Renee's disheveled hair fell across her forehead and back, making her appear vulnerable. Her face, wet from water, looked pale. Her pink lips, coated in moisture, resembled freshly washed grapes. Water droplets dripped down, soaking her hospital gown.The blue and white striped gown clung to her skin, revealing her elegant collarbone and the fullness beneath her light-colored undergarment in places she couldn't see.Unaware of the situation, Renee only noticed the man's heavy breathing. As he advanced, she stepped back until she had nowhere else to go.He stood before her, his domineering gaze undisguised, like a predator eyeing its prey. Renee held her breath, clutching the signet ring tightly as he raised his hand.Suddenly, a dry towel dropped onto her head."I'm leaving," he said hoarsely."Uncle Carl, your ring," Renee said, extending her hand with the signet ring.Carl grasped her hand, using it to slip the ring back onto his thumb. Renee couldn't understand his gesture. S
Renee wasn't surprised by this turn of events. After all, she had lived through it before in her past life. But going through it again brought her pain and sorrow.She had always tried to choose different paths, yet fate and power still seemed to haunt her like ghosts, controlling her every move.Renee pulled the comforter over herself, not wanting to deal with Carl any longer.Carl left the hospital room and made his way to the designated smoking area, his face expressionless. He took out a cigarette and tapped it thoughtfully against the pack.Before he could light it, Jackson approached."Mr. Grey, we've made progress on your request to investigate Ms. Lacey and Ms. Simmons," Jackson said, handing over a file.Holding the cigarette between his fingers, Carl opened the file.Jackson reported,"These are Ms. Simmons' competition designs submitted to the university, and behind are her previous designs."The styles were completely different.Jackson pointed to the submission dat
Tears welled up in Renee's eyes as she finished speaking.Her roommates, who had been indignant just moments ago, instantly fell into character and began to act in accordance with Renee's acting.Sandy choked up, "Renee, please don't be like this. We will actively cooperate with the treatment. You will get better soon, I'm sure.""That's right, the doctors here are excellent. You have to believe in them and in yourself," Dahlia added, covering her face, unable to bear the sight.Jenny remained silent, quietly wiping away tears, her emotions evident without words.Seeing how pessimistic they all appeared, Wendy realized that Renee's eyes were unlikely to recover. She sniffled, her slender frame trembling slightly, tears streaming down her face as she hugged Renee tightly."Renee, I don't believe it! You will be fine..."To anyone watching, it would seem that Wendy cared deeply for Renee.But Renee knew better. Wendy was only hugging her to hide the gleeful smile on her face.In
She raised her voice slightly. "I've also been accepted for an internship at Mandy Xander's studio," she said.Renee was momentarily stunned.Dahlia jumped up. "How is that possible? At least Renee and Annie got into Mandy's studio through the competition. How did you manage to get in?"Wendy shrank back, appearing hurt and scared, fidgeting with her skirt."I... I just happened to have this opportunity. I thought I'd give it a try, and surprisingly, I succeeded.""Renee, please don't be angry, okay?"Wendy cried softly, like a delicate white flower in the rain.Sandy glared at her. "Wendy! Stop talking! Didn't you hear what the doctor just said? Renee can't get emotionally worked up. Are you deliberately trying to upset her by saying these things now?"Wendy whimpered. "I really just got lucky, so I didn't have to work as hard as Renee. When Renee's eyes get better, we can work together. Isn't that great?"Got lucky? Didn't have to work as hard as Renee? When Renee's eyes get
When Renee first woke up, her vision was completely black. Gradually, though, white spots started to appear, followed by blurry silhouettes. By the time Wendy arrived, Renee could see people clearly.Her earlier behavior was just meant to tease Wendy, payback for drugging her milk.Renee lowered her finger and took a bite of the sesame ball. "You all should go about your day. I'm fine now.""But Wendy..." Jenny pointed silently at the door, looking concerned."This is a hospital. She won't dare try anything.""Alright then."The three of them tidied up and left the room.As soon as they were gone, Wendy returned. Her face had returned to normal, but she had an eerie smile.Renee continued pretending to be blind."Renee, the weather outside is lovely. Why don't I help you go for a walk? It might help you relax. Who knows, you might recover faster."Wendy approached the bed, yanked off Renee's blanket, and pulled her out of bed, ignoring her supposed blindness.Renee didn't re
She couldn't accept it!Wendy acted as though she was trying to stand up, but halfway through, she swayed unsteadily and fell towards Carl.Carl took a step back, still holding Renee.Wendy ended up sprawled at their feet, looking disheveled.At this point, most people wouldn't dare to push their luck further, even if they fainted.But Wendy wasn't like most people. She tremblingly reached out and grabbed Carl's pant leg.Her upper body was tilted just enough to reveal what lay beneath her soaked clothes.She made no attempt to cover herself as she looked up at Carl pitifully. "Mr. Grey, I was halfway back when I got worried about Renee's safety, so I returned. I saw her standing by the lake and didn't want to startle her with my voice, so I approached quietly. Who knew that just as I was about to grab her, I would lose my balance and fall into the lake?""Mr. Grey, blame me if you must. It's my fault. I nearly frightened Renee."She gazed at Carl with tear-filled eyes, comple
When Renee heard Carl's voice, she instinctively turned to look.The man before her wore a black shirt. The autumn breeze pressed the fabric against his chest, outlining his perfect physique.Renee's pupils contracted for three seconds before she quickly raised her hand, pretending to be blind."Who's there?" she asked, feigning ignorance and even a touch of panic.As she tried to escape, Carl grabbed her wrist and pulled her onto a secluded path."Let go—"In the cool breeze, Carl leaned down and kissed Renee's parted lips, then casually stared at her wide eyes.With both hands restrained by him, Renee couldn't struggle. She felt his lips punishing hers.As she gradually weakened, Carl released her hands, one arm supporting her waist, the other cradling her head.A moment later, their lips barely touching, he asked huskily, "Who am I?"Renee pushed against his chest, trying to create some distance."I don't know you. Let me go! Or I'll scream for help!""Go ahead. Let's see how loud y
"What happened? Your eyes just healed, and now your foot and hand are injured?" Renee looked at him suspiciously. "How do you know my eyes are better?"The doctor paused, silently examining her ankle. Her throat tightened as Renee slowly said, "Mr. Grey told you." His lack of response confirmed her suspicion.Renee gripped the bed sheet tightly, allowing him to tend to her injuries. She felt like a bird with broken wings, trapped under Carl's control. He did whatever he wanted, then discarded her.A sudden pain in her ankle brought Renee back to the miseries of her past life. The all-encompassing pain, the helpless agony of losing her daughter – she was always in pain, even now. Why did it hurt so much, even without love? Why was it so difficult to break free from this man who toyed with her?The doctor glanced at her, trying to offer comfort. "If it hurts, you don't have to hold it in. It's okay to cry out."Renee remained silent, gritting her teeth through the pain, beads of swe