Myra, seething with rage, hurled an item across the room. Kayla quickly hid her delight and intervened, attempting to pacify her. "Mom, don't be upset. Carmen was just spouting nonsense. I'm sure Felicia didn't mean it!"

Her words seemed reassuring, but the subtext was clear: if Carmen went out of her way to say such things, wasn't Felicia implicated? Perhaps Felicia even orchestrated it. "That ungrateful brat! That wretched daughter!" Myra's voice trembled with fury. "What did I do to deserve a child like her?"

"She's always been rebellious, always defying me. Fine. But her grandfather just passed away! At a time like this, she's not even paying her respects, but instead sends some disgraceful friend to insult me?" Her eyes reddened as she continued her rant, each word heavier with resentment. "We treated her so well. Her grandfather treated her so well! Even in his final moments, he wanted her to inherit the family's golden needles. But that ungrateful girl couldn't even be bothered to attend his passing!"

Myra's voice cracked, and she spat out, through clenched teeth, "It's fine if she doesn't show up. She is no longer my daughter!"

Kayla kept her head lowered, saying nothing, but a subtle curl of her lips betrayed her satisfaction.

Later that afternoon, Kayla went to the airport. Arnold was leaving the country. While Kayla had been in a sanatorium, she hadn't heard the details of the Lawson family's actions against Felicia. She only knew Arnold had been stripped of his role as heir, and his uncle, Mike, had taken over. "Arnie..."

Kayla clung to Arnold in the bustling terminal, her voice trembling as tears welled in her eyes. However, Arnold disengaged, stepping back to create distance. This caused her to freeze. "Arnold, you..."

"Kayla," he said, his voice steady and composed, "We're grown now. We can't behave like children. People will gossip."

Arnold, in a long black coat, exuded poise and sophistication. His sharp, familiar features—the ones Kayla adored—felt distant. It was as if she were looking at a stranger. Whenever Arnold went on long trips, she would hug him, whispering sweet nothings. But now, as he prepared to leave, he dismissed her like a stranger.

"People will gossip about us." The words stung.

Kayla forced herself to restrain her pain. She wouldn't let him go easily. "Arnie, I don't want you to go. You'll miss me, right? Will you think of me?"

Arnold hesitated, then looked her in the eye. "Kayla, you're a great person," he said slowly, "but there will never be anything between us." He paused, letting his words sink in before adding, "I love Felicia. And one day, I'll make her fulfill our engagement and become my wife."

Before Kayla could process this, she covered her ears. She knew what he wanted to say, but refused to listen. However, he left her no choice. After delivering the final blow, he turned and walked away, leaving her frozen. As people passed, casting curious glances, Kayla began to laugh and cry simultaneously. Her unhinged reaction sent chills through those who witnessed it.

Onboard the plane, Arnold took his seat. As the aircraft ascended, he stared out the window, watching the land fade below. His hand clenched into a fist. With Matthew's death and Mike's ascension, Arnold had been exiled by Mike's command. Yet, strangely, he felt no hatred for Matthew or Mike. Losing his position meant little; his thoughts were consumed only by Felicia.