<h4>Chapter 59: The Price of One Night</h4>


    Seeing Anna take out her phone again, I became alert: "What are you doing now?"


    "Calling my security team..." she began, but I cut her off.


    "Don’t call anyone," I said coldly.


    "Either you take me to the hospital yourself, or I’ll use you as my remedy right here." Despite being in excruciating pain, I maintained my intimidating demeanor, refusing to appearpletely vulnerable.


    When we left the private room, the hallway was mercifully empty. I straightened my posture, pretending nothing was wrong, deliberately draping my arm around Anna’s shoulders and enjoying her obvious difort.


    "Mr. Griffin, don’t push your luck," she warned through gritted teeth.


    The intense pain had subsided somewhat, but I was still fighting waves of heat coursing through my body. I leaned in close to her ear with a mockingugh: "If you want me to take you, just say so. I promise you’ll see stars."


    Seeing her trying to move her head away, I deliberately moved closer: "What should we do, Ms. Shaw? It seems our fate isn’t finished yet."


    "Mr. Griffin, you’d better behave.


    Getting to the hospital quickly is important-your future happiness depends on it," she said coldly, which effectively silenced me. I had no desire to risk permanent damage to my "manhood."


    Rachel Wilson suddenly appeared, her eyes widening at the sight of us: "Ms. Shaw, what’s going on...?"


    "Quick, help me get Mr. Griffin to the hospital," Anna said, eagerly pushing me toward Rachel as if she’d found a lifeline.


    In the car, I gulped down ice water from the minibar, which did ease the burning sensation somewhat. However, the area Anna had struck still throbbed painfully—I was afraid to touch it, uncertain if there was any damage. The drug still pulsed through my system, but the pain and cold water had diluted its worst effects.


    I leaned back against the seat, closing my eyes and beginning to mentally review everyone I’d encountered that evening. I’d primarily been drinking with George and Jack ... aside from them, who else could have drugged me?


    Lucy’s POV


    I stood at the hotel entrance, watching until Anna’s carpletely disappeared from view before finally putting away my phone. I couldn’t help the smile that crept across my lips -what perfect timing. Samuel and Anna leaving together? This "fact" would be my perfect weapon, requiring no fabrication to drive a wedge between them.


    When I spotted Jack heading my way, I quickly adjusted my expression, stering on a mask of genuine concern before hurrying toward him.


    "Jack, are you looking for Samuel? I just saw him leave with Anna." I made my voice sound slightly urgent, looking directly into his eyes with feigned helpfulness.


    Jack’s face immediately darkened, his piercing gaze fixed on me. "Lucy, how can you lie so easily? Anna and Samuel have fallen outpletely— they wouldn’t leave together."


    I pouted, deliberately making my eyes water as I adopted the expression of someone unjustly used.


    "Jack, don’t you trust me? I’m not lying to you, and I certainly don’t want to incriminate Anna. She really did leave with Samuel. I tried to call out to them, but they’d already gotten into Anna’s car and driven away. Jack, everything I’m saying is true."


    I calcted every expression and tone with clinical precision, tears welling up perfectly in my eyes without falling.


    This was my specialty-innocent, sincere Lucy Taylor, the poor girl who only wanted to help but was misunderstood instead.


    However, Jack’s reaction caught mepletely off guard. He violently shook off my hand, his eyes filled with disappointment and anger: "ENOUGH!


    I don’t want to hear another negative word about Anna from your mouth.


    You think I don’t know about the conversation you had with your friends at the party today? Lucy, I’m so disappointed in you."


    I stood frozen, watching in shock as he walked away without looking back. He knew about my conversation with my friends! The carefully crafted image of innocence I’d built was crumbling before my eyes! For a moment, I felt both furious and panicked, but I quickly regained myposure.


    After Jack left, I remained standing there, all traces of hurt and sadness instantly vanishing from my face, reced by a cold smile.


    This attempt may have failed to drive a wedge between them, but I certainly wasn’t giving up. Jack’s reaction today only confirmed what I’d begun to suspect-his feelings for Anna hadn’t died.


    Rachel’s POV


    I stood in the hospital room watching Samuel Griffin. The doctors had treated the aphrodisiac in his system.


    His face was no longer red, his breathing normal, but fury filled his eyes.


    "Your boss made a mistake," Samuel said, ring at me from the bed. "Tell Anna Shaw I won’t forget tonight."


    I met his gaze. "Mr. Griffin, the doctors say you’ll recover fully. This ended well for everyone."


    His jaw clenched. "I can’t have sex for a month. Do you know what that means for someone like me?"


    "Medical advice should be taken seriously," I replied. "Ms. Shaw brought you to the hospital immediately. You should thank her."


    I picked up my purse. "We did what anyone would do. No need for thanks."


    Thement silenced him. I turned, and walked to the door.


    I crossed the parking lot. Ms. Shaw waited in her car near the entrance.


    When I opened the door, she reclined in the driver’s seat with eyes closed.


    "Let’s go," she said without looking.


    "I’m dead tired."


    I got in, studying her face. The g had exhausted her-shadows showed under her makeup.


    "Rosa Vi is closer," I suggested. "We could stay there tonight."


    Ms. Shaw opened her eyes, frowned, then nodded. "Fine."


    She didn’t ask about Samuel, and I didn’t say anything. The drive to Rosa Vi was silent.


    The house was dark when we arrived.


    No one had been here since Mr. Murphy left, but the management service kept it clean.


    "I’ll prepare the bedroom," I said.


    "Want something to eat?"


    "No." She headed upstairs. "Just a shower and sleep."


    Ms. Shaw emerged from the bathroom in a robe. Iid out pajamas from the emergency bag I keep in the car.


    "Get the scar cream from my purse," she said. "Oscar said apply it every night."


    I got the cream as shey on her stomach, robe pulled down to expose her back. Red marks from her jump at Olympus Club stood out against her skin.


    As I applied cream to the wounds, she tensed beneath my fingers.


    "Samuel will recover," I said. "Though he can’t have sex for a month."


    Ms. Shaw made a sound like a suppressedugh. "That’s torture for someone with his reputation."


    "He was displeased," I said, applying cream to a scrape on her shoulder.


    "Will he seek revenge on you?"


    Anna’s POV


    The few sses of champagne I’d had at the charity g had left me with a pleasant buzz but no desire to sleep.


    Restless, I reached for my phone on the nightstand. Before I could think better of it, my fingers were already typing a message to the mysterious man from room 3303 at Sapphire Sky Hotel.


    [Meet up?)


    The directness of my own message surprised me. I stared at the screen, my heartbeat quickening as I waited for his response. It came just secondster, a single word:


    [No.]


    "Typical," I muttered, tossing my phone onto the duvet beside me. A sh of irritation surged through me.


    During our brief encounters, he’d made his interest in me painfully obvious. And now that I was actually reaching out, he dismissed me with a single word?


    I grabbed a pillow and pressed it over my face, trying to smother the conflicting emotions bubbling inside me. Then my phone lit up again. I snatched it up, half-expecting some lengthy exnation.


    Instead, there was just one more word:


    [Busy.)


    I raised an eyebrow, feeling oddly vindicated by this addition. At least he felt the need to exin his refusal. The irritation began to dissolve, reced by a reluctant understanding. Considering his physique and...other qualities, I supposed I could forgive this one instance. After all, Mr. 3303 had earned some grace with his performance.


    I ced the phone face down on the nightstand and pulled the covers up.


    This time, sleep came more easily.


    Hearing Rachel’s words, I sighed, "Samuel is a vindictive bastard, but I’m prepared. Make sure you keep that video I sent you."


    "Understood," Rachel nodded, her eyes reflecting trust in me.


    "I wonder who drugged him tonight," I murmured, more thinking aloud than asking.


    Rachel pondered for a moment before saying, "Recently, I haven’t heard of Samuel being close to anyone except the Simpson family. But since Samuel is already in contact with the Simpson family, surely they wouldn’t do something like this right now?"


    "That’s not necessarily true. George and Samuel are cut from the same cloth-equally ruthless in their methods," I replied with sarcasm and mockery. This was the first time I’d spoken so candidly about my former father-inw. Before, no matter what I thought, I would never easily reveal my opinions about him, but now, all pretense and respect had vanished.


    "Ms. Shaw, we have a situation."


    Rachel’s voice, tinged with unusual concern, interrupted my morning skincare ritual.


    "What happened?" I asked casually.


    "You’re trending online."


    I shrugged. "That’s nothing new. My evening gown fromst night must have created quite a stir." My dress had been a calcted choice elegant yet daring, designed to make a statement without appearing desperate for attention.


    Rachel shifted her weight, clutching her tablet tightly. "Your gown did trend, yes, but there’s something else— rumors about you and Samuel."


    That got my attention. "Samuel and me?" I turned to face her directly.


    "What kind of rumors?"


    She handed me her tablet without a word. The screen disyed a series of photographs taken atst night’s g —all featuring Samuel and me leaving together. While only our backs were visible in most shots, my distinctive dress made me immediately identifiable.


    "The initial trending topic was about your stunning appearance," Rachel exined, "but these rtionship rumors just surfaced. I suspect someone paid to promote them." She pointed to several details in the photos. "Moreover, all press had left thetter half of the g-they weren’t allowed to stay. From the image quality, these were definitely taken with a smartphone."


    I nodded, quickly following her reasoning. "So you’re suggesting whoever took these photos and pushed the story is the same person, and likely someone who has a grudge against me?"


    "Precisely. And I have a strong suspicion about who it might be."


    "Who?" Although I already had my own suspicions.


    "Lucy."