Caroline returned to the workshop and was just leaning on her workstation when she overheard her colleagues whispering about her. “How can a maid be so bold, giving the master’s food to a dog? She must have had some kind of breakdown,” one of them mused. Though no names were mentioned, Caroline knew the conversation was about her. Some colleagues passing by earlier had caught snippets of her discussion with Liam. Another added, “She’s not just bold, I spoke to her in the pantry earlier, and she actually thinks she’s a Somerton!” “Really? I wouldn’t have pegged her as so delusional. But pretending to be a Somerton? She’s nothing like someone born with a silver spoon. Maybe she thinks she can climb into their beds and snag a marriage proposal!” “You give her too much credit,” another scoffed. “No matter her schemes, with her petty cunning and lack of foresight, not one of the Somerton men would glance her way. They’d sooner toss her out to the beggars for a laugh!” Laughter erupted around her, the voices blending into a cacophony that made it impossible for Caroline to distinguish who was mocking her the most. Recently reborn, Caroline’s mind was still adjusting, and right now, she yearned for rest more than she wanted to confront petty gossip. These people, engrossed in their rumors, posed no real threat to her. She decided to conserve her energy for those who truly warranted her attention—those who had genuinely harmed her. They would not be forgiven. Exhausted, Caroline eventually fell asleep at her desk. For the first time in a long while, she felt unburdened. No longer obligated to please anyone, she slept deeply and peacefully. “Hey, wake up, it’s time to get back to work. Did you gather the information on the supplies that Ms. Helen requested?” A colleague nudged her shoulder, pulling her from her rest. Caroline stretched lazily, a trace of nonchalance in her tone. “It’s done. I’ll send it to her right away.” Helen pursued a degree in fashion design and, after graduating, secured a position as a fashion designer at Somerton Clothing Factory. Caroline, on the other hand, had sacrificed her own university education to care for her Fabian after he suffered a leg injury on a construction site. Half a year later, upon his recovery, she took her eldest brother’s advice and joined the clothing factory as well. Over the past six months, Caroline balanced her factory job with night classes in fashion design, producing numerous sketches. Recently, Helen appropriated some of these sketches to create garments that sold exceptionally well, catapulting her to the position of chief designer. When Caroline confronted Helen about the theft, she flatly denied it. Caroline’s attempts to inform Liam and Edwin were met with disbelief and accusations of paranoia, leaving the issue unresolved. This return to the past felt surreal to Caroline, and she struggled to focus at work, haunted by memories of her previous life’s hardships. She pondered whether this second chance was a divine gesture of sympathy, encouraging her not to repeat her former passive behaviors. As the workday ended, Caroline quickly left the company. At the entrance of the company, the driver was already there waiting. Just as Caroline settled into the car, she heard the driver begin, “Ms. Helen needs to attend a concert shortly, so I have to drop her off first. Maybe you could … ” Remembering the past, when she had agreed to this arrangement only to end up stranded in the rain and falling ill, Caroline preempted him, “It’s okay, I’m not in a hurry to go home. You can take her first, then take me.” Previously, the driver had made a similar request, suggesting she take a taxi home instead. In her rush to return home and prepare dinner for her brothers, Caroline had compliantly caught the bus. Unexpectedly, a sudden downpour began while she was waiting at the bus stop, which lacked any shelter, resulting in her becoming severely ill after getting drenched in the rain. Adding insult to injury, Helen did not even attend the concert because of the rain and actually arrived home before Caroline. The driver, puzzled, recalled how in the past Caroline would always compliantly exit the car and make her own way home whenever he mentioned prioritizing Helen’s needs. What happened today? Observing the driver’s perplexed expression in the rearview mirror, Caroline smiled softly, “What’s the matter, Gary? Is there something bothering you?” The driver, forcing a smile, turned and replied, “Ms. Caroline, you must be joking. How could I possibly object to anything you decide?” Caroline knew his agreement was merely polite, but she chose not to press the issue further. She needed to hurry home to check on Polly, a talking parrot gifted to her by a mysterious benefactor on her last birthday. Tragically, a month before her untimely death, Helen had cooked the parrot and served its soup to Caroline. She vowed to settle scores with Helen gradually. Ring! Ring! Ring! The sound of her phone ringing snapped Caroline out of her thoughts. It was her daily alarm, a reminder to start cooking dinner. If she was late and her brothers returned to find no meal prepared, they would be displeased. Suddenly struck with an idea, Caroline hit the snooze button on her alarm and pretended to answer a call. “Hello? Helen, why aren’t you out yet? Do you need help with something? Okay, I’ll send Gary right over to assist.” After hanging up, she turned to the driver, “Gary, Helen needs help transporting some items from her office. She can’t manage alone, so could you please assist her?” “Sure, I’ll head there right now,” the driver replied, taking her at her word and exiting the car to head towards the company. As he disappeared into the company building, Caroline slid into the driver’s seat. Glancing at the car’s clock, she could not help but smirk. The sky threatened rain within minutes, and the car was already humming, ready for departure. Caroline deftly shifted gears, pressed the accelerator, and the vehicle swiftly moved forward. As the driver, Gary, and Helen emerged from the company, they were met with the sight of the car speeding away. Helen, taken aback, turned to Gary with wide eyes, “Gary, did you teach Caroline how to drive?” Caroline had never been known to drive; none of the Somerton men had the time or inclination to teach her, and it was assumed that only a driver like Gary might have. “N-No!” Gary responded, his confusion evident. He had been unaware of Caroline’s driving skills. Had he known, he certainly would have taken the keys with him. Now, he realized Caroline’s request—claiming that Helen needed help—was a ruse to get him away from the car so she could take it herself. How deceptive! Now, with the car gone, Gary fretted over how he was going to transport Helen to her concert. Both he and Helen were concerned. With the concert time nearing and the clothing factory’s remote location making it difficult to quickly find another car, they were in a bind.