After three rounds of drinks, Elise started feeling a little dizzy.

She shook her head and said to the Director, “I’m going to the bathroom.”

Today was the crew’s opening banquet, lively and bustling. Although she wasn’t good with alcohol, she didn’t want to ruin the atmosphere, so she had a couple of glasses of red wine. Now, the excitement was getting to her.

What kind of wine did they make the screenwriter (her) drink? She rubbed her face, silently complaining to herself.

At the washbasin, she splashed two handfuls of cold water on her face. The icy sensation eased her discomfort, and she finally felt much better.

As she walked out of the bathroom, she noticed a small, elegant pond not far away. The water sparkled with ripples, and she could hear splashing.

Behind a carved screen adorned with ink and flowers stood a man smoking.

This hotel was expensive and primarily hosted the rich and powerful, but smoking wasn’t allowed, regardless of status. He stood there brazenly, yet no one dared to stop him—proof that his status or wealth was more than enough to afford such boldness.

Unfortunately, the night was dark and the moonlight hazy, so Elise couldn’t see his face clearly. She could only make out the outline of his profile.

Even so, he was undeniably handsome—and not just a little. When he tapped the ash from his cigarette, his jaw lifted slightly, his Adam’s apple rolling for a brief moment. The falling ash drifted down elegantly, calm and noble. His fingers were long and well-defined, carrying an air of restraint and aloofness.

Elise found herself captivated.

Then her phone vibrated, breaking the moment.

It was her best friend, Enna.

Nana: [Honey, your birthday is coming up soon. What do you want as a gift?]

Her wish had remained unchanged for ten years.

[I want a man.]

Enna stifled her urge to curse: [Your standards are higher than a casting director's. Where am I supposed to find you a man? I can't do that. Is there anything else?]

Elise didn't care: [I just want a man.]

Enna: [?]

Elise's romantic journey had been bumpy. Her father was a Principal, and from elementary school to high school, every move she made was under his control, leaving no opportunity for early romance.

Finally, upon graduating high school, she looked forward to college romance, her heart racing with anticipation. She had planned to transform into a naive girlfriend who was in love... but when the acceptance letter arrived, she was dumbfounded.

A technical university.

In her stereotype, handsome guys were few and far between at technical universities. Among the few attractive men, most already had girlfriends, while the rest were still messing around, planning to date a whole football team while maintaining backup options.

Elise disliked interfering in others' relationships and despised playboys. Unfortunately, that was the reality; she had nothing about romance during her four years of university.

However, she did gain something; during those four years, she focused on her career, writing one novel after another, achieving decent results, and even selling the rights for a web drama adaptation, which was about to start filming.

She thought that having money would also be good if there were no men. Yet, perhaps because she had been single for too long, she felt a strong desire to fall in love after graduating. Without love, a handsome and capable friend with benefits would do, T-T.

Although she said that, she wasn't that desperate. After all, she was an idealist and somewhat passive in relationships.

So, she took a distant glance at that handsome guy, her heart fluttering, but her rationality averted her gaze, pretending nothing was wrong as she turned to leave.

After walking a few steps, she bumped into the Assistant Director.

Assistant Director: "Eli! Why have you been gone for so long? They just served some cake, and it's almost gone! Luckily, I saved a piece for you. try it!"

The Assistant Director had small eyes and a flat nose, giving him a somewhat lecherous appearance. Elise didn't want to eat, but because she was very uncomfortable with his proximity-afraid that if she pushed him away, he might accidentally touch her- she simply raised her hand and took the cake.

She was determined not to let him touch her at all.

His eyes flickered with anxiety and a moment of disappointment, but he quickly smiled and leaned closer.

"I'm good to you, right?" he asked.

She didn't want to respond, but since they needed to cooperate for the filming, she didn't want to make things too awkward. Instead, she pretended to eat the cake, positioning her back to block the assistant director's approach.

As she chewed, her lack of interest was evident on her face. "Okay. Let's go back," she said.

She didn't notice how the assistant director's eyes lit up at her words.

Later, when they returned, the annoying Assistant Director kept talking, making excuses to avoid letting her into the private room. The two of them ended up circling back in front of the screen.

Subconsciously, she wanted to see if the man who had been smoking was still there. But when she lifted her eyelids, just as she was trying to focus, a sudden flash of white light appeared before her, and her body went weak.

Her consciousness felt like it was being stripped away in an instant, the effects of alcohol leaving her feeling powerless.

She felt a bit dizzy, and in her muddled state, it felt like a pair of hands gripped her waist. She clung to a thread of rationality, wanting to scream, but all that came out was a dry heave from intoxication.

Her ears felt muffled, and she struggled to hear clearly. Her insides were burning, with heat rising in her spine and exploding like fireworks. At that moment, she finally began to realize vaguely...

The Assistant Director had drugged the food he gave her, and now she was finished. Elise's body slumped, wholly exhausted, like a well-behaved little lamb lying quietly in a man's embrace.

The Assistant Director should have been wide-eyed in shock, but at that moment, he was so terrified that he couldn't even speak; his legs were trembling.

"M-Mill... Mr. Miller?"

Liam wrapped an arm around her, gently comfortably positioning her, but his gaze was icy cold. His piercing eyes were filled with anger, sharp and cutting, like ice shards in February. The man fought to suppress his urge to explode; his jaw was tight, and his eyes held a murderous glint.

"Get lost."

The Assistant Director nearly collapsed in fear. After a moment, he snapped back to reality and quickly turned to flee. Deep down, he sensed that he had made a decision tonight that he would regret for the rest of his life.

But hadn't he merely acted routinely?

It was just a low tactic.

A newly graduated girl had joined the team-a beautiful and pure original author and Screenwriter with a sweet voice. Unfortunately, she held him in contempt and kept her distance, never coming within half a meter of him.

This industry was inherently corrupt, and the use of force was commonplace. He understood these young women all too well. Their pride and dignity were paramount. Even if humiliated, they would never dare report it, let alone make it public.

Knowing that she had no significant support, he harbored malicious intentions. He slipped her some drugs, believing that tonight would go as he planned. He would record a video to threaten her during the three months of filming, ensuring that she would comply with his demands.

At that point, he felt he could do whatever he wanted.

But what wind had brought Mr. Miller here?

Just as Elise's legs went limp, and she hadn't had a chance to react, Liam Miller suddenly rushed in from somewhere, holding her tightly in his arms.

The Assistant Director sighed with regret, still hoping that once Mr. Miller was done, he would leave a piece for him to sample. As he pondered this, his phone rang. It was an unfamiliar number, but he recognized the name.

Few people knew Liam Miller and even fewer knew him well. The Assistant Director's heart raced as he froze in place, afraid to move.

On the other side of the road, a black Bentley sped by.

Liam pushed her hand away for the hundredth time as she attempted to unbutton her shirt.

The man spoke in a low voice, "Don't move."

Her mind was hazy as if she were extremely drunk, and her eyes were half-closed, revealing her slender neck.

"I'm so hot... ah," she murmured.

Her voice was soft, with a slight rise at the end, like a small hook that stirred restlessness in him. She was indeed hot, fidgeting slightly, her clothes partially open, revealing two pale, full curves.

Liam's hand slipped inside her shirt, grasping one and kneading it, his breathing growing heavier, tinged with a hint of hoarse desire.

"Are you feeling better?" he asked.

He was very restrained, only doing it twice before he pulled back, but his fingertips were ice-cold. It felt too comfortable, and Elise leaned closer, her lips almost brushing against his earlobe.

“No... no, don’t be so stingy. Do it again.”

She felt dizzy and highly uncomfortable, but a hint of conflicting rationality surfaced. She didn’t know who the person beside her was, but she realized he wasn’t the ugly, lecherous man from before.

This man had a pleasant, woody scent and an aloof charm. Although she couldn’t see his face clearly, the harsh light created a strange, heart-pounding illusion.

Liam didn’t respond to her; instead, he said, “When we return to the room, we’ll turn down the air conditioning, and it won’t be hot anymore.”

His throat was dry. The person he had been thinking about for so many years was right before him, and their reunion was happening under these circumstances.

To say he had no distractions would be a lie, but Liam forced himself not to look at her anymore. The luxurious car arrived at the Nangu Hotel, and he placed an arm around her as they walked out. He only knew that the crew was staying there but didn't know which room was hers.

As they entered the lobby, the reception staff paused in their work and respectfully greeted, "Mr. Miller."

Liam remained as cold as ever, not responding, and led her up to the seventh floor.

The hallway was quiet, and he lowered his gaze, his icy fingers brushing against her cheek.

"Where's your room card?" he asked.

She had been quite proactive a moment ago, but now she appeared cautious; her face flushed as she muttered indistinctly.

"You... you can forget it."

“Can I forget it?” Liam chuckled darkly. “Elise, you weren’t saying that when you were trying to grab my hand and stuff it into your clothes in the car.” Thinking of this, he gritted her teeth and added, “From now on, don’t eat anything given to you by strangers, understand?”

She blinked slowly.

“You are also a stranger,” she replied.

He raised an eyebrow, a strange smile appearing on his face. “Am I a stranger?”

Amidst this back-and-forth, his patience finally ran out. Liam grabbed her hand, pushed open the door to his room, and threw her onto the bed.

The presidential suite was several hundred square meters; she sank onto the bed with a thud, and there was an echo.

Elise covered her face, a hollow fear rising in her heart, but there was also a hint of anticipation.

She asked, “What are you doing?”

Her face showed little expression, yet there was a hint of a smile.

"What do you think?" he asked.

She felt herself getting hot; her entire body felt like a hundred ants were crawling over her; it was unbearable and made her want to cry.

The air conditioning control was located above the head of the bed. Liam leaned over to adjust it, and unexpectedly, something soft brushed against him.

His belt buckle was cold and glistening, and in her discomfort, she pressed herself against anything that could cool her down. Half of her face was pressed against his belt buckle at that moment, and her fingers wandered, desperately searching for something to alleviate her discomfort.

Suppressing his impulses, Liam cleared his throat, caught her wandering hand, and asked, "What exactly do you want?"

She frowned, her little face scrunched up, her voice thick with emotion. "I feel so uncomfortable, wuu..."

She was on the verge of tears, genuinely distressed, with tears welling in the corners of her eyes, almost overflowing.

Liam looked at her for a long moment before finally sighing. "Where does it hurt?"

"Here..." she replied.

Under her skirt, the girl pressed herself against the man's slightly calloused fingers, covering a soft, secret place.

Her leggings had been pulled off during her chaotic movements and piled up between her legs. Liam, feeling helpless, pushed aside that layer of fabric and gently kneaded it.

"Does this feel better?" he asked softly, leaning on her shoulder.

Tears wet her eyelashes, a chaotic mix of confusion and longing.

She continued to sob gently, her gaze lowered. As he inserted a finger, it was instantly enveloped by the warmth inside her, prompting him to let out a rare, comfortable "mm."

"Can you move a little?" Her voice trembled; even her plea sounded like a moan.

Liam's other hand pushed up her bra, touching that soft br€@$t without any barrier, the small bud on top slowly rising. He played with it, his fingertips rubbing that small spot, the bud gently bouncing, like dew dancing on the morning leaves.

The man sighed softly.

His fingers quickened their movements, matching her requests, either pushing gently or firmly.

The girl's delicate feline m0@n$ parted on her lips, melting into a puddle in his hands, resting against his shoulder, her breath tempting, "I want... more..."

“What else?” Liam whispered, “Why are you so lewd?”

He added another finger, but the movement became a little tricky. Still, she was very receptive, whether it was a physiological reaction she couldn’t control or if she really liked his touch.

The sound of water echoed in the room, his fingers completely wet, even his palm marked with her wetness.

But his belt remained undone.

“Mm...”

She followed his movements delicately, her waist swaying gently. Her slender figure beneath the white sweater was graceful, surprising him with its agility.

His gaze intensified, his actions becoming more pronounced as his fingertips moved.

The movements turned a bit rougher, but his voice remained smooth. It flowed softly into her ear, lightly brushing against her earlobe as if he were savoring the moment.

He gently covered her hand that rested on his chest, kneading it restlessly a few times. Liam felt his forehead throb with tension as he held back his emotions.

“Elise, you’d better agree to do this with me.”

She looked confused, her misty eyes staring at him innocently. Liam tilted his head and kissed her sparkling eyes.

Those eyes were stunning; they shimmered like spring water when she smiled and appeared delicately charming when she didn’t. However, he had never had the opportunity to appreciate them up close.

He closed his eyes, and his fingers finally found a small, soft spot. He pinched it gently and pressed it against a specific area inside.

Her back straightened, instinctively yearning, “Can you... apply some force...?”

Liam let out a suppressed m0@n, his fingers applying pressure together.

Her mind went blank momentarily, like a broken TV bursting with static, tensing for a few seconds before it all gushed out.

The man's arms tensed, and after a while of kneading, he finally pulled his fingers back.

The pussy reached a peak, still rapidly contracting inside. It was moist and soft, accepting anything that could reach the deeper parts. She actually moaned, reaching for his belt, making a clanking sound, but the man pressed her hand down.

"No," he said.

Her nose was flushed, and the shoulder strap of her dress was sliding down, revealing a straight and delicate collarbone that looked deeply sunken.

"Why not?" she asked innocently. "You look uncomfortable too..." she muttered, a little embarrassed, biting her lip.

Liam gently lifted her chin, breathing quickly as he looked into her eyes.

"You're drunk and ate something questionable, so you're not in your right mind right now. I can't do this; it's irresponsible for you, do you understand?"

The man lacked self-control, yet things in the world were always more important than desire. He didn't want her to have any regrets. Even if he could take responsibility for everything later in life, he hoped she would make her choice willingly.

Liam ruffled her hair, his breath lingering just above her lips. But in the end, instead of kissing her, he pressed his lips against her eyes.

"Are you feeling better? If you are, hurry up and get some sleep; a good rest will fix everything."

Although she had already cummed once, the tension still lingered, but it wasn't particularly overwhelming.

She wrinkled her nose slightly and said, "I still feel a little..." Unable to suppress a chuckle, she added, "Then you'll just have to bear with it."

The sound of running water soon filled the bathroom. It was winter, but the air conditioner was blowing cold air, and no warm mist was seeping through any cracks.

She washed for a long time. Was the water always cold? Before drifting off to sleep, that thought crossed her mind. Then, succumbing to drowsiness, she sank into her dreams.

*

Elise fell asleep first and woke up first. As soon as she opened her eyes, a wave of confusion washed over her. She slowly sat up and noticed someone lying next to her.

"What is this?!"

She felt like she had been struck by lightning and turned her head stiffly to look. The curtains were drawn only partway, and sunlight streamed brightly through the blinds.

The man furrowed his brow, his long fingers lightly shielding his eyes. His sharp jawline, tall and straight nose, and the curve of his Adam’s apple were beautiful; his level of beauty could only be described as “stunning.”

A man.

A handsome man.

Lying on her bed was an unfamiliar, handsome man. For a moment, she didn’t know whether to cry out in alarm or to kneel and thank the heavens for such a stroke of good fortune.

Elise blinked, and a scene from the previous day suddenly flooded her mind. She could still vividly remember her words: “I want a man.”

Wait.

Could this be the birthday present someone sent her?

Who sent her a male host?! Does she really seem that desperate?!

Elise suspected she was still half asleep. She lay down, closed her eyes, and opened them again, but the scene before her hadn't changed.

However, she quickly realized that theplace she was in didn't seem to be her room. The production team had booked her a standard single room, but the suite in front of her was luxuriously decorated, brand new, and featured an outdoor pool and even a study.

A series of exaggerated prices flashed through her mind as she began to speculate on the cost of a night there. Surely, they wouldn't expect her to pay for a presidential suite, right?

Although she could afford it, she suddenly felt foolish. She wouldn't even splurge on such an expensive place when going out, and now she found herself in a lavish situation where someone had sent her an equally extravagant male host.

Elise quickly pulled up her pants and ran for the door. However, the person beside her didn't give her a chance.

Liam was already awake, leaning lazily against the bedside table. His long eyelashes were half-closed, and he wore an expression that was far from pleasant. When he crossed his arms and wvatched her coldly, she hurried to put on her tights and fasten her chnest belt before sprinting toward the door at a speed reminiscent of Usain Bolt in the 100 meters.

Fortunately, she initially ran in the wrong direction and ended up in the gym.

Elise turned around just in time, planning a second sprint. However, as soon as she turned her head, she met the man's gaze.

Liam said, "What is this? You're pulling up your pants and pretending nothing happened?"

She hadn't expected him to be awake, and Elise was so startled that her mental script was scattered all over the floor. That question was indeed a little strange. Typically, the innocent girl was the one who felt wronged and would question the man.

She tried to remember the several pages of the script she always carried and began frantically thinking about what to say.

After contemplating, Tan Yinggying tugged at the corner of her lips and replied, "Actually, I don't remember much about last night, and I don't know how you ended up here. Since it's already morning and your task is complete, let's pretend nothing happened, okay? The compensation you're supposed to receive should come from someone else later. I'm not aware of it, and I... well..." As she spoke, her face turned red. "It seems like I'm a victim, too. Isn't it a little cruel to ask me for money?"

How could it be like this? She had accompanied this innocent beauty for a night as a birthday present and was now expected to pay.Making money was hard enough already! How many trolls did she have to deal with while writing?

Whether something happened or not, she certainly wasn't the one who benefited thoroughly!

After saying that, Elise felt it was time to leave. She found the right door and pushed it open.

Once outside, her curiosity got the better of her, and she peeked through the crack in the door, revealing a pair of clear eyes.

"Um... may I ask how much you charge for a night?"

Liam was left speechless.

He had never encountered such an outrageous question. Did she take him for a duck? Did she think she could just run away after using him?

Not paying was one thing, but there was no tenderness the next day, and nowN she was claiming to be a victim? Wasn't she the one clinging to him last night, unwilling to let go?

Liam gritted his teeth as his temples throbbed.

When he didn't respond, she guessed he might be embarrassed, so she didn't press further.

Instead, she added, "Although I don't know who sent you, tell them I really wasn't that lonely and empty when you go back. I'm not desperate!"

Hearing that last word made him laugh.

Suddenly, Elise felt that something wasn't quite right.

No way. Did she really take advantage of him last night?

The more she spoke, the more irrational she felt. Finally, she ended the strange encounter and closed the door.

On her way back to her room, her face burned with embarrassment. Even after pressing her cold hands against her cheeks several times, the heat didn't subside. It was impossible to say she wasn't nervous. She hadn't even held hands with a boy since elementary school during morning exercises for over twenty years. Now, unexpectedly, a handsome boy was beside her, and she was... confused. Did she really... did that last night?

She tried to gauge the changes in her body; her legs felt a little sore, but it didn't match the kind of "inability to walk, every step painful, feeling like your body was falling apart" described in novels, right? So,were the novels fake?

Shaking, she took out her room card and felt like crying a little. Although he was handsome, what was this all about? Did she check him out before coming? Was he safe? There wouldn't be any risks, right? If she got pregnant, it would all be over.

If it was really her first time, not remembering any of it was too scandalous, wasn't it? Her thoughts were jumbled; her heart raced, her throat felt sore, and her eyes were heavy, but her mood wasn't entirely sad.

Caught in this contradiction, she went to the bathroom to check herself and shower.There were no marks on her body, not even a bruise or a hickey.A quick glance revealed that nothing had happened at all.

But she looked a little swollen down there... Was that considered swollen? She wasn't quite sure; she didn't understand her own anatomy. She stared at herself in the mirror.

So, this male host was actually... entirely ethical? Was it because hickeys cost more?

Her mind was in chaos, and while drying her hair, she received a WeChat message from the Director.

[Eli, there's a casting meeting at ten o'clock. I heard you left early last night because you weren't feeling well. Are you coming today?]

The message was from Director Janet, who was in her thirties and had a talent for filming natural romantic scenes. Director Janet was a long-time friend of Elise's uncle. Since the budget for this film was tight initially, Elise allocated part of her royalties to help cover the costs, which gave her some influence in the production.

Typically, original Screenwriters or authors had no say in casting. However, the actor who signed on for the Second Male Lead a few days ago suddenly canceled.

Since the shooting schedule couldn't be delayed, the team decided to film the scenes with the Male and Female Leads and other roles while still selecting an actor for the Second Male Lead.

This role was crucial, and as the original author, Elise understood the character well.

She gathered her thoughts and replied, [I'll go.]

No matter what happened, the work couldn't be delayed. Elise changed into casual clothes and headed to the conference room on the first floor.

The meeting was straightforward; they reviewed some materials, confirmed the image of the Second Male Lead, and then moved to the studio to watch the actors audition. This was a low-budget youth web drama, but it could quickly go viral if executed well. Most of the actors auditioning were newcomers,and their skills were decent.

After watching about ten people perform the scenes for the Second Male Lead, none stood out particularly, but one was passable, so she saved that person's information for later.

In the afternoon, she went to the set to observe the filming and noticed that the Assistant Director had changed.

The lighting girl was gossiping beside her, saying,"I heard that the fat and sleazy Assistant Director had an accident last night and fell badly. He's still in the hospital now." Her voice dropped conspiratorially, “It's said that just a little bit... just a little bit, he almost lost his, you know, function."

Elise looked up in shock.

A scene flashed through her mind.

"Shocked, huh?" The lighting girl nodded in agreement, "When I heard it, I had the same reaction. But he really deserved it; he was always so disgusting. It's a good thing for you. I felt his gaze on you was particularly inappropriate. Fortunately, he was replaced; otherwise, how would you have managed? Being pretty has its downsides; you can easily become a target."

Elise was still stunned and didn't respond.

Finally, the lighting girl concluded, "I don't know who he offended this time, but it must be a big shot. Otherwise, how could he not have caused a stir with his temperament? He deserves it."

Elise slowly regained her composure, remembering that she had eaten something questionable the night before. But then what? What happened next?

When she woke up, that person seemed to be lying beside her.

A chill ran down her spine, and she hurried to a secluded spot to call the Production Assistant and inquire about the Assistant Director's whereabouts yesterday.

The answer was that the two of them hadn't left the hotel together,and he couldn't have done anything with so many people.

But she still felt a bit uneasy and wanted to confirm her suspicions. She would check the surveillance footage once production stabilized in a couple of days.

After finishing everything, she sent a few lengthy voice messages to her best friend, Enna, summarizing the absurd events of the past night and that morning.

She casually asked, [Did you send me that male host?]

Enna replied, [With the way you described him, do you think I could afford him? A handsome guy is too precious to me; I can't even buy one for myself,let alone for you!]

Enna continued, [But Ethan went to audition for your play. Perhaps he sent that guy to impress you?]

Elise was taken aback. [Ethan? Who is that?]

Enna responded with confusion, [?]

Then she clarified, [He's a classmate from high school. Don't you remember him? You two were quite close back then. He always said he would take care of you for life once he had money.]

Elise thought for a long time but couldn't remember him, so she decided to let it go. She had always had a poor memory, and most of her energy was spent remembering novel plots. Fleeting names in her life only felt familiar when she saved them in her contacts, but she struggled to recall their faces.

For example, right now, if she were to come across Ethan on WeChat, she would think: Who is this person? How do we know each other? What is our relationship like? But if he appeared as just another stranger among many profiles and a simple introduction, she wouldn't remember a thing and wouldn't think about it further.

Since she couldn't remember, she changed the subject while chatting with Enna on her way to the filming location.

Before she could calm down, the new Assistant Director waved at her: "Eli, you're here!"

Elise quickly ran over and asked, "What's wrong?"