Chapter 2

Reyna walked out of the apartment building and headed straight to the nearest pawn shop. Under the clerk's bewildered stare, she handed over all the jewelry and donated the cash on the spot. Then, she fumbled for her phone and made a call. "Theo, can I stay in that apartment you gave me?" she asked. "Of course. Everything's set up. Reyna, have you finally come around?" She pressed her lips in a thin line as she glanced down at the DNA report in her hand. "Yeah. I'll wrap things up here in Halverdon, then head back to the Wood residence." "Good. If you need anything, just tell me. As long as I'm around, no one will ever wrong you again." Reyna hung up without another word. Half a month ago, Theo Wood, the eldest son of the Wood family, had come to her with a DNA report. He told her she was the long-lost daughter of Jexford's wealthiest family—the Wood family—and wanted to bring her back to Jexford to reunite with them. Reyna couldn't accept it at the time, and Theo didn't push her either. He simply said that Wood Group was planning to expand into Halverdon and told her to take her time. He even gave her an apartment as her private residence. She didn't want it, but Theo had already transferred the ownership and handed her the keys. Following the address, the cab driver drove into Halverdon's most exclusive luxury apartment district, Valemont Residences, and stopped in front of one of the buildings. Reyna took the elevator to the eighth floor and opened the door with her key, only to find herself stepping into a sprawling 2,000-square-foot luxury flat. Plush wool rugs covered the floor. The furnishings were lavish, and every appliance was top-tier. She stood there, stunned, until the doorbell rang behind her. It was a delivery guy, holding four bags of daily necessities. Her phone buzzed with a message from Theo. "If you need anything else, just let me know." Warmth spread through her chest. Reyna quickly replied, "It's more than enough. Thank you, Theo." After putting her things away, she stood before the massive floor-to-ceiling windows and felt a deep sense of irony. Wood Group would host a formal banquet to announce its entry into Halverdon in two weeks. Theo planned to reveal her identity as the Wood family heiress that very night. Originally, she had planned to tell Nathan about her identity today and take him with her to the event. With her status, solving Griffin Group's crisis would have been a piece of cake. But what she hadn't expected was for Nathan to have other plans all along. He never intended to marry her. She was nothing more than a plaything for him to vent his desires on. Reyna wondered how he would feel when he realized the very family he was desperate to enter through marriage was hers. She wanted to laugh. But the moment her lips curved up, a sour bitterness climbed up her throat and forced tears to her eyes. The silence in the apartment was deafening. Every bit of her pain was magnified, pressing down on her heart until it ached. It was so much that she could hardly breathe. The fridge was stocked with fresh groceries Theo had just bought, but she had no desire to cook. Instead, she grabbed her phone to order takeout and booze. She drank alone until she was completely wasted. The sky outside had long darkened when she stumbled out with the trash. Drunk and teetering, she dumped the garbage and turned right into a wall of muscle. A crisp, expensive cologne cut through the haze of alcohol in her nose. A strong hand caught her waist as a low, pleasant voice echoed down the quiet hallway. Reyna squinted up through hazy eyes. A face came into view. It was so unrealistically handsome, with sharp features and lashes so perfectly curled, it felt illegal. She took half a step back, tilted her head up, and saw clearly who it was. "Maxwell? What are you doing here?" During the eight years she dated Nathan, she would occasionally accompany him to social events. She had met many of his friends and associates, and Maxwell Hamilton was one of them. He was the most mysterious one, but by far the best-looking. Funny thing was, everyone else treated her with fake smiles out of respect for Nathan, but Maxwell didn't bother pretending. He always said what he thought, and it was rarely pleasant. He had once told her outright that Nathan didn't care about her. That bitterness boiling inside Reyna seemed to escape through a crack. She grabbed Maxwell's tie and yanked him down to her level. "Are you stalking me? Did you come to gloat because you were right? All you bastards are the same. Just because you've got a pretty face doesn't mean I won't slap it." Alcohol clouded her judgment. Like a drunken cat baring its claws, she lashed out, ready to strike back at everyone. But her weak little punch landed on Maxwell's chest. Through his black shirt, she could feel the firm contours of his toned muscles. She suddenly remembered that Nathan had once sternly warned her never to mess with Maxwell. The man had powerful connections, far beyond what they could afford to provoke. Driven by a rebellious urge for revenge, her hand slipped beneath Maxwell's shirt, brushing over his abs. Stumbling, she pushed him against the wall and, teetering on her tiptoes, planted an unsteady kiss on his jaw. "Wanna have a little fun?" Maxwell stiffened but didn't shove her away. After a pause, his hands settled on her waist. He was cooperative in letting her take control. His dark eyes locked onto her delicate face, then drifted to her soft, alluring lips. His voice came out low and rough. "What kind of fun?" Reyna chuckled. "Adult fun. What do you think?" Her hand trailed slowly across his abs. She couldn't help but wonder if sleeping with Nathan's close friend, right after ending things with him, was ruthless enough to count as real revenge. In the next second, Maxwell suddenly twisted her arm behind her back and pinned her to his chest. His low, husky voice was wrapped in a warning laced with danger. "Are you sure about that?" Their bodies were flush together now. Reyna could feel the change in Maxwell's body. She deliberately swayed her hips and breathed against his neck. "What, are you scared?" Maxwell's breath caught hard. His pupils were blown wide with lust. "Your place or mine?" As he spoke, he pressed her waist even closer into his embrace, as if he couldn't help himself. Reyna could almost feel the fierce pulse between them. At that instant, her mind snapped clear. What the hell was she doing? She scrambled out of his hold and tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "Sorry, I'm drunk. I was just kidding." Maxwell ran his fingers across his palm as he stared down at her bowed head. "Are you chickening out?" Reyna froze. She looked up at Maxwell's face, speechless. She couldn't tell whether she was the one who had gone mad, or if he had. He'd actually taken her seriously. Her anger flared up like a lit match. "You know I'm with Nathan, and you still want to sleep with me? God, you're just like him. Scumbag." Just as she turned to leave after letting it all out, Maxwell grabbed her wrist and pinned her against the wall. His warm breath ghosted over her lips. There was something dark and dangerous in his eyes. "You came on to me first. If you really want to know whether I'm like him, why not find out for yourself?" Reyna's rage boiled higher, but she couldn't shake him off. Then, she suddenly tilted her head and smiled sultrily. She wasn't wearing shoes. Her bare foot slowly traced up Maxwell's calf. "I prefer to be the one in charge."