As Eve Vaughn waited nervously, Mason Lawson’s voice was light as he said, "I’ll pass on a dinner party with you kids. I wouldn’t want to feel out of place, what with the generation gap and all."

Eve Vaughn was truly impressed. Even when refusing, he didn’t do it directly, instead smoothing things over seamlessly.

Perhaps Mason Lawson had long understood her intentions, but since she hadn’t broached the subject, he wasn’t about to be the first one to tear through the paper-thin pretense.

’I really don’t know if being with a man like Mason Lawson is a blessing or a curse.’

She felt that even if she cultivated herself for another thousand years, she could never match even a fraction of Mason Lawson’s cunning.

A wave of despair washed over Eve Vaughn. So, to him, she was just someone who could never be brought into the light.

She was silent for a long moment, and Mason Lawson probably sensed something was wrong with her mood. But once he made a decision, he wouldn’t easily change it.

He just coaxed her gently, "Oh, right. Have fun, and use my card. Don’t worry about saving my money."

A bitter smile touched the corners of Eve Vaughn’s lips. She murmured a soft "Mmm," and hung up the phone.

She felt more and more like she was nothing but a canary in a gilded cage to Mason Lawson.

He might like her, but she wasn’t irreplaceable.

...

The next day was Friday.

On previous weekends, Eve Vaughn would always go back to Mason Lawson’s place. It was something they had agreed upon beforehand.

But now, she suddenly realized she had grossly overestimated herself by thinking her current relationship with Mason Lawson was a real romance.

From the very beginning, the only woman Mason Lawson had ever publicly acknowledged was Joanna Sullivan.

So, this time, she didn’t go back to Mason Lawson’s. Doing so would feel like she was just delivering herself to his doorstep to be humiliated.

Aria packed her things and went home for the weekend on Friday night, so Eve Vaughn took her books and went to a classroom for evening self-study.

Around nine o’clock, she received a text from Mason Lawson. "I’m at your school’s gate."

Eve Vaughn hesitated for a moment, but still packed her bag and headed for the school gate.

After all, Mason Lawson had helped her so much, and her debt to him was only growing.

She felt she had no right to refuse him, let alone make a busy man like him wait indefinitely for her at the school gate.

And so, she got into Mason Lawson’s car.

As soon as she got in the car, the reek of alcohol hit her. Mason Lawson must have been at some social function again that evening.

Eve Vaughn sat beside him in silence as he gently caressed her cheek.

"Isn’t it the weekend tomorrow? Why didn’t you obediently come back on your own? Did you have to make me come all the way out here to pick you up this late at night, hmm?"

The man’s tone was tinged with drunkenness, and even the way he stroked her cheek felt a little too forward.

It was only when his fingertips started to trail down, trying to slip inside her collar, that Eve Vaughn stopped his hand.

She reminded him in a small voice, "Mr. Lawson, you’re drunk."

Mason Lawson pulled her into his arms. He looked down at the soft, pliable young woman, his deep gaze somewhat cloudy. "You still haven’t answered me. Why didn’t you come to my place on your own?"

Eve Vaughn had no choice but to make up an excuse. "I’ve had a lot of classes lately, and there were many things I didn’t understand, so I went to the classroom for evening self-study. I forgot it was the weekend."

Mason Lawson didn’t say anything more, but he didn’t let her go either, simply holding her in his arms and toying with the ends of her hair.

Back at his home, the moment they entered the bedroom, he kissed her impatiently.

Perhaps it was the alcohol, or perhaps it was because he hadn’t seen her in several days. In any case, Mason Lawson was a little out of control right now.

Her lips grew numb and sore from his sucking kiss, and the man’s hands, moving with practiced ease, unfastened the button on her jeans.

’His intentions were obvious, weren’t they?’

But for some reason, the name "Joanna Sullivan" popped into Eve Vaughn’s mind.

In that instant, a mix of vexation and anger surged through her, and, throwing caution to the wind, she shoved him away forcefully.

The shove nearly made Mason Lawson lose his footing, and it sobered him up considerably.

Obvious displeasure was written across the man’s handsome features. His chilly gaze fixed on her, as if waiting for an explanation.

Eve Vaughn avoided his gaze, took a few steps back, and said coldly, "I don’t want to today..."

"Don’t want to what?"

Mason Lawson slowly walked up to her. His long, slender fingers gripped her chin, forcing her to look up at him.

The man’s tone was not pleasant. "I thought I’d been very respectful of you," he began, his voice deep and cold. "To this day, I still haven’t truly taken you. But now I’m not even allowed to touch you, is that it?"