Drugged

Two Months Later.

Bar Paradiso

People called it paradise on earth—a world of luxury and excess that others spent their whole lives pursuing. Yet, it was a world of decadence and corruption.

In one of the lavish private rooms, a man lounged on a sofa in the corner. His face was so strikingly handsome that it seemed like the masterpiece of a dedicated artist, sculpted with the utmost care. His sharp, defined features exuded a wild, yet refined allure, with an aura of untouchable power.

Resting his elegant chin on one hand, his deep brown eyes—mysterious and unfathomable, like a bottomless pool—gazed thoughtfully at an ancient painting on the wall. He gently swirled the wine in his glass, lost in thought.

With a tilt of his head, the fiery red liquid flowed smoothly down his throat, filling his mouth with its rich aroma. His cold, somber face, shrouded in the dim light, was a stark contrast to the vibrant, lively scene behind him.

Suddenly, the crisp sound of high heels clicking against the floor pierced the air, followed by a pair of slender arms wrapping around him. "Lion, everyone's waiting for you to give the word!"

The woman tugged at his arm, pulling him from the sofa. As she looked up at his chiseled features, her heart raced like a frantic deer.

No wonder he was Lionel Williams, the CEO of K International Group. It wasn't just his billion-dollar fortune; his god-like looks alone could stop traffic, captivating every woman who laid eyes on him. He was born to stand out, a beacon that had shattered countless women's hearts.

But she knew all too well that he was a man who stood at the pinnacle of the pyramid, a man with standards so high that someone like her, a mere woman of the night, could never hope to match.

His gaze, when it flicked over to her, was enigmatic and distant, with a subtle hint of coldness that was easy to miss. His thin lips curved ever so slightly, sending a chill down her spine. Those familiar with Lion knew this was a sign of his displeasure, and she quickly released her grip on his wrist.

"Lion, you're off in your own world, leaving us hanging. You should be punished."

Another man approached with a bright smile, holding a glass of wine.

How could anyone be so handsome? The women around the room felt both envy and an overwhelming urge to pounce on him.

"Lion, have a drink!" A sultry beauty, who had already toasted him several times, slid over to sit next to Lionel, holding the glass, stained with her lipstick, to his lips.

Lionel's brow furrowed slightly, and a faint, hollow smile flashed in his eyes. He took the bottle and poured himself a drink, then downed it in one go.

The seductive woman, familiar with his temperament, didn't mind. She happily withdrew her hand and finished her own drink.

"Lion, for you!"

"Lion, here's to you!"

"We want…"

Seeing the woman get so close to the handsome man, the others in the room became desperate. They quickly stood up and crowded around him, each one trying to offer him a drink.

The ignored men glanced at each other and sighed, "With Lion here, we can forget about getting any attention from the ladies. Let's go."

They wanted to say goodbye to Lionel, but seeing how busy he was, they figured he wouldn't have time to respond, so they quietly left the room.

The boisterous laughter and chatter didn't last much longer. Suddenly, Lionel's face darkened. The smile that had been playing in his eyes turned into a sharp, cutting glare that he swept coldly across the crowd of women. Their laughter froze on their lips.

It was the first time he had ever shown anger toward women. With his already commanding presence, combined with a look that seemed capable of killing, the women didn't dare to even breathe.

"Wh-what's wrong, Lion?" The woman's voice trembled as she reached for Lionel's hand, but she quickly withdrew when she met his icy gaze.

His eyes roved over the faces of the women, who felt as if the cold wind was slicing their skin. Clutching their glasses tightly, they noticed the liquid inside trembling uncontrollably.

"Get FUCKING out!" he suddenly roared like a beast, smashing his glass onto the floor with a loud crash that sent shards flying.

The women couldn't help but tremble violently. One after another, glasses shattered, and the women, abandoning all pretense, screamed and bolted like startled deer, fleeing in all directions.

In an instant, only a floor littered with broken glass remained. Lionel, now drenched in sweat, looked as if he were burning up with a fever. His pale face had turned a fiery red.

The heat surging through his body was sudden and overwhelming. He clenched his teeth, wiping the sweat from his brow.

Some fool had dared to drug him?!

After years of navigating the cutthroat business world, this wasn't the first time someone had tried to poison him, but the dose this time must have been at least three times the usual amount.

It was clear—someone was dead set on taking him down tonight!

Give you what you want.

Lionel squinted his eyes. He knew he couldn't make it far and needed to find a room immediately. Stumbling out of the private room, his body felt like it was about to explode from the searing heat coursing through him. His silver-gray shirt was already soaked through with sweat.

He staggered his way up to the VIP rooms on the 15th floor. As he stumbled toward a door, he was fortunate—it was unlocked and automatically opened. He needed to cool down his body fast.

As he lifted his leg to step inside, out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a woman lurking under the dim, yellowish corridor light. She was acting suspiciously, glancing around nervously, and slowly edging closer to him.

Lionel rubbed his eyes. Despite his increasingly muddled mind, he recognized her immediately—she was the same woman who had been trying hard to flatter him with drinks earlier.

With his experience in dealing with women, he could tell what they were thinking with just a glance or a subtle gesture.

At first glance, he thought this woman seemed demure and elegant, a bit refreshing and unique. But at a second glance, her overly revealing low-cut dress and her bold moves when toasting him—those sultry, seductive eyes that screamed of her desire to pounce on him—disgusted him. The hypocrisy was nauseating.

Chloe walked cautiously, carefully checking the room numbers as she went. She was so focused that she didn't notice anyone at the door until she suddenly bumped into Lionel. She let out a startled cry, her eyes flashing with panic.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" She apologized, her head bowed, trying to sidestep Lionel and move past him.

But as they passed each other, Lionel grabbed her hand, his voice full of gritted anger and a murderous edge, "Bitch, no one dares to treat me like this!"

He believed that no one had ever dared to cross him. Yet here he was, being plotted against—by a mere woman, no less, and one as hypocritically self-righteous as her!

Chloe was stunned and flustered by Lionel's sudden action. "S-Sir, what are you doing?"

She was so shocked that she momentarily forgot to pull her hand away, but the scorching heat from Lionel's grip snapped her back to reality. She began desperately trying to yank her hand free.

"Still pretending?" Lionel shook his increasingly fuzzy head and sneered, "You've been cozying up to me all night, showing off your cleavage, stroking my thigh, all just to climb into my bed, haven't you?"

He thought she had drugged him, waiting for the moment the drug took effect to offer herself to him. Wasn't that her plan?

Her soft, delicate hand was cool to the touch, a stark contrast to the heat radiating from his body, and he found himself wanting to pull that coolness even closer.

Chloe's dark eyes quickly filled with terror. "W-What are you talking about?" Her voice trembled with anger. "Let go!" When she couldn't break free, she frantically used her other hand to help. In the struggle, Lionel's burning arm brushed against the cool softness of her skin.

A fire ignited in his eyes, burning brightly.

"Hmph, you're quite the actress!" More sweat dripped down his face as he realized that just a cold bath wouldn't be enough to cool him down tonight.

His gaze locked onto the smooth, white curve of her neck, and his body reacted sharply. He made a quick decision—whoever had the guts to drug him should be ready to face the consequences.

Right now, he didn't care if this woman was merely trying to seduce him or if she had some other agenda. Once tonight was over, he could deal with her and ensure she wouldn't cause any trouble.

Almost as soon as he made his decision, Lionel pulled the struggling woman into his arms and dragged her into the room.

***

On the other side of the corridor, a scantily clad woman watched the brief struggle between Lionel and Chloe.

At first, she was too stunned to react, but the sound of the door slamming shut jolted her back to reality. Her eyes filled with tears, glistening with hatred.

Before she could think any further, the door behind her silently opened. A strong male hand grabbed her wrist and yanked her inside.

"Ah…" Her scream was quickly muffled as she was thrown forcefully onto an enormous bed.

Before she could get up, three burly men pounced on her like ravenous wolves…

An Accidental Night

The other side

In the dimly lit room, the atmosphere was hazy and suggestive. The sound of fabric tearing sharply cut through the air as the woman's long dress was ripped by the man's hands, scattering in tatters across the floor.

"Let... let me go..." Chloe's pleas were filled with fear as the man's sudden ferocity and the unbearable heat from his body made her tender skin burn painfully.

Despite knowing she couldn't escape his clutches, she continued to beg, "Please... let me go..." Her voice trembled, and her tear-streaked face was a heart-wrenching sight.

Lionel hesitated for a moment. The woman's delicate, white neck seemed to carry a subtle fragrance, and her trembling, bloodied lips were even more enticing.

Her hands, crossed defensively over her chest, only drew more attention to her seductive allure. Her bare skin was pale and incredibly soft, like that of a fairy.

After a brief hesitation, Lionel lost the last remnants of his rationality to the seductive woman. Like a predator, he swiftly overpowered her.

Never one to kiss women, he found her lips irresistibly tender and sweet, capturing them with precision and taking complete control of her.

Chloe kept her eyes tightly shut, tears streaming down her face. She stubbornly clenched her lips, even as they bled, trying to withstand the physical and emotional humiliation.

The man, wild and bloodthirsty, was drenched in sweat, which streamed from his face down his solid chest and further down.

***

As dawn broke, the room finally fell silent.

Chloe lay curled up, her eyes still shedding unfallen tears, while a thin blanket lay haphazardly over her. Her exposed neck and long, pale legs bore vivid marks—red and purple bruises.

Lionel, his long frame twisted, lay beside her, seemingly cradling her in his arms. His handsome face relaxed into a satisfied expression. The room was littered with clothes, pants, and torn fabric, a chaotic scene revealing the intensity of the previous night's events.

BANG--

Suddenly, footsteps echoed in the corridor, followed by a loud voice as the door was kicked open.

Click, click!

Cameras and phones flashed continuously as a large group of men and women, energized and excited, snapped photos of the chaotic scene.

"How dare you!" The man roared in fury, gripping the sheets tightly.

Startled awake by the commotion, the woman's already pale face turned ghostly white. In a panic, she instinctively pulled the blanket over her head.

But it was too late.

The sudden roar from Lionel made everyone freeze, their shock and amazement palpable. The murderous look in his eyes was unmistakable!

As the crowd snapped out of their stupor and tried to flee, Lionel, moving with lightning speed, blocked their escape route. The group was left stunned, their fear increasing as they realized Lionel's rage.

Just moments ago, the man had been in bed, but now, fully dressed in a bathrobe, he was behind them. No one had seen how he managed it.

"Smash everything!" Lionel, embodying his innate authority, had a face full of murderous intent. His cold, ruthless gaze and the command that followed left no room for disobedience.

Smash—

Smash—

The sound of shattering phones and cameras filled the room, as Lionel's orders were carried out with relentless precision.

"Get out!" His voice, like that of a vengeful demon, made the intruders tremble as they hurriedly fled.

It was clear that these people were not professional journalists.

No one in the media would dare to be so bold as to invade his private space and photograph him in such a compromising situation.

Even if it was just a simple photo or scandalous news about him, no one dared to leak it without his permission.

These intruders were clearly reckless, emerging from the depths of obscurity.

Lionel's attention turned back to the woman on the bed. His sharp eyes locked onto her. The woman, who had been curled up in a ball, had now quickly donned a bathrobe. She stared at him with a cold, proud, and defiant gaze.

Still pretending?

Lionel couldn't help but smile in disdain. This woman had some nerve to challenge him!

He advanced towards the bed, clearly seeing her shoulders tremble. Yet she stood straight, maintaining her composure.

Good, she had guts!

As he neared her, before he could make any move, the woman threw a wad of cash at him. "No need to look for me. Consider this a reward for your efforts last night."

Chloe, who had always held herself with pride, was not one to beg. Last night, she had felt humiliated begging him, only for this beastly man to still take advantage of her.

Men, besides her father, were all the same!

If that was the case, why should she show weakness in front of him? She treated him as if he were merely a paid escort for a wild night!

Lionel stood stunned for a moment, his usually sharp intellect momentarily short-circuited. It dawned on him—had he been hired for a night of service? His face turned a deep shade of anger.

The white-clad figure had already darted toward the door. All he saw was her slender back, which seemed to carry the fragrance of flowers..

"Ha…" Lionel's lips curled into a twisted smile. Looking at the few bills scattered at his feet, his smile widened.

The president of K International Group, a figure at the pinnacle of power, had his night reduced to mere pieces of paper?

The woman had some nerve!

A sinister, bloodthirsty look crossed Lionel's handsome face. Though he had been unconscious of his actions last night, he had sensed that she was still a virgin.

But now… Lionel, the heir of the Williams, had his nearly 30-year-old pride destroyed by this woman.

To add insult to injury, she had treated him like a gigolo!

Well, well. Very well!

He would wait for this audacious woman to come to her senses and face the consequences!

"Barton, find out about the escort at Paradiso…" Lionel made a call, his eyes chillingly cold. This matter was far from over.

With his keen insight, he could sense that someone was out to get him, and they seemed unable to hold back any longer!