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.

She tried to push Wesley off, her hands trembling as she fought against him.

Tears welled up in Tara’s eyes, her cheeks flushed, and her body began to betray her control, a soft sound escaping from her throat.

“No!” She refused to give in to despair.

Desperately, she bit down on the tip of her tongue. The sharp pain jolted her mind back to clarity. Summoning her strength, she raised her knee and drove it straight into Wesley’s nose.

He was kneeling on the carpet, bent over as he tried to pull off her tight jeans, and hadn’t expected her to fight back. Her knee hit his nose directly.

“Ah!” he screamed, releasing her hands as he clutched his nose and fell back, sitting on the floor in pain.

Tara scrambled to her feet, biting her tongue again to stay conscious. Her adrenaline surged, and she kicked him hard in the groin.

“Argh!” Wesley let out a guttural scream, curling up on the floor, writhing in agony.

Out of the corner of her eye, Tara spotted a small spray bottle poking out of his back pocket. Without hesitation, she grabbed it, held her breath, and sprayed it directly into his face multiple times.

Taking advantage of the chaos, she crawled and staggered toward the door.

The moment she opened it, a blast of cold air hit her face, clearing her thoughts slightly.

She quickly used her T-shirt to wipe off any fingerprints from the bottle, tossed it back into the room, slammed the door shut, and began running down the hallway.

But her legs felt weak, and she could barely move faster than a slow stumble, even as she clung to the wall for support.

Her body burned as if it were on fire, her mind consumed with a single thought of finding a man!

She knew if this continued, things would only get worse.

She would either lose control and humiliate herself in public or collapse and be taken advantage of by someone else.

“Call the police?” she thought to herself.

This kind of high-end nightclub was backed by powerful forces. If word got out, they would deal with her before the authorities arrived.

“Call a friend?” she muttered.

There wasn’t enough time!

“What should I do?

“What should I do?!” Panic consumed her thoughts.

A sharp click echoed from behind her.

Tara whipped her head around to see the door to the room next to number 88 opening.

Her heart sank. If Leo found her like this, he would surely send her straight back to Wesley!

Panic coursed through her veins.

Her best bet was to find an empty private room, hide inside, douse herself with cold water, and ride this out.

Desperately, she reached for the nearest door and pushed.

To her relief, it opened.

Tara didn’t hesitate. She slipped into the room and quickly shut the door behind her.

Just as the door clicked shut, she caught a glimpse of Nina walking toward room 88.

Nina pushed the door open, only to be yanked inside with a sharp scream.

Tara locked her door, bolting it and securing the chain.

The room was dark and silent. It was clearly empty. Relief flooded her, but almost immediately, the fiery heat in her body surged, overwhelming her.

She slid down against the wall, her strength giving out, and pulled off her T-shirt in an attempt to cool down.

Her breathing was heavy, and her pounding heartbeat echoed in her ears.

Her entire body felt as though it were being devoured by ants, the sensation unbearable. She couldn’t stop the soft, stifled moans that escaped her lips.

Suddenly, a sharp click pierced the air, and the lights flicked on.

Tara’s vision blurred, her consciousness slipping away. Through her hazy gaze, she saw a tall, striking man walking toward her.

He appeared to be in his early thirties, with sharp brows, deep-set eyes, a high nose bridge, and sculpted features that hinted at a mixed heritage.

To her, he was an oasis in the desert, a lifeline in her agony. Crawling toward him, she pleaded, “Help me… please…”

Even in her disheveled state, with her damp hair clinging to her face and her eyes shimmering with unshed tears, her natural beauty and alluring figure were undeniable.

The man’s sapphire-blue eyes darkened slightly. “Miss, should I call the police or an ambulance for you?”

Tara shook her head weakly, desperate to communicate. “Water… cold water…”

Grasping his leg for support, she pulled herself to her knees.

The moment her body came into contact with his, her fragile hold on rationality snapped like a taut string breaking under pressure.

One thought consumed her. “I need him. I need this man!” she thought.

Like a starving person grasping for bread, she flung her arms around him, her voice trembling with desperation. “Help me… I’ll pay you!”

The man stiffened at her touch.

He pulled her upright and said in a deep, steady voice, “I’ll take you to the hospital.”

But Tara couldn’t hear him anymore. Her ears buzzed, drowning out all sound. Her body felt drenched in heat, feverish, as if her blood were boiling. Each passing second pushed her closer to the edge, her heart pounding as if it might explode.

She rose onto her toes, tilted her head back, and kissed him, her actions filled with desperation. Like a snake, she coiled herself around his tall, lean frame, her trembling hands sliding toward his waistband.

His sapphire-blue eyes darkened, deep and unreadable.

“You’re the one who begged for this,” he murmured.