In the past, Evelyn would have immediately declined. But in order to secure the interview with William, she nodded in agreement. “I wouldn’t say I’m an expert, but I still have my study notes from when I prepared for the exam. I can share those with her and offer some professional advice.”

“I think I’ve found the right person,” William said, pulling out his phone and opening WhatsApp. “Let’s connect on WhatsApp for easier communication.”

Evelyn happily scanned his code, and they added each other as friends. Her profile picture was a cartoon girl generated from a photo—big eyes, red lips, and a bright smile. William’s picture featured the sun rising above the horizon, casting warm tones while the surroundings remained dim.

Suddenly, she recalled Jason’s profile picture—a shadowy silhouette of a man’s profile, immersed in dark hues.

“Miss Joy, do you have any hobbies outside of work?” William asked, breaking her drifting thoughts.

She felt a pang of guilt as she snapped back to reality, reminding herself not to compare William to Jason again!

“I mostly spend my time sleeping in whenever I’m not at work.”

“Sleeping in isn’t really a hobby,” William chuckled, his gaze lingering on her once more.

As they settled down, William intentionally left an empty seat between them to avoid appearing awkward. They were only about half a meter apart.

It was already past midnight, and Evelyn’s makeup had faded considerably, but her features still held their charm, enhanced by a freshness that wasn’t visible under the stage lights.

William had already scrutinized her from head to toe several times, and with each glance, his heart would skip a beat.

Her beauty existed somewhere between that of a young girl and a mature woman; she possessed the innocence of a girl unaware of love, combined with the allure of a woman who could wield temptation effortlessly.

These two qualities coexisted, intertwining and enhancing each other.

William almost lost his composure, something quite uncharacteristic for him. Fortunately, he regained his focus and steered the conversation toward a topic that piqued Evelyn's interest, and before they knew it, it was time to board the plane.

Evelyn could hardly believe her eyes when she saw that William, the illustrious president of SinoContinental, was seated in economy class right next to her! In contrast, Jason always traveled in first class, whether alone or with Tyler and Cecilia.

Once the plane took off, William didn’t disturb her; she put on her eye mask and tried to catch some sleep. What was meant to be a brief nap turned into a deep slumber, and she was eventually roused by William's gentle voice.

When she opened her eyes, she found that most of the passengers had already disembarked. The cabin was nearly empty, with only her, William, and two flight attendants cleaning up. She glanced at her watch—it was three in the morning.

“Sorry, I overslept,” she said, feeling guilty.

“Don’t worry about it. I didn’t wake you because you looked so peaceful. If it weren’t for the cleaning crew, you could’ve slept longer,” William said, taking her suitcase and helping her with it.

As they descended the steps of the aircraft, soft snowflakes drifted from the sky, turning the night into a sparkling wonderland. Riverton was a southern city that rarely experienced snow.

Evelyn took out her phone and snapped a few pictures of the falling snow.

“Please send those photos to me on WhatsApp later. I’d love to see Miss Joy's photography skills,” William said, his voice smooth and pleasant.

“I tend to be quite realistic in my photography. As long as Mr. Leighton doesn’t mind the lack of artistic flair, I’m good,” she replied.

“I wouldn’t mind at all,” he said decisively.

William had a driver waiting for him, and Evelyn climbed into the back seat of his car. As they entered the city, he asked her where she was staying.

“9 Bliss Garden,” she replied without hesitation.

William’s expression briefly flickered in surprise as he instructed the driver, “Please take Miss Joy to 9 Bliss Garden.”

The driver laughed, teasing her, “9 Bliss Garden has the highest property prices in Riverton. The residents are either rich or influential. Miss Joy is quite the hidden gem!”

Evelyn suddenly realized how that could imply she was being supported by a wealthy benefactor and hurried to explain, “I’m just temporarily staying at a friend’s place.”

“Just a joke! No need to be so nervous, Miss Joy!” the driver said apologetically.

When they arrived at the entrance of 9 Bliss Garden, Evelyn requested to get out. William had initially intended for the driver to take her to the underground parking but decided to personally help her with her suitcase when he saw her insistence.

Evelyn thanked him again and waved goodbye. It wasn’t until she was completely out of sight that William returned to the car.

As she unlocked the door with great caution, she noticed the study light was still on in the living room. After placing her suitcase down, she removed her coat and gently knocked on the slightly ajar door. “Jason, I’m back.”

“Does it matter to me whether you’re back or not?” Jason’s words were laden with irritation.

Evelyn steeled herself and pushed the door open, stepping inside. Jason was clad in a gray silk loungewear set, reclining in his office chair, clearly exhausted.

“Honestly, I regretted letting you go to the airport the moment you left,” she said, approaching him and placing her hands on his broad shoulders.

When he didn’t reject her, she began to massage him. Ever since Jason was promoted to vice president of the Stark Group three years ago, his workload had more than doubled, and he spent too long at his desk. Since last year, he had frequently complained about neck and shoulder pain.

Evelyn had taken the time to learn some massage techniques from online videos, and whenever Jason needed it, she would help relieve his tension for half an hour. He used to relish these stolen moments, but this time, he seemed a bit agitated.

“What happened to that resolve you had when you refused to go to the Capital City with me?” he asked, gripping her face with his hand.

Evelyn felt her knees weaken, and she fell onto his lap. The burden of the twenty-five million advertising fee loomed over her like a sword, compelling her to set aside her dignity and please him.

“I was wrong, Jason. I won’t sulk with you anymore,” she said, her eyes glistening like spring water as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

His lips descended upon hers, and in an instant, the warmth of his breath cascaded down her neck. To hide the marks he had left on her, she had worn a turtleneck sweater the day before.

Jason’s lips encountered the barrier of her clothing, and he began to lift the hem of her sweater. Her vision became shrouded as the fabric enveloped her, and before she could attempt to escape, Jason had already turned her around and unclasped her bra.

His kisses spread like flames, quickly engulfing her upper body. She shivered uncontrollably, feeling the weight of his control over her every reaction and emotion.

In the heat of the moment, she softly pleaded, “Jason, please help me with the advertising fee—”

“So proactive, I see you have ulterior motives,” he remarked, his frustration finding an outlet in his actions.

Afterward, she felt drained and lethargic, collapsing onto the sofa in the study and falling into a deep sleep.

She had no idea when Jason had carried her back to the master bedroom.

Evelyn was awakened by voices from the living room.

“It’s been three years, and Victor is still pushing his luck! Now he has the audacity to ask you to invest in a new project in Lycheeville again. Don’t even mention your father; I, for one, will never recognize that!” Grace’s furious voice pierced through the half-closed door.