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
Renee froze, her face flushing involuntarily. She didn't realize that the narrow crack in the door perfectly reflected her image in the mirror. Her long hair draped over her bare back, partially covering her chest, which she was trying to shield with her arms. With each slight movement, it seemed as if she might be exposed at any moment.Carl clenched the ring on his thumb, struggling to suppress the surge of desires within him.Unable to argue further, Renee shut the door with force. Staring at the men's shirt and pants in her hands, she had no choice but to put them on.When she finally emerged from the bathroom, Carl was sitting on the sofa, sipping tea. The fragrance of the tea filled the room, creating a sense of calm.Renee walked over, and as Carl glanced at her, he accidentally spilled half of his tea, perhaps because it was too hot. Yet, he remained composed, merely saying, "Have some tea."He put down his cup and went to take a shower, not saying much else.Renee picked
After speaking, Renee went straight to the guest room.Carl, still smoking, poured himself another cup of tea. He took a sip and frowned at the taste. Lost in thought, he picked up the tea canister from the side table....In the middle of the night, Renee woke up coughing, feeling her throat dry and scratchy. When she tried to sit up, the room spun around her. She had to brace herself against the wall as she searched for some water.After what felt like an eternity, she finally found some water, but her dizziness worsened. Taking a few steps, her legs gave way, and she started to collapse towards the floor.Fortunately, she never hit the ground—Carl caught her and lifted her into his arms."How is your body so weak?" he muttered.Hearing his familiar voice, Renee's body began to tremble uncontrollably, burdened by memories from her past life."No... don't touch me... No, don't touch me..." she mumbled, desperately clutching at Carl's collar.Carl could hear her knuckles crack
Renee broke into a cold sweat, gasping out, "My... my hand..."Carl paused suddenly, taking a few deep breaths as the veins in his neck pulsed. He lifted himself slightly and gently took her hand.But before he could do anything else, Renee swiftly rolled over and wrapped herself tightly in the blanket.A manipulative move.Carl paused for a moment, but instead of getting angry, he simply lay down beside the "cocoon" she had made of herself, wrapping both her and the blanket tightly in his arms. He propped his head on one hand and leaned close to her ear, his voice hoarse and teasing, "How long do you think you can keep this up?"Renee wanted to retort, but her body betrayed her—she had used the last of her strength in that brief escape. Now, as Carl's voice seemed to drift farther and farther away, she slipped into unconsciousness, sinking into darkness.Later that night, Renee's fever spiked again, leaving her in a dazed, feverish state. If Carl had intended to do anything, she
"Carl? Carl!" Annie's voice grew closer from outside the door.Renee's entire body went rigid, cold sweat breaking out across her forehead. The mere thought of Annie walking in on them like this filled her with panic. Annie was cunning and skilled at manipulation—she would never let this go easily. And Carl always protected Annie, leaving Renee with no chance at winning.Renee grabbed Carl's hand, which was still roaming over her body, and pleaded, "Please, don't do this. You love Annie."She tried to remind Carl of his feelings, hoping it would snap him out of it.But to her shock, instead of stopping, Carl slid his hand further under her clothes, his fingertips gliding over her skin, making her shiver uncontrollably. He leaned in closer, his voice a deep, rough whisper in her ear, "It's quite kinky when you call me 'Uncle Carl' in moments like this."Renee was mortified.In her desperation, she decided to go all out and kicked the door with her foot.The loud bang echoed throu
She pressed her lips together without waiting for him to kiss her. Instead, she stood on her tiptoes and bit him first, sinking her teeth into the same spot where her previous bite mark was still faintly visible.Carl barely felt any pain, only letting out a slight click of his tongue, annoyed at being interrupted. Even as the healing wound started to bleed a little again, he seemed unfazed.It wasn't until Renee stopped biting and began to suck on the wound that his eyes darkened with intensity.So that's what she's planning.Renee released his neck and whispered angrily, "Uncle Carl, you should be more worried about explaining this to Annie."Carl tilted his head slightly, catching a glimpse of the fresh bite mark with a fresh hickey in the mirror. He raised an eyebrow."Are you part dog or something?"Renee turned her face away, tears welling up in her eyes and clinging to her lashes. Her stubborn gaze, now tinged with moisture, made her look vulnerable. It was hard to want t