Chapter 1 We Are A Perfect Match

The campus of Traco University was vibrant with lush greenery.

A line of sycamore trees, thick with leaves, stood behind the library.

It was a place seldom visited by people.

"You said... you wouldn't come here..."

"What? Are you worried your classmates will discover that you're a hooker?"

"I'm not! I'm not..."

"Heh, then what's this we're doing?"

"Lawrence Yates! You scoundrel!"

"I'm a scoundrel, and you're the daughter of a murderer. Seems like we're a perfect match!"

Unable to hold back her sorrow any longer, the girl sobbed from the depths of her being, the pain encompassing both her body and spirit.

Eventually, the man, content with the experience, walked away.

In the sunlight, he stood tall, his profile striking, with sharp and pronounced features, and his skin showed a hint of a blush.

As he heard the dejected sound of the girl's footsteps behind him, his lips curled into a smirk, his eyes cold.

"You still haven't paid for this month." Brynn Gibson straightened up as much as she could, clinging to her remaining dignity.

The man gave a mocking sneer, walked over to her, and traced his finger across her swollen lips, each contact making her involuntarily tremble.

His eyes darkened, and he swallowed visibly.

The whole world knew of his disdain for her, yet it did nothing to dampen his pleasure in her reactions during these moments.

His hand wandered, and Brynn, filled with shame, shut her eyes as her body shook uncontrollably.

A bodyguard came near. "Sir, Miss Scott just called."

Lawrence Yates cast his gaze downward, and when he lifted it, all signs of desire had vanished.

He withdrew his hand and cleaned it with a handkerchief.

Brynn turned her head aside, her face a mix of shame and anger.

With a demeaning tone, Lawrence fetched a card from his wallet and handed it to her. "I'm very satisfied with you..."

The wind rustled through the leaves.

Brynn's thoughts emptied as she silently accepted the card, holding it tightly.

Lawrence walked away, accepting a phone from his bodyguard. His tone softened. "Hmm... just wrapped up a meeting..."

***

After her school day, Brynn headed to her job, and after finishing her work, she arrived at a hospital quite late.

Nearing a particular ward, she caught the sound of her mother, Jayne Duffy's, laughter.

Brynn looked down. There was only one person who could bring such joy to her mother.

She opened the door and found Kelley Rayne, her older half-sister from a different father.

Kelley greeted her with a smile. "Brynn, you made it."

"Mm," Brynn responded coolly. Jayne noticed and frowned. "Kelley's now a celebrity. It's not easy for her to find time to visit. Why the attitude?"

Kelley reassured their mother, "Mom, it's fine. Maybe Brynn's just not herself today."

"Who cares about her mood? Who is she trying to impress with that grimace?"

Jayne, who always showed a preference for her older daughter, often visited her ex-husband's family post-divorce.

Clutching a fruit knife, Brynn methodically peeled an apple. "I've taken care of the hospital bill."

Jayne didn't look at her, continuing her conversation with Kelley. "I play your song 'Wander' every day. Everyone in the media says you're a brilliant singer-songwriter! Like mother, like daughter!"

Twenty years earlier, Jayne herself was a figure in the music industry, but she left the scene after her extramarital affair became public.

She later divorced, remarried, and Brynn was born.

Brynn stopped peeling the apple for a moment.

"As long as you are happy, Mom." Kelley looked over at Brynn.

"By the way, I heard from the media that you're going to the Yates Group's big anniversary celebration."

"Yes!" Kelley responded with enthusiasm. "Being invited by the Yates Group is a big nod to my skills and fame!"

"That's fantastic! Make sure you look stunning. If you need cash, I can chip in!"

Jayne then addressed her younger daughter. "Brynn, give your sister a few thousand dollars."

Brynn stared at her mother, a mix of disbelief and disappointment in her eyes.

She looked down, her voice slow. "Mom, I'm just a student. It's my first year at university."

"Enough excuses. Get the money now!"

Kelley tried to soothe the situation, saying, "Mom, it's okay. I can go in something simple."

"That won't do! You're my daughter! You should have the best!"

"But..." Kelley turned to her sister, looking helpless and troubled.

Jayne's temper flared. "Brynn! Didn't you hear me? Get the money!"

Brynn burst out laughing suddenly. "Mom, you're in the hospital, Dad's in jail, and our home is gone... Are you aware of these things?"

Jayne scowled. "Why are you bringing this up now?"

"Ha, okay then, let me ask you, do you have any idea how I'm funding my studies? Do you know where I sleep? Do you know why you haven't been thrown out of this hospital yet?!"

Jayne dismissively waved her hand, not wanting to hear it. "Enough! All I want to know is whether you'll hand over the money or not?"

Tears welled up in Brynn's eyes as she looked at her mother, seeing not guilt but entitlement.

It suddenly dawned on Brynn.

"You've known all this time, haven't you?"

Jayne averted her eyes. "Known what?"

Brynn fixed her gaze on her mother. Ha, she definitely knew. She had always known the only reason she was in this upscale private ward was that her daughter had sacrificed her pride and dignity for it!

Brynn clenched her fist so tightly that the pain snapped her back to reality. She looked down to see blood streaming from her palm.

"Brynn, you're injured..."

Kelley moved towards her, but Brynn's cold stare halted her.

As Brynn left the ward, Jayne's angry voice followed her.

"Who does she think she is, making a scene? Would I be in this mess if it weren't for her? I could have been a legend in the music industry! It's all because of her and her father that my life and career fell apart! It's all her and her father's fault!"

The ward was filled with cries and wails.

--

After leaving the convenience store at 1 AM, a weary Brynn felt her phone vibrate. Its distinct ringtone sent a shiver down her spine.

She pulled out a phone from her bag, which was not her usual phone, and answered. The voice on the other end was thick with alcohol.

"Come to my place."

The line went dead before she could respond.

Brynn wanted to say she wasn't feeling up to it today. Could she take a pass?

But she knew such a request would only lead to further degradation.

Resigned, she hailed a taxi that cost her 120 dollars, erasing the earnings of two days' part-time work.

She arrived at an ordinary apartment complex, hardly the place one would expect the affluent CEO of the Yates Group to call home.

She retrieved the key from a potted plant beside the door and let herself in.

The apartment was tidy. A man lounged on the sofa, a lit cigarette dangling from his lips, its ember casting a faint glow.

"I'm going to take a shower," she said softly.

"No need." Lawrence gestured with his hand. "Come here."

This evening, his demeanor seemed slightly different, not as detached as usual.

Brynn hesitated, then moved toward him.

Lawrence had sex with her until the early hours.

He pressed her down on the sofa, his dark gaze intense, almost devouring her.

When the pain overwhelmed her, she pleaded for mercy. Suddenly, Lawrence drew close, biting her earlobe. In the midst of her agony, he murmured, "I'm getting married."