The Beachfront Hotel.

Scarlett, a slender young girl, entered the hotel with a gloomy face. This sudden dinner arrangement made her unhappy — only because that woman begged many times did she finally agree.

No one was there when she entered the East Restaurant, the VIP room.

'That woman has asked me to come here, but she hasn't come yet!?'

Scarlett secretly cursed the woman. She could guess the woman was trying to trick her again like usual.

She put her anger aside and entered the room. After sitting on the chair, her eyes fell on the busy street outside.

Scarlett was deep in thought. She had been on this Island for a month without doing anything. She knew what she was doing was worrying her father, but she couldn't be honest with him just yet.

After a few minutes passed, Scarlett heard a knock on the door.

"Please come in..." Her soft voice echoed throughout the room as she turned to look at the door. She saw a waitress come in with a drink in hand. 

Scarlett decided to give the woman another five minutes. If she didn't show up, then she would leave.

After she saw the waitress close the door, she slowly finished her glass of cold soda, and her mood slightly improved.

But…

Moments later, Scarlett could feel her body temperature rise. She feels so hot, as if the air conditioner in the room broke down or someone had just turned on the heater in the middle of summer.

Her head was spinning, and at the same time, her body felt heavy to move. All of her muscles felt like they were betraying her.

'W-what happened to me!?'

Scarlett tried to escape the sudden burning sensation as she unbuttoned a few buttons of her white shirt.

However, instead of feeling better, she feels worse. Her vision was slowly becoming blurry, and her breathing was getting heavier.

'Why, why am I like this?'

Scarlett screamed inside, trying to regain her senses, and slapped her cheek hard — the pain made her cheeks burn even more.

She felt a nameless fire burning fiercely in her body. A thin layer of sweat covered her body from the heat, making her hair and some of her clothes wet.

The heat in her chest grew unbearable, followed by irregular hissing from her mouth as her heart began to beat erratically.

'Do I have food poisoning?' She thought amidst the heat she felt.

Scarlett dismissed the thought because she had not eaten anything ever since arriving in this room. She had just drunk the cold soft drink served by the waitress who had come a few minutes ago.

Realizing something strange had happened to her, she couldn't help but curse.

'Damn it!'

Instantly, Scarlett's body trembled with emotional turmoil.

'That waitress put drugs in my drink? W-Why is she doing this?' She muttered while squeezing the clothes on her chest, trying to draw as much air as possible because now even breathing felt like a tremendous task.

With the last of her strength, Scarlett took a water bottle and a white medicine bottle from her black backpack. She immediately took some antidote pills, which she usually carries. 

After emptying the water bottle in one gulp, she felt her temperature slightly down. But her body still felt hot, and her head still hurt.

At this time, Scarlett could only pray for the antidote she took to work quickly. She couldn't lose her strength and consciousness in this place, or she would be in trouble.

'Scarlett, you have to be strong. You have to hold on...' She tried to spell her mind so as not to lose consciousness. 'That greedy woman. It must be her who did it…' she was sure that damn woman must have some evil plans for her.

Just before she wanted to leave the room with the last of her strength, she faintly heard footsteps approaching her VIP room. It wasn't just one person coming; two pairs of legs stepped closer.

'I'm doomed! I can't fight them now. I have to do something!'

Although Scarlett's mind could still clearly think, her body was weak. She wouldn't be able to fight anyone at this point.

She forced herself to stay calm. She would stay still and find out why that woman did this to her — when she regained control of her body, she would find a way to escape.

Scarlett put her head on the table, pretending to be unconscious. She felt even tenser when the door behind her opened. She could feel the strong scent of men's perfume, making her head hurt even more.

...

The bald older man stared at the young sleeping girl with lustful eyes. He could see the girl's pale face looked innocent. And even though she was wearing an oversized white shirt with ripped jeans, he could see her curves and delicate hands.

A lascivious smile framed his greasy face as he gazed at the middle-aged woman beside him.

"Ms. Piers, she is beautiful. Okay! I agree to our deal. I will erase your company's debt... as long as this beauty can sleep with me tonight. And, as agreed, she will be my new friend…er… I mean new wife." The vile, bald older man's southern accent echoed throughout the room, making Scarlett's body shudder at his words.

'This woman wants to sell me to this old man?'

Scarlett wanted to escape the room but couldn't control her body—the medicine she took had not fully worked. On top of that, she also wanted to know more about their disgusting deal.

She could only hold back her anger hearing the cunning plans of these two evil people sitting not far from her. Under the table, her hands clenched tightly to hold back the anger from her chest.

"Ms. Piers, is your old man aware of this?" asked the bald old man.

Scarlett prayed that the man would not be involved in this plan. But, if he got involved, she would never forgive him.

"Mr. Frans, you don't have to worry. I did this at his request. We agreed to marry Scarlett with you..." Lauren Piers chuckled, seeing Mr. Frans's face beaming.

She tried to hide her excitement as she continued to say, "This lovely girl will be happy to marry you. Marrying a successful businessman, a tourism industry mogul of this Island, what's not too happy about it!?"

"Hahaha… you are praising me too much, Ms. Piers." Frans was so happy with the compliment. "Will this girl accept this decision? Why did you drug hers?"

"Sorry if you must see our Scarlett like this, Mr. Frans. I had to do this so she wouldn't be shocked, but she would have agreed. Scarlett is a good girl. You won't regret taking her, Mr. Frans. She will become a good wife for you."

"That's great! How old is she now?" Frans felt very happy to get the young beauty to warm his bed.

"23 years old, she graduated from a world-renowned university in Massachusetts, USA, and just returned last month. Now that she has no job, she stays at home doing nothing. Hence, the old man and I tried to arrange for her to marry you…."

Frans almost jumped in surprise. She is such an intelligent girl. Why did they marry her off just for money!?

"Scarlett is still young, the same age as my son. I'm afraid she won't agree to marry the old folk like me." Frans stroked his chin while glancing at the girl who was still sleeping. His mind was filled with sultry thoughts.

A thin smile framed the corners of Lauren Piers' lips. "Mr. Frans, tonight you can seal the deal. You can sleep with her. And we will register your marriage in a few days. Thus, before that…" Lauren put the Marriage Register form on the table. "You must sign this form, sir… we have prepared everything. Don't worry."

'The sooner, the better,' Lauren thought. This stubborn girl definitely couldn't avoid this arrangement.

Scarlett almost vomited blood after hearing the woman's sinister plan.

In her mind, she was screaming...

'Mother, why are you doing this to me?'