Maya woke up at six o'clock to prepare for the upcoming parent-teacher meeting. Since it was winter, the world outside was still shrouded in darkness.

Through the window, she could faintly see the branches swaying in the cold wind, signaling that a change in the weather was coming! Christmas was just a couple of days away, and yet there hadn't been a single snowfall this year.

Holding a cup of warm water, She stood by the window, lost in thought. Just then, a loud clattering of footsteps interrupted her. Tessa, heavily made up and swaying, stumbled into the room, reeking of alcohol.

Seeing this, Maya furrowed her brow and lowered her voice, "Tessa, why are you so drunk? Did you go gambling again?"

At her words, Tessa lifted her head defiantly. "Who says I lost money again? Who dares to say I lost again? I just had a bit of bad luck! My fortune will turn around in a couple of days!"

Without saying another word, Maya gave her a few glances at her, grabbed her scarf and bag, and walked out of the room.

At school. At ten o'clock, it was time for the parent-teacher meeting. The parents were already seated, with only one seat left empty. Maya bit her lip, wondering if Ethan's parent were not going to show up again. She was about to look for Ethan, but as soon as she turned around, her heart skipped a beat.

How could it be him?

Charles Darwin was wearing a white shirt, with a tan coat draped over his arm. He seemed to be in a bit of a hurry, which added a touch of casualness to his appearance. His deep-set eyes casually scanned the woman in front of him, a fleeting look of surprise passing over his face, but it was too quick to catch.

As he walked past, he merely glanced at Maya, passing by her like a stranger. Her heart raced uncontrollably, and even the attendance list in her hand trembled slightly. How couldn't she have guessed that he was actually related to Ethan Darwin? It was true what they said-enemies cross paths often. But the world is too big; why did they meet so easily again?

Swallowing the lump in her throat, which felt like a fishbone stuck there, she took a deep breath to calm herself.

Most of the parents attending the meeting were women, and Charles presence was undoubtedly a breath of fresh air among them. With his striking features that seemed sculpted by God and his noble, elegant aura, the mothers around her quickly pulled out their phones to take pictures. Some even posted photos on social media.

Charles frowned slightly. The crowd's attention made him feel a bit impatient and irritated, but he didn't let it show. His calm gaze fell on Maya, and his thin lips moved as he spoke in a low voice, "Miss Cooper, hasn't the parent-teacher meeting started yet?"

Maya felt overwhelmed, her discomfort palpable, but she straightened her back and tried to ignore the tall, imposing figure in front of her. Adopting her teaching tone, she replied, "I apologize for keeping everyone waiting during such a busy time. The purpose of this meeting is to report on the students' academic performance over the past year and their behavior at school. When I call out the names of these parents, please respond."

She began to call out the names of the parents of the top-performing students, all of whom had excellent grades and behavior. Her voice was steady and calm, slightly hoarse due to a cold, yet it was melodious and engaging.

When she spoke about her students, her eyes sparkled with enthusiasm and energy. Charles raised an eyebrow, his gaze fixed on her as he squinted and assessed her. Her hair was blonde, cascading over her shoulders. Her eyes were round and bright like shiny pearls, while her small, delicate nose and naturally rosy lips added to her charm.

Her fair complexion glowed like jade, and the bright red down jacket she wore made her look even more radiant, accentuating her rosy cheeks. Without a trace of makeup, she looked refined and graceful, exuding a sense of comfort.

Though she tried her best to focus, she could still feel that deep gaze sweeping over her. Taking a deep breath, she reminded herself to stay calm and composed, then spoke up, "Are you Ethan Darwin's family?"

Charles leaned back lazily, his tall frame relaxed as he replied, "Yes." His rich, magnetic voice drew the attention of the women around him, their eyes instinctively turning to him, captivated.

He was now her student's family, not the man from that night.

After mentally warning herself again, Maya raised her head and spoke calmly, "Do you know Ethan's ranking in school?"

Charles maintained his relaxed posture, but his handsome face turned slightly, his nose appearing even more prominent as he listened intently, exuding an undeniable charm.

"He's always second to last in every exam, without exception. I hope Mr. Darwin can pay more attention to his study."

If it were any other parent hearing such a ranking in front of so many people, they would likely feel embarrassed or blush. Yet, he remained unfazed, elegant, and composed. "How many senior students are there in the entire school?"

Maya replied honestly, "Two thousand nine hundred."

He flicked his fingers against his sleeve, resting his chin thoughtfully. "But isn't there another one ranking behind him? Two thousand eight hundred and ninety-nine. That's quite a good ranking."

Caught off guard by such an answer, Maya blinked in surprise for a moment before regaining her composure, a hint of sarcasm creeping into her thoughts. Wealthy people's mindset is truly different from that of ordinary folks.

Even if they always come in last at school, they don't worry about the future.

"Mr. Darwin, your perspective is unique."

"Just average," Charles said, a slight smirk on his lips, though his eyes narrowed slightly as he looked at her. Their eyes locked, and Maya's heart raced. She quickly averted her gaze.

The parent-teacher meeting was soon coming to an end. As soon as it wrapped up, Charles pushed back his chair and strode out with long strides. Ethan had been waiting outside for a while. "Charles."

"Hmm" Charles nodded, then after a moment, he added, "Is this the best you can do in exams?"

Clearing his throat, Ethan grinned playfully. "Big brother, you know why prices in big malls often end in 9? It can boost the consumer's desire. Just listen to 'two thousand nine hundred' and then 'two thousand eight hundred and ninety-nine.' Which one feels better?"

"Do you think you're a product with a price tag in a store?" Charles shot him a cold glance and warned, "Next time, don't you ever rank 2899th again, or you'll regret it!"

"When did you start caring about my rankings? If I can't run 2,899th next time, how about aiming for 2,898th instead? That's still a pretty decent rank."

"If you don't make it into the top 1,000 next time, all your expenses will be cut off." Charles said coldly.

Hearing this, Ethan shrugged helplessly. "Alright, if that's the case, you have to agree to one condition!"

"What condition?"

 *********

By the time all the parents had been sent off, it was already noon, time for lunch. Maya stretched and walked out of the school gate, ready to grab some spaghetti. But a sleek black Bentley suddenly blocked her path, coming to a stop right beside her. 

Forced to retreat several steps, she stumbled back, her heart racing.

As the car window rolled down, she was left speechless, shocked to see him again.

Charles glanced at her for a moment before his gaze shifted to Ethan beside him. He parted his lips slightly and coolly commanded, "Get out."

The car door opened, and Ethan stepped out with a smile, making a gentlemanly gesture. "Miss Cooper, please get in. My brother has something to discuss with you."

What could they possibly have to talk about? Maya's heart raced as she glanced at the man inside the car, her voice cautious. "What is it about?"

Ethan gave a sheepish smile and cleared his throat. "It's about my studies."

It seemed she had been too tense. Licking her lips, she replied, "If it's about your studies, we should go to my office."

"My brother's identity is a bit special, and there might already be reporters on their way, so it's better to find a quieter place."

Just as they spoke, the principal hurried over with a flattering smile. "Mr. Darwin, why didn't you give me a heads-up before coming? I would have been ready to welcome you."

Charles nodded slightly. "I'm just here for Ethan's parent-teacher meeting today; I didn't want to disturb you."

"Not at all, Mr. Darwin, it's too kind of you." The principal rubbed his hands nervously, only then noticing Maya standing nearby. He exclaimed in surprise, "Miss Cooper?"

"Principal," she nodded in greeting, surprised that he even acknowledged her presence.

"I'd like to discuss Ethan's academic performance with Miss Cooper," Charles continued.

"Of course," the principal's eyes practically squinted with delight. He turned to Maya and said, "Miss Cooper, you won't need to return to school this afternoon. Take the time to have a good talk with Mr. Darwin. It would be best to come up with a targeted study plan to ease his worries."

Is this really necessary? The principal was acting like she was using Maya as a stepping stone, Maya thought to herself, wanting to decline. "But I have classes this afternoon."

This Miss Cooper is so oblivious, the principal thought, feeling a bit anxious. No matter how many classes she had, she needed to prioritize Mr. Darwin: "Miss Cooper, I'll let Miss Steel cover your classes this afternoon."

Ethan raised an eyebrow at the principal. "Thanks, old man. Now we're taking Miss Cooper away" Before Maya could respond, Ethan opened the back door, pressed down on her shoulder, and shoved her inside. He then slid into the front passenger seat. "Hey, where to?" he asked, tilting his head toward the driver.

"I'm hungry," Charles replied in a low, gravelly voice, leaning back in his seat with his eyes closed, his gaze drifting over Maya. The pressure radiating from him was overwhelming, making her frown and feel restless.

She didn't even dare to move...

Even though Ethan and the driver were in the car as well, the intensity of Charles's presence seemed to grow stronger. Even without moving her eyes, she could still catch him in her peripheral vision.

The car glided smoothly down the road, eventually stopping in front of an upscale restaurant. Inside the elegant and lavish private room, each of them had a plate of medium-well steak in front of them, along with a bottle of red wine.

Ethan had ordered the steak and kept asking Maya what she wanted to eat, pulling out the menu for her to choose from. Maya only wanted to leave this place as quickly as possible, repeatedly declining and making excuses. But her refusals were in vain; Ethan had insisted on ordering her a medium-well steak, which led to the current awkward situation.

The thick red wine slowly dripped into the transparent glass, and its rich aroma immediately filled the private room. Charles' gaze fell on her, studying her for a few seconds before putting down his glass of wine. "Are you sure you want to keep standing, Miss Cooper?"

Both Charles and Ethan were seated, and her standing made the situation feel a bit out of place. Maya had no choice but to awkwardly take a seat. For a moment, the only sound in the room was the slicing of steak.

Fidgeting with her fingers, she broke the suffocating silence. "Is there something you want to discuss about Ethan's studies, Mr. Darwin?"

As soon as his name was mentioned, Ethan abandoned his wine, making an excuse. "I need to use the restroom." As he left the room, he even winked at Charles on purpose.

Charles elegantly continued cutting his steak, then turned his attention back to her. "What do you think about hiring a tutor, Miss Cooper?"

Seeing his businesslike demeanor, she felt her guard drop and nodded in agreement, "I think that's a great idea."

Then, his voice cut through the air, "It seems that you have agreed to be Ethan's tutor."

Maya's eyes widened involuntarily as she straightened up. "When did I agree to that?"

Setting down his knife and fork, Charles picked up his glass and took a slow sip. "What's your answer now, Miss Cooper?"

"I'm sorry, but I don't have the time," she replied without a second thought.

"You won't need too much of your time, just two hours a day."

"Mr. Darwin, it's not about how long it is; I truly don't have any spare time," she mustered the courage to meet his gaze.

However, Charles seemed to ignore her words entirely, his lips curling into a slight smile as he continued, "How about I double your pay?"

Maya's tone turned icy. "It's not about the money, Mr. Darwin. You should find someone else." She was determined to erase all memories of that night, not wanting any further entanglement with him. Because the moment she saw him, the memories of that night would flood back like a tidal wave.

Gently swirling the red wine in his glass, Charles remained calm and relaxed. "What do you think about discussing this matter with the principal of your school?" There was undoubtedly a hint of threat in his words. Given the principal's earlier behavior, she was 100% sure that he would hand her over to him without a second thought! The anger inside her finally ignited.

Her chest rose and fell slightly as she abruptly stood up from her seat. "Why do you insist on me?" Countless people wanted to be a tutor; why did he have to force her? What were his true intentions?

"Miss Cooper, you must have misunderstood my intentions," Charles replied, a light smile dancing in his eyes. He chuckled softly, "It's not that I insist on you, but rather that someone else did."

Maya froze, staring at him in shock as the word escaped her lips: "Ethan?"

"Yes..." Charles replied lazily. So it turned out she had overthought it. A sense of embarrassment rose from deep within her, and her face involuntarily flushed red. Taking a deep breath, she apologized, "I'm sorry, I got a bit carried away just now.

He looked up and asked again, "What about your answer, Miss Cooper?"

"I still refuse," she replied, staring directly at him, each word deliberate.

Charles narrowed his eyes, fixating on her without saying a word, as if he was trying to see right through her.

After a long silence without hearing his voice, Maya glanced up in surprise, only to find herself lost in the depths of his inscrutable gaze, her heart racing wildly.

The tense silence hung between them, and suddenly, Charles spoke, his deep voice carrying an undeniable certainty: "Your refusal must have something to do with that night."

Maya's face turned pale in an instant. She felt a sense of wariness toward the man before her; he was like an elegant leopard seemingly casual, yet capable of delivering a fatal blow. But that night was an undeniable fact. She didn't back down; instead, she nodded. "I have something to say about that night."

Charles fixed his gaze on her. "I genuinely meant well when I suggested the idea of repairing your hymen, but clearly, you misunderstood."

Anger surged to Maya's head, and she gritted her teeth, whispering fiercely, "I wish Mr. Darwin would completely forget about that night! Whether you meant well or not!"

"I've already forgotten; the one who actually cares is you, Miss Cooper, that's all." His gaze was sharp as an arrow, constantly observing her expressions.

She averted her eyes from his penetrating stare and retorted, "No!"

"Since you don't care, what's the harm in being Ethan's tutor?" he raised an eyebrow, pushing closer with each word.

Her irritation and frustration were finally provoked, and she sprang up from her seat with a hint of defiance. "No, No! I won't do it, Mr. Darwin, do you understand what I said?" Her cheeks flushed, and her big, bright eyes sparkled with determination.

Charles seemed momentarily captivated by her gaze; the light in his eyes flickered, and his lips curled slightly as he gently reminded her, "It seems you are getting a bit worked up."

"And so what if I am? I won't be Ethan's tutor, no matter what! I have classes this afternoon, so Mr. Darwin, feel free to do as you please!" With that, she grabbed her bag and headed toward the door of the private room.

Just as she took a couple of steps, the door swung open, and Ethan walked in. Charles raised an eyebrow, his gaze shifting to Ethan. He spoke smoothly, "Since Miss Cooper doesn't agree to be your tutor, it's best not to push her too hard. By the way, have Driver Max take her back to school."

Ethan furrowed his brows deeply, fixing his gaze on Maya. "Why didn't you agree?"

"I have too much to do and no time to be a tutor," she replied apologetically, looking at him. She then swerved him and left the restaurant.

Charles, tall and composed, stood up and headed for the exit, only to find Ethan still rooted in a spot. He raised an eyebrow. "Aren't you coming?"

"Charles, believe it or not, I can make her agree." Ethan snapped back to reality, a bright smile spreading across his face.

"I have too much to do too, no time for that." Clearly, Charles wasn't interested in Ethan's words. He glanced at his watch and got into his Bentley.

Meanwhile, Maya returned to school, and as soon as she entered her office, the principal called for her. He bombarded her with pointless questions, all revolving around Mr. Darwin-what happened, what's going on, and so on.

 Sitting there, Maya tried to feign interest while feeling drowsy, and she even had to suppress a loud growl from her stomach. She hadn't had a chance to eat her spaghetti at noon, and now her stomach was growling with hunger.

As she was leaving, the principal kept reminding her to make sure to focus on the studies of the young master, Ethan Darwin. Maya was taken aback by how much flattery the principal was dishing out; she felt like he was beyond salvation.

However, over the next few days in class, she noticed that the seat by the window in the last row was always empty, which belonged to Ethan. She tried calling him, but each time she was met with a sweet voice reminding her that the line was busy and to please try again later.

If it happened once or twice, it would be normal, but every time meant something was wrong. He was clearly avoiding her. He was already 18 yet he still acted like a petulant child when he threw a tantrum.

She understood why he was behaving this way; it was simply because she hadn't agreed to be his tutor. With a helpless sigh, she pulled out the student list and began searching for his home address. With the final exams just three days away, he had to come to school to take them.

After noting the address on her phone, she hailed a taxi and told the driver, "Take me to Springs Garden Residence."

The taxi driver glanced at her a couple of times and smiled, "Miss, are you living there? I hear the houses there are quite expensive."

"It's not that," she replied. "I'm just going to meet someone." She had heard that the Springs Garden Residence had very high property prices, but she had never been there before. It was her first visit.

Half an hour later, the taxi stopped in front of the residence. The air was indeed fresh, and the environment was beautifully maintained. As she walked through the community, a faint floral scent filled the air. Following the address, she made her way to Building Three and paused in front of the door.

To her surprise, the door was slightly open, leaving a small gap. After checking the address several times, she reached out and pushed the door open, stepping inside. However, she barely took a few steps forward before she froze like a statue, her feet seemingly nailed to the floor.

The erotic sounds clearly reached her ears. A woman's voice was sultry and seductive, mingling with a man's, sending shivers down her spine. She realized what was happening in the room.

They were definitely in the middle of something...erotic!

In an instant, all the blood rushed to her head. Her lips felt parched, and her cheeks flushed a vibrant red, as if they were about to bleed.

What... what is going on here...?

She snapped back to reality, feeling completely lost. She didn't even know where to put her hands and feet, her mind a blank slate. The only thought racing through her head was to get out of there fast!

 But as she turned to leave, she failed to notice the trash can at her feet. With a loud crash, it toppled over, creating a ruckus. Her face turned pale, and she froze in the spot.

Just then, Ethan's voice cut through the air. "Hey, is something making noise?"

"If you can't keep it quiet, then just get the hell out." Charles' tone came suddenly, low and heavy.