Vanessa withdrew her hands, clenching them tightly. Her eyes brimmed with unshed tears. “Eric, do you hate me?”

“No, you’re overthinking it.” Eric handed her a tissue and comforted her.

“I know I’m a burden now…” Vanessa continued to sob, her voice trembling. “I shouldn’t have come back.”

“Don’t belittle yourself like that!” Eric took a step forward, placing his hands on Vanessa’s shoulders, trying to soothe her. “I will always take care of you.”

“I knew you wouldn’t abandon me.” Vanessa gripped his hand tightly, her eyes filled with adoration.

It wasn’t until Vanessa had fallen asleep that Eric finally left. As soon as the door closed, the seemingly sleeping Vanessa suddenly opened her eyes, which were now cold and calculating. She had caught the faintest whiff of a scent that didn’t belong to Eric. Though subtle, she was certain it was a woman’s fragrance.

No one could get close to Eric except for Sarah, who must have taken advantage of the situation to seduce him. Vanessa clenched her teeth and her face twisted with anger. She wouldn’t let Sarah get away with this.

Once Eric got into the car, his assistant asked in a low voice, “Mr. Taylor, where to next time?”

Eric loosened his tie and rubbed his temples with his fingers, feeling a wave of fatigue wash over him.

“Lakeside Residences,” he replied.

Upon arriving at Lakeside Residences, Eric went straight upstairs and entered the apartment, swiftly inputting the passcode. The door to the master bedroom was half-open.

When Eric walked in, he saw Sarah sleeping soundly on her side. Her long black hair was a tangled mess, and the strap of her nightgown had slipped down, exposing her smooth and rounded shoulder.

Eric brushed the back of his hand against her forehead, noting that it was no longer as feverish as before. He reached out to pull the thin silk blanket higher over her, but the girl suddenly turned over in her sleep.

Her face was flushed, and she instinctively murmured, “Water…”

Without hesitation, Eric turned to pour her a glass. He bent down, calling her name softly, but she didn’t respond.

He raised an eyebrow and sat down on the edge of the bed, grabbing her gently and propping her up against his shoulder to help her drink. Sarah, parched from her fever, drank more than half the glass.

In the dim light, her lips, moistened from the water, looked incredibly tempting, and her slender figure was even more attractive. Eric’s eyes darkened as he felt a heat rising within him.

He ran his finger lightly over her soft lips. As if she sensed the pressure, Sarah let out a faint sound.

Eric finally released her lips, her warmth lingering on his fingers, while a different kind of heat seemed to ignite within him. He stood and walked out of the room.

When Sarah awoke, it was nearly noon. It was Sunday, and since she hadn’t received any work instructions, she didn’t need to go to the office.

In the secretarial department, besides her and Rachel, there were four other assistants who took turns being on duty to ensure that everything ran smoothly.

As she got up, she noticed a glass of water on the nightstand and paused for a few seconds.

She didn’t remember drinking water before bed. She didn’t dwell on it, though, and took her temperature and found that her fever had broken. Feeling drained, she decided to have a light lunch and then took a nap.

As dusk approached, her phone rang, waking her up. It was her best friend, Chloe Ericnett, who had just returned from vacation and was inviting her out for dinner.

The moment Chloe saw Sarah, she rushed over to hug her, exclaiming, “Sarah, I missed you so much!”

They had met in high school. At the time, Sarah had just moved to New York, and Stuyvesant High School was recruiting outstanding students and offering full scholarships.

She had been an excellent student since childhood and had secured the top spot in the entrance exams, earning her place at the prestigious school.

But Stuyvesant had a strict hierarchy, and some students looked down on Sarah because she had no family background. They isolated and bullied her at school. By chance, she helped Chloe with something, and over time the two became close friends.

It was only later that she learned the Ericnett family were well-known energy magnates.

In New York, Chloe was a wealthy young lady. But their different backgrounds and statuses never affected their friendship.

They remained close from high school through college. After a bit of small talk, Chloe tugged at the tall, roguish-looking man beside her and sweetly introduced him, “Sarah, this is my boyfriend, Jack Harris.”

Then Chloe subtly flashed a hand gesture signaling the number 17. Sarah was speechless—it meant that Jack was Chloe’s 17th boyfriend.

“I’ve heard a lot about you, Ms. Thompson. I didn’t expect you to be so beautiful. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

Jack extended his hand, shaking Sarah’s. Jack’s eyes scanned her up and down as he spoke, making her uncomfortable, but out of politeness, she lightly shook his hand.

As Jack withdrew his hand, his fingernail seemed to accidentally dig into her palm.

A shiver ran down Sarah’s spine. When she looked up again, Jack had already pulled Chloe back into his arms, acting as if nothing had happened.

Midway through the meal, Jack excused himself to use the restroom. With only Chloe and Sarah left in the private dining room, Chloe asked, “Sarah, are you okay?”

Sarah hesitated, glancing toward the restroom where Jack had gone. Then she turned back to Chloe, her voice low, “Chloe, I don’t think Jack is right for you.”

Chloe frowned, her gaze sharpening in concern. “Why do you say that? Did something happen?”

Sarah bit her lip, unsure of how to explain the unsettling feelings she had about Jack. “It’s just ... something about him feels off. I don’t trust him.”

Chloe’s expression softened, and she reached out to take Sarah’s hand. “I appreciate your concern, Sarah, really. But I think I can handle Jack. He’s different.”

Sarah wanted to argue, but Chloe’s confidence gave her pause. “Just be careful, okay?”

Chloe nodded, smiling warmly. “I will. Thanks for looking out for me.”

Sarah forced a smile, but a nagging worry gnawed at her gut.

When Jack returned, the conversation shifted back to lighter topics, but Sarah still couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling that something was very wrong.