Chapter 1

No one knew she'd slept with the man countless women fantasized about for a one-night stand.

Jasmine Hale woke up in a stranger's arms, completely naked, her neck covered in scattered kiss marks—clear evidence of last night's fierce battle. Her breathing stopped. She turned her head stiffly.

Her "one-night stand partner" had broad shoulders and a narrow waist, his profile cold and aristocratic. It was none other than her impossibly distant boss, the man who controlled everything at PrimeUniverse Holdings—Neville Cooper!

During the day, she'd been squeezed into the crowd at the employee meeting, listening to him announce corporate directives in that indifferent, low voice. At night, she'd somehow ended up in his bed?

Jasmine's blood turned to ice.

Rumor had it that women who tried to climb Neville's high branch practically vanished without a trace. She was still young. She didn't want to be destroyed by one man!

Jasmine scrambled to pick up the clothes scattered across the floor. She didn't dare look back, didn't dare check if Neville was stirring. Once dressed, she fled.

There were twenty minutes until work. Jasmine was just an intern—even after a wild night with her ultimate boss, she couldn't afford to be late. She rushed back to her rental apartment, threw on a high-collared shirt to hide the marks on her neck, and bolted to the office.

A female colleague working on the same project approached with an apologetic expression. "Jas, I had an emergency yesterday and had to leave you to handle the client dinner alone. But I asked Lina to stay with you. You two made it home safe, right?"

The cold marble floor reflected Jasmine's face draining of color. Even her lips trembled uncontrollably. She swayed, nearly collapsing to the ground.

Melina Cross knew?! And still heartlessly left her alone at the hotel?! Didn't she understand the consequences?!

Jasmine's whole body went cold, her mind blank. All outside sounds became muffled buzzing. So she didn't notice Melina strutting over with a group of colleagues, positioning themselves front and center for a show.

"Jas—"

Melina linked arms with Jasmine intimately, but her hidden hand gripped with painful force, making her wrist bone ache. "I heard you didn't bring your ID badge this morning. Did you have such a wild time last night that you lost it?"

Her tone dripped with provocation, and she deliberately raised her voice.

The office fell so quiet you could only hear breathing. Dozens of curious, probing, even contemptuous stares pinned Jasmine in place like needles, making her squirm.

Thick bangs fell across her face, hiding her eyes and masking all her emotions.

Melina was her half-sister. She'd vowed since childhood to protect her for life. Melina's parents had died because of her. That crushing debt was a shackle that had bound her for over a decade. No matter how much she suffered, it couldn't outweigh two human lives.

Jasmine took a deep breath, forcing down the churning thoughts. "I just slept at the hotel by myself. Don't make jokes like that. It's rude."

"How could that be?" Melina winked at the surrounding colleagues, treating Jasmine's resistance as nothing. "Jas, you're at that age and you've never even dated. I'm worried for you. Even if you did have a one-night stand, that's perfectly normal. Everyone would just be happy for you. Why would they laugh at you?"

Her fingertips twisted, pinching precisely at the soft flesh on Jasmine's waist. The pressure wasn't heavy, but it landed exactly on the tender spot Neville had left last night.

Jasmine gasped in pain, her expression visibly unnatural, her standing posture revealing an indescribable awkwardness.

Anyone with eyes could tell what had happened.

"Jas, and you say you don't have a boyfriend?" Melina's eyes curved sweetly. But her words were lethal.

With this performance, Jasmine would not only be labeled 'desperate to marry' but also branded with 'loose morals.' Contemptuous stares instantly drowned her. Even colleagues who'd been friendly with Jasmine showed subtle changes in their expressions.

"Lina!" Jasmine snapped coldly, nearly exhausting all her strength. She lowered her voice, staring at Melina's approaching face, trying to restore the last shred of the other's reason. "Don't push your luck."

The result was predictable.

Melina had no intention of backing down. She covered her mouth, shoulders shaking with laughter. She looked adorable, but her hands showed no mercy, suddenly yanking open Jasmine's collar.

Jasmine hadn't expected her to physically strike. She couldn't even cover herself in time. The red marks on her neck were exposed to everyone, strikingly visible against her fair skin.

A flash of triumphant 'just as I thought' crossed Melina's eyes. Then she switched to an expression of shock and anger, as if witnessing something scandalous.

"Jas, looks like last night was pretty intense. You didn't even bother covering your neck. If I remember correctly, didn't the supervisor keep pursuing you? He was at the annual party yesterday too, and he didn't go home all night either. Could he be your boyfriend?"

Department supervisor Eddy Reed was a sleazy man pushing forty—balding, beer belly, philandering and vulgar. Every time a young woman joined the department, he'd find ways to take advantage. His reputation was terrible. Being associated with him was more disgusting than stepping on chewed gum.

Jasmine looked at Melina, searching her expression for even a trace of remorse.

Nothing. Not a single shred.

A bone-deep chill surged through Jasmine, along with an indescribable sadness.

"Oh my dear sister!" The glee in Melina's eyes was almost tangible as she prodded, "When you strike it rich, don't forget about me."

Her heart was blooming with joy. Last night, she'd deliberately left a blackout-drunk Jasmine in the hotel lobby, then timed a call to Eddy, 'concernedly' revealing Jasmine's predicament. That old pervert, facing such a 'gift' delivered to his door—if he could resist picking up that opportunity, pigs would fly!

"I said, stop making inappropriate jokes."

Jasmine's tolerance had limits. She shook off Melina's hand from her shoulder.

If she let Melina continue spinning stories, she could kiss her internship goodbye. Proving she wasn't with Eddy was actually simple—confront him publicly, and all the rumors would collapse on their own.

Jasmine was about to speak when the elevator behind her suddenly dinged.

The doors opened. A young man in a gray custom suit strode out quickly—Neville's chief assistant, Drake Gray. Eddy followed behind him, not daring to breathe loudly. The supervisor who normally strutted around the department now bowed and scraped, servile, frantically making eye signals in their direction.

Jasmine instinctively gripped her collar tighter, swallowing back the words she'd been about to say, burying her head lower, staring fixedly at her toes.

The scenes from last night that she'd desperately tried to forget now flooded back like a tide—those burning touches, those low gasps, each moment painfully clear.

Had her night with Neville been exposed?