The city by the river in June—where the weather changes faster than flipping pages in a book.
Boom—
No sooner had she stepped off the public bus than thunder cracked overhead. Lightning flashed within two minutes, and fierce wind gusted through the streets, forcing Renee Smith to quicken her pace uphill in fear.
By the time her last foot hesitantly landed on the steps in front of Kelly’s mansion, she was soaked through—except for the file folder clutched tightly to her chest.
“…My… dear…”
Her wet sleeve clung stubbornly to her wrist.
Renee, unconsciously gripping the key tighter, narrowed her dark eyes. Her sharp gaze landed on the doorframe, which had just creaked open.
“Can you stop being a tease and hurry up?”
The voice was coy and flirtatious.
His mistress.
The thrill of escaping the rain vanished instantly. Renee’s lips trembled slightly. She was about to pull the key from the lock when—
Creak!
In such a luxurious mansion, how could the door sound like it hadn’t been repaired in years?
Could they not afford to fix the door? Hot blood rushed to her forehead. Inside, the flirtatious voice abruptly stopped. Renee turned to glance at the pouring rain under the eaves, bit her lower lip with her pearly teeth, and then, with a surge of resolve, pushed the door open and stepped inside.
“…Lost your patience already?”
The man’s voice was deep, seductive—rich with dark, husky magnetism, like notes freshly drawn from a cello string.
Renee didn’t close the door. She stood frozen, dumbfounded, staring at the two tangled bodies on the European-style long sofa.
“Looking around Copper City, tell me—what woman can resist you, Mr. Kelly?”
Her hands clenched into fists at her sides. From across the room, the woman on the couch wore an off-shoulder blouse that looked half-slipped off, revealing a white shoulder blade and the skin of her chest—all shamelessly exposed.
But the woman didn’t seem to notice her. In a sweet American accent, she cooed, “I can’t take it anymore!”
“Where can’t you take it?”
The woman’s bare arm paused, then playfully knocked against the man’s chest. “Mr. Kelly, you… are so annoying!”
“Really?”
“Mmm… Everyone says Mr. Kelly is quite impressive in that aspect. I just want…”
Renee nearly gagged.
She had meant to rush upstairs—but now her legs felt like lead.
She stared at the woman’s fair arms, the suggestive tone of her voice still echoing in her ears. Renee’s face turned pale, and her stomach twisted violently.
“…Mr. Kelly, what’s wrong?”
Renee bit her lip hard, her dark eyes coldly locking onto the man who suddenly turned to look toward the foyer.
After a long pause, the man’s expression twisted into a cold smirk.
Still caressing the chin of the woman beneath him with slender fingers, he said mockingly, “Are you giving the initiative to her?”
Renee drew in a shaky breath… then exhaled.
Two seconds later, just as the unfamiliar woman shyly nodded her head, the file in Renee’s arms slipped and struck the shoe cabinet with a sharp thud.
Tsk...
Without acknowledging the startled woman, Renee walked toward the stairs. Her legs were bare beneath the soaked hem of her dress, her heels still on.
“Don’t you know how to say sorry after disturbing others?”
Swallowing her nausea, Renee took two more steps, then slowly turned around to face the couch with a clearer view.
“I’ll have to spend time replacing a dirty sofa. The one who needs to apologize is you.”
“If I’m not mistaken, this villa—and everything in it—is under my name,” the man replied coolly.
Renee narrowed her eyes, finally getting a good look at the woman beside him.
A celebrity. Rock Rich?
“Hey! Mr. Kelly is talking to you!” The actress’s voice turned harsh as she scolded Renee like she was some intruder. “Do you even know what etiquette is?”
All his women are stronger than her?
Renee’s lips curved in a bitter smile.
“I don’t. But at least I don’t interfere in other people’s marriages or play mistress to a married man. Maybe Miss Rich could teach me that.”