Chapter 1 I Can Offer You Something Better

Inside the luxurious presidential suite at the Emerald Oasis Hotel in Rixwood, the atmosphere was thick with the traces of a recent, intense encounter.

Clothes were scattered haphazardly across the floor, leaving a trail that hinted at the night's passion.

Vanessa Dawson was resting against the headboard, her skin showing faint marks from the night before. She absentmindedly twirled a cigarette between her fingers, her expression both charming and relaxed.

As the bathroom door opened, she glanced up to meet the gaze of a breathtakingly handsome man. His sharp features were accentuated by a smile that tugged at the corners of his mouth. He had a prominent nose, red lips, and deep, captivating eyes, with a charming mole beneath one eye that only added to his appeal.

A light mist from the shower still clung to him, and a droplet of water traced a path from his damp hair down to his collarbone, gliding along his toned abs before vanishing under the towel wrapped around his waist.

Vanessa's gaze lingered on him as she swallowed, her neck arching gracefully as she motioned for him to come closer with a single finger.

He chuckled softly and moved toward her with effortless grace.

Her delicate hand gently stroked his chin, her lips curling into a playful smile. "Such obedience, I like it."

"Don't tease me," he muttered, his voice husky with desire.

The desire he had just managed to push down flared up again with her subtle gesture.

Vanessa's soft laughter filled the air. "Are you shy? Is this your first time doing something like this?"

In the next moment, she reached for the bag resting on the bedside table, pulled out a thick wad of cash, and handed it to him with a smile. "Take it."

The man froze, his eyes widening in confusion. "What does this mean?"

"Just a little something for last night's... hard work," she replied nonchalantly.

His expression darkened immediately. "So you want to settle this with money? What do you think I am?"

"What do I think you are? Well, clearly the top pick at this club," Vanessa replied with a smile. "Did you really think we had something serious going on? It's just a fling; don't read too much into it."

His eyes reddened with sudden anger, his face darkening in a split second.

Unexpectedly, Vanessa's heart softened. She moved to touch his face, but her phone, carelessly tossed to the side, suddenly rang.

Her face tightened as she answered the call, but before she could speak, the voice on the other end snapped, "Vanessa, where have you been? I heard Connor Saunders brought a woman home. Do you not care about becoming his wife? Get home immediately, you useless girl!"

Reacting without thinking, Vanessa pulled the phone away from her ear, but the man quickly seized the chance to snatch it from her grasp.

With a mischievous smile, he brought the phone to his ear and teased, "Who exactly are you calling useless?"

The harsh words from the other end suddenly stopped, replaced by a hesitant tone. "Who are you? Why do you have Vanessa's phone? Where is she?"

Vanessa's heart raced as she lunged forward, trying to grab the phone back. But he raised his arm, and she collided with his solid chest, her leg grazing his abdomen, causing him to grunt softly.

Straining to reach the phone, she tilted her head back and, with a bit of frustration, called into the receiver, "I'll be back in a minute, Dad. There's something I need to take care of here first, so I'm going to hang up now."

Using his body as a prop, she yanked the phone from his hand and quickly ended the call.

Vanessa sighed in relief, pressing her lips together as she prepared to reprimand the unruly man. But then her gaze met his deep, unwavering eyes, which were locked onto her.

A wave of unease washed over her as she quickly turned her head away, avoiding his eyes. Without looking back, she placed another stack of money on the table, her movements quick and somewhat mechanical. "Let's not make this a bigger deal than it is. I'll pass along my assistant's contact details. If you require any assistance later on, feel free to reach out to me."

The man stepped behind her, his powerful arms reaching out to pick up the money.

It turned out he had been hesitant to let her leave because the money she had given moments ago was not sufficient.

A strange, unshakable sadness settled in Vanessa's chest. What had once been a fleeting moment of rare connection and contentment had now been stripped down to nothing more than a business exchange. How disappointing!

She couldn't help but laugh at herself. Spending money on a handsome man-what more did she really expect?

Regaining her composure, Vanessa picked up her clothes from the floor and got dressed. As she was about to walk out the door, she heard his hoarse voice. "The role of Connor's future wife isn't suitable for you. I can offer you something much better."

Vanessa froze for a moment, stopping in her tracks, before she turned around to face him, letting out a laugh laced with scorn. "What exactly could you offer me?" The softest bed in this club? Some sweet words to whisper while lying next to me? Those things may work as pillow talk, but they're just words-nothing more. Don't think they mean anything."

She stepped closer, her heels barely touching the floor as she stood on tiptoe to plant a mocking kiss at the corner of his mouth.

She chuckled, "You don't get it. The role of Connor's future wife belongs exclusively to me."

Without a second glance, she walked out of the room, leaving him behind.

Years ago, Vanessa's maternal family, the Stewart family, had been tragically torn apart, leaving nothing but empty memories. Her mother, Janet Dawson, had died under mysterious and suspicious circumstances when Vanessa was still just a little girl.

For years, Vanessa had relentlessly searched for answers and finally uncovered evidence that the Saunders family might be linked to the tragedy.

To uncover the full story and expose the truth, she knew she had to take a dangerous step and infiltrate the Saunders family.

As Vanessa walked away, the man tossed the money aside with a look of disdain, letting it scatter across the floor.

His expression darkened as he made a call. "I need to know what's happening between the Saunders family and Vanessa Dawson."