Chapter 1 A Setup

Soaring against the dark backdrop of the clear night sky, the most luxurious hotel in Ariosa was the gathering spot of the elite. The hotel was typically home to the fanciest society gatherings and parties. That night, on the 35th floor of the hotel, one such elaborate birthday party was in full swing.

The host was none other the birthday boy himself, Charlie Synder, the eldest son of the CEO of Snyder Group. Synder Group was one of the most influential companies in Ariosa and was only inferior to Empire Group and Guzman Group. Charlie was the current general manager of Synder Group and also the heir to the company. He was the ideal man of many women not just because of his wealth, but also because he cut a fine figure of a man-handsome, gentle, and elegant.

With a pleasant smile on his face, Charlie courteously greeted the guests. Every once in a while, however, his attention would stray toward a slender figure in one of the lesser populated corners of the hall. Ashley Guzman, his girlfriend, was an extremely glamorous woman who usually dressed in simple business suits and wore the minimal amount of makeup. To Charlie, this lack of cosmetics made her even more alluring to his eyes compared to other women. The dream lover in the eyes of all women in the company fell hard for the simple, elegant beauty's attributes. That time, Charlie wooed Ashley and finally earned the right to call himself her boyfriend.

However, Ashley didn't seem to be as passionate towards him as he was toward her. The furthest they had ever gone was kissing, and this slow progress made Charlie very distressed. Charlie would usually seek out the company of the most beautiful of women to satisfy his physical needs and then get rid of them with his money. He believed that a man's physical and psychological needs should be satisfied. Tonight, he resolved that Ashley, his girlfriend, should satisfy those needs.

Seated in an inconspicuous corner of the venue, Ashley wore a plain white dress and a light application of makeup on her face, which made her look elegant and incredibly ethereal.

"Ashley, my dear, why are you looking so worn out? It's your boyfriend's birthday party tonight!" A frown marred Yasmin Olson's innocent face, showing her confusion.

Ashley and Yasmin had met each other in the same taekwondo club in university, and they ended up being close friends who spent most of their time together because of their similar personalities. Later, they joined the same company as a natural extension of their friendship since college. Yasmin was a kind person who, at the same time, was frank and spoke no nonsense. She was also gifted in the looks department, but similar to Ashley, she seldom dressed up or wore makeup.

Ashley sighed. "Ugh. It's a bit too loud in here, don't you think?" One of their basic differences was that Ashley was a quiet woman, whereas Yasmin was a party animal. Right after graduation, Ashley's father asked her to join her family's company. However, she knew that by doing so, she wouldn't be able to show her full potential because she would always be seen as the CEO's daughter. Thus, she opted to work for another company. As it turned out, Yasmin asked her if they could apply to a company together, so Ashley started from the bottom rung of the corporate ladder of Synder Group. Now, she was the manager of the company's marketing department, while Yasmin was the head of the planning department.

"What I'm saying is that, you don't know how lucky you are. Everyone knows that your dashing beau Charlie is dying to introduce you to those powerful old men, but you look like you couldn't care less." Yasmin continued to tease her friend.

Ashley said nothing. She knew that sometimes, conversing with Yasmin could be a test of patience, and that silence was the best way to deal with her.

Yasmin looked like she was about to say something else when she saw Charlie approach them, a goblet in his hand. Yasmin whispered to Ashley, "Take care of yourself." Then she sashayed away.

Ashley snapped back into herself in time to see her boyfriend walking toward her with a slight smile. Under the soft lighting, Charlie looked even more refined and elegant than usual.

"Why aren't you mingling, Ashley?" Charlie asked in a soft, low voice as he sat down next to her. He tried to slip an arm around Ashley's waist, but she eluded his touch naturally.

"It's a bit too noisy for me. Go ahead and greet your guests. I'll be okay on my own." Ashley flashed a smile at Charlie. She still felt uncomfortable with his public displays of affection.

"I have done my duty and greeted all of the elders. Now, I'm here to accompany my girlfriend." Charlie hid his annoyance at Ashley's avoidance of his touch. "Are you thirsty, Ashley? Here, I had this drink prepared especially for you. It's just like fruit juice-there's no alcohol in it, so it won't get you drunk." He picked up a glass containing what looked like orange juice and offered it to Ashley.

Touched by the tender look on Charlie's face and his consideration, Ashley accepted the drink and slowly sipped it. "Thank you, Charlie. This is really good."

A strange gleam flashed in Charlie's eyes as Ashley finished up her drink, but it was gone in an instant. "Ashley, if you're tired, you should go ahead and rest." Charlie stroked Ashley's smooth hair and thoughtfully took the empty goblet from her hand. "Here's the key card for the room I've booked for you in this hotel. You can head up first and take a rest. Once the party is over, I'll pick you up and drive you to your apartment."

"Thanks, Charlie. I'm actually pretty tired. I'll go and take a rest first." Ashley excused herself with a smile. In the past few days, the preparations for the grand birthday party had resulted in a significant increase in Ashley's workload. Thus, she had been pulling overtime for days, and her rest had definitely suffered. Now, she was exhausted. Ashley took the key card Charlie was holding out toward her, and left the party venue after saying goodbye to him.

As he looked at Ashley's departing back, a smile formed on Charlie's lips. 'Tonight, you are mine, Ashley.'

Unbeknownst to Ashley, Charlie had added an aphrodisiac to her drink. The aphrodisiac was expected to take effect half an hour after consumption. Charlie had been desiring Ashley for a long time. As a matter of preference, he couldn't stand clingy women. Ashley was perfect in that regard, but he found her coldness and insistence on keeping him at arm's length upsetting. Thus, Charlie had formed tonight's plan.