Renee glanced at Annie, who appeared drunken and dazed, feeling somewhat disoriented herself. Since the principal and the others had already departed, she decided to treat this drink as her last before finding an excuse to leave. She assumed that, after taking a sobering pill, a small glass of alcohol wouldn't be an issue.As she prepared to take a drink, the door to the room swung open behind her. Carl walked in, emitting a chilling aura, causing the three men to immediately tone down their behavior.One of the men, eager to please, asked, "Mr. Grey, what happened to your lip? Are you alright?"Carl casually touched his lip and replied pointedly, "It was bitten."Renee's cheeks flushed upon hearing his words.Believing that he must have accidentally bitten his own lip, the three men did not dwell on it. Instead, they gestured towards Annie, who was resting her head on her hand."Mr. Grey, it appears that Ms. Simmons has had too much to drink."Upon hearing this, Carl walked ove
"You! You fucking bitch!""I suggest you watch your tone," Renee responded coldly. "Oh, and by the way, I was recording while you were forcing me to drink. The video is with my roommate. If I don't show up at the dorm on time, this recording will be all over the news tomorrow. You've worked hard for years to build your careers—wouldn't want to throw it all away because of me, would you?"The three men exchanged glances, but they weren't too worried. One of them sneered, "Tonight was a celebration dinner. We came out of respect for the principal. A little drinking is only natural. Besides, we can easily claim that you hinted you were interested."Another man added with a laugh, "Look at the way you're dressed—clearly, you came here to seduce us! People online don't care about a woman being mistreated; they love stories of women who bring it upon themselves."The last man chimed in, "There are three of us and only one of you. Do you really think people will believe you, a woman just
Hospital.When Renee woke up, a sense of panic engulfed her. She was in complete darkness, with only the distant sound of footsteps audible."Who's there?!" she shouted, her voice hoarse. In a state of fear, she blindly grabbed an object and threw it towards the sound.Her frantic actions stunned everyone in the room.Suddenly, a choked sob broke the silence, and a figure hurriedly approached."Renee, Renee, what's wrong? It's Mom!" Susanne cried, tears streaming down her face.Renee's hand froze mid-air, fear trembling in her voice. "Mom, where are you? Why can't I see you?"Susanne's eyes widened in horror. Forgetting her own tears, she called out desperately, "Renee! Don't scare me like this!"Renee stared into empty space, her voice trembling, "Mom..."The room fell into a suffocating silence.Then, with anguished sobs, Susanne screamed, "Doctor! Doctor!"The doctor who arrived was a friend of Carl's. After a thorough examination, his expression grew increasingly grave,
Seeing the two greasy, ugly men standing there, Susanne couldn't even begin to imagine the fate of any young woman who might fall into their hands."Officer," Susanne said firmly, "we demand a thorough investigation!"The faces of the two men turned pale when they heard this. The bruises and swelling on their faces made them look even more sinister and frightening. Though they had some notoriety, they were nothing compared to the power of the Grey family. How could they possibly fight back?The two exchanged glances, then decided to throw caution to the wind. With a hint of desperation, they said, "Mrs. Grey, we're men, and after drinking, we couldn't resist when we were tempted. We made a mistake, but for the sake of everyone's reputation, we hope you can be lenient."Susanne's eyes widened in disbelief, her voice rising sharply. "Tempted? Are you trying to say that my daughter seduced the three of you?"The men hesitated, then nodded awkwardly. "Yes, it was Ms. Lacey's intention
"Not a big deal?"Renee let out a cold laugh, her gaze dropping as she spoke. "Officer, you've heard it yourselves. They're denying everything. Ms. Simmons here has even vouched for them. As the accuser, I demand that these three produce evidence to refute the evidence I will provide.""And especially," she added, "I want to see the evidence they claim proves I was 'seducing' or 'tempting' them.""And let's not forget. Ms. Simmons was so sure in her accusations that I was trying to climb the ladder by taking shortcuts. Where is her proof?""You're all law enforcement. I trust your body cams are recording everything they're saying. They can't change their story now, can they?Her words left the three men dumbfounded, their faces paling as they grasped the gravity of the situation. Annie, who had been sitting smugly just moments ago, now looked utterly shocked. What was once a safe position suddenly felt perilous, and it was clear that none of them would escape unscathed.The offic
As Annie wiped away her tears, she inched closer to Carl, her gaze warning the two men to remember whose woman she was.The two men felt their breath catch in their throats and a chill run down their spines as they recalled their companion lying unconscious in a hospital bed. They would rather die than cross Carl Grey, as their lives would be worse than death.With no other choice, they bowed their heads and apologized, "We're sorry, Ms. Lacey. We were drunk and let our desires get the better of us. Please forgive us.""Forgive you?" Renee scoffed coldly. "If I forgive you today, you'll just think you can get away with it. And who knows who your next victim will be? What happened today is your own doing. You chose to believe the wrong words, and now you're paying the price."Her words were laced with sarcasm, causing Annie's face to tighten in barely concealed anger, though she didn't dare speak out. The two desperate men, realizing their careers were on the line, ignored the polic
Annie's cheeks reddened further, her eyes brimming with unshed tears. She didn't dare show her anger, instead forcing a look of hurt as she reached out to grab Carl's hand.Carl casually adjusted his sleeve, avoiding her touch."Carl, I'm your fiancée," Annie pleaded, her eyes glistening.Carl glanced at her coldly. "Yes, fiancée. Not wife."Annie's expression froze, and she stood there stunned.He leaned in slightly. "You're still an outsider. Renee, however, is legally the Grey family's second daughter. At the very least, she's not to be bullied by outsiders. As for our arrangement, we both know the truth."With that, Carl stuffed the number slip into Annie's hand and turned to leave.Annie looked on in disbelief. Unwilling to give up, she stood to follow Carl but was blocked by Jackson's outstretched arm."Ms. Simmons, please sit down.""Carl... Carl..."Unable to push past Jackson, Annie could only grit her teeth and sit back down.Looking at the slip, she realized it wa
She didn't blame Linda for her concerns."Travis, the weather has been quite unpredictable lately. Linda hasn't been feeling well. You should go check on her," Renee suggested, having already thought up an excuse.Travis looked at her with a wry smile. "Alright, I'll head out then.""Take care."After Travis left, Renee became aware of an unpleasant taste in her mouth. The lingering alcohol mixed with the rice pudding nearly made her gag. Despite changing into a hospital gown, the smell of spilled food and drink from earlier was becoming unbearable.Fortunately, she was familiar with the layout of this hospital from previous visits. Renee carefully got out of bed, took a couple of steps forward until she felt the wardrobe door, and opened it to find the clothes Susanne had brought her. She then made her way to the adjoining bathroom.Turning on the shower, she smoothed her hair and bent down, intending to wash it first. But due to her condition, it proved difficult.As she reach
Wedding dress?When Renee heard those two words, she couldn’t help but feel the irony.Counting the time Annie had tried on wedding dresses, this was the second time she was involved. And both times, it was for Carl’s fiancee.It was as if these weddings couldn’t happen without her as a witness.She glanced at Ruby, who was smiling radiantly, her joy pure and simple. Unlike Annie, Ruby wasn’t manipulative; her invitation was sincere.It was precisely because of this that Renee felt like the bad guy.She was about to come up with an excuse to refuse when her phone buzzed.A sudden sense of foreboding hit her.Sure enough, it was a message from Susanne.“Mr. Grey has asked me to help prepare for Carl and Miss Sanders’ engagement party.”The weight of it crushed her.Whether Susanne would offend both the Sanders and Grey families—or remain unharmed—all hinged on Renee’s response.Her hands trembled as she typed out a reply:“Got it.”Ruby seemed to notice something was off a
Ruby didn’t notice anything unusual about Renee’s demeanor. She pulled out her phone and said excitedly, “Look, we took so many photos! I’m thinking of using some of them for the engagement party and wedding. Can you help me pick a few?”Renee glanced at Ruby’s phone. The photos of Ruby and Carl, both smiling brightly, felt like tiny stabs.Ruby, a young woman nurtured by love and privilege, carried an effortless elegance. Her joy seemed pure and contagious. Her smile was magnetic, lighting up every photo.Even Carl, standing beside her, looked more at ease than usual. The two of them looked perfect together—every photo captured their harmony.Renee, on the other hand, felt awkward, unsure where to direct her gaze.“They’re all great. You two should decide,” she said with a forced smile, quickly steering the conversation elsewhere. “By the way, why did you come to see me?”Ruby clapped her hands as if just remembering. “Oh, right! I almost forgot, I got so excited. The tie clip y
Hearing her mention fire, Carl froze.His mind drifted to the dreams he’d had countless times—the little girl who hated him, and the ending that always played out the same. In every dream, the girl ran into the flames, holding the hand of a woman whose face was always blurred. The two of them would smile at each other before disappearing into the fire.Taking advantage of his hesitation, Renee broke free from Carl’s grip, putting a few steps of distance between them.Her voice trembled with a mix of anger and desperation. “Uncle Carl, I can’t win against you. I know that. But I’m still a person. Haven’t you and your father humiliated me enough? Do you really need everyone pointing at me, calling me trash, for you to finally be satisfied?”Without waiting for a reply, she turned and walked away.Carl reached out, but all he caught was the coat draped over her shoulders.Renee stopped briefly, pulling off the coat without looking back. She continued walking until her figure disappe
Carl didn’t respond to her question. Instead, he grabbed her wrist and led her into the car.Outside the window, the scenery blurred as they drove, snow starting to fall again after some time. When the car finally stopped and the door opened, a fresh layer of snow blanketed the ground.As Renee stepped out, a cashmere coat was draped over her shoulders. The faint scent of Carl surrounded her, pulling her back into reality. She found herself standing in front of a villa.The sprawling garden, now blanketed in white, held a dreamlike beauty, hinting at how enchanting it must look when the flowers were in full bloom. Renee could almost picture it clearly.Because this was the house where she had set herself on fire in her previous life.Eight years of marriage had turned this beautiful home into a gilded cage.Staring at the house, her voice was icy as she asked, “What’s the meaning of this?”Carl’s gaze darkened slightly, his tone calm. “I’ll have someone pick up your belongings f
Joey assumed Renee had forgotten and went to the kitchen to retrieve the item. She placed it in front of her—a sleek yet extravagant men’s watch.Renee recognized it instantly. It was Carl’s watch.She knew because she had a matching women’s version.But she clearly remembered tidying up the kitchen the previous night, and the watch hadn’t been there. Unless… the person who had been with her during her fever was Carl.Levi hadn’t explicitly said the soup was his doing; she had simply assumed.As the dreamlike memories replayed in her mind, Renee’s hand trembled, spilling the ginger tea.Joey quickly grabbed some napkins to clean up. “What’s wrong?”Renee turned to the window, then suddenly grabbed the watch and dashed out.Inside the elevator, she watched the descending numbers, silently counting down. Her hand braced against the wall, her emotions a tangled mess. She had told herself over and over to let go, to stop pursuing this path.But she had to know the truth.She had
Joey pointed to Levi’s suit, drawing Renee’s attention to it. She suddenly realized that Levi’s suit was from the same brand as the one Carl had been wearing when he had brought her home, his face covered. Aside from a few subtle differences, they looked almost identical to the average person. Levi and Carl also had similar builds, which explained why Joey had mistaken him. “Joey, it’s not what you think,” Renee quickly tried to explain. But Joey wasn’t listening. She stood protectively in front of Renee, as though shielding her from making a bad decision. “Renee! You promised me you’d never go back to your ex!” “Ex?” Levi repeated thoughtfully, glancing at Renee with a faint smile tugging at his lips. Renee felt a wave of frustration, like she might faint from embarrassment despite being on the mend. Joey, oblivious, continued in a righteous tone, “Sir, what’s the point of showing up now? When Renee needed someone the most, you ignored her. Being sweet after the f
Warm water slid down Renee’s throat, easing the discomfort. She gradually calmed down as a gentle thumb brushed her lips, as if the person in front of her were handling something precious.He leaned closer, his heated breath falling softly on her face.Instinctively, Renee held her breath. Even though her vision was blurry, she could feel how close he was—so close that the slightest movement would bring their lips together.Just then, the medicine’s effect fully kicked in. Renee’s body went limp, and she collapsed onto the couch.The next moment, a tall figure leaned over, pulling her tightly into his arms. His heartbeat thudded steadily in her ears, a sound that was oddly comforting.In her half-conscious state, she felt a soft touch on her forehead.“Sleep,” a low voice murmured, deep and magnetic, lulling her into the darkness.When Renee opened her eyes again, she saw a white ceiling above her. She reached up to touch her forehead—thankfully, the fever had broken.But her b
“What do you mean by that? I’m not so old that I can’t run this family anymore!” Michael’s voice was sharp, his pride bristling. He hated being reminded of his age—it was his greatest fear.Carl’s tone was flat and unaffected. “Your health should come first.”Michael froze in his seat, his face turning pale with anger. But as a man who had managed the vast Grey family empire for years, he quickly regained his composure.He pulled out two documents and placed them in front of Carl, smoothly shifting the topic. “Here’s the list for the New Year’s gala invitations. Take a look.”Carl opened the list. It was almost identical to previous years—except for one addition: Susanne.“She’s your sister-in-law, after all,” Michael said coldly. “No matter what, she’s still part of the Grey family. Now that Linda is gone, it’s time for her to start contributing.”“Is that so?” Carl’s dark eyes locked onto Michael’s.Michael then gestured to the second document, his gaze sharp and calculating.
Carl sat silently through the night.At dawn, Ruby slowly opened her eyes. Seeing him still by her side, she felt both happy and guilty.Weakly, she said, “Carl, I’m sorry for making you stay with me all night.”Carl snapped out of his thoughts and slowly stood up. “I’ll get the doctor.”As he turned to leave, Ruby grabbed his hand.“Carl, I really like you. Can we be together? Of course, you can say no,” she said softly.Carl lowered his gaze to her, his expression unreadable. He gently pulled his hand away. “Let the doctor check on you first.”Watching him walk away, Ruby bit her pale lips, her eyes welling up.The doctor came to examine her and confirmed that she was out of danger. Soon after, she was transferred to a regular hospital room.Carl helped her lie down and said in a low voice, “Your brother will be here soon.”Ruby immediately grabbed his arm, her tone slightly anxious. “Carl, are you leaving?”“I got a message from home. I need to go back,” Carl replied, his