Chapter 1

There was a heavy stench of blood throughout the cold prison.

"Why?" Alison Tucker curled up on the ground in pain, looking pitifully thin in her oversized prison uniform. As she coughed violently, a large mouthful of blood spilled from her mouth. The pain was intolerable.

Her vision went dark, and she felt as if a thousand sharp knives were writhing in her gut. So, this was what gut-wrenching poison felt like.

"Why? Why are you doing this to me?" With great difficulty, Alison raised her head and glared at the inmate before her, her eyes brimming with intense anger.

"Are you asking why I poisoned you?" The inmate laughed cruelly, staring at Alison kneeling on the ground with disdain and pity. "Someone paid me to kill you. Your existence is a threat to her happiness!"

"Who?" In an attempt to remain conscious, Alison pressed her knees tightly against her tummy.

"Fine. Since you're going to die, I'll tell you the truth. You're supposed to marry Mr. Anderson, am I right? Well, this person wants you out of the way so she can be with him. Do you understand now?"

The excruciating pain spread through Alison's body, affecting her nerves. However, a face flashed before her mind instantly.

That shameless woman, Chelsea Butler, was behind this.

Alison never thought Chelsea would go to these extremes. She let out a painful moan as tears of regret and remorse flooded her eyes.

Chelsea was once her best and closest friend. Yet she had plotted against Alison, resulting in her imprisonment. Chelsea was also why Alison had given up the best man in the world, Drake Anderson.

Drake had once showered Alison with so much affection. However, under Chelsea's influence, she had done everything she could to make him despise her. She was the one who pushed him away.

At her very last moment, Alison realized that Chelsea had been playing her the whole time. She had become the most depressing and helpless joke on the planet, even going as far as to be locked up and perhaps die.

However, there was no point in regretting it now since she no longer deserved Drake.

More blood spurted out from her mouth. Alison collapsed in the middle of the bloody puddle, gazing into the cell's darkness with tears in her eyes.

The intense and unwavering sorrow that not even death could take away seemed to have replaced the gut-wrenching pain in her.

When the prison guard saw her state, he couldn't help but feel sorry and sigh for Alison. He moved nearer and gently closed her eyes, shutting her once-hatred-filled wide eyes immediately. All that was left was a stunning and lifeless face.

The guard sighed again before standing up and walking away. The only thing remaining in the cell was the scent of blood.

…

With difficulty, Alison blinked her eyes open to find herself in a state of shock. The sterile white furnishings were the same as the hotel room from seven years ago.

She turned her head in bewilderment and looked beside her. In an instant, she covered her lips and choked back her cries.

Drake was standing before her. Alison had gone back to seven years ago, the evening of their engagement and the first time they had sex.

Rumor had it that Drake was not only notorious in both the underworld and society but also had a violent temper and was prone to violence. Hence, she fought against their families' arranged marriage out of fear.

Alison also believed her father, Peter Tucker, and her stepmother, Emily Dawson, harbored ill intentions by wanting to drive her into danger.

That night, Alison did not want Drake to touch her. Out of desperation, she blurted out that she loved Liam Walton and wished to reserve her first time for him.

Alison still vividly recalled that her words had infuriated Drake.

Following that evening, she was confident that Drake, as the heir of the Anderson family, was indeed as terrible as the rumors said. Nevertheless, she eventually discovered that the frigid man she had imagined was the gentlest person alive.

She let Drake slip from her fingers, making her feel remorseful. But she was reborn again.

Alison choked with joy, tears streaming uncontrollably down her face. She gently touched the wound on his lips with trembling fingers. Now that she was given another chance, she vowed to reclaim everything that belonged to her, including him.

Alison would not make that mistake again, and she definitely had no intention of letting Chelsea toy with her any longer. With that in mind, she gently leaned in and kissed the corner of his lips again.

At that moment, there were numerous knocks on the door. Alison's body stiffened as she gazed at the door. If she remembered correctly, Chelsea was outside the door.

Chapter 2

Alison's eyes narrowed a little as memories of the past played back to her like a movie.

Every phrase Chelsea said in her past life was like poison, hurting her heart. She used every trick and spread all kinds of lies to confuse Alison, leading her to believe that marrying Drake was like going to hell.

Chelsea told her that Liam was the guy who loved her the most and that Alison would only be happy in his company. She became gradually encouraged by Chelsea and foolishly fell into the trap, leading to a tragic end.

The idea seemed absurd to Alison as she thought about it. She was stupid enough to believe Chelsea's words back then, thinking that Liam was the one she really loved.

Hence, Alison did everything to oppose Drake and desperately tried to distance herself from him. Ultimately, she landed herself in a scandal and was despised by many.

With a torrent of regretful tears running down her cheeks, Alison shut her eyes. She would never let history repeat itself now that she knew her true nature.

She would never let Chelsea win again.

After getting out of bed, Alison put on a bathrobe. She went to the door and hesitated a little before opening it.

Chelsea seemed to sigh in relief as she quickly grabbed Alison's arm, saying anxiously, "Thank goodness! You finally opened the door. I was so worried and thought something happened to you!"

She tiptoed before glancing around the room a few times. Her tone sounded somewhat reproachful, with a hint of questioning, as she asked, "Ally, didn't we agree on sneaking out last night? Why did you spend the whole night in the room? Did Mr. Anderson hurt you?"

Chelsea examined Alison closely with piercing eyes as if attempting to see through her.

Alison lowered her eyes and clenched her fists tightly, unable to contain her emotions. She could not possibly forget the trouble that Chelsea had caused.

Last night was Alison's engagement night with Drake. As their families were there, she had to enter the room with him.

At that moment, Chelsea instantly sent a text urging her to find a way to get Drake drunk and sneak out in the middle of the night. But things didn't go as she hoped.

Alison sneered inwardly. She did carry out Chelsea's plan last night. But Drake's alcohol tolerance was astonishing, and he even saw through her little tricks.

However, she wasn't going to explain. After dying in her previous life, Alison was clear about Chelsea's feelings for Drake. She wondered how she could have been blinded all those years ago.

She quickly regained composure and calmly stated, "Oh, I accidentally fell asleep last night."

Upon hearing this, Chelsea became nervous. "You fell asleep? How can you fall asleep? What about Mr. Anderson? Did the both of you sleep together?"

She bit her lip anxiously. She had waited for Alison the whole night, but she never turned up. Since she felt apprehensive, she rushed over early in the morning.

"Yes, we slept together. Last night was our engagement night. There's nothing wrong with us sleeping together, right?" Alison stared at her.

The question astounded Chelsea. She found Alison's comments to be rather sharp for some reason, and there was a tinge of edge in her stare as well.

"Ally, what are you trying to say? That's not what I meant…"

Her words trailed off as the kiss mark at the nape of Alison's neck attracted her attention. When she realized what it was, she exclaimed, "Ally, that mark on your neck…"

Alison stroked her neck before pretending to be alarmed and instantly covered the mark with her hair. For a while, she didn't say a word.

Chelsea was about to inquire more when Drake walked out of the room, clad in an impeccable custom-made black suit. His presence was imposing and hard to ignore.

"Mr. Anderson," Chelsea greeted. The emotions in her eyes were evident.

Drake gave her a cold glare. He gave a slight nod before silently walking past them.

Alison wanted to call out to him. But she could only watch him go since she hadn't dressed yet.

Never mind, her priority was to deal with Chelsea, who stood before her. Alison reluctantly shifted her eyes away to stare at her.

Chelsea was staring at the departing figure at this moment with a hint of longing in her eyes. At the same time, the intensity in her eyes grew stronger, verging on madness with envy. The matter she dreaded the most had happened last night.

She squinted her eyes as she clenched her fists. But she regained her composure just as she turned around. She still sounded resentful, as if she was standing up for Alison.

"Ally, I can't believe he forced himself on you. This is unacceptable, and I pity you. This can't continue, as you'll just suffer more."

Alison sneered inwardly as she took in Chelsea's pretentious expression. She could not help but ask, "Oh? How are you going to help me?"

Chelsea casually remarked, "You have to break off the engagement. Ally, find a chance to break it off with him. Then, you are free to pursue your own happiness. Don't you like Liam?"

At her words, Alison's irritation grew. But she didn't let it show as she replied, "I want to. But you know that the Tucker and Anderson families won't allow me to do that."

"Don't worry. I can come up with another way to help you!"

Upon seeing Chelsea's excitement, Alison wished she could expose her right away. But she knew the moment wasn't right.

"Let's discuss this later. Wait a moment while I change." She shut the door after that.

Chelsea stood there and felt that something had changed in Alison, though she was unsure what it was. She was certain that after last night, Alison had become odd.

…

Alison stood before the mirror and couldn't help but smirk.

In her previous life, she was played by Chelsea. In this life, she would get her revenge.

Alison reached the hotel lobby about 15 minutes later.

Swiftly waving her over, Chelsea sprinted up to embrace her while maintaining an air of friendliness. "Let's go shopping, Ally. I saw a beautiful dress at a store a few days ago, and I really want it. You always believed that I had wonderful taste, right?"

Alison faked a smile. She knew Chelsea was trying to get her to pay for that dress. After all, Alison was Chelsea's ATM in her previous life.

However, she wasn't stupid to let Chelsea manipulate her anymore.

Alison's eyes seemed weary as she apologized, "I'm sorry, but I can't. I want to go home and relax since I'm a little exhausted from last night."

Upon hearing this, Chelsea's face became tense. She didn't think Alison would reject her. After coming to her senses, her expression was somewhat bitter.

"Oh, right. I forgot that you were tired from last night. Well, be careful on your way home." She forced a smile.

Alison ignored her. As she got in a cab, she could sense a hostile look from behind as she left. She massaged her temples to relax in the car, and her mind drifted to Drake.

In her previous life, Drake began to keep his distance from her ever since last night. He did not even set foot in their bedroom on their wedding day.

She had hurt him in her previous life. This time, she would surely win him back.

Chapter 3

Alison took out her phone and glanced at the time. She figured Drake should've arrived at the office by now. She thought for a moment before instructing the driver to turn around.

A few minutes later, Alison stood in front of Anderson Corporation's headquarters.

She raised her gaze to the top of the imposing structure. She couldn't help but squint her eyes a little as the glass exterior of the skyscraper reflected brilliant light under the sun.

Drake was in the CEO's office on the highest floor.

Alison entered the lobby and headed directly to the private elevator, which was restricted to only a select few. Those with keen eyes in the lobby had recognized her and dared not to stop her.

After arriving at the highest floor, she headed for the assistant's office. Drake's assistant, Wade Suarez, was taken aback to see her.

"Ms. Tucker… No, I should refer to you as Mrs. Anderson now. What brings you here, Mrs. Anderson?" Wade immediately got up, his surprise causing him to stammer slightly.

Alison had never bothered to pay a visit to the Anderson Corporation before. She even said so herself that she hated the place.

When she did show up, she would cause a scene. Wade would always have to clean up after her and become reprimanded by Drake. Thus, he was a little terrified of her.

Alison also recalled the awful deeds she had done in her previous life. Back then, Wade had been kind to her and stood up for her because of Drake, but she resented him.

She was filled with remorse as she recalled it now. Hence, she had a change of attitude and spoke kindly, "Is Drake here?"

Upon hearing this, Wade was taken aback as he wasn't used to her sudden change of behavior. Besides, she used to address Drake by his full name.

Still, he answered honestly, "Mr. Anderson is in a meeting."

She nodded and said, "I'll wait inside for him. You can continue your work." She then went directly into Drake's office.

Wade was in shock. For a moment, he believed something was wrong with her. However, he soon collected himself and enthusiastically served her coffee and water, fearing that she might get upset and cause a ruckus again.

Three hours later, Drake finished his meeting and returned to the top floor. He scowled upon noticing Wade's uncertain look and pushed the door open.

Alison was lying on the spacious couch, casually flipping through a magazine.

Drake's tone became cold, and his scowl deepened. "Why are you here? Is there anything that you need?"

Upon hearing his question, she set down the magazine and sat up straight. She couldn't take her eyes off him.

Drake had a towering stature, and his steps were powerful and steady. His well-tailored suit emphasized his remarkable figure. Even if he seemed aloof, his bold features, tightly pursed lips, and slightly furrowed brows made him seem very attractive.

Alison instantly disregarded his imposing and icy demeanor. Drake was attractive, almost too charming to refuse.

She couldn't help but chastise herself in silence. She wondered why she had been so blind to give up such a good man like him.

"Can't I drop by without any reason? Since it's almost noon, let's go for lunch." She walked up to him with a cheerful grin.

As her beaming face got closer to him, Drake scowled at her odd behavior. "What are you up to now? It's too late to call off the engagement now. You should just give up!"

His assertive and stern tone surprised Alison. She couldn't help but think that he was too cold.

However, Alison could only blame her past self for this, as she had caused too much trouble for him before. Hence, it made sense why he would think and say that.

She wasn't angry at his words. She kept smiling as she moved to wrap her arms around his neck and hug him tightly.

"No calling off the engagement, as you said! I'll remember your words. Will you be joining me for lunch? I'll have to go with Liam if you reject me."

The moment she uttered Liam's name, Drake's expression hardened, seeming murderous. His icy demeanor sent a chill down Alison's spine.

However, her objective was to win Drake back. She couldn't back down now since she already provoked him.

Given her history of causing significant troubles, it was no surprise that Drake remained on high alert. Thus, Alison needed to take things slow, starting by gradually getting close to him.

No matter what, she needed to close the distance between them. With this thought in mind, Alison held onto him and waited for his answer.

Drake narrowed his eyes coldly at her. He had no idea what she was up to.

After some time, he pried her soft arms away. He grabbed the car keys from his desk and turned to leave.

"What do you want to eat?" he asked.

Her smile widened when she realized that he had agreed. Alison grabbed his hand and followed him quickly. "I have no idea what we should have. You make the decision."

He pursed his lips and kept quiet. With little strength, he flung her hand away.

Alison pouted, but seeing Wade at the door gave her an idea. In an instant, she turned to hold Wade's arm.

Drake's eyes instantly darkened. Before Wade could respond, he pulled her back and placed her hand on his arm again.

Alison chuckled to herself. Though Drake looked cold on the outside, he still had a special place for her in his heart. She believed she would really win him over one day.

Their unexpected act surprised Wade. It took him some time to come to his senses and observe their intimacy.

At one point, he thought he was hallucinating. He wondered why Alison decided to approach Drake today, as she usually wasn't willing to do so.

Chapter 4

The sun was blazing hot above. As the black Rolls-Royce came to a stop, Alison eagerly got out of the car. She pulled Drake's hand and went inside a nearby restaurant.

She had visited this Griffin cuisine restaurant before. Although she had only been there once, she remembered the food being very authentic, with dishes exclusive to that region.

When it was time to order, she placed the menu before Drake. "I'm quite indecisive, so you pick!"

He didn't refuse and slowly selected about seven or eight dishes. The dishes were served promptly, and it didn't take long for the table to be filled.

Alison picked up her fork and started to taste the food. But after a few bites, she was shocked to discover that every dish was her favorite.

Her heart couldn't help but flutter. A wave of sadness overcame her, almost bringing her to tears.

She never expected that he would remember all of her favorites. Yet, she had no idea what his preferences were. She wanted to smack herself suddenly for being so selfish.

When Drake noticed that she had stopped eating, he tried a few dishes before asking, "Why aren't you eating? Is it not tasty?"

Sniffling, Alison answered, "No. It's delicious."

She continued to eat but couldn't help but stare at Drake sitting across from her.

After a while, Drake began to feel uneasy under her gaze. He set down his fork and scowled as he asked, "What do you want? Do you think using a soft approach will work since the hard way didn't?"

For a minute, Alison was taken aback by his question. All she was doing was trying to analyze his food preferences.

However, even if she had claimed that she was observing him to know him more, he wouldn't trust her due to her prior actions.

Alison shifted the topic and gently said, "I'm returning to the Anderson residence tonight. Would you like to come along?"

It was now Drake's turn to be surprised. He hadn't anticipated her to say that. According to his understanding of Alison, she would want to remain far away and ideally never return to that house. But now she was inviting him back there.

After some thought, he concluded that she had to be up to something. He abruptly stood up and uttered coldly, "Whatever your strategy is, it won't work. Because I refuse to agree to it!"

He then turned and walked away. His tall figure gradually vanished beyond the entrance.

Alison couldn't help but sigh. It seemed that she had been too eager. She could only take things slow now.

…

After dinner, she went back to the Anderson residence. Returning there seemed strange after experiencing another life, yet she could still clearly remember the past.

As soon as she entered the house, Alison nodded and grinned at the housekeeper, Erica Wagner. When she saw Alison, she stood for a long while in amazement.

Alison chuckled at her astonishment and headed upstairs without a word. She opened the bedroom door and was immediately struck by the cozy familiarity of the furniture and decor.

Everything was arranged just how she liked it, exactly like her room in the Tucker residence. Drake had obviously given a lot of thought to the room decoration.

But the person she had been before hadn't been grateful. As Alison was lost in memories, her phone rang. It was Chelsea.

She answered it and heard a calm and sweet voice asking, "Ally, where are you?"

"The Anderson residence," she answered truthfully.

After two seconds of silence, Chelsea's voice turned sharp as she shouted, "Why did you go back there? I really don't understand what you're thinking!"

With a smirk, Alison answered calmly, "This is my husband's home, so I naturally need to come back here. Besides, I can't return. Knowing my father, he would send me back here."

Chelsea clenched her phone firmly on the other end. She was sure something was wrong with Alison. Her return to the Anderson residence meant she had more time with Drake.

This was the last thing Chelsea wanted to see.

A cold glint flashed in her eyes as she gripped the phone and continued with a chuckle, "I didn't mean that. Well, I'm calling to let you know there's a class reunion tomorrow. Liam will be there as well, so I'm calling to invite you."

When Alison heard this, she couldn't help but sneer at how Chelsea was really impatient about getting rid of her. If she recalled correctly, Chelsea had set her up at the reunion after drinking some wine.

At that time, she was unaware of what had happened and followed Liam into the room. Thankfully, Drake arrived just in time.

The incident caused an uproar between the Tucker and Anderson families, who had to step in to quell the matter.

Alison chuckled coldly in her heart. She wondered if Chelsea was going to pull the same trick once more.

The Alison who listened to her every command was no longer alive. Since Chelsea wanted to play, Alison would gladly play along to the end.

Chapter 5

The following afternoon, Alison opened the door to her walk-in closet, intending to choose an appropriate dress for the class reunion.

When she opened the door, she was astounded to see different types of clothes inside. The whole closet was filled with imported high-fashion items.

Drake had previously purchased all of these for Alison. But she had been ungrateful in her previous life and never bothered to look at them. She now realized that the styles of these clothes were highly suitable for her figure and matched her tastes perfectly.

After knocking on the door, Erica walked in with a tray of afternoon tea. Once setting down the tray, she was shocked to find Alison picking out clothes.

Though taken aback, she had a wide grin on her face. She sensed that Alison had changed.

Upon seeing Erica, Alison seized the chance to ask, "Erica, did Drake ask someone to deliver these clothes?"

Erica laughed. She always liked Alison and was pleased to see her in a good mood today, so she answered honestly, "Yes, they were all handpicked by Mr. Anderson.

"He didn't want me to tell you probably because he feared you wouldn't like them. But you should be able to feel his sincerity."

Alison shut her eyes and sighed. She had guessed it right.

She was insane to reject someone who really cared for her. She wondered why she had not noticed how excellent Drake was before.

Luckily, she was given a second chance. She was determined to not mess up again. This time, she wouldn't let his kindness go to waste.

After flicking through the clothes, Alison chose an elegant yet luxurious dress. She held it up before her and asked, "Erica, what do you think? Does it look good on me?"

Erica grinned and replied, "With a face as beautiful as yours, you look good in anything."

Her compliments made Alison blush a little. "Erica, stop teasing me."

Erica walked over and opened a closet. "There is a lot more jewelry, designer purses, and matching high heels here. Take anything that appeals to you, Mrs. Anderson."

As she spoke, she excitedly pulled out more jewelry cases.

Alison felt warm in her heart and said, "Thank you."

Erica smiled and replied, "Mr. Anderson will be delighted to see you wearing these."

After pondering for a moment, Alison hurriedly put on a light purple dress. She stood before the full-length mirror and handed her phone to Erica. "Could you take a picture of me?"

She smiled sweetly in the picture, giving off a sophisticated and playful demeanor. Her gaze glistened, enthralling anyone who met her gaze.

Once her photo was taken, she sent it to Drake and texted. "Do I look good?"

She waited for some time, but he never replied. She didn't mind it since she assumed he was busy.

When Alison was halfway done with her makeup, Chelsea phoned her.

"Ally, are you getting ready? You can dress casually since this is just a small class reunion. Even regular clothing is fine. I'm just reminding you that the reunion is about to start, so please be there on time."

After silently listening, Alison hung up the phone without answering. The minute she answered the phone, she had been sneering at herself.

Chelsea had stated something similar in her previous life. But she became the center of attention when she arrived at the event due to her extravagant dress. In contrast, Alison looked less attractive standing next to her.

She would not let herself fall into the same trap again. Before leaving, Alison went to Drake's garage and selected a sleek Porsche to drive to the high-end club.

There was the sound of glasses clinking as guests mingled around in a private room on the second floor. The moment Alison walked in, she felt as if everyone was staring at her, and their expressions were all of wonder.

At first, none of her classmates recognized her, and they were all guessing who she was.

Alison apologized with a slight grin, "I'm sorry for being late."

"Alison, it's you! You look stunning today," a person in the crowd exclaimed.

Everyone was taken aback. Though they recognized Alison for her beauty, she had never really dressed appropriately and often seemed unkempt. Usually, her attire was peculiar. But now that she had dressed up, she looked lovely.

Her perfect physique was accentuated by the light purple chiffon dress she wore, which hung over her like vapor. Everyone was enthralled by her elegant neck, the somewhat low V-neck that exposed a portion of her pale skin, perfect breasts, slim waist, and long legs.

She already had refined and dainty features. But she seemed more endearing and gorgeous with minimal makeup on.

Whether it was her smile or the way she twirled, Alison looked stunning in her purple dress. Many were envious of her.

Chelsea took a big gulp of wine. She had been delighted with the praise she received for the dress she had picked out with great care. However, Alison's appearance overshadowed her completely and took center stage.

The room buzzed with praises for Alison. Even the women who were hanging out with Chelsea were suddenly drawn to Alison.

"Ally, you look pretty today. The dress looks amazing on you. It must be expensive!"

"Yes, Ally, can I touch your dress?"

"Wow, the fabric is so soft and looks so good."

"Ally, if you had dressed like this before, you would've captivated so many people!"

Alison nodded to each of the women in acknowledgment with a grin before taking a sip of champagne.

She couldn't help but find herself laughable at the thought of the way she had dressed before. She really seemed out of her mind to believe anything Chelsea said.

She remembered clearly that Chelsea had mentioned Liam's preference for women with an unconventional style. Hence, Alison dressed according to the way he liked. She even thought Liam had an unusual preference since he was attracted to women dressed in heavy metal attire.

Now, she understood that it had all been a lie. Alison glanced up and saw Liam was there too, staring at her in astonishment.

At this moment, Chelsea walked over with a scowl on her face. "Why did you come dressing like that? Don't you think that's a little excessive?"

Alison rebutted with a grin, "Didn't you ask me to dress in something casual? My previous heavy metal attire was too much."

Chelsea's expression turned awkward, and she forced a smile. "No, that's not what I meant. You look great, Ally. I've been waiting for you and saved you a seat. Come with me."

Alison glanced over and found that the vacant seat was right next to Liam.

Chapter 6

Alison was well aware of Chelsea's schemes. She gently pushed her arm away and said softly with a smile, "There's no need for that. I'll sit with Dylan."

Upon hearing this, Chelsea raised an eyebrow. Just as she was about to stop her, Alison had already turned and left.

She sat across from Dylan Hanson, the class monitor. He looked honest and wore gold-rimmed spectacles that gave him an air of elegance.

Alison remembered that he scored good grades in school. Since she had done quite well too, they quickly began conversing.

In a corner of the private room, Liam noticed that Alison hadn't looked at him since she arrived. For some reason, that made him feel somewhat displeased.

Even though she was beautiful, he didn't like her because of her unique and odd attire. He liked women who were naturally charming and seductive.

But tonight, he realized that she could also be such a woman. Alison could give up her bizarre outfit and turn into a charming woman, which was his ideal type.

Seeming to sense his emotions, Chelsea approached to comfort him, saying, "Don't worry about it. Perhaps Ally is trying to get your attention by doing so. She used to be so in love with you. How could she not want to be by your side?"

Liam felt a little better after realizing she had a point.

Chelsea, who was hiding in the shadows, was wary of Alison's abrupt transformation and kept a close eye on everything she did.

In the meantime, Alison was aware of the piercing stare coming her way. She knew who it was without even turning to look.

She couldn't even fake a smile at Chelsea, who caused her death. However, she had to comply as it wasn't the appropriate moment to confront her.

At the thought of this, Alison approached her while holding a glass of champagne. "Chelsea, I'm quite bored. Do you have any ideas for something fun to do?"

Upon seeing her approach willingly, Chelsea let her guard down and grinned cheerfully. "We obviously have to drink and enjoy ourselves! Let me raise a glass to you, Ally."

Alison lowered her head and chuckled.

"Ally, you must find it difficult to look at Liam's icy face every day. This is your time to unwind and get wasted!"

"Sure." After Alison downed her glass of wine quickly, Chelsea poured another right away. Since Alison was aware of her poor alcohol tolerance, she took a hangover pill before going in to prevent herself from getting drunk.

After a few more rounds, her face turned red. As she massaged her temples, she slowly uttered, "I… I can't take it anymore. My head is spinning. I have to use the bathroom."

Chelsea said with a scarcely disguised grin, "Oh, I'll go with you."

"No… There's no need for that. I can manage." Alison refused and stumbled out of the room.

Chelsea's eyes darkened as she finished her wine. She approached Liam and gave him the key card for the hotel room.

"Mr. Walton, I'm sorry to trouble you, but can you help me escort Ally to the room? She seemed to be drunk. Here's the key."

When Liam heard this, he instantly grabbed the key. How could he possibly say no when Alison looked so alluring?

He hurried outside but saw no sign of Alison. He scratched his chin in confusion before walking down a different hallway.

At this moment, Chelsea immediately whipped out her phone and sent a text to Drake, saying, "Mr. Anderson, Ally and I attended a class reunion, and she got a little tipsy. Liam has taken her to the room. I don't know what will happen."

At the same time, Drake had just left the meeting room at Anderson Corporation. He was busy the whole day attending meetings, and he didn't have the time to look at his phone.

Since he was feeling agitated, he checked his phone and saw the picture Alison had sent. She had a radiant smile and sported a light purple dress in the photo. Her appearance took him aback as she seldom dressed that way.

Another notification went off just then. When Drake finished reading Chelsea's message, his face instantly darkened.

Chapter 7

After putting his phone away, Drake grabbed his car keys from the table and rushed to the hotel. If anything were to happen to Alison, he swore to make Liam regret ever hurting her.

Meanwhile, Alison hid in the hallway corner rather than going to the bathroom after leaving the private room. She saw Liam coming out to survey the area before making a beeline for the women's toilet.

It was just as she anticipated. She had been a victim of Chelsea's trickery once before.

First, Chelsea would get her wasted and hand her to Liam. After that, they would get a room, and Chelsea would call Drake over to witness the entire thing. He was probably already on his way now.

After a while, Chelsea also came out of the private room.

Alison couldn't help but scowl as she looked at Chelsea's figure. It was silly of her to think Chelsea was her best friend in her previous life.

Well, since she had gone to great lengths to set up this trap, Alison had no intention of letting Chelsea's efforts go to waste.

With this in mind, Alison decided to turn Chelsea's strategy against her. She purposely texted Liam, saying, "Liam, I'm drunk, and I feel terrible. Can you come to room 6318?"

After reading the text, Liam checked the key Chelsea gave him. Sure enough, the numbers matched.

He had assumed Alison ignored him because she had improved her standards after dressing up today. But it seemed that she still had feelings for him. Feeling satisfied, Liam left right away.

Everything was in line with the initial plan. Chelsea and Alison's next goal was to wait for Drake's arrival.

Fifteen minutes later, a shiny luxury car suddenly screeched to a halt, stopping steadily in front of the hotel.

Drake's demeanor was so assertive that everyone around him felt intimidated as soon as he stepped out of the vehicle and entered the hotel. His usually stern face was now filled with anxiety and displeasure, but it did nothing to hide his elite charisma.

Chelsea had been anticipating this moment and was confident that everything had been set up right. When she saw Drake, she hurried over right away.

"Drake! You've finally arrived. I knocked on their room door earlier, but there was no answer. You don't suppose they could already be having sex, right?"

Drake's expression darkened, and he called the hotel manager right away. Upon seeing him, the hotel management felt paralyzed by his intense presence.

"Lead the way." His mere three words were enough to chill everyone to the bone.

The manager promptly cooperated. After all, the Anderson family owned this hotel. As a mere manager, he wouldn't dare disregard the CEO.

The three of them arrived at the room moments later. After scanning the card, they pushed open the door to the room.

Chelsea was already gloating in her heart at this point, conjuring up some explicit scenarios. She believed that Alison and Liam must be having sex right now and couldn't wait to see the embarrassment on their faces.

And then, just as the door opened, a frightened voice called out, "Who's there?"

It was Liam, holding a glass of wine while dressed in a bathrobe. He had been startled by the door's abrupt opening.

Not a trace of Alison could be found.

Chelsea was shocked by this. She was certain that they would be in each other's arms by now, as she had planned. She wondered what was going on.

"Where is she?" Drake turned to Chelsea with cold eyes after failing to see Alison.

Chelsea bit her lip. She found it hard to believe that Alison wasn't there.

"Oh, I know! She must be in the bathroom." With that, she rushed to the restroom only to find it empty.

Chelsea wondered where Alison went. At the thought of this, she began to panic and turned to face Liam.

"Where is Ally? Didn't you bring her to the room?" she asked.

Liam answered, "I never brought her in."

He came enthusiastically, thinking that he could have a good time with Alison. But when he arrived, there was no sign of her.

When Drake heard this, he shot a piercing gaze at Chelsea, making her heart race with terror. With that, he left without a word.

Chelsea panicked and rushed out to explain, "Drake, please don't be upset with me. I saw it with my own eyes. You have to believe me."

However, he paid her no mind. At this moment, Alison suddenly emerged in the hallway. When she saw Drake, she sprinted excitedly to him and dashed into his arms.

"Darling, why are you here? Are you here to pick me up?" Her childish tone, along with her delicate face, was incredibly adorable.

However, Drake was stunned and quite surprised. He wondered if the woman before him was really Alison because she had just addressed him as "Darling". He believed he had misheard her.

Alison hated being intimate with him in the past. Not only did she walk with a distance between them, but she also addressed him by his entire name.

Chelsea was astounded as well.

"Weren't you drunk?" He gently pulled her away from himself.

Alison looked puzzled and answered, "Who said I was drunk? I had a little drink, but not enough to become wasted. You're welcome to ask me what one plus one is if you don't trust me. I'll answer it correctly."

She finished with a playful and cute smile, looking like an angel.

Drake calmed down upon seeing that she wasn't drunk.

At this moment, Chelsea approached silently. "Ally, where have you gone? I was so worried about you. I thought…"

What a hypocrite.

Alison sneered inside her heart. But she suppressed her thoughts and replied, "I told you I was going to the bathroom. What's up?"

Upon hearing her response, Chelsea's face turned red in humiliation.

Although Alison had a point, she felt that something was off about the situation. For some unknown reason, she thought that she was losing control.

Before this, Alison desperately wished Drake would vanish from the world so she could be with Liam. But now, she affectionately called Drake "Darling" and was willing to be intimate with him.

This was abnormal. If looks could kill, Alison would've been dead right now as Chelsea was staring at her with a piercing gaze.

Chelsea couldn't confess her love to Drake. But that didn't mean Alison could hold his hand. He was supposed to belong to Chelsea, not Alison.

Although Alison didn't say anything, she had already noticed Chelsea's expression. Her vicious face was no less than the evil witch who gave Cinderella the poisoned apple.

Alison wondered how foolish she had been not to notice anything before.

Chapter 8

Alison wasn't ready to break off her friendship with Chelsea just yet, as this was only the first of many scores that needed to be settled between them.

"Chelsea, since Drake has come specifically to pick me up, I won't be staying with you." With a charming smile, Alison put her arms around Drake's.

As they were about to leave, Chelsea quickly grabbed her. "Wait a minute!"

"What? Is there anything else that you need?" Alison asked.

Chelsea was unwilling to let Drake go after finally seeing him, particularly not when he was leaving with Alison.

She smiled awkwardly and said, "Ally, it seems like you haven't had much fun today. Why don't we all stay and have some fun together now that Drake and Liam are here?"

Alison sneered inwardly at the word "fun" before replying, "Chelsea, you know Drake doesn't like loud places. It's fine. We'll call it a day."

On a night like this, she had no desire to stir up trouble, and certainly not with Chelsea's antics. Alison turned to Drake and smiled. "Darling, wait here for a moment. I'll go take my bag."

Drake nodded a little.

Chelsea's lips quivered with anger. She never expected that Alison would decline her invitation. She wondered what was wrong with her, but she couldn't press the issue further since Drake had agreed.

As she remembered the awkward incident earlier, she explained with embarrassment, "Drake, tonight was a misunderstanding. I must have seen it wrongly. But I was just worried about Alison."

Upon hearing her explanation, Drake merely gave her a cold glance. This instantly made her even more uneasy.

At this moment, Alison walked over with her bag. "Chelsea, we'll be leaving now. Have fun tonight!"

Without waiting for her reply, Alison and Drake left the hotel hand-in-hand.

Chelsea watched them leave with clenched fists and nails digging into her palms. Her jealousy was intensifying, and she longed to rip Alison apart.

She couldn't understand how Alison deserved to be with such an excellent man. She should be the one next to Drake.

Then, she heard a chuckle beside her ear. "Looks like you set me up tonight, didn't you?"

She turned to see Liam approaching him in his bathrobe. She scowled and denied it. "What do you mean by that? I didn't set you up."

He chuckled once again. "Stop pretending. I see your plans right through you. But I didn't think you would be interested in Drake. I never thought you were a home-wrecker!"

Instantly, Chelsea's face turned red for being called out, and her breathing quickened as she snapped, "Liam, stop talking nonsense!"

"Nonsense? Do you know that the way you look at Drake is as if you want to devour him? You tried to match me up with Alison for your own benefit, right?" Liam laid everything out clearly.

"What do you want?" She instantly got mad.

However, he laughed lightly at her response. "You don't have to be so agitated. I just want to work with you."

She couldn't help but raise her guard. "How do you want to work with me?"

"It's easy. You want Drake, and I want Alison. If you help me get Alison, you can focus entirely on getting Drake."

Upon hearing this, Chelsea was tempted. It was hard to plot against Alison by herself, especially since she was becoming harder to control. A second set of hands would be helpful.

After some consideration, she agreed to it. "Alright, deal!"

…

After leaving the hotel, Drake instantly withdrew his hand and kept his distance from her. But Alison didn't give up and shamelessly grabbed his hand once again.

"Let go!" He scowled and tried to swing her off with some effort.

She tightened her grip and said, "I won't let go."

When he realized he couldn't get rid of her, he let her cling to him.

After they had both buckled up in the car, Drake couldn't help but reflect on tonight's event. The more he thought about Chelsea, the more he found her odd.

He couldn't help but caution Alison, "Stay away from Chelsea. She's more complex than you think."

When Alison heard this, she felt a tinge of shame. In her past life, he had warned her several times, but she had always believed he was purposely trying to cause a drift between her and Chelsea.

She now understood that Drake had always been aware of Chelsea's actual character. But she was stupid not to see through it.

Overcome with emotion, Alison leaned in to give him a firm embrace and said obediently, "Okay. I'll listen to you from now on."

The frown on Drake's forehead deepened. In the past two days, he could clearly feel a change in her behavior. If he had said those things earlier, she would've gone furious.

But now, she was behaving so lovingly and submissively, which was odd.

When he saw that she was still holding on, he said, "I'm going to drive now. Let go of me."

Alison bit her lip and freed him temporarily.

Minutes later, they arrived at the Anderson residence. Once Drake had walked Alison to the door, he said indifferently, "Go in and rest."

Afterward, before he could take a step, he felt a warm embrace from the back.

"Don't leave." Alison couldn't hold herself back and hugged him. "Drake, don't leave. I won't let you go."

However, she hadn't anticipated that her action would be Drake's last straw.

"What do you really want?" He turned to face her as his eyes burned with fire. He approached her step by step, and his dominant demeanor was so powerful that it felt suffocating.

This was the first time Alison had seen him like this. She backed away slightly with fear. "I…"

"Stop the pretentious act and tell me what you want!"

Drake couldn't take it anymore. Ever since their engagement, she had shown strange loving behavior, which was very out of character.

She'd hated him before and wished he would vanish, but now she was taking the initiative to be intimate with him. He didn't understand her at all.

Alison understood his intense reaction. After all, she had hated him too much before this. But how would she regain his trust?

After pondering for some time, she whispered, "What if I told you that I'm not plotting anything? Will you believe me?"

Chapter 9

Upon hearing this, Drake was shocked.

But then he smiled mockingly and remarked, "Are you trying to tell me that you're in love with me now? Alison, you can let me know what your motive is. You don't have to be phony around me."

Drake knew her better than anyone else in the world. He understood Alison well enough to know her likes and dislikes. He knew she hated him the most, so it was impossible that she would be flinging herself at him.

However, he didn't know that Alison, who hated him, had died. Now, the new her was trying to reclaim everything she had lost.

"Drake, whether you believe it or not, I'm not scheming anything." Alison looked at him sincerely, hoping that he would trust her again.

It seemed as if time had stopped. Drake then narrowed his eyes and snorted coldly, "Is that so? Then, don't blame me for this!"

The next instant, strong arms hoisted Alison into the air before she could respond. With great strides, Drake hauled Alison upstairs before mercilessly tossing her into the bed.

Since everything had happened so suddenly, she was still dazed before a towering shadow pressed up on her and surrounded her in warmth.

"Alison, remember that you brought this on yourself!"

On their engagement night, she had cried her heart out and vowed to hate him forever. But she had voluntarily given in to him tonight. He wondered what had happened to change her.

After calming down a while, Drake muttered an apology before standing up.

"Where are you going?" Alison thought he was leaving and grabbed his sleeve. "Don't go!"

"I'm going to take a shower," he responded calmly.

Upon realizing that he had no intention of leaving, she relaxed a little. As the sound of running water filled the room, she breathed a sigh of relief.

Half an hour later, when the bathroom door opened, Alison unintentionally glanced up and found herself drawn to him. Her eyes roamed freely without realizing it.

Drake scowled instantly and ordered, "Go take a shower."

When Alison realized she had been staring, she flushed a little and quickly fled into the bathroom. As she emerged from the bathroom ten minutes later, she felt a breeze.

From a distance, Drake's arrogant and frigid figure seemed strangely lonely.

Suddenly, Alison recalled how she had always disregarded him in the past and never bothered to look at him carefully. She had always known that he was mainly alone, except for a small group of friends.

Drake was a powerful man who handled the whole family and all his problems alone. Many were eager to see his downfall, yet he never gave them a chance.

At the thought of this, Alison was filled with intense shame.

Drake was concerned for her and patted her wet hair, urging, "Go blow dry your hair, or you'll catch a cold."

However, she shook her head. She looked up with her flushed cheeks and said somewhat flirtatiously, "Can you dry it for me?"

He had never seen her in this kind of manner before. For a moment, his heart softened, and he nodded.

"All right, go sit on the couch."

With a childlike grin, Alison sat down on the dark brown couch.

After a moment, Drake took the hair dryer and stood behind her. Once he was done, he realized she had dozed off.

He couldn't help but feel a tinge of sympathy looking at her serenely sleeping face. She had skin as smooth as a newborn's and had delicate features.

With a long sigh, Drake's scowl became deeper. He realized that he didn't understand her anymore.

Chapter 10

The following day, Alison woke up groggily, with the sunlight flooding into her eyes momentarily. Drake wasn't there, so she figured he must've gone to work.

While freshening up, she felt her stomach rumbling. Hence, she went downstairs without even bothering to change out of her pajamas.

Unbeknownst to her, Drake was having breakfast downstairs with an unexpected guest, Zayn Preston. He was a close friend of Drake's and his right-hand man at work. At that moment, he was seated beside Drake while going on an unrelenting tirade.

"Drake, as your best friend, I can't stand this anymore. Look at your fiancée. She keeps going out to have fun after the engagement while you happily return home.

"What's the point of coming back here? Are you trying to play the role of a perfect husband? Even if you play the role well, someone has to appreciate it, right?"

Zayn continued with increased fervor, saying, "I heard your fiancée is out every day, surrounded by admirers while you stay home like a priest. It's beyond me how other men are out there having a good time, but you're the opposite."

However, Drake ignored everything he said and ate his breakfast calmly. Upon seeing no reaction from him, Zayn let out a frustrated sigh.

"What kind of enchantment did she cast on you for you to be so in love with her? There are plenty of fish in the sea, and you have the option to choose from any of them. Yet here you are, getting attached to one stupid fish. What a waste!"

Alison was standing behind him, but he was too caught up in his rant to realize it until she sternly asked, "Who are you calling a stupid fish?"

"Oh my gosh!" Zayn gave a startled leap. "Who are you?"

He turned around and saw Alison. His face turned pale instantly as if he had seen a ghost. "Don't tell me you're Alison."

"Who else do you think it might be?" Alison lifted her chin slightly while gazing at him coldly. Although her expression was somewhat haughty, she still remained adorable and playful.

Zayn was in disbelief. He refused to believe the person before her was Alison. Her past extravagant outfits, which included crocodile coats and stockings with leopard prints, were too vivid for him to forget.

However, she currently looked like an innocent young woman with a stunningly gorgeous face, like an angel had descended to earth.

"Did you go for plastic surgery? You look entirely different from the Alison I knew," he said, reaching out to pinch her face to make sure it was real.

Immediately, she slapped his hands away.

Zayn chuckled and changed the topic, asking, "What are you doing at home?"

With a pout, Alison retorted, "What an odd question. Why can't I be at home? This is where Drake and I live. Do you have a problem?"

She glared at him after saying that, then cuddled up close to Drake.

"Drake, don't listen to his nonsense. Though there's a sea of fishes out there, nothing can beat me," she muttered. Her sweet voice sounded as if it was an attempt to win him over.

Upon seeing this, Zayn's eyes grew wider in disbelief. He wondered if she was the pampered heiress he had known all along.

"Alison, is there something wrong with my ears or your brain? Here, let me check whether you have any head injuries. How are you an entirely different person than before?"

Then, he turned to face Drake and advised him, "I'm not being dramatic, but I think you should take her to the hospital. She's your fiancée, even if she has a horrible temper. You can't let something happen to her brain."

In an instant, Alison became furious and firmly stood up. "Zayn, are you trying to bait me into killing you?"

Before she could lose her temper, Drake gently reassured her, "Eat your breakfast quietly. Don't cause trouble."

After hearing his reassurance, she held down her rage and sat down quietly, like a well-behaved cat.

Zayn was taken aback and couldn't comprehend what was happening. He wondered if the woman before him was really Alison.

After breakfast, Drake and Zayn headed to work. Alison bid them farewell with a smile on her face and reminded, "Drake, I'll be waiting for you to come home for dinner tonight."

Drake just nodded slightly without saying anything.

As soon as they were in the car, Zayn questioned, "Drake, what's going on? How did Alison change so drastically?"

"I don't know," Drake uttered calmly.

Zayn was baffled by his response. "How can you not know?"

Drake groaned helplessly and said, "She's been like this since our engagement night. Only she's aware of the actual reason."

"I see." Zayn thought over this answer for a long time.

At last, he said, "I think you need to be cautious. We all know what she was like before, and who knows what she is up to these days. Don't let your guard down easily!"

Drake listened to him but made no further comments as he drove directly to the company.

Alison was fully aware that Drake no longer trusted her at all, and she knew that it wouldn't be easy to regain his trust again. Nevertheless, she wouldn't give up.

After finishing breakfast, she got ready and left for college. She was a senior who was about to graduate, but her grades were really poor. Thus, she needed to earn additional credits diligently to graduate on time.

Back then, Chelsea had always repressed her with high grades. The difference between them was apparent whenever they were together. One was hard-working, while the other was a spoiled, wealthy young woman.

However, since Alison was about to graduate, she figured she would do an internship at Anderson Corporation so she could formally work there as an employee once she actually graduated.

She would be able to see Drake every day and wouldn't lose the opportunity to win him back. Furthermore, she could prevent Chelsea's suppression.

Chapter 11

Half an hour later, Alison arrived at campus. As soon as she entered the classroom, she heard some strange murmuring.

When the classmates saw Alison, several of them expressed their displeasure.

"Why is she here?"

"How is it possible for such a terrible student like her to continue studying finance?"

The finance course was composed of top students. However, Alison's presence as a spoiled heiress completely disrupted the harmony of the class, causing a great deal of discontent.

At the sound of these voices, Alison remained silent. She realized that everyone's hatred of her stemmed from her past careless actions, mostly influenced by Chelsea.

Alison had offended many people for Chelsea, leading to her classmates' displeasure. Luckily, she was used to it and didn't care much about their opinion.

After sitting in her seat, Alison started revising her notes to prepare for the next lesson. But her brows furrowed as she opened her notebook.

The notes were incomprehensible scrawls, making it impossible to decipher anything. There was no way she could revise them.

Her head began to hurt as she looked at her notes. Alison glanced around helplessly, and her eyes suddenly lit up.

An obedient and well-groomed young woman sat quietly, reading a book in the corner.

If Alison recalled correctly, the young woman's name was Kathleen Ingram. Kathleen used to be a top student in Finance. She was described as an honest and introverted person who hardly socialized.

To put it simply, she was a bookworm.

However, Alison also recalled Chelsea had previously spread rumors about Kathleen, alleging that her innocence was just a facade and that she was actually a sugar baby to a rich man.

When the words got out, Kathleen suffered greatly. Her grades fell tremendously, and she temporarily withdrew from college because of the pressure.

Although Chelsea had claimed that she had dropped out because of guilt, it now seemed more probable that Chelsea had spread the lies out of spite because she was jealous of Kathleen's good grades.

Since Alison placed so much trust in Chelsea, she believed her completely and participated in mocking Kathleen for some time. The memory made Alison feel rather apologetic and compelled to speak with Kathleen. "Hello."

However, Kathleen retreated at the sight of her and stuttered, "Alison, what… Do you need something?"

Alison immediately flashed a smile, trying to appear friendly. "Don't worry. I wanted to borrow your notes because I haven't attended class in a long time. I promise not to harm you."

Upon hearing this, Kathleen was surprised that the infamous Alison was requesting to borrow her notes.

"Sure." Despite her hesitation, she gave Alison the notes.

At the same time, Chelsea entered the classroom and witnessed this sight.

Her eyebrows quirked, and she instantly put on an enthusiastic expression as she walked up to say, "Oh, Ally, you're early today. What are you doing?"

"Borrowing notes," Alison replied calmly.

For a moment, Chelsea was a little scornful. She found it absurd that Alison was putting in real effort to study.

Nevertheless, she continued to act excited. "Why didn't you ask me? I'll lend you whatever notes you need."

With a cold grin, Alison replied, "There's no need for that. I'll just use Kathleen's notes. She had them neatly organized. Besides, I already borrowed from her, so I might as well stick to it."

She distinctly recalled that the notes Chelsea previously lent her were always incomplete, with all the key points missing.

Alison had been scolded by the teacher numerous times because of it. But Chelsea never admitted it. Instead, she blamed Alison for being careless and not copying all the notes.

Alison wasn't going to fall for her trap the second time. After taking the notes, she returned to her seat.

Chelsea stood in place with a frown on her face. She truly believed that Alison had become an entirely different person than before.

After Alison swiftly copied the notes, she returned the notebook to Kathleen and thanked her. "Thank you, Kathleen. Without your notes, I wouldn't know what to do in class."

Kathleen was instantly taken aback. "No… No problem."

The bell for class sounded just then. The professor, Owen Bailey, entered just as Alison returned to her seat. Once the attendance was all taken, the class began.

Alison felt slightly disoriented even though she had copied the notes. After all, she had not paid attention in class for the past three years.

Owen called on her as predicted when it was time for questions, stating, "Alison, please tell us the correct answer to this question."

"It's…" She was completely perplexed while looking at the few answers and was unsure which to choose.

Seeing her stuttering, Owen replied, "I covered this question in the previous class. Why did you not pay attention?"

The classroom burst into laughter immediately.

Alison was helpless. It was obvious that cramming was ineffective. She had to find time to catch up on all she had missed.

After class ended, she packed up and got ready to leave.

"Ally, shall we go together?" Chelsea smiled happily and walked up to her.

Alison didn't want to go with her, so she rejected by saying, "No. I have something to do. You can leave first."

After speaking, she saw Kathleen passing by and ran after the girl. "Kathleen, wait for me."

When Kathleen saw Alison running after her, she was startled.

"I have a lot of classes to catch up on. I was wondering if you could kindly provide me with the study materials I need. I'm sorry for troubling you," Alison said honestly.

Kathleen was in a dilemma. She was aware that she didn't get along with her peers, particularly someone as different from her as Alison.

Upon seeing her hesitancy, Alison put on a sad face and begged, "Kathleen, please help me."

"Okay, I'll send them to you later." Kathleen couldn't bear to reject her.

"This is amazing! You're such a kind angel. Let's go for lunch, my treat." Alison beamed and pulled Kathleen.

As Chelsea witnessed the scene, she was shocked and furious. She wondered if Alison had gone insane to befriend Kathleen.

Chapter 12

"Which part don't you understand?" Kathleen asked Alison while eating at a restaurant near the college.

Unexpectedly, Alison helplessly shrugged and sighed, "Everything. Kathleen, I'm relying on you."

"What?" Her poor grades took Kathleen aback. "Alright. I'll circle all the important topics for you to go through at home."

Afterward, she meticulously highlighted the necessary parts, not missing a single detail.

Alison was impressed by her kindness. Despite being bullied before, Kathleen didn't hold a grudge. She said gratefully, "Thank you, Kathleen."

Instead of being irritated, Kathleen stated, "You're welcome. I'm even willing to tutor you if you need it."

Alison nodded vigorously. "Thank you so much for your kindness. If I have any questions in class, I'll come to you. But I have a tutor at home, so there's no need for that."

At the mention of this tutor, she narrowed her eyes while grinning.

Following lunch, Alison exchanged contact details with Kathleen before taking a cab to the Anderson Corporation. Chelsea had phoned her after she got into the car. But Alison pretended not to see it and ignored her.

Chelsea grew agitated as she had called three times, but there was no answer. She was even a little mad and wondered if Alison was purposely ignoring her calls.

The feeling of being out of control seemed to intensify.

…

Alison entered the Anderson Corporation with confidence.

Wade instantly got a headache upon seeing her. He wondered if she was here to cause trouble again and quickly asked, "Mrs. Anderson, what brings you here?"

She replied directly, "I'm here to see Drake. Is he in the office?"

Wade nodded. "Mr. Anderson is in the office right now. Do you need me to inform him?"

"Sure." Alison nodded and sat on a couch.

Wade instantly hurried back to his seat and called Drake's office line. Within a moment, he panickedly said, "Mrs. Anderson is here to see you. She's waiting on the couch."

Upon hearing this, Drake furrowed his eyebrows as he wondered why she was here again.

"Okay." He hung up the call.

He soon made an appearance. His towering frame, adorned in a well-tailored suit, radiated charm and elegance.

Alison couldn't help but grin sweetly at him.

Drake frowned as she ran over toward him. "What are you doing here?"

He couldn't understand what her objective was.

"I'm here to study. " Alison didn't care whether he welcomed her as she smiled cheerfully.

"Study?" He arched an eyebrow.

"Yes. My final exams are coming up shortly, but there are a lot of subjects that I don't understand. So, I came to seek your assistance."

Alison was aware that Drake had two PhDs from Northview University, one in management and the other in finance. She wouldn't pass up the chance to have someone as smart as him as her tutor and the opportunity to be closer to him.

However, he firmly rejected her idea and asserted, "This is a workplace, not a tutoring class. Besides, I'm busy and don't have time for you. So, you should go home."

But Alison remained unfazed. "Don't worry, I won't be very noisy. Please tutor me. My credits for this semester are almost finished. If I don't study now, I won't be able to graduate. I won't leave this building if you don't let me in!"

As she spoke, she put on a pitiful face that made it difficult for anybody to say no.

Drake turned around and rubbed his temples upon seeing her unwavering gaze. He sighed helplessly with a cold tone, "Come in."

"Alright!" Alison was instantly delighted as she carried her books inside his office.

As the office door shut, Wade stood frozen in place. He wondered whether this was the same arrogant woman because she appeared to have changed. He believed women were genuinely unpredictable.

After entering the office, Alison looked around before focusing her gaze on his table. "Can I use your table?" she asked hesitantly.

As if afraid of being turned down, she added hastily, "Don't worry. I only have a few items. I won't take up too much room and bother you."

Drake gave a little nod.

With joy, she pushed a chair over and took a seat across from him, laying down her books. Then, with a pen between her teeth, Alison began to go over the notes Kathleen had given her.

Drake thought she was kidding at first, but upon seeing her earnestness, he was taken aback.

"Didn't you hate studying before? What are you up to now?" He couldn't contain himself and questioned her.

Alison looked up and answered thoughtfully, "I didn't like studying before, but now I'm determined to improve and not waste my education. But I need your assistance."

She became quiet.

He frowned a little and asked, "What do you need help with?"

Right after he asked, Amelia instantly set all of Kathleen's highlighted notes in front of him. She uttered helplessly, "I don't really understand these. Can you please teach me?"

Instead of looking at the notes, Drake stared into her eyes and believed she was being honest. Finally, he nodded faintly.

Upon seeing this, Alison jumped up excitedly. "You've agreed to teach me! Drake, you're the best!" she said as she reached over the desk to give him a hug and a peck on the cheek.