And yet, as Jonathan teased and skimmed over her skin, she realized that he wasn't aroused, unlike what she'd intended and hoped. Even as his fingers teased her as seductively as she had him, his skin was cold as ice, not even a drop of lust in his touch. The way he explored her body felt methodical, glacial—as if he were touching a lifeless puppet instead of a living, breathing woman.His nonchalance irked her, and indignance flooded her heart. She itched for a challenge, and this man proved to be a stony one indeed. Still, Scarlett refused to believe he felt absolutely nothing for her.She approached him once more, intending to bewitch him with her gentle, tantalizing voice. How she yearned to addle his consciousness and shatter his indifferent mask. The weak whine in her voice was sweet as nectar, ambrosia that tempted him to indulge in its saccharine aftertaste. Her juicy lips blossomed in his line of sight, a bulb awaiting his uncovering of its petals.Scarlett's forthcoming appro

Scarlett was about to reject Justin's suggestion. Even though she felt that staying at a hotel wasn't the ideal solution in her case, it was still better than staying with a single man in his house. Moreover, Justin had tried to pursue her romantically in the past. She didn't feel comfortable being alone with him at his place. Yet, the red tinge of his cheeks clued her into his embarrassment, as if he'd had to muster great courage to voice that mere suggestion. If she said no to him, it would definitely hurt his feelings. Justin was a decent guy. She trusted his character, and wherever she went, it would be the same to her. At least she had Natalie by her side. Nothing was bound to happen if they just stuck together.After discussing for a while longer, they called a cab to Justin's house. Although he was the only one living there alone, the house was relatively clean, far from the messy images she had initially imagined it to be. Scarlett had always thought that all men were negligent

But as Scarlett reached the door, she bumped into Justin, who was as surprised as Scarlett herself. Justin hadn't expected Scarlett to be up so early, and a flush crawled up his cheeks as he remembered the heartfelt text he'd sent her the night before. Even his smile carried tinges of embarrassment. "Why are you up so early, Scar? It's only seven. I got us all breakfast, though—wanna eat together? Or do you want to just sit and wait for a while?"Scarlett had no time nor mood to eat breakfast now that she wanted nothing more than to rush to the hospital. She smiled apologetically to him and told him as she hurried toward the door, "I'm so sorry, Justin, I have some things I have to take care of. I don't think I can have breakfast with you anymore. Oh, and when Natalie wakes up, can you tell her I had something important I have to attend to and left first? I couldn't find my own clothes, so I borrowed hers for now. Ask her to give me a call, okay?"Scarlett's hurry wasn't lost on Justin

A deep, magnetic voice queried above her, "Are you okay?"Scarlett remained unaffected by the man's voice, nor did she deign to respond. All she did was lift her head as she gazed steadily at the man, her eyes soulless and empty, the dark mist permeating those irises tugging at one's heartstrings. The man bent down to scoop her into his arms, his umbrella falling to the ground beside her. He carried her into the car in a moment and drove away as quickly as he'd appeared.When Scarlett finally awakened, she found herself overcome with bone-splintering pain, as if someone had run her over and over again until her joints ceased to belong to her. The soreness radiating through her body prevented her from standing. She could only open her eyes groggily, the unfamiliar surroundings startling her for a few seconds. She hadn't the slightest idea of where she was—the bedroom she was in was as foreign as it could be, even as she surveyed the area multiple times.The bedroom was large and spaciou

Aria was interested in seeing what kind of woman could attract Samuel's attention against all odds. Jonathan, too, wanted to see for himself the woman whom his cousin considered her rival. As for Samuel, he was entirely calm as he waited for the girl he had saved by the roadside to appear.In just a few seconds, a pair of long, slender legs appeared to descend the stairs slowly, followed by the sharp click of heels. Its rhythmic nature mesmerized the trio, who shifted their collective gazes to her appearance when she eventually appeared in front of them. Samuel's maid, Janice, guided her into the sitting room, but the sight of the two men and one woman flustered her to no end. Momentarily, Scarlett found herself unsure of what to do in situations as such.The woman who appeared in front of the trio was undeniably gorgeous, her looks conforming to conventional beauty standards, with a sharp chin, high cheekbones, and eyes even more beautiful than Aria's. Those fathomless depths seemed t