"Uncle, you... you..."

Eve Vaughn scrambled off the bed, staring in panic at the sinister man before her.

Mason Lawson looked down at her condescendingly, saying word by word, "Since you want to act like her, I’ll let you have your fill of it! What did Eric Kendall teach you? Did he teach you how to be my woman?"

"N-no..."

Eve Vaughn was so frightened she burst into tears. Huddled in the corner and trembling, she choked out, "Uncle, I thought you’d be happy. I just wanted to make you happy. Please don’t be like this, okay? I... I’m scared."

But she didn’t realize that her heartbreakingly vulnerable appearance only further inflamed the man’s desire, making him want nothing more than to ravage her.

Mason Lawson stood by the bed, suppressing the fire within him. He ordered the young woman on the other side of the bed, "Get over here."

Eve Vaughn just shook her head frantically, not daring to take a single step forward. Instead, she cowered even further into the corner.

His patience had run out. He strode over, effortlessly pinning her against the wall as his hand slipped inside her clothes.

Eve Vaughn’s eyes widened in horror, tears streaming down her face. "Uncle, I’m begging you, please don’t..."

But the hand continued its merciless exploration, and he shoved her onto the bed.

’What is he trying to do?’

’The answer was obvious!’

Eve Vaughn kicked her legs, struggling to push him off, but he simply pinned her knees and forced them apart.

"You’re insane, Uncle! I’m not Joanna Sullivan! I’m Eve Vaughn!"

Eve Vaughn’s scream brought the man to a momentary halt.

’He’s come to his senses,’ she thought. ’Now that he knows I’m not the woman he worships, he’ll let me go.’

But Mason Lawson’s next words shattered all her hope.

The man looked at her and said coldly, "I know you’re Eve Vaughn! But I’m afraid you’ve forgotten who you are!"

With that, he crushed his mouth to hers, silencing any further protests.

Eve Vaughn was forced to part her lips, enduring his flagrant plunder.

"Mmph..."

She was clearly resisting, yet the sounds forced from her sealed lips sounded less like protest and more like soft, suggestive moans.

She could clearly feel her dress being pushed up.

In the nick of time, Eve Vaughn suddenly felt a warm gush between her legs.

And just as suddenly, Mason Lawson released her.

Eve Vaughn never would have imagined that her period would choose this exact moment to arrive,

and that it would get on Mason Lawson’s sheets.

Before the man could snap out of his shock, she quickly pulled her dress down and stammered, "This... this is normal for girls."

Mason Lawson narrowed his eyes and said meaningfully, "I’ll let you off the hook... for today."

With that, he called for Mrs. Linton to come and clean his bed.

Like a frightened rabbit, Eve Vaughn quickly fled from his bedroom.

Back in her room, she clutched her chest, panting heavily, unable to calm her racing heart.

’What Mason Lawson said just now, and what he did to me... it’s making me more and more terrified.’

She could no longer lie to herself and treat Mason Lawson as just her "Uncle."

’Because at his core, he was a man—a mature man.’

Eve Vaughn shook her head, trying not to dwell on such chaotic thoughts.

’Maybe Mason Lawson was just angry tonight because I was imitating the woman he loves. Or maybe he mistook me for Joanna Sullivan, and that’s why he lost control like that.’

’Usually, the man was so graceful and refined.’

Eve Vaughn kept trying to convince herself: ’I must be overthinking things!’

She took a shower, and it was only when she went to set her alarm for the morning that she realized she didn’t have her phone.

After all, Mason Lawson had dragged her straight home from the hotel, giving her no chance to grab her purse and phone.

Thinking of that guy Eric Kendall, she couldn’t help but curse him and his entire family tree. ’I must have been an idiot to listen to his terrible advice!’

It wasn’t until the wee hours of the morning that Eve Vaughn finally drifted into a groggy sleep.

The night’s events had clearly been a major shock to her system.

She didn’t sleep soundly that night.

She woke up the next day at the crack of dawn.

Remembering the two days of schoolwork she had neglected to practice the piano, Eve Vaughn decided to head to school early and make up for lost time.

As she passed the dining room, Mrs. Linton, who had already prepared breakfast, smiled warmly. "Miss Vaughn, I was just about to come up and get you. You’re just in time for breakfast."

Just then, Mason Lawson returned from his morning run.

Their eyes met for a second before they both quickly looked away.

Mason Lawson’s face was cold as he walked toward the dining room, apparently still angry about what happened last night.

Mrs. Linton, unaware of what had happened, still kindly invited Eve Vaughn to have breakfast.

In truth, Eve Vaughn hadn’t eaten a thing since the previous evening, and her stomach was aching with hunger.

The delicious aroma of Mrs. Linton’s breakfast was especially potent, and she couldn’t help but swallow hard.

But the thought of Mason Lawson’s cold expression made her hesitate. "That’s alright, Mrs. Linton," she said quietly. "I’ll just eat at the school cafeteria."

She shouldered her backpack and turned to leave.

Just then, Mason Lawson’s cold, deep voice reached her. "Come here and eat breakfast."

Slightly surprised, Eve Vaughn turned back to look at the expressionless man at the dining table.

Mason Lawson repeated, "I don’t like repeating myself."

Mrs. Linton gently tugged Eve Vaughn’s arm. "Come on, Miss Vaughn. Mr. Lawson is waiting for you." 𝘧𝓇ℯ𝑒𝓌𝑒𝑏𝓃𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭.𝒸ℴ𝓂

Eve Vaughn was painfully hungry, and since Mason Lawson had given her an out, she took it.

Sitting at the dining table, she ate cautiously, stealing glances at Mason Lawson’s face and not daring to make a sound.

A sad thought crossed Eve Vaughn’s mind. ’That feeling of being an unwelcome guest... it’s back again!’

’Back at home, even though it was my father’s house, Lana Chambers and her family isolated and ostracized me.’

’After I came to live with Mason Lawson, he decorated my room just how a girl would like it and gave me plenty of freedom. That feeling of living on someone else’s charity had finally disappeared.’

’And now, it seems to be back.’

At first, Eve Vaughn only picked at the dishes directly in front of her. Seeing no displeasure on the man’s face, she finally mustered the courage to reach for a crystal shrimp dumpling that was closer to Mason Lawson.

Just then, Mrs. Linton came in from outside. "Mr. Lawson, a Mr. Kendall is here. He says he’s brought a purse and a phone for Miss Vaughn."

Eve Vaughn’s heart leaped into her throat, and she silently cursed Eric Kendall.

’He just has to be everywhere, doesn’t he!’

’Can’t I just have one peaceful breakfast? Is that too much to ask?’