Nicole Mason lay on the bed in a dimly lit hotel room, groaning muffledly.

''So hot!'' she exclaimed, fanning herself.

Nicole's face reddened, her eyes glimmering dazedly, her lips bitten to the point of losing color.

''Damn it! When exactly had someone taken advantage of me and drugged me?'' she exclaimed.

Nicole tugged at her collar, feeling increasingly overheated and dehydrated.

She took a deep breath, which seemed to make her discomfort more acute, hot, and unbearable.

Just then, the cell phone on the bedside table rang.

Despite her discomfort, Nicole answered, trying to sound as normal as she could, "Hello?"

A deep male voice came from the other end of the phone: "Everything is set. When are you coming?"

Nicole glanced at the time. "We'll close in an hour."

"Okay."

She hung up the phone and somehow managed to sit upright.

She was out of time. Going to the hospital wasn't an option at this point, she had to find another way!

She staggered into the bathroom, standing in front of the sink, and splashed her face with cold water. Then she stared at her reflection in the mirror - radiant eyes, bright teeth, an allure in her every feature, beauty unparalleled. Her face was almost identical to her memory of it from the past.

Tonight, it was time to end it all.

Nicole tugged the corner of her lips gently at the mirror, a hint of ruthlessness forming in her eyes. On her, the completely contrasting temperaments of allure and frost melded perfectly.

But before that, there was something she needed to take care of first.

She remembered that before her check-in, there seemed to be a man living alone in the next room...

Narrowing her eyes, Nicole made up her mind.

She went to the doorway, just about opening a crack, when she heard some footsteps.

Looking out through the gap, just in time to see a man pass by the door - tall and straight, she hadn't seen his face, but his demeanor was cool and clean, unpretentious.

It seemed like a perfect opportunity had just come her way.

It was him!

Now resolute, Nicole pulled the door open, making a swift move as quick as a thunderclap.

Just as the door swung open, Michael Davis was already alert, his entire being on guard. His bright, clear eyes were filled with danger and caution.

Sensing someone approaching from behind, he was about to react when she beat him to it, a startling numbness spreading across his lower back, leaving him incapacitated in the blink of an eye.

Following that, Michael was abruptly pulled backward into the room behind him.

Before he could get a good look at who was in front of him, the door was shut. In an instant, his hands were pulled behind him and pressed against the wall by his opponent.

The speed of the action was so fast that even he couldn't react to it.

''What shocking speed and strength!'' he thought

While Michael was inwardly taken aback, he heard a panting voice behind him, "I'm sorry, I will compensate you."

''A woman? Was she sent from over there?'' he thought to himself.

As Michael pondered, just as he was about to speak, his head was forcefully twisted backward by the person behind him. Then, his warm lips were covered by the person in front of him.

Michael's body stiffened dramatically, his sharp eyebrows slightly furrowed. His breath was filled with the soft and fragrant scent of a woman. Michael, who never liked being touched by anyone, unexpectedly felt a throbbing sensation he had never felt before.

The room was not lit, the light was too dim, and he couldn't see the person in front of him even when squinting.

Living for twenty-three years, it was the first time he was restrained by a woman to the point of not being able to move!

He tried to lift his hand, only to find that he couldn't even move a single finger. Moreover, he couldn't make a sound, his whole body was in a state of paralysis.

''What did this woman do to me exactly? It’s hot! Was I drugged?'' he thought to himself.

Without much further thought, the next second, Nicole released him.

Just when Michael thought she was going to let him go, Nicole grabbed his collar and dragged him to the side of the bed, then forcefully swung him onto it.

In a dizzying blur, Michael was flung onto the bed. Still reeling from the shock, a silhouette descended upon him in the darkness.

The night was a deep, impenetrable darkness.

An hour later, Nicole rose from the bed, quickly dressed, and glanced back at the man on the bed who was still unconscious.

The light was too dim for her to discern his features.

Which was perhaps for the best...

From her bag, she took out all her cash and placed it on the bedside table as compensation.

Whether tonight's endeavor would be successful or not, she felt she had owed him a favor. If they ever saw each other again, she would certainly pay back.

---

The next morning, the faint light of dawn filtered through the beige chiffon curtains, casting a gentle glow on the carpet.

On the bed, Michael opened his groggy eyes, the noble and captivating aura around his icy face stirring.

Images of last night forcibly invaded his mind. Michael suddenly sat upright, his complexion instantly turning frosty.

''Damn it!'' he growled.

He had been raped by a woman...

"Where is that damn woman?"

Michael gritted his teeth and looked around with fury. His eyes caught sight of a stack of cash on the bedside table, which made a hideous expression surface on his already gloomy, handsome face.

''Is this her idea of a 'good compensation' that she mentioned last night? What does she take me for? How dare she insult me with money!'' he shouted.

Michael's fingers turned pale as he curled them into a tight fist.

''Damn it!'' he muttered.

His long, fit legs touched the floor and as he was reaching for his clothes, he accidentally knocked the remote control off the bedside table.

The remote control hit the floor and triggered the switch, turning the TV on. Coincidentally, it started broadcasting a morning news report.

"... Last night, the city police apprehended a human organ trafficking gang at the Brooklyn dock, New York City. A shootout ensued between the two sides, and a warehouse at the dock was destroyed by a bomb, resulting in six deaths and seven injuries... The police reported earlier that the mastermind behind the gang was confirmed to be William Mason, the president of the Mason Group.

Currently, William is unconscious in the hospital due to injuries, but the evidence is conclusive, and since the physical assets involved in the crime have also been seized, the police have turned over all the material to the court, which will open a hearing for the case in the coming days."

William Mason, the old fox, actually screwed up?

Michael raised an eyebrow, quickly gathered his thoughts, and dialed his assistant's number.

"Go check something for me," Michael said in a calm tone, "The Imperial Court Hotel, room 2308. I want to know who stayed there last night."

"Does it have anything to do with last night's sneak attack?" Henry Franklin's first reaction was that the Fifth Master had suspicions about those behind the attack.

Michael was stunned, "Sneak attack?"

Henry had been by Michael's side for more than just a day or two and immediately understood, "The person you met with last night was found dead in his room. The police are currently investigating the murderer."

Michael pinched his fingers, "Do we know who did it?"

"We’re still investigating. However, there weren’t many who knew about your whereabouts last night, we will start from there."

Michael's eyes were deep and unfathomable, giving only a faint two-word response, "No rush."

He could guess who might be involved without the investigation.

They even resorted to using a mole, what guts they had!

Hanging up the call, Michael glanced at the stack of bills on the bedside table before leaving. He displayed a dangerous smirk, grabbed the stack, and stuffed it into his pocket.

Perhaps, if it wasn't for this woman who held him back, the situation might have been different.