Chapter 5

"She shouldn't be in her room, should she? Didn't I assign people to watch her? Are all of you completely useless?"

Julian's voice carried from the end of the hallway, accompanied by hurried footsteps.

I stood at the edge of the rooftop, the gauze on my right wrist fluttering gently in the wind. A faint tingling sensation came from my fingertips—

It was a lingering effect of the nerve damage; the doctors said I'd never be able to perform high-frequency trading again.

"Mr. Julian, we truly couldn't stop Ms. Scarlett, she insisted on going to the rooftop..." Ben's voice trailed off.

I closed my eyes, feeling the thirty-eighth-floor wind howl past.

Three days ago, I was sitting in the trading hall, my fingers dancing across the keyboard, processing hundreds of trades every minute.

And now, all of it was gone.

"Scarlett!"

Julian's voice, as he pushed open the rooftop door, brought me back to reality.

He was in a sharp suit, his tie flapping in the wind, his face etched with that familiar look of worry—

A look that once made my heart race, but now only disgusted me.

"What are you doing standing there? Get down from there, now!"

He extended a hand to me, his voice carrying just the right amount of urgency.

I slowly turned, seeing the hospital security guards and Ben following behind him.

Julian was always like this, playing the part perfectly, leaving no loose ends.

Just like he arranged for angry clients to injure my hands, just like the words he spoke to his assistant outside the operating room.

"Julian."

My voice was soft, but loud enough for him to hear,

"Do you even grasp what it means for a high-frequency trader to lose their right hand?"

His expression stiffened for a moment, then he quickly put on that gentle face again:

"Scarlett, don't overthink things. The doctors said your hand will recover. Let's go home, okay?"

"Recover?"

I laughed, holding up my bandaged right hand.

"Permanent nerve damage, 70% loss of fine motor skills – is *that* what you call 'recovery'?"

Julian took a step forward, and I immediately retreated, my heel already hanging over the edge.

Gasps rose from below. Someone had spotted us on the rooftop.

"Scarlett! Don't do anything foolish!"

Julian finally revealed his true fear.

"I admit I was wrong. I shouldn't have let you take the fall for Candace, but I truly love you!"

"Love?"

I scoffed.

"You only love the 'Mrs. Julian' who could pave your way. Now that I, the trader, am ruined, it's exactly what you wanted, isn't it?"

The wind picked up, scattering my hair.

I looked down at the crowd gathering below, then at Julian's ashen face.

In that moment, I suddenly didn't want to die—

At least not if it meant letting him get what he wanted by getting rid of me.

"Scarlett, please..."

Julian's voice trembled. "Think about our future..."

"Future?"

I slowly stepped away from the rooftop edge, stopping in front of him under his surprised gaze.

"Alright then, let's talk about our future."

Julian sighed in relief, reaching out to steady me, but I pulled away.

I looked him straight in the eyes:

"I have only one condition – I want to see Candace."

"That..."

He hesitated. "She's not available right now..."

"Then there's nothing to discuss."

I turned, ready to walk back to the rooftop edge.

"Fine! Fine! I'll arrange it!"

Julian quickly agreed.

"I'll have her come see you tomorrow. Just come back to the room with me first."

I let him help me off the rooftop, already planning my next move in my mind.

What Julian didn't know was the first thing I did after waking up in the operating room.

I had asked the nurse to contact an old friend for me –

Mr. Davies from the Financial Regulatory Authority.

Back in the hospital room, Julian diligently poured me water and tucked in the duvet around me.

He seemed to have reverted to being the considerate husband he once was.

I closed my eyes, feigning rest, listening to him make a hushed phone call on the balcony.

"Candace, you have to come to the hospital tomorrow... Yes, she's demanding to see you... I know it's risky, but she's emotionally unstable right now... What? No! If she actually jumps, the media will dig deep into *why*..."

I silently curved my lips into a smile.

Julian always prioritized profit, even over his first love.

The next afternoon, Candace arrived as expected.

She wore a Chanel suit and carried an Hermes bag.

Her makeup was so meticulously applied, she looked ready for a financial summit, not a hospital visit.

"Scarlett."

She stood by the bed, a facade of concern on her face. "I heard you're not doing so well?"

I didn't answer, just stared at her red-polished nails—

Those hands that were now operating the keyboards in the trading floor, in place of mine.

"Mr. Julian is very worried about you."

She continued, an undisguised triumph in her tone.

"He said that once you're discharged, you can focus on being Mrs. Julian, and he'll leave the trading department to me..."

"Candace."

I interrupted her, my voice surprisingly calm. "Do you know what high-frequency trading absolutely despises?"

She paused: "What?"

"Emotional trading."

I slowly sat up.

"A trader swayed by emotions will eventually blow up their account."

Candace's face changed slightly: "I don't understand what you mean."

"You will."

I smiled. "Oh, and thank Julian for the gift he sent me."

"Gift?"

I held up my right hand:

"This ruined hand, it's the best gift he could have given me."

Candace left in a hurry, clearly startled by my words.

I picked up the phone from the bedside table and dialed Mr. Davies.

"Mr. Davies, it's Scarlett. Regarding the suspicious trading records for account MH6703, I have some new findings..."

After hanging up, I gazed out at the blue sky.

Julian thought destroying my career would control me, but he was wrong.

The most important lesson I learned in the financial market was – always have a hedging strategy.

And now, my revenge plan had only just begun.