Her eyes carried a faint hint of moisture, but Joshua Hughes was certain it wasn’t the steam from the springs that was affecting her.

She was thinking of her deceased husband again. Only when she thought of him would her face take on that dreamlike, both satisfied and sorrowful expression, only when she thought of him would she become so captivating.

Yes, Avery Jane’s face always had a faint halo when she was reminiscing, so beautiful that even the moon would want to hide behind the clouds.

But her beauty never bloomed for him; her mind and heart were consumed by that dead man, a man who couldn’t even be truly called hers, because even within the bounds of marriage, their relationship was pure and untouched.

But what about him in her heart?

He was the first man to have her. What kind of person was he in her heart?

Joshua Hughes let out a bitter laugh. Crude, violent, ferocious, despicable, vulgar, unscrupulous—perhaps there were worse words for him.

If he had been the first to meet her, he would have helped her too, but she would still have to offer the same price. It’s said that at sixteen, Avery Jane could already drive men crazy.

Lucas Yates’s ultimate goal was also to possess her; his methods were merely more civilized, whereas his own were more direct.

"When you’re with me, don’t even think about other men."

The domineering words had barely left his mouth when he pulled her with his large hand, causing her to fall into the warm water, sitting on his lap.

"What are you doing? My clothes are all wet."

Avery Jane furrowed her brows with displeasure. Today, she thought he seemed a bit normal, but it was all an illusion. This vile man hadn’t changed at all, still as mad and rough as ever.

"If they’re wet, then take them off, hmm?"

He didn’t want her thinking about other men. The very thought of her mind being filled with Lucas Yates made him furious.

Only when they were wild together, only when she was driven to scream uncontrollably by her body’s torments, only when her eyes were nearly glazed over, pleading as she looked at him, did he feel she was truly alive, that she belonged to him. Only then did Joshua Hughes feel she wouldn’t leave.

An inexplicable fear churned inside him, the fear that she was only a dream, and once awake, like morning dew, she would vanish under the sun.

His large hand impatiently tugged off her clothes, tossing them onto the smooth stone, tightly encircling her waist.

"Look into my eyes. I want you to promise never to leave me."

His eyes were as deep and mysterious as a black hole in the universe, as if they could absorb everything. Avery Jane dared not look.

At such a close distance, she never dared to look into his eyes. She didn’t even know what she was afraid of.

"No one can promise forever, Mr. Hughes."

Avery Jane’s voice carried a certain inexplicable sadness. How far is forever? Lucas Yates once said he wanted to stay by her side forever. But then what?

Joshua Hughes looked at Avery Jane’s stunning little face, full of stubbornness: "Then you don’t need to promise. I promise you that I’ll never let you go."

As Joshua Hughes’s words faded at his lips, he flipped her over, pressing her against the smooth, warm stone wall, his fan-like hand easily lifting her up.

Gritting his teeth, his body trembled. His urgency was becoming too much for her to handle.

She always thought that once the novelty wore off for men in matters like this, their interest would gradually fade. But this man wasn’t like that; he grew more frenzied, wanting to do this with her at any time, such as now: "If at this moment you’re still distracted, Avery Jane, it seems I haven’t put forth enough effort."

His voice, tinged with a threatening tone, echoed in her ear.

Evelyn Yates sat in Hughes Castle, seething with hatred.

Though obtaining the child was all thanks to Avery Jane’s help, she still hated, wished she could devour her, hated how she captivated Joshua Hughes’s attention, hated it all.

"Mom, have the building where Avery Jane lives torn down for me. I want to build a little children’s playroom, and also send all those photos Avery Jane has locked away in the cabinet to the Imperial Garden."

She wanted to make Avery Jane miserable, to drive her mad with pain; this was just the beginning.

Evelyn Yates caressed her still-flat belly, but there wasn’t a hint of maternal glow in her eyes. She was only thinking about how to utterly destroy this woman.