Chapter 1 Chapter 1

"It wasn’t me. You gotta believe me!” Jane Dunn stared stubbornly at the person in the car. The roaring rain had splashed across the car window, but she could still vaguely see that cold hard face beyond the wet window. Jane’s body shook as she stood outside the door, shouting at him past the car window, “Sean! At least hear me out!” The car door opened suddenly, but before Jane could rejoice, she was yanked into the car ruthlessly. She fell onto his body, instantly drenching his crisp white shirt. “Sean, I wasn’t the one who hired those thugs to hurt Rosaline...” As soon as Jane said that, a long and slender finger pinched her chin mercilessly. His uniquely deep and mesmerizing voice spoke above her head. “Do you really like me that much?” His cold voice, and that faint scent of tobacco—his scent. “What?” Jane was a little dazed. Everyone and their mother knew that she liked him, so why was he suddenly asking her that now? The man held Jane’s chin with one hand, while his other slender and strong hand stretched toward her. His finger landed gently on her cheek, wet and cold from the rain. Jane drowned in his warm tender eyes, losing herself completely. She could almost hear him asking her, “Are you cold?” However, the man suddenly emanated a cold and cruel air, saying without any warmth, “Jane Dunn, do you really like me that much? So much that you would even kill Rosaline?” A chill crept up from the bottom of her heart, spreading to her limbs. Jane woke up in an instant, and she could not help but smile wryly to herself… Of course, of course he would never treat her so tenderly. That was not warmth at all, only a satanic smile. “I didn’t mean to kill Rosaline…” She wanted to defend herself. “That’s right. You didn’t mean to kill Rosaline, you just hired some thugs to rape and defile her.” Fury and impatience began to shine in the man’s eyes. Without giving any time to explain, he simply reached over and tore off her clothes. “Ah~!” With a scream, Jane was violently pushed out of the car. She fell into the rain painfully, as the man's cold voice by her ear sounded especially loud in the rain. "Jane Dunn, oh, Miss Dunn, I'll do to you exactly what you did to Rosaline. How does it feel like to be half-naked?" Swoosh! Jane raised her head abruptly, looking into the car in disbelief. The man was sitting inside and looking down on her from above. He took out a handkerchief and wiped his fingers slowly, saying, "I'm really tired right now, Miss Dunn. Please leave me." "Sean! Hear me out! I really didn't…" "If you want me to hear you out, sure." The man raised his gaze coolly and gave her a glance. "If you're willing to kneel in front of Stewart Manor all night, Miss Dunn, I might consider giving you ten minutes of my time. If I'm in a better mood, of course." The car door slammed to a shut, and a handkerchief was tossed out of the car, drifting to the ground in front of Jane and getting drenched in the rain. Jane lowered her head and picked up the handkerchief in the rain, clutching it tightly in her hand. The car drove into Stewart Manor, and the ornate metal gate closed right in front of her without a single hint of mercy. In the rain, Jane looked pale. She stood there for a long time before raising her head determinedly, walking to the main gate of Stewart Manor. Her lips were pressed tightly together, then she fell to her knees with a smack. She was kneeling! But not to atone for a crime! It was only because Rosaline Summers was her friend! Since her friend was dead, it was only natural for her to kneel. It was not because she had killed Rosaline like everyone thought! She was kneeling! She was begging this man to give her ten minutes, to hear her out! Her clothes were ripped to shreds. She covered her body with her hands, but her spine was straight. She was proud and she would stay proud even on her knees! She had her pride and her dignity; she was Jane Dunn of the Bund! She got onto her knees stubbornly, all for a chance to explain. She never did what they accused her of doing, and she was not going to admit to something she did not do!

Chapter 2 Chapter 2

However, was she really going to get that chance? Could she really explain herself? Also… would anyone really believe her? The rain grew heavier, without stopping for even a second. … The night passed. Jane remained kneeling outside Stewart Manor amidst the torrential rain. The rain drenched her dress. She had been kneeling outside for the entire night. Dawn had finally broken, and the manor finally came back to life after a night of silence. The old silver-haired butler walked out of the yard, holding an antique umbrella. The metal gates opened with a creak after the night of inaction, its two halves splitting to reveal a gap at the center. Jane finally moved, raising her slumped head and giving the old butler between the gates a pale smile. "Miss Dunn, Mr. Stewart requests that you leave this place." The old butler's hair was immaculately combed, without a single strand out of place despite the rainy weather. He was just as strict and solemn as the foliage in the garden, tended to and trimmed by a professional gardener. The old butler threw a set of clothing at Jane. Jane reached out her hand, soaked overnight in the rain, and she shook as she put the clothes on. She parted her bloodless lips and said in a hoarse yet determined voice, "I want to meet him." The old butler did not even budge an eyelid, repeating the owner of the manor's words verbatim, "Mr. Stewart said that your presence here, Miss Dunn, is polluting the air around the manor. He wants you to get out of his sight." Not once had Jane expressed even a hint of weakness since everything started going wrong. Now, however, she could not keep up her facade of strength anymore. Her shoulders trembled, betraying the hurt in her heart. Jane closed her eyes, the rainwater on her face making it hard to tell if it was tears or rain wetting the corner of her eyes. The old butler looked at her expressionless. Jane opened her eyes again and raised her head, looking at the butler as she said, "Mr. Summers, I don't know what you're thinking, but I swear that I never hired those thugs to assault Rosaline. No matter what, I can't accept your hatred without reason." Although Jane was exhausted, she still said every word clearly and precisely… This was a woman who had her pride, even though she was willing to bend it temporarily. The old butler finally had a reaction beyond looking at her like she did not exist. His grey brows knitted together, and he looked at Jane with eyes full of hatred. "Rosaline was my daughter, and she has always been a good and obedient girl. She had never once set foot into a place as chaotic and filthy as a night club, but she had somehow ended up at one of those places with the lowest of lowlifes, where they assaulted her to death. "Miss Dunn, we checked her messages. Before the incident, she called you and sent you a text, saying, 'I've arrived at Nightlight. Where are you, Jane?'." The old butler's gaze on Jane was filled with a deep hatred. "Miss Dunn, it wasn't just some cat or dog you killed. It was a living human being! She's dead now, but you still refuse to admit it! Everyone knows that you're infatuated with Mr. Stewart, whereas Mr. Stewart only had eyes for my daughter Rosaline. He hates you to the core! You were clearly jealous of Rosaline and obsessed with Mr. Stewart. That's why you wanted to have Rosaline raped. Your evil truly knows no bounds, Miss Dunn!" There was nothing Jane could say to that. Rosaline Summers was Mr. Summers' daughter and Sean's true love, whereas Jane herself was only a minor character who had a one-sided crush on Sean. Now Rosaline was dead, so Jane was more than a minor character now. She was a minor antagonist. "Please leave, Miss Dunn," said the old butler. "Oh, yes, Mr. Stewart also asked me to tell you one more thing." Jane looked at the old butler abruptly. "Mr. Stewart said, 'Why weren't you the one who died?'" Jane was still kneeling on the ground, but now her body began to sway as well. There was a sharp and intense pain in her chest. The old butler turned around, his dry and wrinkled lips curving into a cold yet hard angle. It made his conservative features look cruel and harsh. Jane killed Rosaline, and it infuriated him. He hated Jane's ruthlessness.

Chapter 3 Chapter 3

Jane held up her body, which was chilled to the bone. She got to her feet, staggering, but as soon as she stood up, her numb legs gave way under her, and she fell hard onto the asphalt road, butt-first. She gave herself a cynical smile… 'Why weren't you the one who died?' That did sound like something that man would say. Jane smiled, but it looked even worse than a grimace. "Rosaline, oh, Rosaline… Your death made me public enemy number one." On the second floor of Stewart Manor, a man stood there with his long and slender body, with his broad shoulders and narrow hips. His black robe was casually wrapped around him, and he stood barefoot, his tall and sexy body perfectly still in front of the ceiling-to-floor window. His cold gaze was fixed on the shadow of that back outside the manor. "Mr. Stewart, I have repeated your every word to Miss Dunn, as you requested." The old butler stood quietly outside the door to the master bedroom after he chased Jane away. Sean swirled the glass of red wine in his hand. It was only after he heard the old butler's report that he coldly gave his next orders, "Tell the Dunns that they have to choose. If they choose to keep her, they can kiss their business goodbye. If they want to keep their business, they'll have to disown her.""Yes, sir.""Next, inform S University that they don't have anyone called Jane Dunn on their records. Tell No.1 High that Jane Dunn was expelled for fighting during her schooling days. Her highest qualification shall be her junior high graduation.""Yes, sir.""Lastly…" Sean Stewart said coldly, "Send her to jail." The old butler raised his head abruptly, looking shocked as he said, "Mr. Stewart?""A life for a life. She hired others to kill a living human being, so I'll send her to jail and keep her behind bars for three years. What's the matter? Do you fault my decision, Summers?" The sentence of three years was one that Sean had decided for Jane of his own accord. They did not have enough evidence yet right now, but Sean was certain in his rage. "No, you made the right decision, Mr. Stewart. Absolutely… Thank you, Mr. Stewart. Th-thank you…" The old butler's face was awash with tears. He actually broke down. "If it weren't for you, Mr. Stewart, what Jane Dunn did to Rosaline would go unpunished. She's a Dunn, so there's nothing I can do about her. Thank you, sir, thank you… Sooob…" Sean turned around and stood before the window, looking down at the figure that turned the corner and walked out of sight. His eyes were filled with shadows, and his long fingers gripped his wine glass tightly. Finally, he threw his head back and drained all the blood-red liquid, swallowing it all up. "Summers, I'm teaching Jane Dunn a lesson, not because Rosaline was your daughter, but because she was the woman I chose," said Sean slowly. … Jane dragged her exhausted body back home. However, she never managed to set foot inside the Dunn household. The old butler who had been serving the Dunns all his life repeated Sean Stewart's exact words to her, and Jane was kindly "invited to leave" the Dunn household. She never even caught a glimpse of her own parents throughout the ordeal. Were they that afraid of Sean Stewart? Jane tugged at a corner of her lips… and then she pulled back her gaze. Those ornate steel gates drew a line between herself and the Dunns, cutting her off from everything she had ever owned. Jane did not know how to describe how she was feeling right now. The moment she turned around, two men in blue police uniforms stopped her. "Miss Dunn, we suspect that you hired thugs to rape a Miss Rosaline Summers, leading to her accidental death. Please come with us." Before she was escorted into prison, Jane saw Sean, standing majestically next to the window. Jane shook her head and said determinedly, "I never did anything to Rosaline." Sean deliberately walked his long and well-toned body up to her. Jane told herself to be brave. After all, she was innocent. She did not do anything wrong. Her delicate little face was raised fearlessly, and she tried her best to remain calm, but her trembling shoulders still betrayed her nervousness… and that pair of sharp eyes did not miss anything.

Chapter 4 Chapter 4

There was a hint of surprise in Sean's eyes… Was she trying so hard to maintain her dignity even at a time like this? Then again, she was Jane Dunn, after all. This woman had always been pompous and prideful, such that even his rejection of her confession barely left a dent on her. Sean abruptly grabbed her delicate chin. "Mgh… Ow!" The hand on her chin was like a pair of metal pliers, the force on her chin threatening to shatter it. It hurt so badly that tears welled in Jane's eyes. However, he did not hold back at all, only applying more force into his grip on her chin. "Who would have thought that such a pretty face was hiding such an evil heart?""I really didn't do anything to Rosaline!" Jane bit her lip, her face pale from the pain. "You can't send me to jail without evidence like this.""You're wrong. I can." Sean laughed coldly as he enunciated every word with cruel relish. "So, Miss Dunn, please enjoy your happy life in prison from now on." Sean let go of her chin and turned around, waving as he left— easy and carefree. He was taking his revenge on her. All the blood had drained from Jane's face, and she could not say a word. The women's prison was not as peaceful as it seemed on the surface. On her first night there, she was dragged out of her sleep. "What… What are you guys doing?" Jane looked at her jail mates standing around her menacingly. "Don't try anything funny, or else I'll call the warden." The female convicts around her did not seem intimidated by her threat at all. Instead, they exchanged a glance and burst out laughing. The leader among them pointed a finger at Jane's face and said, "What did you say? You're gonna call the warden? Hahaha… Did I hear that right? You wanna call the warden?" As she said that, she swung a fist at Jane's face, quickly and mercilessly. "Go on! Call the warden, like you said you would!" The slap made Jane sway on her feet, her ears ringing. She put one hand on the wall and had just only regained her balance when she suddenly launched an attack instead, catching everyone off-guard. Smack! An eerie silence followed that single slap. No one expected this delicate slip of a girl to have the nerve to fight back. The stocky woman went nuts over Jane's little slap. Her eyes were bloodshot as she howled, "Oh, you little btch! Get ‘em, girls! It doesn’t matter if you break a limb or two. After all, Mr. Stewart said we don’t have to hold back. Let’s give this stupid btch a good warm welcome. All we gotta do is not kill her!” Jane was shocked. A sharp and intense pain spread from her heart to the rest of her body! … Sean! Sean Stewart!! Mr. Stewart told them… Sean Stewart!!! All of Jane’s limbs were shaking, while her heart had frozen into ice! No wonder no guards came despite all the commotion here. No wonder these big beefy female convicts surrounding her were so bold about beating her up! She raised her head to look up at the convicts, then she stood and ran toward the jail entrance. Gripping the metal bars tightly, she screamed for help, “Somebody! Somebody, please! They’re attacking me! Save me! Somebody!” She knew that no guards would come to her aid, but this meaningless plea for help was all she could do! She was making a wager, betting that Sean had not really told these women to ‘take good care of her’. Although the chances were slim to nothing… she still held on to that fantasy—the dream that Sean had not given up on her completely, that he was still willing to leave her some hope. “Ah…!” Someone yanked her hair painfully, and she stumbled from the force, falling face-first to the ground. Jane had never been so humiliated before! The next second, Jane was pulled up by her hair, taking a volley of punches and kicks. She crumbled to the ground, groaning, “Ugh~” Jane did not get the “hope” from Sean she was waiting for.

Chapter 5 Chapter 5

She stopped screaming, letting these people kick and punch her as they liked, accompanied by their gleeful laughter. She pleaded for help not because she was afraid of the pain and the beating, but because she trusted in that tiniest bit of hope and fantasy she had left. After the women grew tired of beating her up, they crawled into their own beds and went to sleep. Jane was curled up on the floor in agony, her tears flowing out of the corner of her eyes and smearing dirt all over her face. She had never been bullied by so many people before. She had never been so humiliated before. All she did was fall for a man she should not have, Sean Stewart! Why was it that she had to take the brunt of his fury and hatred just because something happened to Rosaline? After what happened to Rosaline, Jane tried to explain to everyone. “I didn’t do anything to Rosaline.” No matter how hard she tried to explain, though, no one was willing to believe her. She explained with everything she had. She had not been the one who invited Rosaline to Nightlight; it was Rosaline who wanted to go because she was curious to know what a ‘bar’ was like. In everyone else’s eyes, Jane, the heiress of the Dunns, was wild and crazy, while Rosaline Summers was pure, innocent and timid. No one believed that Rosaline would suggest going to a place as chaotic and impure as a bar herself. Jane said that her car broke down on the way there, which was why she was late to arrive at Nightlight. No one believed her. All of them said she was making excuses, that she had purposely left Rosaline alone at Nightlight so it would be easier for those thugs she hired to rape Rosaline and ruin her good name. However, Jane never had a reason to do any of that. Rosaline always said to her, “Jane, I don’t think about Sean that way, honest.” If Rosaline was Sean’s girlfriend, Jane would give him a wide berth. Yet Rosaline did not even like Sean, did she? Everyone thought of Jane as the evil antagonist, the villainess who had committed all sorts of unspeakable acts. Those thugs probably knew that things were bad, so they vanished without a trace. Who knew where they could have gone? The country was huge, and it was not as though there have not been stories of murderers who hid in the woods deep within the mountains for a decade or two. Jane wanted those thugs captured more than anyone else. She let the tears flow. After the incident with Rosaline until the moment she ended up in jail, Jane had steadfastly believed in one thing: she was innocent, she did not commit any crime. Now, however, she understood. As long as Sean believed she was guilty, then she was guilty as sin and deserving of death. Everything that had happened today— It was all in accordance with Mr. Stewart’s wishes. What Jane did not know was that her life in prison would continue to be filled with “Mr. Stewart’s wishes”. She did not have the Dunns’ support, a file, or any educational background, plus she was a convict… Sean Stewart had effectively wiped all proof of Jane’s existence off the records! Now, Jane Dunn was nothing more than Convict No. 926! Jane thought it through, hugging her knees to her chest and making herself even smaller. ...Sean had completely removed all traces of her existence! The next morning “Hey, wake up. Go wash the toilet…” One of the female convicts gave Jane a shove, but then she received such a scare that she screamed, “Gah! She’s dead!” One of the bolder convicts rushed up to her and placed a finger under Jane’s nostrils, waiting for a while before she finally felt a faint breath. “Shut up! She’s still alive! Go get the guards!” Jane was strong enough to live, so she survived that encounter. That was not necessarily a good thing, though. The endless humiliation and infinite torture were enough to drive anyone crazy, enough to… change someone completely.

Chapter 6 Chapter 6

Three years later The gates to the S City Women’s Prison opened, and soon a woman walked out of them slowly. She was ridiculously thin. Although she was wearing the same white dress she wore when she entered the prison three years ago, it now looked like a sack when worn over her shoulders. She walked very slowly, taking one step at a time as she headed toward the counter more than a hundred meters away. She held a black plastic bag that contained thirty-one bucks and fifty cents, as well as her ID. It was a scorching hot summer, and there was a visible heat wave above the stone road she walked on. It was at least thirty-three or -four degrees celsius out there that day, but the woman was so dehydrated that she did not produce even a drop of sweat as she walked under the hot sun. There were black and blue bruises all over her pale skin. There was even a scar about three centimeters long on her face, more precisely her forehead near her hairline. It was extremely irritating to look at. The bus arrived, and the woman boarded it. She carefully took a dollar coin out of the black plastic bag and put it into the bus’ coin box. There were not that many people on the bus, and the driver barely gave her a glance before pulling back his disgusted gaze… Anyone who boarded the bus here had to be a convict from the prison, and no criminal was any good. The woman did not seem to notice the driver’s gaze at all. She walked to the seats at the very back of the bus and chose the corner seat, trying to stay as low profile as possible. The bus went on its way, and as it proceeded, she looked outside the window… A lot had changed in three years. Her lips curved slightly… Of course, a lot changed in three years. That went for the outside world, but it went even more so for her. The bus drove to a more developed part of town, and she suddenly gave a jolt… Where was she supposed to go now that she had left the prison? In her daze, she realized a pressing fact of reality—she had nowhere to go. She opened the black plastic bag. All she had left was thirty bucks and a half. She carefully counted it three times… What was she supposed to do now? Not far from the roadside, there was a “hiring” sign that caught her attention. “Sir, I wanna get down. Please open the door for me.” The three years she spent in jail had washed away all of her pride, and she always sounded timid when she spoke to others. The driver complained like crazy as he opened the bus door. She thanked him and got off the bus. She then walked up to the large recruitment sign and looked at it for a while. Her gaze fell upon the word “cleaner” as well as “one meal and boarding provided”. She did not have a home, a file, or any qualifications, but she did have a prison record… They probably would not hire her even for the position of a cleaner. However… The woman gripped the thirty bucks and a half she had left and clenched her teeth, walking into the nightclub called East Emperor International Entertainment Center. Jane shuddered as soon as she went in; the cool air-conditioning made her shiver with cold. … “Name,” the other person said impatiently. “Jane Dunn,” she said in her hoarse voice slowly. The flashy-looking woman who was recording Jane’s particulars was so shocked to hear her that she shuddered and nearly dropped her pen. The interviewer asked crossly, “Why is your voice so grating?” The three years she spent in prison had made Jane accustomed to keeping her head down, so although the woman had called her voice unpleasant to her face, she merely replied slowly and gently, as though nothing would ever faze her. “I inhaled too much smoke.” The flashy woman was slightly surprised, turning her investigative gaze onto Jane’s face. “Was it a fire?”“Yes, it was.” Jane calmly lowered her eyes at that. ...Rather than a fire, it was more like arson. The flashy woman noticed that Jane had no intention of explaining further, and that Jane was not a particularly exciting person either. She let the topic slide, but she frowned slightly and clicked her tongue. “This won’t do. East Emperor isn’t your run-of-the-mill entertainment facility, and we have a high-class clientele too.” She swept her gaze over Jane again, making no attempt to hide her disgust. She clearly had a very low regard for Jane, dressed in her sack-like dress. Jane must have been wearing that dress for way too long, too, because the white fabric was even yellowing. East Emperor was not somewhere your average Joe could afford to go, so even the regular attendants had to have decent features and curvy bodies. How did someone like Jane even have the nerve to come for a job interview. The flashy woman stood up and waved her hand, rejecting Jane firmly. “No, someone like you won’t do. You can’t even be an attendant.” With that, she turned to leave.

Chapter 7 Chapter 7

“I’m here to be a cleaner.” The hoarse voice spoke up dully in the tiny office, successfully stopping the woman in her tracks. She paused and turned around, raising a brow as she appraised Jane from head to toe again. Suspiciously, she said, “I’ve never seen a woman in her twenties willing to lower her head and take the tough job of a cleaner.” Even the youngest cleaning lady they had here was in her forties. This girl may have a scar on her forehead and a stick-thin body, but she was still only twenty. They had plenty of twenty-year-olds here— all of them models and hostesses! Oh, and some attendants too, of course. They just did not have any twenty-years-old cleaners. The woman thought that this unassuming girl would immediately pour out her sob story, talking about how difficult her life was and how hard it was to survive. If the girl really tried to sell her all that nonsense, she would have chased her out in an instant. Life was tough, huh? Ha, there were so many such stories here at East Emperor that they would form enough books to fill a library if they were written down on paper. Who cared about the life of a stranger they just met? To her surprise, the girl with the unbearably hoarse voice said slowly, “I would gladly sell my body if I could. Before I came here, I took a good look at myself and realized that I’m not qualified for that, so all I can sell is my labor. I’ll just do what I can.” ...She was just Convict No. 926. After she went into and returned from a place like that, what dignity did she have left to speak of? There was the flash of self-deprecating humor in Jane’s eyes. The flashy woman was slightly surprised, and she appraised Jane from top to bottom once more. She then walked back to her office and picked up a pen, ready to fill in the form. “Jane Dunn, was it? Dunn with two n’s?”“That’s right.”“I’m surprised.” The woman examined Jane again. “It’s a sweet name. Your parents must really love you.” Jane’s eyes were as dead as still water… Did they love her? Yes, they did. If she had not been so despicable as to kill Rosaline Summers and bring disaster upon the family, then yes, they probably loved her. Very much so. “I don’t have any family,” Jane said calmly. The flashy woman frowned and glanced at Jane, but she did not enquire any further. She stood up and said, “Alright, then make a copy of your ID.” The woman got up from her chair and walked to the door with her fifteen-centimeter heels before she suddenly stopped and turned around, warning Jane, “Jane, do you know why I made an exception and hired you?” She did not expect an answer, so she continued, “It’s because you said one thing right. If you could sell your body, then you would, but if you can’t, then you would just do what you could. “Many people twice your age still can’t understand that. They are so hype-focused and stop at nothing to make sales, thinking that they’re fighting for the top when it’s only their heads in the clouds. They never actually know where they really stand. “You’re willing to look at yourself honestly and understand what you’re capable of. I believe that someone who knows what they can do would also know what they can’t do.” At that point, the flashy woman narrowed her eyes. “East Emperor isn’t your regular entertainment center, Jane.” Jane answered as slowly as ever. “I know. I have an unpleasant voice, so I won’t say anything unnecessary.” That included the things she should not be blabbing about. The flashy woman nodded, satisfied. Usually, she never gave the newbies advice like this. If they dared to come to East Emperor, they had to be mentally prepared. To think she made an exception for this cleaner. Although the woman had a high enough position at East Emperor, she still could not afford to offend any of the rich and powerful people in this melting pot of a city. ...Anyone who joined East Emperor had to learn the ‘rules’. That meant what they should and should not say, what they should and should not do. “Um, Miss Manager…” Jane stammered. “I don’t have anywhere to stay.” The flashy woman said, “Just call me Alora from now on.” She then pulled out her phone and made a call. “Ken, come over here. I just hired a new cleaner, take her to the dorms.” After that, she hung up and said offhandedly to Jane, “Come to work tomorrow.” With that, she left Jane alone here. Jane looked at the appointment form in her hand and heaved a secret sigh of relief… At least she did not have to sleep on the streets tonight.

Chapter 8 Chapter 8

It had been three months since Jane started working at East Emperor. When night fell, this ridiculously busy city would light up with hypnotizing neon lights. Jane had just cleaned up a drunk lady’s vomit. Although she moved slowly, she worked efficiently. After that, she lit up some fragrant incense and left it in the corner. The mop she was holding cleaned up each individual cubicle in the toilet, and then she arrived at the last cubicle at the very back. This was where she kept her cleaning supplies and took a break between tasks. It was very orderly and neat. The attendant who had dragged her here to clean up had long since vanished, but Jane did not really mind. She put the mop and the bucket away appropriately before sitting in the next cubicle over and spacing out. ‘Jane, this is all in accordance with Mr. Stewart’s wishes. ‘Jane, you’re nothing now. You lost the family you take pride in, you lost your beautiful looks and your excellent educational record. You’re nothing but an ex-convict now! ‘Jane, just stay obedient and do what you’re told to. Don’t try to fight back. After all, Mr. Stewart told us to ‘take good care of you’. ‘Jane, you’re just a convict in prison, so why do you need both your kidneys? If you donate one of them, you can save a life in place of the one you killed. ‘Jane… Give it up, stop struggling…’ Those voices were like curses, and those faces terrifyingly distorted as they haunted her thoughts. Jane could not get them out of her head no matter how hard she tried to. “Jane, come on out. They need you in the VIP room on the sixth floor, Room 606.” The cubicle door was abruptly pulled open, and the person there frowned as she hastened Jane to move. “Hurry up, and stop dawdling around. Even the top model here isn’t as cocky as you are, sheesh.” Jane was usually so quiet and withdrawn, and she did everything she was asked. She never retorted or talked back even if they purposely gave her a hard time, and that was now an open secret at the club. Anyone who was in a bad mood could just ‘take it out’ on Jane for a bit whenever they felt like it. “The hostesses are in charge of their private rooms.” Jane was only telling the truth, but her words were practically ‘treason’ in the ears of the attendant. The attendant’s expression immediately turned cold, and she crossed her arms in front of her chest. “The client threw up. Are you saying Luna should handle something so disgusting?” It was a disgusting task that Luna should not handle, but Jane should. The attendant was not at all concerned about hurting Jane’s feelings. As expected, Jane did not fight back. She just dumbly said, “Oh, okay”, and it only made the attendant look down on her even more. Jane lowered her eyelids and followed that attendant into the elevator. Suddenly, though, she was shoved out of the elevator. Jane looked at the attendant in confusion, and the attendant just gave her a look of utter contempt. “What are you staring at? Take the stairs. It’s only the sixth floor, that isn’t too high up. In fact, it’s just nice.” The attendant glanced at Jane contemptuously, “It can even help you lose some weight.” Jane was not overweight at all. On the contrary, she was unnaturally thin. However, she wore a thick bundle of clothing every day when she went to work, so it made her look bulky and clumsy. The attendant was clearly making it hard for Jane on purpose, and anyone else would turn this into a fight. Nevertheless, this was Jane she was talking to. The attendant was certain that it would not devolve into a fight. As she thought, Jane obediently began to climb the stairs. When the elevator doors closed, the attendant pursed her lips. What a useless piece of trash. The only sound reverberating in the dimly-lit stairwell was the pitter-patter of Jane’s footsteps. This was the emergency staircase, so most people did not come here, taking the elevator directly to the floor they wanted instead. The place was dimly-lit, so aside from emergencies, there was only one other time when people would come here— and that was when they wanted a secret rendezvous.

Chapter 9 Chapter 9

Jane walked slowly, climbing the stairs one at a time. She was a little tired by the time she reached halfway up the fifth floor, so she stopped on the landing for a rest. That was when she heard a noise… Jane’s heart thumped and she looked up to see a man embracing a woman around the corner, their movements hot and heavy. From where she stood, she could see the woman’s back and half of the man’s side profile. She inwardly cursed her luck. What a thing to encounter. She was about to leave stealthily when the man’s tightly-closed eyes flew open and stared at her seductively. Jane’s heart was hammering in her chest now, and she blinked back at the man. The man seemed to sense her gaze. From his side profile, she could see one of his pitch-black eyes looking at her tauntingly, shining brighter than a star. Her heart shook, and she lowered her head, lifting a foot to go back down the stairs. “Stand right there.” Jane’s scalp went numb when she heard that voice behind her… She did not want to court any trouble, but there was no telling what these rich and powerful people were capable of. She gave it some thought and then turned around, bowing respectfully. “Good day, sir. I’m really sorry I interrupted you.” Jane’s finger pointed at the emergency exit leading to the sixth floor as she said, “I’m the cleaner called to clean Room 606. It’s merely a coincidence that I bumped into her and interrupted your fun. Please excuse me.” However, the man reacted with great interest, not at all shocked by her gravelly voice. “You’re a cleaner? Even though you’re so young?” His seductive eyes looked Jane up and down. “So you’re going to Room 606, huh?” Jane was about to say yes when the man beckoned her over. “C’mon, I’ll take you there.” Huh? … Jane looked at the man, confused, and followed him after some hesitation. Jane knew the woman who was with the man. She was a new model, stage name Jenny. When Jenny saw the man walk past the emergency exit, she followed behind him. The man suddenly stopped and turned around, telling Jenny, “I said I’m taking her up there, not you. You don’t have to follow me anymore.” Jenny pouted to the man, whining, “Master Soros, have you abandoned me already…?” As she was saying that, a check magically appeared in front of her, and ‘Master Soros’ grinned at her. “Can you leave now?” Jenny’s eyes lit up, and she instantly stopped sniffling, giggling as she took the check and thanked him. Jane could clearly see that while Soros’ face was smiling when he gave Jenny the check, his eyes were clearly filled with derision. Soros seemed to sense Jane’s gaze on him, and he suddenly looked up, casting his seductive gaze onto her. “What’s the matter? Have you fallen for me?”“Huh?” Soros suddenly flexed the muscles in his body, and before she knew it, he was right in front of her. Jane was not that tall to begin with, so the moment Soros came this close to her, he made her look even shorter. Soros narrowed his seductive eyes, lowering his gaze and looking at that little black-haired head right in front of his chest. Suddenly, he bent his waist and said into her ear, “Have you really fallen for me? Are you in love with me as a person, or with my money?” Jane felt that warm breath on her ear, and her ears turned completely red to the roots with a whoosh! She instinctively took a quick step back, but she had forgotten about her old leg injury. When she backed up too abruptly, her leg stumbled and she lost her balance. By then, she was fully prepared to take the tumble. However, a large hand suddenly appeared at her waist and caught her in time.

Chapter 10 Chapter 10

Jane’s heart was still pounding, but before she could feel relieved, she suddenly realized that a man she did not know had his arm around her waist intimately. “Aaaah…” Jane panicked. All her life, the only man who had hugged her so intimately was her older brother. No one else had touched her like this before, not even… him. Haydn Soros’ expression darkened, and he reached out his other hand, clamping it across Jane’s mouth. “Shut up! What’s with all that yelling? You’re so weird, woman! Most people would involuntarily scream when they’re falling, but you’re the exception. You didn’t make a sound at all when you were falling, so why the heck are you screaming now?”“P-P-Please… Let go of me.” Haydn noticed how suspiciously she was stammering, and then something clicked in his mind. “Hey, you weren’t screaming just because I hugged you by the waist, were you?” Haydn saw how the woman in his arm immediately turned pale at that, and he could not stop the corner of his mouth from twitching. “...So I hit the nail on the head, huh?” He gave it some thought before giving her a strange grin. “Hey, lady, are you telling me you’ve never been held by a man like this before?” Haydn found her reactions fascinating. When he saw how red the roots of her ears were, something occurred to him, and he sadistically added more force into his arm around Jane’s waist. Swoosh! Haydn looked at how flushed her entire face went in an instant, looking as though he had discovered a new continent… To think that there were still women in this day and age who turned this red just because a man was hugging her by the waist! How fascinating! How rare! Haydn was simply beside himself with excitement. He purposefully pinched Jane’s waist with the hand around her, but all he could feel was cloth. It confused him, and he was not going to let politeness get in the way of his curiosity. “What are you doing?!” Jane struggled and pushed Haydn away. Meanwhile, Haydn looked at Jane in shock. “Your waist…” He did not know what to say. Was what he touched just now really the waist of a normal woman? Haydn had always been a self-proclaimed ladies’ man, with almost a thousand lovers in the past. His past flings included plenty of international models and celebrities, but the waist he just touched was even thinner than the thinnest of his previous girlfriends’. It was so thin he could encircle most of it with one hand! “You…” He wanted to say, “That’s why you’re wearing so many layers on such a hot day”. However, he looked into her ears and saw that this woman before him was clearly feigning indifference despite being in intense pain. Her gaze was resentful yet self-deprecating, and all of a sudden, he could not say a thing. Many years later, Haydn still could not forget Jane’s gaze in that moment. Right now, though, he still could not understand how someone's gaze could be so proud and so meek at the same time, perfectly mashing two completely opposing emotions at once. What could have happened to this woman to give her the aura of two polar opposites, merged into a conflicting one? Jane shoved Haydn aside and took off in a run. She could not run very quickly at all, though, and she had barely taken two steps before she tripped and fell. However, she just propped herself back up as though nothing had happened, holding onto the wall for support as she tried to put as much distance between herself and Haydn as possible. Her mind was a mess right now… as though someone had discovered her most humiliating secret. After she was released from prison, she just wanted a peaceful and quiet life. She wanted just enough to eat and a place to sleep, to be able to sustain herself and save some money so she could move to Erhai, a faraway lake. There, she would be able to see the clear waters and blue sky that she could never see in prison. She could not take any more drama. Haydn wanted to help her, but if he even tried to catch up to her, the woman would react as though she was being chased by a monster, dragging her body with her hands on the wall pathetically. Haydn had no choice but to slow down. At Room 606 Jane knocked on the door and walked inside. As soon as she entered the room, she could sense the eerie atmosphere inside. Under the dim lighting, she saw a few clients sitting on the couch, surrounded by a few models. There was only a pure and innocent-looking girl standing alone in front of the crystal table in the room. Jane knew this girl. She was a newly-recruited attendant called Susie Thompson. She was Jane's dormmate and a student at S University.

Chapter 11 Chapter 11

"Jane…" Susie suddenly called Jane's name, a sob in her voice. Jane jumped in shock, every muscle in her body instantly turning taut. The seven or eight pairs of eyes immediately turned onto Jane, so she just had to toughen it out, saying, "I'm the cleaner. They called me up here to help clean up." As soon as she spoke, everyone could hear her gravelly voice. The others in the room each frowned in annoyance. Jane had been working at East Emperor for three months now, so she knew to talk less and work more. She was just a cleaner, so even if they did not like her voice, no one was really going to punish her for it. However, Susie's situation here was evidently beyond Jane's knowledge, so things might take a turn for the worse if Jane recklessly tried to interfere. The entire time, Jane kept her head down and circled around Susie, heading toward the attached washroom. VIP rooms came with attached washrooms, each equipped with all the necessary cleaning tools in a specially designated closet so they did not mar the aesthetics of the washroom. Jane emerged from the washroom with a mop and a bucket. She merely kept her head down as she cleaned, ignoring all of Susie's pleading looks. The three years she spent in prison taught her not to play the hero when she could not afford to, and to always know her place. Otherwise, just a flick of a powerful person's finger could relegate her to a fate worse than death. She was not Susie Thompson. Susie was poor, but she still had her parents, and she was even a student at S University. Meanwhile, Jane was nothing more than an ex-convict! She was nothing. She could not take any more torture or suffering, and she definitely could not afford to help anyone else. "You can leave after you sing this song," said one of the men to Susie. Jane lifted her head stealthily and saw Susie biting her lip, as though she was utterly humiliated. “I don’t…” Jane suddenly lost her grip on her mop, and it slid across Susie’s shoes, giving her a shock and making her forget what she was about to say. She looked at Jane. Jane raised her head and apologized. “Sorry, I accidentally ran my mop over your shoes.” It looked like an accidental little detour in the discussion, but it did attract the attention of the other men in the room. Jane heard Susie say angrily next to her ear, “I’m not a model or a hostess here. I won’t sing! I’m just an attendant who’s supposed to serve them tea!” Jane was filled with regret now, enough to make her want to kill herself... There were some people she could help, but then there were those who were beyond help. Jane did not know why Susie made this choice, but if Jane was in her shoes, there was no way she would offend these rich young masters over a song. Anyone who could afford the VIP rooms in East Emperor had to have connections in high places, so how could they possibly tolerate such insubordination from a mere attendant? Susie had completely disrespected them. There was no way they were going to go easy on her now. These rich young men had seen all sorts of women. Since Susie looked pretty and innocent, they only asked her to sing a song as an excuse to let her go. If Susie was obedient enough to comply, these young men would not have caused her any more trouble. It seemed like Jane’s attempt to help Susie had been futile. All she received in return was some unwanted attention from the guests. Jane thought to herself, ‘I should just get this cleaned up quickly and leave while I can. The longer I stay here, the more likely things will go wrong. I tried to help Susie just now, but I might have offended the guests in this room as a result, and then I’ll get dragged into her mess. I should just leave this room as soon as possible.’ “Oh? You’re quite dignified, aren’t you?” This time, it was a cocky voice that spoke. “You won’t sing? Sure, then drink this bottle of wine on the table here, then you can leave.”“I won’t drink! I’m not one of the hostesses who’s supposed to drink with you!”“Hahaha, you won’t drink?” The cocky voice laughed. “I don’t think you have the right to say no here. Anyone who works at East Emperor, be it a mere attendant or even the cleaning lady, has to obey the client’s every word. Isn’t that right?” The moment Jane heard that cocky voice mention the ‘cleaning lady’, she felt a bad omen all of a sudden. The next second, her premonition proved to be true. “Hey, you over there. Yes, you, cleaning lady. Don’t you agree?”

Chapter 12 Chapter 12

See, they were really turning on her now! She knew it, she should not have tried to help Susie! Jane regretted everything now. “Hey, I was asking you a question, cleaner lady.” Jane had no choice but to force a nod. That cocky voice laughed cheerily, addressing Susie with, “Did you hear that? Even a cleaner can read the room better than you. She knows better.” With that, he picked up the bottle and slammed it onto the table. “Drain it all, or call Alora Smith here.” Alora Smith was the interviewer who had accepted Jane into the club. The mention of Alora scared Susie a little. The Thompsons were poor, and Susie was working here at East Emperor because they paid well. If they actually summoned Alora, she could kiss her job goodbye. “Don’t call Alora!” Susie grabbed the bottle of wine from the crystal table. “I’ll drink it!” Her tears began to spill before she even started drinking. “Wait up.” A deep voice spoke slowly from the shadows. Jane’s back was turned against this dark corner, but her body began to shake violently and involuntarily the moment she heard that voice. Terror crept into her eyes, and her breathing grew labored. “Turn around,” the voice commanded in the darkness. Jane’s legs were as heavy as lead, and she did not move, constantly telling herself, ‘He’s not talking to me.’ “I’ll say it one more time. Turn around. Cleaner. Lady.”“Gasp…” Jane felt like she had been punched in the heart, but she knew she had to do as he said. Her teeth chattered, and she turned around stiffly, wrapped up in all those bulky clothes. The atmosphere was extremely odd. Everyone could tell that something was amiss now. The cocky young master pressed his fingers to his lips and blew a joyful whistle. “This will be fun.” One of the men on the couch barked, “Shut up, Ray. Don’t interrupt the show.”“Well, screw you, Elior White. You’re bad to the bone.” Jane’s eyes were overflowing with fear. She wanted to run away from here! She had spent three days in jail; that was 1,095 days in a living hell. After she crawled out of that bottomless abyss, she did not even dare to have any romantic hopes for Sean Stewart anymore. All she felt for this man now was a bone-deep terror and fear. Even if she had any other feelings of love or admiration for this man, she had long since buried them deep in her heart, where the sun would never reach. “Raise your head.” That slow voice ordered her, and Jane moved according to his every word like a puppet. It was dimly-lit in here, and that man was hiding in a dark corner. She did not dare to look around when she entered the room, so it was no wonder she did not see him. Sean Stewart was sitting on a couch in the corner like a king, his long and slender arms resting on the sides of the couch. He rested his chin on the backs of his hands, elegant and gentlemanly, but his eyes behind his gold-rimmed glasses stared at her like those of a hungry wolf, ready to pounce and rip her to shreds at any time. Three years had not dulled any of his brilliance at all. Instead, the passage of time had only polished him, made him even more dazzling. That face was slightly obscured in the dim lighting, as though covered by a layer of golden light. He just sat there, emanating a mesmerizing aura. Even so… she did not dare to even look at him! She just desperately tried to bury her face in the thick clothes over her chest. “Pfft.” Sean snorted, cold amusement in his eyes as he spoke dangerously, “It’s been a while. What’s the matter? Aren’t you going to greet me?” Jane was deathly pale. “Mr. Stewart.” Jane tried her best to force down the terror in her chest. Her fingers dug deep into her thigh, and she forced herself to look calm on the surface. However, the man on the couch could easily see through her every move. Sean narrowed his eyes and appraised Jane… If he had not bumped into her here at East Emperor, he would almost have forgotten that she even existed.

Chapter 13 Chapter 13

She was unrecognizable. If that attendant had not called her ‘Jane’, he would not have thought it was her at all. The lighting in the room was too dim, so he could only vaguely see her. Even so, Sean could not help but admit that she had changed beyond even his expectations. “Where were you released?” Sean asked casually. Jane immediately panicked, all the blood draining from her face. She raised her head abruptly and looked at the man pleadingly… ‘I’m begging you, don’t say it. Don’t tell all these people that I had been to jail, I’m begging you!’ — He could clearly read those words in her eyes! Sean raised a brow. Before anyone else knew what was happening, he pointed a finger at the bottle Susie was holding and gave Jane a cold smile. “I know what you’re trying to say. Sure. I’ll fulfill your wish, but only if you drain that bottle of wine completely.” Jane looked at the bottle of vodka Susie was holding, her face pale as death. It was Bols Vodka, one of the more well-known brands of vodka around. It had about 40% alcohol. Jane stared at the bottle of vodka, white as a sheet, and opened her mouth to try and say something. The man on the couch was like a hunter playing with the toy he was trampling on. His black eyes were fixed on Jane tauntingly. “My patience has a limit.” That familiar voice made Jane turn even paler. “I… I can’t drink.” As soon as she said that lie, Jane felt her scalp go numb. That look could definitely kill, or at least it was nearly burning her. Out of his sight, she quietly clenched her hand into a fist… Like a death row prisoner awaiting her sentence, she held her breath in agony in anticipation of the final verdict. “Mr. Stewart, p-please spare me.” Jane could throw away her dignity if it meant surviving. She fell to her knees and pleaded, “I’m begging you, have mercy for me just this once. I’ll do anything as long as I don’t have to drink alcohol.” She wanted to live, because she had to live if she wanted to repay her debts. That was right, she had a huge debt to pay. However, her debtor was not Rosaline Summers. Hidden in the dim lighting, the man’s profile was dyed by a flash of surprise, but it was gone in an instant. After that, Sean said expressionlessly, “It’s just a bottle of wine, but you’re groveling on the floor just because you don’t want to drink it? Jane Dunn, what happened to your famous pride? What about that dignity you held on until the very end?” Dignity? Jane’s face was pressed against the floor, colored with a hint of cynicism and bitterness. What was dignity? Was it edible? Would it allow her to live? She knelt not because she wanted to avoid that bottle of vodka, but because—she wanted to live! She closed her eyes painfully, because the moment she did, she would see a face filled with humiliation in her mind. There was only ever one exception, and yet that girl had died in that dark and damp prison! Because of Jane! All because of her! Such a young life, barely twenty years of age, in the prime of her youth. Yet she had withered and died in such a place, just like that. It was all because of her, all because of Jane! That was Jane’s sin, her debt, something she could never atone for! She did not owe Rosaline Summers anything, but she owed that girl who bravely stood out to protect her in prison, the girl who had ended up dying a meaningless death! Jane’s body could not stop shaking. It felt as though she could see that girl’s bloody body lying in her arms again, calling Jane’s name as she told Jane all about her hometown and her dreams in the sweetest voice Jane had ever heard… all as she lay dying.

Chapter 14 Chapter 14

“What do you wanna do after you leave prison, Jane? I wanna go to Erhai. It’s beautiful in a clear and clean way. The waterfowl there are adorable, and the fish and shrimp there are fresh. The sky is bluer, the water is clearer, and even the sunlight is warmer than here in this city. “I wanna work hard to earn a ton of money, then I’ll go there and start a little homestay. I don’t wanna make money there. I just wanna see Erhai every day, see the tides come and go. Money isn’t my main goal, as long as I have enough to eat. Occasionally I’d see the backpackers come and go. “Jane, I think I’m dying. What should I do? I haven’t even seen Erhai with my own eyes yet.” Jane would never forget that melodic yet tragic voice. She held that girl, trying constantly to warm up the girl’s gradually cooling body with her own heat. As she lay dying, the girl’s bright eyes remained filled with desire. She looked at the sky outside the prison’s tiny metal window, saying, “Jane, to tell you the truth, I’ve never been to Erhai. I saw it’s beauty on TV and in magazines. I know that even after I get out of here, I won’t have the money to go to Erhai and start a small homestay. I just wanted to dream an impractical dream before I died, that’s all.” Until now, Jane still remembered the yearning in the girl’s eyes as she died. The memory hurt so badly that Jane’s eyes moistened with tears before she realized. She reached out her hand to wipe away the tears stealthily. As she lay prostrated on the floor, she reached one hand toward her lower left back. It was completely empty there; she had one organ less than most normal people. That was the reason she could not drink alcohol. She had to live. She owed a debt that she had not repaid! She had a sin that she had not atoned for! No! She could not die yet! Jane raised her head and looked at Sean, shaking her head. “Mr. Stewart, as long as it’s not drinking, I can do anything.” Anything… was it? The man’s hawk-like eyes narrowed, and his lips curved slowly. “Anything at all?” There was a hint of danger in his tone. Had the young heiress of the Dunns thrown away all of her self-confidence and pride? He wanted to see if the Miss Dunn he remembered had really changed so utterly. “As long as it’s not drinking, I can do anything.”“Very well!” A hard glint flashed across the man’s face where he sat on the couch. He snapped his fingers and on cue, a figure slowly walked out of the shadowy corner. “Sir.” The man was dressed in a black suit, with neat closely-trimmed hair and his head bowed at a respectful 45-degree angle. He was probably Sean’s bodyguard. Jane looked at Sean in confusion under the dim lighting. The man’s perfect gold-tinted face gradually spread into a smile like a beautiful yet ominous red spider lily. His thin and elegant lips moved, saying, “Kiss him.” Jane’s gaze followed his slender finger and froze when she saw that wordless bodyguard in black standing behind him… Then all of a sudden, her eyes widened! “What? You can’t do it?” She heard Sean’s intrigued laugh at her ear. “Either drink the vodka or start performing, right here and now.” Splash! It felt like she had a basin of ice water poured over her head. Jane was frozen all over, without a hint of warmth left. Her ears rang, and she raised her head, looking dazedly at the man sitting on the couch like a king. ...What did he say? Performing, was it? Oh… He wanted her to perform like a hooker, huh? She slowly pursed her dry lips. So her first kiss was so cheap. Although all she felt for him now was terror and fear, although she had hidden away all of her feelings for him in the deepest graves of her heart, she still could not stop herself from feeling a hint of bitter pain.

Chapter 15 Chapter 15

She looked at Sean slowly, her eyes void of cold, hatred, or love. All he saw there was a deep bottomless despair! Sean savored the despair in her eyes happily. This woman… was probably going to reject his absurd demand, right? Between drinking vodka and publicly making out with a man she did not know like a jester, any woman would easily choose the former, no? Besides, she used to be Miss Dunn. Proud Miss Dunn. “Are there any other options?” After all, this was her first kiss. It meant nothing to him, but it was very important to her. She did not want to lose her first kiss just like that. She had nothing else left. The man raised his wine glass and drained it. “You have no right to haggle with me.” His lips curved pleasantly. He wanted to see just how demeaning and lowly Miss Dunn of S City could make herself! “I see. Understood.” Jane stood up stiffly. Her legs were not in very good shape, and a sharp pain shot up her femur after all that kneeling. It nearly sent her crashing back onto the floor. She raised her hand and hammered her thigh heavily a few times, loosening up her nerves before she limped over to that bodyguard in black. Since she hammered her leg like that, the men in the room assumed her leg was only numb because she had been kneeling for so long. Only Susie knew that the limping woman was suffering an unspeakable pain right now. Susie was starting to regret her actions. She had gotten Jane involved in her mess. “Jane…” Susie could not help but speak, but cocky Ray Sierra gave her a warning look. She hurriedly shut her mouth, her gaze filled with remorse. All she could do was look at that pitiable woman as she limped across the room. Jane’s expression was blank as she walked up to the bodyguard. She quietly took a deep breath and released a long breath. After a long pause, she forced herself to stay calm while she lifted her arms and grabbed the bodyguard in black’s shoulders. She looked very composed, but the person closest to her, the bodyguard whose shoulders she was holding, could clearly feel that Miss Dunn was trembling. He knew Miss Jane Dunn too, but even now, the bodyguard still could not believe that this lowly and humiliated woman was the same heiress of the Dunns, the girl with so much pride and lively energy. Jane stood on the tips of her toes, her shaking white lips approaching the bodyguard’s… It was just her first kiss, she would not feel any pain losing it. If she drank all that vodka, her chances of survival were almost zero. She wanted to live, so what did her first kiss matter? Sean’s expression was complicated. She had chosen the latter, after all. The man on the couch narrowed his eyes, but he had barely opened his thin lips when he suddenly heard a voice from the door. “Oh, it’s you? Why are you still here?” The moment that voice spoke, everyone in the room looked toward it. Before they knew it, a tall man was standing at the door to the room. Jane gave a jolt and turned her head toward the door. “It’s you…” Ray looked at the tall man at the door before turning back to Jane. His sexy eyes narrowed as he grinned, saying, “Yo, Haydn. You know here?” That was weird. Why did the Haydn Soros know a mere cleaning lady? Ray rubbed his chin. This was going to be fun. Meanwhile, Sean looked at Haydn too, a shadow deep in his eyes. Haydn did not really mind that everyone was staring at him. He just looked at Jane oddly… What was this woman doing? Why did it look like she was going to forcefully kiss Sean Stewart’s personal bodyguard? He blinked casually and curved his lips into a smile. “That’s strange. I stepped away for a second, but now it looks like things are heating up here.” Haydn put one hand into his pocket and sauntered over to Jane, asking, “What are you doing?”

Chapter 16 Chapter 16

Ray was about to say something when Elior stealthily interrupted him. The latter’s long narrow eyes sparkled with a cunning light as he said, “Oh, her? She made Master Stewart angry, There, see that? That bottle of vodka.” Elior casually pointed at the bottle on the table. “Master Stewart gave her two choices: either drink that whole bottle or make out with that guy in front of everyone as entertainment.”“Oh~” Haydn drew out his “oh” and walked slowly to Jane as he cast a lazy eye across Sean, who was still sitting on his couch. Haydn rubbed his chin haughty, saying, “You sure have a nice sense of humor, Master Stewart. Since you wanna see a steamy make-out session, shall I volunteer as the male lead? I don’t mean to brag, but I’m quite the kisser. The best around, I’d say.” With that, he moved quickly, reaching out his long arm and pulling the still-dazed Jane into his embrace. Jane had no time to react at all, falling right into his arms. The next second, there was a warmth on her lips, and her eyes widened abruptly. Was she… being kissed? Whoosh! Her face instantly boiled up, turning red from the roots of her ears to the tips of her toes. Haydn was surprised at the sensation of that small mouth under his thin lips… It felt really good! He had not intended to go too deep. His mischievous streak meant that he only wanted to peck her on the mouth, but he was surprisingly enamored by the feeling on his lips. When he was about to reach in deeper, a powerful force yanked the woman away from his arms. Haydn did not get the sweetness he was looking for, so he looked at the man who took Jane away crossly. “Sean, give her back.” Sean’s expression was dark and his gaze sharp. “She angered me, so no one can take her away before I vent this anger.” Haydn raised his brow at Sean. The two of them were friends and rivals at the same time, and they had been that way since they were kids. Although Haydn had later followed his parents overseas while Sean stayed here, their relationship had never once changed. Still, to think Sean cared so much about this woman… Haydn’s curiosity was killing him, so he looked at the woman behind Sean’s back. He was surprised to see how red she had become. All of a sudden, he remembered how she had never been hugged by a man before until their previous encounter. Could it be that even her kissing was… “Hey, was that your first kiss?” Whoosh! Jane’s face turned redder than a baboon’s butt, and it looked like her ears were ready to drip blood. She did not have to say anything; her bright red face was an answer enough. Even Haydn himself did not realize just how wonderful he was feeling right now. His lips curved, and he looked at Sean with a half-smile. “What if I insist on taking her away?” Ray’s chaotic cheers erupted around them, the whistling going on and on. “Elior, take your phone, quick! Film this down! Master Soros is actually challenging Sean Stewart over a girl! If we sell this to a magazine, we’ll get an astronomical payday! I guarantee this will make all the headlines tomorrow!” Elior poured himself a glass of whiskey and raised his brow at the evidently excited Ray. “I guarantee that if you try that, the headlines tomorrow will be about an unidentified naked corpse floating in Huangpu River.”“Urk…” Sean had naturally seen Jane’s beet-red face as well, and all of a sudden, he found her shy expression extremely annoying. His sharp gaze landed on his lips coldly, and he narrowed his eyes, considering something. His bold stare made Jane turn away, feeling tortured. She wanted to avoid that mysterious look he was giving her. However, that only angered Sean for some reason. His grip on her wrist was like a vice, then he bent down and picked her up, throwing her over his shoulder like a sack. As Haydn, Ray, and Elior stared, slack-jawed, he strode out of the door. Haydn was the first to react, his humiliation turning to rage.

Chapter 17 Chapter 17

“Stop!” He gave chase without another word. Ray’s jaw was still hanging open. He had not registered what had happened yet. Elior stood up from the couch abruptly. “This just keeps getting better.” He followed them without giving Ray another look. Finally, Ray recovered and jumped to his feet. “Wait for me! Fun shows should be watched together! The more the merrier, right?” Susie had gone completely pale. It felt like her feet were glued to the floor, and she could not move. All she knew was… It was all over. She had really done Jane in now. She was racked with guilt, but she did not know what to do. If she told Alora, it would be all over for her. If Alora knew that she had been rude and caused such a big mess, she would definitely lose her job here as an attendant. On one hand, she felt guilty. On the other hand, she was worried that she would get in trouble too if Alora found out. Susie was extremely torn and conflicted. Finally… “It’ll be fine. It should be fine. Jane is just a cleaner, and Master Stewart was just a little angry. There’s no way he would torture a cleaner over it. Yeah, that’s right. It’ll be fine,” Susie muttered to herself, trying to bluff herself so that she would feel a little guilty. Haydn quickly gave chase. Sean walked ahead of him, but then he suddenly turned, his long leg drawing a sharp angle in the air as he swung a beautiful kick at Haydn, forcing the latter back. After that, he quickly walked into the elevator right next to him. Haydn wanted to give chase, but then the elevator doors shut tightly right before his eyes! It was so close! Haydn was so furious that he smashed his fist into the elevator doors. Ray and Elior were the perfect partners in crime, so they arrived at the scene, one before the other. Ray reveled in chaos, so he instigated Haydn by saying, “Whoa, seriously? The elevator’s on the 28th floor now!!! Hey, Elior, look! What do you think Sean’s up to? Taking a cleaner lady to the 28th floor?” The six bottom floors of this building were the entertainment center, more commonly known as a nightclub. However, East Emperor’s clientele consisted of the rich and powerful, and these people were always classy and elegant in what they did. Everything above the sixth floor was none other than a hotel. As for why the place was designed like this… It really went without saying. Anyone with at least some brain understood why. Elior’s long narrow eyes sparkled craftily, and he gave Ray a cold smile. “Hey, a cleaner is still a woman. There’s no need to freak out about it.” That only made things worse. Ray could not help but wonder out loud, “Seriously, what’s up with Sean’s taste? That’s nuts.” Taking a cleaner to a hotel room? Ray clicked his tongue. When he remembered that cleaner lady’s figure and looks, he could not help a shudder. “Sh*t!” Haydn slammed his fist into the elevator doors again when he heard that, then he began to smash the up button. “Hey, Haydn, are you really gonna go after them? You just came back from overseas, so you don’t know, but the entire 28th floor here belongs to Sean. You can’t enter that floor without an access card.” Haydn’s expression turned livid. … The elevator rose rapidly, and then the doors opened with a ding. Sean quickly walked out of the elevator with Jane thrown over his shoulder, walking around the living room with an air of familiarity before striding into the bedroom. Bam! Jane felt her vision blurring for a second, and then she was mercilessly dumped onto the Persian rug. “Mgh~” Before she could react, she felt a sharp pain on her chin, and she was forced to open her eyes. Sean’s lethally handsome face was right before her eyes. “Jane Dunn,” said the man slowly in his cold voice. Jane’s body could not help a shudder, but he continued, “Jane Dunn, you’ve really surprised me today.”

Chapter 18 Chapter 18

“To think that the proud Miss Dunn of yore is now willing to beg for mercy on her knees and even kiss a servant in front of so many people. Tell me, how humiliated do you think that old man Joseph Dunn would be if he heard about this?” Joseph was Jane’s father. Jane’s body gave a jolt, and she instantly turned pale, but the next second, she remembered something and retorted with her pale lips, “The Dunns do not have a daughter named Jane. I’m merely a convict.” She looked at the beautiful face right in front of her. Once, this was the face of her dreams, but now she wanted nothing more than to give it a wide berth. “Mr. Stewart, I’m just a lowly convict. A great man like you shouldn’t have anything to do with me, so please spare me.” She forced down her terror of him and tried to act as lowly as possible. All she wanted to live in relative peace. What did her dignity mean to her now? She had finally walked out of that dark prison, she could finally see the sunlight now. She did not want to give up this warmth she had fought so hard to feel. Sean’s eyes narrowed dangerously, burning with rage… How could this lowly woman be the Jane Dunn who had been so obsessed with him back then? Even if he ignored her, she used to stick to him like glue, shamelessly and passionately, like a moth leaping into burning flames. What happened to that Jane Dunn?! He clenched his teeth furiously! Yet he had no idea why he was so angry, where this anger was coming from. His eyes were cold and merciless, his sharp gaze fixed onto her lips. Haydn had even left his mark there— When Sean had forcefully pulled her away from Haydn, the latter had accidentally bitten her on her lips. All of a sudden… “Was that your first kiss just now?”“...Huh?” Jane blinked, but then she instinctively turned red. An unspeakable rage burned in the depths of Sean’s heart, and his expression grew colder. Suddenly, he grabbed Jane by the arm and dragged her roughly to her feet, pulling her toward the washroom. “Let go of me! I’m begging you, let go of me.” Jane pleaded pitifully. Sean was dragging her behind him, and her legs were in pretty bad shape, so she kept tripping and stumbling, nearly falling over several times. However, the man’s mysterious anger put him in no mood to care about the woman behind him. Jane was dragged into the washroom, and before she could even steady her footing, a hand yanked her to the bathtub painfully. The man behind her turned on the tap and pressed her head under the water. “Guh… No… Cough cough cough~ “Mr. ...Stewart, cough cough cough, sir, please, I’m sorry, cough, please spare me... Mrgh!” The splashing water drowned out her choking and coughing as she pleaded, over and over again. As for the man holding her down, he did not say a word from the start to finish, washing her lips over and over. He only stopped when her lips were bruised and bleeding. “Cough cough…” As soon as Jane was released, she held onto the black marble and coughed violently. She was a right mess right now. An ice-cold voice said above her head, “Tell me, how did Haydn Soros kiss you just now?”“...” Jane raised her head in shock, her mouth half-agape. What kind of a question was that? How was she supposed to reply? Was he trying to humiliate her? Jane turned her head away, mortified, and stayed silent… Now, this was probably the most she could do to defy him. How cruel could Sean be?! Must he humiliate her like this?! As for the man before her, his eyes instantly narrowed into slits… Was she avoiding him? She had the nerve to avoid him? He suddenly reached out his long and slender fingers to grab her chin and force her to look at him.

Chapter 19 Chapter 19

All of a sudden, Sean lowered his beautiful head and slowly approached her. The distance between them shrank, and her eyes widened. He was getting closer, closer… When he was close enough to kiss her, her dead and silent heart skipped a beat, for just one second. All of a sudden, the man before her evaded lips and moved to her ear instead, his thin lips plastered to her ear. “Hah~” He laughed at her, his taunting tone clear as day. “Did you really think I would kiss a woman like you?” Jane felt like she had been plunged into an icy abyss, all the blood vanishing from her face. He looked at her, curling his lips into a cruel yet contemptuous smile. “You’re far too filthy.” Thump! That was the last straw to break the camel’s back! Her head spun, and her body slumped onto the marble floor. He was the devil incarnate! A shadow fell over her head, and she knew it was Sean Stewart. She wrapped her arms around her knees, curling up into a ball as she told herself over and over again not to anger the devil. She would be safe as long as she did not anger him. She had to live. She wanted to live. Jane’s head was buried in her chest, so she could not see the anger burning deep in the man’s eyes. Sean looked down at her from above, but try as he might, he could not equate the pitiful creature in front of him to the Jane Dunn in his memories. His gaze was complicated as he said coldly, “Beg me, and I might let you go.” His sharp eyes were fixed tightly on the woman on the floor. Somewhere deep inside, he seemed to be hoping for something, but even he did not realize it. Jane’s shoulders shook, and she scoffed at herself. What was her dignity to her now? She was just Convict No. 926, not Jane Dunn. What use did she have for her dignity? Her life was the most important thing here. So Jane fell to her knees right in front of me. “I’m begging you, M. Stewart. Just think of me as a turd you stepped on, and scrape me off.” His shock was unbelievable! The man’s face instantly turned cold, and his fury burned. How could she be so shameless? She had thrown away even her own dignity! That was how far she had fallen! He could not describe how he felt right now. His face was hard and dark as he slammed his fist into the mirror opposite him, roaring, “Get lost!” Jane looked ecstatic. She crawled to her feet like she had just escaped with her life and limped away. Behind her, Sean coldly watched her back as she left. There was a layer of frost on his beautifully chiseled profile. “That d*mned woman!” He smashed another fist into the mirror. Jane ran for her life despite her bad leg. The elevator kept descending, and then the doors opened with a ding at the basement first floor. She did not return to the club. As soon as she walked out of the elevator, she dragged her bad leg out behind her, hurriedly limping out of the building. “South Bay, please.” Jane stopped a cab. Usually, she would never bear to pay for a cab ride, but she clenched her teeth today and forked out the cab fare. As soon as she reached home, she immediately pulled a cheap luggage bag out from under her bed and quickly packed up all her things. She had to leave! He was here! He hated her guts, so there was no way he would let her go! She had to get away right now! She had to live, so she did not have the time to waste on him. There were still so many things she wanted to do, after all. While the night was still dark, a limping figure quietly walked out of the low-cost houses at South Bay.

Chapter 20 Chapter 20

There was an ATM opposite her little neighborhood. She put her bank card inside, and when she saw the number displayed on the screen, Jane clenched her teeth and withdrew two thousand bucks. Once she had the money, she called a cab and said, “Please take me to…” It was only when she got into the car that she realized… she had been in such a hurry to run away, but she had nowhere to run to. “Where are you going?” said the cabbie impatiently. “Where am I going…?” Jane was dazed. She suddenly realized that despite the enormity of the world, she had nowhere to go. “Are you going anywhere or not? If not, get out. I have business to do.” The cabbie frowned and gave Jane a look of contempt. Tsk… what was with his luck? He bumped into bad luck on his very first trip since leaving the house. “...Sorry, I haven’t figured out where I want to go,” Jane said slowly. Although the cabbie was in a bad mood and snapped her, she did not fight back and even apologized pitifully. It made her seem especially weak-willed and pathetic. The weak were trampled upon like rugs on the ground, and that had always been the way. The cabbie only grew angrier when he saw how weak she was being and vented all of his anger from losing money at mahjong that day onto her. Hence, Jane took a loud berating from the cabbie, who screamed, “You pulled me over before you even figured out where you wanna go? Are you playing a prank on me?! What did your parents teach you? You’re so inconsiderate! Get out, get out of my car right now! Tch, what’s with my d*mn bad luck? I can’t believe I bumped into trash like you.” Jane was not completely unaffected by that scolding, but… the three years she spent in prison had completely wiped her of her temper. She lowered her eyelids and then raised her head again, apologizing slowly. “Sorry, I’ll get out right now.” Actually, she just wanted the cabbie to give her a couple of minutes so she could figure out where she wanted to go. However, it seemed that the cabbie did not have much patience for her. Her reply left the cabbie somewhat surprised. He had been driving for more than a decade, but he had never seen someone so weak-willed before. Jane was a little slow to open the car door, so he suddenly raised his hand at her… “Ah! Don’t hit me!” The cabbie was stunned. Jane sat in the passenger seat, her arms raised over her head as she shielded herself desperately, squawking, “Ah! Please don’t hit me!” The sight of her made the cabbie spit, “You’re nuts, I just wanted to open the door! Sheesh, how unlucky must I be to bump into a madwoman like you?” With that, he hooked his hand around the handle and opened the door. “Now get lost!” Perhaps it was because he was in a bad mood after losing the money, or perhaps it was because Jane was just too easy to bully because she would not fight back, but the cabbie was even ruder to her now. He could even tell her to get lost. Jane did not move quickly, getting out of the car slowly. That earned her some more scolding from the cabbie. “Get a move on, hurry up! Are you f*cking lame?” Jane’s heart gave a jolt, and then she raised her head, looking at the driver solemnly as she corrected him, “I’m just a bit slow, not lame.” The cabbie blinked. “You’re crazy!” He chased her away as soon as he insulted her, saying, “Get the f*ck away! I’m seriously unlucky to bump into you today. No wonder everything went wrong for me today, like how I lost so much money on such a safe draw.” Now he was just blaming her for totally unrelated things. “Hey, pay up.” The cabbie grabbed Jane’s wrist and held out his other hand at her. Jae was confused. “Pay what?”