😏Stand-in No More: Watch My Ex Kneel and Beg❤️‍🔥💢

Chapter 1 Welcome the New Rose

Sophie Cook was trapped between heat and ice.

Stanley Sterling's body burned against hers, while the window at her back stayed cold.

"M-Mr. Sterling, it's my birthday today," she said, the words coming out shaky.

Stanley smiled, slow and lazy, and then kissed her quiet.

Sophie's eyes stung. She knew how stupid that was, expecting a happy birthday from someone she barely knew.

None of it felt real. She'd walked away from Ethan Hawthorne on her birthday, the guy she'd loved for years. And three hours later, she was tangled up with someone she didn't even know, up against a penthouse window.

*****

Three hours earlier, things were different.

Sophie and Ethan hadn't made it to a year. This was supposed to be the first birthday he'd celebrate with her, and she'd been counting down the days.

He picked a fancy revolving restaurant and said seven o'clock, but when she got there early, he never showed up.

"Here you go, miss." The waiter set a glass of water in front of Sophie.

"Thanks." She smiled a little, her eyes bright with quiet anticipation.

She checked her phone one more time, but there was still nothing from Ethan. Even so, she sat up straight, kept her hopes to herself, and waited.

Seven thirty came and went. Then eight. Then eight thirty.

The restaurant filled up and emptied out around her.

Sophie stayed, drinking glass after glass of water until she couldn't wait any longer.

By ten o'clock, she pulled out her phone, hesitated, and finally typed out a message.

[Are you busy?] she texted, along with a small emoji that looked exhausted.

There was no reply.

She bit her lip and told herself he was probably caught up in something. Not wanting to bother him, she dropped the idea of texting again.

Nearly twenty minutes later, his response finally appeared.

Her heart jumped as she typed the chat box, but the second she read his words, she went completely cold.

Ethan: [Olivia's awake. I'm staying with her tonight.]

The city glittered below her, but Sophie wasn't really seeing it. Her eyes were burning, and she didn't bother to blink the tears away.

Olivia Lane was back.

After three years of silence, the girl Ethan had never stopped thinking about had finally opened her eyes.

Sophie looked down at her phone. Her fingers were shaking, but she typed anyway, clinging to something she'd already lost. [Just stay until my birthday is over. Please.]

Ethan: [You were never more than a stand-in.

[Don't do this, Sophie. You know your place.]

When Olivia slipped into a coma, Ethan disappeared into himself for two whole years. That was when he went to Sophie.

Sophie looked enough like Olivia to fool the eye.

And she'd always known exactly what she was to him. She was a stand-in, a way to fill the empty space.

Now the real one was awake, which meant the replacement had to go. That was the deal.

"Hey, pretty lady." A child's voice pulled her out of her thoughts.

Sophie sniffled, steadied herself, and turned to face the little girl who had spoken.

The girl couldn't have been more than seven, with a small woven basket strapped to her back and stuffed full of roses.

"I'm not buying any roses, but thank you, sweetheart." Sophie's voice came out soft and a little tired as she reached out and gently touched the little girl's hair.

"That's not it, pretty lady," the girl said, handing Sophie a single bloom and pointing a chubby finger across the room. "That gentleman over there already paid for it. It's for you."

"What?" Sophie blinked and looked over.

A man stood by the front desk, swiping his card at the register.

He wasn't facing her. But she noticed how straight his shoulders were, how tidy his short hair looked, and the way he kept one hand loosely in his pocket.

He wore a loose white suit that somehow looked both relaxed and sharp.

Everything about him said money, and none of it tried too hard.

Sophie turned back to the girl and gave her a small smile. "I can't accept this. You should take it back to—"

"Pretty lady, you can't welcome a new rose into your arms while you're still holding onto the old thorns." The girl made a cute face, shoved the rose into Sophie's hand, and ran off before she could answer.

Sophie stood there, the words sinking in. 'Is it really that obvious I've been through a breakup? Even a little kid could see right through me,' she thought.

Sophie lifted the rose to her nose and breathed in. The rose smelled exactly like it looked, soft, sweet and almost too perfect.

Funny how something so small could make her forget, even for a second, how much everything hurt.

She'd never been stupid enough to think she was the one he wanted. That spot had always belonged to Olivia.

She'd been waiting for this day for a long time. Now that it was here, it didn't come close to breaking her.

Rose in hand, Sophie stood up and stepped into the elevator.

The doors were about to close when a hand stopped them, long fingers wrapped around the edge. Then the doors slid back open.

Stanley stood there, tall and imposing, and Sophie found herself looking up before she could stop herself.

As the doors opened all the way, his face came into full view with its sharp nose, thin lips, and cold, captivating eyes.

A face that perfect was a rare thing to find.

For one second, she met his gaze. And then she knew. It was him, the man in the white suit, the one who'd given her the rose.

Sophie dropped her gaze and quickly looked away.

Stanley didn't seem to care. He stepped into the elevator in his handmade brown leather shoes, and a faint, expensive pine scent followed him inside.

Sophie's breath caught as she moved toward the corner, the rose in her hand suddenly feeling like it was burning her skin.

Chapter 2 We're Not a Match

The elevator stopped at the next floor. People poured in, pushing Stanley back until he was standing right next to Sophie.

The air grew thin, but his pine smell stayed close, light, barely there, yet somehow all around her.

Then he turned his head. His cool, lazy eyes landed on the rose in her hand. "You—"

"Don't overthink it," Sophie said quickly, her heart pounding. "I didn't want to waste a good rose."

Stanley raised an eyebrow. "I—"

"I know you're interested, but I can't. Sorry." The awkwardness made her cringe, and her back was already damp with sweat.

He chuckled softly, his voice slow and easy. "We—"

"There is no 'we,'" Sophie cut in, meeting his eyes. "You seem like a great guy. But we're not a match."

No one had ever dared to cut him off before. It was new.

Stanley slipped one hand into his pocket and watched her, amused by how her nerves kept making her interrupt him.

She wore a creamy white dress that hugged her tiny waist, with thin straps sitting on her bare shoulders, and her long hair fell to her waist like silk.

She looked soft, like someone who wouldn't fight back.

"I don't think we are a match either," Stanley said, lifting an eyebrow like he was relieved to finally finish a sentence. "You should find someone better. I'm the best, and that's not what you deserve."

Sophie didn't know what to say.

"So..." Stanley drawled, his eyes lazy but cold, "I'm curious, miss. What made you think I was interested in you?"

Sophie stood there, even more confused.

His suit was made from expensive fabric, and the watch on his wrist sparkled like a night sky. Everything about him screamed money.

But his expression was cool and relaxed, with a kind of quiet elegance that came naturally to him.

He was better-looking and better-built than most movie stars. So, calling him "the best" wasn't really a stretch.

When the truth finally hit her, Sophie realized how rude she must have seemed. Her face turned bright red with embarrassment.

A moment later, another thought crossed her mind. "So the rose you gave me..."

"The rose I gave you?" Stanley looked confused, his voice slow and calm. "A little girl kept bothering me to buy one, so I paid her to leave me alone. I didn't want the rose, so I told her to give it to anyone."

Sophie froze completely. Her ears started turning red too.

She realized that he hadn't been confused about anything. She had been the one making all the wrong assumptions.

Then she remembered something else. "But you spoke to me first."

"You were standing behind me, and a thorn from your rose poked me," Stanley said. "I was going to tell you to pull it back a little."

He raised his lean wrist. On his skin was a tiny pinprick with the faintest trace of blood.

Sophie paused, finally understanding how badly she had misunderstood. "I'm sorry, sir."

"Sorry won't cut it." Stanley let out a soft laugh, still looking as relaxed and untroubled as ever. His eyes drifted over Sophie's slender wrist. "You'll have to poke yourself too. Then I'll accept your apology."

Sophie blinked. She had to admit that was fair.

She'd been the one to mess up twice, assuming he was hitting on her and then stabbing him with a thorn. So, she owed him one.

"Fine," she said, nodding.

She cleared her throat and, with him watching, searched until she found the smallest thorn she could.

"Will this hurt?" she asked anyway.

"It hurt when you got me before," he said, "but you picked the smallest one this time, so I'm guessing no."

That was all she needed to hear, so she pressed it into her skin without a second thought.

The moment the thorn went in, she sucked in a breath. She couldn't believe she'd bought his lie and pushed that hard.

"If it hurts," Stanley said, "then I guess I was wrong."

Sophie stared at him, speechless.

He had never met anyone so easy to mess with.

He'd thought she was too delicate to go through with it, but she turned out to be stubborn and actually did it.

Even a professional torturer would've been proud.

Back at the restaurant, Stanley had noticed Sophie sitting alone by the window with nothing but a glass of water. Her eyes looked as teary then as they did now. Anyone could tell she had been stood up and was feeling heartbroken.

That was when a little girl selling roses came up to him.

Feeling a bit soft, he bought one and asked the girl to pass along a simple message that said, "You can't welcome a new rose into your arms while you're still holding onto the old thorns."

Sophie was still biting her lip and rubbing the spot where the thorn had pricked her when the elevator doors opened to the first floor.

Stanley gave her one last look and walked away.

*****

Stanley stepped out onto the sidewalk, and a flashy yellow McLaren pulled up right in front of him.

"All alone, handsome? Get in. I'll take you for a good time," the driver called out.

The window rolled down to reveal Ryan Sutton, a young, confident guy. He took off his sunglasses and waved at Stanley with a playful grin.

Stanley hooked his finger around Ryan's sunglasses and tossed them away.

They landed right in the trash can with a thud, without him looking.

"Stanley! Those were custom. Months I waited!" Ryan whined from behind the wheel.

Stanley slid into the passenger seat and tossed his pricey jacket into the back. "Then go get them."

Ryan shut up. He'd played himself again, and he knew it.

He hit the gas and headed for the hotel he'd booked.

"So what took you so long to pay?" Ryan asked, simply making noise.

"Some woman got dumped. I gave her a rose," Stanley said casually.

"You? A guy who doesn't do women? You gave a woman a rose? Why?" Ryan stared at Stanley like he'd lost his mind.

"You know what you did, so you tell me why." Stanley's voice went cold. "Give me the antidote."

"Antidote? What antidote? I don't know what you're talking about." Ryan blinked like crazy, and every blink gave him away.

"Don't make me ask again."

"I... I really don't know."

Stanley gave him a cold look, not bothering to say any more.

That one look was all it took. Ryan broke immediately, sobbing loudly as he spilled everything. "It wasn't my fault. Your father told me to drug you. He said you haven't been with a woman in years and was worried something was wrong with you."

Stanley frowned. He had never really cared much about women.

The only reason he had given that rose to Sophie earlier was because something about her stirred a strange heat inside him, something he couldn't explain. It left him feeling restless and off balance.

When he stood close to her in the elevator, her faint scent started clouding his head. As he turned away, he almost asked her to spend the night with him for sixty thousand dollars.

And that was when his hand accidentally brushed against a rose thorn.

Chapter 3 She's a Stand-in

Luckily, Sophie's random chatter helped Stanley pull himself back together.

Two possibilities crossed his mind. Either he was going crazy, or someone had drugged him. He wasn't crazy, so it had to be the drug.

He knew someone had drugged him, but he didn't know who. He never expected Ryan to fall for such a simple bluff, let alone find out that the person behind it all was his own bored, reckless father.

"The antidote," Stanley said again, sounding pissed.

"Your father was afraid you'd mess up his plan after finding out, so he had a lab make you something custom. There's no antidote," Ryan said, shrinking down like he was trying to disappear.

The only thing that might work was that actress waiting for Stanley at the hotel, but Ryan wasn't stupid enough to say that out loud.

"Take me to the hospital." Stanley leaned back and tried to hold it together.

When Stanley didn't lose it, Ryan let out a breath. He turned the car toward the nearest hospital and gave it one last shot. "Look, man, if you've got some kind of block, talk to me.

"You really don't want to try a little fun? Trust me, it's worth it. Or maybe we should go back to the hotel. They've got... Holy crap! Look out!"

By the time Ryan looked forward again, he couldn't avoid the person standing in the middle of the road.

He yanked the wheel, and the car smashed through the guardrail and plunged straight into the lake.

Stanley had been dragged into this mess for no reason. He sat there, completely speechless.

*****

Several minutes earlier, Sophie walked out of the building and headed down the sidewalk, holding the rose in one hand while pressing the other over her pricked wrist.

She looked completely disappointed and hoped to clear her mind by the lake across the street.

Then, out of nowhere, a sports car that had turned around up ahead came racing straight toward her.

Sophie heard the guy inside yell, "Holy crap!" before he yanked the wheel hard to the side.

A loud bang followed, and the car crashed through the guardrail and went straight into the lake.

Sophie stood there, too stunned to process what had happened.

But the moment she saw the car sink beneath the water and disappear, she snapped out of it and knew she had to help.

She quickly called for help, told them where she was, and dove straight down to where the car had sunk.

But when she got there, the car was completely empty.

As she tried to swim back up to the surface, her ankle got tangled in some weeds. Soon, she was running out of air.

'Great,' she thought. 'Am I really going to die here on my own birthday?'

Out of nowhere, a tall shadow closed in from behind. A strong arm caught her waist and yanked her free from the weeds.

The next second, he spun her around underwater and pinned her against the car window.

He moved in, and his warm lips pressed against hers.

Sophie went completely stiff, her mind hazy with one thought. 'Am I really getting kissed and cornered against a car underwater by a stranger?'

A few seconds of sharing air, and he swam her up to the surface and onto the shore.

Sophie lay on the ground, coughing so hard that she could barely breathe, drenched and dripping everywhere.

A voice came from above her, warm, lazy, and ridiculously nice to listen to. "Next time, know your limits, hero."

That teasing tone felt familiar. Sophie looked up at the man she'd meant to save, the one who'd ended up saving her instead.

Stanley stood there looking cool and elegant, completely soaked but not the least bit messy.

Sophie's brow furrowed when she saw that it was him again.

"What a coincidence. I'm Sophie Cook. Thanks for saving me," she said, her voice soft and scratchy from coughing. "And you are?"

"Sterling, that's my last name," he said, his voice deep and lazy.

Sophie repeated that to herself. 'Sterling... So this quiet, unfriendly guy is Mr. Sterling.'

Stanley looked down at Sophie, studying her.

Her soft white dress was soaking wet and clinging to every curve of her body. With every cough and breath she took, her chest rose and fell in a way that left little to the imagination.

Then something Ryan had once told him suddenly came back to Stanley. "A girl who looks innocent but sexy, the kind who ticks every box for you, will drive you insane the moment you see her.

"If you ever find someone like that, she's the perfect match in bed, the one you only dream about. She'll blow your mind."

The heat kept rising inside Stanley, and his body was burning so bad that he could barely think straight.

Sophie was soaked, her thin dress stuck to her body, and she carried a chill that seemed to cut right through the heat. That coolness felt like the only thing that could calm the fire inside him.

She was pulling at something inside him, and his control was hanging by a thread.

He almost said it, almost told her he'd pay her to stay, but he swallowed the words down at the last second.

He looked away without missing a beat, his voice cool and steady. "Can you get home on your own?"

Sophie nodded. "I'll be fine, Mr. Sterling."

Then something hit her. "Wait, wasn't there someone else in the car?"

"He took second place in Jelasburg's freediving competition last year," he said, his tone lazy. "So what exactly are you worried about, hero?"

Her ears were burning. He'd called her "hero" again, and honestly, she deserved it. Jumping into a lake to save a guy who didn't even need saving was pretty dumb.

But at least the other one was safe, and that was enough to stop her from worrying.

Sophie pushed herself up, even though she felt weak.

Just as she got steady, she started to fall backward. Luckily, Stanley's large, warm hand caught her waist and held her in place.

"Thanks," she said, her voice soft and gentle.

Her waist felt so delicate in his hand that it seemed like it would break if he squeezed too hard. Without really thinking, he pressed a little more firmly, and the thin wet fabric didn't stop his fingers from digging into her soft skin.

Sophie winced and sucked in a sharp breath, making Stanley let her go.

He thought to himself. 'She couldn't even handle a little pressure like that? What a delicate princess.'

"If you're strong enough to thank me, you should be strong enough to stand on your own," he said as he pulled his hand back and shoved it into his pocket.

The next thing he knew, Sophie fell right into his arms.

Before Stanley knew it, he had already wrapped his arm around her waist and lifted her up. When he looked down, he realized that she was burning up and barely aware of what was going on.

"So one swim and you're down with a fever?" Stanley muttered as he shot her a look.

She didn't answer because she was already half-gone.

"Great. Picked myself a problem," he complained to himself.

He had to hit the hospital anyway to flush the drug out, so he flagged down a cab and took Sophie along.

*****

Ryan's head burst out of the lake with a splash.

"Seriously? I've been hiding underwater forever and Stanley didn't even come looking for me? Now I'm pissed," he grunted.

Right then, his phone buzzed in his pocket.

"Good thing my phone's waterproof. This thing's a tank," he said, grinning.

When he saw it was an unknown number, he hung up without a second thought.

By the third call, Ryan was back on shore. He finally picked up, annoyed. "What's up, losers?"

Stanley had been waiting on the other end, and his voice came through cold. "You crawl out of your grave yet? Took you forever."

"Stanley! My dear Stanley, are you okay?"

"Get to the hospital entrance and call this number to pay the driver," Stanley said coldly before hanging up.

*****

After leaving Sophie in the emergency waiting area, Stanley walked away by himself.

The nurse at the front desk noticed Sophie was alone and kindly gave her a glass of water, which helped her feel more awake and a lot better.

Her vision was still a bit blurry, but then across the emergency room, she spotted Ethan standing at the hospital entrance.

The second their eyes met, Sophie's eyes turned red and filled with tears before she could stop herself.

She was supposed to be with him right now, celebrating her birthday at some nice rooftop restaurant, but instead, she was a complete mess while he looked at her without any warmth.

At the hospital entrance, Victor Lane watched Sophie from across the room, let out a sigh, and gave Ethan a little push. "Ethan, she's crying and looks so sad. Aren't you going to go comfort her?"

Ethan turned and walked off, his voice low and cold. "A stand-in like her? Not worth my time."

Chapter 4 We're Done Now

Ethan glanced back at Victor and called out, "Come on. Olivia's waiting."

Victor gave Sophie a look, shook his head, and followed.

When they got to Olivia's door, Ethan stopped. "You go in. I need a smoke."

"Okay," Victor said. He knew Ethan had always been a heavy smoker.

But then he remembered that Ethan had barely touched a cigarette all year and never carried any. So seeing him with a pack now only made Victor wonder if Ethan was nervous about seeing Olivia.

*****

Ethan made his way to the smoking area and lit his cigarette. Smoke curled up around him, softening the hard edges of his face.

His suit was sharp, hugging his broad shoulders and narrow waist, and it made him look distant, almost untouchable.

He pulled out his phone and scrolled past endless work messages before opening a conversation.

Sophie: [Just stay until my birthday is over. Please.]

Ethan: [You were never more than a stand-in.

[Don't do this, Sophie. You know your place.]

He barely started his cigarette before stubbing it out, tossing it in the trash, and heading downstairs.

When he got to the ER, he spotted Sophie slumped against the wall, completely out of it. Her face was bright red, and her clothes were soaking wet.

He walked over, took off his expensive suit jacket, and draped it over her shoulders.

Only then did she open her eyes, still red and puffy.

"What happened?" he asked, looking down at her.

Sophie looked up at him, slipped the jacket off, and shoved it back into his hands. "So we're done now, right?"

Ethan's grip on the jacket tightened, and he let out a cold, flat "Yeah." Then he walked off without another word.

Sophie dug her nails into her palms.

That was all he gave her. Almost a year together, and he couldn't even bother to say it was over.

She closed her eyes, too tired to think, when someone spoke up next to her. "Been three years. Good evening, Sophie."

Sophie opened her eyes, still blinking.

Olivia was in a wheelchair with Victor beside her. Her face was pale from three years without sunlight, but she was still gorgeous.

She leaned into Sophie's ear and lowered her voice. "I gave you three years. With that face that looks so much like mine, did you ever get into Ethan's bed?"

Sophie heard the cruelty in her voice, and her eyes went wide.

"You didn't, did you? Yeah, I figured. Why would Ethan touch a fake like you?" Olivia smiled, and then moved closer. "Feeling hot right now? Your head heavy, your chest and stomach all sore?"

Victor realized something was wrong. He turned to look at Olivia, shocked.

Sophie's voice shook a little. "You drugged me?"

As she thought back, Sophie whispered, "Was it at the restaurant? Did you pay someone to put something in my water?"

"Not bad. You're not as stupid as I thought," Olivia said casually. "And I've got some good news for you.

"This is a brand new drug, and there's no cure, so coming to the hospital won't do you any good. Either you find a guy to sleep with, or you sit there and wait to die."

Olivia finished her vicious speech and laughed, clearly pleased with herself.

Sophie lost all her composure, and the heat that had been burning through her suddenly turned into a freezing chill.

"Olivia, how could you do something like this? Since when did you become so cruel?" Victor's face went pale with shock.

Everyone in their small group knew that Sophie had liked Ethan for years. But she had always kept her distance and never made a move on him.

Three years ago, Olivia fell into a coma, and everyone thought she would never wake up.

Ethan couldn't move on for two years, so he ended up with Sophie, who looked a bit like Olivia.

Now that Olivia was awake, Ethan was ready to throw Sophie away. In Victor's eyes, that was already bad enough. But what was even worse was Olivia drugging her, trying to destroy her completely.

"You want to save her so badly, Victor?" Olivia said sharply. "Then go talk to Ethan. Tell your future brother-in-law to take off his pants and climb into bed with her.

"Let them stay tangled up forever. And let me, your own sister, never have a single peaceful day."

She didn't try to hide her smirk because she knew Victor wouldn't lift a finger. And she knew Sophie wouldn't go begging Ethan for help either.

"Happy birthday, Sophie. Hope you have the night you deserve." She laughed, turned her wheelchair around, and rolled off.

Victor was left standing there, his face tight with embarrassment.

Sophie tried to stand, but her body was weak and unsteady.

He grabbed her arm before she could fall. Feeling her skin burning up under his fingers, he frowned. "Sophie, let's get you to the hotel next door. I'll find you a decent guy."

Victor was nearly eight years older. He'd met her through Ethan and had always been kind to her, like a caring older brother.

But she'd always known the truth. None of that kindness was ever really about her. It was always about Ethan.

Now that she and Ethan were over, none of his friends would stay hers.

"Don't bother." Sophie pulled away from Victor before he could hold her up.

Everything inside her was burning. The heat was so deep that it felt like her bones were melting, and the only thing left to come out was tears. Each one fell hot against her skin.

Now she saw it clearly. She should have stayed far away from both Olivia and Ethan.

Love and hate meant nothing to her now. Both felt like games for kids.

Her head was pounding, but one thought cut through the fog. 'Why am I so stupid to hold on to Ethan? Look where it's gotten me. Being stepped on by both of them like I mean nothing.'

"If you don't want to do it with some random guy..." Victor looked worried, like he was fighting with himself. Then he added, "I could do it. Only if you're okay with that."

He had always kept himself clean, so he figured that at least she would be safe with him.

If she ended up with someone dirty tonight, there would be no coming back from that.

"Don't bother." Sophie gave the same cold answer.

She was done with anyone who had anything to do with Ethan.

Victor wasn't about to let Sophie walk out in this state. He reached for her arm again. "Sophie, you're not thinking straight. I'm not going to stand here and watch you run off with some random guy."

Sophie could barely keep her head up, and every time she tried to pull away, his grip only got tighter.

Right when she thought she couldn't hold on any longer, a voice cut through the haze. "Let her go."

The voice was lazy and cold, almost careless, but something about it felt dangerously sharp.

Victor's hand dropped before he even realized it, and he turned to look.

Stanley stood there, tall and effortlessly elegant in a simple gray outfit that somehow looked expensive. One hand in his pocket, he seemed completely at ease, like nothing in the world could bother him.

After being pushed around by Ethan and Olivia and then trapped by Victor, she was already at her limit. So when someone finally took her side, Sophie's eyes welled up with tears.

"Mr. Sterling." Her voice came out thick and shaky.

Almost without thinking, Stanley reached out and wiped the tears from the corner of her eye with his long fingers. His warm fingertips brushed gently against her soft skin.

'She cries a lot,' he thought. 'What is she, made of tears?'

"What are you crying about now?" Stanley tapped the corner of Sophie's eye, his voice lazy and teasing. "You're not Cinderella. A few tears aren't going to bring you a fairy godmother."

Sophie didn't know how to respond. She went completely still, and just like that, the tears stopped.

Chapter 5 Special Services

Victor stood there frozen, taken aback by how familiar Stanley was being with Sophie.

He had never seen anyone other than Ethan get that close to her.

"Sophie, you know this guy?" Victor asked, frowning.

"Why are you so worried about it? What are you to her?" Stanley stepped in front of Sophie, his voice calm and careless.

That one question left Victor with nothing to say.

He wasn't anything to Sophie, not even a friend.

By the time Victor snapped out of it, Stanley had already swept Sophie off her feet and was heading outside.

"Hold on, then what are you to her?" Victor quickly chased after them and blocked the way.

"What are you, a cop?" Stanley narrowed his eyes.

"No, that's not..." Victor was stunned again.

"Then you don't get to question her like that."

Stanley had run out of patience. He shoved Victor aside with his shoulder and walked off with Sophie in his arms.

*****

A few minutes earlier, Stanley had been told there was no antidote for the drug in his system and that he'd have to ride it out.

The one good thing was that his own father had arranged for it, so all he'd get was one bad night with no real damage.

When he walked out of the doctor's office, Ryan had already sent hotel staff to bring a car, a change of clothes, and a spare phone to the hospital.

He changed and then drove through the hospital, passing right by the emergency room.

A quick look inside was all it took to spot Sophie getting shoved around.

He knew she was trouble, and trouble was exactly what he hated most.

And yet, he still got out and walked toward her.

He carried Sophie out of the ER, set her in the passenger seat, and buckled her up before starting the car.

"Where do you live?" he asked.

"Evergreen Apartments. Thank you, Mr. Sterling," she replied weakly.

As soon as she let herself go slack, she could feel the heat crawling through her veins even more clearly.

It was a strange feeling, one that made her cheeks burn with shame.

"Mr. Sterling, can I borrow your phone for a second?" Sophie asked.

"Help yourself," Stanley said as he nodded toward the phone in the holder next to the center console.

Olivia's words were still ringing in her ears, and Sophie knew she was out of options.

She took the phone, searched online for an escort service that offered guys, and dialed the number.

She gripped the phone tightly, and the moment someone answered, her palms broke out in a sweat. "Do you offer any special services?" she asked. "I need a guy, preferably someone who can stay with me all night..."

Then the tires let out a sharp squeal.

Stanley slammed on the brakes, and the sudden stop threw Sophie forward until she hit her head.

She accidentally hit the speaker button, and the phone landed on the car floor.

The guy on the other end sounded way too excited. "We sure do, ma'am. Three hundred dollars for one session, or six hundred for the whole night.

"Our guys are the hottest in Ristarville. All of them have nice bodies and know all kinds of moves, so you can play however you want.

"If you can dream it, one of our guys can make it happen for you..."

Sophie had already stopped listening to whatever the guy on the phone was saying.

She rubbed her forehead and sat up straight, and then shot Stanley a look with hurt in her eyes, as if asking why he'd suddenly slammed on the brakes.

"Mr. Sterling?" Her voice was soft, and there was no real force behind it.

"Sorry, a dog ran out into the road," Stanley said as he picked up the phone and hung up.

"I didn't see any dog." She pressed her lips together, not letting him get away with it.

"That's because you were too busy looking for a man." His tone was totally casual, like he didn't care one bit.

Sophie's face went bright red right away.

Stanley let his eyes sweep over her.

Her whole body was flushed in a way that wasn't normal, and her big, bright eyes looked dazed and glossy, all wet and tempting.

Her shoulder strap had slipped down to show off smooth, beautiful skin, but she didn't seem to realize it.

'She's running a high fever and still out here looking for a man. Did she get dumped and want to get back at her ex this way or something?' he thought.

His gaze dropped to her lips. She kept pressing them together, nervous and unsure, and they looked so soft and sweet that all he could think was how good they'd feel against his.

And he knew from experience. He'd kissed her in the water earlier, and her lips were so soft that he'd wanted to bite them and never let go.

Her waist was so tiny that he felt like he could circle it with one hand.

She had curves in all the right places too, full and tempting.

Ryan had called it innocent but sexy, and he was right.

Every part of her, from her face to her body, was exactly what Stanley wanted, drawing him in and making him crave more.

The heat he had fought down with sheer willpower came rushing back all at once.

He swore quietly under his breath, and Sophie lifted her gaze to him.

He pressed the button with his long fingers and rolled down the window, letting the night breeze drift inside.

His left elbow rested on the edge of the window, and his fingers tapped in a slow rhythm, like he was turning something over in his mind.

"Mr. Sterling, can I borrow your phone again? I wasn't finished with my call," Sophie said.

Stanley didn't answer, but he didn't say no either.

She pressed her lips together, gathered her nerve, and reached for the phone in his hand.

But the moment her fingers touched it, he twisted his hand around and grabbed her wrist.

The phone slipped out of her hand and landed on the car's plush carpet.

"Ms. Cook, so that's the kind of guy you're okay with?" he asked.

Stanley's grip on her wrist felt scorching hot against her feverish skin, and his strange question made her heart skip a beat.

She looked up and found herself staring into his cold, deep-set eyes.

There was something hungry in his stare, completely out in the open, and it felt even hotter than his fingers on her skin.

He drew out every word, slow and careless, but incredibly tempting. "How about someone with an even nicer body?"

Chapter 6 Taking Her to the Hotel

"Wh-what do you mean?" Sophie stammered, her head spinning.

Stanley smiled a little and said nothing. He kept playing with her soft hand instead.

"Can't say I've done it before, but if you really need the whole night, I guess I could push through," he said.

Then he took her hand and laced his fingers through hers, and the warmth started to pass between them.

Stanley had never been the type to hold back in a negotiation. He always put his cards on the table first and let people see exactly what he was working with.

That was how he did things, even back in college when he handled deals for the school.

But this time, that same move worked against him. It hit him way harder than he ever saw coming.

Her small, soft hand was like a slow burn, quietly eating away at his self-control.

His breath got heavier, but his face didn't show it. He still looked completely relaxed, like nothing was wrong. "So, Ms. Cook, do you get what I'm telling you?"

"Mr. Sterling, you... you..." Sophie's brain went blank.

The warmth from his hand was so strong that it actually scared her.

"What?" Stanley said with a small smile, tapping her fingers under his shirt. "You've got three seconds left to tell me no.

"Three... two... one. Okay, so Ms. Cook, I'm taking you to a hotel now."

*****

The doorman spotted the hotel's private car coming from down the street, and the second it stopped, he stepped up, bowed, and pulled the door open. "Mr. Sterling," he greeted respectfully.

Stanley gave him a small nod.

Then he walked to the passenger side, picked Sophie up, and carried her inside.

The doorman quickly waved for someone to park the car.

Once Stanley was in the elevator, the doormen started talking quietly among themselves while standing nice and straight.

"You know what they say about those rich guys from Jelasburg. And look, first night here and he's already with a girl."

"You don't know who that is? That's Stanley Sterling, the golden boy of Jelasburg. If I had his money, I'd be way worse than him. The only thing keeping me in line is being broke."

"But you know what? Ristarville is different. Look at Ethan. He and Olivia grew up together, and even after she ended up in a coma, he still comes to see her all the time. Can't let her go."

"Yeah, he's like the only decent one out of all those rich families."

While the doormen kept gossiping, Stanley's elevator had already taken him to the top floor.

As soon as the elevator doors slid open, a butler in a black suit and white bow tie stepped forward.

"Mr. Sterling," he greeted.

Then he walked beside Stanley to room 9909 and opened the heavy carved door of the presidential suite.

He knew his place and kept his eyes down the whole time, never once looking at the woman in Stanley's arms.

The door slammed shut behind Stanley and Sophie.

"Stanley..." she started, but his lips came down on hers before she could finish.

Stanley, who had seemed so relaxed and easygoing moments ago, had turned into someone else entirely, kissing her like he couldn't hold back any longer.

This was more addictive than anything he had ever known, and the hunger inside him was begging for more.

"Mr. Sterling..." Sophie whispered.

Then a small sound from her brought Stanley back to his senses.

He looked down and realized her small body was trembling in his arms.

Scared by how rough he had been, Sophie lifted her head, swallowed hard, and asked nervously, "Can I take a shower first?"

Stanley almost laughed, but not because he thought it was funny. 'Here we are, right in the middle of everything, and she wants to stop and take a shower? Women really are nothing but trouble.'

Then he looked at her eyes, all red and sad, soft and glossy, like she'd cry right there if he said no.

The desire was eating at him, so Stanley went and took a cold shower first before it got the best of him.

Sophie came out wrapped in nothing but a thin towel with her hair still wet.

Before she could do anything, Stanley pulled her to the big window and pressed her against the cold glass, with a sheer curtain between them and the outside.

"Ms. Cook, are you ready now?" he asked, his voice rough.

Goosebumps spread across Sophie's skin. The heat and dizziness didn't go away after her shower. They only got worse.

She knew there was no point in stalling anymore.

She bit her lip, and then whispered, "Yes."

Stanley's eyes went dark. With a small flick of his fingers, the only towel she had fell to the floor.

Sophie's heart started racing, and right then, fireworks went off outside the window.

She blinked and pulled the curtain back a little to see what was out there.

In the park behind the hotel, a group of young people were singing "Happy Birthday" to a girl.

They had small sparklers in their hands, lighting up the night around them.

The room was so dark that almost nothing was visible, with only one weak lamp on. But then moonlight slipped through the crack in the curtain and lit up Sophie's skin, making it look soft and luminous.

The sight made Stanley's blood run hot. He gritted his teeth, pulled her close, and asked, "You like fireworks?"

Sophie's eyes stung. She looked up at him and held his gaze.

Pressed against him like this, she almost believed that they meant something to each other.

For a moment, she wanted to open up to him. "It's my birthday today, Mr. Sterling. I..." she whispered.

But he kissed her before she could even finish.

He didn't care about birthdays right now.

Then, for no clear reason, he stopped cold.

Sophie thought she'd ruined his mood by crying, so she quickly apologized, "Sorry, I... I didn't mean to cry."

Stanley took a deep breath and kissed the corner of her wet, reddened eyes, his voice a little rough. "If you feel like crying, just cry. Why are you apologizing?"

He couldn't take it when she looked all sad and upset like that.

Sophie was shaking a little. "But you..."

She remembered how he'd teased her, saying that she wasn't Cinderella, and that her tears wouldn't magically summon a fairy godmother.

That made her think he hated it when she cried.

"Stop trying to figure out what's going on in a man's head. You won't get it right anyway. So go ahead and cry tonight," Stanley said with a soft laugh, reading her mind perfectly.

"Go ahead and cry?" she asked, confused.

"Yeah." His voice was casual with a hint of a smile. "Who knows? Maybe tonight, your tears will be the ones that make your wish come true."

Sophie blinked her glossy eyes, her face growing redder and her heart pounding faster.

Then she remembered what her best friend, Jessica Woods, had once told her.

"A man's way with words in bed could rival the greatest writers," Jessica had said.

Stanley's voice came out lazy and tempting, fading into the darkness like a whisper.

"Time to start, my crying Cinderella," he murmured.

Chapter 7 Happy Birthday

Afterwards, Stanley carried Sophie's limp body to the bathroom and then tucked her back between the sheets.

She was out before her head hit the pillow.

Stanley changed into his pajamas, but sleep was nowhere in sight. He sat down at the desk, fired up his laptop, and started flipping through the news.

A soft sneeze came from the bed as Sophie turned over in her sleep.

Stanley glanced over his shoulder at the thermostat, and then reached for the remote and bumped up the heat.

He got up and walked to the bed, staring down at the way Sophie curled into herself.

She had rolled onto her side, and the blanket had slipped enough to show off the elegant line of her back and the slim curve of her waist.

There were red marks on her waist where he had gripped too hard.

They were impossible to miss, and they said everything.

His mind went back to that split second when something had caught him off guard.

He remembered the way he had frozen earlier, right when he found out it was her first time.

She'd been dumped, so he figured she'd had a boyfriend before and wasn't new to any of this. That meant they could have one night with no strings attached and then go their separate ways in the morning, clean and easy.

But she was a virgin, and he hadn't seen that coming.

This made things a bit more complicated for Stanley.

It felt like being the first person to put a stitch into a rare, expensive piece of silk. There was something about it that he couldn't quite name, something that tied them together now.

He pulled the blanket over Sophie, who was asleep in his bed, and sat back down.

Right then, a knock came at the door.

He glanced at her, and then got up to answer it.

Ryan was standing there with a big grin, holding out a white handbag. "Stanley, I did what you said and had someone go fish it out, and they actually found a bag. Was this yours? How come I didn't notice it when you got in?"

"Yes," Stanley said, taking it without really paying attention.

"I'm exhausted and starving. Don't you think Ristarville isn't meant for us? First day here and this happened. Once you're done, we need to get back to Jelasburg," Ryan complained, trying to step inside.

"Not meant for you. Things are working out fine for me here in Ristarville." Then he lazily raised his arm to block Ryan. "What are you doing coming in here this late? Go back to your room."

"You're not seriously still mad about the lake thing, are you? Is that why you won't let me in?" Ryan's eyes went wide with disbelief.

Normally, when their group crashed at a hotel, doors were never locked, and anyone could walk in whenever they wanted. So getting shut out now felt strange.

Ryan's nose twitched the second he finished talking, and that smell told him something wasn't right.

"Stanley, you... you..." Ryan's jaw dropped. "Did you finally lose your virginity?"

"Keep it down. What are you, a foghorn?" Stanley shot a quick look toward the bedroom.

Ryan was absolutely wrecked by what he was hearing. 'What's going on? Stanley was always untouchable. But now he's lost his virginity, let the girl stay over, and is creeping around like he's afraid to wake her.

'Oh no. What if Stanley got possessed when he fell into that lake? That was exactly how those dramas went.'

But honestly, Ryan was less worried about possession and more curious about something else.

"So, Stanley, how'd it feel? First time getting laid. Was it worth the hype?" he asked, his eyes all bright and nosy.

Stanley gave a lazy, sharp-edged smirk and said, "Get lost."

"Come on, don't be like that. Tell me something about that... Stanley? Stanley!"

The door shut, cutting off Ryan's loud, nosy questions.

Stanley sat back down at the desk and opened the handbag.

Sophie's phone, wallet, and driver's license were all right there.

Her driver's license photo showed her in a white shirt, her eyes curved into a soft smile, looking sweet and well-behaved.

He glanced at her birth date on the license and raised an eyebrow when he saw she was only nineteen, still young and immature.

*****

Sophie had a nightmare.

In the dream, Ethan stood next to Olivia, lighting the candles on her birthday cake before pulling her close and kissing her forehead.

"Ethan, I want sparklers," Olivia whined.

Ethan nodded, and a sparkler appeared in his hand.

Olivia was laughing until she caught sight of Sophie in the dark corner. Then her smile turned ugly, and her eyes went cold and mean.

"You've got nothing for your birthday, Sophie. Nothing at all," she spat. "No Ethan. No celebration. Nothing. You pathetic loser. Why don't you go kill yourself?"

And Ethan, the guy Sophie had chased after for years, stood there looking like he couldn't care less.

Olivia's fingers dug into Sophie's throat, and Sophie suddenly understood that she was dreaming. But no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't pull herself out of it.

The panic of being trapped inside her own nightmare was suffocating her.

Then, without warning, a loud bang exploded outside the window.

Sophie jolted awake, her eyes snapping open.

She turned toward the window, and the darkness of the dream melted away the moment she saw what was happening out there.

Her lashes fluttered as she whispered, still half lost in sleep, "So beautiful."

Fireworks were bursting against the night sky outside the floor-to-ceiling windows, one after another without stopping.

Ristarville, which had been swallowed by deep darkness moments ago, was suddenly glowing with light.

Bright, colorful light spilled into the room like falling stars, and it lit up the shock on Sophie's face as she lay in bed.

For a moment, the night turned into day.

People from the hotel and the neighborhood all rushed to their windows. Some of them were already talking about what they were seeing.

"Wow, look at those fireworks."

"Oh my, take a picture. How come nobody told us about a show this big? We almost missed it."

"Is some big shot trying to impress his girl? This is insane."

That was when Sophie noticed Stanley standing by the window in silk pajamas, one hand in his pocket, looking totally relaxed.

In front of him sat a beautifully decorated two-tier cake.

The candles burned as brightly as the fireworks outside.

Next to the cake were more than a dozen velvet gift boxes, all wrapped up perfectly.

Sophie's heart started pounding in a strange, uneven rhythm.

For a second, she couldn't tell if she was dreaming or awake.

Then Stanley looked at her with the fireworks lighting him up from behind, and he spoke in that careless voice of his, "Sorry for waking you, but there's only ten minutes left before your birthday's over.

"Ms. Cook, happy birthday."

'Happy birthday... to me?' she thought. 'And there are fireworks and a cake too. Is this real, or am I dreaming inside a dream? It all feels so unreal.'

Sophie's lips parted like she wanted to speak, but her chest was too tight with feelings that she couldn't sort through.

She could feel the tears coming again.

Then a loud bang ripped through the silence.

More fireworks shot into the sky, huge and bright.

Sophie looked up as the fireworks bloomed and slowly faded.

Then thousands of drones appeared overhead, their blinking lights forming two enormous lines of text that had people for miles around stopping to stare.

[To Miss Cinderella:

[Happy birthday. May every year bring you joy and everything your heart desires.]

With another bang, more fireworks burst open, brilliant and endless, like they would never stop.

It almost felt like they could burn away whatever darkness lay ahead, like they would watch over her, year after year.

Chapter 8 Better at Romantic Gestures

Sophie wrapped a towel around herself and walked barefoot across the expensive red pine floor, step by step, toward the window as the fireworks blazed outside.

"Make a wish?" Stanley asked, holding up the birthday hat with his slender fingers.

"Okay," Sophie said softly, lowering her head so he could put it on her.

Sophie pressed her hands together, and the tears that had been building up stayed hidden the moment she closed her eyes.

She wondered what to wish for.

She'd never wanted for anything growing up and had always been healthy, so there wasn't really anything she needed.

Every year on her birthday, she used to wish for Ethan to be happy and safe.

But now, after Ethan crushed her by calling her a "stand-in" and Olivia destroyed her, Sophie decided to tear Ethan out of her heart and soul, no matter how much it hurt.

She quietly looked up and stole a glance at Stanley, who was watching her with a warm smile.

He was the one who'd helped her out of a huge mess tonight.

He was also the one who'd arranged fireworks and a cake for her and wished her a happy birthday before her special day ran out.

Sophie closed her eyes again, bit her lip, and said each word with care, "I hope Mr. Sterling stays healthy and safe."

Stanley paused for a second, and then raised an eyebrow, looking amused. "You only get one birthday wish a year, and you're using it on me?"

This was something new.

Nobody had ever used their birthday wish on him before, let alone wished him well.

His mother always wished for the family business to thrive. His father always wished for his own wife to love him more.

Neither had anything to do with Stanley.

Sophie opened her eyes and looked at him with complete seriousness. "Mr. Sterling, you're one of the few good people I've ever met."

To Stanley, that was a rare thing to hear.

He let out a soft laugh as he watched her face. "Pick another wish. Whatever you want, I'll make it happen."

He didn't mind being extra generous tonight.

"No, I want this one," Sophie said, shaking her head.

Then she leaned down and blew out the candles.

But as she bent over, her towel slipped loose.

Stanley caught it before it could fall, moving on pure instinct.

Sophie's head snapped up, her eyes wide.

Their eyes locked, and Stanley swore under his breath.

He secretly blamed his father for whatever strange thing he had slipped him. The effect should have worn off by now, but Stanley still felt this way, and he couldn't tell if it was the drug or his own desire that was making him lose control.

All he knew was that after that first time, he wanted more.

"Mr. Sterling, I can do it myself," Sophie said, her voice shaking because she could feel something dangerous coming from him.

But even with her hand on the towel, he still wouldn't let go.

"M-Mr. Sterling?" Her voice came out soft and nervous.

"Didn't you say you wanted a guy for the whole night when you made that call?" Stanley's fingers felt burning hot.

The heat made Sophie's heart pound with unease. Her mind went blank again.

Stanley's eyes darkened with desire, and he let out a lazy laugh before giving the towel a small tug that pulled her right into his arms.

"Ms. Cook, sorry to break it to you, but I've never been a good guy," he teased.

Whether she wanted the whole night or not didn't matter anymore. Because now, he was the one who wanted it.

"Wait." She tried to push him away, panicking.

"You should've thought about what could happen before you decided to tempt me in that car," he murmured, his lips brushing her ear.

Sophie went still, her mind racing. 'He knew what I was up to? He knew the whole time!'

"You said you were going home, and then you called for some special services. That story fell apart pretty fast. You're not a very good liar, Ms. Cook." His voice was lazy, but his breath was warm and dangerous against her skin.

"And that strap you happened to let slip," he went on. "And after I hit the brakes, the way you leaned over..."

Seeing Sophie's ears burning red, Stanley swallowed the dirty line he'd been about to drop, going with something lighter instead.

The words still landed warm and suggestive, right next to her ear.

Sophie went completely still, too embarrassed to move. She could feel the heat rising inside her, again and again, like there was no end to it.

All that time she'd spent thinking she was being clever, clumsily trying to seduce him, he'd already seen through every bit of it.

"But... but you shouldn't have pretended not to know," she shot back, her whole face flushed as she bit her lip.

"You basically offered yourself up on a plate. What was I supposed to do?" Stanley raised an eyebrow and glanced down at her red, teary eyes with a small laugh. "Honestly, I was worried that if I'd said no, you'd cry your eyes out right there."

Sophie had no comeback. She pulled herself together and took a deep breath, begging herself not to cry like an idiot.

Then she felt like she should explain why she'd acted so desperate back there.

But she couldn't bring herself to say that she'd had no other choice, no way out, and no better option.

So she hung her head and forced out, "I'm sorry. I..."

"Don't apologize," he interrupted. "Just don't leave me hanging tonight."

Sophie caught the hint, and her heart jumped. "Wait, I have something to say..."

"We can talk after. It's not too late," Stanley cut in, his voice soft and coaxing. "You take your time, and I'll listen."

Then he tilted her chin up and kissed her, slow and deep.

*****

Downstairs, Ryan stood with his arms crossed, staring at the message the drones were spelling out in the sky.

'Fireworks, drones, the whole spectacle," he thought. 'This couldn't be the same Stanley who used to run from women like they were the plague.

'Back in the day, Stanley wouldn't even look twice at a girl. Now he's better at this whole romantic gesture thing than I am.'

"Happy birthday, Miss Cinderella..." Ryan frowned as he muttered. "Wait a second, who the hell is Cinderella?"

That wasn't even a real name, and he'd never heard of anyone actually being called that.

"Stanley must be using some kind of code name," Ryan said, grinning like he'd figured it out.

'And he wouldn't even let me in the room to see who she is,' he mused. 'Stanley's standards are insane. There can't be more than a handful of girls in Ristarville with a birthday today who'd actually catch his eye, from looks to family background.

'One quick search and I'll know exactly who she is.'

It suddenly hit him that he'd almost let the most important thing slip his mind. He pulled out his phone and started typing fast.

Ryan: [You're not going to believe this.]

Richard Hawthorn, Stanley's father, quickly typed back. [Spill it.]

Ryan: [Stanley did that tonight.]

Richard: [Did what?]

Ryan could feel Richard's patience running thin through the screen.

Before he could explain, another text from Richard popped up.

Richard: [Wait, you mean he finally slept with someone?]

Ryan: [Bingo. That's exactly what I'm saying.]

Richard: [Finally. It's about damn time.

[You know, if I'd known this was going to happen, I never would've made you my godson. I really thought Stanley had a thing for you, so I had you two become sworn brothers to shut that down.]

Ryan: [Richard, I could have gone my whole life without knowing that.]

*****

The early summer morning in Ristarville was cool and fresh.

Sunlight fell across Sophie's skin, warm and soft, and eventually, she opened her eyes.

The spot next to her was empty. Stanley had already left.

That was a relief for her. At least she didn't have to face him after last night.

She spotted the neatly folded clothes by the table and knew Stanley had left them for her.

The second she tried to move, her whole body screamed in pain, like she'd been pulled apart and put back together all wrong.

Last night, Stanley had been intimate with her three times, sometimes gentle and careful, other times so rough that it felt like he wanted to devour her alive.

Sophie took a deep breath and dragged herself out of bed. After getting dressed and washing up, she found her driver's license and phone on the table, along with a huge breakfast spread out in front of her.

Right on cue, her stomach growled.

After everything she'd been through, Sophie was truly starving, so she sat down and ate slowly while checking her phone.

She was relieved that her purse was waterproof, and her phone turned on without any issues.

There were over a dozen unread messages waiting for her.

They were birthday wishes from her roommates and friends.

The last one was from Ethan. [Where are you?]

It had been sent at 11:50 PM last night, minutes before her birthday slipped away.

And at that exact moment, Stanley was the one by her side, celebrating with her.

When Sophie saw the message from Ethan, she felt nothing anymore, not the butterflies or excitement she used to feel, and not even the anger or heartbreak she had braced herself for.

She tapped out a quick reply. [When are you free? I need to give back everything you gave me this year.]

Over the course of their year together, Ethan had spoiled her with rare jewelry, expensive accessories, and custom-made clothes.

Six months ago, she tried some coffee from a new shop while they were out and casually mentioned that she liked it.

The next day, a full set of antique porcelain coffee cups showed up at her door.

She only found out later that he had paid a fortune to buy it from a well-known collector.

Last month, he took her on a business trip to Euspedia, where they stumbled into an auction. The diamond necklace from that night was still sitting in her jewelry box.

He had paid over six million for it.

But now that they were over, none of it was hers to keep.

After sending that message, she put the phone down and went back to her breakfast.

Then a beep sounded from the door.

Someone was sliding a keycard into the lock.

Sophie had a mouthful of food when she spun around in a panic.

Stanley was standing right there in the doorway.

He looked good in that white suit, one hand in his pocket and the other holding a tube of something. After closing the door, he strolled in like it was nothing and said, "You're up?"

Sophie nodded, still half-dazed. "Yeah."

She didn't expect him to actually stick around.

Chapter 9 Let the Hawthornes Deal With Him

Sophie turned back around, swallowed the food, bit her lip, and mumbled under her breath, "Why didn't Mr. Sterling leave? This is so awkward."

"What did you say?" Stanley was already next to her, a lazy smile on his lips as his eyes landed on her.

Sophie looked up at him, pressing her lips together, and quickly shook her head. "It's nothing."

She was nervous, honestly.

When he got closer, that faint pine scent of his brought everything back from last night. Her heart started racing from pure embarrassment.

"How was breakfast?" Stanley asked.

"It was fine," Sophie said, already on her feet and reaching for her bag. "I'm done. Bye."

"What's the rush? You act like I'm some kind of monster." He caught her arm with a smirk.

She met his laughing eyes for a second and quickly looked away, remembering how he had looked at her last night like he couldn't get enough.

As if he could read what she wasn't thinking, Stanley added in a slow, easy tone, "Well, that was true when we were in bed."

Sophie stared at him, thinking, 'Did he really have to go there?'

Her face ran through a dozen emotions in several seconds, and Stanley laughed before handing her the ointment.

"Don't forget to use this when you get home," he said.

He had someone else take care of everything else, but he had gone out to get the ointment himself, which was why he wasn't there when she opened her eyes.

"Thanks," Sophie said, her ears burning, even though she knew he was being kind.

Stanley hummed a low response as he sat down and opened his laptop. Then he added, "There's a car waiting for you out front."

Sophie stepped out, glanced back one last time, and whispered, "Goodbye, Mr. Sterling."

Stanley didn't turn around.

They both knew last night didn't mean anything, and after this, their paths wouldn't cross again.

Ristarville was the largest city in the southwest part of the country.

In a city this big, strangers didn't run into each other again.

*****

A VIP car was already waiting for Sophie at the hotel's grand entrance.

The driver, wearing white gloves, spotted Sophie coming through the revolving door. He matched her to the photo the manager had given him, and then stepped up with a bow and opened the back door.

"Ms. Cook, please get in," he said respectfully.

"Thank you," Sophie said as she slid into the back seat. "Could you take me to Ristarville University?"

"Of course, Ms. Cook."

Sophie finally let herself relax, sinking into the leather seat and gazing out the window.

Before long, the driver opened the door and said, "Ms. Cook, we're here."

Sophie got out, but she'd only taken a few steps when she felt something was off and turned around.

The driver was right behind her, carrying all those gift boxes that had been sitting in front of the cake last night.

Seeing Sophie staring at him with a strange look, he quickly explained, "Mr. Sterling asked me to bring these back for you."

"Please take them back. I don't want any of it," Sophie said, waving her hands.

"Well... Mr. Sterling said if you didn't take them, I should throw them in the trash. That would be a shame, wouldn't it?" he said with an awkward smile.

Sophie pressed her lips together and finally gave in. "Fine. But I'll carry them myself. Thanks."

The driver looked relieved to be done with it.

*****

Sophie carried everything back to her dorm.

Her roommate, Nina Shaw, exclaimed as soon as she spotted the pile of gifts, "Wow, Sophie, you got all this for your birthday?"

Sophie smiled awkwardly and stayed quiet because she didn't know what to say.

Nina was doing her makeup and asked with a grin, "So, how was your birthday?"

That question sent Sophie's mind somewhere else.

She found herself thinking back to that one moment when she stopped being who she was before.

She remembered the pain, the tears that spilled from her eyes, and the way she had whimpered while digging her fingers into Stanley's arm without meaning to.

She thought it was only going to get worse.

But then he stopped.

He leaned down and kissed the tears from her eyes, his voice low and warm in the thick of the night. "Go ahead and cry," he whispered. "This time, I'll make sure your wish comes true, like Cinderella's."

She couldn't see him clearly in the dim room, but she could feel how gently he handled her, how patient he was, and how hard he was trying to hold back.

'Mr. Sterling really is a good man,' she thought.

*****

In the main hall of the Hawthorne residence, Kevin Hawthorne, Stanley's grandfather, let out a cold snort. "Stanley got to Ristarville yesterday? That little brat didn't even come stay at my place."

But then his face softened into a warm smile as he pointed at the hundreds of photos on the coffee table and turned to his kids.

"Come on, you two go first and help Stanley narrow it down. Which families' heiresses should he meet?" he asked.

His daughter, Emily Hawthorne, rolled her eyes and flipped her hair. "Dad, come on. Even Stanley's parents can't control him, so why would he let me, his aunt, pick out girls for him?"

Back then, Richard married the Sterling family's heiress, Grace Sterling.

To keep his wife happy, he went and changed Stanley's last name to Sterling.

Nobody really knew if Grace was happy about it, but the other Sterlings were thrilled because it meant their family name would carry on. They spoiled Stanley rotten from the time he was little, and that turned him into the most entitled kid one could imagine.

Now that Stanley was finally grown, the older Sterlings wanted him to settle down and start having kids.

They tried everything to get him married, but he wouldn't listen, and he turned down every blind date and arranged match they threw at him.

Only then did it hit them that they had spoiled him way too much.

The elders were completely out of ideas.

When nothing else worked, they came up with a plan, sending Stanley to Ristarville under the excuse of overseeing a new project and leaving the Hawthorne family to deal with his love life instead.

Stanley was a problem nobody wanted to handle.

He had grown up in Jelasburg and spent nearly twelve years abroad, so he barely knew the Hawthornes and wasn't close to any of them.

On top of that, the Sterlings had spoiled him rotten his whole life, so he carried himself like he was untouchable, which got on everyone's nerves.

Emily had her own fun to chase after. She wasn't about to waste her time on that impossible nephew of hers.

"Ethan, you're a guy, so you know how men think," she said, quickly pushing the pile of photos over to Ethan. "Here, you pick for Stanley."

Ethan sat on the side sofa, locking and unlocking his phone over and over.

The screen never left the message Sophie had sent him. [When are you free? I need to give back everything you gave me this year.]

He finally locked the screen, looked up at the coffee table, and leaned in to pick out a few photos before sliding them to the side.

"Let's try these first," he said.

The ones he'd picked were all beautiful, well-bred girls from good families in Ristarville.

Kevin nodded, clearly pleased, and broke into a warm smile. "These are good. I'll set up the meetings."

Then he added, "Ethan, tell Stanley to come stay here. Why's he holed up in a hotel when he's back in Ristarville?"

"Okay, Dad," Ethan said evenly.

After Kevin and Emily left, the hall fell silent. The servants moved around without making a peep.

Then, without warning, the leaves in the backyard started rustling outside the floor-to-ceiling windows.

Ethan glanced over, but his face stayed completely unreadable.

Early summer in Ristarville never seemed to make up its mind. Storms rolled in out of nowhere.

Outside the window, the sky went dark in an instant, heavy clouds stacking up one after another.

Ethan could feel something coming. He told the staff to close the windows before finally making the call. His voice came out low and deep as the call connected. "Stanley."

On the other end, Stanley sounded like he always did, lazy and careless, like nothing in the world could touch him. "What is it, Uncle Ethan?"

Chapter 10 What Happened to Your Neck?

"Come stay at the Hawthorne residence," Ethan said.

"Fine," Stanley answered.

The whole conversation took less than a minute before they hung up.

"What did your uncle want?" Ryan asked, sitting at the dealership with his legs crossed.

The car that went into the lake yesterday was done for, so they had come first thing to pick out a new one.

"He wants me to move into the Hawthorne residence," Stanley said, taking his time with the answer.

"Wait, you said yes? Didn't Richard tell you your grandfather never stops talking? You sure you can handle that?" Ryan made a face. "Just so you know, I'm staying at the hotel. If you're going back there, don't expect me to come along and suffer with you."

"You think this was my idea?" Stanley shot him a look and sank back into the couch. "My mom already signed off."

He could ignore Richard without a second thought. But Grace was a whole different story.

Otherwise, Richard would be on his case for days, crying and throwing fits and threatening to do something crazy.

Ryan knew that too, and after a moment, he said, "Stanley, your grandfather running his mouth is one thing, but I've heard your uncle's not exactly easy to get along with."

Ethan was only twenty-four when he took over the Hawthorne family's business, and within three years, he'd doubled their wealth.

He was smooth in business and ruthless when he had to be, and everyone respected him for it.

His name spread far and wide, even reaching Jelasburg. People there all talked about how the Hawthornes in Ristarville had an incredible successor with no limits on what he could do.

Everyone knew he was cold and didn't pull any punches.

All in all, he wasn't the kind of person people messed with.

Stanley smirked and cracked a lazy joke. "How difficult could it be? I'm his nephew, not some guy trying to steal his girl."

"Man, anyone dumb enough to go after his girl must have a death wish," Ryan said, shivering as he remembered some of the rumors about Ethan floating around Jelasburg.

The dealership manager walked over and handed them the keys. "All set, Mr. Sutton, Mr. Sterling."

Stanley stood up, one hand in his pocket, and nodded toward the keys. "Take them," he said to Ryan, his voice easy and smooth.

"Wait, you're serious? You're giving this car to me?" Ryan's worries vanished on the spot, leaving nothing but pure excitement. "Thanks, Stanley. You're the best!"

*****

Stanley and Ryan hit the road in the new car, and Ryan was humming with the biggest grin on his face.

Stanley sat in the passenger seat with his hand out the window, watching the scenery fly by, a faint smile on his lips.

Ryan glanced over and clicked his tongue. "You're in a great mood today, Stanley."

'First the car, now the light mood. It's been ages since Stanley smiled like this last time,' he thought.

As Ryan was getting lost in his own dramatic thoughts, a tiny white petal drifted down and landed right in Stanley's palm.

Stanley picked it up between his fingers, his voice lazy and warm. "When you're on a roll, nothing can slow you down. And all the good things in life are yours for the taking. Just drive. You wouldn't get it."

Ryan was left speechless. 'Come on, it wasn't that hard to figure out. Stanley finally got laid and now he's walking around like he owns the world. What's not to get?'

*****

The silver convertible came to a stop at the Hawthorne residence, and two staff hurried over to open the doors.

"Mr. Sterling, Mr. Sutton, welcome," they greeted.

Ryan climbed out with a cocky grin, twirling his keys on one finger.

Stanley nodded at them and stepped out onto the grounds he hadn't set foot on in more than years.

The estate sat by the river on the city's south side, surrounded by hills and water and stretching across almost fifteen thousand acres.

The main driveway was paved with rare brick from the ancient imperial kilns, lined with nine separate two-story villas, and the enormous garden was filled with rock formations and clear springs.

The scent of fruit drifted down from the orchards on the hill, and Ryan couldn't help but take a long, deep breath. "Stanley, forget the hotel. This place is incredible. I'm staying here too."

"Suit yourself," Stanley said, strolling ahead with one hand in his pocket and his usual lazy swagger.

*****

In the main hall, Kevin kicked things off with his favorite line about how the worst thing a person could do was fail to carry on the family name, and then he kept going for a good half hour.

He barely ever got to see Stanley, so now that he had him right there, he was determined to drill into his grandson how important it was to keep the line going.

Stanley stretched out on the couch with his legs crossed, not catching a single word of what Kevin was saying.

Ryan was hiding out in the side hall, watching a pretty streamer named Ruby on TikTok and dropping big tips, just to hear her thank him in that sugary sweet voice as her top donor.

"Mr. Hawthorne," came a timid voice from the doorway, barely loud enough to hear.

Ryan looked up, curious, and finally got a look at the infamous Ethan.

Ethan was tall and steady, moving with slow, deliberate steps. His perfectly tailored black suit fit him like it was made for him, and he carried himself with a cold, untouchable presence.

A string of dark prayer beads hung around his slender wrist, showing up and disappearing again beneath his sleeve as he walked.

Even the beads had the same cold energy he did, the kind that made people afraid to look him in the eye.

Ryan couldn't help but notice the difference. While the rest of them were still being treated like children, people already talked to Ethan like he mattered.

Ethan was only two years older, but he had this intense presence while staying completely calm and steady without any drama. It was kind of boring, and Ryan didn't see the point.

Stanley looked up and gave Ethan a lazy glance as he called out, "Uncle Ethan."

Ethan nodded, gave his shoulder a warm pat, and sat down next to him.

When Ethan walked in, Kevin paused for a sip of water before jumping right back in. "Stanley, you know the Sterling family has barely had any children for generations..."

Ethan rubbed his forehead, looking more tired than usual, and leaned back as lazily as Stanley.

Then he pulled out his phone and unlocked it.

Stanley yawned, bored out of his mind, and his eyes drifted over to Ethan's phone screen. Sophie's message was still there. [When are you free today? I want to give back everything you gave me this year.]

The profile picture showed a tall and slim girl in a casual outfit from behind.

Ethan stared at the screen without moving for more than ten seconds.

Stanley was in a good mood, so even something this small made him smile. He lowered his voice under the sound of Kevin's endless talking. "Ex-girlfriend? You broke up?"

"Stay out of the older generation's business." Ethan cut him a look and dropped his voice.

Stanley was already starting to think people had this uncle of his all wrong.

They said Ethan was steady and self-controlled. But there he was, staring at his ex's message like it had him stuck in place.

The hard to get along with part, though, checked out.

"So what went wrong? She walked out on you?" Stanley was clearly getting more entertained.

Ethan locked his phone and gave him the exact same answer in the exact same flat voice. "Stay out of the older generation's business."

The way he kept shutting it down only made Stanley want to dig deeper.

He sank back in his seat, long legs sliding out in front of him. His fingers drummed a lazy rhythm on his thigh.

When he finally spoke, his voice was calm, unhurried. "Come on, Uncle Ethan. You're barely two years older than me. That's not a generation gap. Just tell me."

After getting pushed twice in a row, Ethan finally looked up at Stanley.

Stanley raised an eyebrow, realizing this wasn't going to end well.

The next second, Ethan raised his voice enough for Kevin to hear. "Stanley, what happened to your neck?

"You've only been back in Ristarville for one night, and you couldn't behave yourself?"

Chapter 11 The Younger Generation's Business

"Stanley, no wonder you don't want to settle down. You want to fool around all day, don't you?" The kindness vanished from Kevin's face, and his loud voice echoed through the hall.

Ryan was so scared that his hand jerked and his phone fell to the ground.

Ruby was still chirping sweetly in the background, "Come on, I'm going to dance for you."

But he wasn't listening anymore. He was staring at Kevin, who was now on his feet, shaking as he jabbed a finger at Stanley and yelled.

He winced and muttered under his breath, "Whoa, easy there. He's about to poke Stanley's eye out."

The whole lecture about carrying on the family line had been winding down. But now a brand new fight was starting up.

Stanley felt the ache behind his eyes. He shot a glance at Ethan, who looked completely unbothered, and leaned in enough to mutter, "That was cold, Uncle Ethan."

"You need to watch yourself," Ethan said, unfazed. "Those messy habits from the Jelasburg crowd? Leave them behind." Then his eyes turned curious. "So, who was it last night?"

"I slept with ten people. Which one do you want to know about?"

Ethan's brow twitched, but he didn't take the bait. "Fine," he said. "Tell me about every single one."

Stanley straightened up in his seat, his voice slow and easy. A faint smile played on his lips as he shot back, "Stay out of the younger generation's business."

*****

Kevin had yelled himself hoarse. After one final shout of "You never listen to anyone," he finally had mercy and let Stanley walk out the door.

He had meant to have Ethan talk to Stanley about a blind date, but now, he didn't even feel like bringing it up.

Ryan hurried after Stanley out of the main hall, and the two of them headed toward Mapleleaf Estate.

"Stanley, your grandpa's got some serious stamina," Ryan said, quietly impressed. "A whole hour of yelling. And you sat there and took it. Didn't your head feel like it was about to explode?"

It was worse than that. Stanley's head was pounding, and he was completely fed up.

"Darling, did you like how I danced? Can you send another gift?" A sweet, girly voice blasted out of Ryan's phone, way too loud.

Stanley was already in a bad mood. He shot a cold look at Ryan, who was frantically jamming the volume button.

"Sorry about that, Stanley," Ryan said with a sheepish grin. "Must have hit the wrong button."

"Stop watching that stuff," Stanley said. "It rots your brain."

"Her dad's a gambler, her mom's sick, and her little sister's still in school. Ruby has been through so much," Ryan said. "Stanley, I have to keep watching and send her more gifts."

He shoved his phone right in Stanley's face. "Look at her. Don't you feel she's so vulnerable? Doesn't she make you want to take care of her?"

Stanley glanced at the screen and saw a streamer with her filters cranked all the way up.

She wore a spaghetti strap top that showed off her long legs. Her face, sharpened by the filter, looked pointy enough to poke her own padded chest.

"So trashy," he muttered and looked away.

But his mind switched to something else on its own. He thought about Sophie, the birthday girl from last night.

He remembered the way the moonlight had washed over her skin when she pulled the curtains open. Her skin was smooth and radiant, and the light gave her a clean, almost untouchable look.

Her eyes were still wet at the corners, a little red, still holding onto the last traces of tears, and the moonlight caught them in a soft, blurry glow.

That was real vulnerability, the kind that made him want to take care of her.

He'd told himself one night wouldn't stick with him, but now, he couldn't shake a single moment from last night with her.

He kept thinking about the way she bit her lip, the quiet crying, the soft way she'd begged, those little broken whispers of "Mr. Sterling," and the damp red marks he'd left on her delicate skin.

All of it left a strange ache in his chest that he couldn't quite name.

Then the profile picture from Ethan's chat flashed through his mind. There was something about that figure in the back that felt way too familiar.

Then he decided he was simply overthinking it.

He shook off his thoughts and swatted the phone away. "Go on. Keep watching."

Ryan smirked, pretty pleased with himself. 'So even Stanley fell for Ruby,' he thought. 'A second ago, he was trashing the show, and now he's telling me to keep watching.'

"Then again," Stanley added after a beat, "it's not like your taste could get any worse."

Ryan was at a loss for words.

*****

As night fell, the silver-roofed Maybach rolled to a stop outside Velvet Club, the go-to spot in Ristarville for anyone with money to spend and status to show off.

"Mr. Hawthorne, we're here," Simon Sherman, Ethan's assistant, said.

Ethan opened his eyes. He hadn't slept the night before, and the faint shadows under his eyes gave it away. "Go pick out a set of jewelry from the mall and bring it over," he told Simon.

"Yes, sir."

Three years as Ethan's assistant had taught Simon not to ask unnecessary questions. Still, he didn't need a map to figure out the jewelry was for Olivia tonight.

Ethan stepped out of the car first. His long legs moved with easy strength, the crisp fabric of his dress pants hugging every lean line.

"What took you so long?" Victor had been waiting, and he immediately walked over with a grin, coming up beside him.

"My nephew showed up. Had to deal with a few things at home," Ethan replied.

"Your nephew's already here?" For a second, Victor looked thrown off. Then he raised an eyebrow and his grin turned sly. "So bring him tonight. Let him get a sneak peek at the girls."

Word had already spread everywhere that Stanley, the Sterling heir from Jelasburg, was coming to Ristarville to find a match.

Any family with a daughter the right age had already sent her photo to the Hawthornes.

They were all hoping their girl would marry into the Sterling family so the whole family could rise with her.

But Stanley had spent twelve years studying abroad, so no one knew what he looked like, and all the top families in Ristarville couldn't wait to meet him in person.

Victor had thrown tonight's party to celebrate his sister Olivia finally waking up after three years in a coma.

He'd invited all of Ristarville's young heirs and socialites.

A few of the girls there were exactly the ones Stanley was supposed to meet soon for his matchmaking dates.

Ethan took a moment to think. Then he turned back to Simon, who was still in the car. "Go pick up Stanley."

"Understood." Simon nodded, stepped on the gas, and drove off.

*****

The club was already packed with energy.

Bright lights slashed through the darkness, hitting the crowd on the dance floor.

The city's hottest band played a beat that was loud and a little dirty. A good-looking DJ kept the crowd hyped from the stage, and sexy dancers stood next to every booth to keep things hot.

In the middle of the room, a huge round booth that fit over thirty people was almost full.

As soon as Ethan walked in, people started calling out to him.

"Ethan, it's been long."

"Hey, long time no see."

"How have you been?"

Ethan gave a small nod and sat down in the seat of honor, the one everyone quickly made room for.

"Don't get all tight because Ethan showed up," Victor said with a grin. "Relax and have fun tonight."

And just like that, the whole room loosened up.

Right away, people started tossing out jokes left and right.

"Victor, this party must be a big one if you even got Mr. Hawthorne to come."

"I hope it's not someone's birthday. I didn't bring a gift."

"Wait, don't tell me you're getting married, Victor. That makes this a bachelor party?"

Victor raised an eyebrow.

Figuring that Olivia was still at the hospital going through her daily checkup and wouldn't be here for a while, he smiled and said, "You'll find out soon enough. It's a surprise."

Just then, Peter Lane, Victor's cousin, looked around and grinned. "Hey, Mr. Hawthorne, where's that college girl who's always hanging around you? How come she's not here tonight?"

"She has class tonight?" Chris Lane, Victor's another cousin, added.

Peter and Chris's family had brought their hotel business into Ristarville not long ago.

Being new in this city, they'd only met Ethan a handful of times, and only because of Victor.

And every single time, Sophie had been right there by Ethan's side.

Ethan didn't bother to reply.

"They broke up yesterday," Victor said with a grin.

Once Olivia walked in, everyone would know the breakup anyway, so Victor figured he might as well get ahead of it.

"Broke up?" Chris and Peter exchanged a look, and their eyes lit up before they could stop themselves.

The rest of the group looked at each other too, their faces hard to read.

Victor caught it immediately and his tone turned serious as he said, "We're all friends here, and our families help each other out.

"If anyone's got their eye on Sophie and is thinking about making a move now that she's single, you need to kill that thought right now.

"She's a top student at Ristarville University, and she's still in school, so don't go there.

"And don't forget, she used to be with Ethan. Anyone who tries something with her won't be welcome around here anymore."

He had seen this kind of thing plenty of times, so he didn't bother being subtle about it.

Most of them raised an eyebrow and let the thought of messing with Sophie go.

Ethan sat to the side with his legs crossed, his cold eyes showing nothing, leaving everyone guessing where he stood on Sophie.

Peter leaned close to Chris and muttered, "Victor's always playing saint. That little lookalike? Ethan already wrecked her. Top student, my ass. She's just a cheap slut who gets legs wide open for anyone. If Ethan can hit it, why can't we?"

"Come on, Peter, Victor already told us to back off. Let's leave it," Chris said nervously, not wanting to push back too hard.

"Leave it? No chance." Peter laughed coldly. "If you ask me, Victor wants her for himself. Didn't that girl you're seeing say she knows Sophie? Get her to call Sophie out. I'm taking her tonight, no matter what."

Chapter 12 Plot Something Against Sophie

"But Victor..." Chris still hesitated.

"What's there to be scared of?" Peter shot back. "She's simply some college girl with no connections and no power.

"Even if we force her, she wouldn't dare tell anyone. And if Victor does find out, you really think he'd turn on us for some woman Ethan already threw away?"

He raised an eyebrow and added in a low voice, "Didn't you say the other day she had a tiny waist and big tits? You said you'd never had a top student that wild. Now you're getting cold feet?"

The thought of Sophie's curves and that innocent, pretty face sent a rush of heat straight through Chris. "Fine, I'll have her call Sophie out," he agreed.

"There we go. Just the two of us, having a little fun tonight," Peter said with a hungry grin, already buzzing with anticipation.

*****

Sophie's day wasn't too packed today.

She'd hit the library, gotten ahead on tomorrow's reading, and was finally heading back to her dorm.

Then her phone rang while she was still walking. It was her roommate, Nina.

Nina sounded like she'd been throwing up for hours. "Sophie, I'm at Velvet Club. Come grab me."

And then the line went dead.

Sophie tried calling back again and again, but nothing went through.

She didn't stop to drop off her books. She caught a cab at the school gate and headed straight there.

*****

Around the corner of the club hallway, Peter was bouncing on his heels and blowing smoke.

"When Sophie walks in, don't waste any time. Knock her out and get her out of here," Peter said.

"Peter, why don't we pay her to come with us? What's the point if she's unconscious?" Chris said nervously, gripping a white cloth that smelled like drugs.

"Tonight I'm gonna show you something wild, and it's not the kind of thing you can do with a girl who's awake." Peter raised an eyebrow at Chris.

"So what are we gonna do?" Chris asked, suddenly excited.

"First, we grab Sophie..." Peter started, and then stopped and shot an annoyed look over his shoulder at some guy standing behind him. "Hey, pal, you've been lurking behind me for a few minutes now, and honestly, I'm done putting up with you."

Peter was about to chase the guy off when Chris cut him short and said, "Peter, Sophie's here."

The two brothers quickly leaned out from around the corner to check.

Sophie came rushing into the bar with a worried look and walked straight toward the hallway.

"Get ready," Peter said with narrowed eyes, and Chris nodded, still tense.

Sophie hurried closer and was reaching the corner when Peter and Chris stepped forward.

Just then, someone kicked them hard behind the knees and sent them both crashing to the ground right in front of her. They were stuck in an awkward kneeling position like they were paying respect.

The two brothers and Sophie were all stunned into silence.

Sophie blinked in surprise, and then gave a polite smile. "You really didn't have to be so formal."

Then a figure stepped out from around the corner, and Sophie's eyes went even wider.

"Mr. Sterling?" she gasped. She thought she'd never see him again. But only two days later, in a city as big as Ristarville, they somehow ran into each other.

Stanley seemed to have a thing for casual suits, and white was always his pick.

The white suit hugged him right, all quiet luxury and easy grace, while his face stayed relaxed and completely unbothered.

One hand in his pocket, Stanley let his gaze drift over to the two guys practically bowing on the floor.

"Gotta say, you Ristarville folks really go all out. Run into someone you know and hit the floor like that?" he said.

Peter came to his senses first. "You son of a bitch," he snarled. "So that's why you've been lurking behind us all this time, you—"

"Shut it," Stanley said without even raising his voice. One hand still in his pocket, he lazily stuck out his long leg and nailed Chris's hand dead on, sending the drugged handkerchief flying right into Peter's face.

The kick was fast and brutal.

Peter took it square in the face, breathed in the drug, and hit the floor before he knew what had happened.

The handkerchief slipped off, and blood started to trickle silently from his nose.

Two teeth rolled out of his gaping mouth and hit the ground.

Sophie's eyes went wide. She stumbled back and clamped a hand over her mouth to keep from screaming, and then slowly turned to look at Stanley.

He looked as easygoing and lazy as ever, but there was something vicious rolling off him, like he couldn't help being dangerous.

His presence was nothing like the night before, when he'd murmured softly, asking what she was crying about, calling her his fragile Cinderella, and telling her to take her time because he'd listen to every word.

Chris's eyes went wide, and he jumped to his feet, fuming. "How dare you kick my brother? We're from the Lane family. Who do you think you are, some nobody from the middle of nowhere? Do you know how things work in Ristarville?"

"I don't know how things work around here," Stanley said with a soft laugh as he flexed his wrist, "but I do know how to use my fists."

Chris went quiet right away.

He shot a look at Peter, still sprawled on the floor with blood coming out of his mouth.

Even dropping the Lane name hadn't worked, so he figured Stanley had to be some clueless outsider with no idea how things worked in Ristarville.

Picking a fight with someone that reckless right now would only make things worse for them, so he decided to get out of here for now and deal with this later.

Chris quickly hauled Peter off the ground and tried to slip past Stanley, throwing out a threat as he went. "This isn't over. Just wait. You think you're some kind of hero saving the girl? I'm gonna..."

Before he could finish, Stanley grabbed him by the collar.

"Hey, hey, let go of my neck," Chris yelped. "I'm sorry."

Stanley hauled him back like it was nothing, his face still carrying that same lazy look. "No point in waiting. Let's settle this now."

Chris tried to twist away, but during the process, Peter slipped off him and hit the ground.

Then Stanley kicked Chris behind the knees again, and Chris dropped right in front of Sophie with a heavy thud.

He struggled to get up, but Stanley's foot pressed down on his shoulder with so much weight that he couldn't move an inch, and the pain drilled into his bones like they were about to give way.

Right then, a wave of hopelessness crashed over Chris.

'This guy's strength is terrifying,' he thought bitterly. 'And he doesn't have a soft bone in his body.

'Peter and I haven't even laid a finger on Sophie yet, and we're already getting wrecked. What a raw deal.'

Stanley pressed down even harder and said in that lazy voice of his, "Alright, bow three times, say you're sorry, and maybe lick the ground while you're at it."

Chris was speechless. He'd never apologized like that in his life.

Sophie was as stunned. This was the craziest apology she'd ever heard.

Chris looked completely humiliated as he muttered, "I'm sorry." Then he started to lick the ground.

"Don't. Mr. Lane, you don't have to do that," Sophie said, her skin crawling with goosebumps.

She swallowed hard and then turned to Stanley. "Mr. Sterling, what's going on here?"

"It's something ugly, and you don't need to hear about it," Stanley said slowly, his gaze brushing over Sophie's bright eyes before drifting away casually.

He never got involved in other people's business, but when he walked past and heard the name "Sophie," something came over him, and he couldn't move another inch.

"Dude, since she said we didn't have to do that..." Chris said, quickly looking up while he had the chance, "how about you let me go like I'm nothing?"

"Fine," Stanley said, nodding like he was actually considering it.

Chris was so relieved that he could hardly believe it.

Then Stanley gave a faint, elegant smile, lifted his chin with lazy ease, and pointed at Sophie. "Pay her 300 thousand for what she went through, and we're done here."

Sophie blinked, completely lost.

She couldn't remember going through anything that deserved compensation.

"I'll pay, but I don't have that kind of cash on me right now. Give me some time, okay? Two weeks?" Chris begged, looking like he was about to cry.

Then again, he believed he was the one who should be getting paid for what he'd gone through.

Stanley started counting down. "Five."

Chris gritted his teeth. "Five days? I can do five days."

As Stanley went on, Chris stood there speechless.

Stanley grabbed a display vase from nearby, gave it a little heft, and kept going. "Two."

"I'm paying. Right now!" Chris's hands were shaking as he fumbled for his phone, ready to make the transfer.