Back at the party, only two people remained in the private room—Riva and Flora.The flickering neon lights cast an eerie glow on Flora's face, distorting her features into something almost ghostly.Riva swallowed hard, downed a glass of wine in one gulp, and straightened her back, staring directly at Flora, who looked like she wanted to tear her apart.What was bound to happen would happen, but Riva wasn't afraid. After all, self-preservation was the most basic rule of survival. She hadn't done anything wrong."Riva, we need to talk," Flora said, holding a glass of wine, her face twisted in a sinister expression. The elegant aura of the wealthy wife from earlier had long since vanished.Riva met Flora's gaze without flinching. "I don't think there's anything for us to discuss.""Hah!" Flora let out a chilling laugh. "Nothing to discuss? Do you think I'm an idiot? Need me to remind you?"Without warning, Flora threw the wine in her glass straight at Riva's beautiful face."Flora, don't
In the darkness, a pair of bright eyes stayed fixed on the few figures moving downstairs.Finally, dawn broke.The night had been endlessly long. Chloe felt as if her entire body had fallen apart. She ached all over, her stomach cramped painfully, and her mouth tasted bitter. Her head throbbed like it had been slammed in a door."Ugh..." She turned over, and with a loud thud, she hit the ground."Ouch!" Chloe cried out in pain. Poor back! She had no choice but to open her eyes. A completely unfamiliar environment filled her vision, startling her. She quickly scrambled to sit up.God, where was she?Her hands pressed against something cold. Looking down, she realized she was on the floor!Lifting her gaze, she saw a wooden frame in front of her. On top of the frame was a wooden board, acting as a makeshift bed. Judging by the messy sheets on it, she had probably just fallen off that thing.Rubbing her head, Chloe stood up and looked around. The room was full of tools—hoes, sickles, gar
When Chloe arrived at Lisa's home, she found Lisa watching TV. As soon as Lisa saw Chloe, she ran over and hugged her tightly."Chloe, I missed you so much!" Lisa snuggled against Chloe, acting playful.Lisa was eight years old, a sweet and rosy-cheeked little girl, though her deep, dark eyes often carried a hint of sadness and loneliness. Every day, Chloe's piano lessons were the happiest part of her day."Lisa! Mind your manners.," a voice scolded from behind. Chloe turned slightly and saw Marcus, dressed casually, with a faint smile."Mr. Latham, how come you're home today?" Chloe greeted him with a soft smile. The man was so busy every day that he would actually have time to watch TV with Lisa today."Yeah… Lisa's health is a bit delicate, so I thought it'd be better to stay home with her today." Dressed casually, Marcus looked even younger, like a man in his late twenties. His smile was like a ray of sunlight—warm and comforting."Lisa, let go!" Marcus's voice was gentle, his eye
Her vision blurred instantly, and Chloe couldn't make out the exact details of how long she'd supposedly been dead."Mom..." Chloe's voice choked with emotion as she looked up at Donna. "What does this mean?! You can't tolerate me anymore? Do you wish I were dead? I've already lost myself—I sold my soul to take Flora's place. And now, you won't even allow me to keep my name?"That was the only proof Chloe still existed!In the government records, she was already listed as a dead person—completely erased. Chloe Miler had vanished entirely.Tears flowed silently down her cheeks as she closed her eyes.Chloe's desperate accusation caused a sharp pain in Donna's chest. She grabbed her daughter's hand, trying to explain, "Chloe, it's not what you think. Flora only did this because she was scared that if... if they found out we lied to them, our entire family would be doomed...""Hah..." Chloe let out a tearful laugh. "So, in the end, you're just trading my death for your own survival! Mom,
At 11 p.m., the villa was brightly lit.The servants and housekeeper stood in two rows in the hall, heads lowered, nervously wringing their hands, not daring to breathe too loudly.Lionel paced back and forth, his handsome face icy, hands stuffed into his pockets. His hazel eyes had darkened to match the night outside.For half an hour, he hadn't said a word, only mechanically repeating his pacing. The overwhelming aura of authority surrounding him seemed to cast the entire room into a state of stillness, as if everything had fallen into a deep slumber.It was quiet. Unbearably quiet.Mandy cautiously glanced up, her voice barely above a whisper as she broke the tense silence. "Sir, maybe you should rest. The madam is probably just delayed by something..."Lionel paused for a moment but then continued his pacing.Grace shot Mandy a glare and spoke up. "Sir, I reminded madam this morning to come home early. But, you know, she has a habit of... coming back late. Perhaps you should just
That night, Lionel returned home. After dinner, he went straight to his study without a word about Chloe, and he didn't go to her room to check on her either.Mandy felt uneasy. Did Lionel really need to act this way? She might not be married, but she wasn't completely ignorant about relationships between men and women. On the surface, Lionel seemed to despise Chloe, but deep down... he must care for her, right? Otherwise, he wouldn't have rushed in so anxiously that morning.Men of status and power often focus on their careers, never allowing a woman to dictate their actions or delay their important matters.Sighing, Mandy thought to herself, This house is full of opportunists! Since Chloe wasn't in Lionel's favor, no one cared about her well-being.Taking one last glance at the light coming from the study, Mandy sighed again before heading back to Chloe's room to care for her.She wasn't sure how long it had been, but while dozing off beside Chloe's bed, a faint sound of the door op
Another day passed, and Chloe remained in a daze, sleepily drinking the porridge that was fed to her, drifting in and out of consciousness. Her fever had gone down, but she was still in a deep sleep.That night, Mandy expected Lionel to come to Chloe's room again, as he had the previous night. She waited by Chloe's bedside, but as the night turned to morning, she realized Lionel hadn't come.What was going on with him?Mandy couldn't guess Lionel's thoughts. Disappointed, she got up, stretched her stiff neck, and hurried downstairs to prepare soup for Chloe.By late morning, Chloe finally woke up, feeling famished.Just as Mandy entered with food, she exclaimed, "Ma'am, you've slept for two days! You gave me quite a scare.""Really?" Chloe rubbed her head apologetically. "Have you been taking care of me this whole time? Thank you!"From what she remembered, Mandy was the only person in this house who didn't give her a hard time or treat her coldly. If anyone had taken care of her whil
As Chloe stepped out of Lisa's house, the sky had already darkened. After being absent for two days and saying those alarming words to Lisa on the phone, she had scared the poor girl half to death. Lisa had clung to her, refusing to let her leave until Chloe finally managed to calm her down and slip away.Taking out her phone, Chloe dialed Cynthia. As soon as the call connected, Cynthia's scolding came through loud and clear: "Chloe, you're still alive! Saying stuff like that on the phone, weren't you afraid I'd jump off a building out of panic? If someone around you hadn't explained, I would've rushed over to kill you myself!""I'm sorry, Cynthia. I was sick and delirious.""Hmm, alright, as long as you're back to normal now. By the way... your family moved, right? I heard your sister's husband paid for a mansion. So, where's the new place? I'm thinking I should come visit sometime and celebrate with you."Chloe's breath hitched, her hand instinctively covering her chest as her heart
"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