When Renee regained consciousness, she found herself in the hospital.Her eyes fluttered open, but her mind was still foggy. She heard voices conversing by her bed."How is she?"A deep, familiar voice with a hint of danger."Mr. Grey, she's fine now. I stake my career on it - Ms. Lacey's hand will fully recover."Hand?Hearing this word, Renee slowly awakened, her half-open eyes focusing on the name tag of a white-coated figure by her bed."Head of Neurology, Dr. Francis Miller"A familiar name.She remembered.In her past life, when Annie cut her hand while cooking, Carl had anxiously called in the best neurologist to examine her.That same day, Renee had gotten an opportunity to redesign jewelry for a major brand, but her hand's nerves were severed by a fleeing robber.She had begged the hospital to find the best neurologist, only to be told the doctor had been taken by Carl to treat Annie's minor cut.She had called Carl, pleading desperately, but he had said, "Can't you stop overr
Back at school, Renee entered her dorm room and found that her roommates were still out, likely attending interviews as mentioned in the group chat. She opened her locker and squinted at the contents inside. Just as she was about to reach for something, she heard a voice behind her."Renee."Startled, Renee turned around to see Wendy rushing up to her, slapping herself hard."Renee, I'm so sorry!""I was scared of being poor, and Reporter Riley said he just wanted to use your account to say a few things. I believed him."My mom always complains that college is a waste of money, which is why I fell for it. Please have pity on me."Wendy continued slapping herself while attempting to emotionally manipulate Renee.Renee remained silent, pretending to be stunned as she watched Wendy repeatedly slap herself.Wendy didn't dare stop, only ceasing when her face turned red from the slaps. Renee finally stepped in."Stop hitting yourself. It's too late for apologies now."She looked do
As the sound of the door locking clicked behind her, Renee already knew who was approaching without even turning around. The tea canister in her hand slipped and rolled across the floor.The canister made a full circle before finally stopping in front of a pair of men's leather shoes.Renee hurried to pick it up, but before she could, a pair of hands slid around her waist from behind, cold as a serpent, tightening their grip.She found herself trapped against the tea table, and the heat from above slowly spread down to her ears, causing her breathing to become erratic.His lips brushed against her ear, his voice deep and laced with a hint of amusement. "Do you enjoy being led around like this so much?”The warm breath tickled her ear like a feather, making Renee feel itchy.She wanted to escape, but as soon as she moved, the pressure behind her grew more intimidating, forcing her to stay still.The presence behind her enveloped Renee, and she could even feel the heat of his chest thr
The touch sent an electric current through her body, making her tremble uncontrollably.Noticing this, Carl’s gaze deepened. He leaned in closer, and a drop of tea from his collar dripped onto her stomach.Renee trembled even more visibly.A dark desire surged in Carl's eyes as he stared directly at her, his gaze unapologetically filled with want."Just as sensitive as that night.""No!” Renee shot back."Is that so? You weren't saying that then," he chuckled, a wicked glint in his expression.The thumb with the ring on it brushed away the drop of tea on her abdomen. The smooth crystal felt unusually warm against her skin—comfortable yet strangely unsettling.Renee's abdomen contracted slightly, and she let out a soft gasp, which Carl quickly silenced by kissing her again."Mmm…"Carl was out of control!If the Grey family discovered them, her life would be screwed!But Renee’s strength was no match for his, and he effortlessly lifted her, pressing his lips to hers.Suddenly, there was
After brewing the tea, Renee carried it into the living room. It was a rare occasion to have so many people gathered together, and even the usually stern face of Michael had softened with a few smiles.Once she had served the tea, Renee quietly stood behind Susanne and Patrick, blending into the background, almost invisible.Just then, Carl walked in, his collar still damp from the spilled tea.Linda noticed and asked, "Carl, you're usually so meticulous. How did you get your clothes dirty?"Carl sat down, picked up his tea cup, and glanced at Renee before replying indifferently, "The cat brushed against me."Linda sipped her tea and chuckled, "That's an interesting cat. Did it manage to hit your lips too?"Carl blew on his tea and casually responded, "Mm. It's quite strong."Upon hearing this, Renee immediately lowered her head, feeling her face grow hotter by the second.After some casual conversation, Mr. Grey mentioned that he was going to take a nap, and the others began t
Michael had always been dissatisfied with Annie's family background, but he valued her image and reputation. Compared to other random women from outside, having Annie by Carl's side seemed a better choice. However, after the recent press conference, Annie proved to be a deep disappointment.Carl remained unruffled as ever, responding with chilling indifference."Mm."Their conversation ended, and they walked away together.Moments later, Annie emerged from behind a rockery, her hands trembling with anxiety as she twisted her dress's hem almost to the point of tearing. She knew she had to win!...Susanne suggested that Renee stay the night, but Renee declined. The Grey family home held no good memories for her. Being there only reminded her of the scorn she faced in her past life and her poor daughter. As dusk approached, she left.However, she hadn't gone far when a sudden gust of wind blew through, darkening the sky ominously. The rain poured down heavily, soaking her to the s
On the way back, Travis received a call from home informing him that his mom Linda was experiencing a flare-up of her rheumatism. The rainy weather always worsened her condition, causing her sleepless nights.Ever since her husband's passing, Linda had spent nearly every day at the church praying, seeking solace, but the constant kneeling had taken a toll on her knees.Renee pointed to the intersection up ahead. "Travis, you can drop me off there. I'll take the subway back to school. I just need to borrow your jacket for a bit.""Renee..." Travis said, feeling a bit guilty."I'm in my twenties now, I'll be fine. But Linda must be in pain right now. You should go back and be with her.""Alright."Travis pulled the car over and adjusted the jacket on her shoulders, reminding her to be careful. Renee nodded and got out of the car.After watching the car drive away, she took the subway back to school. However, the subway station was still a distance from the school, so she had to wa
She touched the jacket she had just put on and, with a slight squeeze, water actually dripped out.How could it be so wet when she had just put it on?Renee turned to look at Carl and saw that his entire left side was soaked, his shirt clinging to his body, outlining an enviable physique.What had happened?As they drove, Carl instructed the driver to turn up the heat and tapped the back screen twice with his fingers. The previously cold Renee felt warmth emanating from all directions, even the seat beneath her was warm.She kept her head down, completely puzzled by Carl's intentions.After a few twists and turns, Carl brought her back to the same apartment as before."Take a shower," Carl said, pulling out a pair of women's slippers from the closet and handing them to Renee.Renee glanced at the slippers and was instantly reminded of the personal items she had seen in Annie's apartment. These were undoubtedly Annie's slippers."I won't wear them."Renee walked barefoot inside