Lionel froze, his expression unchanged, but his eyes turned menacing.The entire hall fell silent. Everyone's gaze was fixed on Chloe, some in admiration, others in shock, surprise, or even pity.Grace was so shocked she nearly jumped, quickly rushing over with a towel. Lionel calmly wiped the wine from his face with the towel she handed him.For two months, this woman hadn't said a word to him. They hadn't even properly met during that time. She had stayed quiet and obedient within the boundaries he had set, breathing her own air.In these two months, he hadn't heard a peep from her, nor had the servants reported any complaints from her. He had assumed that she had finally succumbed to his overpowering presence, forced to submit to his will.Apparently, he had been wrong. Very wrong.This woman wasn't just unafraid—she had the audacity to throw wine in his face!Two months ago, this woman had flirtatiously served him drinks at Paradiso, seductively dancing around him, her coquettish
Chloe wished she could slap him, but she felt guilty."I did sell myself…" The word ‘sell' got stuck in her throat. "But you haven't even paid me! All you gave me was a frozen bank card," she added quickly. "I don't even want the half a million, I'll find a way to pay it back."Ha! Playing hard to get again!This woman never missed a chance to put on a show."You don't understand basic business? No goods, no payment," Lionel said, his tone businesslike.Chloe was furious, at a loss for words.She regretted it now—regretted ever giving in to Flora and her mother's pressure to come here and endure his humiliation!At first, she had naively thought they could live like strangers under the same roof. Even though she had vanished from the world, at least her mother and brother had a chance to thrive."That shabby outfit doesn't suit you!" Lionel's gaze swept up and down her body, finally resting on her defiant eyes. "You're different today—trying to get my attention? Well, you succeeded!"
That night, Chloe had begged him to let her go, but he hadn't relented. And just now, he had disgustingly kissed her and touched her! How revolting! Why was it always her who had to endure such humiliation?The more she thought about it, the angrier she became, her eyes welling up with tears. Chloe raised her other hand, ready to slap him again.This time, the man was prepared. He caught her wrist with a fierce grip.His face twisted into a terrifying expression she had never seen before. "You think you can hit me a second time?"With a violent shove, Chloe's body was thrown aside, her head hitting the door with a loud thud before she slid down to the floor.Pain shot through her head, and her vision began to blur. She tried to shake it off, telling herself she couldn't pass out... But everything went black.Looking down at the unconscious Chloe, Lionel turned away and dialed the intercom. "Come and take her back to her room to rest."Stupid woman! How dare she hit him! Was she out of
In the dimly lit room, with the curtains drawn, the family doctor finished examining Chloe and reported to Lionel, who was seated on the sofa."Ma'am is very weak. She must have gone too long without food, causing her to faint. But she's also suffering from chronic malnutrition, sleep deprivation, and excessive stress, which have led to frequent nightmares, and early signs of depression.""Hmm... You may leave now," Lionel replied, his eyes fixed on the woman lying on the bed, his deep gaze betraying no emotion, leaving his thoughts unreadable.When Chloe woke up again, she immediately noticed that the back of her head had been bandaged.Had they treated her wound? She wouldn't be grateful for it!The room was still dimly lit, and she had no idea what time it was. Groggily, she sat up, only to be startled by a man's deep voice in the darkness."You're awake."Lionel?Recognizing his voice, Chloe quickly grabbed the blanket and wrapped herself up like a cocoon."What are you doing in m
Feeling a rare spark of liveliness, Chloe grabbed her phone and called Mag. "Mag, can you call Cynthia? I'll be visiting tomorrow. Also, just to let you know, I'm rejoining the team tomorrow!""Great, great!" Mag was thrilled on the other end of the line, and the two chatted away for a while.Focused on the conversation, Chloe didn't even notice that Lionel was still standing by the window.Her eyes, usually so guarded, were now shining brightly. Her eyebrows arched in joy, and a wisp of hair fell delicately over her smooth, pale forehead. Though her face looked slightly undernourished, there was a newfound glow about her.She sat cross-legged on the bed as she spoke on the phone, her long eyelashes fluttering, exuding a quiet elegance that was both delicate and refined.It wasn't until she finished the call that she realized Lionel was still there. A flicker of embarrassment crossed her eyes as she quickly composed herself.Without any expression, Lionel dropped a cold remark, "You c
Chloe quickly ran through her mind, trying to recall if she had done anything to upset him. But she couldn't think of anything. She actually thought this week had gone quite well. Her time in the house was limited to coming home after midnight to sleep and leaving by 9 in the morning. Their schedules didn't overlap at all, so how could she have possibly offended him?He must be insane! He's just looking for trouble!Before she could think further, Lionel was already close, reaching out to grab Chloe by the chin."Coming back so late? Were you at Paradiso work again?" The corner of his mouth lifted into a sneer.The only thing that came to his mind was that she had returned to her old ways. That was where he had fallen into her trap.The disdain in his eyes and the mockery on his lips stung Chloe. Her initially panicked eyes quickly filled with coldness."It's none of your business!" Her frail figure was now enveloped in an aura of unapproachable aloofness. He could humiliate her all h
"Hey... mmph... let go..." Chloe struggled to speak as she was suddenly assaulted. She tried to push him away, but Lionel's towering figure was as immovable as a wall. The moment she opened her mouth, he silenced her with a fierce kiss.Lionel, like a beast provoked, clamped down on her, devouring her soft lips with a desperate hunger, his anger manifesting in the harshness of his actions. Her lips, unable to withstand the brutal onslaught, quickly became swollen and tender.Her lips burned painfully, and her body ached from Lionel's relentless grip. No matter how hard she struggled, she couldn't overpower him. The humiliating memory of that night at Paradiso replayed in her mind.Tears welled up and spilled over, tracing a path down her long lashes and dripping into their mouths. Lionel tasted the salty tears and noticed the wetness on her lashes, the streaks on her pale face, and the redness of her nose. She looked helpless and pitiful, her vulnerability tugging at something deep wi
Chloe couldn't hold back her tears any longer.It wasn't just that the man had humiliated her; she also wanted to slap herself.She had completely lost her dignity!She had squandered all her pride!She didn't know how long she sat there on the floor before finally standing up. Her legs felt numb as she stumbled to her room, collapsing onto her bed still fully dressed.Half-asleep, she heard soft voices nearby and opened her eyes to find daylight streaming through the windows.She grabbed her phone—it was already half-past eight!Oh no, she was going to be late!She tried to get up quickly, but a sharp pain in her back made her gasp and collapse back onto the bed.The events of the previous night flooded back, filling her with shame and anger.Whenever she encountered this man, she was the one who got hurt.She looked at herself in the mirror, seeing the clear bite marks on her lips. She unbuttoned her clothes and saw a large bruise spreading across the right side of her back, a mix o
"Ah! I'll notify the guards right away..." The secretary exclaimed, her face pale with fear, fumbling to make a call until Amos barked at her to stop."Get out! Close the door! I can handle this myself." Amos said sternly, and the secretary, trembling, shot him a glance before quickly exiting and shutting the door.Although Chloe had plunged the broken bottle into Amos's chest with fury, she was terrified herself, her face as pale as a sheet.She couldn't understand what had given her such courage. Trembling, she withdrew her hand, nervously twisting her fingers together."How could you be so cruel to me..." Amos gazed at her, pain flashing in his eyes.He ripped the broken bottle from his chest and tossed it into the trash. The wound wasn't deep, but the blood that splattered out was alarming. He felt pain, not just from the injury, but from a deeper heartache, as if the bottle had pierced countless wounds within him, making it hard to breathe.
Chloe rushed out of the villa, heading toward the Latham residence.As she reached the entrance, she saw several servants gathered outside. Lisa was being led by one servant, crying, while the others could not hold back their tears either.When Lisa saw Chloe, she immediately threw herself into Chloe's arms, sobbing uncontrollably. "Chloe... Waaa... My dad was taken away... I want my dad... Can you take me to see him?"Lisa's big eyes were red and swollen, her fair cheeks streaked with tears. Chloe hugged Lisa tightly, gently wiping her tears and soothing her. "Lisa, don't cry. Your dad will be okay. He'll be back soon."Though she tried to comfort her, Chloe understood that politics were complicated—who could say for sure?Having worked as a tutor for three years without incident, she had only limited interactions with Marcus but knew he wasn't the type to be corrupt.Once, she had witnessed someone claim Marcus had given him signific
(Flashback)That day, after Marcus and Chloe left Paradiso, Amos quickly followed suit.On the way back, he noticed something was off with his body. A chilling realization hit him: he had been slipped an aphrodisiac!No! Not just him—Marcus and Chloe had both been drugged! The red wine they drank had all come from the same bottle.Chloe had left with the drugged Marcus! His heart raced in panic. He ordered the driver to chase after Marcus; the amount he had drunk was excessive, and the effects of the drug were hitting hard and fast.It felt as if his body was about to explode, drenched in sweat. If he didn't find a woman soon, he might not survive!Just then, Flora's call came through."Amos, have you finished talking to your beloved? She's still waiting for you!" Flora's sugary voice made Amos wish he could reach through the phone and strangle her.This venomous woman must have orchestrated the whole thing!Amos gripped the phone tightly, growling through clenched teeth, "Where are y
After freshening up, food had been brought into the room, and the two sat in silence, as if nothing had happened, quietly eating.Chloe sat across from Lionel in revealing pajamas, boldly eating as if it were the most natural thing.In the past, she would have never dared to do this, rushing to hide under the covers after changing into her pajamas. But now, she was calm and collected in front of him, not a hint of embarrassment on her face.Her mind must be poisoned by the drugs!That was the only explanation Lionel could come up with.Strangely enough, he used to yearn for Chloe to wear such clothes and flaunt them in front of him, but now, seeing her sitting there made his eyes ache."Give me three million more, I need the money, and I'll pay you back however you want!" Chloe suddenly said, setting down her spoon. Her face remained cold, showing no shame despite asking for money.In the past, she would have scoffed at the idea of asking him for anything, yet now, her words flowed ou
As Chloe's awareness returned, shameful images flashed through her mind like scenes from a movie.She had thrown herself at Marcus, torn his clothes, and bitten his neck. They had held each other tightly on the bathroom floor...Oh God, how could she ever face anyone again?Despite her hazy consciousness, she vaguely remembered Lionel arriving just in time. It was he who had rescued her from the agony, not Marcus! Thankfully! Otherwise, she would have no choice but to die today.Relieved, yet the memories of her wild behavior started coming back.She had acted more disgracefully than a prostitute, and that thought broke her. Tears of frustration and sorrow streamed down her face.The proud woman she once was couldn't bear this version of herself. She was disgusted with herself to the point of wanting to disappear.Her tears flowed like a river, but they couldn't wash away her shame.“Shh, don't cry,” Lionel said softly, gently patting Chloe's back as she regained her clarity.His voic
"Lion…" Even in her dazed state, Chloe managed to call out Lionel's name. The moment she saw him, all the pain and frustration she'd been holding in exploded to the surface. Tears flowed uncontrollably, like a dam breaking. She began to sob, "Help me… please… I'm in so much pain… I feel like I'm dying...""Lionel?" Lionel's arrival clearly startled him.As Lionel looked into the bathroom, the sight of the two people clinging to each other made his blood boil. Every muscle in his body screamed with rage, and he was ready to kill!The terrified doctor at the door stammered, "They've… been drugged."If Lionel hadn't been aware of this beforehand, he would've killed Marcus on the spot—mayor or not, it wouldn't have mattered.In a flash, Lionel stormed into the room, but thankfully, the worst hadn't happened yet. He felt a wave of relief, though Chloe's sobbing and the pitiful state she was in broke his heart.Bending down, he roughly shoved Marcus aside, took off his coat, and covered Chl
Screech—The tires of the Bentley screeched sharply against the ground as it came to a stop. The Latham family had been waiting outside, and the doctor was already prepared.Marcus leaped out of the car in haste. He knew that if Chloe reached for him again or if he gave in, he wouldn't have the strength to resist. His self-control was already hanging by a thread.A group of people quickly rushed to support him."Hurry, give her the medication!" He roared at the doctor, drenched in sweat.The group hurriedly helped both of them into the house, administering the medication separately.After a moment, the doctor reported, "This isn't just a regular aphrodisiac. It's a rare and potent toxin, and the dosage is incredibly high. Prolonged exposure could seriously harm the body, especially for the woman.""What are we supposed to do, then?" Marcus was on the verge of losing his mind. He could feel it—despite the IV drip, the burning sensation inside him hadn't lessened one bit."The best solu
Chloe's beautiful eyes were filled with a mix of fear and confusion as she glanced at Marcus beside her.Although flames flickered in Marcus's gaze, and he could hardly resist the urge to pull Chloe into his arms, sensing her panic and distress, he forced a soft smile and reassured her in a gentle voice, "Don't be afraid! We've been drugged! I won't hurt you!"Even though he tried his best to stay composed, the tremor in his voice was unmistakable, and the smile on his lips was tinged with a bitter helplessness.He lifted his head and looked ahead, struggling to give his assistant an order, "Drive faster! Get us to the hospital!""But…," the assistant hesitated, his face showing deep concern and anxiety. "Sir, with your status, going to the hospital in this condition could harm your reputation. I think it would be better if I arrange for a doctor to come to the house.""That's fine!""No!"Both Chloe and Marcus shouted at the same time.They exchanged a glance before Marcus spoke up,
"Miss Miler, have a drink." Marcus poured Chloe a glass of red wine and placed it in front of her. His sharp, narrow eyes lingered on Chloe, as if he could see straight into her heart.He knew she must have been terrified earlier—her face still hadn't regained its color. A little wine could help calm her nerves.Chloe understood his intention. She nodded slightly, picking up the glass and sipping it slowly.As the two men clinked their glasses and discussed business, Marcus appeared to be agreeable on the surface, but in reality, he had already made up his mind. He had plenty of ways to ensure Amos would take a loss without even realizing it—and be grateful to him for it.After all, he was a politician.It took only about ten minutes for them to reach an agreement.Marcus stood up and shook Amos' hand, saying, "Amos, it's getting late. Do you mind if I give her a ride home? Women—once they've cooled down, a little sweet talk will do the trick."His words were perfectly crafted. They a