After Being Rejected, Owned by Two Heirs

Chapter 3: The Traces Left Behind

Without wasting another second, Anna moved as quickly as she could. With trembling hands, she gathered her clothes scattered across the marble floor. The overwhelming panic made her head pound even harder, but her fear of being caught was far greater. After hurriedly putting on her lilac dress, Anna glanced briefly at the stranger still sleeping on his stomach before half-running out of the VVIP room.

Inside the taxi carrying her through the still quiet streets of Manhattan, Anna finally broke down in tears. She hugged herself tightly while staring at her reflection in the window fogged by the morning dew.

As she adjusted the collar of her dress, Anna froze. Through the small rearview mirror, she could see reddish marks covering her neck and chest, standing out against her pale skin—the traces of last night’s passion.

Stupid! What have you done, Anna? she screamed inwardly, feeling disgusted and shattered at the same time.

Anna quickly pulled the collar of her dress higher, trying to hide the marks so they would not arouse her mother-in-law’s suspicion. While roughly wiping away her tears, memories of last night’s heated touches suddenly flashed through her mind. Unfortunately, because she had been too drunk, the man’s face remained blurry in her memory. Anna only remembered a pair of sharp hawk-like eyes and touches that had been incredibly demanding.

“Ah, forget it... Just treat it like a nightmare,” Anna whispered to herself, trying to bury the biggest mistake of her life deep inside.

The moment she stepped into the luxurious Moren family mansion, Anna was immediately greeted by Madam Moren, who stood near the door with obvious worry written all over her face.

“Anna! Oh my God, dear... where were you last night?” Her mother-in-law immediately pulled Anna’s curvy body into a tight embrace, pouring all her concern into it.

Anna forced a faint smile while trying her best to hide her swollen eyes. “Forgive Anna, Mom. Anna stayed at a friend’s house last night. Yesterday... yesterday Anna was too emotional after leaving Daniel’s office, so Anna was afraid to come home and needed time to calm down.”

Madam Moren gently stroked Anna’s cheek. “Mom knows, Anna. Mom knows what that bastard did to you at the office yesterday. Mom apologizes on Daniel’s behalf.”

Anna slowly shook her head as tears once again streamed uncontrollably down her face. “No, Mom. Daniel is not wrong. Anna knows her place. Anna really is not worthy of Daniel. Anna is ugly, fat, and huge like a pig... it is natural for Daniel to feel ashamed of having a wife like Anna.”

“Do not say things like that!” Madam Moren snapped, her eyes brimming with tears as she looked at her beloved daughter-in-law. “You are beautiful, Anna! Your heart is so sincere. Never insult yourself like that. Later... later Mom will introduce you to a famous nutrition specialist in this city. Maybe with his help, you can achieve your ideal weight and open Daniel’s eyes!”

Anna lowered her head and squeezed her fingers together. The numbness in her heart had already become too overwhelming after Daniel’s rejection yesterday, added with the guilt from what happened last night. “Mom... Anna feels that even dieting will not change anything. Anna just wants to divorce Daniel.”

“No! There is no such thing as divorce in this house!” Madam Moren declared firmly.

“If she wants a divorce, then just divorce her already! Why does Mom always stop it?”

That cold voice cut through their argument. Daniel walked downstairs in casual clothes, staring at Anna with a gaze full of disgust and revulsion. “I never loved this woman, Mom. My true love has already returned from France. So why should I keep this ridiculous marriage?”

“Daniel!” Madam Moren shouted thunderously at her son, her face red with anger. “As long as I am still alive, there will never be a divorce in the Moren family! You must learn to accept Anna!”

Daniel let out a cynical chuckle and crossed his arms over his chest. “Accept her? Mom, I have been trapped with her for five years. Do you think I can suddenly love a woman whose body alone makes me lose my appetite?”

“That is enough, Daniel! Where is your heart, huh?!” Madam Moren stepped forward, scolding her son mercilessly. “For five years she served you, prepared your meals, and took care of this house without ever complaining even though you treated her like a maid! Is there not even a shred of humanity inside your chest?!”

Seeing her mother-in-law continuously scolding Daniel to defend her, Anna felt guilty. She stepped forward and gently held Madam Moren’s arm.

“That is enough, Mom... do not force someone to love a person they truly cannot love,” Anna interrupted softly, her voice sounding incredibly calm. She even managed to force a sweet smile onto her exhausted face. “Anna is fine.”

Daniel snorted disdainfully. “Good that you finally know your place,” he scoffed before walking past them toward the front door without the slightest bit of regret.

Madam Moren let out a frustrated sigh as she looked at Anna with overwhelming guilt. “Anna, forgive Mom...”

To comfort the older woman who loved her so much, Anna nodded slowly. “Alright, Mom. Just to make Mom happy, Anna will follow your advice. Anna will go on a diet and meet that nutrition specialist.”

At the same time, inside the luxurious Manhattan nightclub’s VVIP room.

Ken Alexander Wright slowly opened his hawk-like eyes as the sunlight began stinging his skin. He stretched slightly, feeling his body strangely refreshed—there was no nausea, no itchy rashes, and no shortness of breath that usually tormented him every morning after accidentally interacting with the outside world.

Ken turned to the side, intending to find the warm and curvy woman who had saved him last night. However, that side of the bed was already empty and cold. The woman had left.

Ken frowned, feeling both disappointed and curious. As he was about to pull back the silk blanket, his movement suddenly froze. On the spotless white sheets, there was a dark red stain that had already dried.

Bloodstain?

Ken’s jaw tightened, his eyes widening in disbelief. The curvy woman who had acted so boldly and recklessly last night... had actually still been a virgin? And he had taken her innocence while she was drunk.

An overwhelming sense of possessiveness and responsibility suddenly slammed into Ken’s chest with immense force. He would never let go of the woman who had cured his phobia, especially after she had given everything to him last night.

Without wasting another second, Ken grabbed the phone on the nightstand and quickly dialed a number. The moment the call connected, his cold and authoritative voice echoed throughout the room.

“Find out who the woman with me in the VVIP room last night was. Use every surveillance camera in the club and on the streets. I want her full identity on my desk within one hour!”