The man said, “Tsk, I just don’t get it. Weren’t you always the one who didn’t care much for your family’s third child? What’s with the sudden outpouring of maternal love?”“I’m her biological mother. Isn’t it only natural for me to be good to her? Anyway, did you remember what I told you?”The man chuckled. “It’s not a big deal. Quit nagging. Don’t worry, I’ve got it covered.”“Alright then, I’m leaving.”“I’ll walk you out.”Briley quickly refused, “No way. Stay for another two hours. My husband’s already suspicious.”“Alright, alright. Whatever you say,” the man agreed.Briley’s bedroom door opened. Aron turned his back and continued gazing out the window.She didn’t seem to notice him, simply walked past in her high heels and headed out.Once she was far enough away, Aron turned to look in her direction.It was definitely Anna’s mother—no doubt about it.Judging by her conversation with her lover, it seemed she was planning to do something for her daughter. She’d mentioned the bab
Ever since then, somehow, the originally honest man had all the darkness in his heart drawn out...And once someone becomes wicked, they lose all sense of boundaries.Sometimes when Rachel passed by his house, she’d hear the screams of a woman from inside. She never dared imagine what was going on… and couldn’t.Only heaven knew what that old man had done...Later, the girl’s family came looking for her. The police arrested Old Tie Tou for human trafficking. Unfortunately, the girl had already lost her mind.That incident probably left a shadow on Rachel too—whenever someone mentioned marriage, what came to her mind were those terrible screams.Even someone who looked honest could turn out to be a monster. So that crippled old man, who looked like the devil itself, could he possibly be a good person?That’s why she had to escape—no matter the cost.Just as she was lost in thought, she felt a weight on her shoulder—Aron had placed a hand there, his tone full of concern.“Why do you loo
“You puked all over me,” Aron turned his back to her. “Can you wash yourself?”“…Yes,” she replied weakly.Aron said nothing more and left the bathroom. A moment later, he returned.He didn’t look directly at the tub, but from the corner of his eye, he could see her standing under the shower. The moment she saw him come in, she quickly crouched down.He placed a clean T-shirt on the cabinet near the door. “Wear this when you’re done.”“…Okay. Sorry, Mr. Knight,” she said obediently.The moment she apologized, Aron felt a headache coming on. “What are you sorry for this time?”“For dirtying your clothes…”He glanced at her. She was crouched in the tub, with just half her face showing. She looked both pitiful and… adorable.He quickly looked away. “Hurry up and wash. I need to shower after you.”“Um… you’re not coming back in, right?”“No. Just stand while you wash.”Without turning around, he left the bathroom and rubbed his temples at the door.What the hell was this?She was drunk, m
Rachel looked at him with dazed eyes. She had clearly had quite a bit to drink. Her cheeks were flushed, and her gaze unfocused, as if she were lost in another world.Aron sighed and reached out to steady her by the shoulders, lifting her from her seat.But her knees gave out and she slumped right back down, then looked up at him with a sheepish smile. “Sorry, Mr. Knight… I think I drank a little too much. Give me a minute, would you?”A little? She was clearly drunk out of her mind.“Go home and rest.”As he spoke, he hoisted her up again. This time, she melted against his chest like a ragdoll. If he wasn’t holding her firmly by the waist, she would’ve sunk back into the chair again.Looking at how completely wasted she was, Aron muttered helplessly, “Unbelievable.”Just thinking back on how she managed to get herself this drunk in mere minutes made him both irritated and amused.He had no idea what was going through her head. Ever since the first wave of guests left, she’d taken eve
Back when Rachel worked at the estate, she'd overheard that Mr. Knight had a peculiar condition: he’d feel unwell in crowded settings, sometimes even to the point of vomiting or fainting.So when he’d said he needed someone to stay close and look after him, she’d understood and agreed.But right now, he seemed perfectly fine—no discomfort at all.In a soft voice, she asked, “Why aren’t you nervous anymore?”Aron wrapped an arm around her waist and guided her forward. “Maybe because I was more worried about you.”That line sent warmth rushing to her heart, and her pulse quickened again.He said no more, simply kept an arm around her as they walked ahead.With his protective presence, Rachel’s steps grew steadier. Pressed close against him, she felt as though she had something to rely on. Her anxious heart gradually calmed. She glanced at him quietly from the side.Had his condition magically disappeared—just to take care of her?That thought made her heart, which had only just begun to
Rachel had just been scolded by her superior and was feeling anxious. She didn’t dare ask any more questions.Besides, Mr. Knight had already left the hotel. He probably wouldn’t be dropping by often, so the chances of bumping into him again were slim.Clinging to that bit of hopeful thinking, Rachel decided to accept the evaluation. After all, turning down such a golden opportunity would just be foolish.The next morning, her assessment began. She was evaluated by three department heads—the HR manager, the logistics manager, and the front desk manager, who had also been supervising her training.Over the past few days, Rachel had observed during the day, studied at night, and memorized hotel procedures by heart. She’d worked hard, and it showed. During the test, she was calm and confident.Even luck was on her side—everything they asked just happened to be what she knew well. Not a single question from the areas she was weak in came up.And just like that, Rachel passed the evaluatio