joy and exclaimed excitedly over the phone, "That's great, Callie! I'll get started on your visa right away. It'll take about a month.

"In the meantime, you should spend time with your friends. Once you settle in Zephyria, it'll be hard to see them again. Take the chance to say your goodbyes.

"And especially with your Uncle Spencer. He's raised you since you were a child. So, make sure you express your gratitude and thank him properly."

Callie Rhodes murmured a soft response.

After ending the phone call, she left the balcony and returned to the living room. Instinctively, she looked toward a framed photo on the table.

The sunset in the photo cast a warm glow over the faces of 17-year-old Spencer Blair and seven-year-old Callie. Spencer stood by the swingset, his smile wide as he pushed Callie on the swing. Her dress fluttered in the breeze and brushed against the tulips in the garden.

Even though so many years had passed, Callie remembered how happy she'd been that day. However, time had changed everything. She and Spencer could never go back to the way things were.

A flicker of sadness crossed Callie's eyes as she looked away and recalled the distant past.

The Rhodes and Blair families had been close for generations. Spencer was ten years older than Callie, and she'd always called him Uncle Spencer.

When Callie was seven, her parents, Grant Rhodes and Lenna Murray, had died in a tragic plane crash, and Spencer had brought her to live with the Blairs.

Perhaps out of pity for her being orphaned so young, Spencer had always kept her close and cared for her. He'd read her bedtime stories every night, had never missed a day picking her up from school be it rain or shine, and bought her anything that caught her eye.

Just like that, he had raised the tiny girl he'd taken in into a graceful young woman.

It was because of Spencer's tender care that Callie had clung to him from a young age.

When she had reached her teenage years, it had felt only natural for her to fall deeply and hopelessly in love with the man who had always been by her side.

When Callie turned 17, Spencer had thrown her a grand birthday party, just like he did every year. He had drunk too much during the party, and she had helped him to the couch to rest.

With the man she liked right in front of her, Callie couldn't resist leaning down and kissing him.

Then, Spencer's eyes had flown open, and he had shoved her to the other side of the couch.

Callie hadn't understood at first. She had thought it was a sign, a chance to confess her feelings. Yet, to Spencer, her words had been utterly outrageous.

"Callie! Do you realize I'm your uncle?" he had bellowed in fury.

"I know, but we're not even related by blood," she had argued.

Spencer's expression had hardened at her stubbornness.

"I'm ten years older than you! You're only 17, Callie. You don't know the difference between love and family. You don't even understand what it's like to have feelings for someone!"

Callie had always listened to him, but she was unyielding on this matter.

"So, you're only rejecting me because I'm too young? That's fine. I'll grow up one day, and I'll prove to you that I know what love is!"

She couldn't even remember how the argument had ended. But after that day, on every one of her birthdays, she had confessed her feelings to Spencer. And every year, he had rejected her.

Still, Callie had never considered giving up.

Her 21st birthday was only a month away. But this year, she didn't plan to confess.

A month ago, Spencer had introduced her to his girlfriend, Talulah Mackie.

The pain in Callie's heart was unbearable, but she had forced herself to hold back her tears and asked him if he was just trying to use his girlfriend to make her give up on pursuing him.

Spencer had merely glanced at her and had said indifferently, "Don't flatter yourself. I'm getting older. Having a girlfriend is perfectly normal."

His dismissive look had shattered her.

Callie had cried the whole night, her mind a whirlwind of everything that had happened over the years. When morning came, she had received a message from her aunt who was living abroad.

Rebecca had said, "Callie, do you want to come live with me? I wanted to take you with me after your parent's accident, but my career was unstable, and I had postpartum depression.

"I couldn't handle it all at once, so I had to put it off. But now that you're older, staying with the Blair family is no longer convenient. I'm doing better now. Would you like to come and reunite with me?"

Callie hadn't replied. She still didn't want to leave Spencer. She wanted to try one more time.

Nevertheless, in the past two weeks, it seemed like Spencer had been going out of his way to show off, constantly bringing Talulah around Callie.

They would hold hands, hug, and kiss—doing everything that only couples would do.

Just last night, he had let Talulah stay over and brought her to his room.

Callie had sat downstairs until three in the morning, watching as the light in his room finally went out and listening to the faint sounds of intimacy.

She had pressed her hand over her mouth while tears streamed silently down her face, soaking the couch. At that moment, she had finally decided to give up on loving Spencer.

Chapter 2

Footsteps suddenly echoed from outside, interrupting Callie's thoughts. She lifted her head at the sound and locked eyes with Spencer.

Seeing her sitting alone at the dining table, Spencer instinctively glanced at the clock on the wall.

It was almost 11:00 pm.

A barely noticeable frown crossed his face, but he said nothing as he headed upstairs.

Not a single word of greeting. He was cold and distant—like a stranger.

Callie felt a sting in her chest, but she couldn't help calling out to him.

"Uncle Spencer, dinner…"

"I ate with Tally. I've told you many times, you don't need to wait for me," Spender replied curtly without stopping, and the loud slam of his door drowned out his words.

Callie's heart jolted with it, and her eyes stung.

Spencer had never spoken to her like that before.

He knew how much she feared being alone after losing her family, and how she hated eating by herself.

No matter how busy he had been with school or work, he had always made time to come home and have dinner with her. Even when he traveled abroad, he'd rush back, worried that she might lose her appetite and get sick.

For over ten years, he had never missed a single meal with her.

But after the first time she had confessed her feelings, everything had changed.

He had begun distancing himself from her, working late, going on business trips to avoid seeing her, and stopped giving her any of the surprises he once showered her with.

All the affection and favoritism he had used to show her had vanished. And since Talulah had entered the picture, the way Spencer looked at her had grown even colder.

Callie understood why, but there was nothing she could do about it.

She picked up her spoon and forced herself to eat the food that had gone cold. Yet, it tasted like sawdust in her mouth. Despite the table full of dishes, all she could taste was bitterness.

After eating just enough to satisfy her hunger, Callie cleaned everything up before heading to Spencer's door and knocking lightly.

Spencer opened the door with a frown, and his tone was far from friendly. "I've told you before not to bother me unless it's important."

Callie bit her lip, twisting her fingers together nervously.

"Uncle Spencer, I want to move to a different room."

A flash of surprise crossed his face, but he didn't seem to give it much thought. "Go ahead."

Callie nodded and silently went back to her room.

Looking around at the large floor-to-ceiling windows, the carefully chosen furniture, and the walk-in closet filled with clothes, shoes, and bags, she felt a wave of uncertainty wash over her.

This was the largest room with the best natural lighting in the entire house.

It had once been Spencer's bedroom. The day Callie had moved in, he'd given it to her, ruffling her hair and claiming she was their little princess, and she deserved the best.

Now that she was leaving, it wouldn't be long before Talulah moved in.

Callie was only adopted by the Blairs and stayed as a guest. She didn't feel she had any right to stay in the master bedroom.

Hence, she had asked to move to clear the way for Talulah and sort through her belongings.

By noon the next day, Callie had packed up everything and moved into a small room at the end of the hall, which used to be Spencer's study.

After tidying up, she gathered her documents and headed downstairs to apply for her visa.

As she passed through the living room, she gave a small nod to greet Spencer. It lacked the warmth she had used to display toward him.

Spencer found her quiet demeanor unsettling. As he watched her wordlessly walk out with her head down, he couldn't shake the feeling that she had changed a lot.

He called out to her without thinking.

"It's snowing hard outside. Where are you going? Do you need a ride?"

Callie hadn't heard him offer to drive her anywhere in a long time. For a moment, she was stunned.

"It's Christmas," she murmured softly. "Aren't you going on a date?"

Spencer didn't quite catch what she said. "What?"

Callie clenched her fists and looked down. "I saw on the news yesterday… You spent millions on a diamond necklace at an auction. You're planning to give it to Talulah today, right?"

Spencer froze, the words slipping from his mouth before he could stop them. "That's not who I bought it for—"

The doorbell rang, cutting him off.

A moment later, Talulah entered. She was dressed in a chic knit dress with her long curls cascading down her back, her makeup flawless.

She slid her arm through Spencer's and said playfully, "Spencer, I got you a Christmas present! Guess what it is."

Everything was exactly as Callie had imagined.

She lowered her head, a bitter smile tugging at her lips.

Maybe because she had already made up her mind to leave, hearing about their date didn't hurt as much as it used to. She simply stepped back to let them pass.

Spencer didn't dwell on their earlier conversation either. He took Talulah's hand and headed out the door but called back to Callie on the way.

"Don't go wandering off. If you need to go somewhere, I'll drive you."

Callie hesitated for a moment before responding obediently, "Thank you, Uncle Spencer."

This time, she truly meant it.

She also meant it when she addressed him as her uncle.

Chapter 3

Callie rarely went out and usually spent most of her time tucked away in her art studio. But even in this blizzard, she had to venture out, which piqued Talulah's curiosity.

"Callie, you don't have a boyfriend. What are you doing going out in this weather?"

Callie didn't know how to explain, so she simply answered, "I'm just running some errands."

They'd probably figure it out once the car arrived at the visa office anyway.

Talulah didn't press further. She turned back to Spencer and chatted animatedly about their plans for the day. The two of them were so caught up in their conversation that it seemed they forgot Callie was in the back seat.

At a red light, Talulah pulled out a lipstick and asked Spencer to help her reapply it. He didn't hesitate as he cupped her face with gentle, attentive hands.

When they leaned closer, Callie looked away to watch the snow swirl outside the window.

Just as they were nearing her destination, Talulah suddenly mentioned wanting to go back home to grab a coat. They were less than a mile away, but Spencer immediately told Callie to grab a different ride.

Callie gave a wry smile and got out of the car alone.

The black Cayenne sped off, kicking up a flurry of snow in its wake.

The streets were empty, not a soul or a car in sight. Callie trudged through the snow for almost a mile to the visa office and handed in all her documents.

When she exited, she ran into her old high school teacher, Angeline Webb.

They exchanged pleasantries for a bit, and when Angeline learned Callie was moving abroad, she looked surprised. "You're not coming back? Did your uncle agree to this?"

Callie wasn't sure why Angeline suddenly brought up Spencer, so she fibbed a little.

"He agreed. We're not related by blood, and I'm an adult now. I can't rely on him forever. It's good for me to go abroad and learn to be independent."

Angeline sighed and nodded, a flood of emotions crossing her face.

"Even though you two are not related, Mr. Blair has really done a lot for you. I still remember the time you were accused of plagiarism in the competition. Even though your uncle had just gotten off the operating table for an appendectomy, he rushed to the venue to defend you.

"Or the time when you fell at school, and he left a multi-million-dollar business deal just to take you to the hospital. Also don't forget the time those thugs harassed you. Your uncle made sure they got the punishment they deserved."

As Angeline recounted these memories, Callie couldn't help but be pulled back to the past.

By the end, Angeline held her hand tightly and earnestly reminded her to never forget Spencer's kindness and to repay him well.

Callie nodded silently.

She had already made up her mind. Before leaving, she'd repay everything Spencer had done for her over the years. For him, the best repayment would probably be her departure.

That way, he wouldn't have to worry that she would cling to him relentlessly anymore.

When Callie got home, she changed out of her snow-soaked clothes and sat at her desk to start going over her finances.

She'd been living with the Blair family for so many years and had always kept a mental note of her monthly and yearly expenses. She quickly estimated a total.

There were also some hidden costs she couldn't quite calculate, so she decided to repay Spencer three times what she estimated.

Earlier that morning, she had gathered up all the gifts Spencer had ever given her and listed them on a resale website. Then, she contacted a real estate company and put her old family home up for sale.

Once everything was done, a sense of relief washed over Callie, and she collapsed onto her bed. Her phone buzzed with a few notifications.

It was from Talulah. The latter had sent over a dozen photos and a single message.

"Callie, Spencer and I are going to Mayfair for a few days. Behave while we're gone, okay?"

Without even opening the photos, Callie already knew they were more of Talulah and Spencer showing off their relationship.

Ever since they went public, Talulah had made a habit of posting photos from each of their dates.

Before, seeing those photos would have kept Callie up at night, crying until her eyes were red and swollen. But now, after deciding to see Spencer as nothing more than family, she wasn't bothered by Talulah's flaunting anymore.

Whether Talulah was doing it on purpose or not, Callie no longer cared.

Calmly, she sent back a message. "Okay, have fun."

Chapter 4

Five days later, Spencer and Talulah returned from their trip. As soon as they walked into the house, Callie's eyes were drawn to the dazzling necklace around Talulah's neck.

She quickly looked away after a glance.

She had guessed it right. Spencer had intended to give that necklace to Talulah. What had he been trying to say that day when he hesitated?

Talulah had always treated Callie warmly in front of Spencer.

She immediately took Callie's hand and said, "Callie, you must have been so bored alone at home. I bought a lot of things. Come see if there's anything you like."

While speaking, Talulah removed her coat and pulled Callie toward the pile of boxes. Callie shook her head and politely declined, but Talulah gave her a reproachful look, her tone carrying a subtle edge.

"Why are you being so modest? Just think of them as gifts from your future aunt, okay?"

Callie instinctively looked up and noticed the unmistakable love bites on Talulah's neck. Her heart skipped a beat.

Among the photos Talulah had sent from Mayfair, one featured a direct shot of the hotel bed. Callie hadn't understood the significance then, but now, seeing those hickeys, it all made sense.

She looked down and said nothing.

As Talulah began opening boxes, she started talking about the evening's event.

"Spencer, we should bring Callie to Carmen's birthday banquet tonight. They're around the same age, so they should get along well."

Callie froze at the mention of the banquet.

Ever since she moved in with the Blair family after her parents passed, Spencer had never taken her to any events. People liked to gossip behind her back, calling her a freeloader.

This time, Spencer shook his head again. However, Talulah clung to his arm and pouted, insisting that she would be bored alone and needed Callie's company.

Unable to resist her, Spencer eventually gave in with a fond yet exasperated smile.

Watching their affectionate interaction, Callie lowered her head with a wry smile. She could tell Talulah was truly special to Spencer judging from the way he broke boundaries for her sake.

It seemed Spencer really did love Talulah. Callie thought that as long as he was happy, even if the person by his side wasn't her, she could leave in peace.

At Carmen Smith's birthday banquet, glasses clinked and conversation flowed. Callie stood alone in a corner while quietly sipping juice and watching Spencer down countless drinks on Talulah's behalf.

A group of girls passed by and accidentally spilled red wine on Callie.

They hurriedly apologized, but she didn't mind. She excused herself to the restroom to clean up and handed Spencer her phone and purse before leaving.

Ten minutes later, when she returned, Spencer frowned as he looked at her. His tone was strange. "Your Aunt Becca just called. I told her you were busy, so she said she'd call back later."

Callie tensed. Thankfully, Rebecca hadn't mentioned anything about Callie's intention to move abroad, so she relaxed a little.

Spencer noticed her sudden nervousness and asked, "When did you get back in touch with your aunt?"

"A couple of weeks ago. She asked me to send her some photos of Grandpa and Grandma." Callie casually made up an excuse.

Spencer seemed relieved and didn't question it further. He turned back to Talulah and fixed her hair.

Callie took back her phone and purse, ready to retreat to her corner once more.

But just as she was about to leave, the towering champagne tower suddenly toppled over, crashing down toward Callie and Talulah.

"Watch out!" Spencer was closest, and without thinking, he pulled Talulah out of harm's way and shielded her in his arms.

Crash!

The champagne tower collapsed with a deafening sound, and Callie, unable to react in time, was struck down by the falling glasses.

Shards flew in all directions, and she fell to the floor, blood pouring from her wounds and soaking her white dress in a horrifying display.

The accident left everyone in the room stunned. Talulah, though unharmed, burst into tears.

Looking between Talulah and Callie, Spencer hesitated for only a moment before making his decision.

"Take her to the hospital," he instructed one of the bodyguards. Then, cradling the sobbing Talulah, he hurried out of the venue.

It wasn't until the two disappeared from sight that Callie managed to stagger to her feet under the pitying stares of the onlookers.

By the time she returned home after having her wounds treated, it was already 1:00 am.

The doctor had stitched her up with over ten stitches and suggested she stay in the hospital, but Callie refused, opting instead to take some medication and head back.

Spencer wasn't home yet.

Callie turned off the lights and lay in bed, staring blankly at the dark ceiling. The stinging pain radiating from her injuries made it impossible to sleep.

She tossed and turned until 3:00 am before finally drifting off into a light slumber.

Suddenly, the lights in the living room flicked on.

Spencer had returned, his body reeking of alcohol as he staggered upstairs.

Instead of going to his bedroom, he walked to the room at the far end—the study he used to spend time in—and gently opened the door.

Callie was a light sleeper. When she turned over to her side, she tugged at her wound and let out a soft whimper in her sleep.

That faint sound caught Spencer's attention.

Following the sound, he walked to her bedside, leaned down, and wrapped his arms around her.

One of his hands moved to the small of her waist and gently pressed against her soft skin, while the other hand lifted her chin as he kissed her.

Chapter 5

The disturbance quickly woke Callie, and she immediately recognized Spencer from his familiar cologne.

Uncle Spencer? Why was he suddenly kissing her?

Callie froze in shock, and before she could react, she heard Spencer murmur in a hoarse voice with heated breath. "Tally…"

At that moment, her entire body stiffened. The overwhelming smell of alcohol told her everything. Spencer had mistaken her for Talulah in his drunken state.

While she was in a trance, Spencer's hands started to wander.

Callie panicked and pressed down on the hand that was exploring her waist. She tried pushing him away and desperately said, "Uncle Spencer, you've got the wrong person! It's me, Callie!"

Whether it was the alcohol clouding his judgment or her resistance sparking his dominance, Spencer's kiss grew more intense, his teeth grazing her soft lips.

Callie could hardly breathe. Tears welled up in her eyes, soaking the bandages on her wounds and causing sharp, stinging pain.

"You're hurting me, Uncle Spencer! My injury... It really hurts..."

Spencer momentarily froze.

Callie couldn't tell if it was because the alcohol was finally wearing off or her plea had broken through. When he released his grip on her, she hurriedly rolled to the side and fled.

She didn't even bother to put on her slippers and sprinted barefoot into the living room, where she wrapped herself in a blanket on the couch and finally dozed off at dawn.

The next afternoon, Callie opened her eyes and found Spencer standing before her with an unreadable expression.

The events of the previous night rushed back to her, and she shrank into the corner of the couch.

Spencer's eyes flickered with coldness at her reaction. "Did you bring me to your room last night?"

Callie was stunned by the accusation. She was about to explain when she saw him frown again.

"Don't ever do that again. Otherwise, you'll have to move out."

His certainty struck her silent, and the words "You were drunk" stayed stuck in her throat.

Given the misunderstanding from a stolen kiss before, Callie knew that no matter how much she explained, he wouldn't believe her anymore.

So, she gave up trying and remained quiet.

Then, out of the corner of her eye, Callie noticed his hand was raised slightly. She glanced up, wondering what he was doing.

Spencer's hand stopped just above her head as if he were going to pat her.

Callie's eyes widened in disbelief.

When she was younger, whenever she was sad and crying from missing her parents, Spencer would pat her head and gently comfort her. It had become their unspoken signal.

But ever since she turned 17, they hardly had any physical contact.

Callie held her breath, tense with anticipation. The next second, however, Spencer's hand lifted higher, and he pulled a bottle of red wine from the cabinet behind her.

It turned out she had read too much into it.

Callie smiled bitterly at herself.

Because of her rush to sell her belongings, all her family's assets, including the old mansion, had been sold for less than market value. Nonetheless, everything was finally disposed of.

She managed to gather over 9 million dollars, still short by a few hundred grand of what she needed to repay Spencer.

With little time left before her departure, raising the remaining amount was difficult.

Callie was a painter. Although still a newcomer, she had won numerous awards and gained some recognition in the art field. Thus, she decided to hold an art exhibition to sell her work.

Doing it alone would be hard in such a short period, so she turned to Spencer for help.

When Talulah learned about it, she appeared surprised but then smiled and chimed in, "I'm also preparing for an art exhibition. How about we do it together?"

Callie looked at Spencer. Seeing that he had no objections, she agreed.

Five days later, their joint art exhibition was held at the gallery.

Talulah, who had been learning painting for over ten years, was hosting her first major exhibition, and Spencer was particularly invested in it.

He had secured the gallery's main hall for her and meticulously decorated it by using every resource he had to promote the event.

As a result, on the day of the exhibition, the turnout of social elites and prominent figures shattered the gallery's previous attendance records.

On the other hand, Callie's exhibition, which had been placed in a much smaller side hall, wasn't nearly as fortunate.

The cramped space barely fit her nearly 100 paintings, leaving little room for movement. Hardly anyone entered, let alone purchased anything.

Standing at the entrance, Callie watched the lively scene in the distance with a heart full of sorrow.

A few friends were there to help, and they were just about to console her when a scream suddenly came from inside the room.

"Callie, something's wrong!"