Mia Kane felt she needed to go abroad and hide for a while.

After explaining things to Rosalyn Shield, she booked a plane ticket and hailed a taxi to the airport.

But while she was on the highway, a car next to them kept maliciously trying to cut them off.

The driver was getting incredibly frustrated. When Mia Kane took a closer look, she was furious.

’Isn’t this Adrian Preston’s car?’

He had just told her he would let her go, that she should get as far away as possible.

’Has it even been half an hour since he said that? He’s already gone back on his word?’

She had no choice but to tell the driver to exit the highway.

The car pulled over to the side of the road, and Adrian Preston’s car followed suit, stopping right behind it.

Fuming, Mia Kane got out of the car to demand what Adrian Preston thought he was doing.

The window rolled down, revealing Adrian Preston with one arm draped lazily over the open frame.

"What the hell do you want? You’re the one who said you’d let me go, and you’re the one blocking my way. Adrian Preston, do you have any idea what you’re doing? All those laws you studied—did you learn them for nothing?"

"Maliciously cutting someone off on the highway—don’t you know you’re breaking the law!"

"He really spoiled you way too much."

"What..."

Mia Kane froze.

"I said, I used to spoil you way too much."

Adrian Preston slowly got out of the car, a coarse rope in his hand.

She stared, stunned.

In broad daylight, on a public street, he tied her up. He used an expert sailor’s knot—the more she struggled, the tighter the rope bit into her flesh.

He gagged her, too. She stared at him, her eyes wide with shocked disbelief.

’What is going on?’

Adrian Preston threw her into the back seat, then started driving back, even humming a tune leisurely along the way.

A wave of unease washed over Mia Kane, stronger than anything she had ever felt. Though Adrian Preston was obsessive, he was still a relatively decent person. He would never act so flamboyantly and frivolously.

And yet, this person had Adrian Preston’s face, and his build and height were identical.

When they arrived at the villa, it had been completely cleared of other people.

Adrian Preston carried her into the house and removed her gag.

"Who... who exactly are you?"

She asked, her voice trembling.

"I’m Adrian Preston..."

"No, that’s not right..."

"Don’t I look the part?"

Adrian Preston stood up and spun around a few times. A cryptic smile played on his lips, making him seem like a cold-blooded animal.

A snake...

He was like a cold, terrifying viper.

He radiated a sinister aura that sent shivers down her spine.

"Who are you, really? Adrian Preston’s twin brother?"

"We’ve met. Don’t you remember?"

"Met? What do you mean?"

"On the ship... you begged me..."

A bomb went off in Mia Kane’s head.

’What does that mean? Who is he, really?’

The second personality sneered.

That day, she had been drugged. He had been willing to be her gracious rescuer, but Adrian Preston, unwilling to defile Mia Kane, had simply refused.

It was a pity that at the last possible second, Adrian Preston had snatched control of the body back.

That bastard, Adrian Preston. This body was supposed to be shared, so what gave him the right to call all the shots and let his own body go to waste?

He had been dying to get out, and he had finally found his chance.

"You don’t remember me? How ungrateful."

"My... my memory’s a mess, I can’t remember clearly... Where’s Adrian Preston? I want to see Adrian Preston!"

"He can’t come out."

"What did you do to him? Are you trying to steal his identity, to replace him? Let me tell you, this is the information age! Irises, fingerprints, DNA... if those don’t match, you can forget about taking over the Preston Group or impersonating him."

Hearing this, the man couldn’t help but laugh out loud.

"I *am* him. Didn’t he tell you? He’s always been sick. Very sick. He’s—mentally ill!"

He said, enunciating each syllable.

Mia Kane’s mind went blank, as if she had been struck by lightning.

’What does he mean—mentally ill?’

’Adrian Preston seems so normal... how could he... have a split personality?’

’Is this an alter ego?’

"Why... why would a perfectly normal person suddenly have a split personality?"

"He was kidnapped years ago. The trauma was too great, and that’s when I appeared. I wasn’t very strong at first. But because of you... Adrian Preston’s mental defenses aren’t so strong anymore."

He suddenly loomed over her, his dark, deep eyes fixed on her with a chilling obsession, swirling with inscrutable shadows.

Mia Kane’s face turned pale with fright, and a cold sweat broke out all over her body.

"Mia Kane, I’m not nearly as reasonable as that loser, you know."

He suddenly smiled, and it was like watching a viper flick its tongue before it strikes.

"What... what are you doing?"

He didn’t answer, just kept smiling as he approached her.

There was at least room to negotiate with Adrian Preston, but this person before her was unpredictable and malevolent. He was clearly unhinged, unbound by law or morality.

She wanted to run, but with her hands and feet bound, there was no escape.

She shrank back, retreating until her back hit the wall.

"He couldn’t bring himself to touch you. He was always so concerned with ’respecting your wishes,’ spouting nonsense about how forced fruit is never sweet."

"I don’t give a damn if the fruit is sweet, as long as it’s mine! Now, let me have a taste!"

He pinned her down, tearing at her clothes.

RRRIP! Her clothes tore apart.

The cool air hit her exposed skin, and she couldn’t help but shiver.

"Don’t touch me! I’m begging you, don’t touch me..." 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝔀𝓮𝒃𝙣𝓸𝒗𝒆𝒍.𝙘𝒐𝒎

"Do you even know what you’re doing!"

"Let me go! We’re already divorced! Help..."

Mia Kane struggled in agony.

"No, I’m begging you, don’t..."

Tears streamed down her face as she felt a helplessness like never before.

"Adrian... don’t touch me..."

She had called out Adrian Preston’s name instinctively.

At first, the second personality paid it no mind, but then suddenly...

He clutched his head in pain, stumbling back several steps.

Realizing something, Mia Kane quickly scrambled to hide behind the covers.

"Adrian... can you hear me?"

"Damn it! I’m going to have her, and you can’t stop me!"

The man on the floor shot her a look of pure, sinister venom.

As if his life depended on it, he lunged forward and crushed his lips against hers in a vicious kiss, biting the tip of her tongue and filling her mouth with the taste of blood.

His face was contorted in pain, veins throbbing on his forehead as sweat poured down his body like rain.

He stumbled back again, his steps unsteady.

His face was ashen and his lips were pale. He looked as if he might collapse at any second.

He spat out a mouthful of bloody froth, whether it was her blood or his, it was impossible to tell.

"Fine, you win! Adrian Preston, you’ve really got guts. Let’s see how long you can protect her. I refuse to believe you’ll be able to come out again!"

He stormed into the bathroom in a rage. The sound of running water, SPLASH SPLASH, filled the air, but Mia Kane’s heart was still pounding in terror.

’Did I dodge a bullet, for now?’

She couldn’t run. All she could do was wait for him to come out.

Soon, Adrian Preston walked out, his gaze icy.

He stepped forward, untied her ropes, and tossed a set of clean clothes to her.

"Change."

She moved quickly, about to put them on, but he showed no intention of leaving. He was going to watch her change.

She had no choice but to pull the blanket over herself, changing clothes with a rustle of fabric underneath.

"What’s with the modesty? It’s not like I haven’t seen it all before. On the ship, you were far more shameless than this."

Mia Kane’s cheeks flushed red, and she couldn’t tell if it was from humiliation or rage.

Once dressed, she looked him straight in the eye.

"What is it you really want?"