Samuel grabbed Kylie by the waist, locking her in his embrace. With his other hand, he took her phone and said in an indifferent voice laced with danger, "I'll make the call."

Kylie quickly snatched the phone back. "I'll do it!"

Late at night, a sleek white supercar pulled up in front of the dazzling, gold-lit entrance of Zouk Lounge, which was an exclusive, top-tier private club. 

Having money alone wasn't enough to get in. Members had to pass multiple layers of vetting. How could Kylie have free access to a place like this?

Owen opened the door to a private lounge and was caught off guard when he saw Samuel inside.

"Mr. Vance." He recovered quickly and greeted Samuel before turning to Kylie. "Kyls, do you know Mr. Vance?"

"I…" Kylie had just opened her mouth when an arm wrapped around her, pulling her onto a firm lap. A strong hand pressed against her waist, locking her in place.

Kylie changed into her slippers, and she couldn't hold herself back before saying, "Why did you have to meet Owen? Didn't you want to keep our relationship a secret from everyone?"

Samuel replied indifferently, "Compared to me, Owen wants it hidden even more."

It was a simple sentence, yet it was filled with absolute certainty and a hint of calculated cruelty.

She was at a loss for words. She said nothing else and turned to head toward her room. Just as she reached the hallway, his cold, commanding voice rang out behind her.

"It's the last time you see Owen. He won't be showing up again."

She stopped walking and turned back, her eyes full of disbelief. "What do you mean by that?"

He let out a low, mocking laugh. "He's stepping away from the spotlight. He won't return to Seaville for the next three years."

"Stepping away?" Kylie frowned. She knew little about the entertainment indu

"Are you saying you're unwilling to give the money?" Euphemia gritted her teeth in frustration.

"I don't owe you anything. Donating my bone marrow was a payback. Now, we're even." Kylie's voice was colder and firmer than ever.
 
Euphemia wouldn't be satisfied even if she gave her the money. She'd only keep pushing for more. Besides, she didn't even have one million to give.

"In that case, don't blame me for what happens next!"

"Go ahead and call the reporters. But…" Kylie paused, then let out a cold laugh. "Are you sure Samuel wants all of this out in the open?"

The Dale family might not care about their reputation, but Samuel wouldn't allow his to be tarnished. And the Vance family was much less so.

"You…" Euphemia's face turned red with rage, and she was completely at a loss for words.

"Don't get too comfortable just yet, Kylie!" Her voice was sharp with bitterness. "Vincent is halfway to his grave. Who knows when he'll finally drop dead? Just wait and see!

"Offending your own family while your in-laws don't even want you? I can't wait to see how you handle that!"

Kylie's voice was icy but carried a hint of amusement. "That's my business. You don't need to worry about that."

Euphemia froze for a moment. She hadn't expected this country bumpkin to be such a tough nut to crack. Before she could say anything else, Kylie ended the call.

It was late. After being interrupted by Euphemia, she no longer felt like reading through the documents. Instead, she got up and started unpacking the shopping bags.

There were several of them, and they were all filled with clothes.

Upstairs, Samuel called Logan into the study and got straight to the point. "Did she use my card when she went shopping on the day we returned to the Vance residence?"

Logan wasn't sure why this was suddenly a concern. He hesitated for a second before answering truthfully.

Then, as if testing the waters, he cautiously added, "Mr. Vance, I don't think Ms. Clark is as materialistic as we thought."

The second the words left his mouth, Samuel's gaze turned ice-cold.

"Are you defending her?"

"I wouldn't dare!"

Samuel stood by the floor-to-ceiling window with his white dress shirt sleeves rolled up slightly, revealing a strong wrist. His expression was utterly indifferent.

"You don't get it," he said in a slow and deliberate tone. "You need to dangle the bait long enough before the fish takes it. She's not Mrs. Vance yet—of course, she has to hold back and hide her true intentions."

More than that, she had a talent for keeping his attention on her. He had to admit that Kylie was the smartest woman he'd ever met.

Logan frowned. Was that really the case?

Samuel waved him off. "Keep watching her."

"Yes, Mr. Vance."

After Logan left, Samuel walked out of the study as well. Kylie was still sorting through the clothes when she heard the knock at the door.

"It's open. Come in," she said without looking back.

If she didn't accept the clothes, Owen would just find another way to make it up to her. To avoid unnecessary trouble, she figured she might as well take them. 

Since she accepted them, she would definitely wear them. There was no point in hiding it.

Just then, something slipped out of one of the clothing bags and landed on the floor—an envelope.

Her heart skipped a beat. Instinctively, she snatched it up and hid it behind her back.

By then, the tall, striking man had already stepped inside. He looked down at her. "What's that? Hand it over."

His voice was deep and commanding, leaving no room for refusal.

"I don't know…"

This rotten luck of hers was unreal. Of all times for the envelope to show up, did it have to be now? And of all people, it had to be Samuel who walked in.

"I don't like repeating myself." His patience was wearing thin, his dark eyes flashing with something dangerously sharp.

She hesitated for a few seconds before finally handing it over. He opened the envelope with his long fingers and pulled out a single sheet of paper.

She had no idea what was written on it. She held her breath, closely watching his expression, not daring to blink. She clung to a sliver of hope that it was just a generic thank-you note from the store.

"Where did these clothes come from?" His lips parted slightly. His face remained unreadable.

"Owen felt guilty about what happened that day, so he bought me a few outfits," she answered honestly without hesitation. Lying to Samuel was a death wish.

"Is he guilty enough to offer himself to you?" His gaze swept over her. His tone was indifferent, but it carried an icy edge that sent shivers down her spine.

She had already seen how unpredictable he could be, so she tensed up instinctively and was on high alert.

"What do you mean?"

Upon seeing his cold expression, she quickly explained, "It's not like that. Owen gave me the clothes out of guilt—nothing more. 

"As for why I didn't use your card, well… like you said, I'm not Mrs. Vance yet. I didn't want you to think I was after your money and that I was materialistic."

His expression darkened in an instant. He ruthlessly threw the envelope, along with the thin letter inside, straight at her. She was stunned, and her eyes widened in confusion.

His strikingly handsome face had lost all trace of warmth. His presence felt suffocating.

"Have you found yourself a backup already?" His voice dripped with mockery. "Is it that you don't trust your own medical skills, or do you just not trust your own charm?

"Did you seriously think marriage is something you can start and end whenever you feel like it? That you could just walk away whenever you wanted? What do you take me for?"

"A backup?" She was dumbfounded. "What are you talking about?"

She hurried to pick up the letter.

"Drop the act."

His voice was sharp as a blade as he read out the contents, his expression growing colder by the second.

"You once took care of me, and it's my turn to take care of you now. Kyls, trust me—I'll give you a better life. Let's grow old together…"

He let out a mocking laugh. "Grow old together? Secret meetings behind my back? You're enjoying all this attention from other men, aren't you?"

"I…" She barely had time to speak before he cut her off. His voice was commanding. "Give me your phone."

She handed it over hesitantly, unsure of what he was going to do.

"Unlock it."

She did as he asked. His fingers moved swiftly, opening her contacts.

There weren't many numbers saved, and it didn't take him long to find Owen's. When he saw the name "Owen" in her contacts, his eyes burned with fury.

Her heart pounded. She held her breath, waiting for his next move. But he simply tossed the phone back to her with an unreadable expression. "Call him and ask him out."

She froze. "Now?"

"Don't you want to?" His cold, taunting voice fell on her like a hammer. His dark eyes locked onto hers, sharp and unyielding.

She stiffened. Upon seeing her hesitate, he lost what little patience he had left. His hand shot out, grabbing her wrist and yanking her forward.

She was caught completely off guard and crashed into his chest. Even through his white dress shirt, she could feel the solid muscles beneath him and the dangerous air surrounding him.


Samuel grabbed Kylie by the waist, locking her in his embrace. With his other hand, he took her phone and said in an indifferent voice laced with danger, "I'll make the call."

Kylie quickly snatched the phone back. "I'll do it!"

Late at night, a sleek white supercar pulled up in front of the dazzling, gold-lit entrance of Zouk Lounge, which was an exclusive, top-tier private club. 

Having money alone wasn't enough to get in. Members had to pass multiple layers of vetting. How could Kylie have free access to a place like this?

Owen opened the door to a private lounge and was caught off guard when he saw Samuel inside.

"Mr. Vance." He recovered quickly and greeted Samuel before turning to Kylie. "Kyls, do you know Mr. Vance?"

"I…" Kylie had just opened her mouth when an arm wrapped around her, pulling her onto a firm lap. A strong hand pressed against her waist, locking her in place.

The sudden crisp scent of cedarwood mixed with a trace of something uniquely masculine stole her b

Chapter 22