In the penthouse suite of the Cloudrest Hotel.
Summer Lowell struggled all the way but was still carried into the bathroom by him and thrown harshly into the water-filled bathtub.
"What exactly do you want to do?"
"Scared?"
When her eyes met his sinister gaze, Summer's heart trembled.
After a year of not seeing her former boss, she had anticipated that he would be angry, but she hadn't expected him to forcefully bring her here.
Out of instinct, Summer hurriedly used her hand to cover her chest, which was faintly visible through the wet clothing.
"Are you crazy?"
The man sneered, grasping her chin with his hand, "The matter from back then, are you sure you don't want to explain? Secretary Lowell!"
"I hardly know you, explain what..."
"Hardly know?"
He suddenly laughed, his slender and clean fingers stroking her lips, while the other hand started unbuttoning his shirt, "Very well, then let me remind you just how familiar we were before."
Summer's heart sank, and her body involuntarily moved closer to the edge of the bathtub.
"Dare you!"
"What you owe me, is there anything I wouldn't dare?"
The man suddenly lowered his head, kissing her fiercely...
Why? How did things turn out this way?
...
Six hours earlier.
Stellarion-Eastport International Airport.
Summer Lowell stood by the roadside, pushing her luggage, staring into the distance with a complicated expression.
"Hello, are you Ms. Summer Lowell?"
A sweet voice sounded beside her, and Summer took off her sunglasses, nodding to the newcomer, "Yes, I am."
"Hello, I'm Chloe Jacobs, assistant to the General Manager of the Stellarion Branch. President Adler had some urgent matters, so he sent me to pick you up."
"It's alright."
Summer put her sunglasses back on, her tone slightly cool, "Where's the car?"
"The car is this way, Director Lowell, please follow me."
Summer sat in the back seat, turning her head to look out the window.
Chloe, not wanting to neglect the new director, started making conversation, "Director Lowell, have you been to Stellarion before?"
"I have."
"Did you come for a visit?"
"No, I worked here for a while. Later, due to some issues, I took a train and left overnight."
Summer spoke plainly, but Chloe was too scared to continue the conversation.
What she said was actually true.
A year ago, she was forced to become the personal secretary to Maxim Sinclair of the Sinclair Group.
Yet, just when she had given her heart, she had to decisively leave this man.
Thinking about returning and facing Maxim Sinclair's overwhelming rage.
Summer's head hurt even more.
"Oh, right, President Adler has booked a place for your welcome dinner, so if you don't mind, we can go directly there."
"Okay, I'd like to take a nap. Wake me when we arrive."
"Certainly."
Night fell.
In a private room at the Cloudrest Hotel, Charles Jenson, Vice President of Sinclair Group, sat beside President Maxim Sinclair with a glass of wine, speaking in a low, mysterious voice, "I heard Stellart booked a private room upstairs to welcome their new design director."
Maxim, who was eating fruit, lifted his eyelids at the words, "And what does that have to do with me?"
"How does it not?" Charles pushed the fruit plate away from Maxim, "We're competitors with their company; knowing the enemy ensures countless victories. Besides, I heard their director is a beauty named Summer Lowell. It sounds like the same name as your former little secretary. Why don't we go up and pay a visit..."
"Summer Lowell?" Maxim's face suddenly turned cold.
Charles was stifled by his aura, unable to breathe, "I shouldn't have remembered wrong; it's indeed that name."
Maxim stood up.
Charles stood there dumbfounded.
Until Maxim gave him a look, "Not leaving yet?"
Upstairs, Charles, sipping his wine, pushed open the private room door, "Oh, I thought I saw President Adler earlier, must have been seeing things."
Inside, President Adler, who was speaking with Summer, looked up with a smile and stood up, "President Jennings, what a coincidence."
Beside President Adler, Summer instinctively looked up, immediately locking eyes with a pair of deep and ice-filled eyes, her heart momentarily seizing.
The smile on Maxim's lips suddenly froze.
Summer Lowell!
It's really you!
How dare you, this woman, have the nerve to return?
Maxim clenched his fist, struggling to control his nearly-out-of-control expression.
Chloe quickly reminded Summer, "These two, one is Vice President Charles Jenson of the Sinclair Group, and the other is President Maxim Sinclair. They're both tough; be cautious."
"President Adler has another assistant?"
Maxim deliberately emphasized as he pointed at Summer, seated next to President Adler.
"Not at all," President Adler, knowing their intent, called Summer over to introduce her, "This is Summer Lowell, our new design director."
"President Adler, hiding such a beautiful design director."
Summer looked at them with an indifferent expression.
Maxim raised his glass, moving closer to Summer, lowering his voice, "Director Lowell, welcome to Stellarion."
Seeing him propose a toast, Summer picked up her glass and drank with Maxim.
Maxim sneered internally, remembering how she hadn't touched alcohol when with him but now seemed so adept at drinking.
"Let me toast Director Lowell with a couple more rounds, to show goodwill."
Summer was straightforward as well, toasting and drinking, which made Chloe, who knew she didn't drink, worried.
"Alright, we won't disturb everyone further. I hope we have the chance to collaborate in the future."
After speaking, Maxim gave Summer a complicated look before leaving the private room with Charles.
Seeing them finally leave, Summer let out a silent sigh of relief.
Running into him right after returning to the country, she wondered if fate was playing a joke.
However, seeing Maxim's calm demeanor, he might have forgotten their past, although it caused her internal pain.
Not long after, the welcome party dispersed, considering Summer's travel fatigue.
She staggered slightly, waiting for the elevator with a dizzy head.
With a "ding," the elevator doors opened to her floor, and when she looked up, she was startled to see Maxim standing inside.
Wearing a black suit, tall and well-built, with chiseled features.
His cold gaze fell on her, "What? Afraid to come in?"
"I'm waiting for a friend, don't want to disturb President Sinclair."
Summer said, ready to leave, but Maxim's long arm stretched out, pulling her, unsteady in her heels, into the elevator.
"Let go! If you don't, I'll call the police!"
Summer instantly looked like a cat with its fur standing on end, struggling fiercely.
Maxim gripped her right arm, cornering her in the elevator, "Don't you have anything to explain?"
"Explain what?" As the alcohol took effect, Summer's eyes became slightly unfocused, "I don't think there's anything to explain. When feelings fade, it's natural to part. Does President Sinclair expect to act like a woman, clinging to me?"
"Clinging?"
Maxim swiftly leaned in, silencing those headache-inducing words with force.
"Mmm... let go!"
Summer pushed against Maxim's shoulders, shoving him away.
"Maxim Sinclair, if you want a woman, there are plenty out there, just leave me alone, okay!"
Maxim loosened his tie, his dark eyes fixed on Summer, "You were the one who initially provoked me. Ending the game is also for me to decide."
He then pressed the button for the top floor.
Maxim carried Summer to his permanently reserved room on the top floor.
Struggling all the way, Summer was carried by Maxim into the bathroom and thrown into the already filled bathtub.
"Maxim Sinclair, what the hell do you want to do?"
"Do what?"
Maxim gave her a wicked look, "I want you."