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Chapter 1<br /> Footsteps could be heard outside the room. Many of the Grays had returned to the Gray residence for the family dinner tonight.<br /> <br /> Sebastian Gray’s face reflected in the window as he observed Annette’s anxious face. There was a cruel look in his eyes.<br /> <br /> Sebastian seemed well-mannered, and he was the second eldest of his cousins. He had a cousin who was older than him, but he was the true master of the Grays. With his power and influence, Sebastian was not one to be crossed.<br /> <br /> Sebastian’s gaze fell upon the handprints on Annette’s body. He tossed his handkerchief aside and lit a cigarette, before exhaling puffs of smoke. The ring on his left hand glinted under the light, made with silver of exceptional quality.<br /> <br /> “I heard that you’ve been in the market for a car recently. Should I get you one?”<br /> <br /> “No, I’ll buy it myself.” Annette clenched her fists after she had put her clothes on. She did not look at Sebastian in the mirror.<br /> <br /> She knew he tormented her earlier because he was angry. So, her words added fuel to the fire that was his temper.<br /> <br /> “So, you really intend to cut ties with me completely?”<br /> <br /> Annette lowered her head. She stayed silent as she buttoned her shirt with pale fingers.<br /> <br /> “You truly are brave, Annette,” Sebastian said with a cold chuckle.<br /> <br /> His gaze left her. After taking a few more drags on his cigarette, he put it out.<br /> <br /> Annette got up from the floor, her head still lowered. She then ran into the bathroom to get herself together.<br /> <br /> When she heard the door to the room closed, she knew that Sebastian had left.<br /> <br /> After Annette was sure that her blush had faded and the marks on her body were covered, she exited the bathroom.<br /> <br /> All the guests had arrived by the time she reached the dining room.<br /> <br /> The members of the Gray family took up three full tables. They chatted and laughed merrily, but no one struck up a conversation with Annette.<br /> <br /> Annette did not want to deal with them either. She focused on getting a seat with her head lowered.<br /> <br /> “Where did you go? I’ve been searching everywhere for you. You didn’t answer your phone either.” Annette’s mother, Shawna Ponds, approached her to grab her hand and glare at her.<br /> <br /> Annette pulled her hand away without missing a beat. “I didn’t hear it ring,” she said softly.<br /> <br /> She actually did, but Sebastian did not allow her to answer her phone. He didn’t like to be interrupted in the middle of their activities. He would get even angrier then. And he would torment Annette further.<br /> <br /> Annette had just sat down when she heard someone from the main table speak.<br /> <br /> “Sebastian, why is your sleeve wet?”<br /> <br /> Annette heard Sebastian chuckle. <br /> <br /> “It’s nothing.”<br /> <br /> Sebastian took his coat off and hung it on the back of his chair. When others conversed with him, he casually gave them some short answers. No one called him out on his replies.<br /> <br /> Unlike Annette, the Grays treated him like he hung the moon and stars.<br /> <br /> Annette became part of the Gray family when her mother married one of Sebastian’s uncles, Julius Gray. The staff serving the Grays never treated any of the Grays differently. But they always addressed Annette as &quot;Ms. Snowsill&quot; to emphasize that she was an outsider.<br /> <br /> “Your grandfather is already less than fond of us, yet you still turned up late. Have you forgotten that the family dinner is today? You’re lucky that he hasn’t come hounding you yet,” Shawna nagged Annette.<br /> <br /> The Grays had treated Shawna with suspicion from the beginning, as she was once married. Their treatment of Shawna and Annette worsened after Julius’ passing.<br /> <br /> The servants often called Shawna and Annette bad omens behind their backs. So, Shawna was quite particular when it came to following the Grays’ rules.<br /> <br /> Already used to this, Annette ignored her mother’s scolding. Only Sebastian’s last words to her floated through her head. <br /> <br /> From time to time, Annette glanced at Sebastian at his seat. Her mind couldn’t help but wander back to that day years ago. It was because of her relationship with him. She couldn’t cut him off.<br /> <br /> On the night of her university graduation, she had gotten drunk with a few other classmates. In actuality, she had never touched a drop of alcohol before then. She ended up drinking that night because the Grays were discussing Sebastian&#039;s marriage.<br /> <br /> Sebastian had been at the same bar that night. After downing her beer, Annette had a surge of courage and pressed herself against him.<br /> <br /> “What do you think of me, Sebastian?”<br /> <br /> Sebastian had pulled her arm off his shoulder. With a stiff expression, he asked, “And what do you mean by that?”<br /> <br /> Annette had no idea she could be so saucy when she was usually such a well-behaved girl. Sebastian was her cousin on paper, but she still got on her tiptoes to whisper into his ear, “I want to be yours.”<br /> <br /> Sebastian leaned against the wall to light a cigarette. Smoke swirled around him as he asked, “And will you go through with it?”<br /> <br /> Annette gave him a peck on his chin, before hooking her arms around his neck.<br /> <br /> “What about you? Will you accept?” she asked teasingly.<br /> <br /> Sebastian snuffed out his cigarette. He didn’t give her an answer. He simply smiled. Those dark eyes of his smoldered under the lights shining above him.<br /> <br /> That night, Annette slept with him. As their bodies intertwined, Sebastian bit her earlobe.<br /> <br /> “Remember what you said earlier tonight,” he said.<br /> <br /> Annette had said plenty of things that night. She couldn’t recall what Sebastian was referring to.<br /> <br /> After the deed, she got worried. It was dangerous to get involved with a man like Sebastian. Their relationship could never be public. In other words, he would never acknowledge her.<br /> <br /> Annette loved him. She had silently crushed on him for years. Of course, she couldn’t let go of her feelings so easily.<br /> <br /> Still, Sebastian would eventually marry and start a family. She even heard that Albert Gray, Sebastian’s grandfather, had already arranged a fiancée for him.<br /> <br /> Since Sebastian never brought up their relationship, he must have considered her a fling. Someone who wasn’t worth mentioning. Annette didn’t dare to think further about it.<br /> <br /> If there was no chance of this relationship ever being equal, then Annette refused to have any part in it. So, she texted Sebastian last weekend to end their illicit relationship. <br /> <br /> Sebastian still hadn’t answered her message. <br /> <br /> When Annette ran into him in a deserted corridor at the Gray residence earlier, she tried to walk past him. However, Sebastian grabbed her hand and pulled her into a side room.<br /> <br /> From his expression, it seemed that Sebastian was angry at her.<br /> <br /> Annette returned to reality as dinner was served.<br /> <br /> A butler brought a platter of fish to her table. It was an expensive imported fish, which gave off a strong aroma.<br /> <br /> Annette reined in her discomfort from the smell. But she was unable to stop herself from retching.<br /> <br /> Chapter 2<br /> The rules at the Gray family were strict; one needed to remember many etiquettes during meals. After the meal started, the chatter reduced significantly. <br /> <br /> Thus, the commotion on Annette&#039;s side became particularly obvious. One of the Grays started to frown at her with dissatisfaction.<br /> <br /> Annette quickly covered her mouth and nose. With tears in the corner of her eyes, she nodded toward the person looking at her in apology. But then, a nauseating sensation struck.<br /> <br /> Right away, Annette got up from her seat and rushed into the bathroom. She regurgitated everything she had eaten earlier. When there was nothing left to throw up, she couldn&#039;t stop dry heaving. Her throat constricted, and tears streamed down her face uncontrollably.<br /> <br /> The doorknob turned, and someone entered. Annette leaned over the sink, feeling tense. She then turned to see Shawna hurriedly closing the door behind her.<br /> <br /> She wanted to speak but another wave of nausea hit her. She waited till the feeling passed before turning on the tap to wash her hands. As she did that, she stared at Shawna&#039;s reflection in the mirror. She seemed to be struggling to find the words.<br /> <br /> &quot;Have you been seeing someone behind my back?&quot; <br /> <br /> Annette&#039;s ears were buzzing, so she could not hear clearly. &quot;What?&quot;<br /> <br /> With a sharp gaze, Shawna repeated her question as if she were interrogating a suspect. <br /> <br /> &quot;What are you trying to say?&quot; Annette paused her handwashing and frowned at her mother.<br /> <br /> Shawna stepped forward and firmly grasped Annette&#039;s forearm, turning her around to examine her closely. Annette had vomited quite severely. With her red eyes and pale face, she looked weak. <br /> <br /> &quot;Could you be pregnant?&quot;<br /> <br /> &quot;Mom, what nonsense are you saying?&quot; Annette questioned, her voice going up an octave as she felt irritated for some reason.<br /> <br /> Shawna scrutinized her with suspicion. <br /> <br /> Upon realizing she had reacted a little too strongly, Annette softened her tone as she said, &quot;I haven&#039;t been seeing anyone. I just have an upset stomach.&quot;<br /> <br /> Actually, she had no idea what was wrong with her. She was fine until she caught a whiff of the faint fishy smell. <br /> <br /> Now that Shawna had raised the question, Annette subconsciously thought about when she had her last period. Soon, she realized that her period was three days late. Could she really be pregnant?<br /> <br /> After she had sex with Sebastian the last time, she went on a last-minute business trip. She could not remember whether she had taken contraception.<br /> <br /> Shawna didn&#039;t know what was going through Annette&#039;s mind. But she believed in Annette&#039;s explanation. &quot;That&#039;s good to hear.&quot;<br /> <br /> She had thought Annette was hiding a romantic relationship and had gotten pregnant. Since that wasn&#039;t the case, she felt relieved.<br /> <br /> Shawna grabbed a piece of tissue and wiped the water on the corner of Annette&#039;s lips.<br /> <br /> In a serious tone, she said, &quot;You&#039;re my only hope. Don&#039;t go and pick up bad habits. Whether I&#039;ll have a better life is all up to you.&quot;<br /> <br /> &quot;The Gray family hasn&#039;t mistreated you. Your life won&#039;t be too difficult.&quot; Annette took the tissue and wiped her lips.<br /> <br /> Although the Gray family didn&#039;t favor them, Julius had requested the patriarch of the Gray family, Albert Gray, to take care of Shawna and Annette before he passed away. Despite not liking them, Albert honored the promise and gave Shawna a seven-figure annual living allowance.<br /> <br /> That sum of money would last decades for an ordinary person, but Shawna spent extravagantly. Annette restricted her to spending up to 300 thousand dollars per month, saving the rest for the year-end expenses. <br /> <br /> After all, the Gray family was large and prominent. Various areas needed financial attention.<br /> <br /> &quot;How could that measly amount be enough? I have to buy clothes and bags, undergo beauty treatments, and attend gatherings with the other rich wives from time to time. Everything requires money.&quot; <br /> <br /> Shawna started bargaining with Annette.<br /> <br /> Pressing her throbbing temples, Annette replied, &quot;You have enough clothes and bags. It&#039;s fine to skip those social gatherings. They always look down on us anyway.&quot;<br /> <br /> Shawna sounded displeased as she retorted, &quot;What do you know about that? After you spend enough time in society, you&#039;ll learn that pride is the least valuable. You can get plenty of connections from these social gatherings. By the way, someone introduced me to a talented young man. I was planning to tell you about him.&quot; <br /> <br /> Annette could guess where this was going. She interrupted impatiently, &quot;I&#039;m busy with work. I don&#039;t have time for this.&quot;<br /> <br /> Shawna didn&#039;t care about her excuses. &quot;Although the other party might not have the power and influence of the Gray family, they still hold a prominent position in Southdale. He&#039;s their only son. If you were to marry him ...&quot;<br /> <br /> &quot;Mom!&quot; Annette interrupted again, &quot;I don&#039;t want to get married so soon.&quot;<br /> <br /> Shawna snorted, &quot;Then what do you want? A woman&#039;s ultimate destination is marriage. If you marry into a good family, I&#039;ll have a better standing in the Gray family, and I can hold my head high in front of others. Don&#039;t you understand that the sooner you get married, the sooner you get to enjoy life?&quot;<br /> <br /> Annette didn&#039;t understand her logic.<br /> <br /> &quot;I just graduated two years ago, and I have a job. There are plenty of opportunities for advancement. My salary won&#039;t be low; I can support you.&quot;<br /> <br /> Exasperated, Shawna said, &quot;Your salary isn&#039;t even enough for me to buy a decent bag. How can you support me? You can&#039;t even support yourself! This matter is settled. When the other party confirms the time, you&#039;ll meet them.&quot;<br /> <br /> Shawna didn&#039;t give Annette a chance to refuse before pulling her out of the restroom.<br /> <br /> Lost in thoughts about her delayed menstrual cycle, Annette did not notice two people heading her way.<br /> <br /> Due to his old age, Albert didn&#039;t have much of an appetite. He came out for some fresh air, accompanied only by Sebastian.<br /> <br /> &quot;What&#039;s wrong with Annette?&quot; Albert paused, looking over.<br /> <br /> Albert had reached the age of 81 that year. The maroon shirt he wore complemented him well and made him look spirited. His gray hair was well groomed. One could tell that he was once a charming man who could make women swoon.<br /> <br /> The men of the Gray family were all extraordinarily handsome, especially Sebastian. He and the eldest son of the Stromberg family were the most desired bachelors in Southdale.<br /> <br /> A saying circulated in Southdale: &quot;Stromberg or Gray, take your pick. No one can resist the charm of the Gray.&quot;<br /> <br /> As Annette glanced over, it was inevitable that she saw Sebastian. He looked over as well. His distant gaze was cold with a hint of icy disdain.<br /> <br /> It was his way of showing that he was in a somewhat bad mood.<br /> <br /> Annette&#039;s heart skipped a beat. She averted her gaze and looked at Albert. <br /> <br /> Since childhood, she had feared him. He was affectionate to his grandchildren. However, he was stern and rarely smiled at her. After all, she was the adopted granddaughter with no biological relations to him.<br /> <br /> His words seemed to suggest he was concerned, yet it lacked warmth. It was merely a routine question about her well-being in consideration of Julius&#039; dying wish.<br /> <br /> &quot;I&#039;m sorry, Grandpa. I have an upset stomach. I didn&#039;t mean to disrupt dinner.&quot;<br /> <br /> Albert frowned disapproval and stroked his snowy white beard. <br /> <br /> &quot;If you weren&#039;t feeling well, why didn&#039;t you say so earlier? It wasn&#039;t compulsory for you to attend the family dinner.&quot;<br /> <br /> Albert might as well have said she wasn&#039;t a true member of the Gray family.<br /> <br /> Annette tightened her clenched fists and gritted her teeth subconsciously. She felt quite embarrassed, especially with Sebastian present. She didn&#039;t want to be humiliated in front of him. Her face turned red instantly.<br /> <br /> As she was about to speak, Shawna tugged at Annette&#039;s dress with an awkward expression, hinting at her not to offend Albert.<br /> <br /> The next moment, Sebastian chuckled and said, &quot;Grandpa, why waste time with unimportant people? Let me accompany you on your walk.&quot;<br /> <br /> &quot;Okay.&quot; Albert reined in his displeasure and moved forward. <br /> <br /> Sebastian passed by Annette without so much as a glance. His sleeve brushed past without a sound.<br /> <br /> Chapter 3<br /> Shawna asked Annette to stay at the Gray residence that night. The Gray residence was vast, and each of Albert&#039;s children had their own residence and courtyard in it. Julius&#039; quarters were the farthest from the main building. <br /> <br /> Annette naturally refused. She hadn&#039;t lived there since she reached adulthood. Knowing her stubbornness, Shawna didn&#039;t insist. But before leaving, she urged Annette to visit the hospital for a health check.<br /> <br /> Annette was a little touched by Shawna&#039;s concern for her.<br /> <br /> Shawna went on, &quot;Your complexion has turned green from all that vomiting. You&#039;ll soon be meeting the young man I told you about. How can you go like this? First impressions are crucial, you know?&quot;<br /> <br /> She paused before saying, &quot;Alright, go home now. We&#039;ll talk about this later on.&quot;<br /> <br /> Not wanting to hear more, Annette urged her mother to go back inside. <br /> <br /> Shawna was infuriated. &quot;Don&#039;t you see how the Gray family treats us? If you don&#039;t marry into a prominent family, I won&#039;t have any backing here!&quot;<br /> <br /> &quot;Is marrying into a wealthy family that important?&quot; Annette asked with her face turned away.<br /> <br /> Knowing Annette did not like to be forced, Shawna took Annette&#039;s hand. Her eyes reddened in an instant. <br /> <br /> &quot;You know the situation I&#039;m in at the Gray family. Do you really want to see me unable to hold my head high here?&quot;<br /> <br /> Unable to bear seeing Shawna in tears, Annette softened her stance. &quot;Let&#039;s talk about it in a few more years. I don&#039;t have the intention to get married yet.&quot;<br /> <br /> Annette finally relented. Sensing an opportunity, Shawna pressed her further. &quot;Men prefer young women, especially in this circle. They&#039;ve experienced everything. Now, not only do they want a mature and sensible wife, but also young and beautiful.&quot;<br /> <br /> She held Annette&#039;s hand and continued, &quot;Sebastian is considered very decent among this circle, but he&#039;s still not exempt.&quot;<br /> <br /> Upon hearing Sebastian&#039;s name, Annette felt goosebumps rise on her skin. She felt torn between wanting to leave and hearing more about him.<br /> <br /> &quot;What about him?&quot; <br /> <br /> Shawna&#039;s words penetrated her heart. &quot;I heard Albert introduced several candidates to him. He personally chose the youngest and prettiest one.&quot;<br /> <br /> Annette&#039;s heart pounded frantically when she heard about that.<br /> <br /> When she left the Gray residence, the night had already fallen. Autumn arrived early in Southdale, so the evening breeze was chilly.<br /> <br /> Annette hastened her steps and headed out. The Gray residence was in the suburbs, with no nearby subway stations. Even catching a taxi would require a 20-minute walk to the main road outside.<br /> <br /> As Annette walked, she heard a car horn from behind. She instinctively moved to the side, and the car stopped beside her.<br /> <br /> &quot;Ms. Snowsill.&quot; The car window rolled down.<br /> <br /> It was Sebastian&#039;s secretary, Fred Carter.<br /> <br /> A chill ran down Annette&#039;s spine. She glanced instinctively into the back of the car. Unfortunately, the backseat was shrouded in complete darkness. She couldn&#039;t see anything.<br /> <br /> Fred knew who she was looking for. He explained, &quot;Mr. Gray is still at the Gray residence, attending the family dinner. He asked me to drive you home.&quot;<br /> <br /> Annette decided to reject him. She was still on the Gray family&#039;s territory; someone might see her.<br /> <br /> With a polite smile, Fred said, &quot;Ms. Snowsill, Mr. Gray instructed me to take you to the hospital. Since you&#039;re not feeling well, it&#039;s best to go for a check-up. Mr. Gray is concerned about your health.&quot;<br /> <br /> It was unlike Sebastian to be concerned about her. Annette had an inkling of what Sebastian was after, and Fred&#039;s next words confirmed her suspicions.<br /> <br /> &quot;Mr. Gray said that if it is just an upset stomach, the doctor would prescribe some medicine for you. But if it&#039;s something else, arrangements will be made.&quot;<br /> <br /> Something else … <br /> <br /> Annette&#039;s heart skipped a beat. Was he referring to the possibility that she was pregnant? <br /> <br /> So, what did Fred mean by other arrangements? Annette knew Sebastian would never allow her to have his child. <br /> <br /> Moreover, he was going to have a fiancée now. It was a crucial time for him. If she were truly pregnant, she could imagine what Sebastian would do.<br /> <br /> Annette felt as if she had emerged from an icy abyss; her body felt cold. She dared not think about that possibility—she would be plunged into irredeemable doom with no means of escape.<br /> <br /> Fred had arranged everything. After they reached the hospital, Annette cooperated with the examinations. The hospital staff drew an extra vial of blood for a pregnancy test.<br /> <br /> Later, Annette sat on a chair in the hospital corridor dejectedly. Her fingernails dug into her palms and left indents. Each passing second felt like an eternity. <br /> <br /> It was late at night when she left the hospital. The fog had gotten thick by then. Annette shivered and sneezed twice in a row. Her nose turned red, and teardrops lingered in the corners of her eyes. As the wind blew, her fragile figure swayed like a branch on the verge of snapping.<br /> <br /> Fred opened the car&#039;s rear door. As Annette took a step forward and peeked inside, she froze. From her angle, she only saw a man&#039;s crossed legs in a pair of well-pressed trousers without a single wrinkle. <br /> <br /> A hand rested on his thigh, the knuckles prominent. His fingers were fair, yet they exude strength. Even the wristwatch he wore reflected a cold metallic glint while emitting a regal bearing.<br /> <br /> &quot;Ms. Snowsill, please get in the car,&quot; Fred urged. <br /> <br /> It was also a reminder to her that she must get in. Thus, Annette took a step forward. <br /> <br /> Sebastian seemed to have had a few drinks. His tall figure leaned against the back seat, his eyes shut. The car was dimly lit, so most of his face was shrouded in shadows.<br /> <br /> He looked handsome yet devilish. His suit jacket was casually tossed aside. He had unbuttoned two of the top buttons on his shirt.<br /> <br /> Annette had known for a long time that Sebastian looked best in black. He had fair skin that wasn&#039;t the delicate ivory shade usually seen on women. Black complemented him well because it made him look exceptionally noble.<br /> <br /> At the same time, it made him look dangerous. It was as if he would act on his impulses any second without a care. He could make women go crazy with anticipation as lust boiled in their veins.<br /> <br /> It seemed like a color tailored just for him. No other could replicate the charm he exuded when he wore black. He was like a cloudy night or a bottomless abyss, mysterious but captivating.<br /> <br /> Annette got into the car. She had barely settled down when someone took the medicine bag away.<br /> <br /> &quot;Don&#039;t worry. I&#039;m not pregnant,&quot; Annette said brusquely.<br /> <br /> Sebastian paused while opening the bag. He then glanced at the test report before stating calmly, &quot;That&#039;s good, then.&quot;<br /> <br /> Annette couldn&#039;t quite describe what she felt at that moment. She felt frustrated but couldn&#039;t vent.<br /> <br /> When she got the test report, she breathed a sigh of relief but felt disappointed at the same time. Now, that sense of loss was all gone. Sebastian&#039;s words served as a rude wake-up call.<br /> <br /> She had to stop daydreaming.<br /> <br /> As she regained her composure, Sebastian had retrieved the medication she needed to take and handed her a bottle of water.<br /> <br /> &quot;Take the medicine. Don&#039;t vomit in my car.&quot;<br /> <br /> Annette remembered that Sebastian was a germaphobe. She didn&#039;t explain that she had already vomited everything back at the Gray residence. There was nothing left for her to throw up.<br /> <br /> She gulped down some water, feeling the uncomfortable emptiness in her stomach. Just as she finished taking the medication, her phone rang. <br /> <br /> It was a call from Shawna.<br /> <br /> Annette was hesitant to answer, fearing what Shawna might say on the phone. However, she saw Sebastian&#039;s slight frown, which indicated that he found the incessant ringing annoying. <br /> <br /> Annette answered the call reluctantly. <br /> <br /> &quot;Annie, did you go to see a doctor?&quot;<br /> <br /> It was too quiet inside the car. Annette pressed her phone closer to her ear so no one could overhear the conversation.<br /> <br /> Annette replied, &quot;It&#039;s just gastroenteritis. They gave me some medication.&quot;<br /> <br /> Shawna must have been doing her skincare. She spoke loudly on speakerphone. <br /> <br /> &quot;By the way, remember I told you earlier. Rest well these few days. Freshen up, and look your best. You&#039;ll meet each other on Saturday.&quot;<br /> <br /> Annette caught a glimpse of Sebastian&#039;s face. Feeling nervous, she ended the call hastily.<br /> <br /> &quot;I guarantee the other party will like you.&quot; <br /> <br /> Unfortunately for Annette, Shawna&#039;s last sentence was rather loud before she hung up. Annette prayed Sebastian hadn&#039;t heard anything.<br /> <br /> There was pin-drop silence in the car. After driving through an overpass, the tall road lights cast beams of light into the car, illuminating Sebastian&#039;s chiseled side profile.<br /> <br /> A soft chuckle followed.<br /> <br /> &quot;A blind date?&quot;<br /> <br /> Chapter 4<br /> Annette tightened the grip on her phone as her palms turned sweaty. As expected, he had heard it all. <br /> <br /> Before she could say anything, Sebastian said icily, &quot;You seem quite eager.&quot;<br /> <br /> Annette&#039;s heart clenched, but she didn&#039;t tell him the truth. <br /> <br /> &quot;My mom said the other party comes from a good family. I should give it a try. A woman&#039;s only asset is youth. In a few years, I&#039;ll be too old.&quot;<br /> <br /> She realized they weren&#039;t heading to her rented place but to the one Sebastian had bought for her instead. <br /> <br /> Annette leaned forward and patted the seat. &quot;Mr. Carter, please drop me off ahead.&quot;<br /> <br /> Fred was under Sebastian&#039;s employment. He dared not comply before Sebastian had said anything.<br /> <br /> &quot;Ms. Snowsill, it&#039;s very late. You can&#039;t flag a taxi here.&quot;<br /> <br /> The downtown area was right ahead of them. Annette couldn&#039;t do anything even if she knew Fred was blatantly lying. <br /> <br /> She looked at Sebastian, who was beside her. In his left hand, he held an unlit cigarette. He had squished the end of the cigarette until it bent out of shape.<br /> <br /> When their eyes met, he snapped the cigarette in half. Tobacco fell out from the torn cigarette. <br /> <br /> &quot;Pull over,&quot; said Sebastian coldly.<br /> <br /> Fred immediately steered the car to the side and braked.<br /> <br /> &quot;You, get out.&quot;<br /> <br /> After turning off the engine, Fred promptly got out without hesitation.<br /> <br /> Annette was about to follow suit when Sebastian&#039;s strong hand wrapped around her waist and pulled her over to him.<br /> <br /> &quot;From a good family? How good could he be, hmm?&quot; Sebastian asked coolly.<br /> <br /> It was unclear whether he was feeling angry or was mocking her. <br /> <br /> Annette felt suffocated by his tone. She tried to push him away, but his arms were like iron bars. With what little strength she had, Annette couldn&#039;t even make him budge.<br /> <br /> Sebastian wouldn&#039;t easily let her go. He didn&#039;t enjoy himself enough at the Gray residence. He&#039;d definitely seek another chance to make up for it. But now, Annette couldn&#039;t decipher whether he was frustrated due to not having sex with her or if he was mad.<br /> <br /> What happened at the Gray residence earlier paled in comparison. At this moment, Annette felt the full extent of Sebastian&#039;s wrath.<br /> <br /> At 1:30 am, an exhausted Annette leaned against Sebastian, allowing him to carry her into the elevator. Once they were out of the elevator, he used his fingerprint to unlock the door.<br /> <br /> Once inside, Annette saw three suitcases at the entrance.<br /> <br /> The black one belonged to Sebastian, which she had packed for him before his business trip. He had just returned that day itself.<br /> <br /> The silver and white ones were hers. She had planned to return to her newly rented house to tidy up after the family dinner. Yet, they were back at this house.<br /> <br /> Sebastian must have ordered someone to bring them back.<br /> <br /> Annette choked up, not even having the strength to force a bitter smile.<br /> <br /> Sebastian glanced in the direction of her gaze. Then, he carried her to the bathroom without a word. He helped her wash up and wrapped her in a bathrobe before placing her on the couch.<br /> <br /> Annette thought he was going to have his way with her again but lacked the strength to push him away. Sebastian held her hand and felt how sweaty her palm was.<br /> <br /> &quot;Did you not eat dinner?&quot;<br /> <br /> Sebastian stared at her. Her complexion was pale and devoid of color. There was a thin layer of sweat on her forehead. She was visibly unwell.<br /> <br /> Annette had vomited all the food she had eaten at the Gray residence. After that, Albert questioned her before she left the Gray residence.<br /> <br /> She couldn&#039;t even summon the energy to speak. At the moment, she was suffering from hypoglycemia. In addition to the rough way Sebastian had treated her during their intimate session earlier, Annette was severely weakened. Her eyes became unfocused, and she was about to pass out.<br /> <br /> Seemingly annoyed with her, Sebastian threw her onto the couch. She lay there, leaning on the armrest, trying to regain her strength.<br /> <br /> The dizziness washed over her like waves. She cursed Sebastian in her mind for being heartless, domineering, and ruthless.<br /> <br /> In a daze, she heard footsteps. Sebastian was holding something as he propped her up against him. Then, he fed her something sweet.<br /> <br /> When Annette tasted the sweetness, she realized it was glucose.<br /> <br /> She often suffered from having low blood sugar. Thus, she kept candies in her work bag and stored some emergency glucose at home.<br /> <br /> &quot;Why didn&#039;t you speak up if you were feeling unwell?&quot; Sebastian set down the glucose and pinched her chin to lift her face upward.<br /> <br /> Annette blinked her tired eyes. With tears in the corners of her eyes, she whispered, &quot;Would you give me a chance to speak?&quot;<br /> <br /> Sebastian continued to hold her chin as he scrutinized her for a while. When her face regained some color, she found the strength to talk to him.<br /> <br /> He said with a sneer, &quot;Were you cursing me for being heartless and ruthless just now?&quot;<br /> <br /> Annette was stunned for a moment.<br /> <br /> Sebastian threw her back onto the couch. &quot;Hmph! How heartless of you.&quot;<br /> <br /> It took Annette a while to gather herself. By the time she did, Sebastian was no longer within her sight. He had either left the living room or the place altogether.<br /> <br /> Sitting up and hugging her knees, Annette felt an overwhelming sense of emptiness.<br /> <br /> Throughout the past two years, she knew very well that she held no place in Sebastian&#039;s heart. He didn&#039;t love her; he just wanted to claim her as his.<br /> <br /> As the heir of the esteemed Gray family, he was a revered figure admired by all. <br /> <br /> Sebastian didn&#039;t force Annette to retract her statement about ending their relationship because he loved her. Their relationship could only be over when he said it was over.<br /> <br /> This was simply because he held all the cards in their relationship.<br /> <br /> Chapter 5<br /> Time continued ticking by as Annette sat unmoving on the couch.<br /> <br /> After a while, Sebastian set down a plate of pasta before Annette. When he saw her startled expression, he asked, &quot;Didn&#039;t you say you were hungry?&quot;<br /> <br /> Annette was taken aback. She thought he would not be staying here tonight.<br /> <br /> Also …<br /> <br /> As she stared at the delicious-looking plate of pasta, her expression turned uncertain.<br /> <br /> Glancing at her, Sebastian read her mind. &quot;Fred made it.&quot;<br /> <br /> Annette nodded silently. She knew Sebastian would never cook for her. In fact, she got the impression that he did not know how to cook at all.<br /> <br /> Starving, she began to eat. Meanwhile, Sebastian went out to the balcony and lit up a cigarette.<br /> <br /> Once Annette finished eating, she regained most of her strength. She looked at the suitcase by the entryway and recalled what Shawna had said earlier when she left the Gray residence.<br /> <br /> When Sebastian returned from the balcony, he saw Annette kneeling by the suitcase to pack more belongings. Those were probably things she had forgotten to take with her.<br /> <br /> She had left many other things behind—things that Sebastian bought for her.<br /> <br /> What she took with her were things she bought herself. She did not take a single item of value.<br /> <br /> Annette heard the sound of footsteps approaching from behind.<br /> <br /> She closed her suitcase. With her back to Sebastian, she said, &quot;I don&#039;t want to be a mistress.&quot;<br /> <br /> &quot;Hm?&quot; Sebastian did not seem to have caught what she said.<br /> <br /> Annette took a deep breath and said, &quot;You&#039;re about to get married. If you continue to keep me around, doesn&#039;t that mean you want me to be your mistress?&quot;<br /> <br /> She was afraid that Sebastian would say she was free to interpret the situation as she wished.<br /> <br /> However, Sebastian simply said, &quot;You&#039;re overthinking it.&quot;<br /> <br /> That response was even less satisfactory than the one she feared receiving.<br /> <br /> &quot;I&#039;m overthinking it?&quot; Annette repeated. She stood and turned to face the man she had loved for many years. She tried her best not to get teary-eyed.<br /> <br /> &quot;Grandpa has arranged for you to marry someone, hasn&#039;t he?&quot;<br /> <br /> It was her first time questioning him in such a manner. Her trembling voice betrayed how hard she fought to suppress her emotions.<br /> <br /> &quot;That&#039;s right,&quot; Sebastian said. He did not deny it.<br /> <br /> Annette&#039;s eyes reddened. She looked away. The choking feeling she had made her gulp. &quot;What am I then, if not a mistress?&quot;<br /> <br /> Sebastian frowned. &quot;Like I said, you&#039;re overthinking it. This situation doesn&#039;t change anything.&quot;<br /> <br /> Annette did not understand how he could say such a thing so breezily.<br /> <br /> &quot;That&#039;s because you think nothing will change.&quot;<br /> <br /> Annette tugged on the handle of her suitcase and gripped it tightly. Her throat tightened as she continued, &quot;It&#039;s because I&#039;m unimportant to you.&quot;<br /> <br /> &quot;Are you trying to pick a fight with me?&quot; Sebastian grabbed Annette by the arm. His fingers dug into her flesh.<br /> <br /> She could not forget what he said during the Grays&#039; family dinner.<br /> <br /> Annette held onto her suitcase, filled with sorrow. Even now, he thought she was just trying to pick a fight.<br /> <br /> &quot;Sebastian.&quot;<br /> <br /> Annette looked up at him and met his gaze. A tear clung to the corner of her eye, but just like her, it stubbornly refused to fall. Still, her eyes slowly reddened.<br /> <br /> &quot;What if I tell you I don&#039;t want you to get married?&quot; she asked hoarsely.<br /> <br /> Though she knew how humiliating it was to say that out loud, she could not stop herself from throwing caution to the wind and betting on the slimmest possibility of getting a favorable answer.<br /> <br /> Sebastian&#039;s eyes darkened.<br /> <br /> Annette chuckled mockingly. It was as she had thought.<br /> <br /> Sebastian held her by the chin and raised her head. He spotted the flash of disappointment in her eyes.<br /> <br /> He could not help but sneer, &quot;You don&#039;t want me to get married, or you don&#039;t want me to get married to someone else? Think about your question, Annette. What answer do you want from me? Do you even know what you&#039;re asking for?&quot;<br /> <br /> Sebastian&#039;s words washed over Annette like a bucket of cold water.<br /> <br /> He was right. They had an illicit relationship. In a way, she was no different than a mistress.<br /> <br /> That was why he said his marriage would not change anything about their relationship.<br /> <br /> Having come to terms with reality, Annette felt as if she had been stabbed in the heart. Her face paled.<br /> <br /> Sebastian pursed his lips.<br /> <br /> &quot;I made a mistake two years ago,&quot; Annette mumbled. &quot;I shouldn&#039;t have gotten involved with you.&quot;<br /> <br /> Staring down at her, Sebastian asked icily, &quot;Are you regretting it now?&quot;<br /> <br /> Annette&#039;s emotions surged. Her eyes misted over, but she stubbornly refused to back down. &quot;That&#039;s right. I regret it now.&quot;<br /> <br /> Sebastian chuckled and lifted Annette&#039;s head higher. He continued to stare down at her as if he were mocking her from his pedestal. &quot;It&#039;s too early for you to regret it.&quot;<br /> <br /> Though the entryway was warm and spacious, the tension in the air was palpable and suffocating.<br /> <br /> A ringing sound broke the silence.<br /> <br /> It came from Sebastian&#039;s phone.<br /> <br /> Annette&#039;s jaw regained its freedom, but her tears started streaming uncontrollably.<br /> <br /> Sebastian took the call as he walked to the balcony. A woman&#039;s voice came through the speakers.<br /> <br /> Annette could not hear what the woman said, but Sebastian said nothing throughout the call.<br /> <br /> When it was over, he sat on the couch and took out his box of cigarettes. He toyed with his lighter. The glow illuminated his sculpted features.<br /> <br /> A gust of wind extinguished the flame.<br /> <br /> Sebastian frowned in annoyance before marching to the door and yanking it open.<br /> <br /> His footsteps had paused briefly as he passed by Annette, but in the end, he left without saying anything.<br /> <br /> Sebastian had a good reputation. He took charge of the Gray family&#039;s business at a young age. He was capable of employing firm and decisive methods to achieve his goals. After all these years, he developed the ability to maintain his composure at all times. Few things elicited such a strong reaction from him.<br /> <br /> Annette wondered if the woman who called was his fiancée.<br /> <br /> She felt a stinging pain in her heart. A bitter feeling washed over her.<br /> <br /> Figuring that Sebastian would not be coming back tonight, she did not return to the bedroom. She spent the night on the couch instead.<br /> <br /> The house was filled with things that kept reminding her of Sebastian, including his scent.<br /> <br /> While she lay there, thoughts of Sebastian kept running through her mind. She recalled all the memories of them over the last two years, as well as the fact that he was about to get married.<br /> <br /> As her thoughts started to clear, she found it harder to fall asleep. At last, it was past 5:00 am when she dozed off restlessly.<br /> <br /> When the alarm on her phone woke her up, she thought she was still in a dream.<br /> <br /> Having received a call from the assistant director, Annette had no choice but to rein in her emotions and head off on a business trip to a city over 300 miles away.<br /> <br /> A problem had arisen with the resort project she was involved in, and the negotiations with the other party lasted three days.<br /> <br /> During those three days, Sebastian did not contact Annette, and she did not initiate contact with him either.<br /> <br /> However, on the day she left on the business trip, Fred informed her that the car Sebastian picked out for her was in the garage.<br /> <br /> Annette took a look at the car. It was a fairly low-profile one that only cost around 40 thousand. Any single one of Sebastian&#039;s cars would have cost ten times more.<br /> <br /> Still, it was just right for Annette.<br /> <br /> Sebastian had been considerate of her. Otherwise, he would not have given her a car like that.<br /> <br /> Nevertheless, Annette did not accept the car.<br /> <br /> Since she had decided to cut things off with him, she was not going to accept a gift from him.<br /> <br /> After getting the job done, Annette returned to Southdale. She wanted to go home and get some sleep, but Shawna called to inform her of a time and location to meet with someone for a meal.<br /> <br /> It was only then that Annette recalled what Shawna said about wanting to arrange a blind date for her. She tried to give an excuse to skip the blind date when the doorbell rang.<br /> <br /> Chapter 6<br /> After graduating from college, Annette began renting the house she was currently staying in. Later on, she moved into the house Sebastian bought for her.<br /> <br /> However, for the sake of convenience, she did not stop renting her original place.<br /> <br /> Not many people knew about this house of hers.<br /> <br /> When she opened her door, she was startled to find that Shawna had arrived. They were still on a call together.<br /> <br /> &quot;Didn&#039;t you say you were still on a business trip?&quot; Shawna huffed as she ended the call and glared at Annette. It seemed as if she had seen right through Annette&#039;s ruse.<br /> <br /> She marched past Annette and entered the house. She was carrying a Chanel bag that Annette had seen online before. It was one of the latest designs that cost tens of thousands.<br /> <br /> &quot;Mom, why did you buy another—&quot;<br /> <br /> &quot;Don&#039;t waste my time with that nonsense. I&#039;m your mother, Annette. Don&#039;t try to play games with me. I&#039;m doing this for your own good,&quot; Shawna said as she stuffed a paper bag into Annette&#039;s arms.<br /> <br /> It was a bag of clothes that Shawna had bought for Annette, denying the latter the chance to dress more unattractively.<br /> <br /> Shawna kept an eye on Annette as she did her makeup. When Annette kept dawdling to cause a delay, Shawna took matters into her own hands and did Annette&#039;s makeup herself.<br /> <br /> When they arrived at the agreed location, Annette felt a headache coming on as she took in the historical-looking building.<br /> <br /> They had come to Arcadia. It was one of Sebastian&#039;s businesses.<br /> <br /> Shawna had mentioned it on the phone earlier, but at that time, Annette was so preoccupied with avoiding the blind date that she missed the information.<br /> <br /> For some reason, Annette panicked. She glanced at Sebastian&#039;s dedicated parking lot.<br /> <br /> It was empty.<br /> <br /> She exhaled in relief.<br /> <br /> Just as she withdrew her gaze, a Bentley drove in.<br /> <br /> It was nightfall, and the headlights flickered through the misty haze.<br /> <br /> Annette&#039;s eyesight was only average, but no one could miss the license plate on that car.<br /> <br /> It could open any door in Southdale.<br /> <br /> Annette tried to drag Shawna off at once, but Shawna saw the car and stopped Annette from leaving. She muttered, &quot;It&#039;s Sebastian.&quot;<br /> <br /> One of the car doors opened, and Fred came out. Then, he opened the door to the back seat.<br /> <br /> Annette turned to the side. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a pair of long legs stepping out of the car. Sebastian had just left the office. He was dressed in a black suit.<br /> <br /> He seemed to have been on a call earlier, as his expression was cold and unapproachable.<br /> <br /> Sebastian took off his earphones and passed them to Fred, along with some documents. After saying something to Fred, he approached Annette and Shawna.<br /> <br /> &quot;Aunt Shawna.&quot;<br /> <br /> His voice was deep and attractive but curt at the same time.<br /> <br /> Even so, Shawna, whom the Grays disliked, was still surprised and flattered. &quot;Are you also here for dinner, Sebastian?&quot;<br /> <br /> Sebastian did not answer. He glanced at Annette, who still had her eyes averted. Smirking, he asked, &quot;What about you, Aunt Shawna?&quot;<br /> <br /> Annette tugged on Shawna&#039;s blouse, but the latter ignored her and replied with a smile, &quot;I&#039;m introducing Annie to a man today. She&#039;s here to have dinner with him.&quot;<br /> <br /> Sebastian let out an enigmatic chuckle. &quot;It seems about time that Annie got married.&quot;<br /> <br /> Annette had broken out in a cold sweat. Even though the nickname Annie sounded wonderful coming from him, she felt suffocated instead.<br /> <br /> He had never called her Annie before.<br /> <br /> Previously, she had said she regretted their relationship, which had angered him. He had always been a haughty man with a crowd of people who worshiped at his feet. He would not easily give in to a woman.<br /> <br /> They had parted on a sour note and went without contact for days now. That was a tacit agreement to break up and cut off all ties with each other.<br /> <br /> Now that they were meeting again, Sebastian seemed perfectly unaffected, while Annette felt so awkward that she wanted to hide.<br /> <br /> Shawna looked at Annette and huffed, &quot;See? Even Sebastian thinks so. How much longer do you want to wait until you get married?&quot;<br /> <br /> She turned back to Sebastian. Seemingly forgetting herself, she invited with a smile, &quot;Why don&#039;t you join us later, Sebastian? You can help Annie evaluate the guy.&quot;<br /> <br /> &quot;Mom!&quot; Annette could not hold back anymore. &quot;Stop it. Sebastian&#039;s … busy.&quot;<br /> <br /> Sebastian checked his watch. His gaze swept over Annette&#039;s flushed face. &quot;I&#039;m meeting someone for dinner. Otherwise, I could&#039;ve helped Annie by seeing just how good of a man he is.&quot;<br /> <br /> His last sentence made Annette&#039;s heart sting.<br /> <br /> She could barely breathe as she dragged Shawna off and left.<br /> <br /> Once they were further away, Shawna started reprimanding Annette. &quot;Why didn&#039;t you greet him? He&#039;s in charge of the Gray family now. He&#039;s the best person to butter up to. What if he becomes displeased with us? What are you going to do then?&quot;<br /> <br /> &quot;He&#039;s already displeased with me,&quot; Annette muttered.<br /> <br /> Shawna did not catch what she said, but before she could ask, the door to the private room in front of them swung open.<br /> <br /> &quot;Oh. You&#039;re finally here, Mrs. Gray.&quot; A plump middle-aged woman stepped out. She was exquisitely dressed, but the calculating tone in her voice was discomfiting.<br /> <br /> Shawna smiled and approached the woman. &quot;Sorry to keep you waiting, Mrs. Cruz. We ran into some traffic on the way over here.&quot;<br /> <br /> Pansy Thorpe, the woman Shawna addressed as Mrs. Cruz, exchanged a few empty pleasantries with Shawna before eyeing Annette carefully. Her shrewd eyes flashed with approval.<br /> <br /> She approached Annette with a pleasant smile and warmly took Annette by the arm. &quot;You must be Ms. Gray. How beautiful you are. You have such soft skin too.&quot;<br /> <br /> As Julius&#039; stepdaughter, Annette would be considered the sixth among the younger generation of Gray siblings and cousins. However, she did not have the last name Gray, and no one called her Ms. Gray.<br /> <br /> This was clearly an attempt to flatter Annette and please Shawna.<br /> <br /> Annette felt a subconscious aversion to Pansy. She wanted to withdraw her arm, but Pansy was too strong. The latter dragged her into the room while saying, &quot;You and my son Ray are about the same age. I&#039;m sure you&#039;ll get along well. Ray, come and say hi.&quot;<br /> <br /> When Annette looked over, she saw a man with a crew cut. He was dressed in the latest trends and wore an earring in his right ear. As he tapped away on his phone, the tattoo on his wrist could vaguely be seen.<br /> <br /> Upon hearing Pansy&#039;s voice, he glanced up carelessly with a taunting smirk. But when he spotted Annette, his eyes lit up. He tossed his phone aside and got to his feet at once.<br /> <br /> &quot;Nice to meet you, Ms. Gray. I&#039;m Raymond Cruz.&quot; He held his hand out for a handshake, the tattoo on his wrist clearly visible. It was a black snake.<br /> <br /> Annette recognized it. It was a black mamba—a venomous snake.<br /> <br /> As she was afraid of snakes, her brows creased slightly. Still, out of politeness, she briefly shook his hand and greeted, &quot;Nice to meet you. Just call me Annette.&quot;<br /> <br /> &quot;How do you spell that?&quot;<br /> <br /> &quot;A-N-N-E-T-T-E.&quot;<br /> <br /> Raymond pulled out a chair. His eyes fell on Annette&#039;s pink ears. &quot;You&#039;re just as beautiful as your name. Please have a seat.&quot; <br /> <br /> Annette wanted to sit further away from Raymond, so she purposely dragged the chair a little to the side.<br /> <br /> Shawna saw right through Annette. She pushed Annette down onto the seat and stopped her from getting up.<br /> <br /> Then, she said with a smile, &quot;Since you two have much to talk about, you should sit together.&quot;<br /> <br /> Raymond paid close attention to Annette. He kept making sure she had enough to eat and checking to see if the food suited her palate. He also kept asking if she wanted to try anything else.<br /> <br /> On the other hand, Annette was distracted. She was thinking of ways to explain to him that she was uninterested in marriage.<br /> <br /> Soon, Shawna set down her napkin and said, &quot;That was a lovely dinner. Annie, Mrs. Cruz and I are going to play cards, so you&#039;ll have to head home by yourself tonight.&quot;<br /> <br /> Pansy was quick to chime in, &quot;Ray, give Ms. Gray a ride home.&quot;<br /> <br /> &quot;Certainly,&quot; Raymond agreed as he leaned back and rested his arm against the back of Annette&#039;s chair.<br /> <br /> Chapter 7<br /> As soon as Shawna and Pansy left, Annette swiftly got up and avoided Raymond&#039;s outstretched arm.<br /> <br /> She grabbed her phone and apologized, &quot;I&#039;m sorry for wasting your time, Mr. Cruz.&quot;<br /> <br /> Raymond was no fool. He cocked his eyebrow and asked, &quot;What do you mean?&quot;<br /> <br /> &quot;My mother set things up today without my agreement.&quot;<br /> <br /> It dawned on Raymond on why Annette seemed distracted the whole time. She had been forced to come here.<br /> <br /> &quot;I see.&quot; Raymond slowly stood up. Leaning against the table, he eyed her and smirked. &quot;It&#039;s fine.&quot;<br /> <br /> Annette did not expect him to be this reasonable. Perhaps she should not have judged a book by its cover. His appearance had made her believe he was a typical cynical playboy. <br /> <br /> She was about to apologize again when Raymond waved his car keys at her.<br /> <br /> &quot;Either way, you should let me give you a ride home. It&#039;d be an embarrassment for me if word got out that I let you head home by yourself at this hour of the night.&quot;<br /> <br /> After thinking about it, Annette nodded.<br /> <br /> Arcadia was built to replicate the architectural style of historical buildings. The pillars and walls were adorned with ornate carvings. In the stillness of the night, it looked even more elegant and regal.<br /> <br /> When Annette passed by one of the private rooms, she overheard someone saying the name &quot;Seb&quot;.<br /> <br /> She instinctively looked over to the source. It was one of the most expensive private rooms that catered exclusively to the pinnacle of the elite society in Southdale.<br /> <br /> Arcadia belonged to Sebastian, so naturally, he would use the best room available.<br /> <br /> The door opened as Fred came out of the room to take a phone call. Annette managed to look into the room and catch sight of Sebastian and the woman beside him.<br /> <br /> Her breath caught in her throat.<br /> <br /> She could not avert her eyes in time. Sebastian glanced at her through the curtain at the door. The woman beside him was covering her mouth as she laughed. She huddled so closely to him that she was about to press against his arm.<br /> <br /> It was the woman Sebastian was going to marry.<br /> <br /> She was the one he was having dinner with.<br /> <br /> She was the one who called him Seb.<br /> <br /> In the past, Annette had silently chanted the name Seb countless times. Later on, during a moment of passion, she said it aloud once. However, Sebastian did not like it, and she asked him why.<br /> <br /> He did not reply. He simply coaxed her into calling him Sebastian instead. From then on, she never used the nickname Seb.<br /> <br /> Only his closest friends and family could call him Seb. That alone proved how highly he regarded his new fiancée.<br /> <br /> Fred closed the door, and the last thing Annette saw was that woman holding Sebastian&#039;s arm and leaning in closer to his face.<br /> <br /> Annette could hear her heart pounding. Then, she heard Fred calling out to her.<br /> <br /> &quot;Ms. Snowsill.&quot;<br /> <br /> His voice brought her back to reality.<br /> <br /> Annette nodded in response. A bitter feeling rose inside her heart. She turned away and walked past Fred.<br /> <br /> Fred turned his head and frowned as he stared at Raymond from behind.<br /> <br /> Raymond insisted on taking Annette home. She could not dissuade him, so she gave him the name of a random neighborhood and claimed it was where she lived.<br /> <br /> She was being cautious. After all, since she stayed alone, she would not easily divulge her actual address—especially not to a man she would not be keeping in touch with.<br /> <br /> Along the way, she kept recalling the scene of the woman&#039;s face inching closer to Sebastian. He did not object to her proximity.<br /> <br /> Annette reminded herself countless times that she and Sebastian no longer had anything to do with each other. They were back to being just cousins. His relationships and marriage had nothing to do with her.<br /> <br /> Still, she realized how pathetic she was. She could not resist thinking about him.<br /> <br /> Annette cursed at herself to stop. She did not want to let others look down on her.<br /> <br /> After getting out of the car, Annette thanked Raymond and watched as he left. Once she was certain he was gone, she hailed a cab and went back to her place.<br /> <br /> When she got home, she wanted to call Shawna to explain that she and Raymond were unsuitable. She also wanted to tell Shawna to stop trying to introduce men to her. Alas, her phone had run out of battery.<br /> <br /> As soon as Annette plugged her phone in to charge, the doorbell rang.<br /> <br /> She wondered if Shawna was at the door again. Perhaps the game of cards had merely been an excuse to let her and Raymond have some alone time. It was likely that Shawna had been spying on her the whole time, and upon finding out that she had gone home, the former immediately rushed over.<br /> <br /> Annette knew her mother well enough to know that her supposition was rather likely to be true.<br /> <br /> The thought of this vexed her.<br /> <br /> When she opened the door, a hand that did not belong to a woman was resting on the doorframe.<br /> <br /> She saw a thick wrist with a tattoo of a black snake on it.<br /> <br /> Her heart missed a beat. It was a black mamba.<br /> <br /> When Annette met Raymond&#039;s cynical smirk, chills ran down her spine. She thought of countless things. He knew she had lied to him, and he even tailed her.<br /> <br /> She tried to slam the door shut.<br /> <br /> Raymond used his foot to stop the door from closing, and his smirk grew malicious. &quot;You&#039;re quite cunning, aren&#039;t you, Ms. Snowsill?&quot;<br /> <br /> He pressed his hand against the door and shoved it open. As he was much stronger than Annette, she could not stop him. The door hit the wall with a loud bang.<br /> <br /> &quot;What are you doing? Please leave at once, or I&#039;ll call the police!&quot;<br /> <br /> Annette thought about her phone. It was still charging, so she grabbed the nearest thing she could. It was a porcelain statue of a cat.<br /> <br /> Raymond sneered. He abruptly grabbed her by the wrist, and the statue slipped out of her hand. It fell to the ground and smashed into pieces.<br /> <br /> He slammed the door shut.<br /> <br /> &quot;Get out! Get away from me!&quot; Using her hands and her legs, Annette struggled to break free from him. The things in the entryway all fell to the floor.<br /> <br /> &quot;What&#039;s this? You think a flippant apology is enough to settle this?&quot; Raymond growled. &quot;Don&#039;t play me for a fool!&quot;<br /> <br /> Annette fought with all her might, but Raymond kept tightening his grip. He jerked her close and held her securely by the waist.<br /> <br /> He cursed at how soft and slender her body was. He had been itching to hold her close the whole night. It felt even better than he had thought.<br /> <br /> &quot;It looks like your mother can&#039;t wait to sell you off. Ms. Gray, huh? That&#039;s more respect than you deserve.&quot;<br /> <br /> Raymond grabbed the nape of Annette&#039;s neck to hold her head up. When he saw her flushed face and beautiful, glistening eyes, he bent down to kiss her. <br /> <br /> Annette paled. Mustering every ounce of her strength, she tilted her head backward and banged it against Raymond. <br /> <br /> &quot;Ouch!&quot; The pain made Raymond let go instinctively.<br /> <br /> Annette fell to the ground. Her head was spinning, and her sight turned blurry. As she could not see clearly, she instinctively stumbled to the door and grabbed the handle.<br /> <br /> She had to escape, or else she was done for.<br /> <br /> Just as she was about to open the door, Raymond charged over!<br /> <br /> Earlier on, upon arriving home, Annette had taken off her jacket. She was wearing a slim-fitted knitted sweater. The moment Raymond yanked on it, her fair skin and smooth shoulder were revealed.<br /> <br /> Her exposed skin aroused Raymond. He lunged at her and pressed her against the door before ripping her sweater apart.<br /> <br /> She felt a stinging pain coming from her neck as Raymond bit down on her.<br /> <br /> She could not even cry for help. Raymond had used his hand to cover her mouth.<br /> <br /> As her ears rang, she could vaguely hear the sound of a belt being undone.<br /> <br /> Annette&#039;s eyes widened. She was ashen-faced. Countless images raced through her mind. In the end, it landed on the image of that woman moving closer to Sebastian.<br /> <br /> While he had another woman in his arms, Annette was alone and helpless. No one was here to save her.<br /> <br /> She could not stop her tears from falling.

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