Their entanglement lasted until dawn, but Jane Sullivan's craving seemed insatiable. Ethan, on the other hand, wasn't tired at all, having abstained for so long...
Before Jane Sullivan, his encounters with other women left him feeling disgusted, unable to continue. Despite frequently changing partners, none could ignite his desire.
He thought he would never again experience such intense pleasure until he met Jane Sullivan, a seemingly innocent girl. He had only intended to scare her, never to take her. But just their friction alone addicted him, realizing he was poisoned by a toxin only she could cure...
He worried about Jane Sullivan's wellbeing, knowing it was her first time and it had been prolonged. "How many pills did he give you!" Seeing her pale lips, Ethan ached to stop, but Jane wouldn't let him.
"I don't know... I really don't... Mmm... I'm going crazy... Ethan, what should I do..."
Her intoxicated state was more tempting to him than any drug. "Damn it! If you bite your lip again, I swear I'll lose it!"
He left her body, positioning her on the bed, and entered her from behind, knowing only this would satisfy them both.
...
After several climaxes, Jane Sullivan's restlessness finally subsided. She fell into a comatose state from exhaustion, her waist and legs aching unbearably.
Ethan filled a bathtub with hot water, adjusted the temperature, and gently placed her in it. He called the resort's doctor and got some medicine for Jane's condition.
When Jane woke up, she almost kicked Ethan away, swallowing the pain-relief medicine resentfully. "You did it on purpose! There's a doctor here; you could've gotten medicine to suppress it last night! Why did you still do it with me?"
Ethan, buttoning up his shirt, stopped at her complaint, replying seriously, "I'm a normal man."
Normal? Wasn't it too late to claim normalcy?
Jane Sullivan, still angry, refused to forgive Ethan so easily.
"Jane..."
Ethan leaned close, his hot breath tickling her ear. "Still not satisfied? Need to drain me completely?..."
Jane's face flushed red, her eyes darting to the scratches on his chest, then she quickly looked away. But his masculine scent overwhelmed her, like being ensnared again.
Just as Ethan's lips were about to meet hers, a sharp pain hit her back. "Mmm..."
Ethan gently embraced her, laying her on the bed. "Don't move, I'll apply the medicine."
Jane lay still, tears welling up as the cool ointment touched her sore back. "It will hurt a bit, just bear with it."
Ethan's touch was gentle, trying to ease her pain. The whip marks on her delicate back angered him; he felt that cutting off the culprit's hands was too lenient.
Throughout the application, Jane remained silent, waiting for Ethan to finish. The sky was already lightening, and fatigue coupled with the night's ordeals made her fall asleep quickly.
After finishing, Ethan saw her asleep, moved quietly to the tea table, and carefully applied another medicine between her legs.
Finally, he turned off the light, closed the bedroom door, and lit a cigarette in the living room, needing time to rethink the future...
The situation had spiraled out of control, with Jane Sullivan always disrupting his plans.
Turning on his phone, he checked the news headlines Benjamin mentioned. They were all about Justin and his mysterious girlfriend, with clear pictures of Jane Sullivan. The photos from the auction at the resort were blurrier but, combined with the first one, clearly identified her.
Such news, even if Jane explained, couldn't stop the slander. Ethan felt the attack was directed at him; Jane alone wouldn't warrant such long-term surveillance.
As for Justin, recently back in the country, few knew his true identity, so he was unlikely to have offended anyone.
Choosing to remain anonymous indicated fear of retribution against Ethan.
But they underestimated him, thinking anonymity could shield them...
...
In North City, Sophia got up early, skipping breakfast to head to the office. But upon seeing her driver leave, she hurriedly hailed a taxi and called Joanne. "Xuan'er sister, let's meet at our usual spot. I have something important to tell you face-to-face."
...
At 9 am, Joanne's invested dress shop, not yet open, was where she wore her new l
ily-inspired design, a pure white dress named "Tranquility." Joanne, known for her poise even in unexpected situations, like gracefully recovering from a fall on the runway, was the epitome of calm.
When Sophia arrived, frantic and agitated, Joanne chided her, "With that kind of behavior, even if you're innocent, people will suspect you."
"I'm genuinely scared of my uncle," Sophia confessed, her voice trembling. "After what happened with Abe drugging Jane Sullivan, my uncle nearly sent me away too. And now, with such a scandalous news, what if he traces it back to me? My grandfather is hospitalized from anger. The Grayson family is in chaos because of the exposure. Xuan'er sister, why didn't you warn me before leaking it?"
"Warn you? And you'd have the guts to give me those photos?" Joanne sneered. "Why fear? I've got your back. Besides, it wasn't you who leaked them. Even if your uncle suspects you, he can't do anything without evidence, right?"
Patting Sophia's shoulder, she added, "Remember, if a woman wants to win her man, she must be ruthless. Otherwise, others will be ruthless to you."
Then, in front of Sophia, Joanne dialed a number and instructed softly, "Got the text, right? Keep boosting that news story to the top. Don't stop until I say so."
...