She turned around on reflex. A young man stood at the entrance.

He was 1.9 meters tall, with a devilishly handsome face that’d take anyone’s breath away. He had a small frown as he looked at Kaitlynn, then at the bright pink condom packages scattered on the ground.

Kaitlynn’s face burned with embarrassment. She had never been so humiliated in her life; why did a stranger pick this moment to open his door?

And did he just say anything? Never mind, she should go.

She ignored the pain that shot through her arm and bent over to gather the condoms back into the box. However, one of them had landed next to the man’s shoes.

She reached out for it, but at that moment a strong hand grabbed her wrist, and she was dragged back up onto her feet.

His beauty was exquisite, almost ethereal. She almost thought she was hallucinating, but his warm breath blew gently against her neck.

"I said, are you a call girl?" his low, magnetic voice rang again.

"W-what?" Kaitlynn stared at him in confusion, not knowing how to respond, but the man took her silence as confirmation.

After all, why else would a woman be on her own at midnight, carrying a box of condoms and looking as frantic as she was?

It just so happened that he'd had too much to drink, having been tricked by some woman. At this moment, the woman in front of him looked particularly pleasing to his eyes.

Before Kaitlynn could react, the man wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her into the room. She instantly struggled to break free, but she was petite, and he was a lot taller and stronger than she was, making her efforts futile.

The man, pumped full of hormones, wrapped her in his arms as he stared down at her, his gaze burning into her soul. Kaitlynn shrank back, suddenly afraid.

"Come here." His tone was deep and seductive, like a hook it seemed to draw her in.

Kaitlynn’s heart trembled. "Let go of me-"

He pushed his body against her before she could finish speaking, trapping her between himself and the cold wall.

The collar of her long dress was torn open. The man caressed her neck, his slender fingers slightly cold on her skin. She shivered, a strange sensation creeping along her spine.

"Let go-," Kaitlynn said, frightened, but the rest of her words were cut off by his kiss. She pushed desperately against him, but to no avail.

His tongue breached into her mouth. The sensation was electric, and goosebumps raised all over her body. This was the first time she'd been so intimate with anyone. She was dizzy, swept away by a new, strange sensation….

The man was skilled, manoeuvring her expertly and causing her to forget to breathe. She stayed still, her mind blank, until his hands started wandering downwards.

Kaitlynn froze. He thought of her as a call girl!

Nooooo!!!

She shoved him away just as he was about to take this a step further. "Get lost!" she yelled, then rushed out the door.

The time from when she ran out of the hotel to when she got home was a blur. She laid in her bed, shivering.

She could still feel his touch.

Chace, her pathetic marriage, the stranger who took her as a call girl… everything haunted in her mind. It wasn't until four or five o'clock in the morning that she finally fell asleep.

***

Kaitlynn woke up with a start and checked the clock. It was almost eight in the morning. She cursed under her breath; she was going to be late.

She jumped out of bed and opened the door, seeing her mother-in-law, Dagne Dervla, glowering at her at the dining table. Kaitlynn lowered her head and rushed into the kitchen, making breakfast as fast as she could.

"Why were you still lazing around in bed? Were you waiting for someone to wake you up?" Dagne said venomously. "You're not some princess, so don't you dare put on airs in front of me. Why don't you take a long, hard look at yourself; can't even keep your man in check or earn money. And now I, an elder, have to wait for you to prepare breakfast…"

Her words assaulted Kaitlynn endlessly, but she prepared the meal expressionlessly. Just listening to Dagne made her feel numb.

She brought the plates to the dining table, ignoring her in-law's cold glares and ridicule as she ate two mouthfuls of oatmeal as fast as she could, then slung her bag onto her shoulder as she rushed out the door, glancing at her watch.

***

Kaitlynn rushed out of the elevator, key card in hand. She heaved a sigh of relief as the machine beeped; she had clocked in on time.

But a figure blocked her path.

"I was wondering who was being this sneaky; turns out it was you!" Jan Noela said in a half-joking tone, but her eyes were filled with mockery.