Chapter 1 First Encounter

It was a rainy night.

Raindrops pattered against the window, leaving water marks streaking across the clear glass. The lighting was dim and hazy inside the hotel suite.

The woman pressed the man against the wall. Her slender and fair arms were hooked around his neck, her gaze heavy with intoxication.

Harrison Spencer gazed at the woman in his arms. His amber eyes carried an unreadable expression.

He grasped her chin, his deep voice carrying a faint rasp. "Do you even know who I am? How dare you mess with me?"

The dim golden light spilled over Serena Linden's delicate face.

Her fair and flawless skin was tinged with a soft blush, making her look incredibly alluring. Beneath her small, upturned nose were soft, glossy lips. Her beautiful eyes shimmered with an irresistible, seductive allure.

Harrison's throat tightened as the heat within him became almost uncontrollable. His blood surged and churned in his veins.

After so many years of apathy, this was the first time he had felt any interest in a woman. More importantly, he didn't mind her closeness or her touch.

At this moment, Serena's willpower had already been eroded by the drugs in her system. Seeing Harrison's lack of response, she started tugging at his clothes.

"I feel horrible…" she whined.

Harrison immediately grabbed her restless hand. The tense line of his jaw revealed both restraint and control. His voice was hoarse and barely audible. "Do you really want my help?"

Serena stood on her toes and immediately pressed her lips to his. The kiss sent a tremor through Harrison's heart.

The faint, floral scent unique to her lingered in his breath, completely shattering the last bit of his rationality. He said, "Alright. Don't regret it when you wake up."

Harrison closed his eyes. He threaded his fingers through her hair before settling at the nape of her neck. He held her with a firm but gentle grip.

Then, he captured her soft and red lips with his, turning passivity into dominance.

Their breaths intertwined in a heated rush. Their lips and tongues became entangled in a deep, lingering kiss.

His other hand tightened around her slender waist. He slowly coaxed her into exploring uncharted territory.

The two of them kissed passionately, lost in the moment. Then, they both fell into the soft embrace of the bed. The air was thick with unspoken desire, and their clothes were strewn across the floor.

The world outside the window was blurred by the rain, shrouded in a misty haze.

Inside, the atmosphere was breathtaking.

…

The next day, the sky cleared after the rain. The brilliant sunlight streamed in through the glass windows.

Serena frowned slightly and raised a sore arm to shield herself from the harsh sunlight. Only after her eyes gradually adjusted did she slowly open them.

Serena's heart skipped a beat when she saw the unfamiliar surroundings before her. Her mind gradually cleared, and fragmented memories began to piece themselves together.

Last night…

Serena lifted the blanket covering her and glanced underneath. She immediately snapped awake in shock and reflexively sat upright in bed. The sudden movement sent a sharp ache through her waist.

She sucked in a loud, sharp breath, then helplessly placed a hand on her waist.

Last night, she had come to Hotel Imperus to discuss a deal with Jeremy Hood, the vice president of Chandler Group. But after two drinks, she began to feel strange all over. Jeremy then revealed his disgusting true colors.

In the nick of time, she picked up the wine bottle on the table and smashed it on Jeremy's head. Then, she seized the opportunity to escape the private room.

After that…

"You're awake?" Suddenly, a cold yet magnetic male voice interrupted her thoughts.

Serena's head snapped up, following the voice. What came into view was a face with sharp features, cold and handsome.

His deep, penetrating eyes seemed to have the ability to read one's innermost thoughts. The cold, aloof expression on his face made him unapproachable. He had a high nose bridge, and his thin, pale lips were slightly pressed together.

He exuded authority without uttering a word.

He was clad in a perfectly tailored classic navy blue haute couture suit. Not only did it highlight his tall, commanding figure, but it also fully showcased his intense masculine charm.

Serena stared blankly at the man before her, overcome with shock.

Harrison… Harrison Spencer!

The man she had spent the night with… was actually him!

Harrison was a man who stood at the very pinnacle of power.

He was the current head of Southport's most influential family, the Spencer family, and the man in charge of Bluewater Corporation. He was also known as the "Living King of Hell" in the business world.

A man of overwhelming power, with ruthless decisiveness and merciless tactics, Harrison was someone who struck fear into anyone who heard his name. Rumors painted him as cold-blooded, brutal, and utterly cruel.

Anyone who provoked him or offended him never had a good outcome.

She was done for!

She had gotten entangled with him the night before. Would he…

"Had your fill of staring?" Harrison snapped her out of her thoughts once again. His voice was as cold as his appearance.

Serena quickly looked away and instinctively pulled the blanket tighter around herself. Harrison adjusted his tie and cast her a cold, indifferent glance. His gaze swept over her collarbone.

The varying shades of love bites silently testified to the intensity of last night's events, and his gaze darkened. He said in a cold, deep voice, "Get dressed. We'll talk."

With that, he turned and strode out of the room.

Chapter 2 She Just Wants to Get Married

Serena didn't dare to hesitate for even a second. She quickly picked up her clothes from last night and put them on. She then forced her sore and weak legs to move as she slowly walked into the bathroom to freshen up.

As she stepped out of the bathroom, her phone rang urgently from inside her handbag. Serena walked back to the side of the bed and pulled her phone out of her bag.

Helena's name flashed on the screen.

The name felt like a large rock pressing heavily against her chest.

Serena took a deep breath and swiped a finger over the answer button, and then she lifted the phone to her ear.

Before she could even speak, an enraged, accusatory voice erupted from the other end. "You little brat! Where the hell were you last night? I sent you to negotiate the deal with Mr. Hood, and you actually hit him in the head? Getting bold now, aren't you?

"Do you have any idea what will happen from offending Mr. Hood? If you want to die, that's fine. Just don't get me, your uncle, and Linden Group involved."

Helena continued with her rant, "Serena, I'm warning you. If you don't apologize to Mr. Hood today and make up for Linden Group's losses, forget about ever getting any of your parents' belongings back."

Serena's hand clenched into a tight fist at her side upon hearing those final words. Gritting her teeth, she forced herself to endure and murmured a reply, "Okay, I got it."

"You'd better, or you'll be in big trouble!" With that, Helena hung up.

Serena gripped her phone tightly and closed her eyes. Her knuckles had turned white from the pressure. After a moment, she composed her emotions and suppressed all the resentment in her eyes.

She had to break free from this invisible shackle, and she couldn't let them control her any longer. If she wanted to compete with them and join Linden Group's board of directors, she had to claim the shares her grandfather had left her.

But to inherit the shares, she had to abide by her grandfather's will, which was to get married.

Marriage…

An extremely bold idea suddenly came into her mind.

Serena chewed on her lip. She tried to steady her frantic breathing before walking out of the bedroom with a calm facade.

But the moment she came face-to-face with Harrison, all her mental preparation was all for nothing.

Harrison sat in the middle of the living room couch with his legs crossed. His casualness carried an invisible sense of pressure.

His right hand rested lightly on his knee while his left hand held a slowly burning cigar. Wisps of smoke curled in the air.

He remained silent. Yet in his own unique way, everything around him faded into the background. The entire world seemed to tremble with each breath he took.

"M-Mr. Spencer…" Serena's voice quivered the moment she spoke.

Harrison seemed a little impatient from all the waiting. A thin stream of smoke escaped his lips as his deep, knowing eyes locked onto her through the swirling haze.

His gaze sent a chill down Serena's spine.

Just as she was at a loss for what to do, he suddenly said, "Sit."

It was just a single, brief word, yet it carried an undeniable authority.

Serena pressed her lips together and braced herself to walk over to the single-seater couch beside Harrison. She sat down stiffly and uneasily.

The thick scent of tobacco that lingered in the air made her visibly uncomfortable. Serena couldn't hold it in and coughed softly.

Harrison glanced at her indifferently. He then calmly pressed the burning cigar into the ashtray. The ember was quickly extinguished.

His tone was serious as he said, "I was the one who preyed on the situation last night. If you want any compensation, just name it."

Hearing this, Serena slowly clenched her hands that had been resting on her knees. She gripped the hem of her skirt tightly.

"I…" She hesitated, her nervousness evident.

Harrison didn't rush her and waited for her to state her terms.

Serena kept her head lowered, unable to meet his gaze. The loose strands of hair at her temples fell just enough to conceal the shyness and inner struggle in her eyes. After a brief silence, she gathered her courage and voiced her thoughts, "I want to get married."

The moment the words left her mouth, Harrison's gaze suddenly turned cold. The air in the room seemed to freeze, and the atmosphere grew suffocating.

But Serena couldn't afford to care anymore. She simply went all in. She looked up and met Harrison's sharp, hawk-like gaze. "The compensation I want is for you to marry me."

As soon as the words left her lips, Harrison let out a deep, cold laugh.

"So, you're latching onto me now?" His tone carried a hint of mockery, and there was a trace of scrutiny in his gaze.

Serena swallowed nervously, and her palms began to sweat. Her grip on her dress tightened slightly.

"You were the one who said I could ask for any compensation," she mumbled.

"The compensation I'm talking about is anything except marriage." Harrison's tone grew noticeably colder.

Serena's heart sank at his words, and the courage she had painstakingly mustered just moments ago dwindled by half. She lowered her head again and murmured, "But right now, I don't want anything other than marriage as compensation."

Harrison pressed his lips together. He silently studied the woman in front of him with his dark gaze as though he was trying to see through her and uncover the true intentions behind her actions.

Chapter 3 Marriage Pressure

It wasn't long before a sudden ringtone shattered the silence in the room.

Harrison shifted his gaze away from Serena and unhurriedly reached into the inner pocket of his suit jacket to retrieve his phone.

He glanced at the caller ID and saw that the call was from Spencer Manor.

The anxious voice of the housekeeper, Lewis Lawson, came through as soon as he answered. "Mr. Spencer, Mrs. Spencer Senior developed a sudden chest pain. You need to return to the manor right away."

Harrison's expression changed slightly at that, but he said nothing and merely responded in a calm manner, "Alright."

After ending the call, he slipped his phone back into his suit's inner pocket and slowly stood up. He said, "I have something else to take care of right now. We'll talk about this later."

Harrison then left the room without any hesitation.

All of Serena's courage drained away the moment the door closed. She deflated like a punctured balloon.

Although she had expected this outcome, she couldn't help but feel somewhat disappointed. It seemed she would have to come up with another plan.

…

As soon as Lewis saw Harrison return to Spencer Manor, he rushed upstairs to report to Martha Watson. "Mrs. Spencer Senior, Mr. Spencer is back."

Martha immediately rose from her carved rocking chair upon hearing this and swiftly lay back down on the bed. She pressed a hand to her chest and put on the act of someone suffering from excruciating pain.

"Oh dear, the pain is killing me!" she moaned dramatically.

She even coughed a few times for added effect. "Lewis, is Harry back yet? I don't think I can hold on for much longer…"

Before Martha could finish, Harrison strolled into the room at a measured pace. He expressionlessly exposed her act and said, "Drop the act. I know you're not sick."

Martha was momentarily speechless, feeling a bit embarrassed to have her lie exposed. In the end, she couldn't be bothered to keep up the charade.

"You little brat. Do I have to be in some kind of trouble before you'll finally come back?" Martha asked.

Harrison's lips parted slightly, and he was about to respond.

But before he could say a word, Martha said first, "Don't give me the excuse about being busy at work to brush me off. No matter how busy you are, you can't be so swamped that you don't even have the time to visit your grandmother, can you?"

Harrison couldn't argue with that. He walked over to the armchair beside the bed in silence and sat down. There was an air of rebellious defiance about him when he said, "Just tell me, why did you call me back?"

With the help of a maid standing nearby, Martha sat up and leaned back against the headboard. She got straight to the point. "I called you back because I wanted to ask—when are you going to bring me a granddaughter-in-law?"

Harrison's expression immediately turned icy at her words, displeasure apparent in his frown. He said, "You don't need to worry about that. I have my own plans."

Hearing this, Martha grew even more anxious. "How can I not worry? Just look at you. You're almost 30 years old, yet you've never been in a relationship, let alone found a wife.

"Your nephew, who's three years younger than you, is already discussing marriage with his girlfriend. And you? Nothing! How can I not be worried? Just thinking about your future keeps me up at night!"

Harrison acted as though he didn't hear a word of her nagging. Not only did he not care at all, but he even countered, "That's your problem. I'm not in a hurry anyway."

"You little brat!" Martha was so exasperated just looking at him that she nearly grabbed a pillow next to her to throw at him.

Suddenly, a thought occurred to her. Her gaze slowly dropped from Harrison's face downward, and her expression grew complex.

"Harry, be honest with me. Are you… having issues in that department?" Martha asked cautiously as if testing the waters and seemingly expressing concern.

Harrison merely stared at her in silence.

Martha grew even more restless after seeing him like that. She immediately waved her hand and instructed, "Lewis, quickly! Go get Dr. Holloway and have him run a full medical check-up on Harrison!"

"Of course, Mrs. Spencer Senior," Lewis responded swiftly and was about to turn around to leave.

"Stop right there!" Harrison's expression darkened, and his voice was laced with barely restrained anger. "There's nothing wrong with me. I don't need a check-up."

Martha didn't seem convinced and earnestly tried to persuade him, saying, "Harry, if there really is a problem in that department, don't be embarrassed to talk about it. The sooner we start treatment, the better you'll definitely get."

Harrison's expression turned even stormier. "There's really nothing wrong with me."

"Really?" Martha asked.

Seeing her distrust, Harrison clenched his teeth and forced the words out one by one through gritted teeth, "I. Am. Really. Fine!"

Martha finally let out a sigh of relief after reconfirming. She pressed on again, "Since there's no problem, then hurry up and bring me a granddaughter-in-law!"

Harrison's face remained icy as he refused to respond. He used his silence to express his resistance to the matter.

Martha suddenly had an idea when she saw he wasn't budging.

The only option left was to play the trump card.

Chapter 4 Forced to Marry

"Listen, Harrison. If you don't bring me a granddaughter-in-law within a week, you're going on blind dates," Martha demanded.

Her first step was to threaten and bribe.

"Otherwise… I don't want to live anymore! Just let me die with regrets. Let me go to the afterlife and apologize to your dead parents and grandfather!" Martha exclaimed dramatically.

Her second step was to use death as leverage.

Harrison let out a helpless sigh. "Grandma, you're being completely unreasonable."

Martha huffed and said matter-of-factly, "Yes, I'm being unreasonable. Now, go figure it out yourself!"

Harrison couldn't do anything about her, so he had no choice but to give in. "Fine. I'll find one for you right away."

Her third step was to seal the deal.

Martha's lips curved up into a triumphant smile as she reminded him, "Don't forget. Within a week!"

Harrison rose to his feet in silence. His expression was dark as he strode out of Martha's room.

Lewis finally spoke once he was certain Harrison had left, "Mrs. Spencer Senior, aren't you afraid that Mr. Spencer will truly get angry if you push him like this?"

The smile on Martha's face gradually faded, and a trace of sorrow surfaced in her timeworn eyes.

"Harry's parents died when he was very young, leaving only him behind," she explained. "All his uncles may appear respectful after Albert's passing, but in reality, they've always been watching like hawks. They're just waiting for their chance.

"The reason I'm pressuring him like this is because I want him to start a family soon. It'll ensure this bloodline of ours will continue."

Her words carried both helplessness and concern.

…

Pierce Young, who had been waiting by the black Maybach, opened the door to the back seat as soon as he saw Harrison step out of the manor.

"Mr. Spencer," Pierce greeted.

Harrison stopped beside Pierce and instructed, "Find out everything about the woman from last night. Leave no stone unturned."

"Yes, sir," Pierce responded.

Harrison lowered himself into the car as the door slowly closed behind him. Pierce quickly got back into the front passenger seat.

With the low hum of the engine, the car slowly pulled away from Spencer Manor.

…

Serena left the hotel and went straight to a pharmacy to buy emergency contraception. Since Harrison had rejected her marriage proposal, there was no need for her to be entangled with him. He was not someone she could afford to provoke, after all.

She would treat last night as if it was a stroke of bad luck. She didn't suffer much damage, anyway.

Serena then hailed a cab and headed straight to Chandler Group.

Memories from the previous night at Hotel Imperus came flooding back as soon as she arrived. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. When she opened them again, they were clear and filled with resolution.

Serena wore a small smile as she walked into Chandler Group's lobby, her heels clicking on the floor.

She stopped at the front desk and said, "Hello, I'm Serena Linden from Linden Group's Project Management Department. I'd like to schedule an appointment with your vice president, Mr. Jeremy Hood."

The receptionist looked up and gave her a once-over. "Serena Linden?"

Serena nodded slightly and maintained a polite yet measured smile.

The receptionist's attitude shifted instantly, and her tone turned impatient at Serena's confirmation. "I'm sorry, Mr. Hood has said he's not taking any visitors today."

Serena instinctively tightened her grip on her handbag upon hearing the response. She kept the smile on her face as she said with sincerity and humility, "Could you please tell Mr. Hood that I'm here to apologize?"

The receptionist ignored her.

Serena continued to plead humbly, "Please, let him know I do have something urgent to discuss."

The receptionist finally relented at her persistence. She said, "I'll call Mr. Hood's assistant and check."

"Alright. Thank you," Serena said.

The receptionist then dialed the internal line. After a brief exchange, she put down the receiver and relayed the message to Serena, "Ms. Linden, I apologize. Mr. Hood's assistant said he's currently busy. He asked that you wait in the lounge area for now."

Serena knew perfectly well that Jeremy had instructed his assistant to say this on purpose. He was making things difficult for her because she had injured him last night.

She decided to let it be. Sometimes, one had to swallow one's pride.

Serena nodded and said nothing. She turned around and walked over to the lounge area to sit on a couch.

Over an hour later, Jeremy's assistant finally came down.

"Ms. Linden, Mr. Hood's schedule is full today. He really doesn't have time to see you." The assistant stepped in front of Serena, and his gaze hinted at something unsaid. "But Mr. Hood said that if you're truly sincere about apologizing, he'll be waiting for you tonight in Room 888 at Nightshade Bar."

Serena's smile froze for a moment upon hearing that.

Then, the assistant added, "Mr. Hood also mentioned that if Linden Group wants a shot at the Eastside project, you'd need to show some sincerity and conviction."

The corner of Serena's lips twitched. Then, she forced a bright smile as she replied, "Alright, I understand."

There was no way to reclaim her parents' belongings if she didn't secure the Eastside project. But if she went to Nightshade Bar tonight, she might never escape Jeremy's grasp.

What should she do?

Was she really going to go down with that scumbag?

In the end, Serena left Chandler Group with a heavy heart.