Chapter 1

At that moment, Quinn Lawson suddenly understood the meaning behind what her college friends said.

They had said that one could only understand what it meant to get carried away after experiencing being in an intimate relationship.

They had spent countless nights in their dormitory talking about what they looked forward to in the future and their yearning for a partner.

Back then, Quinn also had many of her own expectations about her future boyfriend.

But now…

Although the man in the dark next to her was domineering and gentle, Quinn couldn't help but feel a sense of displeasure surge within her.

Indeed, she hadn't given away her virginity to her future soulmate. Instead, she gave it away to a complete stranger in the most disgraceful way possible.

"Turn the lights on!" the man commanded.

"Yes, sir." Quinn obediently got up from the bed, but she soon fell back down due to exhaustion.

"You're that delicate?" The man chuckled and remarked as he helped Quinn up and poured her a glass of hot water.

"Rest for a bit more. Your throat sounds hoarse," he added.

"Th-Thank you… sir," Quinn stuttered.

She was becoming more embarrassed after hearing him say that. She wished she could bury herself in the ground to hide away.

"Alright, I won't tease you anymore. Go take a shower. My assistant will come and settle the fees with you later," the man said.

"Okay…" Quinn picked her clothes up and ran to the bathroom, as though she was escaping.

As much as she wanted to run away from the situation, she couldn't. She was here for business, and she couldn't leave before receiving the money.

She did need the money badly. Her younger brother was still lying in the hospital, eagerly waiting for the life-saving money. She hadn't graduated from college, and her family was penniless. She had no other choice but to ask a friend to introduce her to this man.

The man was apparently a big shot with a mysterious identity and a well-respected status. He was handsome, generous with his spending, and gentle in bed.

"But don't think about anything else. Someone like him is completely different from regular people like us. Don't say I didn't remind you. Otherwise, you'll only get hurt in the end," her friend had said.

Her friend's advice still rang clear in her ears, and Quinn heeded it well. Therefore, she never dared overstep her boundaries despite having slept with the man multiple times.

However, the man seemed to be satisfied with Quinn, so he repeatedly invited her back for more.

He was always gentle and compassionate toward her. If Quinn hadn't always received a thick stack of cash afterward, she would have almost gotten absorbed into their embarrassingly shameful relationship.

It wasn't until three months later…

"Sir…" Quinn called out softly. She looked at the man's imposing and sturdy figure.

"Hmm?" the man responded while casually wearing his shirt and tie.

"I… Next time… I won't do this anymore. I've gathered enough for my brother's surgery fees to treat his illness." Quinn's voice was barely as loud as a whisper, and her long lashes drooped as she looked down timidly.

Upon hearing this, the man, who was tying his tie, paused slightly. He pursed his lips.

"Okay," he said with a clear voice.

His slender hands grabbed his suit jacket, and he quickly wore it. "Take the medicine," he said.

Quinn was reminded after hearing his words, and she instinctively turned to look at the bedside table beside her. The contraceptive pills prepared for her were prominently displayed on it.

She was accustomed to this arrangement. After each session, she would obediently take the pills without his reminder. He would also rarely mention it deliberately.

But today, he took the initiative to mention it after she had bid farewell to him, which surprised her slightly.

However, Quinn felt relieved after thinking it over again.

He probably figured they wouldn't meet again in the future, and he was worried she might secretly conceive his child and come looking for him once more.

After all, as he was such a prominent figure, there were probably many who wanted to get involved with him for even the slightest relationship.

Quinn looked up, and she wanted to tell him that she would obediently take the pills without him having to worry. She also wanted to thank him for helping her during her most difficult time.

But she discovered that he had already left the bedroom and disappeared from her sight.

…

Two years had passed. Inside a conference room of Xenvale's Luxem Hotel, the general manager, Wyatt Thompson, was tapping the pen in his hand nervously.

With a serious expression, he asked, "Quinn, have you checked everything in the presidential suite? Is everything in order? The guest will arrive at 3:00 pm this afternoon."

Quinn nodded. "Everything's in order. There are no mistakes, but…"

"But what?" Wyatt probed as he looked at Quinn's hesitant expression.

"We don't know the identity of the guest, nor their information. How will we send someone to receive them?" Quinn asked.

Wyatt waved his hand and said, "There's no need to receive them. The information we received is also very limited because the guest has a confidential itinerary this time.

"However, all I can say is that the guest who's here this time is a big shot who we can't afford to offend. So, everyone needs to put in their best efforts and serve them well. Understand?"

"Got it," the group answered in unison.

"After this meeting, the butler department and the catering department will confirm the presidential suite's menu. Ensure that the guest's reception is done perfectly," Wyatt instructed.

With a flick of his pen, he was about to dismiss everyone when someone suddenly rushed in anxiously from outside the conference room.

Harlan Everett, a staff member from the concierge desk, reported while panting, "Mr. Thompson, the VIP guest arrived early and is now disembarking at the main entrance."

Chapter 2

Upon hearing what Harlan said, Wyatt's expression turned serious. He quickly stood up and ordered, "Quick! Come with me to greet the VIP guest!"

All the hotel staff in the conference room got up and quickly followed Wyatt out to the elevator.

Quinn's phone rang with a notification while she was waiting for the elevator to arrive. She looked at her phone and saw that it was a message from an attendant, Melissa Hancock.

Melissa had sent an image, one that was clearly secretly taken, along with the caption that read, "A mysterious big shot! He's really handsome! Why don't you come and receive him?"

Quinn smiled and offhandedly clicked on the image. She felt her blood freeze with just one glance at the image, and her face instantly paled.

How could this be? It really was him!

It had been two years, and the memories Quinn had forcibly suppressed seemed to flood her mind, completely overwhelming her thoughts.

Two years ago, while Quinn was still in college, she went to work at a nightclub under the introduction of a friend. She had done it to treat her severely ill younger brother, Simon Lawson.

While she worked there, she met a mysterious, influential man. That man gave her money as long as she slept with him.

Although Quinn knew she was behaving shamefully, she couldn't care less about it. Simon's condition was too critical, and he needed a kidney transplant.

The man was very generous with his spending, and soon, Quinn gathered the money she needed and stopped sleeping with him. She also completed her college studies and came to work at a hotel because of Simon's kidney transplant.

She figured that it had already been two years and they wouldn't encounter each other again. Quinn also chose to completely forget about her shameful past and pretended as though it didn't happen. She started over as a clean and honest person.

She never imagined that, two years later, the man would reappear in her world and she would meet him again.

Quinn's thoughts were a mess. She was utterly shocked and felt uneasy by this turn of developments. Suddenly, a bell rang out, indicating that the elevator had arrived on the first floor of the hotel lobby.

When the elevator doors opened, the "big shot" had already arrived at the lobby, standing around with others in tow. Many people stood tall behind him, looking almost like stars surrounding the moon.

Quinn felt like she had stopped breathing. Her face paled with confusion, and she stood there in a daze. She was afraid to enter the lobby, but there was also no other way out.

Wyatt greeted the mysterious man, "Welcome, Mr. Sutton! You've traveled a long way. Please, come inside quickly.

"The room has been cleaned for you, and we've prepared our best butler to attend to you. Don't worry, we'll do our utmost to provide you with the best service during your trip to Xenvale this time."

Wyatt's attention was fixed on the man beside him, and he hadn't noticed Quinn still standing in the elevator. While talking to the man, Wyatt politely gestured and led him to enter the elevator.

The man remained expressionless throughout the conversation. He had been looking down uninterestedly when he suddenly looked up.

A pair of calm and deep-looking eyes stared at Quinn, who stood inside the elevator.

Chapter 3

The moment Quinn met the man's gaze, she felt as if her heart had stopped beating. Her hands and back were instantly covered in cold sweat.

It was him! It really was him—the man who saved Simon's life two years ago and the one who took her virginity!

"Were you referring to her when you said 'the best butler'?" the man asked, his deep and magnetic voice echoing in the elevator.

His gaze shifted away from Quinn, and his expression remained unchanged.

Did he not recognize her?

Quinn prayed for that to be the case.

Upon hearing this, Wyatt quickly turned and looked in the elevator. When he saw Quinn standing there with a bewildered expression, he quickly introduced, "Mr. Sutton, this is the housekeeping manager, Quinn Lawson."

"Ms. Lawson, this is the VIP guest of our hotel, Mr. Cameron Sutton. Mr. Sutton has traveled a long way and came from Yatran to stay at our hotel. It's truly an honor to be able to host him." Even while Wyatt was introducing Quinn to the man, he didn't forget to flatter him.

When Wyatt mentioned Yatran, he seemed to recall something else. "By the way, Ms. Lawson, I remember you also mentioned that Yatran is your hometown, right? Maybe you and Mr. Sutton came from the same area!

"How did the saying go again? Meeting an old friend far from home is like a drink of cool water in the desert."

Wyatt spoke with excitement, but Quinn felt as though her heart was sinking.

"Since that's the case, have her be my butler," Cameron said calmly. He didn't give anyone a chance to refute his words.

"Mr. Sutton, I work in the housekeeping department and am unfamiliar with butler services. I'm afraid that—" Quinn was about to refuse him.

She had been completely cleansed of him over the past two years and didn't want to have any further contact with him.

She also considered it as a great courtesy for both of them.

However, before she could finish speaking, Cameron interrupted her, "Do you not want to do it?"

Although it seemed like he was innocently asking for her opinion, the tone he used sounded cold and domineering.

"She's willing! Of course, she's willing to. Mr. Sutton is giving Ms. Lawson the opportunity to work for you, which is an honor for both Luxem Hotel and her. How could she be unwilling?" Wyatt interrupted before Quinn could refuse.

He didn't forget to shoot her a look which seemed to tell her to act a little smarter.

Quinn understood that she couldn't refuse, so she simply lowered her head and allowed them to do as they pleased.

The elevator doors closed. Except for Wyatt and the temporarily assigned butler, Quinn, the other staff members were blocked off by Cameron's assistants.

Soon, the elevator headed upstairs and stopped at the entrance of the presidential suite on the top floor.

Wyatt was about to lead them into the suite when he was stopped by the assistant next to him. "Mr. Thompson, you can leave us from here on out. Ms. Lawson will handle the rest.

"Mr. Sutton doesn't like to be disturbed. He hopes that, during his stay here, your hotel's security detail will be more responsible and not allow unrelated people in here."

Wyatt was perceptive, and he understood what the assistant meant. Although he felt slightly awkward to be stopped at the door, he reacted quickly and nodded.

"I understand. Please assure Mr. Sutton of this. Our hotel is the best in Xenvale, and there will be no issues with the security detail."

"That's good, then. Please return safely," the assistant said. After Cameron and Quinn exited the elevator, he allowed it to close and watched as the elevator descended.

Chapter 4

The reception area of the presidential suite was covered with a thick cashmere carpet that was handsewn and imported in. Stepping on it felt like stepping on a fluffy cloud—soft and comfortable.

However, given Quinn's situation, she didn't feel very comfortable, regardless of whether she was stepping on clouds or not; let alone a cashmere carpet.

Cameron walked up to the couch and sat down. Quinn followed behind him, wanting to speak but was unsure of what to say. She wasn't even sure if he had recognized her.

If Cameron didn't recognize her at all, then her current silence and strange expression seemed somewhat laughable.

"Um… Mr. Sutton, what would you like for dinner? Would you fancy some Crestian cuisine or something else? We've prepared a menu for you. I'll bring it over for you now."

Although Quinn didn't want to be a butler, she had no choice but to grit her teeth and fulfill her duties now that she was forced to. After all, they each held the identities of a "VIP guest" and a "butler" respectively.

She turned around and walked to the bookshelf beside him. She took down a pre-prepared menu and presented it to him.

Perhaps Quinn had been too anxious and eager to deliberately display her professionalism; or maybe she felt a little too nervous in front of Cameron.

As a result, she was too clumsy with her footing when she walked back to the couch, and she couldn't dodge when her shin hit the corner of the coffee table. The pain she felt was so intense that she almost cried.

Quinn bent down and reflexively tried to soothe her injured shin. However, she realized that she was still in the middle of doing her job.

She held back her tears, straightened up, and walked unsteadily toward Cameron. She presented the menu with both hands and said, "Mr. Sutton, please take a look."

Cameron took the menu from her and browsed through it.

Quinn took advantage of this and quickly bent down to rub her injured shin with a pained expression.

Cameron was still reading through the menu when he suddenly asked, "Do you need to see a doctor?"

Upon realizing that her actions had been discovered, Quinn quickly composed herself and stood up straight. "Thank you for your concern, Mr. Sutton. I'm fine. I just accidentally bumped my leg. I don't need to see a doctor," she replied.

As he walked over, Harry Campbell, Cameron's assistant, said, "Mr. Sutton's not asking if you need to have your leg checked, but rather to have your ears checked. You might have otolith syndrome, which could cause you to struggle to keep your balance and make you feel dizzy."

Quinn felt awkward when she heard this, and her face instantly flushed with embarrassment.

It turned out Cameron wasn't really concerned about her and was instead mocking her for having "aging and blurred eyesight".

Harry ignored Quinn's incredulous expression and reported to Cameron, "Mr. Sutton, Ascend Group has arranged a welcome dinner for you. Mr. Smith Senior has personally invited you, so please make sure to attend it."

"Well, I've got to respect Mr. Smith Senior," Cameron said as he stood up. "Reply to him and tell him I'll be there on time."

"Yes, sir." Harry nodded.

After Quinn heard that Cameron would be going out for dinner tonight, she breathed a sigh of relief. He needed one less service, which meant she could spend less time interacting with him.

Cameron went into his room to change his clothes, and Quinn took the opportunity to ask Harry about Cameron's schedule for the next few days. She learned that he had a full schedule and was practically unavailable except to sleep in the hotel at night.

This made her feel as though a heavy burden was lifted from her shoulders. At least this way, she would have more freedom during the day.

Chapter 5

That evening, Cameron and Harry left the hotel to attend the welcome dinner. Quinn returned to her office. When she entered, she heard others gossiping.

"Did you guys know? That big shot just now isn't a small fry. He's the behind-the-scenes boss of the largest domestic conglomerate and the head of Imperial Group."

"Really? No wonder Mr Thompson's so nervous. We've had many big shots in Xenvale before, but I've never seen him act as cautiously as he is now."

"You're not kidding, right? Have we really never had someone with such an elite status stay at our hotel before? Tsk tsk! I envy Ms. Lawson for being able to serve Mr. Sutton.

"Ms. Lawson is so beautiful. Who knows? She might get lucky and captivate Mr. Sutton at first glance and become someone to him."

"Haha! Don't say such nonsensical words. If that person from the butler department hears about this, you never know what she might do to you. Their position as a butler was taken away, and they might be holding a grudge."

As the two staff chatted with each other, they were completely unaware of the figure approaching from the side.

Rebecca Lynch, the head of the butler department, stared at the two attendants with a displeased expression and scolded, "Are you both so free now? Have you finished all your work?

"Since you have time to chit-chat here, I'm guessing that you both don't feel like doing your job anymore."

The two attendants who were scolded quickly lowered their heads and apologized before quickly disappearing.

Rebecca's anger hadn't yet subsided when she looked up and saw Quinn standing at the door with an awkward expression.

She took a few steps forward and walked up to Quinn, sarcastically remarking, "I've long known about your extraordinary ways, and I've gained some insight today.

"However, I'd just like to kindly remind you that the tale of Cinderella is just that—a fairy tale. It's a fairy tale simply because such things don't happen in real life. You should know your place and responsibilities!"

Quinn understood why Rebecca was being sarcastic, but she wasn't angry. Instead, she just smiled faintly and said, "You care for me enough to give me advice, so I'll accept it."

Upon seeing that she hadn't successfully provoked Quinn, Rebecca felt that it was pointless and glared at the former angrily. She then walked away with her head held high.

Quinn watched Rebecca's departing figure and let out a long sigh.

Others thought she had simply gotten lucky by having the opportunity to serve someone so powerful. But only she knew how much she didn't want to be a butler for Cameron.

…

There was a small room inside the presidential suite that was usually meant as living quarters for maids. It was also where the butler stayed to be able to provide a 24-hour personal service for the suite's guests.

After dinner, Quinn returned to the room and waited for Cameron to return. At around 10:00 pm, she felt sleepy and was about to lie in bed for a nap when her phone on the bedside table suddenly rang.

She reached out for her phone and glanced at the caller ID. It was a call from Harry, Cameron's assistant. They had exchanged phone numbers with each other for easier communication before Harry left the hotel.

What could Harry want at this time of night?

Quinn answered the phone with confusion, placed it to her ear, and said," Hello, Mr. Campbell…"

"Ms. Lawson, you have to come to Club Nightwater immediately. Room 999." Harry sounded urgent and spoke in a tone that left Quinn with no room for refusal.

Harry and Cameron truly were similar—"like boss, like employee". They were similar in their regards to ordering others around.

Quinn muttered disgruntledly to herself, but she still asked, "Excuse me, but what's the matter?"

"It's Mr. Sutton. I'll give you 15 minutes to hurry up and get here!" Harry exclaimed. He didn't even wait for Quinn's agreement and simply ended the call immediately after he finished speaking.

Chapter 6

Quinn momentarily stared at the black screen on her phone before standing up and heading downstairs.

Club Nightwater was the most luxurious club in all of Xenvale. Quinn had never been there before, but as she was a hotel employee, she knew of its reputation.

A private club of this size wasn't meant for the regular folk, but for the wealthy individuals. They wouldn't be able to enter through the doors if they weren't a club member.

It wasn't surprising that Cameron would appear in such a place. But why did he call her there?

Quinn, although filled with doubts, exited the car and made her way to the entrance.

When she reached the entrance, she was stopped by a security guard. "Miss, this is a private club. Only VIP members are allowed to enter."

After Quinn heard what the security guard said, she realized she was still wearing her hotel uniform. It would be tricky to enter the club if that were the case.

Just as she was thinking about how to deal with the security guard, she saw Harry walk out from inside. "She was invited by me. Is that not enough?"

When the security guard saw Harry, he immediately apologized and allowed Quinn to enter.

After Quinn entered the club, Harry suddenly pulled her aside and stuffed a room card into her hand. "Mr. Sutton is in Room 999. You have to go there immediately. If someone knocks on the door later, you can send them away. Understand?"

"Me?" Quinn held the room card, looking confused as she asked, "Then what about you?"

"I have more important things to do. I will come and pick you and Mr. Sutton up in half an hour," Harry replied. He then walked away without waiting for Quinn to respond.

Left with no choice, she looked at the number on the room doors and bravely made her way down the hallway.

At the end of the hallway was an elegant-looking garden, and on the other side of the garden was a row of quaint and unique-looking rooms.

Quinn walked toward it and, after looking at the door number above her, realized she had finally found Room 999.

She looked at the number on the room card in her hand once more in confirmation.

She reached out and tapped the room card on the electronic lock. The lock unlocked, making a crisp sound as it did so, and the door opened.

The room was dimly lit, but what caught her eye was the folding screen that had a painting of a lady on it. The interior decoration also had an antique charm to it.

Quinn slowed down and carefully walked into the room. As she did so, the door behind her automatically shut.

Before she could see what was behind the folding screen, a long arm pulled her over. She fell heavily onto a carved wooden bed while her mind reeled in chaos.

She opened her mouth and was about to call for help, but Cameron kissed her passionately and firmly sealed her lips.

"Mmm…" Quinn struggled hard and tried to break free from Cameron's grip. However, she found that the more she struggled, the more Cameron held onto her. The force pressing against her was so heavy that she could hardly breathe.

What was he doing? Why was he doing this?

Many questions flooded the confused Quinn's thoughts. She instinctively tried to defend herself, but the huge gap in strength between her and Cameron was incomparable.

There was a faint stench of alcohol lingering in the air. Was Cameron drunk?

Just as she thought of this, his big palm had already lifted her skirt at some point.

Cameron buried his head between her neck, breathing in the fragrant scent from her body as he did so. The foreign yet familiar scent seemed to awaken a long-buried desire from his memory, and lust surged within him, ready to erupt.