Chapter 1

"Help me... I... I'll take responsibility for you..." Genevieve Gadot clung to the man in the dimly lit room, struggling to make her promise. Their hot breaths intertwined, causing the temperature to rise sharply. The man gripped her chin tightly, and the heat and discomfort in his body were a glaring reminder that there was something wrong with the drink he had earlier. He nearly crushed her jaw in his grip, and his hoarse, restrained voice was laced with disdain and mockery. "Is this another one of your tricks? Hm?" "It's not... Mm!" Before she could finish her sentence, the man suddenly kissed her fiercely. The night was long and chaotic. When Genevieve woke the following day, her entire body felt like a truck had run over her. The man had been relentless, like a wild beast, as though it wasn't her who had been set up but him. The lingering warmth beside her reminded her that he was still there. She instinctively froze, then slowly turned her head. The man had his back to her. She could only see his short, thick hair and his broad shoulders. She hadn't expected her first time to be with a stranger. While recalling the previous day's events, she felt a pang of bitterness. Her father, Charlie Gadot, used to be a project manager at a large construction site, but a major accident had occurred, resulting in seven deaths and one severe injury. The injured man became a vegetable—a powerful figure, or so she had heard. Charlie ended up in prison and died within a year, falling ill behind bars. On his deathbed, he clutched her hand, insisting on his innocence and begging her to uncover the truth and clear his name. Determined, she threw herself into studying architecture, earning her qualifications to investigate the site. But no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't get hired there—not even for manual labor. Desperate, she had arranged a meeting with an executive from the site last night through some connections. She hadn't anticipated being drugged. After barely escaping from the fat executive, she had stumbled into this room and the arms of the man beside her. At the time, she was already feeling unbearable, so she begged him for help. In a way, he did help her. But upon remembering her promise to take responsibility, Genevieve hesitated. Those words had been rash. What if he already had someone in his life? After thinking for a moment, she got up, left a note on the desk, removed half of the pendant from her necklace, and placed it on top of the note. After setting everything down, she moved to pick up her coat from the bedside. Just then, the man stirred and turned over with a low grunt. When Genevieve saw his face, her entire body froze. It was him—Tristan Burtman. A name that struck fear into everyone in Jasfield. She had unknowingly spent the night with a man notorious for his ruthless ways. What if he decided to kill her when he woke up? Panicking, she decided to take back the note and pendant. But before she could, there was a knock at the door. Gritting her teeth, she bolted to the balcony. This was a resort on a farm, and the room was on the ground floor. Beyond the window was a stretch of green lawn. By the time Tristan opened his eyes, Genevieve had already climbed out the window, forcing her aching body to move. The knocking continued. While rubbing his throbbing temples, Tristan rasped, "Come in." "Mr. Burtman, are you alright?" His assistant, Ethan Miller, stepped in. His expression shifted when his eyes landed on the scratch marks on Tristan's shoulders, and his imagination ran wild. Tristan's gaze turned cold as memories of the previous night surfaced. It seemed his aunt, Lillian Parker, still hadn't given up on forcing her niece, Marlee Parker, on him. But the woman last night wasn't Marlee. Marlee reeked of perfume, while the woman from last night carried a faint, natural fragrance. His gaze darkened when he thought about her delicate beauty. He wasn't a man driven by lust, yet last night, he had lost all control. The discomfort in his body was relieved by the early part of the night, but he kept that woman with him for the entire night. That was definitely not a good sign. "Mr. Burtman, there's a note here." Tristan unfolded the note, and his expression instantly turned grim.