Frank's face went pale, his heart racing with fear. But he would not give in. The crowd was watching.

"You are just a mere officer. How dare you speak to me like that? You rude, disrespectful..." He managed to utter some words of insult but sounded feeble.

​​

Matt sneered. "Didn't you talk to my superior once? How did that go? If you have the time, why don't you take care of your company first? It's not difficult to see the Carter's is going bankrupt soon if you don't steady your stock price."

It made Frank tremble with anger. "You are threatening me?"

Matt hated Frank immensely, his pretentiousness, his arrogance. "Mr. Carter, don't you understand? It's a warning." Though Matt rarely showed his anger or made any verbal attacks on people, he knew how to do it as an officer. And he did it well.

After he said that, he walked away, still holding Nathalia's hand. Sophie followed behind. The crowd looked at each other, and the camera lights flashed again and again.

Desperately Frank yelled at them, "Nathalia if you leave with him now, Carter's door is forever shut for you." It meant nothing to Nathalia anymore. The door had been long shut.

Nathalia sat in the back, looking out of the window, silent. Sophie was sitting next to her and watching her closely. She wanted to say something, but couldn't find the right words. It was like words had lost their power, and nothing said could cheer Nathalia up.

Matt was driving, and he glanced at Nathalia occasionally in the mirror. He didn't say anything either. What had just happened seemed like a dream.

There was this heavy stillness in the car. No one could sense how long it took until Nathalia spoke. "Officer Miller, thanks for helping me, and this is enough."

Due to Matt's position as an officer and his relationship with the Davidsons, Nathalia knew they could not get any closer. It was impossible to move to his house. She would rather live in a hotel room.

Matt took another glance at her in the mirror. She looked serious.

"It's a bit inconvenient to have you live in my house, but I know my neighbor downstairs is moving out, and the flat is for rent. What do you think?"

"Hmm." Nathalia was a bit surprised as she had not realized that it could be an option. To rent a flat. "Where do you live?" she asked.

"Patterson." He said.

Nathalia was a bit tempted. Patterson Flat was in the top rank in town. People who live there either have money or fame or both. It provided the best security and privacy, which Nathalia cared about the most.

Sophie couldn't hold back anymore, and eagerly she said, "Nathalia, why do you want to rent a flat? Move-in with us. Mum and I would love to have you living with us."

Nathalia shook her head slightly. She understood that she should not let others know how close she was with Ms. Watson, especially the Carter. It was not a risk worth taking.

Matt persuaded, "It's a good area. Safe and quiet. It will be good for you." And you are closer to me so I can protect you. He thought.

Nathalia gave it a think. Then, she decided.

"There's a place that I would like to go to first." She said, implying that she agreed to Matt's suggestion.

"Sure," Matt said without hesitation.

Standing at the door, Nathalia felt like she was waking up from a dream in a long, long sleep. There was so much going on in her mind and her heart, and she could find no words to describe it.

She fished the key out of her bag, opened the door, and the sight of the house, every object in the house carrying memories, struck her heart like an electric shock. Tears filled her eyes.

How strange. She had lived in the Carter's mansion for eighteen years, but she left without missing the place a tiny bit. Yet, here, this house where she had only spent a month, had stolen her heart. She didn't want to leave.

Perhaps, deep down, Spencer's house had become her home.

She opened the wardrobe, stroked the beautiful clothes hanging neatly, stood there for a while, and smiled a bitter smile. Most of them were still new. They were presents from Spencer. She still remembered how excited she felt when she received the presents, but now...

In the jewelry box, there were precious stones, jades, diamonds. She glanced at them, one by one then took off the earrings, necklace, and bracelets she was wearing, gently placed them in the box, and closed it. The joy she once felt, the hope, the love, the memories were all now closed inside the box.

She put her hand on her chest as if it could suppress the violent flow of emotions inside her. Slowly she took a deep breath and started to pack her bag. She took her time.

While she was packing her luggage, she was cleaning her thoughts, letting go.

The sunset and the moon rose. She zipped the suitcase, stood up, and took one last look around the house before she reached the door.

Goodbye, my love. Goodbye, my once home. Goodbye, memories of joy and love.

All she packed was a few clothes she took from the Carter's, her books, and some personal items. Just a few limited things that belonged to her.

Those that were given, she left them behind. She knew very well that whatever belonged to her would remain with her and those that were not hers, and she could not keep.

Just then, she realized she didn't even have a photo with him. Perhaps it is a sign that we are not meant to be together.

As she opened the door, about to leave, a figure standing at the door gave her a shock. "Spencer..." she gasped. How come he's here? Shouldn't he be with his mother now?

Spencer looked at the suitcase, and the pain was all over his face. "Nathalia, are you really leaving?"

As soon as he was informed that she was back in the house, he caught a glimpse of hope and dashed home. But now, seeing the suitcase, he was once again pushed into the bottom of a hopeless pit.

Nathalia looked away, refusing to look him in the eyes, to be persuaded. She said icily as if she was speaking to a stranger, "There are no reasons for me to stay."

Spencer felt like something cracked in his heart, he shivered, and in a choked voice, he managed to say, "What about me? Can you stay for me, please?" Without the presence of his mother, he felt much lighter and less worried.

Stunned, Nathalia lifted her eyebrows, looked at Spencer, and said in a mocking tone, "Stay for you? So I can be your mistress? Be the joke to the world?"

He wasn't the most carefree, or the smartest, but despite the fact that he knew she would not stay, he still asked. He begged.

Why did you say such an awful thing? Don't you know my feelings for you are genuine? Spencer started to feel annoyed. He said with anger and frustration, "Stop. You know I will never treat you like that."