Pain.

Such sharp pain. It's suffocating.

Ruan Xi struggled to open her eyes, only to find a stunningly handsome, yet cold face in front of her.

From that face, his well-built chest was clearly visible. Sweat beads rolled enticingly down his bronze skin with his intense movement.

Ruan Xi's gaze involuntarily followed the direction those sweat beads were falling, only to witness a sight that was indescribable.

She blinked, unable to distinguish between reality and illusion, as a searing pain spread rapidly from a sensitive area of her body. The sheer pain caused her to shiver, and deeply terrified her.

"Stop! You're wrong! Let me go!" Ruan Xi twisted her body, struggling to break free from his hold.

He ignored her, his tightly-pursed lips drawing a ruthless and deadly allure.

"I said you're wrong! Let me go!" Ruan Xi desperately scratched his back with her sharp fingernails, leaving behind a trail of bloody scratches.

Her resistance was only met with his near-brutally violent response.

She finally passed out from the pain.

The first light of dawn silently poured into a room filled with a rich and ambiguous ambiance.

On a large waterbed, a young girl was sleeping soundly.

A white blanket covered her body, exposing only her fair shoulders and beautifully delicate collarbone.

There were still a few damp spots nestled in her collarbone, evidences of the passionate encounter from moments ago.

"Ah... It hurts so much..."

Ruan Xi moaned in agony, slowly opening her eyes. Seeing the mess all around, she recalled everything that happened last night. She angrily slapped herself hard, jumping out of bed and sprinting into the bathroom.

After washing herself with cold water for a good forty minutes, the tempest in Ruan Xi's mind slowly subsided.

Last night's madness was no one's fault but her own. It was she who had approached the man, drunk, mistaking him for another person deep in her memory…

She took a deep breath, cleansing herself over and over. Her skin turned red and stung from the scrubbing, yet she still felt unclean.

With a bitter laugh, she thought she would never be able to be that person's wife in this lifetime.

From now on, she better not see him, no matter where she ends up...

As Ruan Xi was packing her luggage, Qin Wan came back with disheveled hair and panda eyes. The moment she saw Ruan Xi's suitcase, she immediately came over and stopped her. "Why are you packing your things? We still have seven more days on this cruise! We're currently nearing a port and I was just about to drag you to explore the small town!"

Ruan Xi apologized, "I'm sorry, Qin Wan. I have to go back in two days due to some changes in the company leadership. Otherwise, they would accept my resignation! I really can't accompany you this time. I'll make it up to you next time. Once I have time and money, I'll accompany you on a trip around the world."

Qin Wan sighed helplessly, "At the rate you're earning, when will that be? But fine, I won't hold you back. I know you're under pressure. Let's go. I'll accompany you to the airport."

They hailed a taxi together, and as Ruan Xi was busily placing her luggage in the trunk, Qin Wan suddenly slapped her on the back, exclaiming with a look of surprise, "Ruan Xi! Look who that is?"

Ruan Xi raised her head and saw the man from last night leaning on a black Ferrari, making a phone call. Even though she could only see his side profile, he was breathtakingly handsome, causing a tumult in her heart.

Qin Wan excitedly waved at him, "Hey! Handsome!"

As he turned to look at them, Ruan Xi immediately ducked and propped her top body into the trunk of the taxi, her heart pounding.

Just as she was getting anxious, Qin Wan grabbed her right hand and placed it on Qin’s own left chest, saying excitedly, “Ruan Xi, did you see that? Ou Chen just smiled at me! Wow! His smile is so infectious, like a ray of sunshine breaking through the thick fog! Feel my heart, see how fast it’s beating!”

"Laugh? Are your eyes playing tricks on you? Even if he really did laugh at you, there is no need to make such a big deal out of it," Ruan Xi pulls back her hand with unease.

"A big deal? He is, after all, Ou Chen! The highly renowned Ou Chen! The Chairman of JK Group. He is the youngest and most mysterious billionaire and the most talented jewelry designer in modern times. The whole upper class of Europe prides themselves in owning a piece of jewelry designed by him! Actually, people have left out one 'most'. I think he is the most romantic and the handsomest French-Chinese mix! Ah! I really wish something would happen between us! Even if it's just for one night," Qin Wan put her hands on her chest, starry-eyed.

Ruan Xi forcefully shuts the trunk, turns around to get into the taxi, muttering quietly, "Trust me, you wouldn't want that. People like him often present themselves as classy and romantic, but behind it all, they're nothing more than beasts."

Last night, he was a wild beast, a nightmare she never wanted to remember for the rest of her life!

"Even if he is a beast, I'm more than willing to be with him," Qin Wan winks at her flirtatiously, whispering in her ear, "Besides, in bed, a man ought to be a beast. Too much of a gentleman won't grab any woman's interest. Haha! You'll know once you get a man in your life."

Ruan Xi covers her ears as Qin Wan's words trigger flashbacks from last night, causing a surge of irritation and confusion within her.