Chapter 2 Unbearable Sound

• Grace looked utterly astonished. "Are you sure?"
• "Absolutely," Summer replied, her heart racing with conviction.
• Lawrence loved her—she knew he'd understand. With that thought in mind, she hurried off to find him.
• Grace quickly followed, calling, "Summer, wait! I'll come with you. I really think you should reconsider, maybe take some time before making a decision."
• After all, matters like these were far too absurd. No man would remain indifferent.
• Meanwhile, on the road back to the heart of Zlido, Ferdinand Montgomery sat in the back of a sleek, black Rolls-Royce Phantom. With a slow, deliberate movement, he removed the silver mask from his face, revealing his aristocratic and rugged features.
• The sharp lines of his face and his deep-set eyes conveyed a presence that was naturally authoritative. His gaze—profound and enigmatic—held an allure both dangerous and irresistibly mysterious. An aura of cold detachment radiated from him, creating a barrier that repelled anyone who dared come too close.
• His assistant, Ben, took the lead, leaning forward to report, "Mr. Montgomery, I've discovered that it was Ms. Ford who arranged for someone to drug you."
• At those words, a flicker of cold intensity flashed in Ferdinand's eyes.
• Noticing his silence, Ben asked, a note of worry in his voice, "How do you feel? Should we take you to the hospital?"
• Ferdinand waved him off casually. "There's no need. I'm fine. It's just…" He paused.
• It was just that the girl had been wronged.
• Taking her in such a place had been beneath him, an insult to her dignity. His mind drifted back to that night, the memory vivid in his thoughts. She had been so innocent. Beneath him, she had seemed vulnerable, her pain and tears stirring a fleeting sense of regret within him.
• Yet, under the influence of the drug, he had been powerless to control himself.
• He pulled a cigarette from his pocket, lighting it and taking a smooth drag as he looked out the window. "The ruby ring I promised my grandmother has already been sent to her. Arrange to have the girl brought to me first thing tomorrow morning."
• Promises were not something he made lightly; now that he had, he knew he had to take responsibility.
• Ben understood right away that the "girl" referred to the one who had helped his employer. He had found Ferdinand emerging from her tent earlier that night. For him to be sitting here calmly now, speaking of plans, it was clear that an encounter had indeed taken place.
• "Yes, Mr. Montgomery," Ben responded. "I will make sure it's done."
• After a brief pause, he added, "And what about Ms. Ford?"
• Ferdinand's eyes narrowed, his expression turning colder. "Since she's so eager for a man, I'll send one her way. I trust you understand how to handle it."
• "I do," Ben replied with a respectful nod.
• …
• Meanwhile, Summer reached Lawrence's tent, her heart pounding with a mix of hope and anxiety.
• Just as she lifted her hand to the tent flap, strange sounds drifted from inside, sharp and unmistakable. The noise was unbearable—something only adults could understand but would struggle to describe.
• The male voice was unmistakably Lawrence's, but the woman's voice… It was so familiar.
• Could it be her?
• A wave of disbelief swept over Summer as she pulled back the flap, only to be met with a sight that sent a rush of cold fury through her veins—two bodies entangled, Lawrence's arms wrapped around none other than her stepsister, Abigail.
• Rage took hold of Summer. She grabbed a bucket of water from nearby and hurled it over the two of them, the icy splash breaking their embrace.
• "When did you start having an affair?" she demanded, her voice shaking with anger.
• Lawrence, drenched and caught completely off guard, looked up in shock. "Summer, I thought you were asleep!"
• Abigail had assured him that Summer was resting, which had emboldened them to indulge themselves.
• "So, you just went to bed with her?" Summer's voice trembled with bitter disappointment. Lawrence had been her beacon, her safe haven. She had loved him fiercely, deeply.
• Tonight, on his birthday, she had planned to offer him her heart completely. Yet now, it seemed he had shattered it without a second thought.
• Abigail, who had always looked down on Summer and taken her for a rival, showed no hint of remorse. Instead, she rose slowly and draped herself in a silk nightgown, moving with a calm arrogance that bordered on disdain.
• "Summer, you're just too rough," Abigail sneered, her tone dripping with condescension. "That's why Lawrence doesn't like you."
• She stood there, smugly assuming the air of the mistress of the scene, her words stinging like salt in Summer's wounds.