Ella changed into fresh clothes but didn't bother with makeup before driving to the Raymond estate.

The familiar iron gates slowly opened before her,revealing what had once been her prison for three years. Now, she found the sight ironically fitting.

The living room was empty. Even the house manager wasn't around.

She had just started climbing the stairs when Austin emerged from his study on the second floor.

He clearly hadn't expected to see Ella there. His expression immediately darkened.

"You actually have the nerve to show up here," Austin said coldly.

He descended the stairs with purposeful strides, his tall figure casting an intimidating presence as he blocked her path.

Ella looked up at him calmly. "I'm here to see Mrs. Raymond."

Austin reacted as if she'd told some outrageous joke. He grabbed Ella's wrist with such force that it felt like he might crush her bones.

"Ella, you're quite resourceful, aren't you?" He sneered. "Drinking with investors until you're trending online, and now you'rehere to swindle something else from my grandmother. You've thoroughly disgraced the Raymond name!"

Despite the pain from his grip. Ella didn't even flinch. She coldly pulled her hand away from him. "Austin, we're already divorced. Who I drink with or what trends I appear in are my business alone and have nothing

to do with the Raymond family. What position are you in to question me?As my ex, or as a competitor for the Prometheus Project?"

Her words left Austin momentarily speechless, his chest tight with anger.He hadn't expected Ella to speak to him so boldly.

"Ella, don't forget that even after our divorce,you were once the face of the Raymond family," He finally managed.

"Austin." Ella began to respond through gritted teeth.

"Austing?" A soft,feminine voice interrupted.

Judith emerged from behind Austin, wearing what was clearly an expensive set of loungewear, projecting the image of someone who already belonged in this house as its mistress.

"Ella, what a surprise," Judith said with feigned concern. "You shouldn't take those online rumors to heart. Everyone's just misunderstood the situation. Austin was just worried about you. Why don't you quickly explain to everyone that those photos are fake, right?"

Every sentence sounded caring, yet each word implicitly confirmed Ella's identity as the woman who sells herself for business deals.

Ella responded with a cold smile.

"Explain what? Who do I need to explain anything to? You?"

She walked pas Austin directly toward Judith.

"Judith, enjoying your trending topic purchase? You went through all that trouble to put me at the top of trending searches because you're afraid I'll secure the MicroMachining contract and steal the spotlight from your Blue

Lantern Project, aren't you?"

The color drained from Judith's face. She clutched Austin's arm tightly,her eyes filling with tears.

"Ella, I don't know what you're talking about. Why would I ever hurt you?Austin!" She appealed, her voice breaking.

"Enough," Austin said sharply, stepping forward to shield Judith,glaring at Ella with furious eyes. "Ella, must you make such a disgraceful scene?Get out right now. You're not welcome in this house!"

"Let her come up."

At that moment, Karen's weak but authoritative voice came from upstairs.

Austin's expression froze.

Ella didn't spare him another glance as she walked past him up the stairs.

Karen's bedroom was permeated with the faint smell of medication.

In just a few days since they'd last met, Karen seemed to have aged a decade. Her face was gaunt and wrinkled, and she reclined weakly against her pillows.

"Mrs. Raymond," Ella hurried to her bedside and took Karen's cool hand in hers.

"You poor child, you've been through so much," Karen said, patting Ella's hand gently. Her cloudy eyes filled with sympathy.

"I'm fine, please don'tworry about me," Ella assured her.

"How can I not worry?" Karen coughed feobly several times, then her

cloudy eyes suddenly sharpened. She motioned for Ella to come closer.

"I called you here because there's something I must give you."

Karen's trembling hands retrieved a palm-sized velvet box from beneath her pillow.

When Ella opened it, she found not expensive jewelry but an old safe deposit box key and a black USB drive.

"Mrs. Raymond, what is this?"

"It belonged to your mother," Karen said.

Ella felt her entire body tense.

Janice had passed away when she was very young, and the memories of her had faded to little more than a vague outline.

"My mother?"

"Yes."

Karen squeezed Ella's hand tightly, speaking in a voice barely above a whisper, as if afraid of being overheard. "Your mother saw through the true nature of the Brooks family early on. She was afraid you would suffer,so she left this with me as a safeguard. She said to give it to you when you truly needed to face everything on your own. I thought after you married Austin, you'd never need this."

Karen sighed deeply, disappointment evident in her eyes. "I never imagined you would need it after all."

"Mrs. Raymond, what exactly is in here?"

"Your strength!"

"My strength?" Ella's fingers trembled slightly as she held the box.

This was the first tangible connection to Janice she had ever touched.

"Your mother was a remarkable woman. She anticipated the Brooks family's ambition long ago."

Karen spoke between labored breaths, her voice weak but incredibly clear.

"She also knew your father was too weak to protect you. So she preserved her most valuable assets and stored them in a safe deposit box at Innovative Finance Bank. She said if the Brooks family treated you well,if you married a good man, these things would never see the light of day.But if you ever reached a desperate point where you needed to fight for yourself, this would be your trump card."

Karen's bony hand gripped Ellai's tightly.

"Ella, I'm old and confused now. I always thought of you as Austin's wife,and in many matters, I favored him. Now that you'refree, I can see clearly that Judith is not someone to be underestimated. The fact that she can make Austin treat you this way shows her cunning far exceeds yours. I can't help you much now. This USB drive contains the password hint for the safe deposit box, along with some of your mother's research files. Go quickly, keep it safe, and never let anyone know about it. Especially Austin and the Brooks family."

Ella's heart pounded as she realized this might involve Janice's research materials.

She carefully secured the velvet box against her body and helped Karen lie back down.

"Mrs. Raymond, please rest well. I'll take care of myself."

"Go now, Ella, fly free. Don't let this cage trap you anymore."