The following evening at seven o'clock.

Chloe hurried to the designated restaurant immediately after finishing her shift.

She hadn't made any special effort to dress up; as for this blind date, she had only agreed because it was impossible to decline the old man's kindness.

The traffic had been congested along the way, forcing her to jog the rest of the distance. Arriving at the table somewhat flustered, she spoke softly to the man who was already seated: "I am so sorry to keep you waiting. I hope I am not late..."

Hearing her voice, the man finally lifted his head.

In that fleeting instant, Chloe found herself completely lost for words.

She stared straight into the man's dark, deep eyes, whose icy demeanor seemed to melt under the surrounding romantic lights into a heartbreakingly captivating charm.

It felt as though a small spark had been ignited inside Chloe’s chest, burning with a slight heat and fluttering in disarray.

"Chloe?" Eric merely lifted an eyebrow to look at her, his tone carrying the casual indifference of a natural ruler.

The voice sounded strangely familiar for some reason, but Chloe had no time to ponder it at the moment as she sat down with a degree of awkwardness: "Hello."

Eric nodded, though his next words were cold and brook no argument: "Miss Chloe, to avoid causing any unnecessary complications for either of us, let me make it clear from the start that this dinner is solely to appease my grandfather."

The small spark in her chest was completely doused by a bucket of cold water before it could even erupt into a flame.

Even though Eric’s demeanor was perfectly polite, Chloe felt a wave of inexplicable humiliation: "I... understand."

She was fully aware that there was a vast chasm between herself and the man before her.

Had it not been for Grandpa Arthur, she would likely never have spoken a single word to him in her entire life.

Eric fell silent, merely raising his eyes once more to glance at Chloe, perhaps surprised that this particular blind date partner was so sensible.

The two sat in silence, but just as the second course was served, the phone beside Eric's hand began to vibrate violently.

Seeing Lyndsey's name on the screen, Eric answered and asked softly, "What is it?"

Lyndsey’s aggrieved sobbing traveled through the line: "Eric, I'm terrified of living alone in this massive house. The servants here all look down on me and bully me. Can you please come and stay with me?"

The call disconnected immediately after she uttered those words, leaving it unclear what had occurred.

Eric knitted his brows and stood up: "My apologies, something urgent has come up and I must leave. The bill has already been settled."

Watching Eric's retreating figure, Chloe couldn't exactly say she felt heartbroken, but a heavy tightness settled in her chest.

She picked up the glass of red wine from the table and drank it down in one gulp; it tasted astringent and carried a hint of bitterness.

On the other side of town, Lyndsey was dressed in a semi-sheer nightgown, waiting for Eric with a fair amount of anxiety.

Over the past few weeks, she had acquired a level of fortune she could never have dreamed of in the past—mansions, luxury cars, jewelry—as long as she desired it, Eric would provide.

However, that stolen bracelet was gradually turning into a thorn in her heart, for if she were ever exposed...

No, she absolutely could not afford to lose these things, and the only way to secure them was to become the mistress of the Vance family...

Steeling her resolve, she slipped something into a glass of water.

The Riverfront Hotel.

Chloe pinned on her new name tag, marking her very first day of promotion, which meant she would henceforth be solely responsible for the guests on the penthouse floor.

The lights inside the presidential suite were turned on, and she approached the door, knocking gently: "Hello, sir, may I ask..."

Before she could finish her sentence, the door suddenly swung open.

She froze instantly, never expecting to encounter Eric in a place like this.

His face was flushed with an unnatural crimson, and his eyes appeared vacant and unfocused.

Before she had any time to comprehend the situation, she was violently pulled into the room the very next second.

Chapter 3: She Must Die

"Mr. Vance, what do you think you are doing?"

A strong scent of alcohol enveloped her as she struggled with all her might to push him away, yet her hands were pinned down in a vice-like grip, followed immediately by an aggressive, overwhelming kiss.

With a sharp tearing sound, garments were scattered all over the floor.

A night of entangled passion ensued.

When Chloe opened her eyes, her entire body was aching with soreness, and as she struggled to sit up, she was startled by Eric standing right beside the bed.

Eric was dressed immaculately in his suit, every single button fastened to the very top, radiating a forbidden and formidable aura.

He was a completely different person from the man of last night.

Embarrassed, Chloe wrapped herself tightly in the duvet, an uncontrollable heat rushing to her face.

Eric stared at her intently for a few seconds before averting his gaze, asking with total indifference, "How much money do you want?"

The warmth instantly vanished from her face, leaving her deathly pale, and a terrifying chill settled deep in her heart.

Griping the duvet with white knuckles, she felt nothing but a sharp pang of heartbreak over this absurd dialogue: "I... I don't want..."

Before she could finish, Eric's phone rang, cutting her off.

Eric answered the call, spoke a few brief words, and frowned deeply, and upon hanging up, he casually pulled a bank card from his pocket and tossed it onto the mattress.

"There is no password." Leaving those words behind, he walked straight out of the room.

The door slammed shut with a heavy thud.

Staring at the cold, lifeless bank card, Chloe curled her body inward, feeling entirely drained of strength.

A few days later, at the Vance family’s ancestral mansion.

Chloe arrived to fulfill her appointment with Elder Mr. Arthur.

She, who had always maintained perfect attendance at work, had taken a leave of absence and remained cooped up inside her apartment for an entire week.

Had it not been for Grandpa Arthur's insistence on her visit, she truly wished to have absolutely nothing to do with anyone bearing the name Vance right now.

Stepping into the Vance estate and following the butler into the grand living room, Chloe’s footsteps froze mid-stride.

Seated on the sofa was Elder Mr. Arthur, along with... Eric.

Seeing her arrival, Grandpa Arthur waved his hand warmly: "Chloe is here. Come and sit beside Grandpa."

There was no escaping now, so she could only brace herself and take a seat.

Even without deliberately looking in his direction, she could distinctly feel Eric's piercing gaze boring into her.

After exchanging a few disjointed pleasantries, Grandpa Arthur suddenly spoke up with a brilliant smile: "Chloe, now that the rice is cooked between you and Eric, let us arrange a good day for the wedding!"

How on earth did Grandpa find out?!

A wave of sheer panic struck Chloe's heart, and she instinctively shot a look toward Eric.

An icy aura had already enveloped Eric’s entire being, his lips pressed into a tight line as the slight ripple of emotion that had crossed his mind moments ago froze instantly into ice.

Prior to this very moment, there was a fleeting second where he actually believed she might be innocent...

That frost-like gaze caused a sharp ache in Chloe's chest, and she averted her eyes with great difficulty, her tone uncharacteristically firm: "I am sorry, Grandpa Arthur, but I cannot agree to this."

Eric let out a mocking laugh, fully convinced that this was merely her tactic of playing hard to get.

"Grandpa, if sleeping together once means I have to marry the woman, she would have to get in line."

With that, he rose to his feet and walked away, never casting another glance at Chloe.

"What kind of nonsense is that! Stand right there!" Grandpa Arthur slammed his cane heavily against the floor, shouting at the top of his lungs.

Yet Eric didn't even pause his stride, vanishing past the doorway in a matter of moments.

Eric's defiance threw Grandpa Arthur into a furious rage, his cane tapping sharply against the ground as he bellowed, "That rebellious wretch! Chloe, do not be sad. Grandpa Arthur will settle this matter for you!"

Chloe forced out a tight smile.

She desperately wanted to tell Grandpa Arthur to leave their matters alone, but seeing how furious the elderly man was, she could only let the matter rest.

Upon returning home, she buried herself beneath her duvet.

The dark, suffocating space seemed to alleviate the tightness in her chest and her inexplicable sorrow.