"Hah." Cade scoffed. "Don't you know basic safety precautions? Even a three-year-old knows better. It's late at night and you're a drunk woman. Yet, you're still thinking about getting into a stranger's car?"Cameron inclined her head. Her narrowed eyes were captivating as she gave him an inscrutable smile."A plain woman like me has nothing to worry about.""If a man is in the mood, it won't matter even if you're ugly. Some don't even care about the species. Being born beautiful might make it easier to attract men, but it doesn't mean they only go after beautiful women.""Many aren't picky. Don't go challenging a man's base nature with your stupidity," Cade said.Silence befell the car as Cade finished speaking. Only the soft whirrs of the engine and air conditioning filled the space.Cameron silently stared out the window. Her desolation and loneliness were magnified by the darkness of the night. She unconsciously pressed the power button on the phone in her hand. With every
"I met a girl I got along well with while I was at a show abroad. She gave this to me," Monica explained.Cameron was behind the wheel. "You can go ahead. If you get lonely, go get yourself a guy to go with you."If she went to the party, Monica's wish to amaze everyone with her dress would be dashed. No one would approach her to ask about it. Monica looked conflicted."I don't want to hear about unhealthy stuff like that. I want to focus on my career. Men are troublesome creatures who will only hinder my progress in making money."Back in high school, she bore witness to a scumbag cheating her best friend out of her money and love. She couldn't bear the blow and ended up jumping out of the dorm's window. Her body was bent in odd shapes with blood and brain matter smeared all over the place. She died on the spot.Since then, she gave up on love and devoted herself completely to her studies. She even made a vow to never marry or have children."Also, I'm not just asking you to att
Seeing Cameron returning to her car had Nerissa seething with anger. However, the thought of her plan made her grit her teeth and go after Cameron. It took Nerissa cajoling her with apologies for Cameron to return. The hall was filled with the lively sounds of clinking glasses. There were servers dressed in white shirts and black trousers carrying trays and weaving through the crowd of well-dressed men and women.Cameron's entrance caused a brief silence in the hall, but things quickly returned to normal."Mom's over there, Cameron. Let's go," Nerissa said.She dragged Cameron and quickly made her way towards Blaire. People would step aside to make way for them anywhere they passed through. Hushed murmurs could be heard in the air."What is she doing here?""What rotten luck. I wouldn't have come here if I had known she'd be coming. Can she keep away from us? Who knows if she has some kind of disease.""Stop it." Someone nudged the woman who was speaking with their elbow. "She'
Blaire wasn't the only one who was taken aback. Everyone else was similarly shocked. No one could believe that Cade was standing up for Cameron.Didn't Cade Carter despise his wife and wish for her demise? So, what on earth was happening?Nerissa was also staring at Cade as if she had been so deeply hurt that she forgot to cry. Tears welled up in her eyes but had yet to roll down her cheeks. She perfectly mimicked the demeanor expected of a leading lady."Have Fabian accompany you to the hospital to get your injuries treated," Cade said.Nerissa's injury indeed looked alarming. Even though there were no gaping wounds, her entire hand was covered in blood."I don't need to go to the hospital. It's just a little scratch. The hotel's doctor can take care of it."Despite her words, her expression suggested that it was far worse than a little scratch. She was acting as if she had broken an arm.She continued to act pitifully to garner sympathy. However, it was unfortunate that after
Cameron walked over and quickly realized the reason why Blaire was so enraged. Inside the lounge was a group of rich playboys projecting lewd photos of a woman on a screen with their phones. They were making crude comments as they ogled the pictures. Each one was large in scale and explicit. The woman depicted in every photo had Cameron's face.Nerissa noticed her first, or rather, she had been waiting for her."How could you do something like this, Cameron? You broke Mom's heart. If those photos get out…" She bit her lip, looking both embarrassed and anxious, which made her seem extremely innocent."Those people are awful. How could they take photos like that?"Nerissa's show of concern might have fooled Cameron if she hadn't known of Nerissa's true nature. Others would've seen her as a sister who cared about her sibling's wellbeing.Cameron lifted her hand and mockingly patted Nerissa's face. "Enjoying the show, dear sister? Come, I'll show you a good performance."Upon heari
The scene in the lounge had Cade narrowing his eyes."Cameron."Blaire was likewise shocked by the sight before her. She could feel her knees going weak, and she nearly collapsed to the floor."Cammie."Cameron had a shattered wine bottle in one hand and a remote control in the other. There was blood splattered all over her face. Her appearance and presence made her the most eye-catching person in the room.No one paid attention to Nerissa who was writhing in pain on the floor.Cade leveled Cameron a cold, condescending stare. His brows were knitted into a frown. His expression all but said that trusting an animal was more favorable than trusting her."Put that bottle down."Cameron jerked her chin to signal for him to look at the television screen.Projected on the screen were photos of her and the man she was threatening with the wine bottle in bed together. Each one was scandalous enough to get them in serious trouble with the law if they were caught.Cade followed her gaz
Once Monica had said her piece, she dragged Cameron to the door, completely disregarding how livid Blaire looked.The crowd outside spontaneously made way for them. After all, one of them had an unapologetically sharp tongue while the other was violent and suffering from a mental illness. Neither were people they could afford to provoke.Cameron seemed to recall something once she was out the door. She turned her head, gaze piercing through the crowd to land on Asher who was leaning against the wall.When their eyes met, he winked at her before vanishing into the adjacent emergency exit."What are you looking at?"Monica noticed that Cameron was staring off into the distance. So, she followed her gaze. Unfortunately, she saw nothing of interest."It's nothing." Cameron looked away. "Let's go."Before they could get far, Cade and Fabian emerged from the lounge. With how tall they were, they quickly caught up to the women with just a few steps.There was only one part from the lo
Cameron was neither mocking him nor trying to anger him on purpose. Her words simply reflected her thoughts. She had never considered Cade as someone she was close to, so why would she confide in him?Cade narrowed his eyes as he repeatedly mulled over her words in his head. Every word grated on his nerves so much that he wanted to strangle her. A dark emotion flashed in his eyes."Get out."Cameron didn't move. A few seconds later, Cade smiled. He lifted his hand to check for the time on his wristwatch and spoke in an icy tone."I'm giving you five seconds to get out of my car. Otherwise, I guarantee that your shabby little shop will close its doors tomorrow. Not even the gods will be able to save it."Cameron wasn't fazed by his threats at all. She stared at him and asked imploringly, "Are you sure?""Get out." There were no inflections in his voice.She nodded and got out of the car without hesitation, which only made his expression more icy. It was as if someone owed him bil
With Cade covering Cameron's mouth, there was no chance for her pointed words to offend anyone in the room. His palm was cool to the touch. It was a sensation she disliked. So, she couldn't help but tilt her head.When Cade noticed her movements, he gently stroked her cheek as if he were calming a child who was throwing a tantrum.Victor spent years in a position of authority, giving him an air of unspoken authority. His gaze hardened, and his lips pressed into a firm line as he watched Cade. "Cade, don't jeopardize the long-standing relationship between our families over a woman.""If that's how you see it." Cade glanced at the door. "Aren't you doing the same for a woman?"Victor snorted contemptuously. "How can a cheap girl who was merely adopted be worth anything compared to Mirabelle?""How is my daughter, a Yorksworth, worth any less than yours?" Blaire stood at the doorway as she took in the occupants of the home with her sharp gaze. She had been feeling restless ever sin
Mirabelle frowned. "Excuse me?"As soon as she finished speaking, Cameron walked up to her, grabbed her by her hair, and forcefully bent her over.Cameron held up the guest list Monica had sent her and shoved it in Mirabelle's face. "Call them. Tell them to be there by 3:00 p.m., or else…"She tightened her grip threateningly. "You can kiss this head of hair goodbye."Mirabelle pressed down on her scalp where it had been pulled, her voice distorted with pain when she spoke."Let go, Cameron! Are you out of your mind?""Didn't I tell you not to involve anyone else in our feud?""Can't take it anymore?"Mirabelle endured the pain of turning her head to flash a disdainful sneer at Cameron."This is just the appetizer. If you go against me, you'll eventually crawl out of Capeton with your tail between your legs. I'll call your business partner right now and pin the catastrophic failure of this event on you…"Seeing Mirabelle's condescending expression brought Cameron back to the
The kiss lifted the dark cloud that hung over Cade's mood over the past few days.The next day, as Fabian brought in documents for him to sign, Cade asked, "When is Cameron's show?"Fabian was taken aback for a split second but quickly replied. Fortunately, he was well-prepared and kept track of Cameron's events for the year in advance."Has the invitation been delivered?"Fabian swallowed, almost wanting to laugh to mock Cade. Given Cade's strained relationship with his wife, Cameron would sooner invite a dog than have him around. However, all Fabian could do was revel in Cade's misery in his mind while keeping a businesslike facade."It was probably already delivered. The front desk brought in a stack of mail yesterday. I haven't sorted it out yet."He had already sorted out the mail this morning. Everything had gone straight to the trash."Clear my schedule for the day. Make reservations at a restaurant for a celebratory dinner.""Yes, sir."On the day of the show, Monica
That was obviously an excuse to get Cade out of the picture. Knowing what Mirabelle had done to Cameron in the past, leaving the two of them alone was out of the question. Besides, it wasn't convenient for him to move the car, so he refused without a second thought."Get the attendant—"However, Cameron cut him off before he could finish."Ms. Ackerman is a guest. You should fulfill her requests if she has any."Cade cast her a cold glance. "Shut up." Why should he dance to Mirabelle's tune?Cameron stared at him. "Run along."He gritted his teeth as rage crossed his face. After a brief pause, he sneered and turned to leave. As soon as the door shut behind him, Mirabelle's calm expression slipped. "Did you make me come here just to show off how much you two love each other?""You call that love? I think we have different definitions of what 'love' is then. He's nothing more than…" Cameron's fingers lightly traced the cup's rim as she smirked and said, "A lap dog.""You fu
Cameron crossed her arms over her chest and gave the bouquet in Cade's hands a nonchalant glance."What are you trying to pull, Mr. Carter?""Fabian said it was Women's Day today.""So what?"There was silence all around. The sound of soothing music could be heard through the door. Cade was silent for a while. "We're not getting a divorce, Cameron."It was the same old topic that Cameron had grown too weary of. She turned around and felt for the cigarette box on the table. There was already a layer of cigarette butts in the ashtray next to it. Judging by the color of the lipstick marks, more than half of them were hers.Cade frowned. He clearly disapproved of her smoking but kept himself from stopping her.Smoke curled from between her lips. The flickering embers of the cigarette reflected in her eyes, softening her indifferent gaze. Through the thin haze, Cameron's lips curled into a wide, unrestrained smile. Every time she smiled in this way, it always filled Cade with a
Cade began unbuckling his belt as he spoke. When it came to this sort of thing, men often had a strong sense of competition, especially in the presence of a woman they were interested in."Such a dark atmosphere isn't right for our situation."Cameron didn't like him to begin. In such a dark atmosphere, there was no telling what kind of grotesque creature she might imagine him to be. It would be strange if she felt attraction for him.She leveled a steady stare at him. Cade's shirt was half undone, showing his tense muscles underneath. Under the influence of alcohol, his skin took on a faint reddish hue. There was a heart-pounding tension in the air as if something was about to ignite. Occasionally, his slightly heavy breaths could be heard."You haven't been working out recently, have you?" Cameron asked.Cade was confused.Cameron pressed her hand against his chest, right below his ribs, and gave it a little push. After a moment, she commented, "Your muscles are a little soft
Cade tossed his phone onto the table in frustration when he saw who entered. He pressed his hand against his brow."Leave. You should see Diane for a work uniform.""Are you feeling unwell, Mr. Carter?" Rosalia approached the desk with a glass of milk in hand. "I learned how to give massages. Why don't I…" "Get out."Cade abruptly got to his feet and avoided Rosalia's outstretched hand, causing the milk to spill all over him. He glanced down at his now-stained shirt with a dark expression and pressed his lips tightly together. After a long pause, he asked through clenched teeth, "Did my wife ask you to send this up?" Every syllable was pronounced with the gnashing of teeth.Rosalia froze under his piercing gaze."It really was Mrs. Carter who asked me to bring it to you, sir," she stammered."Leave. From now on, you will not enter my study unless you have permission."Rosalia had come to work as a housekeeper to land herself a wealthy husband. She had even bribed the manager
On the next day, Cameron was discussing the fashion show with Monica when she suddenly heard a familiar voice from behind. "Cammie…" It was Blaire.Although Monica didn't fully know about Cameron's past, she didn't like Blaire at all. What kind of mother wouldn't protect their own child, after all?However, it wasn't appropriate for her to intervene as much even though she was Cameron's close friend. After all, it was Cameron's family matter.Monica stood up with her notebook in hand and said, "Well, I just remembered that there's still a few more invitations to send, so I'll go and take care of that. Let's discuss more about the fashion show later."After saying that, she glanced at Blaire and left without even greeting her.Cameron got up and nodded at Blaire. "Is something the matter?"She thought that her distant attitude last night had made it clear enough that she didn't want any more involvement with the Yorksworth family. She didn't expect that Blaire would come and loo
Cameron pushed the door open. She looked tired as she laid down her bag. As she changed her shoes, she caught sight of the food on the dining table out of the corner of her eye."Diane, didn't I tell you I wasn't coming back for dinner? Why did you make so much food?"Diane glanced upstairs. "It's for Mr. Carter. He hasn't eaten yet."The moment Cade was mentioned, Cameron dropped the topic. She rubbed her sore shoulder as she headed upstairs. "I see.""Madam…" Diane called out hesitantly, looking troubled. "Mr. Carter asked you to call him down for dinner when you got home.""Me? Call him down for dinner?" Cameron stopped in her tracks and turned around in confusion. "Why?""Mr. Carter seems to be upset. Did you two have another fight?""So If he's in a bad mood, I'm supposed to go upstairs and invite him down to eat? Should I also say 'Your meal is ready, my liege!' while I'm at it?" Cameron scoffed. Her sarcastic smirk quickly faded. "He can eat if he wants. If he doesn't,