Chapter 1
An explosive scandal rocked New York University when a video of Josephine Reynolds’s first intimate night was leaked to a group chat.
The video was filmed in a presidential suite of a five–star hotel.
In it, Josephine was naked, pressed against the floor–to–ceiling window by a man a head taller than her, the sound of their movement echoing nonstop.
When it ended, the man leaned close to her ear and said, “Good girl.”
The two words hit the group chat like a ton of bricks and instantly caused a huge commotion.
“That voice… Could the man be Nathaniel?”
“Josephine is so scheming. She actually hooked up with our school’s board director! No wonder her bullies have backed off.”
“I always thought Josephine was a sweet, innocent girl. Turns out she’s a calculating slut. Well, she’s the daughter of a mistress after all!”
When the news reached Josephine, she was in her dorm, knitting a scarf for Nathaniel.”
Her roommate cranked the volume to the maximum. With a smirk, she passed her phone around and spoke in a slow, deliberate drawl.
“Josephine, that’s some practiced moaning. You must do this a lot, huh?”
Mocking laughter rang in Josephine’s ears. She froze, her face pale. The half–knitted scarf slipped from her hands as she stood and rushed out.
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She stumbled her way toward Nathaniel’s office, demanding answers.
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But just as she reached the door, she heard mocking voices from inside.
“Nathaniel, you really didn’t show any mercy to Josephine, did you? You made her face so clear on purpose so she couldn’t even explain herself.”
Josephine was stunned, coldness spreading through her body.
“She deserved it. She messed with Dorothy, the woman Nathaniel loves the most.”
“I just feel bad for Nathaniel. He’s been through so much–hiring people to spread rumors that Josephine’s mom was a mistress, dealing with those who bullied her to gain her trust, and even putting on an act of affection toward her.”
“Oh, right, Nathaniel, when do you plan to tell her the truth? If she finds out the man she’s been in love with all this time is actually her future brother–in–law, she’ll probably cry her heart out. The thought alone is hilarious.”
Lounging on the sofa, Nathaniel slowly tapped his cigarette against the ashtray’s edge, his face an impassive mask.
As he remained silent, one of his buddies asked, “Feeling pity for Josephine? She’s the reason Dorothy has been suffering for two long years, exiled so far from home. You can’t just let her off the hook!”
Hearing the name “Dorothy,” Nathaniel finally reacted.
He ground out his cigarette and said flatly, “I’ll tell Josephine the truth the day Dorothy returns.
“That day happens to be the anniversary she has been waiting for. I’ll give her a ‘surprise‘ and make her pay back everything she owes Dorothy.”
Josephine’s breathing hitched, and her eyes fell on Nathaniel’s stern face
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Zapachy
through the smoke. She felt as if a big hole had been opened in her heart, and the pain made her vision go black.
So the rumors about her mother had all been spread by Nathaniel!
He had pursued and protected her just for revenge.
The one he truly loved was her half–sister, Dorothy Reynolds.
Josephine couldn’t take it anymore. She turned and ran away in panic.
But before she got far, a few girls blocked her path.
“Well, well, if it isn’t the star of that exciting video!”
“You just came out of Mr. Gordon’s office. Did you go offer yourself up again?”
Face pale, Josephine tried to escape but was shoved back and forth by the
group.
Just then, Nathaniel’s cold voice came from behind them.
“Bully her right in front of me? Do you have a death wish?”
He had walked out of his office unnoticed and was walking toward them.
The girls instantly fled.
Nathaniel came up to Josephine and fixed her messy hair. When he bent down to meet her eyes, his fingertip brushed gently across her cheek.
“I told you, if anyone bothers you again, you tell them you belong to me.
The familiar scent of cigarettes filled Josephine’s nose, making her eyes sting.
As the countless memories of his protection replayed in her mind, a hazy,
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Chapter 1
dreamlike feeling washed over her.
After her mother’s suicide, her father, Edward Reynolds, got back
together with his first love, leaving Josephine to live a life far worse than an orphan’s.
Soon, a rumor swept through the school: Josephine’s mother was a mistress, and Dorothy was the rightful heir of the Reynolds family.
As “the mistress’s daughter,” Josephine naturally became a target for bullying.
It was Nathaniel who came to her rescue. Using his authority as a board director, he shielded her effortlessly, providing a warmth she desperately needed.
Yesterday was Nathaniel’s birthday. The two of them, drunk, crossed the line. He, usually so gentle and dignified, pressed her against the floor–to- ceiling window, admiring her trembling body.
The moment he slid in, a deep sense of solace settled over Josephine, like a lost bird finding its way home at last.
Little did she know, this had been nothing but a trap.
Josephine felt her mind spin.
When she came to her senses, she found herself settled into the passenger seat of Nathaniel’s car.
Lateefa Khanam is a spirited writer who finds freedom in horse riding. She cherishes her mare and the newborn foal, calling them her little happy family.
