《Love Beyond the Mask》 Chapter 1 Chapter 1 hapter 1 On the eve of her wedding, Whitney Valentine and her younger stepsister were kidnapped, but her fianc¨¦ only rescued her sister. The kidnapper lunged at her with a sneer, tearing at her clothes with a vicious rip. Still in disbelief. Whitney waited foolishly, yelling, ¡°No! Please wait more¡­ Simon Perlman said he¡¯d pay the ransom.¡± With a mockingugh, the kidnapper dialed a number and barked, ¡°Monica Valentine, your elder sister sure is a fool!¡± Whitney froze. Her sister¡¯s mocking voice came through the phone. ¡°You really believed that knight¨Cin¨Cshining¨Carmor crap? Let me tell you the truth: I¡¯m carrying Simon¡¯s baby!¡± N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. Whitney¡¯s face turned ashen. ¡°When¡­ When did you two get together?¡± ¡°Simon¡¯s always loved me. He only used you to start his business! Now that he¡¯s CEO, guess why you¡¯re the one kidnapped?¡± Chills crawled up Whitney¡¯s arms as she shook her head in disbelief. ¡°I don¡¯t believe it. Put Simon on the phone!¡± Then a man¡¯s voice that came through was cold and remorseless. ¡°Whitney, you¡¯re no longer of any value to me. Take care on your ¡®journey.¡± Boom! Whitney¡¯s world copsed into a pallor of despair. Eight years of love, all just a ploy? He wanted her dead so he could take over thepany! Whitney¡¯s tears fell down her cheeks. Monica¡¯s twistedugh cut through. ¡°He wanted to leave you a pretty corpse, but I¡¯ll make sure you die ugly. Have your fun with her, then leave her to the wolves!¡± ¡°Monica, I treated you like my own sister. Why are you doing this? Mom and Dad won¡¯t let you get away with this!¡± ¡°Do you think Mom and Dad really loved you?¡± Monica sneered coldly. Whitney was stunned. What did Monica mean by that? Before she could ponder, she was dragged deeper into the wilderness. The kidnappers pressed down on her with sinister grins. Whitney trembled with fear, unwilling to ept this fate. Was she really going to be a pawn in Simon and Monica¡¯s scheme, toyed with to her death? No, she could not let it end like this! Suddenly, she saw a car parked strangely with its door ajar on the dark roadside below the hill. A man sat in the back seat, hisrge silhouette vague, but the atmosphere was heavy with suppressed tension. Summoning an unknown strength, she broke free from her captors and tumbled down the hill toward the car, desperately pleading, ¡°Sir, could you please let me in to take shelter for a moment?¡± ¡°Get lost.¡± The man¡¯s icy gaze half¨Cclosed, his breath heavy with warning. 14-54 The kidnappers were closing in! ¡°Someone¡¯s trying to kill me, sir, please!¡± Whitney clung to his leg, crawling into the car and mming the door shut! Her trembling body inadvertently brushed against the man¡¯s cks, but she was oblivious. The predatory eyes suddenly opened wide, and the man¡¯s Adam¡¯s apple bobbed, ¡°You¡¯re not getting out?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t!¡± She shook her head frantically, pleading. ¡°Huh. Whoever sent you, since you¡¯vee,¡± the man¡¯s voice was a dark, cold chuckle. ¡°Don¡¯t regret it.¡± In an instant, his powerful frame enveloped her. When Whitney slowly came to, the man was still asleep; dawn had not broken. Whitney picked up her clothes and fled from the car in disarray. That night, she lost something precious. With a wretched wipe of her eyes, Whitney did not dare linger. Ten dayster. Whitney, barely alive, finally made it back to the Valentine family in Banyan City. With nothing to her name, she endured hunger and cold, clinging to life. Whitney clenched her fist. In ten days, she hadn¡¯t seen a single piece of news about her father searching for her. Monica said Dad never loved her. Recalling the injustices of her childhood, Whitney bit her lip hard. She refused to believe it, so she returned to confront the truth. At the back door of the Valentine Mansion, Whitney entered with a cold gaze. Before she could step further, she heard a dispute from the living room. ¡°We can¡¯t rest until we find the body!¡± Her stepmother, Yvonne, fretted. Monica¡¯s tone was sinister as she said, ¡°Dad, if you¡¯re worried about her haunting us, let¡¯s arrange a ¡®ghost marriage¡® for her! We¡¯ll make a profit and bind her spirit. She won¡¯t daree after us then.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that a bit harsh?¡± That was her father, Preston Valentine, devoid of any paternal warmth. Whitney slumped to the floor, her expressionless face stripped bare by the cold, and her fantasies of a concerned and remorseful father shattered. Instead, they only sought to squeeze value out of her even in death, discussing using a ¡®ghost marriage¡® to trap her soul! ¡°Harsh? Preston, Whitney was born to shield Monica from misfortune, a life cheaper than dirt! Besides, we know what happened to her mother. If Whitney¡¯s still alive and finds out your secret¡­¡± ¡°Enough! If she¡¯s alive, I¡¯ll make sure she doesn¡¯t leave here today,¡± Preston¡¯s voice was devoid of any fatherlypassion. ¡°We¡¯ll smear her reputation. Monica and Simon will take over herpany. Her grandfather¡¯s legacy, her uncle¡­ All will be taken care of.¡± Hell was empty, and devils walked the earth. Whitney bit her lip to keep from storming in. Fury and terror caused a sharp pain in her abdomen. She understood now; there was more to her mother¡¯s death, and her birth was even more suspicious. She could not die here! With a heart torn asunder, Whitney fled, hailing a cab. ¡°To the hospital¡­¡± ¡°The Valentine heiress Whitney Valentine allegedly engaged in promiscuous affairs and was murdered by her lover in the wilderness. Her family is heartbroken, desperately seeking her body¡­¡± The radio in the taxi sounded. Whitney¡¯s hollowugh was her only reaction. The news she had hoped for about her family¡¯s search for her was finally here. But it was all to tarnish her ¡®death, allowing Simon and that vile woman to seize everything rightfully hers! Hatred seared through her. She had to survive. She needed revenge! ¡°Miss?¡± The driver¡¯s shout snapped her back as she fainted. ¡°What¡¯s this girl been through?¡± Whitney faintly heard the doctor¡¯s footsteps hastening towards her. When she awoke again, she found an IV in her hand, and the doctor approached with a puzzled expression. ¡°Miss, your HCG levels are quite high, which means not only are you injured, but you¡¯re also pregnant!¡± Whitney stiffened as if struck by lightning. ¡°Doc¡­ What did you say?¡± Whitney¡¯s lips had gone as pale as the frosted cupcakes in the bakery window. Barely two weeks had passed since that night when she had been with that man! How could her luck be so rotten that she ended up pregnant? The doctor, reading her stricken expression, understood. ¡°Considering abortion? I can arrange the procedure for you¡­¡± ¡°No one is going to touch her belly!¡± The words thundered through the emergency room as a group barged in. A man dressed to the nines in a sharp suit led them, who promptly dismissed the doctor. He turned, nodding politely at Whitney. ¡°Ms. Valentine, I understand you¡¯re expecting. Please,e with us.¡± Whitney¡¯s anxiety skyrocketed. ¡°Who are you people?¡± ¡°The father of the child you¡¯re carrying would like a word!¡± Chapter 2 Chapter 2 Whitney froze, her face draining of color, her heart pounding out of her chest. That man¡­ She had only sought help, but he had¡­. The man swiftly ushered her into the car, and Whitney offered no resistance. She had nowhere else to go. The hospital was crowded, and as the leading socialite of Banyan City, being exposed here was tantamount to signing her own death warrant for the Valentine family! Clutching her hands tightly, Whitney scanned the unassuming Bentley she was in. The man took a call, his voice deferential. ¡°Yes, Ms. Valentine has been retrieved.¡± ¡°Calm down, your little golden grandchild hasn¡¯t even settled in yet¡­¡± He soothed the elderly voice on the other end with a hint of frustration. The car wound to a secluded mansion nestled against the hills, a testament to understated wealth. As Whitney stepped out, she was met by two maids at the entrance. This is Xandra and Taryn. They will take care of you for the next ten months until you deliver the child,¡± the man informed her. Whitney was stunned, realizing she had been duped. Her eyes cooled to ice. ¡°What does he take me for? A baby¨Cmaking machine? Get him to see me.¡± ¡°Master was ambushed that day. Otherwise, you wouldn¡¯t have had this opportunity.¡± Whitney was livid. Forced into the house, she was extremely weak but refused topromise, engaging in a hunger strike to force the maids to call their master. At dusk, Taryn finally brought news. ¡°Master will see you tonight.¡± Whitney clenched her fist secretly, filled with anger and curiosity about the man. Late into the night, hidden in her bedroom, she heard the sound of an engine and muffled conversations from downstairs. As the figure approached, her door slowly turned open. Whitney¡¯s heartbeat raced, and she abruptly grabbed a vase, holding her breath in wait. The door opened, and a tall shadow loomed, the temperature seemingly dropping in his presence, the man exuding an intimidating aura. Whitney trembled, seeing him knock politely, his remarkable long legs stepping into the room. Her panic turned to anger as she raised the vase. The man snuffed out his cigarette, his elegant fingers hanging loose, and with an air of aloof nobility, he warned her, ¡°Before you smash that vase, two steps back, there¡¯s a couch. Don¡¯t trip!¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Whitney nced back, flustered. His voice was a blend of grace and firmness. As he turned around, Whitney glimpsed his silver half¨Cmask His face was hidden, but the high bridge of his nose and chiseled jawline were unmistakable. Her vase was deftly disarmed, and he fixed her with a piercing gaze. ¡°If I hurt you that day, I apologize. And that¡¯s the only thing I¡¯ll apologize for.¡± Whitney blushed, realizing what he meant. 14:54 His towering presence bore down on her, his mocking scrutiny unbearable, ¡°I don¡¯t care why you climbed into my car or why you deliberately let my mother discover your pregnancy¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯ve got it all wrong!¡± Whitney bit her lip. He looked down at her from his height, saying, ¡°She has only a year left to live. As you wish, we¡¯ll marry, and a yearter, once you¡¯ve given birth, you leave with a settlement!¡± His words were not a proposal but amand. Whitney¡¯s expression showed her ire, ¡°Why should I agree to be a child¨Cbearing tool and a pawn for someone¡¯s happiness?¡± He switched on the TV, his eyes glinting with amusement. And Whitney saw the news: [Preston confirms Whitney¡¯s scandalous affair ended in murder! The Valentine family ns a funeral for tomorrow afternoon. ording to her will, Skye Gem Ltd., under her name, is to be managed by Simon, and her grandfather¡¯s vast fortune is to be inherited by her sister Monica. The Valentine family mourns deeply¡­] Whitney¡¯s face went numb with hatred. Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. They were eager to bury her, even forging her will wlessly! ¡°The Valentine family did this to you, and you don¡¯t seek revenge?¡± ¡°I do!¡± Whitney gritted her teeth. Once, she had trusted this facade of family love¨Cher father had told her to be lenient with Monica, and Simon had promised marriage, so she had given her all, only to be betrayed. ¡°You¡¯re a ¡®dead¡® woman with nowhere to hide. Do you have a choice?¡± The man looked at her with those deep eyes, negotiating from a position of strength. He presented a contract, gracefullyying it before her. Whitney took a deep breath, tears swallowed back into her eyes, and she bowed her head. ¡°No, I need your protection, sir.¡± He spoke from on high, ¡°My protection depends on your cooperation. Once married, we¡¯ll have three rules: No interference, no betrayal, and don¡¯t even think about falling in love with me.¡± How conceited. Whitney took the pen and slowly signed her name. The man stood up, sparing his words like gold, ¡°We¡¯ll register the marriage tomorrow!¡± She nodded, then hesitantly furrowed her brow and asked, ¡°This child¡­ Do I really have to have it?¡± Chapter 3 Chapter 3 The man¡¯s gaze flickered back, his emotions unreadable. ¡°You¡¯re not willing?¡± Whitney bit her lip, troubled. She barely knew him, yet a child was on the way¨Ca result of an unexpected encounter.- He sauntered over, lifting her chin with a firm grip, admiring her beautiful, youthful face and tender red lips. ¡°Some things I¡¯d rather handle myself,¡± he said, his voice a low rumble. Whitney paused, confused. His lips twisted into a sly smile, though his tone remained serious. ¡°But I have a profound respect for life. We¡¯re going to have this baby.¡± His assertiveness took her aback, and Whitney suddenly understood his meaning. Her face flushed with embarrassment. He strode coldly towards the door, which was suddenly blocked by an excited voice. ¡°Little brat, if you daree out tonight, I¡¯ll keel over right here!¡± And then the sound of the door locking! Whitney, bewildered, asked, ¡°Who¡¯s that outside?¡± ¡°Your mother¨Cinw, Natalie.¡± Whitney was speechless. He returned with a dark expression, pulling her towards the bed. His voice was a low, enticing whisper, ¡°Will you y along?¡± ¡°With what?¡± ¡°Acting out our wedding night.¡± Speechless, Whitney looked up into his mature eyes that seemed to swallow her whole. Her cheeks burned even hotter as she realized what he meant. ¡°But I¡­ I don¡¯t know how.¡± He frowned, then suddenly pinned her to the headboard, his hands reaching for the ties of her dress. ¡°Ah! What are you doing?¡± ¡°Do you know how now?¡± He asked, one eyebrow raised in mischief. Giggles of delight sounded from beyond the door. ¡°Thank the Lord, the boy finally knows what he¡¯s doing!¡± Pinned awkwardly beneath him, Whitney¡¯s bare shoulders glistened like cream, and he nced over them, his gaze darkening as he inhaled a sweet fragrance. They were so close that Whitney could feel the power of his muscles, her ears burning with a dangerous sensation. She just wanted him to leave and feigned a pained scream. ¡°Take it easy, son! Your wife is carrying our little treasure!¡± Looking down at her flushed face, he asked, ¡°Are you trying to get back at me?¡± Whitney¡¯s eyes were wide and innocent. ¡°Is that enough?¡± His lips curled slightly. He did not press further, standing up and releasing her. The air of restrained desire left with him as he sat down on the sofa, casually removing his tie. His broad shoulders and long legs gave him an air of unapproachable elegance. Indeed, this man had every right to be conceited. Whitney huddled at the head of the bed, ncing nervously at the door. ¡°Are we going to sleep together 14.54 tonight?¡± ¡°Do you want to?¡± He asked, picking up a magazine and sparing her a nce. Whitney did not know what to say. Then, with a melodic chuckle, he added, ¡°Do you think I¡¯d stoop to touching a young expectant mother?¡± The tone was sarcastic and serious, calling her a ¡®young expectant mother.¡¯ SFF SO I ¡± + Whitney felt a spark of anger. Was he that much older than her? She eyed his enigmatic silver mask, filled with curiosity about whaty beneath. Was it to hide ugliness or scars? He remained seated, silent, as Whitney crawled under the covers. The room went dark with the flick of a switch. Hesitantly, she ventured, ¡°You seem to know everything about me, sir. May I know how old you are? Your surname?¡± Silence. He ignored her. This man was enigmatic and difficult to get along with¨Chis highborn mystery was something Whitney, of a distinguished family herself, recognized as the mark of a truly elite heritage. ¡°L.¡± His deep voice broke the stillness as Whitney was on the verge of sleep. He had given her just an initial, no name. Who was this man, and why did he hide his face? Did he know her? The next morning, Whitney was greeted by Natalie¡¯s beaming face. ¡°Whitney, dear, you two are a perfect match. Tell me, did my son hurt youst night? If he did, I¡¯ll give him a piece of my mind!¡± Whitney nearly choked. Natalie was an exuberant mother¨Cinw, her paleplexion the only sign that belied. her limited time left. Whitney¡¯s gaze drifted to the dining table¡¯s far end, where a man in a white shirt and ck trousers sat, still wearing that silver half¨Cmask. His features were sharp, his lips delicate. He was impassive, ustomed to his mother¡¯s antics. The servants and Natalie seemed unfazed by his mask. This only deepened Whitney¡¯s curiosity. Who was he, and what secrets did he hold? Taryn tiptoed over with a handkerchief, whispering, ¡°Madam, it¡¯s clean as a whistle. Should I put it away?¡± Whitney nced over, not understanding its significance. Natalie noticed her curiosity and exined with a chuckle, ¡°It¡¯s a bridal handkerchief used for the wedding night. It¡¯s a family tradition. Seems the staff don¡¯t know any better than to leave it out¡­¡± FS ZEPIS KN ¡°Don¡¯t bring up such outdated nonsense,¡± the man interjected, displeased. He approached Whitney¡¯s seat to grab some jam, pausing briefly to raise an eyebrow, ¡°She was a virgin. I know that.¡± ¡°Am I right?¡± He leaned close to Whitney, his voice whispering near her ear. Whitney¡¯s earlobe turned crimson. How was she supposed to respond, especially with him lingering so close, his cool masculine scent oppressive and tantalizing? Fearing he might say something even more outrageous, she scooped up a spoonful of the bird¡¯s nest soup and shoved it into his mouth. ¡°Eat your breakfast and keep quiet.¡± 14.54 ¡°Madam¡­ The master has a severe case of germophobia!¡± Taryn was panicked. But the man simply stared at the young woman, swallowing the spoonful of soup and walking away with a faint smile. The calmer he was, the redder Whitney¡¯s face became. She looked at the spoon he had used, unsure Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. whether to pick it up again. Natalie shoved the spoon in her direction with a mischievous grin. ¡°Go on, Whitney, eat up. It¡¯s like a sweet, indirect kiss¡­ Oh? What happened to your hand?¡± Suddenly, she was holding Whitney¡¯s right hand. Whitney looked down, her expression cooling. Her palm had been wounded during the abduction, and if not for her medical knowledge and the herbs she had gathered while escaping, her hand would have been ruined. She had a gift for design, and Monica had been envious of these hands! ¡°Why didn¡¯t you say anythingst night?¡± The man asked coldly, noticing her injury. ¡°Taryn, call the doctor.¡± When the family doctor arrived¨Ca renowned physician from Banyan City whom even the Valentines could not secure. Whitney was taken aback. Was this man so important that he had this doctor as his personal doctor on call? Who in the world was he? ¡°Ouch!¡± Whitney winced as the antiseptic stung. The man looked up from his newspaper, his long legs crossed as he surveyed her wounded hand, soft and pale. That night, her hands had been on him. His gaze lingered, and for a moment, Whitney was unsure of everything except the enigma that was the man across the table. The man¡¯s Adam¡¯s apple bobbed slightly as he raised an eyebrow and stood,manding the doctor with an authoritative tone, ¡°She¡¯s got nice hands, doc. Make sure she doesn¡¯t get a scar!¡± The doctor nodded, his hands trembling slightly with the weight of responsibility. Natalie chuckled softly, leaning in to share a moment of gossip with Whitney, ¡°Nice hands? What¡¯s that boy thinking? His head¡¯s in the clouds!¡± Whitney, blushing furiously, was forced to understand, having never before encountered such an open¨C minded mother¨Cinw. On the other hand, the man seemed indifferent to the embarrassment he caused, casting a stern nce that ended the conversation. Natalie immediately pursed her lips in mock offense. After breakfast, Whitney and the man were ushered out of the house by Natalie, who firmly instructed them, ¡°Off you go to get your marriage license! I won¡¯t rest easy until it¡¯s done!¡± Outside, a Bentley was parked at the curb, and the man, ever the gentleman, opened the car door for Whitney. She climbed in, feeling somewhat out of ce. Once seated, The man¡¯s assistant handed him aptop, and from that moment on, he did not utter another word. Whitney was curious to sneak a peek at hisptop, hoping to glean some bit of information about him, but she did not dare to. The ride was over before she knew it, and they arrived at the town hall. There were not many people there to get their marriage licenses today. However, as soon as Whitney stepped out of the car, she spotted two familiar figures¨CSimon and Monica! Chapter 4 Chapter 4 On the eleventh day, after he had meticulously nned her fake ¡®murder,¡® they actually went and secretly got their marriage license. What a twist of fate!¨C Whitney froze, a suffocating agony drowning her, hate that was bone¨Cdeep, and a coldness that sshed from the depths of her eyes. The past taunted her like a sharp sword. ¡°Whitney, I will definitely marry you. You¡¯ll soon be Mrs. Perlman.¡± ¡°Whitney, you¡¯re a genius. Help Monica with her draft one more time; she must win the jewelry ¡°We¡¯ll get the license after the wedding. Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t betray you.¡± After the wedding, huh? But he wanted her dead! The tight grip on her palm was released by the man standing beside her, his tall figure casting a cool shadow. He asked her, ¡°Need a few minutes?¡± Whitney pressed her pale lips together and shook her head. A clerk politely ushered them inside. It only took two minutes to get the license. Whitney nced at the man working busily in the chair, then at the marriage certificate. His name in the document had only one initial: L. Domineering, indifferent, perfunctory. What kind of marriage was this? It seemed the license was just a way to bind her and to appease the olddy. She knew nothing about him, nor did she know whom she had truly married. Suddenly, Whitney spotted Simon and Monica entering another office. Monica took her purse to the restroom. Whitney¡¯s lips curled into a cold smirk, and she said to L, ¡°I have something to take care of.¡± Felix, the man¡¯s assistant, looked at Whitney¡¯s retreating figure and asked the man quietly, ¡°Sir?¡± The man¡¯s gaze never left his work, only frowning slightly. ¡°Keep her safe.¡± Whitney took out a lipstick inside the restroom, crushed it into water, and smeared it all over the paper. She stuffed it into a cubicle and left with a cold smile. Outside the city hall, Whitney asked the driver to stop the car. Within seconds, a delicate figure tumbled down the steps in panic, screaming unabashedly, ¡°Simon!¡± Simon ran towards her. Monica, pale as death, shook out a blood¨Csoaked paper and said with a trembling voice, ¡°Look¡­ This is the horoscope for a ghost marriage, with Whitney¡¯s name written in blood! It just appeared in my purse. Is Whitneying back for revenge?¡± Simon also recoiled at the sight of the bloody paper, helping Monica up. ¡°Nonsense. She¡¯s dead! Calm down, don¡¯t let the paparazzi snap this.¡± ¡°Simon, I¡¯m so scared¡­¡± Monica¡¯s eyes darkened, her face drained of color. Watching the guilty couple huddled together, Whitney coldly snapped a photo with her phone. The pain Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. from her palm, punctured and raw, was unbearable, and her eyes began to fill with a bloody hue. Her stepmother¡¯s words echoed in her ear. ¡°Harsh? Whitney was born to shield Monica from misfortune, a life cheaper than dirt!¡± 14:54 So be it, the truth cut like a knife. From now on, she would be Monica¡¯s cmity! Whitney nced at the afternoon¡¯s funeral news, her mouth twisting in a cold smile. The appetizer was served; the entr¨¦e would soon follow. A sea of blood and deep vengeance, she would im it all back, everything that belonged to her! She pulled her hand back. ¡°Mr. L, we can drive off now.¡± Suddenly, her pale hand was enveloped by arger one. The man beside her divided a fraction of his attention from his work to ask, ¡°Does it hurt?¡± His voice, so deep, made Whitney¡¯s resolve falter, and the tears she had been holding back threatened to break through. ¡°Don¡¯t cry! Let me rub it for you.¡± He frowned, rubbing her hand gently, his face emotionless, his breath calm and deep. Whitney gazed at this noble man, whomanded, ¡°I don¡¯t care what you¡¯re nning; just make sure you keep yourself safe, especially what¡¯s in your belly!¡± ¡°I promise you!¡± It was a transaction, after all. Whitney did not expect him to avenge her, especially since he doubted her intentions. But she needed a haven, and this marriage was her temporary shelter. ¡°Please take the youngdy to her destination,¡± he said as he stepped out of the car, too busy to state where. Whitney watched his retreating figure, then told the driver, ¡°Please take me to Sun Funeral Home.¡± Meanwhile, in the VIP lounge of the funeral home, Yvonne tore the blood¨Cstained paper with a scoff, ¡°It¡¯s just lipstick and water, a childish prank. Who are they trying to scare?¡± Monica shivered. ¡°But no one else knew about us giving Whitney a ghost marriage!¡± Yvonne dismissed it with contempt. ¡°Even if all herpany¡¯s people have turned to us, she might still have a friend or two. Just a minor nuisance.¡± ¡°Humph, the funeral is starting soon. Your father will announce in front of the media that all of Whitney¡¯s inheritance will go to you. There will be no more Whitney in this world!¡± ¡°She¡¯s dead and gone, and she can¡¯te back,¡± Preston stated with certainty. Monica regained herposure, a triumphant smile on her face. At two in the afternoon, the funeral home was packed. The Valentine family was a well¨Cknown dynasty in Banyan City. Everyone knew about Whitney Valentine, a business prodigy and stunning beauty who made a name for herself in Banyan City by 18. Now, she was dead. And her death was as scandalous as her life had been, enough to shake the city to its core. Whitney narrowed her eyes as she made a call from a public phone. Even with nothing to her name, she remembered some media contacts. She hid the blood packet she had bought in her clothing, donned sunsses, removed the bandage from her palm, and walked into the funeral home¡¯s entrance. Her lips twisted in a bitterugh. She hade back. Whitney¡¯s eyesnded on the empty casket in the center as the funeral music started. ¡°The once¨Cglorious socialite, who would¡¯ve thought this would be her end?¡± Someonemented. ¡°Didn¡¯t you see the news? Her lover killed her! She seemed pure, but rumors say she was promiscuous, conducting business in bed, cheated on Simon, and suppressed her half¨Csister!¡± 14:54 ¡°That¡¯s right, I work at Skye Gem Ltd. I saw Whitney sleep with a male shareholder, and she always made life difficult for Monica.¡± ¡°Stop talking,¡± Monica said, tears in her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m grieving for my sister. I can forgive her for forcing me to create designs and iming them as her own.¡± ¡°Such a tyrant, mistreating her sister. It¡¯s good that she¡¯s dead,¡± a passerby growled. Whitney leaned in a corner, her fists clenched as sheughed coldly. ¡°Shut up, all of you!¡± A furious female voice eximed, ¡°Monica, how dare you bite the hand that fed you. You used Whitney¡¯s designs, and now that she¡¯s dead, you spread lies about her; your heart is ck!¡± Whitney stiffened. Tiana Melford, her best friend, hade to the funeral too. A cruel glint shed in Monica¡¯s eyes as she subtly signaled to one of her cronies. Without missing a beat, theckey grabbed Tiana. ¡°You¡¯re cut from the same cloth as Whitney, aren¡¯t you? Spreading lies about Monica here? Get her out!¡± Overpowered and alone, Tiana was quickly brought to her knees. Yet, her gaze remained fixed on the memorial que as she wept, ¡°Whitney, I know your death was untimely¡­¡± Whitney, her eyes brimming with unshed tears and fists clenched with determination, silently promised Tiana to turn the tables. The memorial servicemenced, and Whitney, with her hair in disarray, seized a moment of distraction to hide behind flowers swiftly. Preston stood at the podium, tears streaking down his cheeks. ¡°My dear daughter is no more, but life must go on for the living. In ordance with Whitney¡¯sst will, her business and fortune will be willingly passed on to her sister, Monica¡­¡± Suddenly, the casket jolted! 212 Chapter 5 Chapter 5 The silence was deafening. Preston looked up. The casket was to his left, draped with flowers. Suddenly, from the adorned casket emerged something bloody. ¡°What¡¯s that? It¡¯s a hand!¡± ¡°But wasn¡¯t Whitney¡¯s body never found?¡± A chilling terror swept through the room! Just then, a person, bloodied and mangled, mbered out of the casket, wailing ghostly, ¡°Daddy, it hurts so much! Am I dead?¡± Preston, frozen, looked up in horror, his soul seemingly fleeing as he crashed to the ground! The gruesome corpse crawled out of the casket, approaching Yvonne, ¡°Yvonne, it hurts. My sister crushed my palm. Sis, you let the kidnapper beat me so badly!¡± ¡°Ah!¡± Yvonne and Monica screamed, tumbling to the floor. Their faces were ashen. Monica, clutching her head, wailed, ¡°Mom, wasn¡¯t she supposed to be trapped in hell, never to return? Why has the ghoste for us? Oh, don¡¯te for me, please!¡± Her words revealed a crucial piece of information. Whitney, with a cold sneer, slowly stood up. The pale¨Cfaced crowd, some lifting their eyes, saw Whitney moving freely, asked, ¡°Ms. Valentine, you¡¯re not dead, are you?¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± Whitney walked over, stepping on Monica¡¯s hand with a chilling smirk, ¡°Strange, my family acted as if I were dead, pressing me into hell.¡± This revtion shocked everyone. Whitney¡¯s eyes turned a piercing red as she sneered. ¡°Was it that by burying me, mypany would N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. be easier to swallow whole, my will easier to forge? My fortune willingly left to Monica? Dad, have you forgotten how just ten days ago Monica and Simon paid off kidnappers to abduct me to the wilderness, to kill me off for good?¡± ¡°My God, the story¡¯s different. Wasn¡¯t she killed by a lover?¡± ¡°What, she¡¯s implying the Valentine family conspired to kill her¡­¡± Preston stared at Whitney, convincing himself she was real, alive! He reacted quickly, rushing to embrace Whitney. ¡°Whitney, you¡¯re alive! Thank goodness!¡± ¡°Daddy, how could I bear to die?¡± Whitney, with a spectral gaze, turned to Simon. ¡°Before the wedding, my fianc¨¦ and my stepsister had an affair; she got pregnant, and for their child, they left me for dead. Such a debt of gratitude, how could I ever forget!¡± Monica and Simon turned ghostly white. The room erupted into whispers, and journalists who had somehow infiltrated the scene raised their cameras. Preston signaled his security to clear the room! ¡°What¡¯s gotten into you, child, speaking such nonsense?¡± Yvonne reacted quicker, rushing to cover Whitney¡¯s mouth and squeezing crocodile tears. ¡°Are you angry with me and Daddy? Sorry! We thought you were dead. 1/A 14:54 Chapter 6 Chapter 6 Simon raised his palm, and Whitney red coldly at the despicable jerk before her. Still, his betrayal pierced her frozen heart like a dagger. Their tender eight years together¨Che had imed to be the bastard of the Perlman family, cing extra importance on family values. He had talked about having a whole brood of kids with her. Now, he had traded her for Monica. ¡°We¡¯ll see what kind of spawn you two produce. Hell¡¯s got a special ce for you both!¡± Whitney wrenched her hand away and stormed off. Simon frowned, instinctively following her retreating figure, lithe and indifferent. Monica caught his gaze, her expression darkening suddenly. ¡°Damn it,¡± she thought, ¡°I can¡¯t let that wench take back thepany and lure Simon in again!¡± Outside the towering skyscraper of Skye Gem Ltd. Tiana saw Whitney emerge, her demeanor icy, and quickly asked, ¡°How did it go? Did any shareholders back you up?¡± Whitney shook her head. ¡°Business folks chase profit; no one¡¯s dumb enough to cross the Valentines right now. But I did sabotage Simon¡¯s deal today and goaded Monica into making a bet.¡± ¡°Nice! What¡¯s the bet?¡± ¡°A provincial jewelry contest next month. If I win, I take over as General Manager.¡± ¡°No way! You struck a nerve. Simon and Monica, those two must be rattled!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know if they¡¯re rattled, but the shareholders at Skye Gem sure don¡¯t believe in me. They¡¯re all backing Monica, mocking me openly.¡± Tiana clenched her teeth, a cold smirk crossing her face as she booted up herputer. ¡°They have no clue about your skills, do they? We¡¯ve got to win this! Let¡¯s see, the regional contest starts in October, and it¡¯s hosted by Imperial Gem Corporation, the top judges¡­¡± Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. She suddenly fell silent. Whitney¡¯s face turned rigid with anger as she spun around. ¡°What did you just say? Which jewelry Swallowing hard, Tiana muttered, ¡°The jewelry monarch, your arch¨Cnemesis¨CImperial Gem Corporation. They¡¯re running the show.¡± Silence filled the car. Tiana turned to see Whitney¡¯s face aze with fury, her eyes smoldering. ¡°Isn¡¯t Imperial Gem Corporation¡¯s CEO the same guy who emailed you mocking your breasts?¡± ¡°And I cursed him with a hidden ailment!¡± ¡°That evens it out, right?¡± Tiana¡¯s lips twitched. ¡°Imperial Gem¡¯s the industry leader, but the boss is a mystery. Rumor has it he¡¯s from the Lippert family, third son or something? And you¡¯ve got him as your rival, head¨Cto¨Chead with his firm.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t get it. Our families have a history. A Lippert stole my grandfather¡¯s deal! And every bid Skye Gem made, Imperial Gem tried to snatch it. A few years back, I lost a huge contract to them in a neighboring state because I stopped to help some guy with hysteria. I¡¯ll remember that for life.¡± 14:56 ¡°Whatever,¡± Tiana muttered, watching Whitney rant. She thought that if Mr. Lippert was a young man, this could be quite the feud¨Ca pair made in adversary heaven. Sighing, she said, ¡°You¡¯ve never even seen Mr. Lippert¡¯s face, and you¡¯re holding a grudge. But we can¡¯t let Monica win this contest. We need to get cozy with Mr. Lippert. He¡¯s the judge!¡± Tiana hacked the system. ¡°Look, Mr. Lippert has a business appointment at the Southern Elegance Club tomorrow at 3 PM.¡± Whitney was taken aback. ¡°Send me the address.¡± Tiana¡¯s grin was sly. ¡°You¡¯re going to suck up to your mortal enemy?¡± ¡°Mind your own business,¡± Whitney snapped. In the current predicament, she had no choice but to make nice with her foe. Her emotions were aplex web. The following day, in the afternoon, Whitney arrived promptly at the Southern Elegance Club. After mentally bracing herself, she approached the establishment, only to be condescendingly stopped by a security guard. ¡°Ms. Valentine, do you have an appointment?¡± F < F @ This was a yground for the rich and powerful, a ce Whitney used to enter at will. But now, with her ounts frozen and penniless, she was about to be turned away when- ¡°What¡¯s going on here? Let her be!¡± A roguish male voice suddenly called out. Whitney turned, surprised. There stood a man with phoenix eyes, young and with a rakish charm. The man was equally startled upon seeing her. ¡°Isn¡¯t that Whitney?¡± He wondered. He approached her, eyeing her curiously yet warmly, ¡°Ms. Valentine, I own this club. Who are you looking for?¡± She sized him up, a man of leisure, seemingly harmless. ¡°I¡¯m here to see Mr. Lippert of Imperial Gem Corporation. I hear he¡¯s here today. Could I trouble you to introduce me?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t the boss of Imperial Gem Corporation Ludwik?¡± The man thought. The man¡¯s amusement was evident as he teased, ¡°Oh, you want to see him? But Mr. Lippert isn¡¯t someone you can just meet.¡± Seeing his hesitation, Whitney asked, ¡°What will it take?¡± I¨¹ He looked at her pointedly, ¡°You¡¯ll have to cater to his tastes. Go change into something appropriate first!¡± Eager for a chance, Whitney did not hesitate and followed a manager into the changing room. But once changed, she was stunned/A super short white blouse, a deep neckline, a pleated skirt¨Cthis was¡­ a schoolgirl look. What was this man nning? She was fuming. Yet the man tempted her, ¡°He¡¯s in room 2022, just ahead.¡± Reluctantly, Whitney followed him into the room The man nced at the empty bed, then pushed Whitney towards the bathroom, smirking mischievously. ¡°Wait here, and I guarantee you¡¯ll meet him!¡± After he swiftly exited and locked the door, Whitney¡¯s head spun. ¡°Hey, why are you locking the door?¡± Her defenses went up. 14:56 Outside. ¡°Nn, what are you sneaking around for, dude? You know full well that Ludwik¡¯s been struggling with insomnia like crazy. If you mess with him now, you¡¯re asking for a world of hurt.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t Ludwik just hitched, bro? I snuck in a killer wedding gift! A freshly woken man seeing that ¨C he¡¯s gonna lose his mind! Heh heh.¡°. Nn Fuller said with a cheeky grin, ¡°Ludwik¡¯s gonna thank me big time!¡± Inside the room. Whitney surveyed the posh bedroom, feeling out of ce and thinking about making an exit when the bathroom door suddenly swung open! She stood right by the door, and with a natural reflex, her delicate frame lurched forward, crashing into a towering wall of flesh. ¡°Oof!¡± The man instinctively wrapped his arms around her slender waist, and Whitney¡¯s head shot up, her eyes widening,pletely stunned. What a sight the Adonis fresh from the shower! The guy in front of her was about six¨Cfoot¨Ctwo, strikingly tall and proud, and she had to tilt her head back just to get a glimpse of his face. The thought shed through her mind: A vision of endless charm. This man¡¯s features were exquisitely defined, with deep¨Cset eyes, a high¨Cbridge nose, and thin lips ¨C he was a total knockout, surpassing any of the high¨Css hunks Whitney had ever encountered. Such perfection in a face, Whitney caught her breath. And the moment the man saw Whitney, he subconsciously touched his face, his eyes narrowing sharply. Chapter 7 Chapter 7 In an instant, Whitney¡¯s gaze trailed down the chiseled corbone of the man before her, her eyes widening with a mix of shock and a hint of desire she could not quite conceal. He seemed to rx, noticing her stare. Damn it. Not only did this guy have a face to die for, but his physique was the epitome of rugged charm. Broad shoulders tapered down to a lean waist, each muscle in his abdomen as defined as if it were etched in stone. And those legs¨Clong, firm, and peeking out from the bottom of his towel¨Cwere downright sinful. Wait a minute, was this guy her arch¨Cnemesis? Looking like this? Whitney could not believe it. A tear of appreciation escaped her lips before she could stop it. ¡°Got an eyeful yet?¡± A cool, teasing voice floated down from above her. ¡°Or are you so satisfied with the view that you can¡¯t tear yourself away?¡± The man¡¯s yful yet piercing gaze drifted to the towel around his waist. Whitney¡¯s cheeks med red. It was not like she meant to gawk at that particr area. ¡°Sorry!¡± She stammered, trying to turn away. ¡°Miss,¡± he drawled, amusementcing his voice. ¡°you¡¯re about to pull off my towel.¡± Whitney blinked in confusion, then looked down. Damn it, why was she holding onto one end of his towel?! She tried to hand it back to him, but as she turned, her foot caught on the rug, and she stumbled, causing the towel to unravel from around the man¡¯s waist. ¡°Ah! Sorry!¡± She eximed, eyes shut tight. ¡°Careful!¡± He frowned, reaching out to catch her as she fell. ¡°Thud.¡± Whitney slowly opened her eyes to find herself sprawled on top of him. And to her utter mortification, her hand was still clutching the towel, now draped across her back and covering them both. N?velDrama.Org is the owner. Which meant he waspletely¡­ Whitney suddenly realized just howpromising their position was. ¡°Don¡¯t move!¡± he warned her in a husky voice. Whitney froze, her face burning even hotter. ¡°I won¡¯t look. I¡¯ll just slowly hand you the towel!¡± She said, her eyes closed tight, hand shaking as she tried to grab the fabric. But the man did not respond, his breathing growing heavier. Peeking through hershes, Whitney caught him looking down her neckline, his eyes smoldering. She looked down and let out a sharp scream, immediately scolding him, ¡°You pervert, what are you looking at?¡± His gaze then shifted down her legs, and Whitney followed his eyes to see her pleated skirt was way too short! She blushed furiously and warned him, ¡°Close your eyes!¡± ¡°You dressed like this for me to look, didn¡¯t you?¡± He teased, his voice rough and provocative. Chapter 8 Chapter 8 That was because someone else had made her change! Whitney tried to shift her angle slightly, but the man suddenly grunted and growled, ¡°Be careful, or your face might touch something.¡± Whitney stiffened, her cheeks zing. He began to pull the towel from her back, gently easing her off him. Whitney sat to the side, covering her eyes, panting. ¡°Okay, are you decent now?¡± Looking at her flushed appearance, the man hooked the corner of his lips in a faint smile. ¡°Stand up slowly,¡± he advised, not wanting her to stumble again. Seeing him wrapped in the towel once more, Whitney dared to open her eyes. The man seemed oddly familiar. Looking at his perfectly sculpted features, Whitney remembered the purpose of her visit. ¡°Hey, are you the owner of Imperial Gem Corporation, Mr. Lippert?¡± ¡°And who might you be?¡± He asked, towering above her with an air of indifference as if he did not know her at all. ¡°I¡¯m the owner of Skye Gem Ltd.! Your sworn enemy,¡± Whitney dered with a mix of frustration and anger. ¡°Never heard of it,¡± he replied arrogantly, his gaze deep and unreadable. I c He imed not to know her? But he had emailed her insults about her figure! Whitney refused to believe he did not recognize her. ¡°Are you Mr. Lippert or not?¡± She pressed, seeking confirmation. He gave her a fleeting nce, his look dark and warning, ¡°Is it safe for you to be standing here dressed like that? Or are you interested in watching me change my pants? If something else happens, I might just have to pin you down.¡± Whitney was dumbstruck, and upon ncing down, she noticed her shirt was about to tear! N?velDrama.Org is the owner. And the man, unhurried, began to unravel the towel. ¡°Ah, you creep.¡± With cheeks flushed and indignation bubbling within her, Whitney bolted for the door! Watching her flee with such grace and beauty, the onlookers outside were left with agape jaws. And then, they were all suddenly blinded by Ludwik! Nn quickly removed the shirt covering his eyes and turned to see the tall man with a mask emerge, his curiosity piqued, ¡°Ludwik! Why the sudden need for a disguise?¡± ¡°Who brought her in here?¡± Ludwik asked with a heavy tone. Seeing Ludwik¡¯s darkening expression, Nn shivered and weakly raised his hand, ¡°I¡­ I brought Whitney in¡­¡± ¡°You let her dress like that?¡± ¡°It was for you, Ludwik, to spice up the newlywed¡¯s life!¡± Chapter 9 Chapter 9 Ludwik shot him a piercing look and ordered Parker Doonan, ¡°Get the manager to wrap her up in some clothes and make it quick!¡± With his gold¨Crimmed sses, Parker chuckled mischievously and went off to handle the situation. ¡°Ludwik, you seem reluctant to let go. I¡¯ve heard you can still do it during pregnancy. Do you need a cold shower?¡± Nn teased, ncing at his waist. Ludwik gave him a swift look and strode toward the bathroom, his tie whipping through the air and 14:56 Nn by the neck. ¡°Ow, Ludwik, my bad! But when have you worn that maskst? Used to be for warding off thedies, and now? Who can¡¯t you face?¡± Parker returned, finding Whitney still in the doorway. Her phone call with Tiana revealed her fury. ¡°President of Imperial Gem Corporation? Just a show¨Coff! I Had to change just to see him, some lolita¨C obsessed freak; I¡¯m done buttering him up; we¡¯re enemies for good¡­¡± Her voice drifted in, causing Ludwik¡¯s lips to twitch, his gaze growing inscrutable. Parker nced at Ludwik, then told Nn with interest, ¡°If Ludwik¡¯s wearing a mask, there must be Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. someone he can¡¯t face, a reason he can¡¯t share, a unique secret.¡± ¡°What kind of secret?¡± Nn wondered. Whitney had changed back into her own clothes, still grumbling. Tiana cut her off, ¡°What does your enemy look like?¡± Whitney had to admit, ¡°Even more beautiful than me.¡± Tiana let out a squawk. ¡°More beautiful than you? That man must be godly handsome!¡± Whitney pouted. ¡°It might not even be Mr. Lippert. I asked him several times, and he never answered. I hope he¡¯s hideous beyond belief¡­¡± Suddenly, she bumped into someone from behind. Whitney turned to see the mask and nearly dropped her phone in fright. ¡°Mr. L, what are you doing here?¡± She asked, seeing his dark expression. Whitney could not believe where she was¨Cthe dim lighting, the clinking sses, the low hum of jazz in the background. It felt like a scene straight out of an old speakeasy. And to think, she had just been in a close encounter with a man she did not even know. She immediately hung her head, her cheeks flushed with guilt. ¡°Who do you wish looked hideous beyond belief?¡± ¡°Definitely not you,¡± Whitney said, trying to smooth things with a coy smile. The man fixed his gaze on her, his presence imposing. ¡°Who gave you the audacity toe to a ce like this?¡± ¡°Sir, we agreed not to meddle in each other¡¯s affairs. I have business here; please, go about yours.¡± Whitney feared his authority and sought to make a quick exit. But as she turned to leave, she spotted Monica slipping into a private room down the corridor. And not long after, a man followed her in. It was not Simon. Whitney narrowed her eyes. The Valentine family had been holding her down for too long, and she was thirsty for revenge. She could not afford to miss any opportunity that might give her leverage. ¡°I really must be going, Sir, I have matters to attend to,¡± Whitney said hurriedly. She made her way to the secluded room at the end of the hallway, but the door was locked. Just as she wondered what to do, a tall figure approached from behind. The man casually used a card to swipe. the door open. And to her surprise, the door unlocked. Whitney was stunned. She looked at his chiseled features hidden behind a mask and spected, ¡°Mr. L, are Chapter 10 Chapter 10 you into some shady business at this club?¡± Was he the type to pick locks, to extort and ckmail¨Cwas that how he had amassed his wealth? He turned to her, a wordless nce that spoke volumes. This was his club. What kind of man am I? The kind that could easily get you pregnant,¡± he retorted dryly. Whitney was speechless. ithout a sound, they both slipped into the room. It was spacious, and suddenly, Monica¡¯s voice carried over om the direction of the window. an instant, Whitney was yanked into a wardrobe by the door by the man. She nudged open a sliver of space, and through it, she spied Monica storming out, her face etched with impatience. The man inside pursued her, his voice a smooth caress, ¡°Monica, am I not your first man? Have you really forgotten me in the arms of Simon?¡± ¡°What more do you want from me?¡± ¡°You weren¡¯t so cold when my family¡¯s fortune was the talk of the town. Now that I¡¯m bankrupt, you¡¯ve climbed the corporatedder to be the CEO of Skye Gem Ltd. Cut me some ck.¡± Annoyed, Monica thrust a check at him. ¡°Don¡¯te looking for me again!¡± ¡°Hey, don¡¯t be like that. Give me a kiss before you go. You¡¯re getting more beautiful every day.¡± The man lunged forward, enveloping Monica in his arms. ¡°Get off me!¡± Monica struggled, dashing towards the door. Whitney cautiously took out her phone inside the wardrobe and captured several shots of the room¡¯s setup and the entanglement unfolding before her. Considering Monica¡¯s innocent facade before Simon, Whitney doubted he knew about her colorful private life. A smirk grazed Whitney¡¯s lips. Outside, the two had departed. Whitney pocketed her phone, but something felt off. She spun around,ing face¨Cto¨Cface with a man¡¯s solid frame almost stered against her back. It dawned on Whitney how cramped the wardrobe was; the man had been holding her waist when she entered. Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. And as she leaned forward to take photos, her back had pressed against an area off¨Climits. She suddenly felt his heat, the masculine scent and forceful breathing hot on the back of her neck. ¡°Sir¡­ Sir?¡± The petite woman turned to speak, her breath a fragrant whisper lingering on his Adam¡¯s apple. His throat bobbed, and with a hint of severity in his jaw, he instructed, ¡°Don¡¯t move just yet.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Whitney¡¯s face flushed with embarrassment, his voice raspy and unsettling. Lowering her gaze, her cheeks burned with realization. Chapter 11 Chapter 11 Stiffly, she backed out of the wardrobe, casting a wary nce at the door¨Cthankfully, no one was there. It took a while before the man emerged, his casual attire starkly contrasting with his usual suits¨Cmore youthful and rakish. Whitney¡¯s eyes darted around nervously as the man approached, studying her crimson face. His gaze yful, he teased without hesitation, ¡°It¡¯s natural, isn¡¯t it? How else did you get pregnant?¡± Speechless, Whitney could not fathom why he would even mention it. She fled, feigning ignorance. Watching her retreat, the man¡¯s handsome lips curved into a smile. In the hallway, Whitney cooled down until her stomach growled audibly. The man stepped out, hearing it, and his expression darkened. ¡°Have you not eaten all day? Is this how you treat my child?¡± He red at her belly solemnly. Embarrassed, Whitney nced at her watch¨Cit was already four in the afternoon. She hung her head, ¡°Sorry, I forgot¡­¡± 14:56 With furrowed brows, he ordered, ¡°Go eat first.¡± Whitney obeyed, following him to the Southern Elegance Club¡¯s dining area, with its luxurious pavilions and water features. The imposing man personally ensured she was served a pregnancy¨Cfriendly meal, the manager nodding respectfully at his every instruction. Whitney, admiring his dizzying profile, wished she could see past the mask that obscured his features. ¡°Will you be joining me for the meal?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t eat off the pregnancy menu.¡± No sooner had he finished speaking than a suspicious ¡®gurgle¡® echoed. Whitney touched her stomach, sure it was not her, and shot a nce at the towering man. His face tensed slightly. Whitney could not help but giggle, her lips a rosy hue. ¡°Have you not eaten all day either?¡± He shot her a look that warned against mocking him. Whitney stayed quiet, seated obediently, but nudged the dish towards him. Eventually, he took a seat opposite her. Dishes arrived one by one. Since they were not well acquainted, Whitney stole nces at his elegant dining manners. Suddenly, some vegetables¨Cbeans, cornnded on her te. Whitney frowned, ¡°I don¡¯t like these.¡± ¡°The baby does,¡± he stated sternly. Whitney¡¯s lips twitched. A barely one¨Cmonth¨Cold embryo fancied vegetables? Fine, she was just a tool. As she ate, disheartened, a woman approached their table and snapped a photo of Whitney and the man dining. Followed by a sneer. ¡°Well, Whitney, you¡¯ve got the guts to dine here?¡± Whitney looked up, her gaze icy. It was Roselyn, Monica¡¯s confidant, birds of a feather. Roselyn¡¯s hateful eyes fixed on Whitney. They had been college ssmates, but Whitney, always the N?velDrama.Org is the owner. standout, snagged the schrships, the socialite title, and the wealthy young man Roselyn secretly pined for, leaving Roselyn humiliated after a public rejection. Roselyn had harbored that grudge, biding her time for Whitney¡¯s downfall. She plopped down beside them, snickering, ¡°Heard you were passed around by kidnappers and now keeping some thug. Is this him?¡± Her gaze swept over the man, initially taken aback by his intimidating presence, but then she noticed his leather jacket. No one would dare dress so casually in the high¨Cend Southern Elegance Club unless they were a thug. ¡°Hiding behind a mask. Must be hideous, huh?¡± Whitney almost spat out her water, ncing fearfully at the man who had stopped eating and put down his fork. Worried she had angered him, Whitney spoke up, ¡°Roselyn, you can leave now.¡± ¡°It¡¯s you who should leave, a washed¨Cup pauper with her thug boyfriend trying to dine and dash. Hey, how about I live stream you getting thrown out?¡± Roselyn¡¯s taunts grew as she fiddled with her phone. Chapter 12 Chapter 12 Whitney¡¯s Facebook pinged. Opening the app, she was horrified to see Roselyn had posted the photo in their college group with a scoffing caption, [Come see the former campus queen with her thug boyfriend, caught in the act. She¡¯s dining and dashing at Southern Elegance Club. Stay tuned for the live stream of her getting kicked out.] The group exploded. Whitney had been a goddess on campus, secretly admired by numerous high society young men. Now, they recoiled as if they had swallowed flies. [How¡¯d she end up like this, with a thug?] [I felt sorry for her after the kidnapping news, but she¡¯s clearly promiscuous.] [Hey, why waste time with a thug? Spend a night with me.] [Roselyn, find out her price, will you?] Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. [I heard she¡¯s pregnant. What¡¯s she even worth? I¡¯d say ten grand is generous.] Soon enough, Whitney became the group¡¯sughingstock. Her expression was indifferent, something that Roselyn just could not stomach. She pinched her face mockingly and said, ¡°What¡¯s with the act, darling? In the group chat, they¡¯re treating you like you¡¯re auctioning yourself off at a bar!¡± Suddenly, the man opposite frowned and looked over, causing an inexplicable drop in the atmosphere. Thinking the masked man was eyeing her, Roselyn felt a surge of superiority. She strolled over with a sultry gaze and taunted, ¡°Do you have any idea what this meal costs? Whitney is t broke; she can¡¯t afford you!¡± With that, she boldly pinched the man¡¯s chin, ¡°You¡¯ve got a decent build. Consider this meal on me, and Roselyn wanted to snatch Whitney¡¯s so¨Ccalled ¡®thug boyfriend, to trample her underfoot and show her up in the alumni group. ¡°Oh, charity for me?¡± The man finally spoke, his voice chilling and deep. Whitney¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Although she did not know L¡¯s true identity, she knew he was loaded. Seeing that he seemed intrigued, Roselyn immediately shed a ck card, her eyes mocking Whitney. ¡°This is Monica¡¯s ck card. Simon got it for her at the Southern Elegance Club. Whitney, I remember you used toe here for business, too. Howe Simon never got you one?¡± Whitney¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly at the sight of the ck card. It was more than just not getting her a card; in the past, to save money, Simon would often show clients a good time while leaving her to go hungry. So, he had gotten Monica a ck card for this ce long ago. The chill on Whitney¡¯s face made the man¡¯s gaze sharpen, and he scoffed at Roselyn, ¡°You¡¯re using a ck card to buy me dinner?¡± Whitney snapped back to reality, wondering what game L was ying. Chapter 13 Chapter 13 He did not seem like the type to indulge in frivolity. This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Whitney rose with a chill in her voice, ¡°Let¡¯s go, Sir. Ignore the barking mutt.¡± ¡°She involved me, so now she¡¯ll have to howl in misery.¡± Roselyn did not grasp the man¡¯s meaning, only noticing how his thin lips curled into an irresistible charm, saying, ¡°What are you spacing out for? Order,e on.¡± ¡°Fine, order whatever you want!¡± Roselyn tossed down her ck card. The man elegantly summoned the manager, who shivered under his gaze, dutifully saying, ¡°Please ce your order, Sir.¡± ¡°Bring me all of your menus,¡± the man said. Roselyn figured there was only a menu or two at most. But the manager presented twenty menus, each listing 20 dishes! The man¡¯s voice was cool as he said, ¡°Serve everything.¡± ¡°What in the world are you doing?¡± Roselyn gasped. ¡°Didn¡¯t you want to treat me to a meal?¡± Once the words were out, with the alumni chat live¨Cstreaming, Roselyn steeled herself, ¡°Alright then, the credit limit on Monica¡¯s ck card is quite substantial!¡± After serving four hundred dishes, the total came to three million dors. Roselyn¡¯s lips trembled with fear. The man¡¯s lips curved, ¡°Go settle the bill, and I¡¯ll follow you.¡± Roselyn just wanted to sleep with him, and the prize was seemingly within grasp. Thus, she eagerly went to pay. But at the front desk, the ck card suddenly did not work! The manager stated tly, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but this card has been canceled. It¡¯s not sufficient for a Southern Elegance Club membership. Please pay in cash, or it¡¯s considered dining and dashing, and we will notify the police. You¡¯remitting a crime.¡± Roselyn was dumbstruck; how could the card be void? ¡°Check again, please. This ck card was issued by the Perlman family¡¯s second son, Simon!¡± The manager sneered, dismissing Simon as insignificant. He called over security, who escorted Roselyn right back to Whitney¡¯s table. The managerid it out for her, ¡°You¡¯ve offended my guest. Apologize on your knees, or it¡¯s off to the police station!¡± Roselyn looked at Whitney, unable to believe that Whitney and the thug were the manager¡¯s guests. Her eyes zed, her face ashen with rage. But she did not have the funds. She had only relied on Monica¡¯s card to trample over Whitney. ¡°Will you kneel or not?¡± The manager urged, watching his esteemed guest¡¯s expression. Roselyn could only swallow her pride and kneel. The man lifted his gazezily, his face cold, and said to Whitney, ¡°Give me your phone.¡± Whitney was stunned by this turn of events but figured it was his y. She handed over her phone. 11.57 The man opened her Facebook, snapped a photo of kneeling Roselyn, and shared it in the buzzing alumni chat. Everyone was waiting for the follow¨Cup on Whitney¡¯s supposed dine¨Cand¨Cdash. Suddenly, they saw Roselyn kneeling at Whitney¡¯s table, with Whitney half in the frame. Whitney had posted the photo! The chat went eerily quiet. Whitney nced at the man, who must have heard her phone ringing incessantly. His brows were deep¨Cset, his look detached and proud. Roselyn must be blind to mistake him for a thug. Whitney raised an eyebrow, then typed a message. [Having someone kneel while you dine adds a touch of excitement, doesn¡¯t it?] She had been silent until now, even when the chat was at its liveliest. Now, herment was met with a strange silence. Then, the man nced at Roselyn. ¡°Where¡¯s your apology?¡± Her hands shaking, Roselyn opened the Facebook group and saw her humiliating image. Not wanting to go to the police station, she typed with shivering hands, [Whitney, I¡¯m sorry.] As soon as she sent the message, the chat wentpletely silent, the collective gasp almost audible. Within seconds, one of the young men who had been bidding for Whitney¡¯s attention stepped forward. [Whitney, I¡¯m sorry about earlier.] Though they did not understand the situation, Whitney seemed to have some powerful backing, given how Roselyn ended up. Better not to offend her. Several others followed suit, apologizing to Whitney in a neat line. Whitney put down her phone, silently admiring the tall, handsome man rising from the table, suddenly finding his terse manner rather attractive. Whitney¡¯s furtive nces did not go unnoticed by the man, who also had the security do something. They broke Roselyn¡¯s right hand, the one that had touched his chin. A woman¡¯s scream echoed, and Whitney heard the man¡¯s indifferent voice, ¡°You see, I¡¯m a thug. I can¡¯t pay you, and it¡¯s best you don¡¯t call the cops either.¡± Roselyn¡¯s gaze was venomous but also inexplicably fearful of the thug. It was not until they had left that she wailed in pain, ¡°Whitney, don¡¯t think this is over. Monica won¡¯t let you get away with this!¡± Whitney was not worried about her tattling to Monica; she was whisked away by the man into his car. After a moment, she smiled and said, ¡°Thanks for standing up for me just now.¡± ¡°Well, you are my ¡®wife¡® after all.¡± The man¡¯s deep, maic voice made the word ¡®wife¡® sound unfamiliar yet oddly sensual. Chapter 14 Chapter 14 Whitney knew he was jesting, her ears warming at the thought. But then his gaze turned chilly, ¡°Sitting with you, I was mistaken for a thug.¡± Whitney caught the me in his voice. But at least it proved Tiana was wrong; he was not some gang leader. Who was he, then, tomand the manager of the Southern Elegance Club? 214 14.57 The next day, at the hospital. Roselyn¡¯s face was ashen as she had her arm set, her voice filled with resentment. ¡°Monica, the whole group chat thing has spread. I¡¯m theughingstock now. Whitney pping me is like pping you. You have to avenge this for me!¡± Monica¡¯s face clouded over. ¡°What happened with the ck card?¡± ¡°It just stopped working. But it can¡¯t be rted to that thug; he admitted he was a thug himself.¡± Monica felt a twinge of satisfaction. Ha, as if Whitney could snag a wealthy man. The owner of the Southern Elegance Club must have stopped the ck card. Only, she did not know how she had offended him. Annoyed, Monica was interrupted by a call from Simon. ¡°Monica, are you at the hospital? My mother wants to see her grandchild. Why don¡¯t you let her apany you for an ultrasound?¡± His voice held anticipation, but Monica stiffened noticeably. She tugged at her lips, feigning a girlish pout. ¡°What¡¯s the rush, darling? The baby¡¯s not even three Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. months along. You can¡¯t tell anything now! Let¡¯s just wait until I¡¯m a bit further along, alright?¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°Ugh! Simon, I¡­ I think I¡¯m gonna be sick again¡­¡± ¡°Alright, go on then. I¡¯lle and check on you once I¡¯m done here.¡± Monica quickly dismissed him, ending the call, and let out a long sigh of relief. Roselyn looked over with concern. ¡°Monica, the baby¡­¡± To persuade Simon to kidnap Whitney, Monica resorted to fabricating a pregnancy. The further along she faked it, the harder it became to conceal. She had considered actually getting pregnant during this time, but she had already lost two pregnancies that belonged to others. & Damn it! Her eyes flickered with a sudden thought, and she sneered at Roselyn. ¡°You said you wanted me to get back at her for you? Then find out where Whitney is.¡± Framing Whitney would be the perfect move. Simon cherished the idea of a child so much that he would go after that woman with a vengeance. And Monica would no longer have to worry about Whitney being alive to threaten her. Roselyn understood instantly and smiled, heading off to take care of it. At the hotel. Whitney slipped out of the guest room¨Cshe was there to get a handle on one of Skye Gem Ltd¡¯s minor shareholders. The guy was greedy and lustful, making him easy to manipte. If she wanted to take down Monica in the uing jewelry contest, she needed an insider, and Whitney had her eye on him. < su z 10 so ¡°Tsk, the old guy¡¯s still got it, ying with two at a time.¡± Tiana¡¯s voice came through disdainfully in the earpiece. Whitney sat in the lounge, about to remove the tiny camera hidden in her blouse, when Tiana mentioned the signal was poor and told her to wait a moment. So, Whitney picked up a ss of water to take a sip. Then, the sound of high heels clicked from behind. 211 Chapter 15 Chapter 15 Roselyn looked over with concern. ¡°Monica, the baby¡­¡± To persuade Simon to kidnap Whitney, Monica resorted to fabricating a pregnancy. The further along she faked it, the harder it became to conceal. She had considered actually getting pregnant during this time, but she had already lost two pregnancies that belonged to others. & Damn it! Her eyes flickered with a sudden thought, and she sneered at Roselyn. ¡°You said you wanted me to get back at her for you? Then find out where Whitney is.¡± Framing Whitney would be the perfect move. Simon cherished the idea of a child so much that he would go after that woman with a vengeance. And Monica would no longer have to worry about Whitney being alive to threaten her. Roselyn understood instantly and smiled, heading off to take care of it. At the hotel. Whitney slipped out of the guest room¨Cshe was there to get a handle on one of Skye Gem Ltd¡¯s minor shareholders. The guy was greedy and lustful, making him easy to manipte. If she wanted to take down Monica in the uing jewelry contest, she needed an insider, and Whitney had her eye on him. < su z 10 so ¡°Tsk, the old guy¡¯s still got it, ying with two at a time.¡± Tiana¡¯s voice came through disdainfully in the earpiece. Whitney sat in the lounge, about to remove the tiny camera hidden in her blouse, when Tiana mentioned the signal was poor and told her to wait a moment. This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. So, Whitney picked up a ss of water to take a sip. Then, the sound of high heels clicked from behind. 211 Chapter 16 Chapter 16 Ludwik¡¯s Adam¡¯s apple bobbed as Whitney leaned in closer, her soft body seeking his warmth. His breath grew heavier in response, and his cool gaze narrowed. Whitney¡¯s cheeks flushed with embarrassment. He remained silent, multiplying her difort. Seeing this, Nn could not help but feel a bit frustrated with Ludwik¡¯s leniency. He decided to tease Whitney ¡°Anything goes, huh? Ms. Valentine, you frequent the clubs a lot, right? You must be good at dancing. How about giving him a little show to lighten the mood?¡± Whitney¡¯s face paled as she shot Nn a cold re, refusing to dignify hisment with a response. Her fingers delicately traced Ludwik¡¯s tie, pulling him closer with a humiliated downward nce. ¡°I¡¯ll dance for you at home, Mr. L. Is that satisfactory?¡± Her scent wafted to him, stirring a mix of pity and desire. Her voice was weak, and as Ludwik scrutinized her, he remembered the near brawl she had been caught in earlier that evening. Perhaps she had been hurt? Considering the child, he thought it might be time to ease up on his lesson. His hand gripped her chin firmly, his deep eyes lifting. ¡°Are you going to let me get up now?¡± Whitney, realizing her imposition, moved back. He stood, casting a cold nce her way, and as he walked out, he took her small hand in his, leaving the people in the private room in stunned silence. After Ludwik left, Nn remarked, ¡°Just like that, you¡¯re letting her off the hook? She almost cheated on you,¡± ¡°What, you want her to dance for you?¡± Ludwik¡¯s features turned icy with annoyance, ¡°Get out, all of you!¡± Nn and Parker exchanged a look, speechless. They watched as Whitney managed to charm Ludwik and whisk him away. Nn clicked his tongue, ¡°That Whitney is no simple trouble, I tell you. She¡¯s seduced the usually abstinent Ludwik in a matter of days. If his otherdy finds out, there will be hell to pay¡­¡± Parker¡¯s expression darkened, ¡°Watch your mouth, don¡¯t let Whitney hear you.¡± Realizing his blunder, Nn shut up but could not resist adding, ¡°Whitney is just a contract wife, isn¡¯t she? A year and the deal¡¯s done¨Cshe gives him a child, and then it¡¯s back to the other one.¡± Parker, however, squinted thoughtfully. After tonight¡¯s events, Ludwik¡¯s heart was an enigma to all. Back at the mansion, Whitney got out of the car first, hiding her back pain while covertly asking the housekeeper, Taryn, for some pain relief cream. Ludwik watched her ascend the stairs, his handsome face clouding over. She had brought him home, and now she was turning cold again? His brows furrowed as he questioned Taryn, ¡°What did she tell you?¡± ¡°Madam is hurt. She asked for some ointment. Sir, you should take it to her. She¡¯s so pale with pain!¡± Taryn sensed a rift between the couple. Ludwik paused, his thick eyebrows knitting together. Whitneyy on the bed upstairs in the bedroom, in too much pain to move. Hearing footsteps, she mistook them for Taryn and, trembling slightly, she lifted her shirt. ¡°Taryn, I can¡¯t do this on my own. I need your help¡­¡°, As she lifted her clothing, the smooth expanse of her lower back was exposed to Ludwik¡¯s view, 14.58 His gaze darkened at the sight of arge, purplish bruise marring her skin. ¡°You said they didn¡¯t kick you, didn¡¯t you?¡± His voice was stern and cold. Startled, Whitney turned to see him, her face flushing as she quickly pulled her shirt down. But Ludwik was already by her side, forcefully preventing her from moving, his annoyance apparent, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you say you were hurt?¡± Whitney bit her lip, her eyes reddening with unshed tears, ¡°Did you give me a chance to speak? The moment you ensured the baby was fine, you walked away. I tried to exin, but you wouldn¡¯t listen.¡± He was momentarily lost for words. His lips pressed into a thin line. He was still displeased. ¡°I told you to stay home. You ignored that, sneaking off to the club. Did you think of the consequences?¡± He was angry about that but did not know the whole story. ¡°I didn¡¯t disobey you, Mr. L. I wasn¡¯t at the club to misbehave. I was¡­ tricked by Preston. The bartender said he¡¯d had a fall, and no one could pick him up. I couldn¡¯t be heartless, so I foolishly went,Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. only to be ambushed by him and my stepmother. Those men were hired to hurt me, to take their anger out on this child, Chapter 17 Chapter 17 to scare me. Yes, I deeply regret it, and I¡¯m suffering the consequences. But it wasn¡¯t as your friend saw.¡± Whitney finished, her voice breaking, tears spilling over as she stubbornly turned her head to wipe them away. She did not want him to see her weakness, her vulnerability. But her fragile, tender state unwittingly tugged at Ludwik¡¯s heartstrings. His eyes widened with surprise, then narrowed as he licked his lips and spoke in a husky voice, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me sooner that you were bullied? I thought you¡­¡± ¡°You never gave me a chance,¡± she shot back, her voice filled with usation, ¡°Preston wasn¡¯t the only one who bullied me tonight. Without understanding the situation, you embarrassed me.¡± Facing her usation, Ludwik¡¯s face tightened, ¡°Does it hurt much?¡± ¡°What do you think?¡± ¡°Lie down. I¡¯ll apply the ointment.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t argue!¡± He was imperious and authoritative, not to be denied, lifting her shirt and steadying her slender waist to apply the ointment. Whitney instinctively shivered under his touch, the moment¡¯s intimacy overwhelming despite its medical nature. Her face flushed as she whispered, ¡°Mr. L, please be gentle¡­¡± His fingers were strong and precise. Thement caused Ludwik to pause, his gaze growing heated as he saw her skin redden at his touch. He swallowed hard, schooling her in a rough whisper, ¡°Whitney, there are things you shouldn¡¯t say carelessly.¡± ¡°Like what?¡± Whitney was confused. ¡°Things that are inappropriate and can be misconstrued,¡± his voice was seductively deep. Whitney¡¯s ears reddened, understanding dawning on her, ¡°I meant it literally. Be gentle. It hurts.¡± ¡°You¡¯re getting cheeky, aren¡¯t you?¡± His voice was now hoarse with irritation. Whitney realized her words were even more inappropriate and buried her embarrassment beneath the covers. 14:58 As she moved, Ludwik¡¯s hand, applying the ointment, shifted direction, identally gripping her side. He leaned over her, and from his angle, her waist seemed as soft as a ribbon, as if easily foldable. His pupils darkened, and he abruptly stood up, quelling the rising fire within him. ¡°There, it¡¯s done.¡± This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Thank you¡­¡± Whitney curled up. The spot where his fingers had touched felt like it was on fire. The air between them was steamy, and his breathing was heavier. She rose, her heartbeat quickening as she pulled her shirt down, ¡°You should get some rest now.¡± ¡°Come on, I patch you up, and that¡¯s how you repay me?¡± Ludwik¡¯s voice held a note of irritation. ¡°Come on, I¡¯m just trying to avoid an awkward situation!¡± Whitney thought. Not knowing how to respond, she asked, ¡°What would you like me to do, Mr. L?¡± Truth be told, he had not expected much from her¨Cjust theck of a simple ¡®thank you¡® had ruffled his feathers. He caught sight of her innocent eyes and decided to tease, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you¡¯d dance for me when we got back? Breaking your promise?¡± Whitney¡¯s cheeks flushed a furious shade of red. She had said that in a moment ofpromise, and he took it seriously? Imagining herself dancing solo for him, Whitney nced into his deep, captivating eyes and felt a shiver run through her. She shook her head stubbornly. ¡°How can I dance with an injury?¡± ¡°If you can¡¯t dance, then sing.¡± He had heard her soft voice before; singing must be a treat. Ludwik sauntered over to the couch, making himselffortable as if settling in for a show. It looked like he would not leave until she indulged him. Biting her lip, Whitney suggested apromise, ¡°Fine, but you have to close your eyes while I sing¡­¡± He agreed with a slight curve of his lips and obediently closed his eyes. Caught in an awkward moment, Whitney parted her lips to sing. Her voice was ethereal, almost otherworldly, silencing the room with its purity. But after a few lines, Ludwik¡¯s body tensed. He suddenly gripped her shoulders, a hint of red in his eyes, ¡°Why do you know this song?¡± Chapter 18 Chapter 18 Whitney stood rooted to the spot, confused by his odd reaction. It was a song she hadposed a long time ago. The man squinted his deep¨Cset eyes, remembering the girl who had saved him. To calm his hysterical fits, she had hummed a soothing luby while performing acupuncture, which closely resembled this tune. Suddenly, he asked again, ¡°Are you trained in medicine?¡± Whitney frowned. She had promised her mother to keep her knowledge of medicine a secret for self¨C preservation, so she had not revealed it to anyone except Tiana. But why would he ask that? ¡°No,¡± she denied instinctively. The profound ripples in the man¡¯s eyes faded away. He ended the conversation. ¡°You should get some sleep. Leave everything else to me.¡± Whitney was left with several questions in her mind but did not dwell on them, simply nodding her head. In the study. The man removed his mask to reveal a face of stunning beauty, his expressionced with deadly intent. He called Nn, his voice icy, ¡°Here¡¯s your chance to make amends. Take Whitney¡¯s father and stepmother and beat them senseless. They dare to harm my child without realizing who I am.¡± ¡°Huh? Ludwik, what did I do wrong?¡± Nn was utterly perplexed. ¡°She was meeting Preston tonight. You misled me, made me misunderstand her¡­ Just get it done!¡± The man hung up the phone, still fuming. At the same time, in the bedroom. Lying on her side, Whitney could not sleep due to the bruises on her back. Then, Tiana called her via video. In a panic, Tiana asked, ¡°Whitney, I heard you were beaten up by some guys at the Imperial Garden Bar. What happened? Are you hurt?¡± Remembering the night¡¯s harrowing events, Whitney instinctively touched her stomach and recounted the ordeal. Tiana was livid. ¡°Is Preston even human? He doesn¡¯t deserve to be a father! Monica framed you with a false pregnancy scare, and you were only defending yourself. Yet, he wanted to beat you to cause a miscarriage, all to vent Monica¡¯s anger!¡± Whitney shivered, her eyes narrowing. ¡°Yvonne put him up to it. Monica wanted revenge. She released N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. the video to cover up her own embarrassment with the scandal of my miscarriage and to stop me from entering the ¡°That¡¯s outrageous, just watch me!¡± Tiana roared. Late at night. Preston and Yvonne were returning home from a social gathering when several motorcycles suddenly blocked their car. A group of young men jumped off, yanked open the car doors, pulled Preston and Yvonne out, bagged them, 14:59 and dragged them into an alley for a vicious beating. Preston was in shock. They were no match for the younger assants and were beaten ck and blue, shouting, ¡°Who the hell are you, punks? Daring to hit me, Preston Valentine, you¡¯re looking for a death wish!¡± Chapter 19 Chapter 19 ¡°Spit on them, boys! Break this old fool!¡± They shouted. After having their fun, the assants left, cursing as they went. Yvonne, her beauty marred, spoke with venom yet dared not curse, ¡°Sir, who were they? They seem to be ordinary thugs, but we haven¡¯t crossed anyone like them recently!¡± A realization struck Preston. ¡°It¡¯s Whitney¡­ Didn¡¯t she get mixed up with some riffraff? Tonight, I tricked her into a miscarriage, and she got them to retaliate! The ungrateful wench. And it¡¯s your fault for that rotten idea, making me please Monica by getting rid of her child!¡± Yvonne replied with cold resentment, ¡°I was just trying to keep Monica happy for Simon, okay? If we get rid of Whitney, we keep control of thepany.¡± She kept babbling as Preston was busy calling an ambnce. Then, looking at the news on his phone, Preston¡¯s face turned pale as a sheet. [Breaking News: The Valentine Corporation¡¯s CEO¡¯s wife, a former adult film star!] [High societydy, Yvonne Valentine, involved in explicit videos, supported by wealthy businessmen.] [Preston Valentine, the fall guy.] In the darkness, the phone screen shone brightly; Yvonne saw it too and her face went pale. Preston, his face turning purple with anger, received a mocking text from a business tycoon, [Preston, your wife¡¯s trending! Was she really an adult film star? No wonder you can¡¯t get enough of her, haha.] The irony in those words infuriated Preston, who was extremely conscious of his reputation. Seeing his ragged breathing, Yvonne said guiltily, ¡°That¡¯s not true¡­¡± ¡°You whore!¡± Preston shouted, losing all reason, and turned to p her hard, ¡°You had so many sordid affairs in the past? Now they¡¯re out in the open, and you dragged my reputation down with you!¡± ¡°No! I was clean before I married you; it must be Whitney¡­ It¡¯s too coincidental tonight. We tried to take her child, and she retaliates against us!¡± ¡°If you have no dark past, how could they call me a fall guy? Get out!¡± Preston, spitting blood in anger, immediately called The Valentine Corporation¡¯s PR to scrub the trending topic. But Yvonne¡¯s trending topic remained high the next day as if hackers were working against them. The next day. When Whitney awoke and saw the news, her first thought was of Tiana. She called her, and the girl, still groggy from sleep, confessed without denial, ¡°Yeah, it was me. I dug up all of Yvonne¡¯s dirtyundry overnight and gave her a five¨Cday trending package! But did you see the gossip? Yvonne and Preston got beaten up by some gang and ended up in the hospital. Wonder who the good Samaritan was who avenged you? So satisfying!¡± Whitney froze. Beaten up by a gang? Somehow, she found her thoughts drifting tost night when L said before leaving, ¡°Leave everything else to me.¡± She felt like she knew the answer. A slight smile curved her lips. Despite his misunderstanding of her 14:59 night, he took her grievances to heart once the truth came out. With his means, taking down the Valentine family would probably be easy. Whitney admired his approach, avenging her while not interfering in her personal matters. For the next few days, she stayed home, nursing her wounds and trying her best to show good behavior. This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. With Yvonne trending and her reputation in tatters, she and Preston had a tough road ahead. Whitney felt a cold sting in her heart; the scales had fallen from her eyes regarding Preston, and she would no longer show any mercy to the Valentine family. She must win next month¡¯s bigpetition to reim Skye Gem. On a Saturday afternoon, Tiana called Whitney to meet up. She came bearing important news. ¡°Whitney, I found out that Mr. Lippert from Imperial Gem Corporation has a soft spot forndscape paintings. October ising, and the registrations for the state jewelry contest are about to start. I¡¯ve heard that Simon and Monica have been hovering over charity auctionstely. They¡¯re trying to butter up Mr. Lippert, the judge for the event!¡± Chapter 20 Chapter 20 Charity auctions were often ripe withndscape paintings, and they were aiming to curry favor with Imperial Gem Corporation through the back door, Whitney mused. Tiana expressed her concern. ¡°We need to cozy up to Mr. Lippert as well! Remember that spat you had with your nemesis at the Southern Elegance Club? The registrations areing up, and I wonder if you¡¯ll still be as defiant.¡± Whitney wrinkled her nose in irritation. ¡°Can we not talk about that nauseating man right now?¡± ¡°Fine, let¡¯s talk about Monica. She¡¯s got all your best drafts in her grip. Those are enough for Monica to enter numerouspetitions and scoop up awards. Can you produce something better in such a short time?¡± Whitney took a deep breath. In the past, she had been naive. A sweet word from Simon, and she wouldfort herself with the thought that she was still young, handing over her work to Monica, foolishly helping Simon elevate Monica to the status of a genius designer! Whitney spoke with an icy detachment, ¡°She may have the drafts, but I have the brains!¡± The glory Monica had stolen, Whitney vowed to reim it, piece by piece. ¡°Whitney, you¡¯re a design genius. It¡¯s about time you make youreback in thepetition,¡± Tiana said, her eyes brimming with warmth. Whitney squeezed her hand in response. ¡°So you¡¯ll be busy sketching designs soon. How about we hit the mall today?¡± Tiana suggested, seizing the opportunity for a day out.N?velDrama.Org is the owner. Shaking her head, Whitney said, ¡°I want to check out the jewelry exhibition.¡± ¡°Ambitious women are truly terrifying,¡± Tiana thought, but her eyes gleamed with mischief as she grinned and said, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s do it!¡± She drove them through the bustling city center toward the imposing Imperial Gem Corporation building, where Whitney was caught off guard. ¡°Why are you taking me to our arch¨Crival¡¯spany?¡± Tiana, starry¨Ceyed, bubbled with excitement. ¡°We need to butter up Mr. Lippert, right? I¡¯ve been dying to see him since you mentioned his striking good looks. There¡¯s a jewelry exhibition at Imperial Gem today, and rumor has it Mr. Lippert will make an appearance around lunch. You can admire the gems, and I¡¯ll get a look at this dreamboat!¡± ¡°Have you been raised on romance novels or what?¡± Whitney fumed. ¡°How can you drool over my nemesis?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t jump to conclusions; you might be drooling too before long.¡± As they spoke, a line of luxury cars pulled up in front of the building, a Rolls¨CRoyce at its center. The car door swung open, and a pair of long legs stepped out. The man adjusted his suit button with an austere elegance; his profile alone was a sight to behold. Whitney¡¯s gaze involuntarily fixed on his face, just as striking as when she first saw him at the club, peerlessly handsome. Screams erupted from the crowd of onlooking women as security managed the throng. The man¡¯s brows furrowed slightly. Tiana,pletely smitten, shouted the loudest, ¡°Oh my God, I¡¯m pregnant just looking at him! He¡¯s too gorgeous! Whitney, hold me steady.¡± The sound of Whitney¡¯s name made the man pause and nce over with inscrutable eyes. Whitney scoffed while looking at her formidable foe a few feet away. ¡°Handsome? He¡¯s not even as good¨Clooking as my fake husband!¡± Chapter 21 Chapter 21 The man¡¯s gaze shifted toward her, and he smirked ever so slightly. ¡°No way your fake husband is more handsome than Mr. Lippert!¡± Whitney sized up the rival¡¯s tall frame. She had not seen L in the flesh but mused, ¡°They seem to be about the same height.¡± ¡°Same height and you dare to say equally handsome?¡± Tiana rolled her eyes. ¡°Not just height. Now that I look at them, even their build and presence seem simr¡­¡± Whitney¡¯s eyes narrowed on the man, a sense of dissonance settling in. Why did L and this rival seem alike? The man had already entered thepany with security, but Whitney could not resist following, determined to 14:59 uncover the truth. She slipped behind a guard amid the chaos, sneaking into thepany lobby. Suddenly, the man stepped into the CEO¡¯s private elevator! Whitney was swiftly blocked by security, ¡®Miss, you¡¯re trespassing. What are you trying to do?¡± ¡°¡­¡± As the elevator doors closed, Whitney blurted out in a moment of quick thinking. ¡°L! What are you doing here?¡± The rival, back turned to her in the elevator, did not respond. ¡°L!¡± She called again, testing. Still, the man gave no indication of hearing her. Watching the elevator ascend, Whitney sighed and pped her forehead. The rival had no reaction to ¡®L¡® so they could not be the same person, could they? What was she thinking? ¡°Whitney! How did you get in here?¡± Tiana teased after finally catching up. ¡°You¡¯re such a hypocrite, dissing our enemy and then sneaking into hispany!¡± Whitney did not want to admit she had, for a moment, suspected her rival was her ¡®fake husband. She pushed Tiana to leave. ¡°I came to see the jewelry, but it¡¯s nothing special. Let¡¯s go shopping!¡± ¡°Mr. Lippert¡¯s collection is nothing less than extraordinary!¡± Tiana pointed out, revealing the truth. ¡°He¡¯s a jewelry tycoon, and you¡¯re just bitter!¡± With a clenched jaw, Whitney retorted, ¡°I may not be at his level now, but once I rise again, I¡¯ll definitely take him down!¡± The man who had left the elevator observed the fiery little woman from a second¨Cfloor window, smirking at her bold im. Take him down? His lips curled with a wicked edge. How did she n to do that? His assistant could not help but chuckle. Ms. Valentine saying she would take down the CEO¡®¨Che was sure his boss would be delighted. Downstairs. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s hit the shops. Do you need to check in?¡± Tiana reminded. Whitney promptly called Natalie. As they ordered milkshakes, Whitney¡¯s phone rang. She answered, ¡°Madam, this is your husband¡¯s assistant. Please add him on Facebook; he has instructions for you.¡± Wondering why L¡¯s assistant suddenly called, Whitney hurriedly added L¡¯s contact¨Ca ck profile picture that matched his cool demeanor. A message popped up on Facebook. L: [Have you been sneaking around looking at other men?] Whitney¡¯s eyes darted around guiltily. How did he know? From the second¨Cfloor window, the man¡¯s lips quirked as he watched her fidget. L: [Are you going shopping?] Just as Whitney was about to reply ¡®yes,¡¯ he sent a document.N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. Whitney¡¯s face turned green as she read it. Chapter 22 Chapter 22 Suddenly, Whitney¡¯s hand was pped, and Roselyn snatched the shirt away. Her arm was still smarting from thest time Whitney and her thug buddy roughed her up at the club. Today, she was hell¨Cbent on humiliating Whitney. With a sneer, Roselyn said, ¡°Whitney, this is a Herm¨¨s counter. Can you read it? Do you think you¡¯re still that jet¨Csetting socialite who used to be front row at fashion shows? And you, sales clerks, times have changed. Why are you letting every Tom, Dick, and Harry in here to pollute the view of us esteemed VIPs?¡± The clerk, eager to appease Roselyn, immediately looked at Whitney with disdain. Tiana was about to rush forward in Whitney¡¯s defense, but Whitney stopped her with a hand. Roselyn picked up a dress with an air of superiority, ¡°This is Monica¡¯s custom gown worth 880 grand. You¡¯re with some nobody who can¡¯t even afford my medical bills. Do you think you can afford a scrap of this dress? And what are you wearing?¡± She viciously pulled at Whitney¡¯s cor to inspect her clothes, ¡°M? Ha, must be a knockoff! Everyone, take a look! The once untouchable Ms. Valentine is wearing fakes now. Oh, how the mighty have fallen! Sales clerks, be careful, don¡¯t let the poor steal anything!¡± Whitney wanted tough, curious about what L would say if he heard someone questioning the authenticity of his clothes. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be throwing out this down¨Cand¨Cout who can¡¯t afford to buy anything with a ck card?¡± Roselyn thought smugly, sure that publicly stepping on Whitney would earn her points with Monica. The clerk hesitated, moving to usher Whitney out. With a slow, deliberate movement, Whitney produced her smartphone, with a gold¨Cembossed ck card resting on top. She approached the counter and calmly said, ¡°I¡¯ll take the entire collection in this store, including the dress she¡¯s holding ¨C the precious gown Monica wants.¡± She nced back at This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Roselyn with a mocking smile. The store fell into an eerie silence, punctuated only by gasps. The clerks¡® faces transformed, and Roselyn¡¯s turned ashen. Disbelieving, Roselyn charged at her. ¡°Impossible, how could you have a ck card? Clerk, check her card. It must be a fake!¡± Whitneypleted the transaction without batting an eyelid, and millions were paid sessfully! Roselyn¡¯s face turned livid, and the onlookers began to mock her. Tiana snatched the gown from Roselyn and tore it, sneering, ¡°See now? We don¡¯t even bother tearing into people like you. Oops, my bad, I tore it a bit. But ragged clothes suit a vile person like Monica anyway. Here, take it back to her with mypliments!¡± ¡°Tiana, you bitch, you¡­¡± ¡°What¡¯s the matter, can¡¯t afford a ck card and still not scurrying away, waiting for me to kick your ass?¡± Tiana¡¯s voice was fierce, and she looked ready to throw a punch. Roselyn left the store, clutching the torn gown, her face devoid of all dignity. She immediately called, whining, ¡°Monica, Whitney tore your dress!¡± ¡°What? You can¡¯t handle this one thing. You¡¯re useless!¡± Monica¡¯s voice was icy. Roselyn¡¯s face darkened with malice. She and Monica were just fair¨Cweather friends. If it were not for Monica¡¯s current power, she would not bother sucking up. Holding back her rage, she informed Monica, ¡°Whitney has a 14:59 gold embossed ck card. She just bought the whole store¡¯s collection and humiliated me thoroughly.¡± Monica, full of envy, scoffed. ¡°Impossible, are you blind? Whitney¡¯s barely making ends meet. Didn¡¯t you say that her nobody boyfriend couldn¡¯t even pay your medical bills, and now she has a ck card? They¡¯re probably putting on airs with borrowed money!¡± She did not care about what Roselyn said, her voice filled with venom as she said, ¡°That bitch, she¡¯s caused scandals for my mother, Ha, my dad has already forgiven my mom, and she¡¯s working on something. Wait and see how long Whitney can strut around. She¡¯ll be done for soon.¡± Roselyn immediately ttered, ¡°Yvonne sure is skilled.¡± Meanwhile, in the Valentine Mansion¡¯s bedroom. In the afternoon, Yvonne used all her tricks to please Preston, and after his mood visibly improved, she finallyy down, panting. Though aging. Yvonne¡¯s figure was still youthful, but the effort left her breathless. She clenched her fists when thinking about how Whitney had exposed her past. Fortunately, Preston had quashed the trending searches, and the taunts from the other high societydies had subsided. Yvonne had managed to preserve her reputation and status. Cuddling Preston, she cooed, ¡°Darling, I¡¯ve dealt with Phebe. She finally agreed to Simon and Monica¡¯s engagement. But Monica still needs a dowry. If we gave the East Side resort as a generous gift, our daughter would shine.¡± ¡°Then it¡¯s hers,¡± he said simply. Yvonne¡¯s eyes gleamed, ¡°But Whitney¡¯s grandfather left that resort. Even though we¡¯ve taken all her assets, the resort needs her signature.¡± Preston looked at her, and Yvonne¡¯s eyes reflected a ruthless smile. ¡°That girl has crossed us all, hurt Monica, and had you attacked¡­ This time, when shees back, not only will I make her sign, but I¡¯ll also ensure she never causes trouble again. Then no one willpete with Monica for the jewelry contest.¡± Understanding her meaning, Preston¡¯s expression darkened, and he nodded. ¡°You¡¯ve done well with Monica¡¯s engagement.¡± Yvonne felt a shiver of triumph. She would kill two birds with one stone, ensuring the downfall of that bitch. Back at the boutique, Tiana teased Whitney about her ck card, ¡°And here I was, wanting to buy you a dress to cheer you up, but you had a trump card up your sleeve.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been fighting with your Lutz family fianc¨¦, haven¡¯t you? And your old man¡¯s cut you off?¡± Whitney hit the nail on the head. Tiana¡¯s expression took a slight dip before breaking into a teasing grin. ¡°Your mysterious hubby must be loaded! You swipe that card for a few million, and he doesn¡¯t even call to chew you out. Whitney, seriously, no matter who he is or how he looks, you should totally snag him!¡± Whitney just sighed. The credit card was a parting gift from L before she left, and she had not intended to use it at all. ¡°I was just showing off for a second. I¡¯m nning to return all the clothester,¡± ¡°Return them? No way, you should try this one on, and this one!¡± Tiana thrust a couple of outfits at Whitney and pushed her towards the fitting rooms. As Whitney opened Facebook to exin the spending spree to a certain someone, Tiana was already pestering her from the outside. ¡°Hurry up! I want to check out the handbags next. Come out and show me how it looks!¡± 213 Chapter 23 Chapter 23 Suddenly, Whitney¡¯s hand was pped, and Roselyn snatched the shirt away. Her arm was still smarting from thest time Whitney and her thug buddy roughed her up at the club. Today, she was hell¨Cbent on humiliating Whitney. With a sneer, Roselyn said, ¡°Whitney, this is a Herm¨¨s counter. Can you read it? Do you think you¡¯re still that jet¨Csetting socialite who used to be front row at fashion shows? And you, sales clerks, times have changed. Why are you letting every Tom, Dick, and Harry in here to pollute the view of us esteemed VIPs?¡± The clerk, eager to appease Roselyn, immediately looked at Whitney with disdain. Tiana was about to rush forward in Whitney¡¯s defense, but Whitney stopped her with a hand. Roselyn picked up a dress with an air of superiority, ¡°This is Monica¡¯s custom gown worth 880 grand. You¡¯re with some nobody who can¡¯t even afford my medical bills. Do you think you can afford a scrap of this dress? And what are you wearing?¡± She viciously pulled at Whitney¡¯s cor to inspect her clothes, ¡°M? Ha, must be a knockoff! Everyone, take a look! The once untouchable Ms. Valentine is wearing fakes now. Oh, how the mighty have fallen! Sales clerks, be careful, don¡¯t let the poor steal anything!¡± Whitney wanted tough, curious about what L would say if he heard someone questioning the authenticity of his clothes. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be throwing out this down¨Cand¨Cout who can¡¯t afford to buy anything with a ck card?¡± Roselyn thought smugly, sure that publicly stepping on Whitney would earn her points with Monica. The clerk hesitated, moving to usher Whitney out. With a slow, deliberate movement, Whitney produced her smartphone, with a gold¨Cembossed ck card resting on top. She approached the counter and calmly said, ¡°I¡¯ll take the entire collection in this store, including the dress she¡¯s holding ¨C the precious gown Monica wants.¡± She nced back at Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. Roselyn with a mocking smile. The store fell into an eerie silence, punctuated only by gasps. The clerks¡® faces transformed, and Roselyn¡¯s turned ashen. Disbelieving, Roselyn charged at her. ¡°Impossible, how could you have a ck card? Clerk, check her card. It must be a fake!¡± Whitneypleted the transaction without batting an eyelid, and millions were paid sessfully! Roselyn¡¯s face turned livid, and the onlookers began to mock her. Tiana snatched the gown from Roselyn and tore it, sneering, ¡°See now? We don¡¯t even bother tearing into people like you. Oops, my bad, I tore it a bit. But ragged clothes suit a vile person like Monica anyway. Here, take it back to her with mypliments!¡± ¡°Tiana, you bitch, you¡­¡± ¡°What¡¯s the matter, can¡¯t afford a ck card and still not scurrying away, waiting for me to kick your ass?¡± Tiana¡¯s voice was fierce, and she looked ready to throw a punch. Roselyn left the store, clutching the torn gown, her face devoid of all dignity. She immediately called, whining, ¡°Monica, Whitney tore your dress!¡± ¡°What? You can¡¯t handle this one thing. You¡¯re useless!¡± Monica¡¯s voice was icy. Roselyn¡¯s face darkened with malice. She and Monica were just fair¨Cweather friends. If it were not for Monica¡¯s current power, she would not bother sucking up. Holding back her rage, she informed Monica, ¡°Whitney has a 14:59 gold embossed ck card. She just bought the whole store¡¯s collection and humiliated me thoroughly.¡± Monica, full of envy, scoffed. ¡°Impossible, are you blind? Whitney¡¯s barely making ends meet. Didn¡¯t you say that her nobody boyfriend couldn¡¯t even pay your medical bills, and now she has a ck card? They¡¯re probably putting on airs with borrowed money!¡± She did not care about what Roselyn said, her voice filled with venom as she said, ¡°That bitch, she¡¯s caused scandals for my mother, Ha, my dad has already forgiven my mom, and she¡¯s working on something. Wait and see how long Whitney can strut around. She¡¯ll be done for soon.¡± Roselyn immediately ttered, ¡°Yvonne sure is skilled.¡± Meanwhile, in the Valentine Mansion¡¯s bedroom. In the afternoon, Yvonne used all her tricks to please Preston, and after his mood visibly improved, she finallyy down, panting. Though aging. Yvonne¡¯s figure was still youthful, but the effort left her breathless. She clenched her fists when thinking about how Whitney had exposed her past. Fortunately, Preston had quashed the trending searches, and the taunts from the other high societydies had subsided. Yvonne had managed to preserve her reputation and status. Cuddling Preston, she cooed, ¡°Darling, I¡¯ve dealt with Phebe. She finally agreed to Simon and Monica¡¯s engagement. But Monica still needs a dowry. If we gave the East Side resort as a generous gift, our daughter would shine.¡± ¡°Then it¡¯s hers,¡± he said simply. Yvonne¡¯s eyes gleamed, ¡°But Whitney¡¯s grandfather left that resort. Even though we¡¯ve taken all her assets, the resort needs her signature.¡± Preston looked at her, and Yvonne¡¯s eyes reflected a ruthless smile. ¡°That girl has crossed us all, hurt Monica, and had you attacked¡­ This time, when shees back, not only will I make her sign, but I¡¯ll also ensure she never causes trouble again. Then no one willpete with Monica for the jewelry contest.¡± Understanding her meaning, Preston¡¯s expression darkened, and he nodded. ¡°You¡¯ve done well with Monica¡¯s engagement.¡± Yvonne felt a shiver of triumph. She would kill two birds with one stone, ensuring the downfall of that bitch. Back at the boutique, Tiana teased Whitney about her ck card, ¡°And here I was, wanting to buy you a dress to cheer you up, but you had a trump card up your sleeve.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been fighting with your Lutz family fianc¨¦, haven¡¯t you? And your old man¡¯s cut you off?¡± Whitney hit the nail on the head. Tiana¡¯s expression took a slight dip before breaking into a teasing grin. ¡°Your mysterious hubby must be loaded! You swipe that card for a few million, and he doesn¡¯t even call to chew you out. Whitney, seriously, no matter who he is or how he looks, you should totally snag him!¡± Whitney just sighed. The credit card was a parting gift from L before she left, and she had not intended to use it at all. ¡°I was just showing off for a second. I¡¯m nning to return all the clothester,¡± ¡°Return them? No way, you should try this one on, and this one!¡± Tiana thrust a couple of outfits at Whitney and pushed her towards the fitting rooms. As Whitney opened Facebook to exin the spending spree to a certain someone, Tiana was already pestering her from the outside. ¡°Hurry up! I want to check out the handbags next. Come out and show me how it looks!¡± 213 Chapter 24 Chapter 24 Whitney remained the very picture ofposure amid the whispers and stares. She waited for the murmurs to die down and then spoke with a cool detachment, ¡°A bit carried away? If I remember correctly, wasn¡¯t it you who was caught in the scandal of the decade just a few days ago, Yvonne?¡± Yvonne¡¯s face turned as stiff as a board. The socialites anddies gathered around suddenly fell silent, recalling the recent gossip. Yvonne, struggling to contain her fury, tried to exin in a gentle voice, ¡°Whitney, those rumors were false, and they¡¯ve been debunked¡­¡± ¡°Oh, have they? Last I heard, my father doesn¡¯t even want to speak to you. What¡¯s the real story?¡± Whitney¡¯s smile was cool and detached. Without waiting for a reply, she turned and walked away. The crowd dispersed awkwardly, with Monica stamping her foot in frustration. ¡°Mom! She humiliated you like that, and you¡¯re just going to let it go? Look at her, so smug and self¨Csatisfied!¡± A deep loathing simmered in Yvonne¡¯s eyes. ¡°Patience, darling. After tonight, she won¡¯t have the gall to be so arrogant anymore.¡± The charity auction was set to begin at nine, yet it was only seven. Whitney moved through the venue while Yvonne and her daughter had yet to reappear. Whitney had a hunch that something was amiss; they would not simply let her off the hook. Passing by the kitchen, Whitney caught the scent of something medicinal. She frowned, seeing the steaming pot on the stove, and recognized the ingredients for a traditional tonic, which sparked a cold sneer at the corner of her lips as she remembered Monica¡¯s feigned miscarriage. ¡°Who is making this remedy? Is someone in the household unwell?¡± She asked a servant, feigning ignorance. The servant hardly paid her any regard andughed without responding. Whitney left the kitchen, suspicions confirmed about Monica¡¯s condition. It was clear that Monica barely had the capability to bear a child anymore, and the situation had gotten so severe that she even had to take medicine. Suddenly, the sound of barking dogs and crying interrupted the quiet. Yvonne¡¯s shrill voice reached her. ¡°Whitney! Look at what your dogs have done¨Cit¡¯s bitten someone!¡± Whitney¡¯s brows knitted together, and she hurried outside. Yvonne had her servants subdue Whitney¡¯s two dogs and approached her with a veneer of civility. ¡°These dogs have been quite unrulytely. Just now, they nearly bit a little guest. Whitney, you are their owner; you would be responsible if they actually hurt someone. I¡¯m going to have them taken away. Is that alright?¡± Whitney scrutinized the whimpering little girl and then her agitated dogs, whomunicated through their eyes that they had not bitten anyone. She knew her dogs were intelligent creatures. Reluctantly, given the circumstances, Whitney agreed. ¡°Where will you take them?¡± ¡°To the old lodge by the back hill,¡± Yvonne said, watching her intently. Fearing they might harm her dogs, Whitney insisted, ¡°I want to go with them.¡± Yvonne nodded, and once Whitney was out of sight, a sinister smile yed at the corners of her lips. The little wretch had taken the bait. At the old lodge, Whitney crouched down to her dogs. ¡°I¡¯ll get you out of here tonight,¡± she promised. N?velDrama.Org is the owner. Just as she was about to stand up, the servants suddenly hoisted her up and, along with the dogs, locked 14:59 them all in the basement! What is the meaning of this?¡± Whitney demanded, her eyes shing with icy fury. One of the burly servants threw a contract in front of her. ¡°Sorry, Whitney, but the madam wants you to sign this deed of transfer as a wedding gift to Monica.¡± It was a contract for a vacation resort! Whitney¡¯s expression turned icy. This property belonged to her grandfather, and she knew that even if the Valentine family had seized control, a transfer still required her signature. With force, the servant pressed her hand to sign. Then they left, locking the door behind them. Whitney and her dogs remained trapped. Looking through the narrow window at the cold moon casting its silvery light, Whitney felt a growing sense of wrongness. If Yvonne only wanted a contract, why lock her up? And why with her dogs? The night¡¯s odd events were piecing together, and Whitney did not understand why Yvonne had brought out her dogs. Her heartbeat quickened, and she sensed that Yvonne¡¯s intentions were not solely about the contract. What else could she be nning? Whitney turned to her innocent dogs, deep in thought. It was nearing eight. The auction would start at nine. Her hands clenched, and her unease grew. Suddenly, the door crashed open! Two male servants rushed in, dragging her dogs away. ¡°What are you doing? What will you do to them?¡± Whitney stood up, trying to intervene. ¡°You¡¯re quite a beauty, Whitney,¡± one servant said with lewd intent, caressing her face. ¡°After tonight, I might just have my way with you.¡± The other snapped, ¡°Shut it. Have you forgotten she might be insane? Watch out, she might bite.¡± They left quickly with the dogs. What were they nning? To kill her dogs? What was Yvonne up to? As Whitney paced the room, a thought struck her¨Cthe servant¡¯s mention of ¡°she might be insane¡± connected the dots. A chill went through her as she realized Yvonne¡¯s vicious n. Whitney¡¯s lips curled into a cold smile¨C she had uncovered it just in time. She immediately called her ally, Tiana. Tiana had struggled to sneak into the estate and had just arrived at the banquet hall when she received Whitney¡¯s call. 3 F3 F F F Tiana rushed to the back hill and fumed, ¡°They dared to lock you up¡­¡± ¡°Shh, Tiana,¡± Whitney¡¯s face was taut with urgency, ¡°Listen, I need you to do something for me.¡± Tiana noticed the unusual coldness in her eyes and leaned in as Whitney instructed, ¡°There¡¯s a medicine pot in the kitchen. Here, take this syringe..¡± Tiana¡¯s expression darkened with the revtion. After rescuing Whitney from the basement, she ground her teeth in anger. ¡°Those evil women, to think of such a vile scheme. Whitney, you must find a way to turn the tables.¡± 213 14.59 ¡°Of course.¡± Whitney gazed into the night, her eyes aze with intensity. Yvonne was after her dogs, and she had to save them, but she did not know where they were. Just then, a figure approached from behind, addressing her respectfully, ¡°Madam, is there anything you need help with?¡± Whitney whirled around to see the driver who had been assigned to her these past days. She guessed eagerly, ¡°Did L send you?¡± ¡°Yes. He instructed me to be at your service,¡± the driver replied. ¡°He said you¡¯re usually quite self¨C sufficient but to use my judgment when necessary.¡± Whitney inwardly snorted at the man¡¯sck of sentiment yet meticulous nature. A fleeting mix of emotions crossed her face, but having a chauffeur around was indeed a stroke of luck. She softly instructed him with a hushed tone, and they both set off to look for the dogs. The chauffeur managed to rescue the dogs, and Whitney felt a wave of relief wash over her. She took a deep breath topose herself. Then, her eyes glinted with a hint of frostiness. She squinted towards the bustling ballroom. Tiana must have already taken care of everything. Whitney gave a subtle cue, and the chauffeur went off to handle thest piece of the n. Whitney sped her hands together, rubbing them slightly to bring back some warmth. She squinted and smiled; Yvonne must be itching to reap the consequences of the intricate trap she hadid out. A perfect scheme returned to them in spades! In the ballroom, Yvonne was the epitome of grace. Suddenly, she turned to thedies and asked, ¡°Did any of you hear a dog barking?¡± The wealthy matrons fell silent. Indeed, there was the sound of a dog yelping, and it sounded agonizing! ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Yvonne¡¯s gaze swept over the butler who rushed in, his face contorted in sheer panic as he eximed, ¡°Sir, madam, something terrible has happened! Whitney, she¡­ she¡­¡± ¡°What happened to Whitney?¡± Yvonne rose with feigned concern. ¡°Whitney, she¡­ she did something to her dogs¡­ Please, you muste see!¡± The butler¡¯s hesitant words and his terrified expression piqued the curiosity of the elite women to the extreme. Yvonne and Preston exchanged a knowing look and dashed to the backyard, with the entire gathering trailing behind. As they moved, Yvonne nced subtly at Roselyn in the crowd. Catching the hint, Roselyn raised her voice and said, ¡°Could Whitney have lost her mind?¡± ¡°She¡¯s actually insane?¡± another socialite chimed in. ¡°Kidnapping and indecency, if she doesn¡¯t have a screw loose, I¡¯d be surprised¡­¡± The murmurs grew louder, and whenever the name Whitney was mentioned, faces twisted with an involuntary look of disdain. Yvonne lowered her head, a smirk of triumph curling her lips. ¡°Whitney, your good days are over as of today!¡± Chapter 25 Chapter 25 At this moment, Yvonne was practically quivering with anticipation, eager to witness Whitney¡¯s public downfall as the scene of her brutalizing her own dogs unfolded before the eyes of all. She had Preston summon a doctor to dere Whitney mentally unstable right then and there, ensuring she would be hauled off to the asylum and locked away for good. She would never see the light of day again, never be able to turn the tables. That irksome little wench would be out of her hair for good! In her mind¡¯s eye, Yvonne smirked with vicious satisfaction. As the servant shattered the lock and pushed open the door, she stepped into the dimly lit basement. The stench of blood hit them like a wall, causing everyone to cover their noses. As the lights flicked on, the assembleddies gasped at the sight of a girl sitting amid a bloody mess, her hands and face smeared with blood, even flecks on her teeth, like she¡¯d gone mad ripping into raw flesh. ¡°Agh!¡± ¡°What in the world? Who killed the dogs? Was it Whitney?¡± ¡°Whitney, darling!¡± Yvonne rushed to the girl¡¯s side, her face etched with feigned concern as she reached for the girl. ¡°Sweetheart, even if you¡¯re unwell and faced some ridicule at the party, they were your own dogs. How could you be so cruel to your own pets, you¡­¡± Yvonne wasying out Whitney¡¯s supposed sickness and its triggers, ready to signal Preston to call for the doctor, when she took a proper look at the girl¡¯s face and let out a shrill scream, copsing backward, her face ashen. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Yvonne?¡± ¡°Yvonne, why did you call me?¡± Whitney sauntered in from the side, feigning surprise. ¡°Oh no, it¡¯s my sister!¡± Every gaze in the room turned to the girl in the pool of blood. It was Monica! It was actually Monica! Yvonne was stunned. She lifted her shocked gaze to Whitney, who was cool as a cucumber, then back down, refusing to believe her daughter had ¡®attacked the dogs.¡® How could it be Monica? Her n had been wless. Where had she gone wrong? Snapping back to reality, Yvonne red at Whitney with pure loathing. Meanwhile, Preston, his face a picture of disgust, quickly moved to disperse the onlookers. But the crowd was too intrigued and refused to disperse. In desperation, Yvonne covered Monica and covertly tried to wake her daughter. Monica came to with a start, ¡°Mom, why am I here? Ah!¡± N?velDrama.Org is the owner. ¨C As she took in the sight of blood and the mutted remains of what seemed to be a dog, Monica screamed. Whitney watched the dramatic scene unfold before squatting down innocently, ¡°Sis, what in the world. happened to you? How could you kill my dogs?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t, I didn¡¯t kill any dog,¡± Monica stammered, her face pale and confused, turning to her mother for answers. ¡°Enough! Stop this nonsense. Everyone, there¡¯s nothing to see here. This is just some frozen meat from the storage, and Monica just fainted because of her fragile body, that¡¯s all. A simple misunderstanding!¡± Yvonne hastily exined with a forced smile, urging everyone to leave. ¡°Yvonne, is my sister sick? I saw the kitchen was brewing some tonic soup for her. Is it because she lost 15:00 another baby recently, and that¡¯s why she¡¯s emotionally unstable and could do something so extreme as to harm dogs? Whitney spected calmly, her voiceced with concern. The audience caught on to the underlying implication. Yvonne wished she could rip Whitney¡¯s mouth right off her face. But she was powerless to do so. Just then, Phebe stepped forward with a face like thunder. ¡°What¡¯s this all about? Monica, did you have a miscernage with my boy Simon?¡± Everyone knew Phebe had high standards for purity and took a dim view of Simon¡¯s rtionship with Monica. After all, Monica was the mistress, and Phebe despised her. However, Simon was too much in love with Monica, and Phebe had no choice but topromise. Her question made Monica and Yvonne stiffen. Whitney kept up her act of concerned sister. ¡°Phebe, didn¡¯t you know? Monica¡¯s miscarriage even made the rounds in a video. Yvonne, Monica¡¯s lifestyle is taking a toll on her health. Despite her youth, such recklessness will only lead to ruin.¡± The murmurs grew louder, with whispers of disdain. ¡°What¡¯s going on with Monica? Has she lost several babies?¡± ¡°Just now, Yvonne was boasting about her daughter¡¯s purity, and now this p in the face.¡± Phebe, now indignant, red at Monica before storming out. Whitney watched with a smile and then gracefully exited the scene. Yvonne sat on the floor, defeated, as the whispers around her grew. Monica quickly got up and chased after Phebe, sobbing. Meanwhile, Preston panted heavily as he stared at Yvonne with wide eyes. Yvonne¡¯s face was pale as a sheet, and this humiliation had gotten her so filled with rage she almost bit her tongue off. She had nned to humiliate Whitney and send her to the asylum, but shockingly, Monica ended up being the one humiliated. With an ashen expression, Preston cleaned up the mess. Fortunately, not many esteemeddies had followed them here and witnessed this nonsense, and he could pay them to keep their mouths shut. However, this expenditure made his heart ache. No matter how hard Monica tried to exin to Phebe that this was a misunderstanding and that Whitney twisted the truth because there was something wrong with her brain, Phebe was not convinced at all and left the Valentine Mansion in a rage. Having cleaned up and changed into her evening gown, Monica looked somewhat revived, but the situation with Phebe had left her visibly shaken. She med her mother. ¡°Mom, Whitney saw right through your n, and now I¡¯m the one covered in filth! I hate her! Stop interfering. She thinks she¡¯s won, right? Just wait until the auction starts. I¡¯ll see how much she can spend. I¡¯m going to make her theughingstock of the evening!¡± And so, the auction began, drawing the attention of the wealthy attendees, temporarily setting aside the scandal involving Monica for the excitement of the bidding war while Yvonne and Preston scrambled to salvage their tarnished reputations. ¡°Monica!¡± Yvonne was visibly worried. If she had faltered, what hope did her daughter have? Monica dashed into the auction house with an air of grace just as Simon returned with a stormy expression. Her eyes quickly caught sight of Whitney making an entrance. In a heartbeat, Monica threw herself into the man¡¯s arms, tears streaming down her face like a spring shower. ¡°Simon, is Mom still mad? She¡¯d rather 213 15:00 believe those nasty lies from my sister than in her own son? You know me. You know you¡¯re the only one for me. My sister is just jealous of our love; she wants to ruin me!¡± Simon, who had been slightly swayed, felt his resolve soften once more at the sight of her tears. Following Monica¡¯s gaze, he, too, noticed Whitney just entering. His brows knitted together, then he strode over and grabbed Whitney by the arm. ¡°This is too much! Whitney, why would you frame Monica? Don¡¯t I know her well enough to see through these lies? Even if Aunt Yvonne has it out for you, you¡¯ve got no right to drag Monica¡¯s good name through the mud!¡± Chapter 26 Chapter 26 Standing there, Whitney tranted the confrontation in her mind, ¡°Even if she and her daughter want to wipe you off the face of the earth, you can¡¯t hurt Monica even the slightest!¡± She looked up at the man whose handsome features had been transformed, her heart cold as an iceberg silently drifted within her. With a sneer, she said, ¡°Simon, I guess the hospital really did wonders on that face of yours¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Monica red at Whitney and quickly changed the subject, ¡°Sis, you came to bid onndscapes today? But I heard your finances are tight, and you¡¯ve got some street thug for a boyfriend now. Do you need my help?¡± Simon¡¯s gaze on Whitney darkened. A murmur rippled through the crowd. ¡°What, Whitney¡¯s taken up with a street thug?¡± Monica feigned innocence. ¡°Don¡¯t talk like that, everyone. Maybe my sister just made a mistake.¡± ¡°Oh my God, to consort with riff¨Craff is to fall from grace. The Valentine family¡¯s name must be totally tarnished by Whitney.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s not be too harsh. Didn¡¯t Roselyn say she saw Whitney splurging at the boutique the other day? Maybe her new beau is loaded! Sis, since you have a new man, why not introduce him to us?¡± Monica¡¯s challenge was thinly veiled. ¡°A thug worth meeting? With her looking penniless and bidding on million¨Cdor paintings, I doubt she even has the money to start the bid. Isn¡¯t that right, Whitney?¡± Roselyn mocked openly, the two of them taking turns. The socialites looked at Whitney with ridicule. Then, the lights dimmed, and the luxurious auction began. The first item up was andscape painting from thete Renaissance era. The starting bid was a million dors. Simon raised his paddle. ¡°Two million!¡± The socialites cooed with envy, ¡°Simon¡¯s sovish, doubling the bid just to win Monica¡¯s favor!¡± Monica smirked smugly, satisfied with her prediction, as Whitney did not raise her paddle. Monica stood up and said to the auctioneer in a helpful tone, ¡°Wait, my sister wants to bid too. Come on, Sis, ce your bid.¡± Her voice carried over the microphone, audible to everyone. All eyes turned to Whitney, waiting for her to bid. Whitney sat still, her expression unchanged. She knew she had only $800,000 in cash from Tiana- not enough to meet the starting bid. F2 @ I 2 3 0 5 PE F F F X Z Simon had called out two million, showcasing a tant attempt to humiliate her. ¡°Whitney, isn¡¯t your thug boyfriend showing up, or do you not even have a million dors to your name?¡± Roselyn taunted sharply. The socialitesughed mockingly. ¡°If you can¡¯t afford it, don¡¯t embarrass yourself by taking up space.¡± The auctioneer frowned at Whitney. ¡°Whitney, are you bidding or not? If you can¡¯t afford it, have security escort you out so you don¡¯t disrupt the proceedings!¡± Monica chuckled under her breath. 15.00 Just then, a chillingly maic voice cut through the darkness, ¡°She bids five million!¡± Everyone was stunned, including Whitney, who recognized that captivating voice and turned to look back. A towering figure strolled toward her, hiszy gait and broad shoulders exuding theposure and dangerous allure of a mature man. His presencemanded silence, and his mysterious mask elicited gasps from the socialites. The room held its breath, Whitney¡¯s almond eyes widened in shock. The man approached her calmly, bending elegantly in the shadows and drawing near. Hisrge hand gently grasped her wrist. His cool breath enveloped Whitney. His eyebrows were dark and intense. He looked at her, scrutinizing her delicate face, petite forehead- all so fragile. Yet her eyes sparkled with intelligence and defiance. He was sure she was unharmed. He then sat down, inscrutable, and asked softly, ¡°Am Ite?¡± Whitney¡¯s heart skipped a beat. For some reason, his arrival always brought a surge of emotion. That deep voice, she guessed he wanted to ask, ¡®Are you okay?¡® His concern was hidden while she felt vulnerable. Whitney blinked, her lips parting slightly, ¡°No, you¡¯re notte, Sir.¡± The man settled next to her, elegantly crossing his legs. Whitney stole a nce at him. Was he not supposed to be on a business trip? How did hee down like a deity to save her? She suspected he had heard about tonight¡¯s ordeal from his driver. With a raised eyebrow, he elegantly raised his paddle. ¡°No one else is bidding? Six million!¡± The room erupted, and the socialites were in shock, ¡°Is that the thug Whitney¡¯s with? He¡¯s so tall and handsome!¡± Roselyn, shaken by the thug¡¯s dapper appearance, remembered her grudge and sneered. ¡°Didn¡¯t you see the mask? He must be hideously scarred, a gangster! Simon, outbid him!¡± Simon felt a pang of jealousy as the rumors of Whitney¡¯s thug boyfriend materialized. He had never believed Whitney couldnd a man. But this thug bid six million. This provoked Simon¡¯spetitive spirit; Whitney could not possibly find someone wealthier than him! This thug must be bluffing. He shouted, ¡°Eight million!¡± ¡°Ten million,¡± the man¡¯s voice was as smooth as fine wine, nonchntly cold. Simon¡¯s eyes hardened, ¡°Twelve million!¡± ¡°Fourteen million.¡± Whitney watched as the man did not even nce up. The painting was worth five million at most; he was bidding twice its value. Whitney could not help but feel uneasy, ¡°Mr. L, there¡¯s no need to outbid him. It¡¯s not worth it.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t intend to buy it.¡± Whitney was confused. N?velDrama.Org is the owner. 15:00 The man nced at the petite woman beside him, his indifference evident as he said, ¡°Just driving up the price for him.¡± Speechless, Whitney admired his ability tomand the situation so gracefully yet ruthlessly and mentally gave him a thumbs up. ¡°Twenty million,¡± he continued his bold bidding. Simon¡¯s eyes reddened with fury. He kept ncing at the tall masked man beside Whitney. He must be hideous! He could not let a thug overshadow him and shouted, ¡°Twenty¨Csix million!¡± The man did not raise his paddle again. Whitney watched as he propped his chin up, his narrow eyes slightly lifted. The auctioneer, eager not to lose a big spender, quickly banged the gavel three times, ¡°Congrattions to Mr. Perlman! Thendscape painting is sold for twenty¨Csix million!¡± Simon slouched into the chair, his face tensed as if on the brink of a fury, while Monica silently watched, too terrified to make even a peep. They both realized they had been yed for fools by that damn thug! Sure, Skye Gem had a high market value, but money doesn¡¯t grow on trees. Spending twenty¨Csix million dors on andscape painting really stung. Yet, Monica felt a sense of triumph as she strutted up to Whitney. She nced at the man in the mask, wondering why he, clearly a street thug, exuded such an untouchable aura. His mere presence seemed to cast a dazzling spell around Whitney, suddenly making her unapproachable as if wrapped in an air of icy nobility. Monica convinced herself it must be an illusion. Nothing more than a pretty boy! Leaning in, she sneered at Whitney. ¡°A thug is a thug, good at nothing but driving up the dirt. Not to mention twenty¨Csix million. I bet your boyfriend couldn¡¯t earn a million his whole life, Sis!¡± Chapter 27 Chapter 27 Whitney raised an eyebrow and looked at Monica with amusement as if she were watching a court jester perform. Standing beside her, L. towered with an impable posture, tantly ignoring Monica as if she were beneath his notice. ¡®Let¡¯s get going,¡± he said, turning with an air of distinction. Whitney followed him, delicate and soft, which only made him seem more imposing. Simon watched from behind, his eyes simmering with an intense, fiery anger, ¡°Whitney!¡± He barked, halting her in her tracks. Monica¡¯s face soured instantly. Whitney paused, and L. nced at her. ¡°I need to take a call. The driver will pick you up. Can you handle that?¡± She nodded with a faint smile. With a cool nce back, Whitney watched Simon approach, eyeing L as he walked away to take his call. ¡°Who the hell is that guy?¡± Simon demanded. ¡°None of your damn business.¡± ¡°How can you associate with riffraff? Whitney, have you sunk so low?¡± ¡°At least I¡¯m not scavenging for coins in the gutter.¡± Her words stung Monica and Simon, and onlookers struggled to suppress theirughter. Monica¡¯s face turned icy while Simon¡¯s expression grew colder. He grabbed Whitney¡¯s hand and sneered, ¡°Riffraff without a car, right? He¡¯s probably riding a motorcycle. I¡¯ll take you home!¡± The sound of his car keys jingled, and the headlights of a Lamborghini shed. Monica feigned concern as she approached. ¡°Oh dear sister, you must have walked here, right? You should be careful, especially being pregnant, even if the father¡¯s identity is a mystery. Let Simon and me take you home. What if something happens to you on that motorcycle?¡± The elitedies nearby cast disdainful nces at Whitney. As beautiful as she was, it baffled them why she would be with a thug. Whitney remained silent. Then, the unmistakable roar of an ultra¨Cluxury car approached, and when the onlookers recognized it, they collectively gasped. A one¨Cof¨Ca¨Ckind, limited edition Bugatti Veyron¨Cnot just the car, but the consecutive numbers on the license te left Simon and Monica dumbfounded. Such a license te number symbolized power, something even the elite of Banyan City could not procure. Whose car was this? The driver stepped out, respectfully calling, ¡°Ms. Valentine, your car is ready.¡± He addressed her as Ms. Valentine, not as thedy of the house, which suggested L¡¯s directive. With a knowing smile, Whitney swept past the stunned Monica, Yvonne, and Preston, and gracefully got into the car. The Bugatti Veyron sped off, leaving a cloud of exhaust for the Valentine family to choke on. The surrounding socialites were abuzz. ¡°Who has Whitney gotten involved with? That license te¨C only the Lippert family in Banyan City could¡­¡± 15:00 ¡°No way Whitney¡¯s involved with the Lippert family!¡± Yvonne interjected with scorn. ¡°She¡¯s ruined. She¡¯s justtched onto some guy with a fake te!¡± Monica, jealous to the core but feigning sorrow, added, ¡°She¡¯s disgraced our father.¡± Simon¡¯splexion turned sour. How could Whitney know a man with such a car? A deep resentment bubbled within him. Whitney was supposed to be his¨Call of her beauty, excellence, and capabilities should have been his! Land Whitney traveled in separate cars, he ahead and she following behind. Tiana urgently contacted her, ¡°Did I do well, Whitney?¡± ¡°Perfectly.¡± Whitney had instructed Tiana to drug Monica and take her to the basement. The driver had bought some dog meat to stage the scene. Yvonne¡¯s ns were derailed, and everyone witnessed her supposed madness, making her institutionalization a foregone conclusion. ¡°These two are always jumping around, but too bad for Monica¨Cjust as she stepped into high society, you kicked her out again. And that resort contract won¡¯t do her any good now, haha,¡± Tiana said cheerfully. ¡°By the way, did Mr. Lippert show up?¡± ¡°No,¡± Whitney replied, distracted by her fake husband and missing her nemesis¡¯s handsome face. Once at the vi, Whitney alighted from the car. L, already there, stood elegantly, smoking a cigarette¨C a mature man with a dangerously attractive demeanor. He nodded for her to wait as he finished his smoke. After the smoke cleared, he approached her with the grace of a gentleman. Whitney¡¯s dogs bounded from the car. She knelt to greet them, her face softening. ¡°They¡¯re getting old,¡± she said. ¡°My mother gave them to me. They¡¯ve been with me through everything. I should¡¯ve picked them up days ago. Thank you for your driver, Sir.¡± ¡°Try again?¡± L raised an eyebrow. Whitneyughed, standing up in the evening breeze like an ethereal flower. He nced at her lips, and his fingers loosened his Windsor¨Cknotted tie. ¡°Thank you, L. Without you, I wouldn¡¯t have my dogs!¡± She said, stepping closer to him yfully. ¡°Hmph.¡± Whitney pointed to the imposing Bugatti behind her. ¡°But you really shouldn¡¯t use that license te. The cops might not like it, Sir.¡± L¡¯s mouth twitched in response. His assistant grimaced, feeling sorry for the te for being mistaken as a fake. Then, they headed towards the vi. Whitney noticed the man¡¯s formal attire, suggesting he had been at an important event. ¡°Did youe back from a trip, or did you return just for this?¡± She asked quietly. His pause and deep gaze were answer enough. Whitney blushed, her thoughts turning to his concern for her pregnancy. As they neared the door, L frowned. ¡°They can¡¯te in!¡± He said, referring to the dogs. Whitney nced back at the stray dogs with a pang of sympathy, ¡°They¡¯re just like me, without a home. Can¡¯t you take them in, Sir?¡± 213 15:00 N?velDrama.Org is the owner. ¡°Nope.¡± His response was heartlessly brief. ¡°Madam, Sir is allergic to dogs! Taryn chimed in with a smile as she approached Oh? Whitney blinked in surprise, suddenly understanding his aversion to letting the dogs side. She had touched the dogs earlier, and his eyes had indeed red with rejection. She pouted, ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry then¡± ¡°But Sir has a little kitty living in a separate house in the backyard. Your dogs could stay there: Taryn respectfully asked the man, ¡°Sir, would that be alright?¡± He had just slipped off his suit jacket, revealing a well¨Cbuilt figure under his crisply pressed shirt, the very picture of elegance. He nced at Whitney and, without a word, tacitly consented. Taryn immediately led Whitney to the backyard. In front of a pink miniature vi, Whitney was almost blinded by the brightness, ¡°Is this his cat¡¯s house?¡± Talk about livingrge! They entered the spacious vi, and a pure white, aristocratic kitteny atop a luxurious cat condo, barely acknowledging their presence with a haughty nce. Just like its owner! Whitney turned around to see the man standing aloof outside the pink abode. ¡°Aren¡¯t youing in?¡± Taryn giggled softly, ¡°Sir loves his cat, but he¡¯s allergic to cat dander too, so he keeps his distance.¡± Whitney was at a loss for words. Chapter 28 Chapter 28 Allergies and still keeping a cat? Quite the peculiar masochist and a loner, this guy. Whitney¡¯s gaze was too transparent, and the man¡¯s icy nce swept over her. ¡°Are you insulting me?¡± ¡°No way. It was apliment.¡± ¡°Complimenting my looks?¡± Speechless, Whitney nced at his smugly curved, thin lips. Thick¨Cskinned much! ¡°This whole pink¨Cthemed decor, it wouldn¡¯t also be¡­¡± Taryn teased quietly, ¡°It was Sir Ouldn¡¯t also be¡­¡± request.¡± Whitney suddenly envied the little cat princess. He spoiled her way too much! Seeing his indifferent face, Whitney figured if he ever had a daughter, she could not even imagine what twisted thoughts a grown man like him would harbor. She subconsciously touched her tight belly. ¡°What unseemly thoughts are you harboring?¡± Leaned against the door frame, L¡¯s gaze teasingly fixed on her. Whitney¡¯s face flushed, and she quickly walked in with the dogs, ¡°Hey, kitty, this is Spark and ze. They¡¯ll be staying here temporarily, so you all need to get along, okay?¡± She even went through the motions of making the cat and dogs shake hands. ¡°L, what¡¯s your cat¡¯s name?¡± Whitney asked, tilting her egg¨Cshaped face up. The man¡¯s jaw tensed. Tarynughed, ¡°Sir hasn¡¯t named the kitty yet.¡± Whitney cheekily said, ¡°Your Daddy is sozy, not even giving you a name. I¡¯ll name you.¡± Her voice was soft and sweet; she was just a little girl at that moment. Clearly, she had many sides. ¡°Let¡¯s call her Olive. It¡¯s noble.¡± ¡°I think Whitney is nice too. She¡¯s quiet, not like some girls, all talk no substance.¡± The man casually observed her. Whitney pondered, then turned to ask, ¡°What¡¯s your name then? Let¡¯s see if you live up to it.¡± The man¡¯s eyes twinkled with amusement, quick¨Cwitted. Taryn brought over a cat teaser, ¡°Sir, why don¡¯t you try ying with the kitty? It¡¯s okay from a distance!¡± Unustomed to such activities, the man took the teaser, standing far off, stiff and detached. Whitney teased him as he frowned. ¡°If you¡¯re allergic like that, why keep a cat?¡± The small cat teaser in hisrge hands suddenly shifted direction, the fluffy end lifting Whitney¡¯s chin as he swiftly leaned in close, his lips brushing her ear, his voice dangerously charming. ¡°I¡¯m not allergic to you, little kitty!¡± Whitney was stunned, her face flushing at his suggestive words. How dared hepare her to a kitten? Then his strong arm encircled her, teasing her several more times with the wand. He whistled lowly, a serious look on his face, ¡°Can you meow for me?¡± He was the epitome of rakish charm, suggesting her to do something so explicit without saying it directly. Before Whitney could get angry, he gracefully withdrew. His yful demeanor was evident as he walked away, clearly in good spirits. Leaving Whitney wrapped in a haze of flirtation, unable to look directly at the cat teaser anymore! She thought this man was dashing to the bone. His teasing was irresistible, leaving any naive girl blushing for a long time Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. Quite the charmer! Back at the vi, Xandra suggested Whitney take a bath. She mentioned that Sir was hungry and asked if she had any simple cooking skills. Was Natalie retiring to the back house today? Whitney emerged clean from her bath, pondering that she indeed needed to express her gratitude tonight. She could cook. A woman of her standing had to know how. Whitney entered the kitchen and quickly whipped up a te of spaghetti for him. ¡°Mr. L, dinner is served.¡± She presented it promptly. Her delicate hand, pale and dainty, offered him the fork. He nced at it and took it. Whitney sat opposite him, hands cradling her face, looking a bit despondent. He poured a ss of red wine, ncing over at her. Whitney voiced her worries, ¡°Mr. L, did you know? Thendscape painting was bought by Simon, so I can¡¯t cozy up to my nemesis, and the jewelrypetition in October is under his thumb. I¡¯m really in trouble.¡± Chapter 29 Chapter 29 ¡°Who¡¯s this nemesis of yours?¡± He took a sip. ¡°Imperial Gem Corporation¡¯s obnoxious boss!¡± His eyes darkened, ¡°What beef does he have with you?¡± ¡°It¡¯s an old family feud, a cutthroat business rivalry! You into business? If not, you wouldn¡¯t understand,¡± The assistant behind the boss stifled augh. Thedy sure spoke her mind. His eyes yful, L asked coldly, ¡°Does your nemesis even take you seriously?¡± ¡°He said I have a small chest. That¡¯s a grudge I won¡¯t even let go!¡± His gaze trailed down to the base of her neck. He frowned, failing to remember, and slowly said, ¡°So he did, but haven¡¯t you grown bigger?¡± Whitney suddenly crossed her arms, her face turning red, ¡°L, Whose side are you on?¡± The assistant thought, ¡°What an extremely interesting question.¡± Elegantly taking a bite of spaghetti, he crossed his legs. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about the painting.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°Imperial Gem¡¯s Mr. Lippert isn¡¯t fond ofndscape paintings.¡± Whitney¡¯s eyes sparkled. ¡°You¡¯re guessing? That¡¯s what I thought, too! A man that handsome couldn¡¯t possibly have such an old soul as to likendscape paintings, right? I¡¯ll let you in on a secret. That creep likes young girls!¡± The assistant twitched, ncing at the boss. Noticing the man¡¯s suddenly grim expression, Whitney was puzzled, ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Mr. L?¡± He narrowed his cool eyes, ¡°You could try a different approach to win him over.¡± ¡°How so?¡± Your sign¨Cin rewar. Come to im your free coins. ¡°Come here.¡± He beckoned with a finger. Suspicious, Whitney approached, her clean, soft nightgown revealing a slender waist as he pulled her into his embrace. She gasped,nding on hisp, his muscr physique solid and powerful. Suddenly close in his arms, Whitney squirmed ufortably. He held down her struggling hands, his voice sinfully low, ¡°There are a few ways a woman can please a man. Which do you think?¡± Whitney caught on, her brows furrowed, ¡°You mean I should seduce my nemesis? He can get lost; besides, I wouldn¡¯t betray you.¡± He raised an eyebrow. Whether he was pleased or cold was unknown. ¡°You are quite loyal to me.¡± ¡°We have an agreement.¡± ¡°Shall we practice?¡± He suggested, seducing the young woman with his mature charm. ¡°Practice what?¡± ¡°Charm a man,¡± he murmured, his breath warming the delicate skin below her earlobe. Whitney¡¯s cheeks flushed a deep pink as his gaze darkened like ink, hisrge hand settling firmly on the small of her waist. He coached in a low voice, ¡°To charm a man, you need to be soft¨Csoft in your demeanor, tone, and movements.¡± ¡°How do I¡­ be soft?¡± Whitney felt as if she were intoxicated, not by wine but by his intoxicating presence. How else could she exin following his lead so willingly? The next moment, she felt weightless, gently lifted and ced on the tabletop. The tes were just beside her, and towering above was a man of statuesque stature. His body exuded a warmth that seemed to scorch her smooth skin. Especially when he leaned down, bringing his handsome lips close to her ear. His cheek brushed against her hair, hovering just an inch from her lips, neither advancing nor retreating. He simply hooked his lips and breathed Was this man flirting with her? Whitney felt like she was running out of breath, her face blushing furiously as she clutched his chiseled arm, her heartbeat erratic. This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± He noticed her rising temperature and arched an eyebrow yfully, ¡°Soft?¡± Whitney felt like a little cotton ball. He looked triumphant, his eyes revealing his pride. Biting her lip, embarrassed by his teasing, Whitney refused to be outdone. She straightened her back, deliberately draping her hands around his neck. Mimicking his movements, she leaned toward the man¡¯s chiseled jaw, her lips brushing past his Adam¡¯s apple. But as she drew near, she did not kiss him, maintaining a tantalizing distance. Their breathing grew heavier, and she heard his breathing deepen into a husky timbre. Whitney curved her red lips, her eyes provocatively challenging him, ¡°So, Sir, are you feeling a bit breathless?¡± Suddenly, he seized her chin with hisrge hand, his gaze burning, breath heavy. His chest heaved with a dangerous edge. ¡°Quite the quick learner! Well, I won¡¯t hold back then.¡± The next moment, he took control of her chin and brought his lips down to hers. 06 2 0 F S G B F 3 ¡À 2 5 5 3 30 Whitney¡¯s mind went nk, struggling frantically. He smirked, rolling his lips over hers, not letting her escape. It seemed like an eternity before he finally released her. Now, his eyes were tinged with red, staring at her flushed face for a moment before he turned irritably and dashed upstairs. Soon after, Whitney heard the sound of running water in the bedroom. Stunned, she realized that he had taken the time to set her down before he went upstairs. Whitney covered her crimson face, her head spinning¡­ Were they not just practicing? How had it turned into a kiss? She hurriedly began to clear the tableware, trying to calm herself, but her heartbeat was still skipping beats, the air thick with innuendo. And then she wondered, why had he taken a shower? Could it be¡­ Her face flushed even redder. Whitney did not sleep well that night, her mind reying that kiss. The man had kissed her twice before, and both times, she had been too busy resisting. But tonight, in addition to resistance, there seemed to be a bit of confusion. Was this man¡¯s flirting game a bit too strong? Whitney burrowed under her covers, thanking her lucky stars he had not entered her bedroom that night. The next day, Whitney woke up with heavy eye bags. 15:01 tie, Madein?¡± Speechless, Whitney wondered, ¡°Has he gone blind at such a young age?¡± myiny around to tie my Her eyes widened as she walked over to him. His towering height required her to stand on tiptoes, and she looped the tie around his neck, knotting it tightly, her voice soft. ¡°Like this, Sir. Is this to your satisfaction?¡± He nced down at the knot, effortlessly untied it, and headed downstairs, muttering, ¡°I have to travel for work. I¡¯ll deal with you when I get back.¡± Taryn, who was nearby, blushed at the sight, and Whitney¡¯s face turned even redder as she ducked back into her bedroom. Taryn called out to her, inviting her down for breakfast, but she refused toe. Her stomach growled, hunger striking quickly now that she was pregnant. Whitney opened the curtains to see if the man had left; she would head down to eat once he was gone. But a figure caught Whitney¡¯s eye in the car, waiting for him downstairs. A woman sat in the passenger seat, a mass of curly hair obscuring her face, but her silhouette was unmistakably voluptuous. She wore a tight red dress that was both understated and sultry. Crucially, as the man approached, holding the tie Whitney had yfully knotted, the woman easily took it from him. He did not refuse. Then they drove off together. Whitney¡¯s fingers tightened on the drapes, the previous tenderness on her face cooling into a straight, calm line. Was she his secretary? Unlikely, a secretary would not act so familiar. Who was she? Whitney pondered, yet also felt ridiculous for doing so. Maybe she was his girlfriend. After all, she and this man were married only by agreement because of the sudden arrival of the child, and he still suspected her of having ulterior motives. So, was it not normal for him to have had a girlfriend before? After all, the deal was just for a year. Maybe when it ended, he would marry his girlfriend! That was what Whitney thought, but her heart still felt tight. Why did he flirt with herst night if that was the case? Or was he just an expert in the game, with many women at his side? Whitney felt like she had been doused with cold water and jolted awake. What was she confused aboutst night? Or did she think he was a good person just because he had saved her twice? Hadn¡¯t the despair men had given her been enough? After experiencing all that despair, she would not give 15:01 She ran into the man, who was already dressed in a shirt, reaching for his tie. He nced at her with an air of noble indifference. He seemed to have slept just fine. Whitney red at him but was caught in the act. He curved his lips and said, ¡°What do we have here? A little panda? Didn¡¯t sleep well?¡± ¡°Mind your own business, Whitney snapped back. He did not seem to care, tossing his tie into her hands and standing tall before her, ¡°Hanging around to tie my tie, Madam?¡± Speechless, Whitney wondered, ¡°Has he gone blind at such a young age?¡± Her eyes widened as she walked over to him. His towering height required her to stand on tiptoes, and she looped the tie around his neck, knotting it tightly, her voice soft. ¡°Like this, Sir. Is this to your satisfaction?¡± He nced down at the knot, effortlessly untied it, and headed downstairs, muttering, ¡°I have to travel for work. I¡¯ll deal with you when I get back.¡± Taryn, who was nearby, blushed at the sight, and Whitney¡¯s face turned even redder as she ducked back into her bedroom. Taryn called out to her, inviting her down for breakfast, but she refused toe. Her stomach growled, hunger striking quickly now that she was pregnant. Whitney opened the curtains to see if the man had left; she would head down to eat once he was gone. But a figure caught Whitney¡¯s eye in the car, waiting for him downstairs. A woman sat in the passenger seat, a mass of curly hair obscuring her face, but her silhouette was unmistakably voluptuous. She wore a tight red dress that was both understated and sultry. Crucially, as the man approached, holding the tie Whitney had yfully knotted, the woman easily took it from him. He did not refuse. Then they drove off together. Whitney¡¯s fingers tightened on the drapes, the previous tenderness on her face cooling into a straight, calm line. Was she his secretary? Unlikely, a secretary would not act so familiar. Who was she? Whitney pondered, yet also felt ridiculous for doing so. Maybe she was his girlfriend. After all, she and this man were married only by agreement because of the sudden arrival of the child, and he still suspected her of having ulterior motives. So, was it not normal for him to have had a girlfriend before? After all, the deal was just for a year. Maybe when it ended, he would marry his girlfriend! That was what Whitney thought, but her heart still felt tight. Why did he flirt with herst night if that was the case? Or was he just an expert in the game, with many women at his side? Whitney felt like she had been doused with cold water and jolted awake. What was she confused aboutst night? Or did she think he was a good person just because he had saved her twice? Hadn¡¯t the despair men had given her been enough? After experiencing all that despair, she would not give 213 15:01 anyone the chance to make her feel that way again. Her heart needed to be locked away tightly. Whitney lowered her gaze and calmed down Right, this was just a transaction, after all. Then her phone chimed It was L. II do not wish to see what happened at the Valentine Mansion ever again! From now on, avoid going out alone and call me for anything, pregnant kitty, hmm?] His tone was domineering and teasing. But Whitney was already alert, what he truly cared about was indeed the child in her belly. She did not reply. Whitney searched for materials at home, preparing for the uing state¨Clevel designpetition, She was fond of Natalie, who tried her best to nourish her. Whitney had lost her beloved family too early and had not felt such pure warmth in a long time. ¡°Whitney, why do you look a little pale?¡± Natalie inquired. Whitney paused, then shook her head with a smile. ¡°You must be mistaken.¡± Just then, her phone rang. Seeing the caller, Whitney¡¯s eyes turned cold, and she quietly stood and walked away. She did not answer. But Simon was persistent. Finally, Whitney answered with a cold expression, and Simon¡¯s voice, tinged with a strange gentleness, reached her. ¡°Whitney, I¡¯ve been thinking a lot these past few days. I can¡¯t let go of you. Let¡¯s meet, shall we?¡± Whitney could only scoff. ¡°Simon, whatever you¡¯re spouting now, I¡¯ll forward straight to Monica. As for meeting up, the only ces you¡¯ll see me in this lifetime are at a jailhouse or a graveyard. Whenever you find yourself in either, expect me.¡± ¡°Whitney!¡± With an icy click, Whitney ended the call. But Simon seemed to anticipate her move; he immediately responded to a text message. Whitney¡¯s thumb hovered over the delete button, yet as her eyes flicked across the screen, her motion froze. Chapter 30 Chapter 30 The message from Simon read, [I know you wouldn¡¯te out willingly, so I¡¯ve got leverage. Whitney, I have your grandfather¡¯s old phone book, the one he had before he passed away. Haven¡¯t you been trying to dig into that ident for years now? Are you sure you don¡¯t want it?] Simon knew her too well, and he had found her Achilles¡® heel. Her mom and grandfather had perished in a horrific ident, or so the story went, ording to Preston. She was too young at the time, and she was studying abroad. Upon her return, she was bluntly informed of their sudden deaths. After they were gone, it was as if a giant hand had wiped away all traces of their existence. Whitney had never questioned it before. She just wanted to know what really caused the ident. Back when she and Simon were an item, she had asked him to track down her grandfather¡¯s assistant and any leads. The phone book was probably what he had found. But after being double¨Ccrossed by the Valentine family, she started suspecting their involvement in her mother¡¯s and grandfather¡¯s deaths. On the day of the funeral, she had searched the Valentine Mansion to no avail; Preston had cleared out all of her mother¡¯s and grandfather¡¯s belongings. The phone book could reveal who her grandfather had been in contact with. If she could get her hands on it, it would be her only lead. Whitney decided to call him back. Simon¡¯s voice was smug with triumph. ¡°So, Whitney, what have you decided?¡± ¡°Where¡¯s the phone book?¡± ¡°Come meet me. Agree to my terms, and I¡¯ll hand it over.¡± Whitney¡¯s eyes narrowed. With a sly edge to her voice, she spoke, ¡°How do I know the phone book is real? Show me a video of it now, and then we¡¯ll talk.¡± Simon agreed, and about two minutester, he sent her a video. Whitney squinted at the footage. Aside from the yellowed pages of the phone book, she recognized the background¨Cthe furniture, theyout¨Cit was his bachelor apartment. En s? ? no s Armed with the information she needed, Whitney did not hang up in a hurry. Simon¡¯s voice had a hint of pleasure as he said, ¡°Meet me tomorrow night at Crystaline Bar¡¯s private booth. Youe, and I deliver.¡± Whitney agreed. ¡°Fine.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t stand me up!¡± Simon sounded genuinely pleased. After hanging up, Whitney immediately contacted Tiana. ¡°Tiana, do we have enough time? Did you get his location?¡± Indeed, she had coordinated with Tiana before the call, asking her to trace Simon¡¯s location. ¡°He made the call from his bachelor apartment!¡± Whitney nodded, confirming the video was shot in real¨Ctime and the phone book was there. Tiana smirked. ¡°So, what¡¯s your n?¡± The following evening. 15.01 Whitney lied to Natalie, saying she would be back before eight. Her phone buzzed with a Facebook message from L, [What are you up to? Dare ignore my messages?] Whitney pondered for a moment. He had told her to call him if anything came up. She furrowed her brows, her fingertips hesitating over the screen before ultimately closing Facebook. With an indifferent expression, Whitney left for her appointment. She needed to draw Simon out to make her move easier. Inside Crystaline Bar¡¯s private booth, Simon stood tall before Whitney, gazing at her with a mysterious intensity. ¡°Come in and sit down, Whitney.¡± Whitney stood her ground near the door, catching a whiff of alcohol on his breath. ¡°What do you want to talk about? Make it quick.¡± Simon¡¯s eyes roamed over her figure, hidden beneath in clothes. She was breathtakingly beautiful, with a striking face and delicate features. She had once been the object of many a young man¡¯s affections in Banyan City, exuding a noble elegance without a hint of vulgarity. At times, her demeanor was as yful and vibrant as a young girl¡¯s. She was such a beauty; no man would want to let her go. ¡°Is the baby really that thug¡¯s?¡± Maybe it was the dim light, but Simon¡¯s gaze was deep and fervent. Whitney pressed closer to the door. ¡°That¡¯s not something you should care about, Simon.¡± ¡°Why can¡¯t I care? You, your body¡­ It was all supposed to be mine!¡± He stepped closer. Whitney clenched her fists, a chill settling in her heart. Her lips curled into a sneer. ¡°In your heart, I can die, but I can¡¯t carry another man¡¯s child? Is your pride hurt? Are you here because you can¡¯t stand it? How did you weigh your options back then? You realized I would be a pawn for the Valentine family. You used me to start your business, and after Monica wrapped you around her finger with her seductions, you dropped me without a second thought. The Valentine family could secure you the Perlman inheritance, and I was outnumbered, right?¡± Her piercing words left Simon¡¯s facade in shambles, his pretenses ripped away. He seized her shoulders. ¡°It wasn¡¯t like that. I still have you in my heart!¡± This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Can you ever escape Monica¡¯s seductions?¡± Whitney taunted him bitterly. ¡°What right do you have to judge me? You¡¯re nothing but a fallen woman. If so many men can have you, why can¡¯t I?¡± His rage shocked Whitney to the core. It took her a moment to regain herposure, staring at him like he had be a stranger. Whitney¡¯s heart trembled with a cold fear. ¡°What do you want, Simon?¡± ¡°Forget that lowlife. Come to me. I hate seeing you trade your body for leverage. You were always mine.¡± His drunken gaze locked onto her. Whitney¡¯sugh was cold. ¡°So you can¡¯t stand to see me with someone else, and now you want me as your secret lover? You¡¯re despicable, Simon, and drunk to boot!¡± Her phone vibrated again, and she nced at it discreetly. Her expression eased, ¡°Forget it. I don¡¯t want the phone book anymore. I¡¯m not going to keep youpany.¡± She made a show of naturally reaching for the door. Suddenly, with a loud bang, Simon rushed over and mmed the door shut! Whitney was taken aback, her face cool with rm. ¡°I¡¯ve already refused you, Simon.¡± 213 15:01 ¡°Ha, Simon caressed her shoulder, leaning down to smell her hair. ¡°You think I don¡¯t know how dever you are You might fool Monica with these games, but I know you too well Whitney, I know you¡¯re stalling for time. The thief you sent to my ce is already being held at the curb having tea with my guys! Whitney halted abruptly, turning around. She had enlisted Tiana to hire a local cat burr, nning to have him sneak into the apartment and steal the phone book while Simon was out meeting with her. But she had not counted on Simon being so acutely aware of her tactics. His people had caught the thief red¨Chanded! ¡°The phone book is back in my possession, and now, I¡¯m not considering any deal with you. You¡¯re not going anywhere tonight anyway.¡± With swift motion, he scooped her up and strode over to the couch inside, proceeding to tie her up. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Whitney¡¯s face immediately paled, but she dared not struggle too much for fear of hurting herself. She was helplessly shoved down. Simon¡¯s eyes, heavy with intoxication, burned with enthusiasm as he leaned in to tear at her clothes. You forced my hand. I¡¯m going to have you tonight.¡± ¡°You¡¯re insane,¡± Whitney subtly reached for the sewing kit, but her hand was abruptly caught by his. Simon sneered, ¡°I know you¡¯re crafty. Don¡¯t even think about pulling any tricks.¡± ¡°Let me go, Simon!¡± He closed his eyes and pressed his lips onto hers forcefully. ¡°Stop!¡± Whitney clutched desperately at her clothing, fear taking over¡­ With a loud bang! At that moment, the door suddenly burst open. Chapter 31 Chapter 31 A sudden chill swept through the private room, sending a shiver down Whitney¡¯s spine. Simon shot up from his seat just as Whitney turned her head to see a tall figure d in a perfectly tailored ck suit, his mask hiding a stern jawline beneath. Those deep, piercing eyes aimed a chilling gaze straight at her. Why was L here? Whitney tried topose herself in disarray as her cheeks flushed a bashful pink. Without a hint of tenderness, his icy grip hoisted her up. He had appeared next to the couch without notice, his frosty stare alone enough to send Whitney¡¯s heart racing with fear. Biting her lip, she immediately positioned herself behind him. He turned, his gaze sweeping over Simon, who had his arms wrapped around Whitney¡¯s waist. Simon faltered, taken aback. This man was supposed to be a thug, but the aura around him was so intimidating that Simon¡¯s arms fell away without conscious thought. Coming back to his senses, Simon¡¯s anger red. ¡°You again, you thug!¡± But before he could throw a punch, he was met with a fierce blow that sent him sprawling to the ground. ¡°Hiss.¡± Eyes zing, Simon scrambled back to his feet. Just then, two other young men entered from outside. Simon¡¯s demeanor shifted on spotting Nn Fuller and Parker Doonan. Nn was from one of the four families, while Parker, not quite from that elite circle, was even more notorious. His family, the Doonan family, was one of the rulers of the underground world. Parker was the youngest head of the Doonan family. Now, the Fuller family¡¯s young lord and the Doonan family¡¯s head were nking the masked man, like his right and left arms. Simon¡¯s expression soured. Maybe this guy was not just some thug after all. But who was he? Whitney was abruptly swept up in the man¡¯s arms as he strode out of the room. ¡°Stop!¡± Simon bellowed, his pride wounded. ¡°What right do you have to take her? You¡¯re nobody to her!¡± The man¡¯s eyes narrowed, a sneer spreading as he nced down at the woman in his arms. ¡°Didn¡¯t you tell her who you belong to?¡± Whitney hung her head as if she had done something wrong. ¡°Who the hell are you?¡± Simon roared, still not ready to back down. Nn nced at L before kicking the door shut with a sneer. ¡°Just a man who doesn¡¯t give a damn about you. Simon, you touch her again, and your whole Perlman family will have to watch out.¡± Simon stiffened, overwhelmed by the audacious tone. Just who was this man? The night air was crisp with a hint of cold. Whitney found herself carried to the car, sitting on hisp, the temperature inside as chilling as the embrace of the man she leaned against. He did not say a word, and the oppressive silence was heavy between them. Feeling awkward in her disheveled clothes, Whitney wanted to move away. Before she could, his hand came down sharply and pped her butt. ¡°Eager to get off myp? Were This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. your ex¨Cfianc¨¦¡¯s legs morefortable? I thought your hatred ran deep, but it seems old mes can be rekindled.¡± 17:47 His cruelty was biting when angered. With her hand covering the spot he had hit, Whitney muttered in embarrassment, ¡°Mr. L, there¡¯s no need for sarcasm¡­ Thank you for earlier.¡± His mood was clearly foul as he eyed her pale face with mockery. ¡°You think I want your thanks?¡± He kicked the seat in front, signaling the driver to turn on the air conditioning. The woman in his arms trembled lightly. He pulled her closer, his gaze falling to the torn fabric of her blouse. As he reached out, she recoiled instinctively. ¡°What are you doing?¡± His rough fingers touched her delicate skin, and Whitney, already rattled by the night¡¯s near¨Cdisaster, pushed his hand away. A low, mocking chuckle came from above. ¡°What do you think I¡¯m doing? Should I finish here what you started with that ex of yours?¡± Whitney¡¯s cheeks burned with humiliation. ¡°Please don¡¯t speak so crudely.¡± ¡°Who¡¯s acting crudely? You lied to my mother, telling her you were going out with your BFF, right?¡± He shot back coldly. Whitney¡¯s face paled further. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to worry anyone with this. I can exin. I needed a phone book, and indeed, if you hadn¡¯t arrived in time, I couldn¡¯t have borne the consequences. But I never imagined Simon would stoop so low¡­¡± Never would she have expected Simon to do something so sick to a pregnant woman. His tone grew colder. ¡°Didn¡¯t I make myself clear? Have you forgotten, Madam?¡± Whitney lowered her gaze, hershes quivering. She thought of his private life and, after a moment¡¯s calm reflection, stated, ¡°Thank you for your kindness, Mr. L, but let¡¯s be clear. Ours is a contract marriage. We should maintain our distance. I don¡¯t want to bother you with my issues, and I¡¯ll stay out of yours.¡± Silence fell for a few seconds. Whitney could feel the temperature drop. The assistant, Felix, in the front seat shivered and could not help but look back, whispering, ¡°Madam, Mr. L was workingte¡­ He rushed back to pick you up from the airport, but you didn¡¯t reply to messages or answer your phone.¡± Whitney blinked in surprise. ¡°Felix!¡± Ludwik¡¯s voice was ice¨Ccold. The assistant fell silent. Whitney lifted her head to the sound of Mr. L¡¯s chilling voice. ¡°You want distance? Then keep your distance.¡± Whitney stiffened and quickly crawled off hisp, squeezing herself as far into the corner as she could. Observing the woman trying to distance herself, the man¡¯s chest grew stiffer. After a second, he barked at the driver, ¡°Close the window on her side!¡± The chill against Whitney¡¯s face vanished, and she stopped shivering as he turned on the heat. She kept her eyes low. His anger was palpable, yet his observation was meticulous. He a man was hard for any woman to resist. Was domineering, cold, yet considerate. Such Whitney could only assume that he did not want her stomach to suffer from the coldness, nothing more. 35 17:47 Chapte 3 The car stopped at the hospital, where doctors quickly attended to Whitney to ensure the baby was fine. Notan breathed a sigh of relief, grumbling. ¡°Ludwik married her just for the kid. If anything happened to the baby, he¡¯d probably take it out on Whitney..¡± Parker, however, looked toward the slender figure and mused. Is it just the child Ludwik wants? I sense something more¡± ¡°What are you sensing?¡± ¡°A whiff of scandal,¡± Parker said with intrique. ¡°Don¡¯t be nidiculous. Ludwik¡¯s a cold fish! His heart¡¯s like a monk¡¯s¨Cuntouched. Have you seen how he¡¯s never so much as nced at the woman who¡¯s been by his side for years?¡± ¡°That¡¯s different. After all, Whitney is his first¡­ taste,¡± Parker said with a wicked grin. ¡°You¡¯re utterly sick!¡± Nn was convinced that Whitney was a mystery, and Ludwik was only interested in having a child, not in the child¡¯s mother! ¡°Excuse me, where can I find Mr. L?¡± Whitney approached and asked. Seeing that she was unaware of the incident at the club, Nn decided to y a trick on her. ¡°His mother got sick because of you. Where do you think he is?¡± With that, he pointed in a direction. Whitney¡¯splexion changed slightly, and she quickly made her way to Room 02, ¡°Mom?¡± A tall man stood in front of the hospital room, his suit jacket removed, leaving him in a crisp white shirt entuating his noble and aloof demeanor. He nced at Whitney briefly before looking back at the bed. ¡°You didn¡¯te back by eight, and the maid let something slip, then Mom fainted out of worry for the baby,¡± he said coolly. How could this have happened? Whitney was filled with guilt! Chapter 32 Chapter 32 The man¡¯s brows were a cold shade of ash as he scanned her. ¡°You know how much she¡¯s been longing for a grandchild, yet do you even care about this baby? Whitney!¡± Whitney froze, at a loss for words. The baby hade so unexpectedly, and she was forced into this situation. Thus, she truly did not feel very strongly about it. ¡°What are you getting all riled up for, kiddo? Look at Whitney. Her eyes are all red from you yelling at her,¡± Natalie¡¯s voice came from the bed as she opened her eyes. Whitney rushed over, holding Natalie¡¯s hand, her nose tingling with guilt. ¡°Mom, I¡¯m sorry, I wasn¡¯t thinking it through. I¡¯ve worried you.¡± ¡°Ah, my blood pressure spikes, and I tend to faint, but it¡¯s not as serious as that brat made it sound. Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. Don¡¯t listen to him!¡± Natalie caressed her face. She had always cherished Whitney, holding her close, and Whitney felt incredibly guilty. Since her mother¡¯s death, she had not felt such warmth from anyone. She had not realized her lie would send Natalie rushing to the hospital. She did not know how frail Natalie really was until now, and she seemed more fragile than she had thought. The man watched her anxious little face, his eyes cold. ¡°Son,e here, help me up.¡± After the olddy got up, she pushed Whitney¡¯s hand into the man¡¯s arm. She seemed fine. Apart from high blood pressure, her spirit was still strong. She shuffled out with Taryn, ¡°I¡¯m heading to the restroom. You go charm your wife. She¡¯s carrying my golden grandchild, so no fighting!¡± With that final roar, Natalie even had Xandra shut the door behind her. The hospital room¡¯s light was a soft white, and silence fell. The man let go of Whitney¡¯s hand and walked to the window, his tall figure standing coldly. The chill lingered. Whitney understood why he was so angry now; she had indeed caused his mother great distress. Himforting her? That was impossible. ¡°L, I¡¯m really sorry¡­¡± she said, biting her lip. Her presence diminished instantly. It took a moment for him to look back at her, his gaze hard as he stared at her pitiful expression. ¡°What exactly are you sorry for?¡± Whitney sincerely said, ¡°I was so caught up in my vendetta that I neglected how Mom would feel.¡± ¡°What else?¡± He eyed her coldly. Whitney¡¯s eyes welled up, but she shook her head after a moment of thought, When you¡¯re wrong, admit it; when you¡¯re not, there¡¯s nothing to say. Her righteous indignation made the manugh in spite. L¡¯s tall frame closed in on her, cornering her against the wall, his voice dark with usation. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you answer my calls or reply to my messages?¡± Whitney¡¯s face stiffened, her gaze turning away. ¡°My phone was broken.¡± 17:47 He scoffed. Suddenly, he wrapped his hand around her waist and, before she could react, snatched the phone from her pocket. ¡°L! Give that back!¡± He immediately turned on the screen; the phone was intact, and Tiana¡¯s Facebook page was still open, his eyes clouding over. ¡°So you deliberately ignored my calls and messages? What¡¯s that about?¡± Whitney stood on her toes to reach, but he was too tall and strong. Amid her struggle, his chest began to heave, and he steadied her restless little body, his eyes narrowed and voice husky. ¡°Are you craving some kind of attention, perhaps a special punishment, hmm?¡± His eyes narrowed dangerously. Whitney suddenly realized what was happening. His body was burning up. She quickly backed away, flushing, and said coolly, ¡°I haven¡¯t done anything wrong, so why should I be punished? Please don¡¯t joke with me like that; we have a business rtionship, and overstepping boundaries would only of them!¡± He watched her, then leaned in with a half¨Csmirk. ¡°Why do I detect a whiff of jealousy? Are you feeling envious for no apparent reason?¡± Jealous? She was nothing of the sort. Whitney denied it immediately. ¡°I have no idea what you¡¯re talking about.¡± ¡°How many women have sat on myp? Wouldn¡¯t you know if you tried?¡± He raised an eyebrow, grasping her wrists, his anger seeming to fade slightly. Whitney felt her cheeks burn at his suggestive words. ¡°I¡¯m not sitting on yourp! I told you we need to keep things professional.¡± ¡°Alright, you¡¯re quite the ountant. So, should I assume that since I rescued you today, you owe me something in return, Madam?¡± His words were always so bold. She realized she was no match for him! Annoyed, Whitney pushed against his chest, but he pulled her into his arms, inhaling her soft scent. His Adam¡¯s apple bobbed slightly as he said, ¡°You¡¯ve done something wrong, yet you dare to talk back to me. It seems you¡¯re asking for it.¡± He pinned her hands behind her back, Whitney forced to arch her back, and his lips descended. ¡°Don¡¯t!¡± She had said they needed clear boundaries. But he did not give her a chance to struggle, kissing her while watching her eyes flicker with fear and resistance, her cheeks flushing further, tempting him to taste more. Whitney¡¯s eyes widened, trapped against his broad chest, her legs growing weaker, her hands instinctively clutching at his expensive shirt, his belt. He held onto her ¡®little cat paws, pressing them to the end of his belt, his voice sultry. ¡°You like this? Then hold on tight!¡± His voice made Whitney blush furiously; she did not like it! She did not know how things had gotten to this point again. Frustrated, she bit him, He slowly released her, touching his lips with a frown. ¡°Is that all you¡¯ve got? Turning into a wildcat?¡± ¡°Who told you to bully me!¡± ¡°Do you even know what bullying is?¡± He asked, looking down, his eyes growing darker. 212 17.47 ¡°I know! I know. Whitney feared being burned by his gaze, and her fists pressed against his solid chest. He took a deep breath, his arms still around her, but his eyes turned sharp as he warned, ¡°Remember, even if our agreement is only for a year, you are now thedy of the house. I won¡¯t let you off easily if today¡¯s incident happens again¡± Whitney nodded. ¡®Til fulfill my role for this year¡® ¡°Can you let go of me now?¡± Whitney said, irritated, ¡°You¡¯re acting like a thug, pressuring an innocent girl.¡± ¡°Innocent?¡± He scoffed, hand in pocket, about to let her go when the door swung open, and someone walked in, ¡°Bro, what the hell are you dilly¨Cdallying for?¡± Bang! Nn froze, immediately covering his eyes with his hands, peeking through a crack, and yelled, ¡°Yo¡­ you getting ready for a wall m? Ms. Natalie, your son¡¯s got game. I didn¡¯t see a thing!¡± ¡°Let me have a look,¡± Natalie said, shuffling over with a chuckle. ¡°Out,¡± L said, swiftly shielding Whitney with his body, throwing a cold nce at Nn. ¡°Alright, alright, I¡¯m out.¡± The door mmed shut, and Whitney¡¯s cheeks flushed a deep crimson while the man remained as cool as a cucumber. After releasing her, he nced mischievously at the bathroom, ¡°Shall you take the first shower, or shall 1?¡± Whitney eyed him warily, herrge eyes narrowed. He raised an eyebrow, a hint of mockery in his voice. ¡°Don¡¯t you need to freshen up aftering back from another hotel?¡± Oh. ¡°And what, pray tell, has our littledy¡¯s ears turned such a lovely pink shade?¡± He teased, pinching her earlobe gently as he passed by her. With long strides, he entered the bathroom. Whitney bit her lip, deciding it was best not to engage in a war of words with him. Chapter 33 Chapter 33 ¡°Sotankadent The door knocked, and Xandra came in with a tray of warmfort food, saying. Ser asked me to prepare something light for you. The olddy has already eaten. No need to wait up for her? When did he instruct Xandra? They had been arguing all the way here Whitney took the trey sullenly The rise had spent quite a while in the bathroom, doing who knows what. After he came out, Whitney finally went in wash her hands. That was when she spotted a jade ring on the vanity, but it was only half of one as if it had been snapped in two Because of her background in jewelry design, Whitney instinctively picked it up. A memory surfaced unbidden¨Cthe man she saved that year gave her a half¨Cring as a token of gratitude. At the time, Whitney had not paid much attention. After her business bid failed, she had returned to the Valentine family, and within a few days, the ring was lost. Their meeting was a fleeting connection, and Whitney had long stopped dwelling on his promise of repayment. But whose half¨Cring was this? Whitney lifted her head and walked out, bumping straight into L, who was returning to the room. The man saw the object in her hand and immediately took it, saying. ¡°Thank you.¡± Whitney watched him carefully pocket it, treating it with such importance. ¡°Is it something very important?¡± ¡°Yeah So important, who gave it to him? Whitney¡¯s eyes deepened. She could not help but ask, ¡°Mr. L, is this from a girlfriend?¡± The man nced over, his tone teasing, ¡°What are you trying to find out?¡± Whitney immediately pursed her lips, pretending to be indifferent, ¡°Before you and I entered our marriage agreement, did you perhaps have a girlfriend?¡± He propped his hand against his chiseled jaw, chuckling, ¡°Who was it just now who wanted to set clear boundaries, and now you¡¯re prying into my private affairs? Isn¡¯t that a bit of a contradiction?¡± Whitney turned red¨Cfaced, caught off guard. ¡°No one wants to know. If you won¡¯t tell, then don¡¯t.¡± The man walked back to the door, his lips curling slightly, ¡°I have a wife, but she¡¯s not very obedient.¡± He stepped out, and his assistant asked him in a low voice, ¡°Sir, are you still giving the departure gift to Madam?¡± The man spoke indifferently, ¡°A little ingrate, what¡¯s the point? Toss it in the trash.¡± The assistant was speechless. Very astutely, he walked in and threw something into the trash can next to Whitney¡¯s feet. Sipping her soup, Whitney looked down and saw ¡°Gemstone Gazette¡°! She was surprised and quickly picked it up. This was an original, hard toe by. It contained jewelry knowledgepiled by the world¨Crenowned master L.C., a mysterious prodigy who gained fame at a young age and was Whitney¡¯s idol. Unfortunately, he was so low¨Cprofile and rarely released his work! Whitney clutched the book to her chest in adoration. Then her face went nk. Was this the gift L brought her from his trip? How did he know she was preparing for a design 17:47 Her heart fluttered like ripples on the water. Whitney looked at the table full of appetizers, biting her lip. This man, was he good or bad? Or was he just too sophisticated, his aloofness hiding the kind of attention to detail and allure that women found irresistible, and he had perfected the art? And that teasing answer just now, was he denying he had a girlfriend? Whitney could not read him, mysterious men were too dangerous, drawing one deeper and deeper into their orbit She needed to build walls. Outside the hospital room in the corridor, Nn saw Ludwik approaching, smoking a cigarette, his stern features as expressionless as ever. Nn asked, perplexed, ¡°Ludwik, what¡¯s your deal with this Whitney? Were you nning on continuing your advances in her room just now?¡± The man barely nced at him, uninterested in responding. An assistant approached, handing over a file, ¡°Sir, there¡¯s been¨Cno progress on the night you were set up, and whether Ms. Valentine is a suspect is still¡­¡± ¡°Keep investigating.¡± With a yful glint behind his sses, Parker said, ¡°Nn, Ludwik is still observing thedy. In his high position, he¡¯s naturally suspicious. Plus, Natalie¡¯s safety is paramount. But while he doesn¡¯t trust easily, he can¡¯t resist teasing the girl in his loneliness. He¡¯s not far from letting passion cloud his judgment.¡± Ludwik flicked away the cigarette butt and fixed Parker with a cold, inscrutable look, then strode away with a swift kick. Parker chuckled softly. The next day, while Natalie stayed in the hospital for recovery, Whitney was taken for her first official prenatal checkup. The baby was five weeks along, just over a month old. Although she frequently monitored her blood pressure at the vi, seeing the tiny seahorse¨Clike blob on the ultrasound made Whitney¡¯s emotions a mix of strange andplex. She had to starting to terms with this child. L¡¯s child-did she really n to keep it? After a year, to give the child to L and cut all ties, returning to a state of strangers¨Ccould she bear parting with her baby? Theseplicated questions fogged Whitney¡¯s mind as she looked at the path ahead, knowing she could only take one step at a time. Without a doubt, the child was vital to pacifying Natalie¡¯s health for the time being. Natalie looked at the tiny seahorse and smiled all day long. Whitney diligently stayed by her bedside, opening herptop to start on her designs. Before she knew it, the evening had fallen, and the tall figure of the man entered, his suit jacket elegantly slung over his arm. He switched on amp, but the woman did not budge. Not until amanding warmth enveloped her from behind did she realize he was there. Looking at herptop, 213 17.17 Her heart fluttered like ripples on the water. Whitney looked at the table full of appetizers, biting her lip. This man, was he good or bad? Or was he just too sophisticated, his aloofness hiding the kind of attention to detail and allure that women found irresistible, and he had perfected the art? And that teasing answer just now, was he denying he had a girlfriend? Whitney could not read him, mysterious men were too dangerous, drawing one deeper and deeper into their orbit. She needed to build walls. Outside the hospital room in the corridor, Nn saw Ludwik approaching, smoking a cigarette, his stern features as expressionless as ever. Nn asked, perplexed, ¡°Ludwik, what¡¯s your deal with this Whitney? Were you nning on continuing your advances in her room just now?¡± The man barely nced at him, uninterested in responding. An assistant approached, handing over a file, ¡°Sir, there¡¯s been no progress on the night you were set up, and whether Ms. Valentine is a suspect is still¡­¡± ¡°Keep investigating.¡± With a yful glint behind his sses, Parker said, ¡°Nn, Ludwik is still observing thedy. In his high position, he¡¯s naturally suspicious. Plus, Natalie¡¯s safety is paramount. But while he doesn¡¯t trust easily, he can¡¯t resist teasing the girl in his loneliness. He¡¯s not far from letting passion cloud his judgment.¡± Ludwik flicked away the cigarette butt and fixed Parker with a cold, inscrutable look, then strode away with a swift kick. Parker chuckled softly. The next day, while Natalie stayed in the hospital for recovery, Whitney was taken for her first official prenatal checkup. The baby was five weeks along, just over a month old. Although she frequently monitored her blood pressure at the vi, seeing the tiny seahorse¨Clike blob on the ultrasound made Whitney¡¯s emotions a mix of strange and 1. ex. She had to starting to terms with this child. L¡¯s child¨Cdid she really n to keep it? After a year, to give the child to L and cut all ties, returning to a state of strangers¨Ccould she bear parting with her baby? Theseplicated questions fogged Whitney¡¯s mind as she looked at the path ahead, knowing she could only take one step at a time. Without a doubt, the child was vital to pacifying Natalie¡¯s health for the time being. Natalie looked at the tiny seahorse and smiled all day long. Whitney diligently stayed by her bedside, opening herptop to start on her designs. Before she knew it, the evening had fallen, and the tall figure of the man entered, his suit jacket elegantly slung over his arm. He switched on amp, but the woman did not budge. Not until amanding warmth enveloped her from behind did she realize he was there. Looking at herptop, 17:47 he raised an eyebrow and asked, ¡°Stuck for inspiration?* Whitney turned her head, her forehead brushing against his attractive lips, her skin burning hot. She cleared her throat. ¡°The most important judge of the jewelrypetition is the Imperial Gem Corporation. I can¡¯t get a read on my archenemy¡¯s preferences, and this submission is crucial for me.¡± She had to defeat Monica at every turn. Thispetition was vital to oveing the Valentine family and reiming Skye Gem. The man¡¯s eyes twinkled mischievously, ¡°So you need to cozy up to Mr. Lippert, inside and out?¡± Such a pointed way to put it, inside and out¡®. ¡°There¡¯s no theme for the preliminary round, right? What elements are you considering?¡± He asked. Whitney was surprised by his tone¨Cit seemed like he knew a thing or two about the jewelry industry? She lifted her fluttering eyshes, skeptical, ¡°Mr. L, are you offering to guide me now? Do you know jewelry design?¡± The man let out a cool chuckle, ncing over theptop screen. ¡°These themes are too basic. The judges at the jewelrypetition are esteemed and respected. Many are antique connoisseurs. Why not consider blending vintage ir with contemporary jewelry design?¡±Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. Whitney¡¯s gaze trailed over his casually sprawled legs against the desk, and suddenly, her mind clicked as if struck by lightning. ¡°Of course, vintage is all the rage now. This could be a groundbreaking idea¡­¡± Her eyes sparked with excitement. The man¡¯s lips curled into a slight smirk. As Whitney rapidly sketched out her thoughts, she suddenly looked up, forced to reassess this enigmatic man. ¡°L, you seem pretty savvy! Howe you know so much about the niche field of jewelry design, and your insights are so unique?¡± Leaning close, his eyes twinkling with amusement, he said, ¡°I know a little about everything, enough to always stay on top of you.¡± He emphasized the words ¡®on top, causing a blush to dance in the depths of Whitney¡¯s eyes. ¡°You get onepliment, and you¡¯re off in the clouds!¡± She pouted. ¡°Don¡¯t believe me? Test me on something else,¡± he teased with a mischievous nce. She believed him; the aura of distinction that enveloped him, filled with the depth andplexity of a leader,yered with a sense of danger, was not something an ordinary man could possess. Staring at his mask, Whitney felt an overwhelming curiosity. She yearned to peel it back and see the face beneath. Who was he, really? Chapter 34 Chapter 34 Her gaze was pointed with an unmistakable intention. The man¡¯s eyes narrowed, and he quickly stood up, tossing her copy of ¡°Gemstone Gazette¡± to the side. ¡°Hey, why¡¯d you chuck my heartthrob, huh?¡± Whitney immediately cradled the book to her chest like a prized possession. ¡°Once you gave it to me, it¡¯s mine. It¡¯s got works by the world¡¯s jewelry maestro, L.C., in it. I n to cuddle up with this book in bed!¡± The man paused for a moment, then let out a meaningful chuckle. ¡°L.C. is your heartthrob?¡± ¡°Yep, he¡¯s the man I admire most.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Whitney could not fathom the deepening amusement in the crook of his smile. She muttered, ¡°L.C.¡¯s insights on jewels are the sharpest and most profound! Sadly, nowadays, many jewelry firms have strayed from their true calling. Take Imperial Gem Corporation, for instance. That Mr. Lippert is all businessman, full of sneaky tricks. I just hope he doesn¡¯t ept any kickbacks for Monica¡¯s painting. If he does, may his ego shrink by 4 inches!¡± A sudden chill reced thezy amusement beside her. Whitney did not notice. ¡°Hmph, serves him right if he ends up lonely and childless.¡± A piece of candy was abruptly shoved into the young woman¡¯s mouth, effectively silencing her. October 1st arrived swiftly, marking the opening of the grand jewelrypetition. Designers from all levels of jewelrypanies were to enroll at the Imperial Gem Corporation tower. Tiana apanied Whitney early to the event. As they spotted Monica¡¯s car outside, Tiana snorted coldly, ¡°Monica sure got here early! After her reputation took a hit at the charity g, the Valentines must have been busy throwing money at PR. Preston must be on the verge of a heart attack because of that mother¨Cdaughter duo.¡± Whitney¡¯s lips curled slightly. ¡°Their reputations have been tarnished, and the high society is whispering about them. Preston, of all people, cares about reputation the most. Plus, with Phebe opposing the engagement, Monica is desperate to dazzle at thispetition to win over Preston and secure avish wedding. Besides, thispetition is a bet between her and me; she¡¯s bound to take it seriously.¡± Tiana smirked, ¡°With Monica¡¯s reputation in shambles, if you take a swipe at her career and ensure her defeat, I bet the Valentines will be even more annoyed with her. When the family crumbles, you can reim yourpany and exact revenge.¡± Whitney¡¯s eyes narrowed, contemting ¨¦xactly that. As they entered the grand lobby of Imperial Gem Corporation, Monica descended from the executive elevator with Simon in tow, both sporting smiles. Upon spotting Whitney, Monica¡¯s pride soared. She pulled Whitney aside, her voice dripping with malice, ¡°Sis, you¡¯re here, too? I¡¯m afraid an unknown designer like you won¡¯t catch Mr. Lippert¡¯s attention. Just so you know, Mr. Lippert epted and adored myndscape painting. You don¡¯t stand a chance, bitch.¡± Whitney blinked in surprise, and Tiana¡¯s face stiffened. ¡°Simon, thanks for spending 26 million dors on the painting for me!¡± Monica sweetly returned to Simon¡¯s side, unting their affection. Simon¡¯s eyes, however, fliekered towards Whitney. Whitney clenched her fists. That insufferable Mr. Lippert. On the surface, she remained calm, her voice icy. ¡°A man who spends 26 million on you but eyes a mistress 17:48 behind your back? Better watch your back, Sis. Monica stiffened. Simon¡¯s face darkened, ¡°What nonsense are you spouting, Whitney?¡± Whitney did not spare him a nce and walked away, loathing in her heart. The registration event was held in the third¨Cfloor conference room. When the handsome figure of the Imperial Gem Corporation¡¯s boss appeared, every designer, male and female, gawked. This man bore an extraordinary countenance, a testament to God¡¯s favor, with a tall and imposing physique. Wherever he went, hearts fluttered, yet his enigmatic aura and intimidating presence kept people at bay. ¡°OMG, Mr. Lippert himself is here!¡± A female designer squealed under her breath. Tiana frantically tugged at Whitney¡¯s sleeve, ¡°Despite everything, this infuriating man is just too much. So his name is Ludwik Lippert, such a charming name!¡± Monica, too, felt weak at the sight of the man. A titan of the jewelry industry, he held sway over business life and death. He was more dashing and capable than Simon; marrying him would be a true coup. Only Whitney¡¯s eyes zed with hatred as she caught sight of the name Ludwik, mouthing silently, ¡°Lousy name.* At the chairman¡¯s seat, the man of high stature frowned suddenly. The registration was a mere formality¨Cdesigners introducing themselves and presenting their credentials. Unlike Whitney¡¯s prior battles with him, the elusive Mr. Lippert was shockingly overseeing even a minor registration event. As Whitney grumbled internally, the man in charge asked in a deep, severe tone, ¡°Who is Whitney?¡± Whitney stiffened, biting her lip as she slowly rose, ¡°That would be me.¡± His eyebrow arched inquisitively, ncing at her dismissively. ¡°Youck manners.¡± Whitney cursed him inwardly. ¡°Mr. Lippert, it is a pleasure to meet you. I¡¯m Whitney.¡± ¡°Your tone is rather brusque. Do you have a problem with me?¡± N?velDrama.Org is the owner. His dashing appearance and profound demeanor were making thedies flush with excitement. Whispers spread quickly. Mr. Lippert seemed to have a bone to pick with this Whitney? Whitney clenched her fists tighter. The man flipped through her resume, frowning critically, ¡°You look decent enough, but I haven¡¯t heard of you. Are your designs any good?¡± He was questioning her qualifications topete. Whitney forced a toothy smile. ¡°Good enough. Maybe even better than yours.¡± ¡°Such arrogance, challenging Mr. Lippert! Does she even want topete?¡± Someone snickered from below. Monica¡¯s smirk widened. The man stood, eyeing the fuming young woman, his voice low, ¡°Meeting adjourned! Whitney, stay behind. We need to have a word.¡± Standing behind her, the assistant watched as the big boss turned on his heel, his thin lips curling into an almost invisible smirk. Man, he had a knack for teasing his little wife. 17:48 Whitney had not expected to be singled out by her nemesis, feeling like she ne office after ss. A mix of anger and apprehension surged through her as Tiana squeezed her hand. ¡°He¡¯s not about to disqualify you on the spot, right?¡± ¡°He is your dreamboat, huh?¡± Tiana just sighed. Simon waited in his Lamborghini outside thepany skyscraper, eyeing Monica as she approached. ¡°Where¡¯s Whitney?¡± He asked, ncing over his shoulder. ¡°Simon, since when do you care about my sister?¡± Monica¡¯s face twisted into a pout, but her eyes darkened with malice. Ever since the charity g, she sensed Simon¡¯s thoughts toward that bitch had grown disturbingly tender. Simon¡¯s expression stiffened as he wrapped an arm around her. ¡°Just asking,¡± he said casually. Monica feigned concern. ¡°Whitney just got chewed out by Mr. Lippert in front of everyone, and she had the nerve to cop an attitude. I¡¯m afraid she¡¯s been held back for questioning¡­ She might not even make it through the preliminaries.¡± Usually, such remarks would prompt Simon to berate Whitney, but not this time. A shadow crossed Monica¡¯s face. She felt a shift in Simon¡¯s demeanor. She was determined to win the Tiana and Whitney were ushered into the CEO¡¯s office, where they stood in awe of the grandeur presented by the 270¨Cdegree window walls. ¡°I have to admit, Mr. Lippert¡¯s office makes your Skye Gem Ltd. look like a broom closet,¡± Tiana whispered, impressed. Whitney responded by kicking over a trash can with a loud thud. ¡°Whitney!¡± Tiana was petrified, quickly grabbing her friend¡¯s wrist as she moved to vandalize the desk. ¡°Do you want Mr. Lippert to throw you in jail for life?¡± Whitney regained herposure and stiffly sat in the big boss¡¯s chair, her eyes filled with resentment. ¡°What¡¯s so luxurious about this chair? It¡¯s as hard as rock. All for show,¡± she muttered. ¡°This chair can¡¯t be worth more than a grand. It¡¯s killing my backside.¡± ¡°Is your butt made of gold? Sometimes, acknowledging someone¡¯s sess is a step forward, Whitney.¡± ¡°Did you marry Ludwik already? Mrs. Ludwik, are we not BFFs anymore?¡± Whitney retorted. Tiana fell silent and sat down, booting up theputer. ¡°There¡¯s no mention of a ¡®Ludwik¡® in the Lippert family records. Mr. Lippert, the kingpin of the jewelry world ¨C is he really a Lippert or not?¡± Chapter 35 Chapter 35 ¡°Who cares? He¡¯s my archenemy for life. Especially after he dared to ept Monica¡¯s painting. That man is nothing but a devious snake, a greedy wolf in sheep¡¯s clothing, pretending to be a gentleman but with the heart of a jackal Whitney approached the bookshelf with a scowl, pping the picture of the man back and forth with disdain. Tiana, quivering nervously, whispered, ¡°Isn¡¯t it a bit much to be trash¨Ctalking and hitting his picture in his own office ¡°Do you really think he¡¯d have surveince in his office?¡± Whitney snorted, scanning the room suspiciously. She noticed a one¨Cway mirror on the wall; the other side was probably another office. At that moment, just a mirror away, the tall man stood with his arms crossed, an assistant beside him sweating bullets as he listened to the young madam¡¯s tirade. But the boss had a deep, amused smile on his lips like a man watching his kitten put up a yful fight utterly adorable ¡°No use. Tiana! With the way Monica cozied up to him, he took the bait. What¡¯s the point of me even trying?¡± Whitney slumped into a chair, her defeat weighing heavily on her. ¡°If only I could¡¯ve taken him down before all this,¡± she gestured around the imposing office. ¡°The desk, the chair¡­ It would all be mine.¡± ¡°Am I also yours, Ms. Valentine?¡± A deep,zy voice suddenly came from the doorway,ced with a teasing lilt. Whitney, who had been facing away, stiffened and spun around in her chair. Tiana had vanished, and there stood a strikingly handsome man at the door, hands in pockets, his dark eyes fixed on her. A heavy silence fell. Whitney was a leading socialite, known for her grace and poise. Yet there she was, her legs disrespectfully thrown over the boss¡¯s desk. Whitney stiffened, then stood abruptly. ¡°Stay put.¡± The man raised an intrigued eyebrow, strode over, and grasped her delicate foot in his warm palm with one swift move. ¡°This desk is worth three million, a fitting throne for your dainty feet.¡± Before Whitney could react, he yfully tickled the sole of her foot, sending her face into a ze. She tried to pull away, but his firm grip held her in ce, immobilizing her with just three fingers. His gaze slid over her curves, his lips curving into a devilish smirk, ¡°And the chair, six million, imported fine wood, a worthy perch for your¡­ butt.¡± Whitney¡¯s cheeks med as she realized the implication, ¡°You¡­ Mr. Lippert, you were eavesdropping! Let go of me! She struggled, but he held her ankle, his muscr arm bracing against the chair. With only three fingers, he had pinned her to the chair, unable to move. ¡°No.¡± He lowered his head, a glimmer of a smile hiding in his eyes. ¡°As you know, a greedy and lustful man like me tends to give some contestants an unfair advantage. Some are willing to showcase their cleavage, among other things, are you?¡± His demeanor wasposed, but his eyes were wickedly yful as he leaned in and whispered suggestively, Wanting the top prize is easy, Ms. Valentine.¡± You, the great Mr. Lippert, are proposing indecent favors in exchange for winning thepetition?¡± Whitney 17:48 wrenched her foot free, her skin trembling. She scrambled away from his imposing figure like a startled kitten. He remained seated, looking after her with an amused gaze. Whitney retreated, seething, ¡°Shameless! Despicable! You hold a grudge, but I¡¯ll tell you this ¨C I¡¯ll rise again and take you down.¡± ¡°Though I could win lying down and not doing a thing, I¡¯d rather wee the challenge in bed.¡± His eyes narrowed, the corners of his mouth lifting. He was a scoundrel! Whitney¡¯s cheeks reddened even more as she grabbed her ts and bolted. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare think about me! ! have a husband, and I love him. I will never stoop to your level. You¡¯re not even half as handsome as he is!¡± The man¡¯s lips curled further. ¡°How would you know without trying?¡± Whitney fled without a word, her suspicions about the man¡¯s rakishness confirmed. As she stormed out, the assistant walked in with two lunches. ¡°Sir, why did the madam leave?¡± ¡°She left in a huff. Arrange for a car to take her home.¡± The man settled back in his chair, his eyes falling on a scrap of paper littered with doodled turtles. The chair still held the sweet scent of her perfume. Was she calling him a turtle? His brows rose with pleasure. She dared to curse him? The assistant thought, ¡°Boss has stayed back on purpose just to tease his wife. Tsk tsk, the rich and their games of cat and mouse.¡± Fuming, Whitney climbed into Tiana¡¯s car. Tiana had good news. ¡°Ste wants to meet up, a little gathering this afternoon!¡± Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. ¡°Great,¡± Whitney replied while putting herptop back in her bag, smiling despite the earlier debacle. They arrived at the Aquatic Harmony Club, where Ste had just appeared, her disguise on point. ¡°Ste, how did you manage to escape the set?¡± Tiana hugged her. ¡°The new film wrapped up, Whitney.¡± Ste gave her a once¨Cover, eyes brimming, ¡°I just heard about your trouble. Are you okay?¡± ¡°All good now.¡± Whitney blinked back. They hugged and headed to their private room. Ste removed her hat, revealing a cascade of rose¨Ccolored curls, the embodiment of a screen siren. ¡°Ste, you¡¯re getting more and more enchanting. Tell us, any love interests?¡± Tiana was ever the gossip. Ste frowned, ¡°When would I have the time? And Tiana, how are things with the Lutz heir?¡± ¡°An arranged match. He¡¯s a phnderer.¡± Tiana rolled her eyes. Whitney watched her friend¡¯s dramatics. ¡°And yet you¡¯re totally smitten with him.¡± Ste¡¯s smile hitched slightly as she nced toward Whitney, ¡°I heard from Tiana that you¡¯re expecting¡­ Is it true the guy¡¯s a thug?¡± Tiana furrowed her brows. ¡°Who told you he¡¯s a thug? I never said that.¡± Ste¡¯s grin froze for a second before she quickly recovered,ughing off her faux pas, ¡°Oh, maybe I got it mixed up with something I saw on TV. My bad. Anyway, let¡¯s drop that. I¡¯ve heard you guys are really diving into that jewelry designpetition, huh?¡° wrenched her foot free, her skin trembling. She scrambled away from his imposing figure like a startled kitten. He remained seated, looking after her with an amused gaze. Whitney retreated, seething, ¡°Shameless! Despicable! You hold a grudge, but I¡¯ll tell you this ¨C I¡¯ll rise again and take you down.¡± ¡°Though I could win lying down and not doing a thing, I¡¯d rather wee the challenge in bed.¡± His eyes narrowed, the corners of his mouth lifting. He was a scoundrel! Whitney¡¯s cheeks reddened even more as she grabbed her ts and bolted. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare think about me! ! have a husband, and I love him. I will never stoop to your level. You¡¯re not even half as handsome as he is!¡± The man¡¯s lips curled further. ¡°How would you know without trying?¡± Whitney fled without a word, her suspicions about the man¡¯s rakishness confirmed. As she stormed out, the assistant walked in with two lunches. ¡°Sir, why did the madam leave?¡± ¡°She left in a huff. Arrange for a car to take her home.¡± The man settled back in his chair, his eyes falling on a scrap of paper littered with doodled turtles. The chair still held the sweet scent of her perfume. Was she calling him a turtle? His brows rose with pleasure. She dared to curse him? The assistant thought, ¡°Boss has stayed back on purpose just to tease his wife. Tsk tsk, the rich and their games of cat and mouse.¡± Fuming, Whitney climbed into Tiana¡¯s car. Tiana had good news. ¡°Ste wants to meet up, a little gathering this afternoon!¡± ¡°Great,¡± Whitney replied while putting herptop back in her bag, smiling despite the earlier debacle. They arrived at the Aquatic Harmony Club, where Ste had just appeared, her disguise on point. ¡°Ste, how did you manage to escape the set?¡± Tiana hugged her. ¡°The new film wrapped up, Whitney.¡± Ste gave her a once¨Cover, eyes brimming, ¡°I just heard about your trouble. Are you okay?¡± ¡°All good now.¡± Whitney blinked back. They hugged and headed to their private room. Ste removed her hat, revealing a cascade of rose¨Ccolored curls, the embodiment of a screen siren. ¡°Ste, you¡¯re getting more and more enchanting. Tell us, any love interests?¡± Tiana was ever the gossip. Ste frowned, ¡°When would I have the time? And Tiana, how are things with the Lutz heir?¡± ¡°An arranged match. He¡¯s a phnderer.¡± Tiana rolled her eyes. Whitney watched her friend¡¯s dramatics. ¡°And yet you¡¯re totally smitten with him.¡± Ste¡¯s smile hitched slightly as she nced toward Whitney, ¡°I heard from Tiana that you¡¯re expecting¡­ Is it true the guy¡¯s a thug?¡± Tiana furrowed her brows. ¡°Who told you he¡¯s a thug? I never said that.¡± Ste¡¯s grin froze for a second before she quickly recovered,ughing off her faux pas, ¡°Oh, maybe I got it mixed up with something I saw on TV. My bad. Anyway, let¡¯s drop that. I¡¯ve heard you guys are really diving into that jewelry designpetition, huh?¡± Chapter 36 Chapter 36 Whitney looked at her for a moment and then nodded with a smile. ¡°Whitney, you¡¯re incredibly talented! Did you finish your preliminary sketches? Can I take a peek?¡± Ste said, her interest piqued as she moved closer to sit with Whitney. Tiana chuckled, ¡°Come on, Ste, who are you kidding? I know you¡¯re the one who least liked hitting the books. What¡¯s got you suddenly so interested in jewelry design?¡± Whitney hurned her head to ven Ste¡¯s expression hidden by a curts of blonde hair. Then Ste lifted her paze chuckling. Tve been dying tond that Imperial Gem Corporation campaign, and you, my dear N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. Whitney. could give me a crash course in all things sparkly Whitney curled a lips, powering up herptop to show her Tve only got halfway through the design.¡± ¡°Wow, this is gorgeous, Ste admired intently, her voice filled with genuine appreciation. After a while longer in conversation, Ste stood up, Tm going to freshen up in thedies¡® room. Anyone care to join?* Tians tossed her a mask, ¡°Go ahead, you knockout.¡± with a yfulugh, Ste swept through the curtain and left. Whitney¡¯s gaze casually followed, and for a short moment, she thought she saw Monica. She stood up quickly and peeked outside, but the hallway was empty. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°Must¡¯ve been seeing things,¡± Whitney shrugged it off. Aquatic Harmony Club was their secret little hideout; how could Monica possibly know about it? Her thoughts were interrupted by a slight frown furrowing her delicate brows. ¡°What¡¯s on your mind?¡± Tiana nudged her. Whitney pondered momentarily, ¡°Tiana, don¡¯t you feel like Ste seems a bit different since she got back?¡± ¡°Different, how?¡± Whitney could not quite put her finger on it; there were no apparent changes. Maybe it was just her imagination, ¡°After all that¡¯s happened to me, she only asked once. And she seemed a bit edgy, steering the conversation toward the jewelrypetition out of the blue.¡± ¡°You overthink things because you¡¯re too smart for your own good. It¡¯s normal for her to be eager for sess in showbiz. She¡¯s also chasing that ad campaign, which exins her sudden interest in jewelry. Chill out. We¡¯ve been besties for years. Don¡¯t let the Valentine family drama make you distrust everyone. At least you can trust me and Ste.¡± Tiana gripped her hand with a reassuringugh, and Whitney¡¯s gloom lifted. Right, why was she doubting her best friends? Ste returned from the restroom and touched up her makeup, and about two minutester, another charming figure exited and went in a different direction. The trio headed to Tiana¡¯s ce, where Whitney had left some reference books. Ste¡¯s agent soon picked her up while Whitney stayed behind, browsing through books as she continued her designs. As evening approached, Whitney thought about L, who should be finishing work soon. The thought of her rival Ludwik Lippert getting fresh with her made her feel guilty about L back home. Should she call him? As if reading her thoughts, Tiana teased, ¡°Missing your pretend hubby? Call him. You should have him Before Whitney could respond, Tiana snatched her phone, found L¡¯s number, and dialed. As soon as the call connected, she returned the phone to Whitney. With a heated cheek, Whitney answered, ¡°Hello, L?¡± ¡°May I help you with something?¡± A woman¡¯s soft and pleasant voice answered from the other end. Thutney stiffened and Tiana¡¯s expression dark ¡°Whos this? Where¡¯s the owner of this preu He is resting. Did you need him for something? The woman¡¯s tone was nonchnt buit Whitney sensed aft antony in her im. Whitney recalled the female silhouette in the car that picked up 1 one morning Her smile faded, and hershes fluttered down as she quickly said. ¡®It¡¯s nothing¡± She hung up, the phone feeling awkward in her hands. With a cold, dim gaze, she wondered why he would be resting in the afternoon. The woman¡¯s voice sounded too intimate. What was he resting from? The more she thought, the worse she felt. She reminded herself that she had built walls; his life was none of her concern! something was lodged in her heart, causing difort. If he truly had a lover, why deny having a girlfriend that day? Why give her favorite books, help with her sketches, and flirt¡­ Whitney¡­ Maybe it¡¯s just a female colleague, Tiana tried to lighten the mood. ¡°Do you believe that? Besides, in a transactional marriage, his affairs are none of my business,* Whitney feigned nonchnce. I¡¯m crashing at your ce tonight, I¡¯ve got to finish my drafts.¡°¨C ¡°Sure, you can even sleep over, no problem!¡± Tiana offered. Whitney did not go home that night, staying over at Tiana¡¯s. L did not call, and she scoffed at the thought that he probably felt no need to exin himself. The next day, Whitney was still at Tiana¡¯s when Natalie called. Fearing worry, Whitney hurriedly grabbed herptop and returned to the vi. Natalie touched her shoulder, asking carefully, ¡°Whitney dear, are you and that boy having a tiff?¡± ¡°Not at all,¡± Whitney shook her head, feigning calm. That¡¯s good. I wondered why you hadn¡¯te home. He¡¯s been busy, he might not have been able to look after you these past few days. Don¡¯t be upset, okay?¡± He had probably been very attentive to someone else. Whitney thought bitterly. Then Natalie suddenly chuckled, ¡°Actually, I didn¡¯t ask you toe back. Your husband wanted you to deliver something to him. He should be free tonight to spend some time with you.¡± Whitney was puzzled, ¡°Mom, what am I delivering, and where to?¡± To this hotel. Here¡¯s the package. The driver will take you,¡± Natalie said as she handed Whitney a bag and hurried her into the car. Throughout the drive to the hotel, Whitney was in a daze. A servant led her into an aromatic suite that seemed too intimate forfort. Just as she turned her head, the servant shut the door from the outside, advising, ¡°Sir asked you to take a bath and rest first. The bag contains your nightgown.¡± So, he had here to deliver¡­ her own nightgown? Whitney was utterly baffled. The clock had struck seven in the evening, and after two grueling days on a deadline with little sleep, she felt exhaustion creeping in. Deciding to take a quick shower, she emerged to find she had no pajamas to wear. Thus, she had no choice but to put on something thin with ears and a tail in her bag. Too tired to care, she slipped into the odd garment and copsed onto her bed, sumbing to sleep almost instantly. At eight o¡¯clock, the corridor echoed with the sound of steady footsteps. d in a sharp, tailored suit that struggled to contain his towering frame, exuding an air of refined austerity, a man approached. His expression was stern, his presencemanding. Upon seeing Taryn, the man¡¯s brow furrowed in confusion. ¡°What¡¯s the madam doing at a hotel at this hour?¡± ¡°She finds the silence here conducive to her art. She¡¯s probably working on her illustrations, sir. Please, go on an.¡± Taryn said with a smile. ¡°By the way, you¡¯ve been so busy. I bet you haven¡¯t eaten yet. Ms. Natalie made you some soup to chase away the chill.¡± The man¡¯s eyebrow quirked as he fixed his gaze on the door, his mind on the petite woman inside. Without another nce, he took the steaming soup and drank it down. Then he turned the doorknob and strode into the room. The space was dimly lit, the air perfumed with a delicate scent that seemed to emanate from the woman herself. A sudden ripple passed through his Adam¡¯s apple. Taryn quickly hurried back to the corner, where Natalie was smiling slyly. ¡°Just one bowl of that nourishing soup, and I bet they¡¯ll patch things up! I¡¯ve sensed something off between them since the hospital visit.¡± ¡°But ma¡¯am, are you sure about this ¡®matchmaking¡®? What if the young master finds out¡­¡± Chapter 37 Chapter 37 Natalie brimmed with confidence. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m a die¨Chard fan of romance novels. The push and pull of love, the fiery passion, the golden rule, they may spar in the living room, but they reconcile in the bedroom. I know how to set up a whirlwind romance better than anyone.¡± Taryn could not help but think that the super fan, Natalle¡¯s confidence might be a bit misced. in the room, a tall man stood by the bed, where a soft bundley, breathing out a sweet warmth. She preferred to sleep on her stomach, he had noticed. Her curves arched invitingly, delicate hands softly curled in her inky hair, her fair face tinged with a rosy flush. She was undeniably beautiful, pure, and delicate, yet utterly captivating. His breathing grew heavy, and he could not help but loosen his tie. Beneath his fine shirt, his muscles tensed ever so slightly. There was noputer in the room. Was she not supposed to be here to work on her designs? The many beside her, pulling her into his arms. This was the first time for them to share a bed. Before, there had only been a distance between them, a formality as they sat on the sofa in the bedroom. To his surprise, his hand brushed something soft ¨C the tail attached to her pajamas. Her hat even had little ears. Lifting the nket, his gaze darkened as he saw what she was wearing. What was she implying with this? A fire ignited in his chest, spreading through his limbs. Something was not right. His Adam¡¯s apple bobbed as he suddenly remembered the soup Taryn had given him. How sharp he was, instantly suspecting who might be behind this trickery. His head throbbed, desire heating his eyes as he leaned down to capture her lips in a kiss, gentle at first, then deepening¡­ Whitney woke up to the kiss, her breath stifling as she pushed against a solid ¡®wall.¡® Gaining rity, she opened her wide eyes to see a shadowy figure above her. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°It¡¯s me,¡± the man murmured with a low, huskyugh. ¡°L.. What are you doing?¡± Whitney realized the nature of his kiss and suddenly remembered the woman on the phone and the woman in his car. Her face cooled as she pushed him away. Thinking she was startled, the man gripped her delicate wrist, his voice low and teasing, ¡°You invite me to this kind of hotel, dressed like that. What do you think I¡¯m going to do, Madam?¡± ¡°What are you talking about? It was you who asked me to bring you something. Never mind that now, get up!¡± ¡°What if I say no?¡± He pressed down on her. Whitney felt stifled, noting his body¡¯s unusual heat and strength in his muscles. ¡°What¡¯s the matter with you?¡± ¡°Touch my forehead,¡± he asked, lifting her soft hand. N?velDrama.Org exclusive content. She did, and it was rmingly hot. He propped himself on his elbow, his eyes smoldering, ¡°The olddy tricked me into drinking that soup. I had drinks before, which only made things worse. What should we do now, Madam?¡± 140 * Phones 10 Hink of amething¡± she said seriously West jesen something asked encircling her waist with his arm, his head nuzeling her shoulder are ne a math he murmured referring to their child 14: dewe ames Whitney realized what he was implying and rebuked him sharply I¡¯ll Na custed naughts, thaven rights as your husband Il carry you to the bathroom, okay?¡± Heat a sack Why¡¯s angered handnded on his jaw edut. Nis face turning stern. Do you even know what you¡¯re doing, Madam?¡± ses voce was cold haughty and low ney stared at his perfect profile, her anger like a tiny universe exploding. ¡°And do you know what you¡¯re A Coveting drunk and dragging me here, ming some soup your mother gave you. I must say, wwe quite an engetic man. Hevent you just resting in another woman¡¯s room yesterday afternoon?¡± What are you talking about? His anger made him look terrifying. No face shappened his presence overwhelming. mney caped curling her hands into tiny fists, afraid to move. ex eyes were cold, his handsome face tired from working straight from the previous morning to now. Seeing her dressed like this, he naturally assumed¡­ was This ungrateful little thing, what was she ying at? Without allowing for argument, he scooped her up and sat her on the couch. tesrge hand lifted her chin, kissing her again, his voice rough with seduction, ¡°The marriage contract is clear. You need to fulfill your duties. Consider it doing me a favor, okay?¡± Whitney dodged his advances, her mind spinning with questions about the woman on the phone. He could do as he pleased outside, without exining to her, and thene back and flirt, using the contract to pressure her He was truly despicable. Her breath cooled, she pushed his solid body away and snapped, ¡°If you need help, go find another woman! I¡¯m not here for your amusement, Mr. L!¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± He suddenly released her, gripping her hands. Whitney looked up, her voiceced with sarcasm, ¡°Girlfriends, lovers, you¡¯ve got plenty, right? With your money, do you think you can trample over someone¡¯s life? I only sold you a year of my womb, not myself. After a year, we go our separate ways. I have the right to refuse you, Mr. L. If it¡¯s just that one thing on your mind, don¡¯t bother me, plenty of women will satisfy you.¡± The room fell into an eerie silence. His anger was palpable, chilling. He stared at her defiant face and lifted her chin forcefully, ¡°You think any woman is worthy of my bed? What do you take me for?¡± He stood, his fury palpable, and scoffed. ¡°So high and mighty. How did you end up in my car? You were willing to go to great lengths for your goals, and now you lecture me on shame? Whitney, if anyone is unworthy, it¡¯s 17:50 kiked the table mere he left, simtling Whitney into the safety of the couch His pants were torn at the kapex au 11mer outed has hande inte hats. testomed at mming the door behind him. miner¡¯s lips tightened her head buzzing. It took her a moment to notice the blond on the ss talde Had he cut his knee? She pressed her brow, her heartbeat racing, her emotions a jumbled mess The driver picked Whitney up and brought her back to the vi, but she did not see the man again Natalse knew she had blundered, her gaze flitting nervously as she approached Whitney to exin the situation begging her not to hold a grudge it was all her doing. as then that Whitney pieced it together. Natalie had deceived both her and her son. Whitney managed a wry smile. The root of the issue was not Natalie, after all. For several days. Whitney saw no sign of the man returning home. This time, he was truly furious. The house was eerily quiet, with him giving her the cold shoulder. Yet. Whitney did not feel she was in the wrong, Clearing the air sooner was better for both of them. Nevertheless, her mood grew more somber. She forced herself to ignore the pang of emptiness in her heart and dove into her work, sketching designs to avoid worrying Natalie. She even moved in with her friend Tiana for a while to keep up appearances. Tiana would asionally bring over Ste, and the two of them would try to cheer her up. Thanks to their efforts, Whitney¡¯s design drafts werepleted on schedule. On the 10th of October, the day finally arrived for the preliminary round of the jewelry design