Elizabeth Cox glanced nervously at her phone as it rang again. The caller ID—"Kataleya the Rogue"—flashed across the screen, making her feel like a rabbit caught in headlights. "What should I do? Kataleya and the others must be suspicious by now," she worried to herself. Normally, she was composed. This was a situation she'd never seen coming, and it left her completely thrown.

Her usually serene, pretty face was clouded with worry. Maximilian Carter reached over and plucked the phone from her hand.

"What are you doing?" Elizabeth's face furrowed with concern, her fingers tightening around the phone on instinct.

"I'll handle it," Maximilian said, reaching for it again. Elizabeth hesitated, but faced with his steady, confident calm, she slowly let go—reluctantly.

"Just don't say anything you'll regret," she pleaded, watching him with anxious anticipation as he answered the call.

"Hello, this is Maximilian Carter. I found this phone last night. My assistant will return it later. As for her..." He let his gaze linger on Elizabeth's innocent, lovely face.

Elizabeth nearly froze. Her eyes went wide, and she held her breath as she watched him, terrified that one wrong word could wreck everything.

Especially when Maximilian seemed to hesitate. Her whole body tensed, mirroring her spiraling anxiety.

Desperate for him to keep going, Elizabeth silently urged him on with her eyes. Just say it!

Maximilian clearly caught the discomfort and awkwardness rolling off her. He paused on purpose, wanting to tease her a little. When he saw that pitiful expression on her face, a faint smile tugged at his lips. "I don't know," he finally added.

Elizabeth let out a shaky breath. She had narrowly dodged a bullet.

"I'll return the phone to your colleague shortly," Maximilian said, placing her phone next to his.

"Okay, but when should I go downstairs? Will anyone notice?" Elizabeth asked, her eyes full of apprehension as she looked at him.

Guilt churned in her stomach. She had always found romantic entanglements awkward, and the idea of being with her boss made her want to disappear into thin air.

Maximilian's dark eyes were like the ocean under moonlight—steady and calm, a stark contrast to Elizabeth's worried, anxious energy. "Everyone is at the restaurant now. Stay here and leave a bit later."

"All right," Elizabeth nodded, sitting obediently on the bed, her gaze fixed on her nervously twisting fingers.

Maximilian dressed in front of her without any attempt to hide himself, his model-like physique and sharply defined features moving with calm elegance.

Elizabeth couldn't help but sneak a glance, her heart fluttering inexplicably. Kataleya's imagination hadn't been far from the truth—Maximilian's composed exterior masked a passionate intensity.

"I'll take responsibility for this," Maximilian said suddenly as he buttoned his shirt.

Caught up in her thoughts, Elizabeth was startled by his words. She looked up, eyes wide. The next moment, she shook her head hard. "No, no, it's not necessary. We're both adults, and it was mutual. You don't need to take responsibility."

She was just a recent graduate with an ordinary job, while he was an influential figure with unimaginable wealth. She couldn't even dream of reaching such heights.

To drive the point home, Elizabeth repeated "no" several times, her face set in clear resistance. Maximilian frowned slightly, as if he were a tyrant pressuring an innocent girl.

"I'm serious," he insisted.

"So am I!" Elizabeth declared, her voice firm. "I just hope this stays between us. I don't want anyone else to know. That's my only request."

Avoiding his intense gaze, Elizabeth fixed her eyes on her feet, feeling overwhelmed by him.

Maximilian studied her for a moment before conceding, "All right. I'll head down then."

"Okay," Elizabeth nodded, silently begging him to leave quickly.

With a final glance, Maximilian took both phones and left the room.

"Phew..." Elizabeth let out a long breath.

Alone in the room, she flopped onto the bed, rolled over, and punched the soft comforter. "Elizabeth, you must be out of your mind. Of all the handsome men in the world, why did you sleep with Maximilian Carter?" she scolded herself.

After wallowing for a while, Elizabeth figured enough time had passed. Her colleagues were probably all downstairs by now. She washed her face, put on a mask, and cautiously opened the door a crack.

Seeing no one in the hallway, she quickly slipped out and gently closed the door behind her.

Instead of taking the elevator, she opted for the stairs.

Astrid Gonzalez stood by the stairwell door, frowning as she noted the room Elizabeth had just exited. It was... the CEO's room?

...

Elizabeth descended a few flights of stairs before arriving at her own room, where she used her key card to quickly pack her belongings.

After placing her luggage on the bus, Elizabeth made her way to the dining hall.

As a top-tier global enterprise, Carter Group was a powerhouse with a stronghold at the top of the business world, attracting talented people from all over. Among the many brilliant women, Elizabeth stood out the most.

Her presence was like a breath of fresh air—gentle and soothing, yet carrying an unspoken grace and coolness.

As soon as she appeared, sharp-eyed Kataleya spotted her and waved energetically. "Elizabeth, over here!"

Elizabeth followed the voice and waved back. Suddenly, she felt an intense gaze and turned, accidentally locking eyes with Maximilian. His striking profile was sharply defined, and his dark eyes seemed to hold the memory of their shared night.

Wasn't he supposed to have gone down first? Why was he still at the restaurant entrance?

"Elizabeth, darling, are you still hungover? Why are you walking so funny?" Kataleya teased as she jogged over and linked arms with Elizabeth.

"I twisted my ankle wearing heels last night," Elizabeth explained, feeling a bit embarrassed.

Having indulged too much last night—and again this morning—her legs still felt weak.

"Tsk, tsk. Seeing you like this, all shy and delicate, did you perhaps get wild with our handsome CEO last night? Your walk suggests you had quite the adventure," Kataleya joked, a mischievous glint in her eye.

Elizabeth nearly dropped to her knees in front of her friend—Kataleya had a knack for teasing, especially when it came to romance.

Elizabeth's cheeks flushed crimson as she pleaded, "There are people around. Please, stop it!"

Seeing Elizabeth so flustered, Kataleya found even more reason to tease. "Unless... you got drunk and just happened to bump into our dashing CEO?"

Elizabeth's face burned even hotter. Kataleya, ever the jokester, kept hitting the nail on the head with her guesses.

"But still, it didn't happen," Elizabeth protested weakly. "You've been reading too many trashy romance novels."

Kataleya observed Elizabeth, noting her guilty yet stubborn demeanor, and laughed. She raised her eyes and saw Maximilian approaching, surrounded by senior executives.

"You don't admit it? I'll ask Mr. Carter myself," Kataleya said, waving cheerfully at the oncoming Maximilian. "Mr. Carter!"

Panic surged through Elizabeth as the rest of her colleagues turned to watch. The man who looked like he belonged on a pedestal moved gracefully toward them, his presence commanding attention.

If Kataleya mentioned anything in front of Maximilian, Elizabeth worried he might decide to let the cat out of the bag!

She was so screwed.

“Thank you for last night...”

Kataleya barely got the words out before Elizabeth Cox cut in. She dipped into a slight bow toward Maximilian Carter. “Thank you, Mr. Carter, for finding my phone last night. If I'd lost it, all those important documents and files would've been gone. I'm truly grateful.”

The words—and the sincerity stamped on her face—were almost too earnest. To anyone in the know, it was just a phone. To anyone who wasn't, it might've sounded like something far worse had happened to warrant that kind of gratitude.

Kataleya stood frozen beside her, her own curiosity forgotten as she stared at Elizabeth with wide eyes.

“Just a small favor,” Maximilian said smoothly, his dark eyes briefly meeting hers.

“We won't keep you from your breakfast, Mr. Carter. Please, enjoy your meal.” Elizabeth gently pulled Kataleya aside, her face fixed in a tight smile. Her eyes silently pleaded with Maximilian, begging him to drop the subject and not mention what had happened the night before.

Maximilian's gaze lingered on her a beat longer. Then, without another word, he headed toward the main dining table.

As his group passed Elizabeth and Kataleya, relief crashed through her.

She had been terrified.

Drawing a deep breath, Elizabeth realized she was soaked in a cold sweat. Shaken didn't even begin to cover it.

Kataleya, momentarily distracted from her gossip, was glued to the sight of Maximilian's retreating form. “Mr. Carter is stunning from afar, but up close? Wow. Dating a man like that would make your whole family celebrate!”

Elizabeth let out a chuckle despite herself, teasing, “If your family knew what you were thinking, they’d never let you live it down.”

Kataleya rolled her eyes dramatically. “Oh, stop it. Let's eat. Afterward, I'm heading home to see my boyfriend.”

“Sounds good,” Elizabeth agreed, grateful her mischievous friend was so easily distracted by food. She was relieved Kataleya didn't press her about last night.

After lunch, the annual company retreat officially wrapped up. Employees were to head home by bus, while upper management rolled out in their luxury cars.

Elizabeth took a window seat on the bus, staring outside, lost in thought. Her reverie was interrupted by Kataleya's excited voice from the seat ahead. “Oh my god, Mr. Carter's Rolls-Royce is breathtaking! Why wasn’t I lucky enough to land a handsome, wealthy CEO like that?”

Elizabeth watched the imposing luxury car roll by. The contrast between their lives was stark.

Her phone kept buzzing with messages, dragging her attention away from the window. It was her mother. Before the gala, her family had been trying to marry her off to an older man—pushing her to lock it down fast because he'd promised her family a massive marriage settlement.

Elizabeth had refused. She'd thought the whole thing had blown over, like it had before. But when she got home, the pressure to marry was worse than ever.

To avoid going home early, she stayed at the office all day, then hid out at a nearby library until late before finally heading back.

At her door, she took a deep breath and turned the key.

Opening the door, she was shocked to find her belongings strewn across the living room floor.

Her mother was on the couch, crying uncontrollably.

“Who threw my things out?” Elizabeth's fists clenched in rage at the sight.

“Our lady of the house has returned,” Sabrina said sarcastically from the couch, eyes glued to her game.

Hearing this, her stepfather, Barry, who had been smoking on the balcony, stormed in, furious, tossing his cigarette aside.

Before she could react, he slapped her hard across the face. “After all we've done to raise you, you contribute nothing to this family! We found a good match for you, and you ruined it! The man agreed to pay the family generously, and you didn't even show up for the date. Where have you been, messing around with some guy until this hour?!”

Barry's words were harsh and condescending. Had Elizabeth's mother not intervened, he might have struck her again.

The blow landed hard, a hot swell already rising on Elizabeth's fair cheek. It caught her completely off guard.

Her eyes widened in disbelief, disillusionment washing over her. Despite years of mistreatment and verbal abuse, she'd always handed over most of her paycheck to help them, keeping only a small portion for herself. Her patience and devotion had gotten her nothing but the prospect of being sold off to a stranger.

Something inside her snapped. Elizabeth lashed out, hurling her purse at Barry.

“What gives you the right to hit me? My real parents never did. Who the hell do you think you are to lay a hand on me?”

“You ungrateful brat! Your father is dead. I'm your father now, and if it wasn't for me and my compassion, you wouldn't have a roof over your head!” Barry shouted, stepping back, clutching his face where the purse had hit him.

“You're pathetic!” Elizabeth retorted coldly, standing tall in the doorway, staring him down with icy defiance. “I put myself through school, earned my own living, and my mom works multiple jobs to keep this household afloat. And you call us a burden!”

She trembled with anger, her eyes fixed on Barry, filled with a fierce resolve.

“If you hadn't tricked my mom into signing over my dad's house, you'd have nowhere to live!”

"Elizabeth, lower your voice," her mother said softly, disapproval threading through the words. Elizabeth caught the swollen, tear-stained eyes—the kind that came from hours of crying. Even now, after all this upheaval, her mother was still reaching for peace. It left Elizabeth worn thin, drained down to the bone.

Elizabeth drew a deep breath and pulled herself together. "Then why don't you offer your own daughter up for sale?" The words came out sharp with frustration.

"I am not marrying a guy who looks like a pig," Sabrina cut in from the couch, smug and completely unbothered. "Elizabeth, you'd better hurry up and say yes while you're still young. Otherwise, once you hit thirty, nobody's going to want you."

Elizabeth's anger simmered beneath the surface—a silent storm of cold fury. She turned to her mother. "Mom, is that what you think too?"

Her mother's evasive gaze said enough. Elizabeth felt like a stranger in her own home.

"Sabrina," her mother said, trying to quiet her other daughter, but Sabrina just rolled her eyes with blatant indifference.

"Either you get married tomorrow, or you get out of my house!" Barry, her stepfather, declared with icy finality.

Elizabeth looked at her mother, exasperation written all over her face. "Mom, after all these years, what do you have to say for yourself?" Her voice was thick with disappointment.

Her mother's weakness surfaced, and Barry cut in harshly. "I'm the head of this household now. For the rest of your life, I'm the one you'll have to depend on. You think you can count on her?"

Elizabeth's mother fell quiet, subdued under his domineering presence. "Elizabeth, listen to your father."

"My father's dead," Elizabeth shot back, her gaze piercing as she stared Barry down.

"Then get out! Get out of my house, you ungrateful brat! I doubt you'll survive on your own!" Barry shouted, disdain dripping from every word.

Feeling deeply betrayed, Elizabeth packed her clothes with determination, slammed her suitcase shut, and headed for the door. "Fine. I'm leaving!" Her voice was a mix of anger and sorrow.

Barry hadn't expected her to resist. He trailed after her, bellowing into the corridor, "If you walk out that door, don't bother coming back!"

Elizabeth didn't turn around. Her footsteps echoed as she stepped into the elevator.

Outside, the rain was pouring down in sheets.

With only her suitcase, Elizabeth walked into the downpour. The rain lashed her skin and mixed with her tears.

Lightning split the sky in a blinding flash, followed by a roar of thunder. Elizabeth flinched and shielded her head with her arms.

She had always hated stormy nights.

Her father had died in an accident on a night like this.

Dragging her suitcase, Elizabeth took refuge at a nearby bus stop. The wind howled, and the rain battered everything in its path, making even finding a spot to rest a challenge.

Her eyes burned with unshed tears, her vision blurring as she fiddled with her phone. The battery hovered at a measly five percent. When it rains, it pours—and for Elizabeth, that had never felt more true. Life kept hurling new hurdles at her with every step she took.

With a sardonic chuckle at her predicament, Elizabeth opened the company group chat and found Maximilian Carter's contact.

Without overthinking it, she sent a friend request.

Her verification message read, "Mr. Carter, is your marriage proposal from this afternoon still on the table?"

After she hit send, Elizabeth couldn't help but scorn herself. She had already turned Maximilian down twice. What made her think he'd still be interested?