"It hurt." A whine drifted through the air, rife with an ambiguous undertone.
Jenny Thomas rubbed her throbbing forehead, slowly opening her eyes.
The sight that greeted her was a plump, sinister man, leering at her as he... unbuckled his trousers.
Taking off his trousers?
Immediately startled, Jenny sat upright. What was going on? One minute, she was held at knife point by her enemy who was about to slash her face. Then, after a blink, a risqué game was in play?
Seeing her awake yet not resisting thrilled the old man further. His smile turned nastier, his eyes lit up, and his clammy, fat hand reached for Jenny’s thigh.
Disgusted, Jenny squinted. Lifting her leg, she round housed his face and knocked him out cold. Did this lowlife honestly think he stood a chance with her? Did he mistake her for an easy catch?
Only after making sure the pervert wouldn’t wake up any time soon did she start surveying the room and reflecting on her situation.
The room seemed familiar, as did the Mediterranean-esque interior.
Panic-stricken, she grabbed her phone and checked it. The date on the screen read July 28th, 2013, and she was taken aback.
She... She had died, then been revived.
Was this a second chance at life?
Yes, everything had begun to tumble downhill from this moment. Last night, her foster mother had willingly offered her to an old pervert just for the lead female role in a TV drama for Vera Thomas.
From then on, Vera’s career skyrocketed, and she became the hottest actress in the entertainment industry. Meanwhile, Jenny fell into a whirlwind of sex scandal, severe beatings, and expulsion from school, leaving her with no choice but to tearfully withdraw from her beloved performing arts career.
But when everything seemed hopeless, she received a pleasant surprise. It turned out that her foster mother had picked up the wrong baby in the hospital all those years ago, swapping her own daughter Vera’s and Jenny’s lives. When the patriarch Mr. Thomas, who was from an influential family, discovered this, he took Jenny back into the house, no matter what it took.
However, Vera was born with the destiny of a princess. After twenty years of education in a wealthy family, she had become a true lady and the apple of Mrs. Thomas's eye. When Mrs. Thomas discovered the truth, she refused to allow her beloved Vera to leave the Thomas family and live a tough life. As a result, Jenny and Vera lived under the same roof, starting a life of overt and covert struggle.
Since joining the Thomas family, Jenny was always compared to Vera.
Vera was noble and perfect, while Jenny was filthy and despicable.
Vera was the true heiress of a wealthy family, the pure gem in every man's heart, but Jenny was nothing more than a lowly actress, as accessible as a public bus if one had the money.
At first, Jenny thought it was her bad luck. Why else would everyone belittle her? Even when she tirelessly studied everything about high society, all she got in return were more and more mocking laughter.
She later found out that the unfair treatment she endured was all thanks to this "pure lotus" little sister, Vera. This realization sent her further down the path of resentment against Vera.
Vera would stop at nothing to ruin Jenny, hiring people to insult her and even take salacious photos, spread rumors online, poison her, and even framed her for the murder of her grandfather, forcing her to endure humiliation and public beatings, leading to her disfigurement and death.
As Jenny, wearing her clothes and fleeing her room, recalled her experiences; the anger and heartache of abandonment, the pain of being misunderstood by loved ones, each memory rooted deeply in her soul, lashing her spirit day after day.
Thinking of this, her eyes, now bloodshot, wept tears of hate, yet her lips curled into a hint of a smile.
Her life was a step-by-step descent into the abyss from this day forward. If fate allowed her to live another life, she would not disappoint Vera. Everything she was owed from the past, she would reclaim this time around.
She was determined to become the true heir of the Thomas family and thwart Vera's schemes, and to fulfill her uncompleted wish from her previous life: rising to the peak of the entertainment world to become an acclaimed actress.
Biting on her lip until it broke, the pain was a reminder to stay clear-minded. In her previous life, her foster mother, Helen Morrison, not only drugged her and handed her over to CEO Raphael, but she also filmed it in order to manipulate her. She would not let history repeat itself in this life.
However, the medication Helen gave her was too potent. Hot waves began to surge throughout Jenny's body, pushing her close to her breaking point.
Struggling to move, she managed to reach the end of the corridor. There was a room there, and the patterns on the door signified the high status of its owner.
Just before she lost consciousness, the door opened and a man in a suit and leather shoes stepped out, his steady strides coming into Jenny's sight.
Her stunningly beautiful face seemed to be God's most perfect masterpiece, with a high nose bridge, thin lips, and above all, her deep-set eyes. They were as profound as the sea yet tinged with an icy indifference that clearly said 'Strangers not welcome.' In her every move, an air of regal grace bubbled beneath.
Thomas Jenny had a thought. If losing her virginity today was inevitable, why not choose a man she found attractive for that?
The next moment, she willingly threw herself into Charles's arms.
Martin Andrew was completely taken aback. No sooner had he opened the door than a woman threw herself into his arms. His brows furrowed in distaste.
He had always despised such women. Just as he was about to forcefully push away the nuisance clinging onto him, an elegant and subtle fragrance wafted into his nostrils, making him pause.
That slight hesitation gave Jenny, who had lost all sense of reason, a chance to act out. Her dainty hands restlessly explored his lean chest, running all the way down to his chiseled abs. While her touch was light, it awakened in him a longing he had not felt in a while.
Martin gritted his teeth, yet again trying to shake Jenny off him. He was typically clean-living and unaffected even by the most seductive of sirens. Yet, today, he was burning with desire for a stranger. Since when did his self-control become this poor?
However, Jenny was faster. She tightly hugged him, lifted her blushing face, and nestled her lips onto his with a smile.
When Martin finally saw Jenny's face clearly, his eyes widened momentarily, before they softened.
So, it was her.
Their lips intertwined, the tingling sensation spread all the way to his heart. Martin was enchanted. He carried Jenny back to his room and closed the door.
Jenny clumsily pulled at her nightgown relying on her instinct. Before she knew it, Martin had her on the bed.
He looked down at her from his towering perch, his deep black eyes mysterious. They were only a few inches apart, Martin had a clear view of the abnormal blush on Jenny's pale cheeks and her fallen shoulder strap.
The black silk nightgown amplified the allure of her skin. At that moment, a thin layer of sweat emerged on Jenny's forehead, her beautiful eyes were filled with a hazy allure, every gesture beckoning Martin's heart.
The ambiance in the room grew more and more intimate.
Just when they were a step away from having a close, intimate conversation, Martin stopped Jenny's squirming. Suppressing the unease in his heart, he took out his phone from his bag.
"Charlie, bring your medical box to my room."
After Martin ended his call, he sighed a breath of relief. His hand fondly caressed Jenny's face in reassurance, whispering, "Be good, you'll be okay soon."
He had always despised taking advantage of people when they were down.
