Chapter 2

Claire Bennett lit up in delight after receiving Nova's reply, and she said, "That's wonderful, Nova! I'm so proud of you. The country needs more young people like you who have a strong sense of duty and willingness to serve. "But the project is tough, and you'll be stationed at a remote place. Will your uncle let you go? He seems to care about you a lot." Nova's grip tightened on the phone. Her voice was steady and unwavering as she said, "I don't need his permission. I can decide for myself." After Nova ended the call, all strength drained from her body. She staggered and collapsed slightly against the wall. But as she stepped back, she collided with Ewan's arm. Startled, she hopped away and saw Ewan frowning deeply. He asked, "Who were you talking to? What are you joining?" Keeping her cool, she replied, "Oh, my professor asked if I wanted to join a campus club." He didn't question it further and delivered a cold statement. "The surgery is scheduled for next week. In the meantime, I'm bringing Wynter home." Then, he paused as if a thought crossed his mind. His tone was colder as he continued, "Also, I don't want to see strange letters in my study again. They might cause unnecessary misunderstandings for Wynter." Nova turned her head away, digging her fingers into her palm. Her voice was bitter as she murmured, "Understood." Ever since the day she stole the kiss and got caught, she wrote Ewan a heartfelt love letter every week. They were filled with pages of her feelings and love poured into words. However, every single letter had ended up in the trash. Still, Nova kept writing stubbornly. Yet, what she saw as confessions of affection were repulsive and disturbing in Ewan's eyes. Seeing her acquiescence, he said nothing more and gave a few instructions to the driver before walking back into the ward. An hour later, Nova spotted Ewan's car at the exit of the hospital. She watched him help Wynter carefully into the backseat. Rushing downstairs, she arrived at the car in time and reached out for the door handle, only to watch the car speed away in front of her. All that was left was a cloud of exhaust fumes. Frozen in place, she immediately received a new message from Ewan. "Wynter has OCD. She doesn't like the scent of strangers, so take a cab home yourself." Her eyes dimmed. After lowering the phone, she raised her hand and flagged down a passing cab. Once inside, she stared out the window silently. The driver asked in concern, "That handprint on your face looks pretty serious, young lady. Would you like me to stop by a pharmacy for you?" Nova shook her head as her expression grew darker. No one in her so-called family had shown her a shred of concern, and the only words of worry came from a complete stranger. Now that she thought about it, it was ridiculously ironic. When the car stopped at the villa gate, she stepped out and pushed it open. She entered, but Ewan was nowhere in sight. Wynter sat in the living room and toyed with a necklace in her hand. When Nova took a closer look, she recognized it was her emerald necklace she'd locked in her safe. It was the only keepsake her parents had left behind, and she cherished it so much that she dared not even touch it. Now, Wynter was fiddling and playing with it. Nova's expression turned cold as she reached out her hand. "Give me back. Ms. Linwood, you entered my room without permission. Is that what proper upbringing means these days?" Wynter's expression soured, but before she could speak, Ewan's voice came from upstairs. "I let her in. Wynter is going to be the lady of this house anyway. She has every right to enter any room she wants. "In fact, if it makes her happy, you shouldn't have any objection if she demands to stay in your room." He stopped in front of Nova and scanned her face with an indifferent gaze. Nova's face paled. Emboldened by his presence, Wynter smirked. "It's just a stupid necklace. If you want it back so badly, here." She reached out to hand it over, but just as Nova went to take it, the necklace hit the floor and split into two. "No!" The necklace broke, and so did Nova's heart. It was her parents' keepsake and her only connection to them. Her eyes turned bloodshot and fixed on the necklace on the floor. Shoving Wynter aside, Nova didn't care how pathetic she looked and got onto her knees. She desperately tried to piece the necklace back together, but nothing could change the fact that it'd shattered. Wynter stood awkwardly nearby. She'd never expected such a huge reaction from Nova. Ewan frowned slightly. In all the years they'd lived together, this was the first time he had seen Nova lose control. But seeing how frightened Wynter looked, he frowned and comfortingly said, "Enough. Wynter didn't do it on purpose. How much was the necklace? I'll pay for it."