The more Samantha spoke, the more her voice choked with emotion. She sat on the couch and quietly sobbed.

William felt incredibly irritated. The same sense of dread he’d experienced five years ago was now surging back like a flood. He rubbed his temples and, placing a hand on Samantha’s shoulders, tried to soothe her.

“Don’t take what people online say too seriously. If you hadn’t left back then, the two of us would’ve been together long ago. There wouldn’t even be talk of you interfering in anyone’s relationship.”

Samantha looked up at him with teary eyes. “William, are you really not mad at me?”

“What would I blame you for? Don’t worry. I’ll have Arsen look into it and find out what’s going on. You stay home. Don’t go anywhere these next few days.”

“But I’m in charge of that company project. We’re at a critical stage. I can’t just not show up—” Samantha broke off.

The more she thought about it, the more she felt something was off. She suddenly grabbed William’s arm.

“William, what if that really was Rachel we saw at the hospital? What if she’s the one behind all of this?”

She hadn’t been sure earlier, but now everything seemed to be pointing toward Rachel. The timing was too perfect. Who else would dig up the past and resurface those videos from five years ago?

Rachel was the only one.

Samantha remembered the letter and divorce agreement Rachel had left behind. She realized just how long Rachel must’ve endured in silence.

Rachel’s disappearance had devastated William. Samantha had seen firsthand how badly it had affected him. It had taken him nearly a year to recover, and even that had been slow. Samantha couldn’t even bear recalling the process.

Everything had been ruined because of Rachel.

At the mention of Rachel’s possible return, a tremor of emotion flickered in William’s eyes. He pursed his lips.

Beside him, Samantha clearly saw the change in his expression. Though she didn’t show it on her face, her heart churned with unease.

He still cared about Rachel. That much was clear. Otherwise, he wouldn’t react so strongly at just the mention of her name.

Samantha forced herself to break the silence.

“William, no matter what happens with Rachel, if she really has come back, then we have to be ready. If she’s still reluctant to let us be together, then I’ll step aside. After all, it really was my fault back then.”

Her words softened William. The furrow in his brow slowly eased, and his tone grew gentler. He reached out and gently ruffled her hair.

“Don’t think too much. Just stay home and rest. I’ll handle things at the company.”

“Okay.” Samantha nodded obediently.

After William left, he immediately called Arsen.

“Have you found out who posted the videos? Was it Rachel? Has she come back?”

Arsen was caught off guard by the name. “M–Ms. Lloyd? That can’t be. She disappeared so long ago. No one even knows if she’s alive. How could she suddenly come back now?”

“Then who else could it be? Tell me, who else could’ve posted those videos of me and Samantha if not her?”

It almost sounded like William was growling.