She’d thought Mason Lawson had finally shown his true colors tonight. She was afraid he would torture her, like one of those perverted, sleazy tycoons you read about in the news.

As she stared at him, flustered and helpless, Mason Lawson slowly knelt and untied the ropes.

Eve Vaughn had been tied up for over two hours. Her arms were so sore and numb that even after he untied her, she winced in pain.

Mason Lawson helped her to her feet, intending to massage her shoulders, but Eve Vaughn swiftly pulled away.

The way the young woman looked at him now, it was as if she were facing a predator.

"Uncle, what is it you want? If you’re trying to force me into prostitution, I swear I’ll kill myself tomorrow!"

After all, in a place like this nightclub, Eve Vaughn couldn’t possibly imagine why Mason Lawson would let Mia Kendall go but keep her here.

Her words, however, made the man’s brow furrow in displeasure.

He gently gripped her chin. "Is that what you think of me?"

Eve Vaughn defiantly met his gaze. "What else am I supposed to think? You were actually with Miss Sullivan, but you lied and told me you were on a business trip abroad. And today, I saw with my own eyes that you play with women just like Eric Kendall does!"

Mason’s sharp eyes narrowed. He leaned in slowly, his voice low, husky, and full of insinuation. "You saw me playing with women? Tell me, then. How exactly was I ’playing’ with them?"

"You!" As an inexperienced young woman, how could Eve Vaughn possibly bring herself to discuss such a topic with him?

She muttered under her breath, "Pervert!"

A half-smile played on Mason Lawson’s lips. "The way you’re acting, I can only assume you’re jealous."

"I’m not!"

Eve Vaughn protested hotly, "Why would I be jealous?"

Mason Lawson stared at her pensively. After a long moment, he reached out to stroke her hair, his voice softening as he explained, "I really was in Frovence on business, attending an annual conference for a partner company. Joanna Sullivan was a special guest there. I didn’t know she would be until I arrived. Did you call me?"

"I did."

Eve Vaughn’s head drooped as she spoke in a muffled voice. "Back then, when Autumn Woods had my mom thrown out of the hospital, you were the first person I thought to call. But when I did, Miss Sullivan answered. I’m not jealous. I just feel like you shouldn’t have lied to me, Uncle. I’m not some tactless girl who doesn’t know her place. And I would never try to cling to you."

Faced with the young woman’s resentful, suspicious gaze, Mason Lawson gave a helpless-looking smile. "My apologies. I accidentally left my phone at the conference hall, so Joanna Sullivan was holding it for me. That must be when she picked up your call."

Eve Vaughn looked at him, slightly surprised. She probably never expected a man as proud and aloof as Mason Lawson to bother explaining himself to her.

’Besides, what is our relationship, really? Does he even need to explain himself to me?’

Nevertheless, after hearing Mason Lawson’s explanation, the gloom and anxiety that had weighed on Eve Vaughn for days simply vanished.

Just then, Mason Lawson took her hand. He frowned, looking at the raw skin on her delicate wrist. "Does it hurt?"

Eve Vaughn shook her head. ’After all, I was scared half to death just now. How could I have possibly felt any pain?’

Now that he mentioned it, however, a dull throb did seem to radiate from her wrist.

But she didn’t dare stay in this small room with Mason Lawson any longer, terrified of what he might do to her next.

"Uncle, I... I have to go back to my dorm, or the doors will be locked."

Eve Vaughn made an excuse, desperate to leave.

Mason Lawson looked her up and down. "You plan on going back dressed like that?"

Eve Vaughn glanced down at her schoolgirl-style miniskirt and black thigh-highs, utterly mortified.

She stammered, "Th-Then I’ll go change. My clothes are still in the changing room."

"The club staff already cleared out your clothes while you were locked in here," Mason Lawson said nonchalantly.

Eve Vaughn’s heart sank. Just then, her roommate, Aria, called her.

"Evie, the dorm building is already locked! Why aren’t you back yet? The RA on duty tonight is the meanest one. If you have somewhere else to stay, don’t even try to come back. Otherwise, she’ll chew you out for days!"

Eve Vaughn was still processing everything and just replied automatically, "Oh, okay... I... I get it."

The thought of that short-tempered, long-winded RA made Eve Vaughn shudder.

Mason Lawson asked, "Who was that on the phone?"

"My roommate," Eve Vaughn said, dejected. "She was reminding me that the dorm is locked."

A faint smirk touched Mason Lawson’s lips before he instantly adopted a serious expression, lecturing her like an elder scolding a child. "Let this be a lesson to you about sneaking out in the middle of the night to do dangerous things. Since you can’t go back tonight, just get a room here at the club. You can head back tomorrow."

With that, he draped an arm over Eve Vaughn’s shoulders and began walking her out of the room.

Eve Vaughn jumped, quickly refusing. "N-No... you don’t have to go to so much trouble, Uncle."

"It’s no trouble."

Mason Lawson glanced down at the panicked young woman. "Besides, I just got back from my trip today and I’m tired. I’ll stay here for the night too."

When they reached the front desk, the receptionist asked, "Excuse me, sir, will that be one room or two?"

Eve Vaughn quickly answered, "Two! We need two!"

Mason Lawson produced a VIP card and handed it to the receptionist. His gaze was dark and intimidating as he asked, "Do you have any spare rooms available?"

The receptionists here dealt with countless members of the upper crust every day; they were sharp as tacks.

The moment Mason Lawson spoke, the receptionist understood. "Let me check for you. I’m sorry, sir, but we only have one room left."

The implication was clear: they would have to share a room tonight.

Hearing this, Eve Vaughn immediately protested, "In that case, we won’t stay here. Or... we could find another place to stay."