It had been half a month since Peggy last saw Janet—ever since her wedding with Charles.
When Janet pushed open the revolving door of the restaurant, she imdiately spotted soone she had no intention of seeing again, sitting by the window.
As if on cue, Manfred looked up and locked eyes with her. Before she could turn and leave, he had already strode up to her.
"Let go of ! Don’t touch !" Janet recoiled in disgust. The very thought of his hands on her body made her skin crawl. She flung his hand off her arm and snapped coldly, "Don’t touch ."
"Janet, please," Peggy rushed over, slightly out of breath. "Manfred knows he hurt you. He just wants to apologize. Just hear him out this once, okay?"
She had been furious at him too, back when it happened. But when Manfred explained he only did it because he couldn’t bear to watch Janet marry soone else—because he loved her too much—Peggy had softened. She had always been on Manfred’s side, even now, even after the wedding. She still hoped the two of them could nd things.
"Peggy, it’s not what you think," Janet cut her off sharply. "He did it on purpose. I don’t want to talk to him. I’m leaving."
She shoved Manfred aside without hesitation. She had promised Charles she would never see this man again—and no matter what Manfred said, nothing could change that.
"Janet, I know you’re angry. But it wasn’t personal. If I were truly scum, I would’ve taken you that night!" Manfred said it like he was justified.
His words made Janet feel even more sick. If he had really done that, she would have hated him even more—if that was even possible.
And yet he had already done enough. He’d staged the whole scene, invited the dia, manipulated the narrative so the press would paint her as the villain. He’d humiliated Charles in front of everyone. That was no different from a public execution.
"Shut up, Manfred," Janet said, staring straight into his eyes. "I never want to see you again. Don’t show up in front of ever again."
He looked hurt, but she didn’t care. She was done falling for his lies.
Without another word, she brushed past him and headed straight for the street.
So that was it? Everything she did was right, and everything he did was wrong?
Her cold words still echoed in his ears: "I never want to see you again..."
His heart felt suddenly, painfully empty.
Maybe this ti... he really had fallen for her.
—
The deafening beat of the club music pounded across the dance floor. Colorful spotlights crisscrossed the room in electric arcs. Sweaty, wild bodies moved in rhythm, letting the heat and music consu the night.
A sultry woman in revealing clothes broke away from a man with a lip ring after a long, heated kiss. Gasping for breath, she staggered to the lounge and threw herself onto a plush sofa like she was trying to forget everything.
The n and won who ca here were mostly the sa—lonely, empty inside, desperate to fill a void with fleeting pleasure. From one end of the dance floor to the other, bodies pressed tightly against each other in the dim, pulsing light. Whispered moans and teasing gasps floated through the air like part of the music.
Elvira had always been the type to go with the flow, but she wasn’t that kind of woman. Normally, she’d show up, let off so steam, and leave before things got ssy.
But tonight... sothing was off.
Her body was burning with a strange hunger, one that even she couldn’t control. Handso faces flashed before her eyes—faces she wanted to reach out and grab—but each one vanished before she could touch it, morphing into soone else entirely.
"I must be losing my mind..." Elvira muttered, finishing off her soda. Still dizzy, she staggered toward the restroom, her body swaying with the beat.
Cold water splashed onto her face, cooling her flushed cheeks. The face staring back at her in the mirror was beautiful—too beautiful—but also twisted. Her eyes were filled with sothing dark and dangerous.
Was this why she lost to Janet?
After reapplying her makeup, Elvira erged from the restroom with the confidence of the Louis family heiress. Her heels clicked softly against the floor—until a shadow fell over her.
Before she could react, a strong hand covered her mouth and dragged her into the adjacent n’s restroom.
A chill ran down her spine.
This place was crawling with scum—thugs, drunks, and worse. She’d never dared to ss with those types. And now, one of them had her cornered.
"Feisty little vixen," a slurred voice growled. "Let’s have so fun tonight, shall we?"
Even in the dim light, she recognized the man—he was the one with the lip ring, the sa guy she had danced with earlier.
Fueled by alcohol and sothing darker, he pinned her against the wall, lips closing in.
"Shit!" Elvira snapped, raising her heel to kick him. But his long legs trapped hers, pressing her down with alarming force.
She struggled—only to realize sothing horrifying.
Her body... was responding.
No. No way.
She rembered now—the man from earlier. His hands roaming her body. The sudden sting on her arm. A drug.
He had injected her with sothing.
And now, her body was on fire, craving touch, screaming for release. Her mind was telling her to run, to fight—but her body... her body was betraying her.
The man tore away the little clothing she had left. She wanted to scream, but the pleasure was already surging through her like a tidal wave, unstoppable.
She wasn’t a virgin, no. But she had never been the kind to sleep around. She’d only ever had serious boyfriends.
And now, she didn’t even know his na.
Yet sohow, her body welcod him, matching his every move, her moans rising with each breath.
Tonight... was the beginning of her fall.
anwhile, across the city—
Janet and Charles entered the lobby of Black Rock Co., only to be greeted by a most unwelco presence.
Before Charles could even speak, security had already stepped in, escorting the woman out without hesitation.
As Janet followed Charles into the elevator, she could still hear the screams outside—the shrill voice of a woman cursing and shouting as she was dragged away.
She turned to glance at Charles, who looked as calm and cold as ever.
"Boss sure is ruthless," she said, her tone light but pointed. "Maybe Miss Louis had sothing important to tell you."
"Hmm? Which Miss Louis are you talking about?"
Charles raised a brow, the teasing glint in his eyes unmistakable. "The only Louis I know... is the one standing right in front of ."
Before Janet could react, he pulled her into his arms. His cool, thin lips brushed against her earlobe, sending a tremor down her spine.
"Could it be... that you’re jealous, Miss Louis?"
Janet rolled her eyes, cheeks slightly flushed. "Jealous? In your dreams! Stop flattering yourself."
But she hadn’t expected Elvira to show up at Black Rock Co. of all places—still chasing after Charles even now. He was Janet’s husband. Legally hers. Publicly, he was also her brother-in-law.
What a ss.
"You naughty little thing," Charles murmured, his arms tightening around her slender waist. With just a bit more force, he could lift her up and carry her away—sothing he clearly had no problem doing.
Reviews
All reviews (0)