Lured By Lies: Love Reigns Over Them

Inside a luxurious hotel in New York.

A lady was staring at a man lying on the bed, with a smile.

'How could he be so charming?' The first time she saw him, she couldn't control her desires.

At last, the man broke the silence with his magnetic voice. "Mary, I'm going to sleep."

The sound of his voice made him more tempting, but he was asking her to leave.

"Is that so?" Based on the features of her face, the woman was from the Orient, but she grew up in the United States, so her mind was that of an American.

She got up and slowly walked towards him. Her seductive eyes were locked on the man as she said, "I'm also feeling a little sleepy." Then she suddenly lowered her shoulder straps.

Bryan Li glanced at woman sitting on his lap and said, "Mary, you're not my type."

A frown appeared on his face as he clenched his fists.

"But you're the type I like."

"Sorry, but I can't give you what you want." There was anger in his eyes when Bryan tried to push her away.

However, the woman threw herself into his arms and wrapped her arms around his neck tightly. "I don't want anything but you."

"What do you think I am?" At last, the man became furious.

"I think of you as a man! Are you not?"

Enraged, Bryan threw her onto the bed and snapped, "I'm going to let you go because you are my teacher's daughter. I'm going to warn you one more time, don't test my patience. I will never lay a finger on you."

The woman, on the other hand, wasn't angry at all. As soon as she got up from the bed, she immediately grabbed his hand and stuffed it into her open collar.

"Just one night, please?" the lady said coquettishly.

Pulling his hand out, Bryan slapped her in the face.

"How could my teacher have a terrible daughter like you? Get the hell out!" he roared. Perhaps it was because he had repressed himself for so long. His eyes had turned red, and he looked so vicious.

The lady didn't imagine that he would hit her, and because of that, she had to give up on him, and walked out of the room.

Now, only Bryan was left in the huge suite. At last, he flung himself on the bed.

"Hello... Ethel... I was drugged by Mary... Come here now..."

Today, Madeline Luo drank more than she could handle. She usually didn't drink alcohol, but today was a special day for her.

She was about to return to her motherland.

For five years, she had worked hard and studied in the United States. She had done a myriad of part-time jobs and suffered countless hardships, all for this day.

She was going home to find her beloved man, Rory Fu. The one she had missed for five long years.

This hotel was where she worked for the last year, and her colleagues held a party to celebrate her departure.

"I'm leaving now. Thank you so much everyone. Bye! I hope I see you all again someday!"

Supported by her colleagues, Madeline left the party.

"The manager said that he wanted to reward you for all of your hard work, so he booked a deluxe suite for you upstairs. Enjoy yourself tonight,"

one of her colleagues told her.

Surprised by the gesture, Madeline flashed a beaming smile on her lovely face. The two dimples on her rosy cheeks looked adorable.

"I've worked here for one year, and I've served distinguished guests all day long. Is it really okay if I stay in a suite today?"

"Of course, it is! Look, this is the room card. It's Room 1619." Her colleague was already drunk as she waved the room card in front of her.

"Please thank the manager for me. Gosh, I'm so excited!" Madeline said gratefully.

With the help of her two coworkers, Madeline was sent to the deluxe suite. Before they left, she didn't forget to embrace and kiss them.

She didn't turn on the light, because she loved the night, especially when she was looking down from up high. The heavy traffic on the street was bright and mesmerizing to watch.

She couldn't remember how many nights she had been sitting before the window and staring at the direction of her homeland. Time had flown by and five years had passed. At long last, she could go home.

Under the radiance of the moon, she saw a goblet filled with red wine.

Not wanting to disappoint her colleagues, she decided that she must get completely drunk to celebrate and welcome her future life.

At this point, she was already drunk, but she was still holding a glass of wine and she still kept drinking.

As she sat alone in front of the window, she stared at the beautiful night sky with a smile.

"Why is the sky moving? Oh, no, the whole building is moving!"

With her smooth forehead resting on the goblet, she showed the brightest smile she had ever shown in the past five years.

"I'm finally drunk."

At last, she dared to get drunk!

She walked into the bedroom and lay on the bed.

All of a sudden, a woman's pheromone wafted into Bryan's nose, who was almost at the peak of ecstasy. His face had turned purple, and his vision was blurred.

Eagerly, he pulled the girl into his arms, and his warm lips trembled, anxiously searching for her lips under the guise of the night. Finally, he kissed her supple wet lips.

Initially, Madeline was still rational, so she tried to resist. But later, she became limp all over, and she completely surrendered to the man. She wasn't sure if she was just having a wet dream.

Right now, Bryan's lust was at its peak. The effects of the drug made him lose control of his mind. He was akin to a rutting beast, wildly feasting on the sexuality of the woman under him.

The following morning, when Madeline opened her eyes, she felt like her whole body was about to collapse.

But in the next second, she was shocked.

There was a handsome man lying beside her while she was naked!

Madeline's mind went blank as the blood drained from her face. She just wanted to faint right there and then, but she knew she had better things to do. She quickly threw on her clothes and left the room as stealthily as possible.

When she walked out of the room, a card from her pocket fell on the ground.

It was a room card with numbers 1619 written on it.

Her colleague's statement rang in her head as the memories of what had transpired last night came rushing into her mind.

She quickly peered at the door behind her. Madeline almost lost her footing when she saw the room number.

1618!

She entered the wrong room! Since she was one of the employees that were responsible for the VIP rooms in the hotel, she had a key card that could open every room of the establishment.

"Madeline, what are you doing standing here?" a colleague walked over to her and asked.

She tugged her lips to a forced smile and answered, "Nothing."

"You look pale. Are you sick?" her co-worker inquired as she tried to feel her temperature.

Madeline only shook her head at her. "I'm fine. Maybe I drank too much yesterday."

"Do you want me to walk you to your room so that you can have some rest?"

"No, thank you. I have a flight at noon."

"How did it feel to sleep in the suite?" she asked enviously.

"It's a nice experience, I guess." That was all Madeline could say.

She was in a low mood as the plane traveled to send her home.

The excitement that she felt now that she was going home dissipated into the air in a snap.

Madeline couldn't help but reprimand herself. She shouldn't have drunk too much yesterday. She should have seen the room number clearly before she entered. Or she could have turned on the light once she entered the room...

The kindness of her colleagues led her to an irreversible mistake.

There was no one to blame but herself.

Maybe she had been restraining her emotions for the longest time that her tears started to fall one by one.

She had been through so much throughout her life, but she had never been this desperate. The walls that Rory built in her heart that were supposed to guard it failed their purpose.

At that moment, she didn't have enough strength.

It was like every wall that she built so far came crumbling down.

How could she face him now that this happened? He had been waiting for her for five long years!

Unfortunately, no matter how much shameful she felt, she had to go back. She wanted to see him achieve his dream and have a happy life.

In no time, the plane landed in Spring City in China.

"You're back!"

"What took you so long? We've been waiting for you for such a long time."

They were her stepmother, Emilee Qin, and her half-sister, Helen Luo.

Madeline didn't know what to say. Why did they bother to pick her up at the airport in the first place?

She just nodded at them before she gave a timid smile. "Well..."

She didn't like them at all.

They sat in the Mercedes back home as silence filled up the car.

After a while, they arrived at the luxurious villa that was halfway up in the mountain. She suddenly felt that she didn't belong to that family.

Everything on her body was cheap. A shirt she just found in her closet, jeans that were almost washed off, and the soles of her shoes were almost worn out. She couldn't even afford a piece of simple jewelry.

She looked like she came from the slums of the United States but still, this was her home.

Madeline was born in a rich family and for a while, she was the center of attention. But those days didn't last especially when she turned six years old. Her father brought a new woman home, and those good days were over in a snap.

"You're finally back, Miss Madeline." A middle-aged woman greeted her with tearful eyes.

She squinted her eyes and tried to recognize the emotional woman. "Auntie Nia! It's been a long time! How are you?"

"I'm fine, how about you?"

"Are you at the funeral? Why are you crying?" Helen interrupted with displeasure.

Nia immediately wiped the tears from her eyes and quickly picked Madeline's luggage up.

The younger woman held her arm gently and said, "Everything's fine with me, Auntie Nia."

The older woman smiled back at her and continued to finish the task at hand.

Madeline went to her room so she could rest. She had been gone for five years but everything was still the same. Nia cleaned the room for a bit and changed the bed sheet for her. Once they had bid their goodbye, she closed the door, freshened up a bit and finally relaxed.

She sat on the bed and ran her hand through the soft silk fabric. Even though she had been gone for so long, her room didn't fail to give her comfort.

When she didn't see his father, she asked Emilee about his whereabouts. She had found out that he was on a business trip.

The atmosphere was weird considering that she wasn't acquainted with them for the past five years. It made her inexplicably flustered.

Dinner was much awkward that the only thing one could hear was the utensils. Everyone refused to speak.

Once dinner was over, Emilee summoned her to the study room.

"Do you still hate me?" Emilee asked as she didn't want to walk on eggshells anymore.

"I want to see Rory," Madeline answered instead.

"I'll let you see him, but you have to promise me one thing," she proposed.

The younger woman could only stare at the beautiful yet intimidating woman in front of her. "You said that as long as I stayed in America for five years, you'll let us be together, right?"

This woman was the sole reason why she had to go to America at the age of sixteen. Alone. She threatened her by using Rory.

Emilee smiled at her. "He finished his college smoothly. Now he should be called Dr. Fu. Aren't you happy for him?"

Madeline gaped at her in surprise. "Really? He got the degree?"

Her stepmother nodded at her. "Do you think I will deceive you?"

"Then what is it that you want?" she asked warily.

She already lost too much. Her five years with him and even the chance to get her college degree. She had grown up and she would no longer repeat the same mistake.

"I want you to be my daughter. I want you to call me Mom." Her voice was filled with sincerity.

Emilee's words caught her off-guard.

"What? Aren't you the one who hated me the most?" Her forehead creased with confusion.

"That was before. I now have a different opinion about you. I know it isn't an easy task, but I won't ask you for anything else. I just want you to respect me in front of other people and call me your mom. I'll give you some time to think about it. Once you make up your mind, come to me."

Without waiting for her response, Emilee pushed the door open and walked out of the study room.

Madeline did think about it for a long time. However, the drastic change in Emilee's attitude was still strange for her.

She had now become the hostess of the Luo family and the elders already passed away. Madeline had been away for five years and she had never seen her father during those years. They only settled for an occasional phone call. Emilee had successfully alienated the relationship between her and her father.

Now, what else did she want from her?

No matter how much she pondered it, she couldn't figure it out.

That night, she went to Emilee's bedroom.

On the next day, she had asked her to dress up nicely which she agreed with.

They were going to attend a party and there, she finally realized what Emilee wanted from her.

It was her title as the daughter of the Luo family, her body, and her life!

As a lady from the upper class, it should have been a piece of cake for her to attend such a dinner party. However, in the case of Madeline who went abroad alone at the age of sixteen, it wasn't an easy task. She was very nervous.

It was the first time that she had worn such a beautiful and elegant dress. Through its soft fabric and intricate details, it was obvious that it cost a lot. She liked it very much, but it was a little revealing.

"This is my first daughter, Madeline."

Emilee held her hand to introduce her to the man that was in front of them. She gently patted her daughter and smiled, "This is Uncle Li."

Emilee was being kind to her like a real mother.

"Uncle Li," she called out softly.

The uncle looked very young that his grey hair didn't match his face at all.

"I didn't know you had another daughter. I'm very sorry that I'm not well-informed." He glanced at Madeline before he returned his attention to her mother.

Emilee replied with a smile, "She was studying abroad and just came back yesterday."

The man gave her a once-over. He was downright checking her out and he didn't even bother to hide it.

The party was lively yet elegant. Delicious western food was served, and it was graced with a dance that was performed by dazzling men and women from the elite class.

"Miss Luo, would you like to dance with me?"

"Sorry, I can't dance."

"That was such a bad excuse!"

"I really can't dance, I'm sorry."

Madeline bowed quickly and retreated to the far end of the hall.

She heaved a sigh of relief when no one tried to approach her.

Did she look that good tonight? Why did those men keep on accosting her?

"Are you proud of yourself?" A familiar voice came from behind and just as she had expected, Helen appeared in front of her.

"What do you mean?" she asked and furrowed her brows in confusion.

"You've become the center of attention of this party," Helen answered with contempt.

Madeline shook her head and replied, "I don't like it."

"Is that your attempt of pretending to be aloof?" she snorted at her.

"I didn't want to come here today, and you know that." Madeline fired back.

Helen came closer and whispered in her ear disdainfully, "Don't be so cocky. I'm telling you, even if your surname is Luo, you will always be lower than me. I am the real Miss Luo."

With that, she left the premises without waiting for a response.

Madeline followed Helen's retreating figure with her eyes and sighed heavily.

When she lowered her head, she noticed the love bite that occupied a spot on her chest area.

In an instant, that one enchanting night flashed through her mind.

The feeling of that man's strong and firm grip against her body and their exchanges of gasps penetrated and lingered in her heart.

At the Li Group building.

The ringing of the phone echoed through the office.

He raised his head upon the disturbance as he grabbed the phone to answer it.

"Hey... Oh, Ethel... What? You're in Paris? Then what about that night? I see... It's alright, bye!"

The call was long dropped but he seemed to be in his deep thought. The words were still ringing in his ears.

If it wasn't her, then who was it?

His girlfriend abroad just called him to tell him that she had some business in Paris that night. That meant she didn't go to their supposed meeting.

Bryan, who had always been calm and collected, was disheartened by it.

Mary put an aphrodisiac in his drink that night. After that, a woman came, and they made love crazily but that was only because he thought that was his girlfriend.

Who was she?

What did the blood on the bed sheet mean?

He stretched his hand and took out a pendant from his drawer. Bryan wasn't sure why he kept that thing when he found it on the bed the next day.

It was just a simple pendant. A blue-colored dolphin. Judging from its design, it must be one of a pair. He looked closer at it and found a name carved on it.

Written in cursive letters was Maddie.

Bryan was pulled out of his thought when Kent Wu, his secretary, called, "Boss, Mr. Blake brought another woman to the hotel!"

"I want you to keep an eye on him."

He could only sigh in frustration. His cousin was causing too much trouble.

It turned out that Uncle Li, whom Emilee introduced to Madeline at the party, was the richest man in Spring City. His name was Yosef Li, chairman of the Li Group. It was one of the top ten enterprises in the country.

Her sister Helen was engaged to his grandson, Blake Li.

It was undoubtedly a marriage of convenience between families. She was surprised to find out that Yosef was already in his seventies as it wasn't obvious.

Auntie Nia came up to her secretly and told her that Blake was a notorious playboy in the city.

At that information, she couldn't help but pity her sister who was engaged to him.

Emilee agreed to her plea to meet Rory the next day. When she was about to leave, something uncalled for happened.

They found out that Helen slept with someone last night.

The news was like a bolt from the blue for Emilee. She was so furious that she beat Helen until she couldn't take any more of her hitting.

Madeline didn't want to get involved but it would be too awkward to suddenly disappear like that.

Once everything was calm, she decided that that was the cue for her to go. When she was about to step out, Emilee said something that made her feel like she was doused with cold water.

"What? You want me to marry Blake?" she asked in disbelief. "No, I will never do that."

Madeline waved her hand and refused the idea immediately.

Emilee withdrew her demanding voice and decided to speak calmly. "You have no idea why we decided to engage your sister to Blake. Did you really think that your father has gone on a business trip?"

Madeline gasped at the new information and waited for her to continue what she was saying.

"The Luo Group is involved in a lawsuit and your father went abroad to avoid that. Only Yosef can save your father and our company. Do you want to see your father in prison and the Luo Group fall apart?"

Upon the new knowledge, her feet faltered that she almost fell on her knees.

"How could this be?" she muttered under her breath.

"Once the Li family finds out that your sister is no longer pure, everything will be over..."

Tears appeared at the corners of Emilee's eyes.

"Still, I won't engage myself in this kind of marriage. And you can't change my mind!" Madeline shook her head as tears streamed down her face.

She didn't want to marry out of convenience. She wanted to marry the man that she loved.

Even if she couldn't marry him, she wouldn't marry anyone else.

"Do you really wish to ignore your father and the Luo Group when you know you can do something about it?" asked Emilee.

"My father abandoned me, and the Luo Group doesn't belong to me. Why do I have to make this sacrifice? I'd rather leave without money than marry anyone else."

When Emilee saw the determined look on her face, she decided to use her hidden card. "Rory is directly related to this matter," she began. "He has been taken into custody. You can ignore everything else, but can you withstand seeing your savior spend the rest of his life in prison? Think about it."

"You've planned this, haven't you? Why do you have to put me in this situation?"

Everything became crystal clear to Madeline now. She was the one who was going to be sacrificed for this marriage to work. What the Li family wanted was a daughter of the Luo family.

So that was why there was a meeting between them at the party.

She finally realized the value that she had in this family. However, she wasn't sure if that was something that she should be happy about.

Emilee stepped out to give her privacy. She was left alone in the room―no, scratch that. She was alone in this world.

Madeline sobbed at the thought. That was the moment that she felt as if the world had turned its back on her.

She had been so excited to return home, thinking that this would be the start of a new life. It turned out that this would just be another hell.

What was she supposed to do now?

Maybe she should just leave and let her father handle everything. After all, it was his fault the Luo Group was now suffering a losing battle, right? Then what about her savior? She didn't have the heart to just let his life fall into ruins.