Ashley was pressing Lance down on her parents' large bed and kissing him fiercely. Lance simply lay there, neither responding nor pushing her away.

After a long while, Lance finally turned his head aside. His voice was a little hoarse as he asked, "Are you done?"

Ashley's voice was sweet and coy. "Not yet… Kiss me again. I still feel a little unwell."

Lance pushed her away with slight force and sat up.

He said in a husky voice, "In the beginning, you said just holding hands and hugging could ease it. Later, you said it can only be eased by kissing.

"We've been kissing for months now. Why hasn't there been any sign of improvement? Why is it happening more and more often?"

Ashley wrapped her arms around his waist petulantly. "I have no idea. I just feel awful… I still need to kiss…"

Lance pried her hands off, his voice stern. "I told you before—Enna must never know what happened between us. Last time I treated your illness, it hurt her.

"Now we're even in her house and in her parents' room… If she finds out, she will definitely be mad. I can't bear that consequence. This is the last time."

After saying this, he stood up to leave.

But Ashley suddenly hugged him tightly from behind. She pleaded in a sobbing voice, "But I feel so awful, Lance. Are you really going to watch me die here? Just one last time. Kiss me for one more minute, please…"

Lance stood stiffly and was silent for a long, long time. Then, he slowly turned around and lowered his head to press his lips to Ashley's.

Outside the door, Sienna clamped a hand over her mouth to keep herself from crying out. Her allergic reaction grew worse, causing her breathing to quicken. Her heart pounded as if it would burst from her chest, and her vision began to blur.

The torment on both her body and mind left her unable to hold on any longer. Finally, her vision went black. She slid down the cold wall and lost consciousness.

…

When she awoke again, she was on her bed once more with Lance sitting by her side.

The moment she opened her eyes, he asked urgently, "Enna! How did you suddenly have an allergic reaction and faint in the hallway? Haven't I told you never to touch peanuts?"

Sienna looked at his anxious face, her heart full of disappointment.

"When you fed me the soup, didn't you see the peanut bits at the bottom?" she questioned.

Lance froze for a moment. Then, he quickly grabbed the leftover bowl of pumpkin soup from the nightstand. After taking a careful look at it, his face turned pale in an instant.

"I'm sorry, Enna. I… I didn't notice…" he stammered, feeling remorseful and guilty.

Sienna thought this was bitterly ironic. In the past, he had always been so attentive to everything about her. He knew her allergens, when she would have her period, and what she liked and disliked more clearly than anyone.

But now? Ever since Ashley appeared, it was as if his heart had been split in two.

Perhaps a huge part of his heart was still with her, but a significant portion of it was elsewhere. It was enough to blind him to a great extent.

He was so blind that he could no longer see the peanut bits at the bottom of the soup bowl. Not only that, he could no longer see her pain, nor could he see how outrageous his actions had become.

Sienna closed her eyes, not wanting to look at Lance anymore. She didn't even feel like speaking to him.

Lance sensed her unusual silence and was about to explain again when his phone rang. It was Ashley calling him.

The moment he answered, her tearful voice came through the line. "What should I do, Lance? I'm stranded near Sienna's villa. I can't get a cab home. It's so dark here. I'm so scared…"

Lance immediately stood up, and his tone softened without him knowing. "Don't be afraid. Stay right where you are. I'll come and take you home right away."

He hung up and said to Sienna, "Enna, Ashley can't get a cab outside. I'll take her home first. You rest well. I'll come back to you as soon as I drop her off."

Sienna did not open her eyes or respond. Lance hesitated for a moment before leaving in a hurry.

That night, Lance never came back. Instead, Sienna's phone screen lit up as a notification popped up. It was a private post from Ashley's Instagram feed.

The photo showed two hands tightly intertwined, and the background was the dim interior of a car.

Her post read, "My skin hunger flared up again. It hurts so much I could die… Thank you, Lance, for saving me late at night."

That post was visible only to Sienna.

Looking at the photo, Sienna felt as if a knife had pierced through her heart. The pain was so intense that it numbed her senses. She silently turned off her phone and buried herself in the darkness.

…

The next day, Lance came back. "I'm sorry, Enna. I meant to come back right away last night, but the car broke down halfway, and it took forever to deal with… Don't be mad."

Listening to his flimsy lie, Sienna felt a deep chill inside. She did not expose him and merely ate her breakfast in silence.

To make amends, Lance offered to take her out to relax. "Didn't you say you wanted to check out Nocturne Club after the SAT? I never took you there. We'll go there tonight, okay?"

Without giving her a chance to refuse, he pulled her out the door again.

Once they were at Nocturne Club, he led her into a luxurious private room. The setting was indeed upscale, and the music was soft.

"I know you prefer a quiet and low-key setting, so I didn't invite anyone else. It's just the two of us," Lance said as he guided her to sit down. He ordered some fruit wine and drinks with low alcohol content.

Soon, someone knocked on the door to the private room. A familiar figure in a server's uniform entered, carrying drinks.

Lance instantly frowned hard. "Ashley? Why are you here?"

Ashley set down the drinks. A trace of embarrassment and obstinacy showed on her face as she muttered, "I'm not like you rich kids. I have to work during summer break to save for my college tuition."

Lance replied, "My family holds shares at Southton College. I can talk to the administration and get your tuition waived easily."

Ashley refused at once. "No! I have to work for it myself. Otherwise, when the three of us end up at the same college, you'll look down on me!"

With that, she put down the tray and turned to leave.

Just then, her phone rang, and she answered the call. Barely a few seconds later, tears started streaming down her face.

Lance immediately stood up. "What's wrong?"

Ashley sobbed pitifully. "M-My dad… He was in a car accident, but the hospital says there are no available beds…"

"Don't panic! I'll take you to the hospital right away. I'll handle the bed situation!" Lance quickly pulled out his phone to make a call.

But Ashley grabbed his arm and cried even harder. "No, I've taken too many days off this month. If I leave again, the manager will definitely dock all my wages…"

"I'll pay double your wages," Lance replied.

Ashley shook her head. "No, I just said I have to be self-reliant…"

As she spoke, her gaze suddenly landed on the silent Sienna. Her expression lit up, as if she had come up with some brilliant idea.

Ashley suggested, "Hear me out. Why don't we do this? Lance, you go with me to the hospital to handle my dad's situation. Let Sienna stay and cover my shift."

"No way," Sienna said icily, her refusal sharp and absolute.

Ashley's tears fell even harder. Even her shoulders trembled as she sobbed and begged, "Sienna, please… Just help me this once!"

Lance chimed in, "Just help her, Enna. Ashley's dad is in a critical condition. This is a matter of life and death! I'll buy you the latest exclusive handbag to make it up to you, okay?"

Sienna yanked her hand back and stared at him in disbelief.

"Lance, you…" Her words caught in her throat. Her intense disappointment and fury rendered her unable to speak.

"Alright, it's settled," Lance said. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pushed her toward the floor supervisor.

Ashley followed closely, bowing repeatedly to both the supervisor and Sienna in thanks.

The supervisor was a stern-faced middle-aged woman. She gave Sienna a quick up-and-down glance and snapped at Ashley, "Something always comes up for you. Fine. Hurry and go change."

Ashley thanked her profusely and grabbed Lance's arm, hurrying out with him.

Dressed in the ill-fitting server uniform that was made out of some kind of rough fabric, Sienna felt itchy and uncomfortable all over. She had never done this kind of work before. Carrying a heavy tray of drinks through the noisy private rooms left her back aching and her waist sore after a while.

When she entered the largest VIP room for the third time, a drunken middle-aged man noticed her.

Reeking of alcohol, he grinned lewdly. "You're so pretty, young lady. Why are you doing this kind of job? Are you short of money? Tell me.

"I pity pretty girls the most. Here's the deal. You drink a bottle of liquor, and I'll give you 100 thousand dollars. How about that?"

Sienna forced down her nausea and dodged the hand he reached out. "I'm not short of money. Please respect yourself."

With that, she turned to leave.

Feeling humiliated, the man grabbed her wrist with a snarl. "You don't seem to know your place. Do you know who I am? How dare you give me an attitude? You'll have to drink, whether you like it or not!"

The man clamped his hand around Sienna's chin and forced her mouth open. His drunken friends didn't stop him at all. They even laughed and cheered him on.

The cold liquor that was mixed with the disgusting man's saliva and the stench of cigarettes was forced down Sienna's throat. The liquor was so strong that it brought tears to her eyes. She shook her head desperately, but she was no match for his strength.

One bottle, two bottles, three… Sienna lost count of how many were forced down her throat. Her stomach churned and burned like it was on fire, and her consciousness began to blur.

Finally, due to extreme terror and rage, a sudden surge of strength came to Sienna. She shoved the man away and grabbed an empty wine bottle from the table. Without hesitating, she smashed it hard against his head.

The man screamed and clutched his bleeding forehead, staring at her in disbelief. "You… You hit me?"

Sienna seized the chance to bolt from the room. She ran blindly until she found a janitor's closet piled with cleaning tools. Swiftly, she darted inside and locked the door.

Outside, the sound of chaotic footsteps, furious shouts, and pounding on the door quickly followed.

"Get out here! I'll kill you!"

"Kick the door down!"

Sienna crouched in the corner, trembling all over. This club belonged to Lance's family, so her first thought was to call him for help.

With shaking hands, she pulled out her phone and dialed Lance's number again and again. To her dismay, he didn't answer her calls.

Just as the door was about to give way, which threw her into utter despair, the call finally connected.

Sienna said urgently, "Lance! Help me! I'm at—"

Before she could finish, Lance interrupted, "Enna, stop making trouble, okay? I know covering the shift is hard for you, but Ashley's dad is in a critical condition. She's on the verge of breaking down. I have to stay here and deal with this. I'll pick you up when I'm done."

"No! Lance, listen to me! Someone is…"

Ashley's even more desperate crying could be heard in the background.

Lance hurriedly said, "Be good. I'll hang up now. Wait for me."

With that, he hung up.

As the call cut off, Sienna froze. Her heart sank to the depths of her stomach.

In the next second, the door to the janitor's closet was forcefully kicked open. The man with the bleeding forehead stood in the doorway, his face contorted with rage. The savage look in his eyes made it seem as if he were ready to devour her.

"How dare you hit my head, you slut? Hold her down and beat her to a pulp!" the man howled.

Several burly men rushed in and began punching and kicking the curled-up Sienna.

"Ugh…" Agonizing pain shot through every part of her body. She shielded her head weakly. Her cries of pain were drowned beneath the sounds of fists and boots.

Her consciousness quickly drifted away once more.