"She’s delivered to your doorstep; you can resist this? Are you even a man?"

Bella twisted in Ethan’s arms; the drug had cost her her sanity; she only knew to cling to Ethan.

Ethan held her tightly, his breathing growing heavier.

"Bella, don't go too far. This is just a transaction." He tried to push her away.

But Bella couldn't hear him; she broke free from her restraints and climbed directly onto Ethan, kissing him regardless of everything.

Gu Chen burst into laughter:

"Ethan, since when did you become such a wimp? You can't even handle one woman? If you want to sleep with her, just do it; why be so suppressed and闷骚 (moody/repressed)?"

"Shut your mouth." Ethan’s voice trembled. "She’s been given a powerful drug. Mm..."

Bella’s hand reached into his shirt, and Ethan couldn't help but groan.

"Drive faster!" he roared.

Gu Chen accelerated, but didn't stop talking:

"I’m telling you, are you really not planning to do anything? She’s already like this..."

"Shut up and drive!"

Ethan could indeed have restrained Bella,

But the woman in his arms was soft and scorching, and her awkward kisses and caresses actually stirred a reaction in him.

"Bella..." he murmured her name.

Bella couldn't hear him; she was merely instinctively taking what she needed.

Her kisses fell on Ethan’s neck, chin, and lips, chaotic yet intoxicating.

Ethan’s restraint was on the verge of collapsing.

He locked his hand behind Bella’s head. "I saved you, taking a little interest should be acceptable."

He took the initiative, and kissed her deeply.

Chapter 10

When Bella woke up again, she found herself lying in a VIP hospital room.

Her head no longer spun, and the searing heat in her body had faded.

She turned her head and saw Ethan sitting on the sofa by the window, working on his laptop.

"Awake?" Ethan noticed her movement, closed his laptop, and walked over.

Bella sat up, discovering she had been changed into a hospital gown. "We..."

"Nothing happened," Ethan said. "The drug you were given was potent. The doctor gave you a sedative, and you slept for over ten hours."

"Mason came by during that time, bringing a doctor to administer post-exposure prophylaxis, but I secretly stopped them."

Bella let out a sigh of relief.

Her memories slowly flooded back—the banquet, Linda drugging her, Mason pushing her into the room, Ethan saving her, and the agreement they had reached.

Her face flushed slightly.

"Thank you," she said.

Ethan raised an eyebrow: "Aren't you going to ask what happened while you were drugged?"

"Isn't it just total disgrace?" Bella gave a bitter laugh. "My scandalous state must have been seen by everyone, right?"

Ethan nodded: "Old Madam Quinn was shocked into a faint on the spot and sent to the hospital. Mason followed, and Linda left as well. Now, the rumor outside is that Mrs. Quinn cheated at the Old Madam’s birthday banquet and was caught red-handed."

"Mason has put out word not to let the video spread, but Linda bought trending searches. She not only released the video but also leaked the fact that the man is ill."

"Now everyone is saying you have no standards."

"However, Mason still has a shred of conscience; he’s trying to suppress the searches bit by bit."

"But you know how fast this kind of news spreads. In the eyes of the public, you are now..."

Ethan didn't finish his sentence, but Bella already knew she was thoroughly ruined.

Bella’s hands gripped the sheets tight: "The video..."

"I have it." Ethan brought his laptop over and opened a video file.

"This is the original surveillance footage. You can see you, Mason, Linda, and that man at the doorway. The audio is also very clear."

"I also have the footage from inside the room. Do you want to see it?"

Ethan turned the computer toward Bella, raising his eyebrows.

"Fortunately, our people were a step ahead, or the video would have been destroyed by Mason."

Bella watched the video, her eyes reddening.

"Then, did he discover that we already have the video?"

"Of course not. My men aren't that incompetent."

Bella let out a breath.

"Thank you," Bella said sincerely.

"No need for thanks; we are just trading," Ethan said, leaning back in his chair.

"I help you get evidence; you help me topple Mason. It’s fair."

Bella nodded: "Rest assured, what I promised you, I will strive to achieve."

"No rush," Ethan said. "Recover your health first. Mason should come to talk to you about the divorce soon."

"I don't think I should appear in Mason’s line of sight for the moment."

He took Bella’s phone and saved his own number directly into it.

"But if you need anything, you can call me anytime."

Just after Ethan left, Mason arrived at Bella’s hospital room.

Chapter 11

He walked to Bella’s bedside, wanting to speak but hesitating.

"How is your grandmother?" Bella spoke first.

Mason was stunned, as if he hadn't expected her to ask about the grandmother first:

"She hasn't woken up yet."

Bella sneered at Mason.

"Mason, do you regret seeing her like this?"

Mason did not answer, but that didn't stop Bella from continuing to pour fuel on the fire.

"You say Linda could have clearly brought people upstairs to catch us in the act without Grandma knowing. But she didn't; instead, she played it directly on the big screen for Grandma to see."

"Seeing it with one's own eyes is a much greater shock than hearing rumors. Was she trying to ruin my reputation, or was she trying to anger the old lady to death? Mason, you run such a large company; you should understand this better than I do."

Bella didn't believe Mason hadn't thought of this.

Mason’s expression changed drastically.

After all, wanting the life of his own grandmother—that kind of reputation was no different from being trash.

"Bella, don't try to sow discord. I know Grandma’s health."

"Then, Mason, you are truly filial. Since you don't even care about the old lady’s life, it’s redundant for me to care. Did you bring the divorce agreement?"

A flicker of embarrassment crossed Mason’s face, but he pulled out a document.

"This is the divorce agreement. That piece of land, plus one hundred million in compensation. From now on, we owe each other nothing."

Bella took the document.

She read it seriously.

Mason was quite sincere; he hadn't set any traps in the agreement.

She spoke to Mason while she flipped through the pages.

"Mason, even if I take post-exposure prophylaxis, it doesn't mean there’s zero chance of infection."

"If I get infected, my whole life will be ruined."

She looked up at Mason.

"I can understand you sacrificing me to be together, because to you, I am just an optional person."

"But even if you wanted to ruin my reputation and walk over my corpse to be happy together, you could have found me a clean man. Why did it have to be someone with an illness?"

Mason clenched his fists; this was the hardest hurdle for him to get over.

But he still toughed it out and said:

"What is done is done. I will mobilize every medical resource I can to ensure your health."

Bella looked at him, showing a rare vulnerability in her eyes:

"Mason, for three years, I worked hard to block your romantic troubles, I worked hard to cooperate and please Grandma, and I always encouraged and supported you in pursuing your true love. I have no regrets toward you."

"But I only wanted to keep my clean body and soul to go home, find someone who loves me, and live a peaceful life."

"But you destroyed it all."

Mason was silent.

He remembered asking her what her plans were after the divorce, and she had said she wanted to find someone who loved her and have a healthy child.

He had smiled back then and said nothing.

He had just thought she was simple.

Seeing he wouldn't answer, Bella continued.

"Do you think, 'It’s just being slept with, right? The price for it is so high, why am I still acting so coy?'"

"I didn't think that. That is compensation," Mason finally spoke.

Bella sneered. "Yes, just being pushed by you to someone with AIDS. Furthermore, you thoughtfully arranged for a doctor to give me the prophylaxis. And you gave me a lot of money. I can take the money and live as a piece of trash whom everyone outwardly flatters but inwardly scorns."

"If you need, I can arrange for your whole family to move abroad. I will be responsible for all your family’s expenses."

Mason’s words made Bella laugh out loud again.

"Mason, you are truly considerate. It makes me feel that I shouldn't hate, shouldn't resent, but rather should be grateful and bow down to you for giving me so much money and thinking so much for me."

"Mason, in your eyes, am I just someone who would do any dirty or broken thing for money?"