Chapter 2

Above the bar was a luxurious five-star hotel, exclusively catering to celebrities who came for entertainment. It was highly secretive, and no hunting dogs were allowed. All of it belonged to the Vincent Corporation.

The elevator ascended slowly, and Carolina felt increasingly uncomfortable, her stomach churning incessantly. Fortunately, she had the “Warm Pillar” in front of her to hold onto, alleviating some of her body’s discomfort.

The darkness veiled the man’s gaze, making it difficult to see his face. Only the initial coldness at the corners of his mouth was now blurred, replaced by a hint of a smile. The woman in his arms raised her head, her fair and rosy face brushing against the nape of his neck.

“…So comfortable…”

Indeed, Carolina had drunk a lot, and with even a slight movement, her legs turned weak and almost caused her to collapse several times. Luckily, the man held her steady.

Through the darkness, the man’s eyes gradually ignited into blazing flames. He tightly held Carolina’s nape, capturing her moist and ruby lips, which carried a hint of alcohol.

“Mmm…”

After consuming a considerable amount of alcohol, Carolina felt a dry sensation in her mouth. Just as her tongue was moistened, the man’s eager and skilled advances prompted her to indulge in pleasure.

Her clumsy and eager movements caused excitement throughout the man’s entire being. Gradually, a response began to stir beneath his abdomen. Oh, how unfortunate! Unexpectedly, he couldn’t restrain himself and was tempted to have her in the elevator.

The man led her into the presidential suite, one hand embracing her while the other opened the door. His sharp and seductive eyes were revealed, captivating and enchanting. Attempting to lay Carolina down on the bed, he realized he had never easily touched any woman, especially one he had just met at the bar.

However, Carolina clung tightly to him, murmuring something gibberish. The man carefully listened but couldn’t make out what she was saying. He brushed aside the strands of black hair clinging to her cheek, gazing at her slightly flushed and luscious lips, intensified by their passionate kiss in the elevator earlier.

Those beautiful, tempting, and crimson lips seemed to beckon him. It appeared that today, he would have to break his own rules.

Finally, the man lost all self-restraint. His muscular body pressed down upon her; his extensive and scorching hand ventured beneath her clothes, caressing the tender curves of her chest. Kissing, touching — it was his first time “exploring” a woman for a long time.

Strangely enough, her body made him feel an irresistible urge to pause, yet he couldn’t stop. As their bodies intertwined, he let out a satisfied moan. The man relentlessly withdrew and thrust, searching for pleasure, amidst the scattered clothes on the floor while a phone rang in the background. Unconcerned, the man paid no attention and continued his intimate encounter with Carolina, his eyes burning with a fierce flame of desire.

***

“Kaylin, stop drinking. Let me take you home,” Mirian said, holding her wallet as she stood up and approached Kaylin, who was heavily intoxicated, stumbling on her feet.

Kaylin waved her hand dismissively. “No need. Isn’t your boyfriend supposed to come to pick you up? You don’t care about me…”

“It seems you’re not completely drunk yet. Maybe something came up with him, and I couldn’t reach anyone when I called.”

“I’ve told you, there’s no good man out there.”

Mirian smiled, knowing that truly good men were scarce in this world. But she believed that he was an exceptional man. Just because his circumstances were different from others didn’t mean he couldn’t treat her with dignity.

***

Throughout the night, their passion was unrelenting, like a spring dream. As the first rays of dawn sun pierced through the window, illuminating Carolina’s fair and rosy skin, her eyelashes fluttered softly.

She slowly opened her weary eyes, momentarily blinded by the sunlight. A second later, she widened her eyes in astonishment. What was she seeing? The back of a man!

Carolina looked around in panic, taking in the luxurious room that was not her small and humble home. She hurriedly pulled the covers up. She was completely naked, with countless kiss marks adorning her body.

Stunned for more than ten seconds, Carolina regained her composure. It turned out that last night wasn’t a dream; it was the truth. What had she done?

She turned to look at the man beside her, the reverse sunlight casting a radiant glow on his bare upper body. Silently, Carolina stepped down from the bed, picking up the scattered clothes on the floor and dressing.

Once dressed, she walked toward the door, reached for the doorknob, opened it, and stepped outside without looking at the man’s face. She didn’t want to remember why she had shared a passionate night with him.

As she reached her home’s door, Carolina stopped in fear. She took a deep breath, trying to adjust her emotions, and smiled as she opened the door and entered.

“I’m back.”

Ryan was still lying in bed.

“You lazy pig! Wake up,” Carolina walked over and shook her younger brother.

He opened his eyes wide, his voice groggy. “You’re back… I thought you wouldn’t come back, thought you didn’t need me anymore…”

Feeling a sense of sorrow in her heart, Carolina caressed her brother’s face, only to discover that he had a high fever.

“You’re running a fever! Remember, you have to stay in bed and not step a foot down, okay?”

She placed a cold towel on his forehead, but it didn’t have any effect. She searched for some flu medication in the medicine box. After taking the medicine, Ryan fell into a deep sleep, but his high fever persisted.

In a murmuring voice, he said, “Don’t leave me, sis…”

Looking at her younger brother lying in a daze on the bed, Carolina couldn’t brace herself anymore, and tears streamed down her face.

Her brother was thirteen years old this year, but his thoughts were still that of a young child. Despite his foolishness, he could always tell whether his older sister was happy. Therefore, in front of her brother, Carolina always wore a gentle smile.

She couldn’t leave it like this; she had to take Ryan to the hospital. But…

Carolina shook her wallet, realizing there wasn’t enough money. It seemed that she had to make a trip there herself.

***

The sky was still high, bathed in bright sunlight, yet dark clouds rolled in as evening approached, casting a gloomy shadow over the sky. The mood of the sky seemed to mirror Carolina’s current state, with her heart burdened by worry and pressure.

As she got on the bus, the sky suddenly darkened like nighttime, and a flash of lightning streaked across the sky. Immediately after, heavy rain poured down from the sky as if the floodgates had been opened.

Carolina used her cheap handbag to shield her head and hurriedly ran. Arriving in front of the grand entrance of a mansion, she anxiously pressed the doorbell.

Ten minutes later, Carolina stood in the mansion’s grand hall, her feet stepping on the expensive carpet.

The maid looked at her disdainfully and said, “The master is not at home.”

“Then I’ll wait here for him to come back,” Carolina spoke softly, reminding herself that the people here didn’t like her.

They had left her standing in the rain for ten minutes before opening the door. A gust of wind blew, and Carolina’s cold body shivered slightly. She hugged herself tightly. If it weren’t for her younger brother, she would never have set foot in this place today… the place that used to be her home.

“Oh, my God!” a woman’s scream stabbed directly into Carolina’s ears. “My new carpet!”

Carolina looked up and saw a noble-looking woman wearing a fur coat; although she was over forty years old, her face still appeared youthful. Carolina took a step back; the spot where she stood was drenched.

Mrs. Verance quickly descended the stairs and stood two steps away from Carolina, saying, “You! Every time I see you, it’s nothing but trouble! Do you know how much this carpet cost?”

Carolina looked indifferent, coldly saying, “I came to see my father.”

“Why are you looking for him?” Mrs. Verance immediately regarded her with suspicion.

“That’s none of your business.” Carolina’s wet hair covered her forehead, hiding her gaze. Although her eyes couldn’t be seen, her voice was as cold as the weather.

“Hmph!” Mrs. Verance snorted. “You think anyone wants to see your detestable face? Do you still think you’re the young miss of the Loretta family?” She circled Carolina a few times. “I bet you’ve never looked in the mirror to see what you look like now, have you?”

Carolina turned her head, curled her lips, and remained silent.

“The master has arrived.”

Carolina quickly turned around and saw Mr. Owen Loretta entering with a briefcase. He was bending his head, brushing off the raindrops from his body, and handed the briefcase to the maid beside him.

“Father.”

Mr. Loretta looked up, and upon seeing Carolina, his eyebrows slightly furrowed. With a cold expression, he said, “Why are you here?”

He glanced past Carolina, heading straight to the sofa and sitting down. His gaze didn’t linger on her for even a second.

Mrs. Verance hastily poured him a cup of warm water. The self-satisfied expression she had before was replaced with the image of a small bird nestling next to him, “Darling, down this warm water, be careful not to catch a cold.”

Watching her father’s back sitting on the sofa, Carolina clenched her teeth and said, “Ryan is sick. I… I need some money.”

Upon hearing these words, Mrs. Verance’s obsequious expression immediately turned ominous.

“Didn’t I give you and your brother living expenses last month? Why are you coming here asking for money again?!” her father asked in a stern voice.

“The living expenses… are not enough,” Carolina lowered her head, biting her lip.

Ryan, Carolina’s brother, often fell ill, and medication had become quite expensive. The living expenses provided by her father were not enough to support their life. If Ryan hadn’t been sick, Carolina wouldn’t have approached them for money.

“Why did you come here, sis?” Mirena, her half-sister, appeared out of nowhere, wearing a pure and innocent smile. She ran up to Carolina, pulling her hand affectionately, “You’re completely soaked. Let me take you to change clothes; you might catch a cold.”

Mrs. Verance glared at her daughter, Mirena.

“No need, let’s go now,” Carolina replied.

“Come on; there’s no time to waste. We can talk after you change clothes,” Mirena tugged at Carolina, accidentally causing her blouse button to come undone, revealing fair and rosy skin on her neck and chest adorned with dark red kiss marks.

“This…” Mirena was taken aback.

The atmosphere suddenly became awkward in an instant.