Ever since she last saw Joanna Sullivan, Regina Shaw had loathed the scheming woman.

She hadn’t planned on tattling. After all, she didn’t want to get involved in the romantic drama between Mason Lawson and Eve Vaughn.

But since Mason Lawson had asked, Regina Shaw didn’t hold back. "She said she’s your first love," she said directly. "Her last name seemed to be... Su? I forgot her full name. A very pretty woman."

After she finished, Eve Vaughn gave the man beside her a meaningful look.

Mason Lawson looked a bit awkward and told the driver to take Regina Shaw home.

As Regina Shaw got into the car, she was still clutching the book Mason Lawson had given her as if it were a precious treasure.

As the car slowly drove away, Eve Vaughn struggled out of his embrace, her tone laced with jealousy. "Mr. Lawson, I should get going too. If I’m back late, the dorm supervisor is going to chew me out!"

"Where do you think you’re going, you little thing?"

He pulled her back into his arms with a single motion, looking down at her and saying in a husky, intimate tone, "Tonight, I’m not letting you go back."

Eve Vaughn felt as if his gaze had seared her. She quickly averted her eyes and said irritably, "Well? Aren’t you going to give me an explanation, Mr. Lawson? Who can stand your ’first love’ constantly stirring up trouble behind the scenes like this?"

Mason Lawson nodded in agreement, his voice tinged with meaning. "You’re right. It’s time she was taught a lesson before she goes too far."

Hearing this made Eve Vaughn feel a little better. After all, when Mason Lawson decided to teach someone a lesson, he was ruthless. He basically never gave his target a chance to recover.

But...

’When it came to Joanna Sullivan, Eve wasn’t sure if Mason Lawson could bring himself to do it.’

While she was lost in her thoughts, Mason Lawson had already led her into his car.

Seeing they weren’t on the road back to school, Eve Vaughn asked curiously, "Are you really taking me to stay somewhere else tonight? Don’t you have to go home? Didn’t you say your father is really strict and that you can’t stay out all night?"

The moment she finished asking, a call came from Old Mr. Lawson.

Mason Lawson put the call on speakerphone. Eve Vaughn tensed up instantly, not even daring to breathe.

Old Mr. Lawson’s voice came through the speaker. "I heard you’re taking that girl from the Shaw family to stay out tonight?"

Mason Lawson grunted an "Mm" without batting an eye. "She said the dorm environment wasn’t good, so I’m taking her to a hotel for the night."

"Not bad."

Old Mr. Lawson sounded very pleased. It seemed that girl from the Shaw Family already had feelings for Mason Lawson; otherwise, she wouldn’t have used such a flimsy excuse to get him to stay out with her.

Thus, the old man added a word of caution. "There’s nothing wrong with staying out. Society is very open-minded these days. But... you must take safety precautions. If any ’accidents’ happen, it will be difficult for us to answer to the Shaw Family."

The corner of Mason Lawson’s mouth curled up. "I know, Dad. You should get some rest tonight. I won’t be coming back."

Old Mr. Lawson readily agreed. "Alright. Make sure you treat Miss Shaw well. I’ve set my sights on the Shaw Family as our in-laws. Whether it’s their family background or character, they’re impeccable."

"I understand. I feel the same way you do."

With that, Mason Lawson hung up.

Beside him, Eve Vaughn finally let out a sigh of relief.

’It’s true that having a cover now makes things different,’ she thought. ’At least, as long as he uses Regina Shaw as a front, the old man will basically agree to any of Mason Lawson’s requests.’

’But how long can a relationship sustained by sneaking around and deception really last?’

At this thought, Eve Vaughn felt a little dejected.

Mason Lawson kept one hand on the steering wheel and reached over with the other, enveloping her cool fingertips.

"Silly girl. From now on, it’ll be easy for us to meet. I can even spend the whole weekend with you. Aren’t you happy?"

Eve Vaughn forced a smile. "I am happy, it’s just... I feel a bit insecure. What if... what if your father finds out?"

"There won’t be a ’what if.’ If you don’t say anything, I don’t say anything, and Regina Shaw doesn’t say anything, the old man will never find out. And even if he does, I’ll take full responsibility. It won’t affect either of you girls."

Mason Lawson’s confident tone gave Eve Vaughn some measure of comfort.

Later, Mason Lawson found a couples hotel, the kind with a rather amorous theme.

Eve Vaughn’s face immediately turned red. "Why not go to your place? Why do we have to stay at a hotel?"

Mason Lawson said, "If we’re putting on a show for the old man, we have to commit to the act."

At this, his smile suddenly turned suggestive, his deep gaze filled with a hint of desire. "Isn’t this place nice? You don’t like it?" Eve Vaughn grew nervous. It wasn’t that she disliked it; she just felt embarrassed, having never been to a place like this before.

But Mason Lawson just took her hand and led her straight into the presidential suite, which cost eighty thousand a night.

The room was on the hotel’s top floor, the 42nd, with an exceptionally wide view. Looking out the floor-to-ceiling windows revealed a dazzling, neon-lit view of the river.

The massive circular bed was covered in roses, which trailed all the way to the bathroom.

After entering, Mason Lawson took off his jacket, loosened his tie, and sat on the sofa.

Eve Vaughn, on the other hand, having never been to such a high-end hotel before, began exploring everywhere the moment she entered, like an ethereal pixie new to the mortal world.

She muttered to herself, "You really get what you pay for. This room smells amazing. I’ve never smelled such a nice aromatherapy scent before."

Then she turned and asked him, "Can we ask the staff later what brand this scent is? I really love it."

Mason Lawson smiled, his words laced with a deeper meaning. "I can ask for you, but if you used it every day, could you handle it?"

Eve Vaughn, completely missing his implication, said with a look of pure innocence, "What’s there not to handle?"

After speaking, she followed the trail of scattered rose petals forward, all the way to the bathroom.

The glass door opened automatically. Once inside, Eve Vaughn discovered that the two-person bathtub was filled with snow-white milk. Rose petals floated on top, looking like flowers blooming on pristine white snow. It was breathtaking.

Eve Vaughn couldn’t help but click her tongue. ’It’s beautiful, alright, but it’s also burning a serious hole in someone’s pocket!’

Just then, Mason Lawson, who had entered the bathroom at some point, wrapped his arms around her from behind.

The man’s cool, thin lips pressed against her small, rounded earlobe. His warm breath and a low, husky voice tickled her ear. "What’s the fun in just looking? Don’t you want to enjoy it?"

His breath tickled Eve Vaughn’s ear, and she shied away, but Mason Lawson tightened his grip, locking her waist in place.

The incense at this couples hotel was specially made—a potent aphrodisiac.

Before long, Mason Lawson could no longer hold back, and Eve Vaughn, as if she had forgotten all her modesty and shyness, bit her lip and met his advances.

The long, deep kiss made Eve Vaughn’s body go soft, like melting water. She wrapped her arms around Mason Lawson’s neck as they fell into the bathtub together.