Marielle Duvall was genuinely terrified.
Rowan Blackwood was a domineering and relentless man—one who pursued his goals without regard for anyone else's opinion. She had known this about him for a long time. Though drawing his attention was part of her plan, she hadn't expected to be exposed so soon.
If the burn scars on her body were ever revealed to Rowan Blackwood, her entire scheme would collapse. All the searing torment of the past five years would be utterly wasted.
At the thought, a surge of strength welled up inside her. She swiftly lifted her head and drove it straight into Rowan's nose.
A sharp, stinging pain shot through Rowan.
He immediately let go of her, blood gushing from his nose. His beautiful, almond-shaped eyes fixed on Marielle like a venomous serpent's, glaring at this audacious woman.
"You're quite skilled at feigned resistance—very calculated. But Marielle Duvall, 

Having lived abroad for years, Marielle Duvall was well-acquainted with camera flashes—particularly the glare from reflective surfaces in sunlight.
The woman before her, Selina Vaughn, remained as devious as she was five years ago. While outwardly seeking reconciliation, she had secretly arranged for someone to record the scene. If Marielle's instincts were correct, shortly after her return to Horizon Corp, a video depicting her bullying Selina would surface online.
Then, just as five years prior, Marielle Duvall would again become a target of public condemnation. Now, as a distinguished designer and Argentum Group member, the scandal wouldn't affect her alone.
Selina Vaughn had indeed calculated meticulously.
Marielle released a cold laugh. "Miss Vaughn, what's your game? Confronting me at the company gates, then appearing at my door playing victim, while having someone film from the sh

The doorbell kept ringing, but Marielle seemed not to hear it, still lazily lying there, thinking about how unwilling Selina must be at this moment, yet having no choice but to come and beg her. 
Back then, after narrowly escaping death, the first shocking news upon waking was the online abuse against her. Those unbearable photos with men and the curses of infidelity almost made her lose the courage to live. If it weren't for Nolan's presence encouraging her, she might have died from others' spittle even if she hadn't perished in that fire. She later found out that all of this was orchestrated by Selina. 
Destroying her marriage, secretly having a child with Rowan, and forcing her to bear such infamy, even if Selina died ten thousand times, it wouldn't be enough to atone. But Marielle was not in a hurry to settle accounts with her now. 
Boiling a frog in warm water is quite fun, isn't it? 
Thinking of this, Marielle's lips curled slightly, but the charming smile didn't reach her eyes.
Rowan knocked for a long time, and there was no movement inside, making it seem like no one was home. But he was unwilling to give up, with a persistent obsession in his heart to see for himself if Marielle was indeed at Chloe's house. 
The persistent knocking lasted for about ten minutes before Marielle got up and came out. 
She was wearing a loose nightgown, yet it couldn't hide her beautiful figure. Her hair was loose, and she opened the door barefoot, casually saying, "Who is it? So rude!" 
Rowan was suddenly stunned. 
Marielle's laziness and casualness reminded him of his wife. 
"Marielle..." 
He subconsciously murmured, which left Marielle stunned on the spot. 
How could it be him? 
Although she knew living at Chloe's house would make Rowan suspicious, she didn't expect him to find her so quickly. 
Panic flashed in her eyes, but she quickly adjusted her emotions, even awkwardly pulling her collar, coughing as she said, "Mr. Blackwood? Why are you here?" 
This "Mr. Blackwood" pulled Rowan's mind back. 
His eyes narrowed slightly, scanning Marielle as if trying to see through her. 
Marielle's palms were sweaty, but she forced herself to remain calm, smiling as she said, "Mr. Blackwood, your gaze could be misunderstood. If your future Mrs. Blackwood sees it, I might be in trouble again."
"Who exactly are you?" 
Rowan didn't intend to beat around the bush with Marielle. He asked directly, his sharp eyes staring straight into Marielle's. 
Marielle used to fear his eyes, as if they could see through one's heart. Even after five years of experience, she was still somewhat timid but had to force herself to look directly at Rowan. 
"Who does Mr. Blackwood think I should be?" 
She smiled like a flower, her eyes clear, even with a hint of seduction. 
If it were another woman, Rowan would have turned away without hesitation, but Marielle in front of him gave him too many doubts. 
Rowan suddenly stepped forward, pinning Marielle against the wall. 
"Miss Duvall, you better not play tricks on me. I, Rowan Blackwood, am not someone to be toyed with. If you provoke me, you should be prepared to be shattered." 
He was so close to her, close enough to feel each other's breath. Marielle clenched her hands tightly, but her smile grew even brighter. 
"Is Mr. Blackwood flirting with me? Or is this the method Horizon Corp uses to retain talent?" 
"Marielle, what is your purpose here? Don't tell me you don't know the connection between this place and my wife. You share the same name and both know Chloe. Is all this just a coincidence?" 
Rowan's breathing became a bit rapid. 
His warm breath sprayed on Marielle's face, and she could even feel the strength of his chest muscles beneath his shirt. 
He was still as charming as ever! 
Unfortunately, he was a heartless man. 
Marielle's eyes lowered slightly, and she said softly, "Mr. Blackwood's wife? Is it Miss Vaughn?" 
She looked up again, her eyes devoid of any emotion, as clear as a spring. 
Rowan's heart suddenly trembled. 
Such familiar eyes, such a gaze, who else but Marielle? 
But why wouldn't she admit it? 
Why wasn't that face the one in his memory? 
Was it because of that fire? 
Rowan suddenly reached out, grabbing Marielle's collar, instinctively trying to pull it down. 
Marielle was directly frightened. 
"Rowan, what are you doing? I warn you, if you touch me again, I'll call the police!" 
She tightly grasped her collar, her palms sweating again. 
She couldn't let him do this! 
Although she had undergone plastic surgery in the past five years, the burn scars still existed to some extent. 
She had anticipated Rowan's suspicion and investigation, but she didn't expect him to be so reckless. After all, she was still a designer at Argentum Group, wasn't she? 
Seeing Marielle's panicked eyes, Rowan's gaze paused for a moment. 
"What do you think I'm going to do? Isn't this your purpose?" 
As he spoke, Rowan's hand exerted a slight force, showing a kind of reckless madness.



Marielle Duvall was genuinely terrified.
Rowan Blackwood was a domineering and relentless man—one who pursued his goals without regard for anyone else's opinion. She had known this about him for a long time. Though drawing his attention was part of her plan, she hadn't expected to be exposed so soon.
If the burn scars on her body were ever revealed to Rowan Blackwood, her entire scheme would collapse. All the searing torment of the past five years would be utterly wasted.
At the thought, a surge of strength welled up inside her. She swiftly lifted her head and drove it straight into Rowan's nose.
A sharp, stinging pain shot through Rowan.
He immediately let go of her, blood gushing from his nose. His beautiful, almond-shaped eyes fixed on Marielle like a venomous serpent's, glaring at this audacious woman.
"You're quite skilled at feigned resistance—very calculated. But Marielle Duvall, you're still too inexperienced before me. Speak—what is your true purpose? Who are you really?"
Thou

Chapter 15 What Are You Doing?