The Rolls-Royce was spacious—no question it could easily fit two people.
Plus, the windows were tinted with privacy film!
"Hayden Sheffield, you... you're crazy!" Natalie Jennings pushed him hard. "What's the difference between being in the car and outside!"
"You prefer the bed?"
"I don't like it anywhere!"
She bit her lower lip, clearly flustered.
If Hayden Sheffield really wanted her, she had no way to resist.
His strong body pressed over hers, body heat rising, Natalie Jennings could hear his breath turning heavy and quick.
Hayden Sheffield didn't know what was wrong with himself, either.
He never was one for lust—no matter how many women tried to seduce him, they all failed and left empty-handed.
But right now, only one thought filled his mind—
He had to have Natalie Jennings.
Maybe it was her saying "the unattainable is always the best" that made him determined to possess her.
"Let go of me," Natalie Jennings said, "Hayden Sheffield!"
She flailed, kicking at him, but he pinned her down effortlessly.
"If I want you, you can't get away." Hayden Sheffield's fingers landed on her dress zipper. "If I don't want you, even coming to me yourself is useless."
Natalie Jennings struggled hard: "You can have any woman you want, so why are you humiliating me?"
"Because you're my wife."
"It's just a contract marriage—ah!"
Hayden Sheffield gripped her ankle, dragging her down, trapping her easily between his arms.
His thin lips were about to press down when he heard a faint sobbing.
Hayden Sheffield's movement froze.
He looked up and saw Natalie Jennings' face covered in tears, eyes red at the corners—her appearance stabbed at him deep inside.
"Do you really hate giving yourself to me that much?"
"What do you think? Hayden Sheffield, I told you I hate you!"
Natalie Jennings stared back at him with stubborn, tear-filled eyes.
That look—so familiar...
Exactly the same.
Eva had also faced him time and again with that defiant gaze in her eyes.
Hayden Sheffield's expression softened, reaching out to wipe her tears, but Natalie Jennings slapped his hand away, hard. "Don't touch me!"
His hand froze in midair.
Natalie Jennings quickly sat up, shrinking into the corner of the seat, wiping away her tears in a rush.
Hayden Sheffield straightened up, "Crying like that is just annoying!"
One second tender, the next cold as ice.
Natalie Jennings realized this man was simply impossible to reason with!
Hayden Sheffield lowered the window, pulled out a cigarette, and lit it with a snap. "Get out."
She didn't react right away.
"Not leaving?" He said blandly, "I can't promise what'll happen if you stay."
Natalie Jennings scrambled out, hands and feet scrambling at once.
As soon as her feet hit the ground, she nearly collapsed to her knees, only saving herself by grabbing the car door.
Hayden Sheffield was a total lunatic! Bastard!
Smoke curled upward, making Hayden Sheffield's cold, chiseled face blur behind the haze…
Natalie Jennings went straight back to Sterling Estate.
She couldn't dare show up at the company again—if Hayden lost it and pinned her down in the office, she'd have no one to call for help.
Natalie Jennings changed out of her secretary uniform; as her fingers grazed her neck, she felt a sudden emptiness.
Wait—where was her jade pendant?
This was the only keepsake her parents had left her! How could it be gone!
Natalie Jennings searched everywhere. When her phone rang, she didn't even check the caller ID before picking up: "Hello?"
"It's Uncle." Peter Lowe said, "Did you lose something?"
"No need for games," Natalie Jennings admitted. "The one who had the bodyguards throw a bag over you last time was me. You found my jade pendant, didn't you?"
"You're getting more capable, my good niece."
"Give me back the pendant."
"Alright, I'll return it," Peter Lowe said, "Tonight at Nightscape Bar. Don't be late."
Natalie Jennings didn't hesitate to agree.
The jade pendant was her parents' keepsake—even if Peter set a trap, she had to go!
Nightscape Bar.
This was Southedge's luxury den for the elite. Unlike ordinary bars, 'Nightscape' was by membership only—a million-dollar entry fee, opulent and extremely exclusive inside.
In the Supreme VIP suite, Hayden Sheffield held his glass with slender fingers, his eyes darkening slightly.
"So you've stepped into love's graveyard and now you're drowning your sorrows in booze? Looks like marriage is poisonous," Silas Spencer sat across from him.
"Just finished a business deal here, stopping for a couple drinks."
"What deal?"
Hayden Sheffield replied indifferently, "An imported batch of fragrance. Sterling Group wants to release a new perfume for Valentine's Day."
"Still doing business here? Buzzkill." Silas raised his glass. "Want some girls to drink with us?"
Gideon Grant immediately kicked Silas under the table.
"Just kidding," Silas said. "President Sheffield is a family man. And President Grant, you're Sterling's chosen son-in-law now, don't do anything reckless."
"You really know how to push buttons, Silas."
Silas bumped Gideon's shoulder, "Why not just say yes to Mia Sheffield? Calling Hayden 'brother-in-law' wouldn't be a shame."
"Silas, nobody thinks you're mute if you shut up!"
"Hey, I'm just jealous. You guys don't know the pain of being single..."
Gideon Grant cleared his throat and asked, "Hayden, are you serious about Natalie Jennings?"
"Did marriage licenses start being fake?"
"If Natalie Jennings could help you get over what happened, that wouldn't be a bad thing."
Hayden Sheffield tipped his head back, downing the whole glass in one gulp, Adam's apple bobbing with manly intensity.
Natalie Jennings would love for him to drop dead. How could she ever heal him?
"Well, well," Silas suddenly whistled. "Isn't that your precious, hidden little wife over there? What's she doing here?"
Hayden Sheffield looked up, catching a glimpse of Natalie Jennings slipping in by the door.
She was scanning the place, as if looking for someone.
In the next suite over—
Peter Lowe sat beside Terrence Sheffield, piling on the flattery, while Leo Lowe was by the scented candles, scattering a small packet of powder into them.
As soon as Natalie Jennings entered, she caught a whiff of the strange fragrance.
She sneered, curling her lip in disdain. This old routine again? She was already prepared for this.
"What are you standing there for?" Peter Lowe spotted her. "Come pour the third young master a drink and apologize properly."
Natalie Jennings reached out her hand, "My jade pendant. Give it back."
"Make the third young master happy first—then I'll return it."
"Terrence Sheffield, huh..." Natalie Jennings suddenly smiled and drew out her vowels, "I'll pour for you, but dare you drink it? Can you trust it?"
Terrence Sheffield looked at her. "Why wouldn't I dare? You've got a decent face at least. Come on, finish these two bottles first!"
Natalie Jennings picked up a bottle—but suddenly swung it around and smashed it straight for Terrence Sheffield's forehead.
"Damn! You crazy bitch, trying to kill me?!"
Terrence barely dodged and swore, reaching out to grab her.
Natalie Jennings put him on the ground with three punches and two kicks, pinning his back with her knee. "Sweet dreams, third young master."
With that, she chopped his neck and Terrence Sheffield immediately passed out.
Peter Lowe and Leo Lowe stared in utter shock at the scene.
Natalie Jennings dusted off her hands crisply. "Hand over the jade pendant if you don't wanna get beaten up!"
Peter Lowe took out the jade pendant.
She reached for it, but Peter Lowe held it high. "You think I won't smash it to pieces?"