Chapter 13 A Virgin? "Take a cab home, Vanessa. I've got something to do." After some distance from Calden Heights, Nathan stopped the car, his expression icy. In fact, he had dropped his facade the moment they sat in the car. "OK." Knowing he was off to see Susanna, Vanessa nodded before pushing the car door open and stepping out. Her fingers had barely left the car door when his car sped away. She stood in place stiffly. It wasn't until his car vanished from her sight that she crouched down, buried her face in her hands, and burst into tears, overwhelmed by loneliness and sadness. It was so tiring. She couldn't bear to act another second. Keeping up a life like this was simply soul-crushing. For all kinds of reasons, she had been enduring, not filing for a divorce. Now, the Powell family had finally known the truth, and she no longer needed to keep up the act. But what about Beatrice and Brian? How was she supposed to tell them the truth? Not to mention Beatrice's severe hypertension and coronary heart disease-the last thing she wanted was to give Beat- rice another reason to worry. Under the dim streetlight, occasional passers-by cast curious glances at her. But she no longer gave a damn and just cried uncontrollably, pouring out all her bottled-up frustration. After feeling better, she stood up, hailed a cab, and went back to the villa she shared with Nathan, their so-called "home". The villa was pitch-dark. Those lonely evenings stretched before her. Over the past five years, he had only returned a handful of times. She stepped into the bedroom, took a shower, and fetched some clothes before heading to the hospital. The VIP patient she had operated on was vitally important. She had to return to her shift and monitor his condition, ensuring nothing went wrong. In the VIP suite of the luxurious Linden Grand Hotel. By the floor-to-ceiling window stood a man in a white shirt, a black tee, and a baseball cap pulled low over his eyes. With one hand in his pocket, he stood lazily, exuding an air of roguish charm. The door was pushed open. 0.0% 15:38 Chapter 13 A Virgin? 1288 Vouchers A fair-skinned young man in glasses stepped into the room. He was Evander's assistant, Dwayne Woodruff. "Mr. Carroll, I've found out. The woman who spiked your drink the night before last is named Kathleen Cowan." Dwayne pulled up a surveillance video on his phone and handed it to Evander. Taking it over, Evander saw a chicly dressed girl pouring powder into his drink sneakily. His gaze turned icy as he pursed his lips. "Kathleen Cowan? Who is she?" "Mr. Carroll, she's the daughter of Russell Cowan, the CEO of the Cowan Group. It was a medium-sized enterprise in Brookford. Also, she's Ms. Dorsey's bestie." "Why did she drug me?" Evander asked. "That's what baffles me, Mr. Carroll. I looked into pretty much everything today, but still couldn't find even the slightest clue as to why she'd do this. The Cowan Group isn't qualified to compete for the Brentford Project, so they're hardly your opponent. What she did… simply made no sense." Evander snorted disdainfully. The Brentford Project had attracted all the industry titans' attention, all scrambling for it. He alone stood unchal- lenged. Clearly, someone couldn't sit still anymore and had taken action, targeting him on his very first night in Brookford. Whoever dared to cross him ought to bear the consequences. "Did you just say she's Vanessa's bestie?" he mused, a cold flint flashing in his eyes. "Yes. "Mr. Carroll, Mr. Powell is currently your strongest opponent in securing the Brentford Project, and Ms. Dorsey is his wife. Could it be…" Dwayne said, pondering. Evander suddenly waved his hand. The intimate scenes of Vanessa and him in bed last night flashed across his mind as he swallowed uncontrollably, his gaze turning heated. Why would Nathan sacrifice his wife? None of this added up. No self-respecting man would ever sink to this. Not to mention… He strode toward the wardrobe and yanked the doors open, and his white shirt, stained with blood, came into his view. It was his shirt from last night, the one trapped under Vanessa's body A surge of heat surged through his lower abdomen almost immediately. Vanessa-Nathan's wife-was actually a virgin. 45.3% 15.38 Chapter 13 A Virgin? How unbelievable. For the first time, he had encountered something bewildering, which also hooked his curiosity There must be something more to it, and he was set to get to the bottom of it. Otherwise, he wouldn't have bothered to go to Evercrest Villa to pick her up. Thanks to his sharp business instincts, he had already sensed something unusual. 92.3% 15.38 Chapter 14 A Stray Cat in Heat 11 285 Vouchers In "CEO, That Intern is Actually Your Wife" by CrushReel, delve into a captivating romance where a billionaire CEO becomes contractually linked to an unexpected partner. When faced with the urgent need to fund her grandmother's critical surgery, our protagonist finds herself in a unique situation—entering a one-year contract marriage with a stranger. As the story unfolds, themes of love, sacrifice, and the complexities of modern relationships come to light. The novel offers a fresh take on the familiar billionaire romance genre by exploring the dynamics of office relationships and the intricacies of contract lovers. Discover this modern tale of unexpected connections and heartfelt emotions, available to read at CrushReel.