His jaw tightened, as if making a battle between heaven and humanity.

But in merely a second, the reluctance was replaced by resolve.

"Bella, consider this time as me, Mason, owing you."

Then, he pried open Bella’s fingers, one by one.

"No, Mason, I beg you. Considering I saved Grandma, considering how much I helped you..."

Before she could finish, Bella was once again dragged into the room by the man.

Bella watched the closing door in despair, screaming at the top of her lungs.

"Mason, you will regret this."

Chapter 8

Mason stood outside the door, listening to the struggle and crying from within, his hands clenched tightly into fists.

Linda hooked her arm through his: "Let's go, Mason. We’ll be together soon enough."

Mason was pulled along by her, looking back with every other step.

With every step he took, the guilt in his heart deepened.

Returning to the banquet hall, Mason was distracted.

He kept glancing toward the second floor, his mind filled with nothing but Bella’s look of despair.

Linda poured him a glass of wine: "Mason, I’m so happy that you chose me so decisively. I, Linda, didn't love the wrong person."

Mason didn't take the glass, asking instead: "Linda, did we really have to do it this way?"

"I didn't want to either." Linda’s eyes reddened.

"But your grandmother likes her so much. Even if you divorced, Grandma would surely think I was the one pulling strings behind the scenes. How could she possibly let me be with you then?"

Mason fell silent.

He knew Linda was right, but the unease in his heart grew stronger.

For these past three years, even if Bella was only a contract wife, she had been dutiful and responsible.

She would remember his stomach issues, preparing lunches to soothe it every day;

She would invent sweet lies in front of Grandma to make the old lady happy;

She would play the perfect Mrs. Quinn in front of the media, never causing him any trouble.

They got along harmoniously, like long-time friends.

Bella was happy, and her happiness was infectious.

"Mason? Are you having second thoughts?" Linda stared at him.

"If you are, you can go and stop it."

Mason’s fist clenched and then loosened. Finally, he spoke with resolve.

"No."

Linda smiled: "Mason, I knew you wouldn't betray me."

Mason nodded, but his internal agitation grew.

He remembered Bella’s words—"I never let the Quinn family down, and I even saved your grandmother..."

It was true, Bella had saved Grandma.

If it weren't for her, Grandma would have died three years ago.

If it weren't for her, he would have been forced by Grandma to marry some woman from an equally prominent family who would have brought a mountain of trouble.

If it weren't for her cooperation, the company’s market value wouldn't have doubled.

And him?

What was he doing?

To be with his lover, he was pushing his life-saving benefactor into hell?

Grandma’s health was poor; if she knew Bella had done such a disgraceful thing, could she even handle it?

Mason stood up abruptly.

"Where are you going?" Linda grabbed him.

"Linda, I can't do this. We can find another way."

Linda’s expression darkened:

"Mason, for me, for our future, can't you just let her suffer a little? Can't we just compensate her later?"

Mason’s footsteps faltered.

Linda leaned satisfied against his shoulder:

"Mason, when we’re married, we’ll have a son and a daughter, and we’ll surely be happy."

As she spoke.

The giant screen in the banquet hall suddenly flickered to life.

On screen, Bella was riding on top of a man, the man’s face obscured by the woman’s body.

Bella was kissing the man, her movements passionate and bold.

The entire hall erupted in an uproar.

"Oh my god, isn't that Mrs. Quinn?"

"Cheating at Old Madam Quinn’s birthday banquet? How shameless!"

"Poor Mr. Quinn..."

Mason turned deathly pale, looking at Linda in disbelief. But he immediately snapped out of it; this wasn't the time for blame.

He jumped to his feet: "Turn it off! Cut the feed!"

The staff scrambled in a panic to cut the feed, but it was too late.

Everyone had seen it.

Old Madam Quinn, who had been chatting with her old friends, looked at the giant screen, trembling uncontrollably, pointing at Mason:

"You... you..." Before she could finish, she collapsed in a faint.

"Grandma!" Mason rushed over, steadying the old lady, and roared at his assistant:

"Call an ambulance! Hurry!"

He scooped the old lady up and rushed toward the exit. Before leaving, he issued a warning to the guests:

"This is a private matter for the Quinn family; I apologize to everyone. I ask that you give the Quinn family face; today's events..."

He didn't finish, but everyone understood—he was demanding silence.

The guests whispered amongst themselves as they left. Soon, only Linda remained in the hall.

She looked at the empty room, then up at the second floor, a smug smile curling the corner of her lips.

Bella, you’re finished.

Chapter 9

In the room, Bella was indeed nearly finished.

After Mason had pushed her into the room, the man had immediately pounced on her.

Bella used all her strength to resist, scratching his face and kicking him in his most vulnerable spot.

The man cried out in pain, loosening his grip for a moment.

Bella seized the chance to rush to the door, but it had been locked from the outside.

"Run, see where you can run." The man sneered as he approached.

Bella retreated to the window, looking at the three-story drop, her mind made up—jump. Better to fall to her death than to be defiled by such a person.

Just as she was preparing to jump, the door was suddenly kicked open.

A tall figure rushed in and kicked the man over in one blow.

Bella looked at the person who had arrived and was stunned—it was Ethan, Mason’s arch-rival in business, the President of the Gu Group.

"Mr. Gu?" She couldn't believe it.

Ethan looked at the disheveled bed and Bella, whose clothes were in shambles. His eyes turned cold: "Are you alright?"

"I’ve been drugged..." Bella bit her lip, using the pain to stay conscious.

"Mr. Gu, I beg you... help me get proof that I was drugged..."

Before she could finish, the effects of the drug hit her again.

Bella felt a wave of intense heat and, uncontrollably, threw herself at Ethan.

Ethan caught her, felt her scorching body, and frowned: "You’ve been given a powerful aphrodisiac."

"I know..." Bella struggled in his arms. "I beg you... take me to the hospital... help me get evidence..."

Ethan looked at the woman in his arms, delirious yet still persistent, a flash of complexity crossing his eyes.

He had met Bella a few times, always at business functions.

Every time they met, she was the perfect, proper Mrs. Quinn, arm-in-arm with Mason, smiling gently.

Yet today, he had actually seen Mason push her into the arms of another man.

He was curious.

"Don't move." Ethan held her down, pulled his phone from his suit pocket, and turned on the recording feature. He swept the room, captured the man on camera, and finally pointed it at Bella.

"Tell me, who drugged you?"

Bella gritted her teeth: "Linda... the man in this room... has AIDS... Mason knew... but he still pushed me in..."

She spoke in fragmented sentences, but it was clear enough.

Ethan stopped the recording and picked Bella up. "I’m taking you to the hospital."

"Wait..." Bella grabbed his clothes. "The surveillance..."

Ethan was stunned, then immediately understood.

He looked at the camera in the corner of the room, then at the Bella in his arms.

"Do you want revenge?" he asked.

Bella nodded, her eyes hazy but firm:

"I want them... to pay the price..."

Ethan was silent for a few seconds, then suddenly smiled: "Bella, then don't blame me for using you."

The body’s instinct made Bella cling to him.

She fumbled and kissed Ethan, her movements passionate and bold.

Ethan’s body clearly stiffened, but soon relaxed, allowing her to do as she pleased.

A few minutes later, Ethan stopped her:

"Enough, the footage has already been transmitted."

But Bella could no longer hear him; she was still desperately seeking a sliver of relief.

Unable to help it, Ethan used his tie to bind her hands.

He used his coat to cover Bella’s face and body.

Then he carried her downstairs.

Downstairs, it was chaos.

Mason was rushing toward the entrance, holding Old Madam Quinn.

Ethan only glanced at them, then carried Bella out of the rear exit of the estate.

A black sedan waited there. The driver saw Ethan carrying a woman out and whistled.

"Whoa, you rushed me over here in such a panic just so I could see this spicy scene?"

Ethan put Bella in the backseat: "Cut the crap, she’s been drugged."

"Since when did you become such a busybody?" The driver, Ethan’s cousin, Gu Chen, glanced in the rearview mirror.