Deception of the Heart: Edward, I'm Not Signing the Contract Anymore

After a rainstorm, the cold wind howled through the streets, sending a chill down Jane Eyres spine. She walked along the familiar avenue, dressed in a light garment, and couldnt help but shiver as a gust of wind swept over her. An hour prior, she had received a message from her boyfriend, Noah Calhoun: "My dear, meet me at the hotel tonight." He had included the address of the Grand Plaza Hotel, a five-star establishment with rooms costing over seven hundred dollars a night. Recently, Noah had secured a lucrative deal with a client and received a substantial bonus.

Jane arrived at the hotel and sent Noah a message, "My dear, have you arrived yet? Im already at the hotel entrance." Three minutes later, he replied, "Sorry, I have an unexpected client to meet with, and I might be late. Ive already checked into the room; the number is XXX."

She ascended to the designated floor, muttering the room number to herself, "324." As she walked down the hallway, she passed the rooms numbered "321," "322," and then paused at "324." Initially puzzled by the absence of a "323," she didnt give it much thought and pushed open the door marked "324."

The room was dimly lit, with the curtains drawn and no lights on, making it nearly pitch black inside. On the bed lay a man, reeking of alcohol. Jane covered her nose against the pungent smell. "Well, you lied to me, saying you were meeting a client, but it seems youve been here all along," she muttered with a mix of annoyance and amusement.

Her boyfriend, despite his occasional lack of reliability, had always been kind to her. She reached for the light switch when a hand grabbed her, causing her to fall onto the bed. Her heart raced, and she braced herself for the unknown experience that was about to unfold.

The following morning, Jane awoke with a headache, a result of the cold night and her inadequate covering. She called out to Noah, "Wake up, pour me a glass of hot water." As she tugged at the blanket, she thought to herself, "Hes already stealing the covers before were even married? What will it be like after?"

When she finally managed to pull the blanket free, she screamed in shock upon realizing that the man beside her was a stranger. The events of the previous night came rushing back, and she screamed again.

"In the morning, whats all the noise for?" the man grumbled without opening his eyes, snatching the blanket back and rolling over to continue his slumber.

"Who are you? You scoundrel!" Jane grabbed a pillow and hit him on the head. A minute later, his strong hand grabbed her wrist, causing her pain. "Whats all the noise for? Cant a man sleep in peace?"

Jane didnt dare to make a scene, fearing the consequences if others heard her. She quickly called Noah, only to be met with the message, "Sorry, the phone you have dialed is switched off."

Frustrated, she dressed and left the hotel, taking a taxi straight to her office. She paid the driver over twenty dollars using Alipay, a sum that pained her to part with, considering she could have taken the bus for just two dollars.

Upon arriving at work, her boss immediately reprimanded her for being late. "Do you know what time it is?" he barked. Jane checked her watch—8:33 AM. She was three minutes late. After the misfortune of the previous night and rushing to work without breakfast, she still couldnt escape her bosss harsh scolding.

"Late again, and youre out," he threatened. Jane often lamented her bosss low quality and crass language, despite her own prestigious university education. She had been with the company for over two years, yet her salary remained stagnant at four thousand dollars, a fact that deeply disheartened her.

At nine oclock, Edward Cullen woke up, dressed, and stood in front of the mirror, noticing a lipstick mark on his face. The events of the previous night were a blur due to the excessive alcohol he had consumed. While packing his briefcase, he found a pink wallet left on the bed by the girl who had entered his room the night before.

An hour later, he arrived at his office at Evergreen Group. His secretary informed him that the conference room was ready. "Edward, the meeting room is all set up," she said with a smile.

"Hmm," Edward responded absentmindedly, his mind still preoccupied with the vague image of a woman he couldnt quite place.

"Edward, is everything alright?" his secretary asked with concern.

Edward sighed. He couldnt reveal his secret thoughts and simply said, "Im fine. You may go now."

The CEOs office fell silent once more, a silence that was somewhat unsettling. Every morning, he would start his day with a cup of hot tea, but todays tea had gone cold, its flavor altered.

At ten oclock, his secretary reminded him that the meeting was about to begin. Only then did Edward snap out of his reverie, the tea still untouched.

"Am I changing?" Edward wondered to himself.

During the meeting, his distraction was evident. When an executive presented the strategic plan for the next quarter, Edward was clearly not paying attention, even when asked twice, "Edward, do you think this plan is acceptable?"

His mind was blank; he hadnt heard a word. "What did you just say..." he muttered, a mix of emotions swirling within him.

His assistant handed him the strategic plan, and after skimming through it, he pointed out its deficiencies and awaited corrections from his subordinates.

After the meeting, instead of returning to his office, Edward went back to the hotel. He was well-acquainted with the hotels manager, Mr. Easton, and had called ahead to explain the situation, then drove over.

At the hotel, Edward spoke with Mr. Easton about reviewing the surveillance footage from the previous night. He saw a long-haired girl enter his room around eight oclock.

"Could I get a copy of the surveillance video?" Edward asked Mr. Easton. After some hesitation, and with Edwards assurance of discretion, Mr. Easton reluctantly agreed.

With the video in hand, Edward was determined to find the girl and seek answers. He returned to his car, opened the pink wallet, and found an ID number with an address. A smile played on his lips as he knew what to do next.

He stepped on the gas, and the car sped off towards the address.