She kept calling him "Uncle Pierce," but there wasn't a hint of respect in her tone!
'Little vixen, trying to play mind games with me!'
Aiden Pierce scoffed, his voice devoid of any pleasure.
The man's long, well-defined fingers gripped Willow West's chin, forcing her to face him.
He enunciated each word clearly. "Little West, last night... was my first time!"
Willow West had imagined countless reasons why Aiden Pierce might give her a hard time, but she never, ever expected him to come out with a line like this!
Her body froze.
Her clear eyes stared at Aiden Pierce in astonishment.
Her expression was unreadable.
"What?"
"A man's virginity is still virginity!
Little West, I want you to take responsibility for me!"
Willow West's eyes went wide, as if she'd just had the shock of her life.
"What did you say?"
The man repeated, enunciating every word, "Little West, you were the one who seduced me last night!
You told me you were single!
Otherwise, I wouldn't have touched you!
It was my first time!
You must take responsibility!"
Aiden Pierce's voice was deep and magnetic, possessing an indescribable sexiness.
Stunned by his words, Willow West lost her footing. The stiletto heel she was wearing slipped, and she stumbled.
Aiden Pierce reached out, his powerful arm instantly wrapping around Willow West's waist to steady her.
He subtly pressed her impossibly slender waist against his own body, pulling her even closer.
Willow West's voice trembled. "Take responsibility?"
Aiden Pierce nodded, looking as if it were the most natural thing in the world. "Mhm, take responsibility.
The exact kind you're thinking of!"
"But you're my elder. Are you joking with me?"
"Do I look like I'm joking with you?
Little West, it's just as you said!
I'm a traditional, conservative man—a dinosaur, if you will!
You brazenly took my first time, and now you have to take responsibility for me!
Otherwise, I don't mind taking this to Old Master West!"
Willow West's heart hammered in her chest, and her mind went completely blank.
Robin Sutton's voice echoed from the hallway.
"Sister-in-law, where are you!"
Willow West frowned. 'Why is Robin Sutton here?'
'If anyone saw me here with Aiden Pierce, it would cause an unbelievable scandal!'
She wanted to call off the engagement, but the fault absolutely could not be hers!
She was visibly panicked.
"Uncle Pierce, can we talk about this later?
I have something else I need to do right now!"
Willow West lowered her voice.
Her tone was anxious, her words tumbling out in a rush.
But he saw the desperation in her eyes.
"Little West, I'm trying to discuss compensation with you, and you're playing games with me, is that it?"
"No!
Uncle Pierce, regarding the compensation... if you're not satisfied, I think we can still negotiate!
I really have to go!
I'll find you later to discuss the compensation details!
Okay?"
Willow West forced herself to be patient, doing her best to placate the man before her.
In the hallway, the sound of Robin Sutton's footsteps grew closer.
"Sister-in-law? Miss West, where are you?"
Willow West's heart leaped into her throat.
The way she and Aiden Pierce were positioned was far too close, far too intimate...
Aiden Pierce's lips curled into a lazy, unrestrained smile. "You'll contact me?"
"Yes!"
"A delaying tactic?"
"It's really not!"
"You have my number?
Little West, don't even think about lying to me!"
In the hallway, the sharp CLICK of Robin Sutton's high heels on the floor grew closer and closer.
With every approaching CLICK, Willow West's heart began to race, pounding wildly in her chest.
'This man, Aiden Pierce, is so audacious and reckless!'
Forcing down her impatience, Willow West raised three fingers. "I swear, I will definitely contact you!
Cross my heart!"
Aiden Pierce's dark eyes stared at the nervous Willow West. A smirk played on his lips as he reached into her clutch.
He expertly plucked out her phone.
He dangled it in front of her.
"Little West, I'll be waiting for your call!"
Willow West hesitated, only to see Aiden Pierce pull out his own phone. He grabbed her wrist and registered her fingerprint on his device.
Then, he put his phone into her bag.
The man turned and left.
Watching Aiden Pierce's imposing figure disappear from the restroom, Willow West breathed a sigh of relief.
'He doesn't know my phone's password.'
'So I'm not worried.'
Just then, Robin Sutton found her and walked into the restroom.
A familiar smile still on her face, she stepped forward to affectionately grab Willow West's arm.
"Sister-in-law, what took you so long?
Bianca was getting anxious waiting for you!"
Willow West's delicate brows arched, her beautiful face showing open disgust.
She didn't hide her revulsion, yanking her arm away from Robin Sutton's grasp.
"Your precious Bianca isn't here. Aren't you tired of putting on an act?"
Robin Sutton's hand met only air. Hearing Willow West's words, the harmless smile on her face vanished instantly.
She turned to the mirror to fix her hair, her voice losing its earlier innocent tone.
"Willow West, does it ever get tiring, always putting on this prim-and-proper, high-society act?
Have you ever considered that he likes me precisely because you're so uptight?
To be honest, Bianca and I really did go to a hotel last night!
We even...
He said his marriage to you is just for the family's interests!
The only person he loves is me!"
Willow West said nothing. She took half a step back, drew back her arm, and landed a resounding slap across Robin Sutton's face.
A clear red handprint immediately bloomed on Robin Sutton's perfectly made-up face.
Robin Sutton was stunned. "Willow West, how dare you hit me!
Aren't you afraid I'll tell Bianca?"
As she spoke, Robin Sutton raised her arm to retaliate, but Willow West grabbed her wrist and violently flung it away.
Then, Willow West took out her phone and pressed play on a recording.
*"Willow West, does it ever get tiring, always putting on this prim-and-proper, high-society act?"*
*"Have you ever considered that he likes me precisely because you're so uptight?"*
*"To be honest, Bianca and I really did go to a hotel last night, and we even..."*
*"Bianca also said that your marriage is just a business arrangement. The only person he loves is me."*
Robin Sutton's heart skipped a beat. "You... you're shameless! You were recording me!"
"Miss Sutton, I hear the Hale Family is being liquidated.
Life must not be too easy for you abroad, is it?
If I were you, I'd seize every opportunity I could get my hands on."
Robin Sutton looked at Willow West in confusion.
'Her words sound... strange.'
"If you love your precious Bianca, then stop trying to disgust me. Otherwise, next time, it won't be just a simple slap."
With that said, Willow West turned and left without a backward glance.
Humiliated but unwilling to cause a scene, Robin Sutton had no choice but to swallow this bitter pill.
'Willow West, one day, I'll grind you under my heel!'
After calming down, Robin Sutton realized that Willow West had a point.
'Right now, the only person she could hold on to was Bianca Sterling!'
Only after leaving the restroom did Willow West finally let out a long, heavy sigh.
Her exquisite face was etched with an exhaustion she couldn't hide.
'She would rather die than marry a scumbag like Bianca Sterling!'
'But they were supposed to get their marriage license tomorrow!'
Willow West felt a surge of frustration.
Everyone envied her status as the glamorous Miss West—the eldest daughter of the West Family, a woman known for being well-read, sensible, dignified, and self-possessed.
'But only she knew the truth: she was nothing more than a tool for a marriage alliance, carefully groomed by Melanie Ulrich to bolster Ethan West's position in the West Family!'
'She had understood all of this at sixteen, when she was forcibly sent to a school for "female virtue."'
'Even if this marriage alliance were to end, she absolutely could not be the one to initiate it.'
'Yesterday, after receiving that email, she hadn't done what Robin Sutton expected. She didn't go to catch them in the act, cause a huge scene, or bring public disgrace upon both families.'
'And now, Robin Sutton was the one getting antsy.'
'Robin Sutton, I've already put the knife in your hand. I just hope you aren't completely useless.'