Chapter 1 A One-night Stand With A Stranger

Sheila Jones felt her body was on fire like she had dived into a pool of lava.

She was desperate to find some relief from the heat.

While the man's robust chest pressed down on her, she arched her back instinctively and whispered, "Niko..."

Though he didn't reply, his thrusts became more fervent, almost reaching a wild level.

As morning broke, the hotel room was flooded with the gentle light of dawn.

When Sheila rolled over, she bumped into the sturdy warmth of a man's chest.

After dreaming of being intimate with her boyfriend, Sheila's eyes fluttered open to see a flawless yet unfamiliar face.

Startled, she blurted out, "Who are you? Why the hell are you in my bed?" Pulling the blanket around her, Sheila sat up abruptly and asked in distress, "What happened last night?"

"I should be asking you that," Shane White responded calmly, opening his eyes. Sitting up against the headboard, he met her panic with coolness. "I had a few too many drinks last night and was heading to my room. When I stepped out of the elevator, you came at me and started groping me. Seems like you're quite adept at securing clients in hotels."

Feeling both embarrassed and angry, Sheila was shocked that he thought she was a prostitute.

She wanted to slap him, but the blanket fell, revealing her bare body.

She quickly covered up again, sternly telling him, "What happened last night stays between us. Once you leave, we forget each other. Spread any rumors, and you'll regret it!"

Annoyed, Sheila got up to shower away the incident. But as soon as she stood, her legs wobbled, and she started to fall.

When she thought she was about to take a spill, her wrist was caught, sending her tumbling back onto the bed. In a surprising turn of events, she ended up lying on Shane's chest, locking eyes with him.

She realized her hand was inadvertently resting on the man's chest, feeling the solid muscles beneath.

Sheila felt shame engulf her as she wished she could vanish.

"You seem fond of my chest?" Shane let out a small chuckle tinged with irritation.

With cheeks burning, Sheila freed herself, asserting, "Last night was a mistake due to too much alcohol. Don't compare me with those who harbor bad intentions."

Getting up, Sheila made her way to the bathroom. Out of the corner of his eye, Shane spotted a red mark on the bed, suspecting it might be from her first intimate experience.

"Wait a second!" Shane called out, stopping her. "Last night was unintentional. We could think about getting married if that helps."

"Married?" Sheila felt angry and looked at him with tear-filled eyes. "Aren't you content yet? Now you want to take advantage of me by being my husband? How ridiculous!"

Shane was surprised by her reaction.

He was accustomed to women being drawn to him, but he rarely considered taking responsibility. Sheila's defiant stance was new to him.

Clad in his fine suit, Shane took out an elegant business card and placed it on the nightstand.

"If you reconsider, here's how to reach me."

After Shane departed, Sheila sank into the bathtub, scrubbing away the red marks on her skin from the night before. In the quiet that followed, she almost felt the lingering presence of the man's heavy breathing.

Overwhelmed, Sheila covered her ears, struggling to accept she had been intimate with a stranger.

An hour later, a drained Sheila returned home, unsure how to deal with what had happened.

Nearing the villa, she overheard Rita and Paula's conversation inside.

"Mom, everything's going as planned! The gigolo I hired to keep Sheila company just rang me up. He did the job, but darn it, the camera went kaput, so there's no footage of them together. If only we had it to show Niko, he'd surely scorn Sheila even more," Rita Jones, her half-sister, said, delighted with her scheme.

Her stepmother Paula Jones responded with a sinister tone, "It doesn't matter. Without the video, Niko won't accept her back anyway. Your father and I have another plan for Sheila."

Curious, Rita asked, "What's the plan?"

With a smug sneer, Paula answered, "Do you recall Timothy Green from last night's party?"

"Timothy Green? The freak in his fifties? Word on the street is he's gone through six marriages and all his wives were dead! Is he obsessed with Sheila or something?" Rita asked, sounding incredulous.