Among the items, Bella found a photograph of Dorothy with a handsome man she had never seen before. Instinct told her this man was her father.

Most of the letters were from Dorothy to her father, but they were never sent. As she carefully sorted through the contents, she noticed a single, un-enveloped sheet of paper at the bottom. Curiosity overwhelmed her, and she unfolded it. The moment she saw Richard's name, her heart sank.

This was the only letter from Richard to Dorothy. The handwriting was strong and bold, each word expressing a deep and enduring love.

Bella was stunned. Did this mean Dorothy and Richard weren't as innocent as she had believed? At the very least, Richard had feelings for Dorothy. It was possible that, at her most desperate, while trying to secure Bella's future with the Miller family, Dorothy had spent her final days with Richard. For years, Bella had avoided seeking the truth, but the answers seemed to have been hidden in this small box all along. The years of coldness and resentment from Dominic suddenly didn't seem unwarranted. Simultaneously, she felt a strange sense of relief that Dominic hadn't opened the box and uncovered these painful secrets himself.

Guilt flooded her, along with a deep sense of unease. She had no idea how she could face him again.

Suddenly, she heard a car outside. Was Dominic leaving?

She walked to the window and watched as his car drove away. The gnawing guilt made her want to reach out to him, to make amends, but she didn't know how. She texted him: "Where are you going this late?"

To her surprise, Dominic replied briefly: "Business trip."

She carefully typed another message: "You just had a drink. Get someone to drive you. Be careful on the road."

Her concern was unusual, and Dominic didn't reply.

It was destined to be a sleepless night. As Bella looked around the vast manor, her feelings were a tangled mess. She shouldn't have been there; her presence had destroyed everything Dominic once had. If not for her, Dorothy might never have entered Miller Manor.

Consumed by sorrow, Bella desperately needed someone to talk to. She called Lia. "Lia, where are you? Can you come out?" [Remove the website plug]

Lia's initial reaction was playfully irritated. "Well, look who it is! The elusive Bella finally remembers she has friends. You think I have nothing better to do than wait around for your rare calls? You pick the place."

They met outside Zero Bar.

Lia was casually dressed in a white hoodie, looking effortlessly chic. Her pretty face was partially hidden under the hood.

Seeing the bar sign, she was taken aback. "I was so sure you wouldn't actually go into a bar. I thought you were just using it as a landmark. Are you seriously going in? Look at me—do I look like I'm dressed for this?" Bella tugged at her own simple outfit. "We're dressed the same, aren't we? I'm just in a bad mood and want to drink. You're the only one I could think of to keep me company."

Lia pretended to be annoyed but obediently offered her arm. Bella linked her arm with Lia's, and they walked in together.

Bella wasn't in the mood for fun, so they went straight to a booth in a quiet corner.

After ordering their drinks, Lia got straight to the point. "What happened? Did that nemesis of yours upset you again? I keep telling you to ditch him. Why put yourself through the misery of being treated like that?"