Since the divorce, she had been acting like a little kitten in front of him, puffing out her chest and waving her tiny ws around.


    Her ferociousness didn''t hurt, but it certainly aroused some feelings inside him.


    Wendy crashed into his chest and was instantly enveloped by the clean, crisp scent of his masculine presence. She struggled more fiercely, pushing against him.


    "Let go of me!"


    Stanley pushed her away with a swift motion, sending Wendy falling onto the bed.


    Her delicate back pressed into the soft mattress, and just as she tried to sit up, the masculine scent descended once more. Stanley kneeled on her bed, hisrge hands braced on either side of her, a yful, amused expression on his face as he looked down at her.


    "Come on, Wendy. Show me how tough you are."


    He looked at her as if mocking her, and a thin flush of annoyance spread across Wendy''s fair cheeks. She red at him. "Being tough isn''t something you just talk about. You''ll soon see how tough I can be." Stanley''s curiosity grew. He reached up and gently pinched her delicate chin. "Wendy, who are you, really?" He was genuinely starting to question her. It felt like there were many secrets hidden beneath her surface, things he couldn''t figure out.


    He pinched her just enough to make it sting, and Wendy pushed his hand away, her tone sharp. "I''m someone you''ll never get."


    Stanley''s eyes darkened, and his sharp brow arched. "Didn''t I already get you?”


    Wendy shot him a look. “You won''t be getting me again.”


    The conversation suddenly took on an ambiguous tone. Stanley''s mind shed back to that night-the very bed they were on now. He and she had made love here before.


    The night before their divorce, the hallways of the dormitory had been filled with people walking by. She had sat on top of him, biting her red lip, her face flushed as she looked at him.


    She had been so nervous, too tense to rx.


    The images from that night came flooding back. Now, here she was again, beneath him. Stanley swallowed hard, immediately loosening his grip and pulling away from her


    He stood up.


    The sheets on her bed had been changed. They were no longer the pink, heart- shaped ones from that night, but a set of small, floral patterns instead.


    Wendy sat up. "Mr, Hawk, you should go. No matter what you ask, I won''t tell you anything.


    Stanley nced at her, then turned and left the girls'' dormitory.


    He was gone.


    Ding!


    At that moment, Wendy''s phone buzzed with a text.


    Dave had tagged both Stanley and her in a group message. The Summit


    Academic Forum is happening tomorrow. Congrats in advance to you two for your first coboration.


    Wendy watched Stanley leave. She didn''t n to tell him anything because they would meet again soon.


    Then, her phone rang with a melodic tone. It was Edith.


    Wendy immediately guessed Edith was calling for something unpleasant. If she had to guess, it was probably because Jessica had called Edith, whining about what had just happened.


    Wendy answered the call, and Edith''s voice came through, stiff andmanding. "Wendy, you need toe to the family estate tonight."


    Wendy smirked, her lips curling into a smile. "Alright, I''ll be there on time."


    Wendy arrived at the Crone family''s estate. It was lively tonight, with both the second and third branches of the family present.


    It seemed like another one of those feasts that usually meant nothing good.


    Edith looked at Wendy and said, "Wendy, you''re back. Come here. Let me introduce you to someone. His name is Matthew Goodman."


    Edith brought Matthew forward. Wendy nced at him. Matthew looked honest and simple, wearing sses and appearing rtively clean-cut.


    Edith said again, "Matthew''s a middle school teacher from a rural town. He has a permanent position. I brought him here to meet you for an arranged marriage. Once you''re married, you''ll move to the countryside to live with him."