"Don’t look at me. I’ll defile your eyes."

Adrian Preston’s voice was impossibly hoarse, his words stumbling out.

She could actually hear a hint of shame in it.

Adrian Preston was embarrassed, too.

...

An unknown amount of time passed before it was finally over.

She sat obediently on the bed, listening to the sound of water from the bathroom.

She wanted to remove the blindfold, but Adrian Preston had forbidden it, so she had to do as he said.

After more than ten minutes, Adrian Preston came out, followed by the rustling sound of him getting dressed.

He seemed to be tidying up, then he began wiping her hands—meticulously, almost forcefully.

"Forget what just happened," the man said, his tone a command.

"Okay."

She nodded.

She hadn’t sacrificed her body.

And he hadn’t been forced to take a woman in such a state.

The damage to both of them was minimized—the best of both worlds.

Finally, the tie covering her eyes was removed, and her vision cleared. Adrian Preston methodically retied his necktie as if nothing had happened, standing before her with his usual cold, aloof air.

If it weren’t for the lingering blush on the tips of his ears, she would have thought she’d just been having an erotic dream.

"There should be a doctor here. You should have someone come treat your wound."

Adrian Preston nodded.

"Well... I’ll be going, then."

The atmosphere felt awkward to Mia Kane as well, so she decided to leave. She had just reached the door when he called out to her.

"Why? Why did you help me just now?"

"That drink was meant for me. You just got dragged into it. You’ve helped me many times, and I’m not one to sweat the small stuff. Besides, I don’t have much to lose."

"Just because I’ve helped you before?"

"Why else?"

"You can go."

Adrian Preston’s voice seemed to have grown even colder. She couldn’t figure him out.

Mia Kane went downstairs and looked around but couldn’t find Vivian Lynch or her little sidekick, Morgan Garrison.

She went to the deck and, sure enough, spotted the two of them.

"I can’t believe Adrian Preston drank that. I wanted Mia Kane to drink it, then I was going to find a waiter to sleep with her and have people catch them in the act."

"Alright, since it didn’t work out, let’s just drop it."

Vivian Lynch was a cautious one, it seemed.

Mia Kane clenched her fists. A woman’s reputation is what she values most, yet Vivian Lynch had tried to destroy hers.

’I’ll remember this grudge,’ she thought. ’There will be a chance to pay it back one day.’

When Mia Kane returned to the banquet hall, she ran right into Adrian Preston. The thought of how she had been blindfolded the whole time while he had seen her completely—even though he had been the one in the truly wretched state—made her want to flee.

For some reason, she suddenly wanted to beat a retreat. She turned to leave, but Adrian Preston caught up to her in a few long strides.

"Avoiding me?"

"N-No..."

Now that she had a clear head, she suddenly felt she had been too impulsive earlier.

"Come here. Fend off some drinks for me."

Mia Kane was pulled over to fend off drinks for him.

Soon, they ran into Chase Lockwood again.

Vivian Lynch asked with a smile, "Just now, I was looking for Miss Kane to chat about the design industry, but I couldn’t find you anywhere. Then I heard that President Preston had taken you upstairs to rest. For almost an hour! Were you feeling seasick?"

"Chase, President Preston really cares for Miss Kane, staying by her side like that. Let’s toast to her. I’m so happy she’s moved on and found a good man."

Vivian Lynch raised her glass, but Chase Lockwood didn’t move.

Chase Lockwood stared intently at Mia Kane’s neck, trying to spot something.

"Chase?"

Vivian Lynch called his name, and only then did he snap out of it. He clinked glasses with her and downed the drink in one go.

"Isn’t President Preston drinking?"

"He can’t drink. I’ll take it."

Mia Kane drained her glass.

"Let’s go over there."

Adrian Preston left, his arm around her waist.

The ship sailed for another hour or so before finally arriving at the island.

Everyone ate from a cake that was several meters tall and presented their birthday gifts.

It was quite an eye-opener for Mia Kane. The birthday banquet continued late into the night before finally breaking up.

Adrian Preston still had some matters to attend to, so she returned to her room to rest first.

She was about to close the door when a large hand suddenly pressed against the frame, stopping it.

Mia Kane jumped, startled, as Chase Lockwood pushed his way inside.

Her brow furrowed immediately.

"What are you doing? What if someone sees you?"

"What did you and Adrian Preston do in that room?"

Chase Lockwood asked, enunciating every word.

Mia Kane couldn’t help but laugh. She’d thought Chase Lockwood had changed, but it turned out he hadn’t at all.

"I’m his date. We’re supposed to sleep together tonight, so what do you think we did? And you can tell Vivian Lynch she doesn’t need to drug us with any aphrodisiacs. We don’t need them!"

"What did you say?"

"You wouldn’t believe me even if I told you, and I can’t be bothered to waste my breath on you. Get out, or I’ll scream."

"You think Adrian Preston actually wants you? With his status, do you really think you can climb the ladder and be with him? He’s just playing with you."

"Maybe I like being his plaything. What’s it to you?"

"Mia Kane!"

Chase Lockwood was furious. ’How could she debase herself like this, selling her own body just to get back at me?’

’Does she have any sense of honor or shame? Doesn’t she have any self-respect?’

"Are you short on money? I can give you money. Break it off with him. Leave Argent and don’t ever show your face to me again."

"Get out!"

"Mia Kane, stop doing foolish things for my sake."

Mia Kane froze. ’Is he out of his mind?’

"Debasing yourself like this just to get my attention... it won’t make me feel a shred of heartache, much less any regret. I will only ever love Vivian in this life. For the past three years, even though I didn’t return your feelings, I’ve always looked out for the Kane Family. Isn’t that enough?"

Chase Lockwood pleaded earnestly, trying to make Mia Kane understand that these so-called goading tactics were useless against him and would only make her look more pathetic.

Mia Kane had no desire to listen to his nonsense anymore and threw the door open.

"Get out. It’ll look bad if anyone sees. Adrian Preston will be back any second."

"Mia Kane, don’t push it. I’ve tried to persuade you nicely several times. If you don’t learn to back off, then don’t blame me for what happens next."

Chase Lockwood’s patience had run out.

He felt that Mia Kane was pushing her luck.

"Adrian?"

Mia Kane looked toward the end of the corridor. Adrian Preston was back.

’Will he think I’m getting tangled up with Chase Lockwood?’

At that thought, she found a sudden burst of strength and shoved Chase Lockwood several meters away.

"It’s not what it looks like! He just showed up..." she explained hurriedly.

"I know." Adrian looked at Chase. "Chase Lockwood, let’s have a drink."

Hearing this, Chase Lockwood followed Adrian Preston.

The two men stood in a gazebo, each with a glass of wine.

"Adrian Preston, what’s the meaning of this? You know Mia Kane is my woman."

"Your woman? Isn’t your woman Vivian Lynch?"

"Adrian Preston, stop playing dumb. What are you trying to do? Just because I got together with Shannon back then and you got so angry you joined the army, you’re teaming up with her to get revenge on me?"

Adrian Preston drank his wine and retorted internally.

’A brain is a good thing to have. A pity you don’t.’

But he couldn’t say that out loud. Chase Lockwood wouldn’t be able to handle it.

"Believe whatever you want."

"Break it off with her."

"And if I do, will you get back with her?"

"How could I? I have Vivian now."

"In that case, stay out of my business!"

Adrian Preston lifted his eyes, his gaze full of intimidating power.