Ella left The Imperial and was preparing to board her limousine to head back when she remembered something. She took out her cell phone and dialed a number.

On the other end, the call was answered by a shrill voice. "Ella? Why are you calling me this late?" Cendy sounded giddy as she slurred. She was probably drinking heavily again.

"Where are you?" Ella asked.

"At the club!"

"The Imperial?"

"How'd you know?"

"I'm outside. Come out."

"What are you doing here?!" Cendy's shocked scream blasted out of the speaker.

Ella never came to these kinds of places.

"I'll tell you when you come out," Ella said plainly.

Cendy hastily ended the call and rushed outside, where she found Ella standing not far from the front door, waiting for her.

"You didn't come all the way here just to find me, did you?" Cendy didn’t think it was really possible, no matter how she looked at it.

"We're leaving," Ella said bluntly.

"No!" Cendy whined. "I can't just go now! I'm having such a good time!"

"I have something for you."

"Ooh! What is it?"

"It's in the car," Ella said as she got into the limo.

Cendy hesitated before following along. She'd been following Ella's lead since they were kids. Beaming happily, she climbed into the limo anyway.

Ella instructed the driver to head towards the Summer family villa. It was only then that she revealed, "My mom's birthday is in half a month."

"And?"

"All of high society is invited, including the four wealthiest families."

"So… what?" Cendy was confused.

The birthday party was a banquet for the older generations, so why does it matter who's invited? All the younger folk needed to do was dress nicely and stay out of trouble. Expectations were low.

"During the party, around 10pm, I need you to invite the juniors of the four families to go drinking with you at the Imperial."

"Why would I do that?" Cendy asked.

"Just tell them it's been a while since we all got together, and it's a must," Ella offered as an excuse on Cendy's behalf.

"Ella, what the hell are you planning?!"

"You need to make sure Hedy, Doris, and Lucien all go with you," Ella added.

"Come on! Don't tell me to do something and then leave me in the dark!" Cendy whined. She didn't understand why Ella was giving her these instructions, and she was struggling to get her head around it.

Ignoring Cendy's pleas, Ella remained firm, saying, "Just do as I say. Nothing else matters."

"You're driving me crazy, you know that?" Cendy's anger tensed her entire body.

"And you cannot tell a soul that I put you up to this," Ella admonished.

"You really did get possessed in the mountains!" Cendy felt that it was impossible to have a normal conversation with Ella at this point.

Ella refrained from explaining herself because she knew Cendy wouldn't understand it in her current state.

The sedan arrived at the Summer Family villa and halted at the front door. Cendy's entire demeanor seemed on the verge of tears as she pleaded, "I was having so much fun at the club! Take me back!"

Ella opened the car door and firmly pulled Cendy out of the vehicle.

"Behave yourself and go to bed now," Ella commanded, guiding Cendy toward the front door of her house.

This time, Ella was determined not to let Cendy repeat the same mistakes she had made in her past life.

"Fine…" Cendy grumbled, clearly upset.

It was only just past 10pm. Cendy usually stayed out well past midnight.

"Aren't you afraid that Winston will return and try to steal your family's fortune? From now on, you need to spend less time clubbing and more time at the office," Ella advised her.

Cendy's face visibly changed the moment she heard Winston's name.

She groaned, "Please don't say his stupid name in front of me, okay? I won't be able to sleep at night."

"You live under the same roof as him," Ella reminded her.

"And I hate it! I want to run away already!" Cendy huffed indignantly.

Ella frowned.

"I've been thinking of moving out and living with Bowen," Cendy admitted, her excitement evident in her voice.

"No way," Ella flatly refused.

Cendy started cracking up. "Ella, what the hell is wrong with you lately? You've been acting strange ever since we came down from the mountain. Do you need to get exorcized or something? Because I know this psychic that can–"

"I'm fine."

"Like hell you are! You don't even listen to me anymore!" Cendy's tone turned bitter. "You weren't like this before."

That was because in the past, Ella didn't know any better. Her ignorance had led her to make the same mistakes over and over again.

Ella asked, "Cendy, how far have you gone with Bowen?"

"Wha- Where did that come from?!" Cendy blushed like a teenager.

"When we were kids, we promised to share our first kiss and first-time experiences with each other. Are you going to keep it a secret from me now?" Ella frowned, dissatisfied.

Cendy had always found it difficult to refuse Ella anything. Maybe it was because Ella was half a year older, and Cendy had always looked up to her as an older sister. Regardless, Cendy adored Ella and listened to every word she said.

She sighed, "We've only kissed. Nothing further than that."

"No sex?" Ella was skeptical.

"I wanted to, but Bowen is a lot more traditional. He's an orphan, so he grew up with a lot of insecurities. I don't wanna scare him off by being too forward."

"Good," Ella nodded.

"Good? How is that good?!" Cendy narrowed her eyes at how prudish Ella sounded.

"Save yourself for marriage."

"What about you?" Cendy asked Ella. "Your wedding is coming up. Are you still a virgin?"

There she goes, always talking about her…

Ella had to really think back. How far had she gone with Lucien?

Technically, she did sleep with him in her past life, but since she was reincarnated back in time… she was technically still a virgin.

She saved her first time for her wedding night, thinking it would be the most precious gift for her new husband.

Ella narrowed her eyes.

This time, she wouldn't let Lucien lay another slimy finger on her.

At Ella's silence, Cendy grew more agitated, "I'm sure you had sex with Lucien already!"

"No," Ella retorted. "I haven't."

"Really? I thought you did… Lucien doesn't seem like he's that traditional and proper, but I guess that makes sense. He seems like he isn't interested in pre-marital sex," Cendy thought out loud.

Cendy regarded Lucien very highly, and she wasn't the only one. Everyone in Seattle thought that Lucien was wonderful —devoted, motivated, refined, and noble—a seemingly perfect man.

But that would only make it all the more satisfying when he's finally exposed as the dirty rat he really is.

"Alright, it's time to go back and rest now," Ella urged.

Cendy reluctantly walked into the front door of her villa, and after Ella watched her leave, she turned around to head back to the car and leave as well. But at that moment, a familiar male voice suddenly called out her name from not far away.

"Ella."

Ella was startled.

She turned her head and saw Winston emerging from the darkness. Winston was Cendy's half-brother, half a year older than her and a few days older than Ella.

The three of them had actually grown up together.

No matter how much Cendy might've hated Winston, from the moment he walked into the Summer family's villa when he was eight years old, it was inevitable that she would have to spend time with him.

Even through elementary school, middle school, and high school, they were always together. But when it was time for college, Winston left to study overseas.

Now, he was back again.