Tara kicked off her heels, tossed her bag aside, and began taking down every framed photo in the villa.

She removed the pictures, burned them one by one, and threw the empty frames away.

She hadn’t realized just how many there were.

The living room, the hallway, the bedroom, the study, the gym, the walk-in closet—walls, shelves, tables—they were everywhere.

As she worked, her phone rang.

Seeing that it was her father, she answered, only to be met with his angry voice. “Tara, what’s going on online? How could a scandal like this come out now?”

Feeling drained, Tara sank onto the carpet and replied softly, “Dad…”

Her nose stung, and her throat tightened.

Hearing her tone, Joe’s voice immediately softened. “Don’t cry, sweetheart. Don’t cry. I’m here. We won’t let them get away with this! Leave it to me. I’ll make sure those websites pay for this!”

The warmth of Joe’s concern broke down the last of her defenses. Tara covered her mouth, choking back sobs as the night’s frustrations poured out.

Joe sighed. “There’s no use crying now. But I’ll deal with Leo and that woman for you!”

Tara wiped away her tears. “No need, Dad. I was just too foolish and naive. This is my own fault. Besides, I’ve already decided to move abroad. Let’s just leave it at that.”

Joe let out a frustrated sigh, torn between wanting to scold her and not wanting to hurt her. “You… you’re impossible.”

But his heart ached for her.

After asking about the progress of her immigration paperwork, Tara ended the call. She took a long shower and went to bed.

Leo didn’t come home that night.

There were no calls, no messages.

When Tara woke the next morning, the sun was already high.

The first thing she did was check her phone. All of her photos and videos had been completely wiped from the internet.

As she sat down to breakfast, Leo returned.

He was still wearing the same clothes from the day before. His hair was disheveled, his eyes bloodshot, and his stubble was unkempt.

It was obvious he hadn’t rested all night.

Sitting across from her, Leo’s voice was low and demanding. “Did you file a lawsuit over the online photos?”

Tara dabbed her lips with a napkin and met his gaze. “Yes, I have to protect my rights.”

Leo spoke in a detached, business-like tone. “The company has already signed Nina. She just returned to the country, and we need to generate publicity for her. I’ll give you 50 million if you drop the lawsuit and allow the use of your photos and videos for promotion.”

Tara’s lips curled into a mocking smile. “Mr. Carter, I’m not one of your employees. I have neither the obligation nor the desire to cooperate with your publicity stunts.”

Leo’s sharp brows knitted together as he slammed his glass of milk back onto the table, his cold eyes locking onto her.

“Jealous? Angry about last night?” he asked, his tone icy. “Nina hurt her face and foot so I had to rush her to the hospital. Her looks are her livelihood. She can’t afford to be scarred.”

Tara smiled faintly. “I’m not angry. Do whatever you want to promote her, just don’t drag me into it. Understand?”

Leo’s gaze turned steely, his voice dropping further. “You’ve always been obedient and sensible. I hope you won’t disappoint me.”

Tara’s tone remained calm. “I’m sorry to disappoint you, Mr. Carter, but I’m standing by my boundaries.”

Leo stared at her, as if he couldn’t quite process the change.

He lit a cigarette, taking a deep drag and exhaling a swirl of smoke.

Under the hazy cloud, his handsome, tired face carried an air of indulgent decadence.

After a few puffs, he seemed to regain his composure. Snuffing out the cigarette in the ashtray, he walked over and sat beside Tara, pulling her into his arms.

In a low voice, he said, “Alright, we won’t use your photos and videos. Don’t be upset anymore. How about 20 million to drop the lawsuit? Going up against those reporters and influencers could hurt the company’s reputation.”

As he spoke, he kissed her ear, his hand sliding to the collar of her shirt.

Since it was Leo’s company involved, Tara decided she would agree to drop the lawsuit. She figured she might as well treat it as compensation for the three years she had spent with him.

After all, he had always been a satisfying lover.

Just as she was about to nod, Leo’s phone rang.

With one arm still wrapped around her, he pulled out his phone and glanced at the screen before answering. He spoke in Genovian.

“Wesley, what’s up?”

Wesley’s voice was laced with mischief. “Did you get Tara to agree to drop the lawsuit? Those reporters and influencers are holding Nina accountable for the whole mess, and she’s in tears from the pressure.”

Leo replied lazily, “Do you think she wouldn’t agree?”

Wesley chuckled darkly. “Man, I envy you. Honestly, I’m really into Tara. Since you’ve got Nina now, why don’t you hand Tara over to me? Even just for fun.”

Leo’s grip around Tara tightened, his voice cold. “Get lost.”

But Tara had heard everything clearly.

She had assumed earlier that Leo’s vague comments meant the issue was just a PR stunt orchestrated by his company.

Now, she realized the truth. It was all Nina’s doing.

Leo hung up the phone, kissed Tara lightly on the cheek, and urged her, “Call your lawyer and drop the lawsuit.”

Tara’s voice was cold. “I’m not dropping it.”

Leo’s expression darkened instantly. He stood up and looked down at her, his tone sharp. “Can you stop being difficult? My company is taking a hit. What good does this do you?”

Tara stood her ground. “Your team and those reporters and bloggers know the laws about privacy and image rights, don’t they? Yet they still broke them. Why? I’m the one who was wronged, but instead of holding them accountable, you’re here trying to cut a deal with me. Why?”

Leo’s icy gaze locked on her, his voice filled with disappointment. “You’re not even recognizable to me anymore. Jealousy really does make people ugly.”

With that, he pushed his chair back with a loud screech, the sound echoing his anger, and stormed upstairs.

Tara watched as the chair scraped against the floor. His frustration was evident.

Whenever it came to Nina, Leo completely lost his composure.

Lowering her gaze, Tara continued drinking her soup, calm and unhurried.

Before long, Leo came back downstairs. He had just showered. His hair was still damp, and he was wearing fresh clothes.

He paused at the doorway of the dining room and turned to look at her.

“I’ll still transfer the 20 million to you. I’m sorry for the inconvenience I’ve caused.” His tone was polite and gentlemanly.

But Tara, ever perceptive, caught the chill and detachment in his voice.

She didn’t care.

Orders from the secondhand marketplace were piling up again. She busied herself packing the items and shipping them off.

For seven days straight, Leo didn’t return home or send any messages.

Then, in the early hours of the eighth day, her phone suddenly rang, waking her.

Groggily, she reached for it. Seeing Leo’s name on the screen, she frowned slightly before answering.

His voice was slurred and indistinct. Clearly, he had been drinking heavily.

“Tara… come… pick me up… take me… home.”

She could hear loud music blaring in the background.

“Where are you?” she asked.

“Maj… Majestic Nightclub, private room 88,” he mumbled.

Tara replied calmly, “Alright.”

She quickly got out of bed, threw on a pair of jeans and a plain white T-shirt. After a moment of thought, she picked out a pair of black crystal earrings and put them on before heading out.

She headed downstairs to the garage, where the red luxury car was parked right at the front.

The car hadn’t been officially registered in her name yet, so she hadn’t sold it. Tara opened the driver’s side door and climbed in.

But she immediately noticed something. On the passenger seat lay a black stocking, and on the floor mat was a single silver high heel.

She recognized the shoe. It was the match to the one Nina had left behind in the flowerbed on her birthday.

A wave of disgust washed over her.

Getting out of the car, she searched through Leo’s collection of luxury cars in the garage until she found her car.

At around 2 a.m., she arrived at the underground parking lot of Majestic Nightclub. Just as she parked and stepped out, a middle-aged man emerged from behind a dark pillar, blocking her path.

“Hey, miss! Can I borrow some tissues? I’m in an emergency and didn’t bring any.”

Tara tensed up, wary of the stranger’s approach. She replied curtly, “I don’t have any.”

The man pressed on. “I lost my phone. Can you lend me a few bucks? I need to buy tissues… or get a ride.”

Her voice grew colder. “No.”

With that, she turned and walked away.

As soon as the elevator doors opened, she was hit with deafening music and flashing lights that made her head spin.

The scene inside was chaotic. Men and women swayed together, drinking, singing, and exchanging suggestive glances.

Tara didn’t care for this kind of loud, messy atmosphere.

After asking for directions at the front desk, she passed through a soundproof door and entered a quieter hallway.

The corridor was lined with upscale private rooms, their thick doors sealing off the noise, leaving the space eerily silent.

She found room 88 and pressed the doorbell.

The thick soundproof door opened, and an explosion of pounding dance music blasted out.

The light outside was bright, but the room inside was dim, making it hard to see clearly.

Tara stepped inside cautiously.

The door shut abruptly behind her, startling her. She spun around and met Wesley’s leering eyes, filled with sleaze and malice.

At the same time, Wesley raised his hand and sprayed something at her face twice.

Tara instinctively tried to dodge, but it was too late.

A faintly sweet scent filled the air, and she inhaled several breaths before realizing.

Wesley blocked the door, leaving her no choice but to retreat further into the room. Her voice was sharp with alarm. “What are you trying to do?”

Wesley smirked, his laugh sinister. “What do you think?”

With that, he sprayed her again several more times.

Tara’s body started to feel hot, her heart racing. Her legs grew weak, and the flashing disco lights made her dizzy.

She realized in horror that he had used a spiked spray.

The nightclub’s private rooms were designed to be soundproof and secure. There was only one door, no windows, and loud music drowned out any noise. Even if she screamed at the top of her lungs, no one would hear her.

Wesley, having likely taken an antidote beforehand, lunged at her in a few strides and grabbed her, forcing a kiss on her.

“Sweetheart, I’ve finally got you!”

Tara’s anger and fear surged as she struggled, shouting, “Let me go! This is a crime!”

Wesley grabbed her arms and flung her onto the sofa with predatory force, pouncing on her like a wolf.

Terrified, Tara kicked at him, but he anticipated her move, pinning her down as he pressed his body against hers.

His hands gripped her tightly, his teeth clenched as he hissed, “A crime? It’s just the two of us here. No cameras. I’ll say you got drunk and consented. If you regret it later and try to accuse me, who do you think the court will believe? It’ll just get swept under the rug!”

Despair filled Tara as she struggled weakly. “Leo won’t let you get away with this!”

Wesley held her down, unbuttoning her jeans, his laughter arrogant and malicious.

“Stupid girl, Leo handed you over to me! Why do you think he called you here? He’s busy having a good time with Nina next door!”

Tara felt as if lightning had struck her, leaving her stunned. Her heart shattered as tears of pain and anger streamed down her face.

Wesley pulled down her zipper and started tugging her jeans off.

“Tonight, you’ll see what I can do—better than Leo ever was! Nina’s been overseas for six years, and she plays wild. Leo will get bored of her and come crawling back to you. By then, you’ll have me and won’t even want him anymore! Haha!”

Snapping out of her shock, Tara realized her jeans had been pulled down to her hips.

Summoning her strength, she raised her hand and slapped Wesley across the face.

Tara’s slap landed with a sharp, crisp *smack*, echoing through the room.

For a brief moment, Wesley’s expression changed, but he quickly twisted it into a deranged smile. “Feisty, huh? I like that.”

Tara raised her right hand to strike him again, but he caught her wrist. She lifted her left hand, but he grabbed that one too.

Wesley’s eyes glinted with menace. “This little bit of fight in you? It just makes it more exciting. Once the stuff fully kicks in, you’ll be begging me for more!”

With that, he leaned down like a rabid animal and tried to kiss her.

Tara’s entire body felt weak and hot, her stomach burning. She could barely struggle against him.

In the room next door, Nina sat holding a glass of red wine, her eyes fixed on her phone screen. She turned to her assistant with a cold smile.

“If Tara hadn’t been wearing pants today, Wesley would’ve already succeeded. But this is even better! It’ll just bring out more of his animal instincts.”

The assistant, looking uneasy, asked, “What if Tara presses charges against Wesley?”

Nina scoffed, her tone dismissive. “Let her sue Wesley. What does that have to do with me? I didn’t do anything. All I did was suggest to Leo that he call Tara to pick him up.”

The assistant’s eyes filled with admiration, nodding in agreement.

Nina smirked, pleased with herself. “With this footage in hand, Tara will have to drop her lawsuit. If she doesn’t, I’ll just leak the videos online and see who’s willing to ruin her reputation over this!”

Excited, she clenched her fist and cheered softly at the screen. “Come on, Wesley. Get her pants off! Do it!”

On the sofa beside her, Leo stirred drunkenly, mumbling, “Water… Tara… get me some water.”

Nina froze, her body stiffening as jealousy flickered in her eyes. She turned to look at Leo’s handsome face, her expression momentarily sour.

“I’m coming,” she said, snapping off her phone screen and walking over to pour him water.

Back in the other room, Tara felt hopeless, convinced she wouldn’t make it out of this.

But when Wesley let go of her hands to tug at her pants, she lashed out, clawing at his face and neck with all her strength. Her nails left deep, bleeding scratches.

Wesley growled like an animal, his tone both furious and excited. “Little wildcat, you’re making me even more interested! Don’t worry! I’ll record everything so you can watch yourself go crazy later!”

With that, he grabbed Tara and yanked her off the sofa.

Her legs gave out beneath her, and she collapsed onto the carpet, powerless.