March in H City was brimming with the essence of spring.
Not far off, a small boat rocked intensely on the lake, the blue waters rippling and surging towards the shore.
Eliza found herself pinned down by Teddy, his control over the situation both dominant and unyielding.
She had been the one to lure him, so why did he seem to call all the shots?
Several times Eliza tried to regain the upper hand, but each attempt was swiftly thwarted by Teddy’s relentless grasp.
Undeterred, Teddy continued his advances.
The confined space of the boat, combined with the white carpet now soaked with damp patches, heightened the tension.
Eliza’s figure, as alluring as a painting by Edelmira, exuded a captivating allure.
Growing impatient, Eliza bit down hard on his neck, drawing blood and bringing their encounter to an abrupt halt.
Teddy looked at her with an amused glint, “Done already? Thought you had more guts.”
“Quite the bold move, messing with me,” he added, his tone teasing.
Eliza, her gaze smoldering, looked up at him with a mix of defiance and allure.
Though a sliver of fear crept in—after all, he was the uncle of her ex, Laurens—it didn’t deter her resolve. She was determined to have Teddy, to become a part of the Clarendon family, and to see Laurens and her former best friend Jemma bow to her, calling her “auntie.”
Her thoughts raced back to three days prior when she had eagerly knocked on Jemma’s door, only to find Laurens answering.
She had raised her hand to slap Jemma, but Laurens intercepted, his words cutting deep: “Don’t touch Jemma.”
He had said, “I never loved you. If you hadn’t clung to me so desperately, Jemma and I would have been together long ago.”
Yes, she was sick, gravely so. But that didn’t change her determination to reclaim her dignity.
She saw with her own eyes how her mom’s best friend stole her father, and how her mother jumped off the hospital roof.
Now, the older one took her dad, and the younger one snatched her boyfriend.
She was shocked, furious.
For a moment, she even thought about ending it all.
Luckily, those fluoxetine pills pulled her back from the edge of death.
She wasn’t some naive romantic.
Finding a man with two legs wasn’t exactly rocket science, right?
So here she was today.
Teddy, the youngest son of Charlie Enterprises, a renowned doctor nationwide. He could’ve relied on his family but chose to make his own name, and he did it brilliantly.
A total legend, the man every woman in H City dreamed of.
But Eliza wasn’t after his wealth or status. It was his identity she wanted—he was Laurens’ uncle.
If she got him, she’d have Laurens and Jemma right where she wanted them.
Plus, she needed his influence to uncover the truth she was after.
So why wait?
Eliza wrapped her arms around Teddy’s neck again. “Uncle~” she cooed, flashing him a sweet smile. “Don’t be mad. You’re so harsh; you’re scaring me.”
The man pulled her away, a teasing smirk on his face. “Ms. Everhart, you’re quite the character. Did my nephew not satisfy you?”
“Being promiscuous has an 80% risk of STDs,” he said, even though he knew she was clean. But with his 37-degree body temperature, he just wasn’t into it.
He started getting dressed right in front of her, instantly transforming back into that reserved, untouchable figure.
She knew her reputation wasn’t great, and it was all thanks to her so-called best friend.
Clearly, he’d lost interest.
“Don’t go, Uncle! Are you not up for it?” she blurted out, desperation in her voice.
Teddy paused, a chill flickering in his eyes as he wordlessly tucked a stray strand of hair behind Eliza's ear. His fingers were long and deft, almost too deliberate in their movement. Eliza was thin, almost fragile, but there was a certain allure in her delicate frame, a balance that caught his attention.
Her skin was pale, soft, and smooth, like fresh milk, and it made his throat tighten. "You know the risks of messing with the wrong person, don’t you?" His voice was low, his gaze piercing, the kind that could make anyone’s knees go weak.
Eliza ducked her head, avoiding his stare, her voice trembling slightly. "Uncle Teddy, you’re not a bad guy, right?"
Teddy suddenly chuckled, the sharpness in his eyes softening. He tilted her chin up with one hand, while the other traced a path down her collarbone. The cold metal of his watch brushed against her skin, sending a shiver down her spine. She was sprawled out, disheveled, while he stood tall, completely in control.
"Uncle Teddy, you’re definitely better than your nephew, aren’t you?" Eliza’s voice was teasing, her body language playful. One hand rested on the boat’s edge, the other casually covering her chest, her hair cascading down her waist, adding to her charm. Her lips, soft and pink, parted slightly, as if she were a siren luring him in.
Teddy’s gaze darkened. Countless women in H City had tried to catch his attention, but none had succeeded—until now. Eliza was testing his restraint, and for the first time in years, he felt it slipping.
"You really want to do this?" he asked, his voice a low growl.
"Of course," she replied, her confidence unwavering.
"Room 5306, tonight."
"Huh?"
Before she could respond, Teddy was already walking away, leaving her standing there, her legs still shaky. As she stepped off the boat, Sarah suddenly popped out from the shadows, grinning like a kid on Christmas morning.
"So? How’d it go? The boat was rocking like crazy! Did you seal the deal?"
Eliza shook her head. "Not yet."
"Wait, I thought..." Sarah smirked, raising an eyebrow. "You didn't even go all the way and you're already glowing like this? Imagine if you actually did! I always knew he was just playing the saint. Even monks have their desires, you know."
Eliza couldn't help but agree.
After all, desire is just human nature.
