Julie had two part-time jobs. One was a French tutor to a junior high school student, and the other was a waitress in a restaurant.

After catching some rest, she passed by a convenience store and bought a sandwich and milk before getting on a bus to her tutoring job.

By the time she left the student's home, it was already five in the afternoon, drawing her close to getting late for her next job.

Her student was having difficulty with the language, and she felt kind of bad since the kid was so frustrated about it, so she stuck around for a bit. Besides, extra hours meant more cash.

Julie drank a whole bottle of water and hurried to the restaurant by subway. Arriving just in the nick of time, she rushedly walked inside, not recognizing the car she had just passed.

Jimmy stepped out of the car as soon as she disappeared into the restaurant and opened the back passenger's door for Kelvin and another person.

Meanwhile, Julie started her shift by changing into their service uniform and meticulously tied her hair, revealing her adorable heart-shaped face.

As Julie moved along with her fellow servers, she carried a fish platter into a VIP room. The male guest couldn't resist throwing her a second look when she walked in. She had a pretty distinctive appeal that made her stand out among her colleagues.

However, the enormous platter she was carrying drew her even more attention. It appeared heavier than her slim figure, making them feel sorry for her.

The men instructed other servers to serve the remaining dish, concerned that Julie's arms might break if she did more, leaving Julie to pour wine for their table.

Julie froze when she finally noticed Kelvin as she went around with the bottle. He had a female companion by his side, dressed lovely and innocent while timidly nestling against his chest.

His face lit with pleasure, devoid of impatience, which seemed like she got him all wrong. It turned out that he preferred good girls like this.

Julie felt a little annoyed, but she continued doing her job. She poured the wine for everyone around the table and almost got harassed by a man. Fortunately, Julie dodged him quickly before things turned ugly.

Kelvin was the last guest she had to serve at this table. But when she was about to pour him a drink, he flipped his wine glass and coldly said, "I don't drink."

Mortified, Julie didn't know what to do with the bottle. It was his habitual rude gesture, and she should have been used to it. But, somehow, it got under her skin this time.

On the other hand, Casey Davis, the girl next to him, seemed delighted about her shame.

Suddenly an itching sensation crept up Julie's thigh. Her body stiffened as she looked down and saw a man's slender fingers suggestively tracing her frame by her inner thigh all the way underneath her skirt.

Julie shuddered and tried to move away, but her shaky legs wouldn't budge.

"What's the matter with you, Kelvin? Who upset you?" Someone asked curiously, whom another seconded.

"Yeah, didn't you just drink the wine Miss Davis poured you not long ago? What's wrong now?"

The hand feeling Julie up finally stopped, making her breathe in relief.

Kelvin lightly caressed Casey's face as Julie moved away and said, "I'll drive her back later. So I should stop with one glass."

Casey's face turned slightly red, and she meekly looked away.

People at the table started nodding with a smirk.

"Oh... Then, we won't stand in the way of your glamorous night." Someone said, weaved with a strange nuance.

"Then, wouldn't a bit more wine make your night even better?" Another added which someone topped it with an edgier note.

"Oh, stop it. How will Casey stand it if Kelvin gets drunk tonight? Don't you know what he's like when he gets crazy?"

Casey flushed and buried herself into Kelvin's arms, making the men at the table laugh.

After refilling a guest's glass at the other side of the table, Julie unwantedly recalled something with their comments. She didn't know what Kelvin was like when he was drunk, but she definitely knew what he was when his screws were loose.

She could still feel that dull pain in her body. It was a struggle fighting against the aftermath the entire day. Julie almost thought he broke her waist and thighs in.

"I'm going to smoke, be right back," Kelvin suddenly said, drawing her thoughts back to the present.

He stood up, patting Casey on the shoulder, and left. Though unwilling to be separated from him, Casey smiled and watched him leave the room with loving eyes.

A few moments later, Julie's phone vibrated in her pocket. She let another minute pass before sneaking a look at her notification.

It was a short text message.

[come out.]

Julie subtly heaved a breath and calmly turned off her phone. She carefully refilled the wine for everyone at the table and quietly left.

Outside, Jimmy was patiently waiting for her. As soon as he saw Julie, he gave her a polite nod and relayed his boss's words.

"Miss Jones, Mr. Williams is waiting in room number six," he said, akin to a whisper.

Julie handed him the empty bottle and headed to room six. It didn't take long, and she found herself in front of the room, contemplating the right time she should go in. She had a feeling something terrible might soon happen.

Nevertheless, Julie pushed the door open, which revealed a solemn Kelvin, smoking while leaning against the window before her eyes.

When his gaze panned toward her, Kelvin's eyes narrowed in scrutiny after getting a better look at her uniform.

The skirt was a little short, about six inches above the knee. Kelvin thought of the strapless black dress she was wearing last night, and a sense of vague agitation filled his gut.

"Part-time job?" His voice sounded like thunder as he casually asked, vaguely remembering that she hadn't graduated yet.

Julie nodded and replied, "Yeah, part-time."

"Short of money?" He frowned and dusted off the ash.

Julie lopsidedly smiled. "I don't think anyone would be working on this job if they weren't low on cash?"

Kelvin casually put out his cigarette and said, "I've never treated you badly, have I?"

"Guess I'm very short of money then," Julie replied, stretching the word very intentionally.

"How much salary do you get here?" Kelvin interrogated, looking at her with peering eyes.

"Eighty dollars a day," she said frankly, driving Kelvin mad.

Her answer took him aback that he didn't know what to do about it. Barely keeping his composure together, he flashed a berating smile, took out his wallet, and then threw all the cash inside at Julie.

"Quit it," he growled.

Julie knelt and picked up the bills one by one, but she didn't bring up the subject of her resignation.

During her most challenging times, these eighty dollars a day kept her away from starving to death in the streets. She couldn't step away from it just like that.

Living in the red every day all these years made her believe that no matter what, she had to leave a backdoor open for herself.

"Come here," Kelvin beckoned, and Julie quietly walked over.

Kelvin grabbed her jaw and then wiped the lipstick on her soft lips with his thumb.

"Don't use lipstick in the future," he ordered, and Julie gently nodded to him in response.

A momentary silence breezed between Kelvin and Julie as their gazes slowly ignited the fire at their depths. He leaned on her and gave her a peck on the corner of her lips.

Julie kissed him back and flipped his switch, making him pick her up eagerly and sit her on the table.

Kelvin rolled up her miniskirt and nudged her to lift her soft legs.

"Aren't you worried? What if your girlfriend finds out?" Julie whispered in his ears, ragged.

Struck with momentary disbelief, Kelvin paused and inwardly scoffed, 'How could you still think about that at a time like this?'

Still, no way would that put him off. He pinned Julie down on the table and teasingly bit her ears.

"Concentrate," he whispered, jumbling her mind with his hoarse voice.

A tingling sensation then traveled down to her core as their blistering desire melded together, losing themselves in the heated passion.

Julie's then neat and put-together appearance turned disheveled at that instance. She was bathing in sweat while Kelvin didn't seem washed over by the wave when the fever subsided.

Catching her breath, she languidly watched him zip up and walk away, looking dapper and impassive.

At this point, Julie didn't even have the energy to chew his ass. Lying flat on her back at the top of the table, she covered her eyes and tried to compose herself.

'What a 'man' he is. Jumping at every chance he gets. If he's not crazy, then I don't know who is.' She thought, talking shit about him in her heart while brushing her hair back into place.

Meanwhile, on his way back, Kelvin ran into the corridor with Cassey.

"What took you so long?" Casey asked, a little aggrieved.

"I met an acquaintance just now," Kelvin answered, sneaking a glance at the flushed and a little unkempt Julie passing by.

"Just had a 'good' chat," he added as he withdrew his gaze and smiled at Casey.

"Why? Missed me already?" he asked.

Casey bashfully nodded her head in response.

Suddenly, Kelvin went silent and cupped her cheek, keenly studying her face, which made the girl a little fidgety. His eyes held something she couldn't fathom and didn't know how to react to it.

Sensing her uneasiness, Kelvin flashed another smile, leading her back to their group.

Not long after, their dinner at the restaurant concluded. Kelvin walked out with Casey clinging to his arms while Julie continued to work until the restaurant closed.

Her exhaustion by the end of her shift was worse than hell. She felt like her body would break in half after Kelvin trampled her multiple times within twenty-four hours, on top of working 'till late into the night.

Worn out, Julie collapsed on her bed as soon as she got to her dormitory. The poor girl didn't even have the energy left to lift a finger, let alone take a shower.

The last thing on her mind before drifting to dreamland was whether Kelvin was having fun with Casey in bed at the moment.

'That man never seemed to run out of vigor,' she scoffed.

...

The following day, Kate's annoyingly loud voice chattering with their roommates woke Julie up. Kate was happily showing off the new things she had just bought.

Suddenly, Julie's phone rang and she grabbed her phone from her bedside table and answered the call.

Dylan's voice faintly slipped out of the speaker.

"Julie, get ready. We're having dinner at the old mansion today. I'll pick you up in a bit," he said.

Julie hummed and asked, "Did we have anything special going on?"

"My grandpa just got up and wants to see you," answered Dylan.

"OK, I'll get dressed and wait downstairs." Julie hung up the phone and stood in a daze for a while.

Even though he didn't love her, Dylan wouldn't break up with her. She detested this kind of entanglement, yet she was powerless to free herself from it.

She was just an average person without any power and background. What could she do? She would most likely end up getting crushed. That was merely crushing an ant for a man from a wealthy and powerful family like Kelvin.

Julie washed up and put on her shirt and trousers, combed her hair, and was ready to go out.

Feeling jealous, Kate couldn't resist asking her as she got to the door, "Julie, did Dylan ask you out?"

"Yeah. Dylan's coming to pick me up for dinner at their old mansion," Julie casually replied.

Then she recalled what happened last Saturday morning.

Julie looked at Kate with innocent eyes and asked, "Are you going out with your boyfriend today?"

"Oh, not today! He's busy today." Kate dodged her eye contact.

Satisfied, Julie slowly nodded and said goodbye. "I'm going downstairs then."

She waited a few minutes for Dylan in the lobby before he arrived. All eyes were on him as he got out of his car and strode toward her. He looked extra sophisticated and sunny with his charming smile.

She knew for a fact that Dylan was undeniably a good-looking guy. However, Julie believed that his dashing looks could not conceal his rotten heart.

"Julie," Dylan greeted her.

"I love the way you dress, clean and simple. You look so pure, unlike those flirty women," he said admiringly.

Julie smiled brightly at him and said, "I'm glad you liked it."

"Let's go. Grandpa's waiting for you."

Dylan held her hand and led her to his car. He opened the door for Julie with a light-hearted feeling. But his sunny mood went out when he slid into the driver's seat and noticed a red mark on Julie's neck.

"Julie, what happened to your neck?" he curiously asked.

Julie subtly stiffened and casually brushed her neck. "I unintentionally scratched it," she answered softly.

Dylan frowned. "Be careful next time. Your skin is so delicate. You wouldn't want to leave a scar on you."

"Yeah." Julie nodded obediently. Her eyes shone with appreciation as she continued, "Dylan, you're so good to me."

"Dummy, it took me so much effort to chase you back in the days. Of course, I'm going to treat you well."

Julie almost flashed a cynical smile hearing him spill such sweet words like a water fountain. Fortunately, she still had her screws intact, lowering her head and acting shyly.

Assessing his dominion over her, Dylan felt proud yet disdainful in his heart.

'What a little fool.'

Arriving at the Anderson family's old mansion, Julie noticed the unusual number of cars parked in the mansion's parking lot but didn't think much about it. Considering that the old Brian Anderson woke up today, many people must have paid a visit when they got the news.

She followed Dylan to the main building hand in hand, and her heart skipped a beat when she locked eyes with Jimmy, standing by the doorway.

On the other hand, Jimmy had a flat expression and merely smiled at Dylan. "Mr. Anderson." He nodded.

Julie's heart raced, and her palms began to sweat. She had seldom seen Jimmy without his boss. If he was here, what were the odds that Kelvin wasn't? Nada.

Suddenly, the noise in the hall died away, and everyone's gaze was drawn to the top of the stairs. Her eyes widened as the man she dreaded to see descended the staircase.

Kelvin was a charismatic man. His presence alone could sweep anyone off their feet. Women were breathless, while men were raring with ambition. They crowded around him when he stepped into the hall, hoping to get acquainted. However, Julie felt otherwise. She desperately prayed not to be recognized by Kelvin, particularly now that she was dressed as a country bumpkin.

Unfortunately, fate had other plans for Julie. Dylan quickly let go of her hand and straightened up. He turned to face the man and respectfully called, "Uncle."

Julie sharply panned her gaze to Dylan, stupefied. She felt like her soul had escaped to outer space when she heard him.

Kelvin moved indifferently through the crowd, approaching the young couple. An unknown pressure tortured Julie's chest as she watched him come. Each stride he took squeezed her heart tighter, and cold chills profusely trailed down her spine.

Julie, cornered and petrified, could only droop her head and hope for the ground to split up and devour her right now.

Kelvin stood before the two with one hand in his pocket and faintly smiled. He neither looked nor intended to talk with the two men, but the girl beside Dylan piqued his interest.

"Who is she?" he asked, pinning his gaze at Julie, who shrunk behind Dylan.

"Right, you've only recently arrived home and haven't met her yet," Dylan said, putting his arm around Julie's shoulder, hugging her close.

"Uncle, meet my girlfriend, Julie," he introduced and smiled brightly.

"Julie," Kelvin muttered in repeat.

They fell silent for a little moment. Dylan detected something dim about that second, but he tried to ignore it. Not wanting to irritate Kelvin, he looked at his girlfriend and gently squeezed her shoulder.

"Julie, babe. Say hi to my uncle, Mr. Williams," he said.

Julie snapped out of it and nodded slowly. Clutching the sides of her trousers, she mumbled in hesitation before uttering a quiet, feeble greeting, "Hello, uncle."

"Julie," Kelvin mused on her name and said, "It's not an awful name."

Afterward, he averted his gaze and walked away.

Dylan gulped. He was briefly startled, but he quickly recovered.

"Take care, uncle. Julie and I will pay you some other time," he said politely, but Kelvin ignored him.

The young man felt embarrassed. It was rare for him to see his uncle, yet he failed to leave a good impression. Not to mention, people were looking their way with Julie quivering like a mouse.

He felt annoyed, but thinking of his Grandpa, Dylan just let it slide.

"Julie, let's go upstairs."

Julie pulled herself together and fixed her appearance. In the meantime, she flushed Kelvin off her mind. She had to deal with why she came here first.

As they headed to Brian Anderson's room, she recalled how kind and loving Grandpa he was. Brian was extremely kind to her, and Julie wished she didn't miss the chance to meet him when he was without ailments.

A wave of pressure swept her way as she entered the room. Inside were Dylan's parents, Lisa and Harry Anderson, standing beside old Brian's bed. While Harry kept a neutral look, Lisa couldn't contain her scowl. Only his Grandpa, lying sick on the bed, smiled at her.

The old guy beckoned Julie to come closer, making Lisa even more irritated, and begrudgingly stepped aside.

"Hello, Grandpa. How are you feeling?" Julie asked and smiled as she sat on a chair beside him.

Brian's face instantly brightened. "Good," he replied, seemingly a whisper.

The old Anderson had a lot of questions for Julie, and she patiently responded to all queries. It was the least she could do for someone who had always been good to her.

After their conversation, Brian waved for his assistant to come and had her hand a red money envelope to Julie.

"Don't be reluctant to spend it. Buy yourself some pretty dresses," Brian said.

Julie squeezed the red envelope. She nodded in response, feeling like she was about to cry.

"When Grandpa gets better, I'll ensure you and Dylan get engaged. Only when Grandpa sees you two get married will I be able to depart this world in peace," the old man said.

Julie smiled sympathetically and gently shook her head. "Grandpa, don't say stuff like that. You're going to live a long life."

Guilt had consumed Julie's conscience. Sadness swept across her heart as she realized she couldn't grant his request. Marriage was impossible between Dylan and her.

From the start, she was doomed to fail this old man's good intentions.