The next morning, Catherine groggily opened her eyes, not remembering how much beer she had drunk to have such a pounding headache. But she quickly realized she was in a completely unfamiliar place. The royal grandeur of the decor made Catherine aware that this was not a place for ordinary people. She felt fuzzy about everything after being chased and assaulted by the villains. At this moment, the door to the room opened, and a middle-aged woman appeared.

"Dear, you're awake. Wait a moment, I'll prepare some cold remedy for you," she said in a gentle voice.

Catherine tried to speak but found her throat dry, unable to make a sound. Then, she approached, neatly arranging the blankets, gently helping Catherine sit up and handing her a glass of water.

"I'm Windy, the housekeeper of this mansion. Last night, the young master brought you here in a drunken state, clothes torn."

"The young master?" Although her throat was sore, Catherine still managed to speak a bit.

"Thank you, Windy," Catherine said with a slight smile. She took the glass of water and drank slowly. "I can't remember much about what happened last night."

Windy sat down beside Catherine and looked into her eyes with warmth and empathy. "Don't worry, just keep quiet for a while. You've just woken up, your body needs time to recover," she emphasized.

Catherine felt sincere support from Windy and felt more at ease. "I'm really lucky to have met him, but I don't remember him clearly," she said. "I also don't know if I could have survived last night's situation."

Windy smiled gently and nodded. "Everything will be fine, you can rest assured."

As the two were chatting, the door suddenly opened, and Lucius appeared in the dim light. He walked into the room and saw Catherine sitting with Windy. Lucius's gaze became calm as he looked at the girl in front of him.

Windy quickly left, leaving Catherine and Lucius alone, but she couldn't help but feel uneasy in her mind when this man appeared.

Catherine hurriedly set the glass of water down and stared at the man. "Are you the young master she mentioned?" She asked, her voice becoming stern.

Lucius stepped closer and spoke gently, "If you're okay, then I'm relieved. Do you like the gift I sent?"

Catherine was slightly startled, not knowing what gift this man had sent to her. She hesitated for a moment, stuttering, "Are you the one who sent the photos of Liam Claude to me?"

"You're quite smart, little girl!" Lucius smiled warmly, approaching to sit beside the bed, gazing at Catherine intently. But involuntarily, she pushed him away, her eyes filled with suspicion. "Why? Are you targeting me, or him? Sir, I appreciate you saving me, but you need to be clear with me about everything."

Catherine became somewhat agitated when talking about the events of yesterday. She angrily grabbed a pillow and threw it towards Lucius, her eyes flashing with anger. Lucius held her back, his body suddenly leaning towards her, their eyes locked in a stare.

"Shit! Please back off a bit." Catherine kicked hard towards Lucius's "dangerous" area, but he dodged it.

"In short. Your stepfather is in debt and owes me a considerable amount of money. And he sold you to me."

Lucius regained his haughty demeanor, saying those words to Catherine. Catherine's brain suddenly stopped working, unable to comprehend such shocking news.

"Stop, do you even know what you're saying?"

"Catherine, let me remind you once again. Your stepfather owes me, and he sold you to me. My family is pressuring me to get married, so you are the perfect choice. I arranged everything with him beforehand."

He reached out and handed her an agreement, clearly stating the terms of their marriage.

And below, there were two fingerprints, Lucius Ravenwood, and Naomi Catherine.

Catherine looked at Lucius's paper with surprise. Her heart was pounding, and her mind was confused about what to do.

"An agreement? But we only met last night. I appreciate you saving me, but things are not like this," Catherine said, trying to keep her voice calm, but she felt unsettled, a growing sense of unease.

Lucius chuckled softly and approached Catherine, gently lifting her chin to speak, "It's okay, if you don't want to, we can negotiate compensation for breaking the contract. As for your stepfather, I'm not sure." His eyes began to shine now, a confident, assertive demeanor.

Catherine felt the pressure from Lucius's offer, but she didn't want to rush into an agreement. She couldn't let herself be threatened. Her heart was racing, anxiety spreading with each beat.

"This meaningless contract, I cannot agree to it. It's best you let me go." Catherine said firmly, her tone escalating into an inner battle.

Seeing Catherine's determined face, Lucius was not one to easily give in. He directly spoke, his eyes sharp, "Look behind the paper, it clearly states, whoever breaches the contract will compensate for damages of 10 million dollars." This statement sounded like a weapon, declaring his decision.

Catherine glanced at the paper, feeling uncomfortable. However, she still couldn't agree to Lucius's proposed terms. She tried to stand her ground and said firmly, "I can earn this amount and pay it to you. But I need time. Someone like me never likes such constraints."

Lucius looked straight at Catherine, his expression unpredictable. "Money can't buy love and respect, but it can ensure that we continue this path together transparently and fairly. Furthermore, I can ensure your safety, provide you with a comfortable life when Liam Claude and Annie start spreading evidence that you seduced him."

This surprise hit Catherine's psyche, leaving her somewhat dazed. Did Liam Claude really do such despicable things to her? But Catherine knew now wasn't the time to be weak.

"Forget it... How could you know about this? The relationship between me and Liam Claude," Catherine suspected.

"Why not? I have money, a lot of money. Moreover, your stepfather told me."

"Schemer!" Catherine's voice couldn't contain her surprise and anger.

Lucius looked directly at Catherine, the coldness on his face genuine. "Exactly. I'm not the smartest to catch such a small prey like you, but I'm not foolish to be manipulated. Now, you know everything. The decision is yours."

As Catherine was holding on to her determination, a strange feeling began to emerge within her. A faint suspicion about her stepfather began to rise. She recalled the strange signs from before, the times he mentioned the family's financial difficulties, and the discreet conversations she inadvertently overheard.

Catherine felt like she was drowning in a mess of misunderstanding and betrayal. But in her mind, a ray of hope still remained.

Lucius sipped his drink, his gaze slightly clouded, his voice cryptic: "I didn't say that to mock you, little girl. But unfortunately, there is clear evidence that there has been a negative impact on Liam Claude and your relationship. Let me tell you, his fans even want to kill you."

Catherine felt hurt, but she knew she couldn't avoid the truth: "I didn't know that, truly." She said, her gaze dropping to the glass of water. "But I've lost him and my career. I can't afford to lose anything more."

Lucius held the glass of wine in his hand and took a sip, showing empathy. "I understand how you feel. I don't want to force you into anything. I just want to make sure you know what's going on and have a free choice in the future."

"Naomi Catherine, at most, you have three days to give me an answer. If you dare to defy me, it won't just be the 10 million dollars from the contract. It will also be your stepfather's life."

After making his final offer, Lucius left the glass on the table and quickly left the room, but before he left, he looked back at Catherine with a cold gaze.

"Catherine, I don't want to become your adversary. But I hope you'll make a wise decision. The price of deception and compromise is never cheap, and sometimes, it can change your entire life."

Catherine felt like Lucius's words were a glaring red light, highlighting the danger of the situation. But at the same time, she also felt the limitation of freedom and the imposition of a decision she didn't want to face.

"Moreover, I can also help you get revenge."

***