The noise from outside could be heard faintly, but the room itself was silent.
Holden had a faint smile on his lips.
“Sarah,” he said, his voice deep and as pleasant as always.
But when that voice reached Sarah’s ears, it sent a strange, tingling sensation through her chest. She didn’t want to admit it, but she had to-Holden was an incredibly attractive man.
At that moment, though, Sarah wasn’t sure if the effects of the drug had worn off. He didn’t seem affected, but looks could be deceiving.
She got up from the bed, instinctively moving toward the door. “Mr. Holden, are you thirsty? I can go get you some water,” she offered, trying to escape.
Holden firmly pressed her shoulder, pinning her against the doorframe. Sarah could faintly smell the alcohol on him. It wasn’t unpleasant; mixed with his usual woody scent, it had a strangely intoxicating allure.
Holden lowered his deep, narrow eyes and gazed into hers. “You know what’s going on, don’t you?”
Sarah was on the verge of tears. “Yeah.”
Holden’s long fingers pinched her cheek. “Then why are you wandering into my room?”
Sarah had no words. Where else was she supposed to go?
They were married. If she didn’t go to Holden’s room, was she supposed to go to Old Mr. Smith’s?
Besides, with so many men in the house, if she ended up somewhere else and one of them tried to violate her because of the drug effect, she’d have to punch them, and then she’d lose that twenty-million-dollar job.
She glanced at the bathroom. “Mr. Holden, maybe you should take a cold shower?”
Holden almost laughed. “It’s winter, and you want me to take a cold shower?”
Sarah was speechless. In all the novels she’d read, that’s what the male leads did when they were drugged!
But clearly, reality didn’t work like novels.
Right now, in Sarah’s eyes, Holden’s life was as important as her own. If something happened to Mr. Holden, she’d be the one suffering. She genuinely wished him a long, healthy life.
Holden, on the other hand, didn’t think the effects of the drug were that intense. If it had been really strong, the first ones to collapse would have been the old men at the party. Linda wouldn’t dare use something too harmful.
But looking at Sarah, all pitiful and trapped in his arms, some unspoken desire to tease her grew stronger within him.
His hand, which had been pinching her cheek, now gently stroked her, his fingers brushing across her lips.
Sarah’s mind went blank for a moment. Holden was different-he had a special place in her heart. Maybe it was because she found him so charming in the novels, or maybe it was that tiny bit of sympathy she felt for him, knowing how he had been bullied and isolated by his family all his life. It made her feel sorry for him.
Holden leaned down and bit hard on her neck. She winced in pain and let out a soft gasp. But Holden, having regained his usual calm and control, simply looked down, his lips now stained with a little blood.
Sarah was shocked. “Are you a vampire?”
Holden chuckled. “Couldn’t help it. The drug was kicking in, and pain is the only thing that keeps me focused.”
Sarah protested, “But I’m the one in pain! How is that helping you stay focused?”
Holden bent down and kissed away the small trace of blood on her neck. “Want to bite me back?”
Sarah wasn’t one to hold a grudge. For Holden’s sake, she decided to let it go.
Nicola had just returned from shopping. When she learned what had happened at home, she almost fainted.
For years, Nicola had been seen as the glamorous rich wife in the social scene, but among her relatives, she was somewhat looked down upon. Even though Old Mr. Smith’s first wife had passed away, most of the family still recognized her descendants.
In their eyes, Nicola was a vain and malicious woman.
After having two sons, she had definitely begun to resent Holden. If she could have eliminated him over the years, she would have. The problem was that she couldn’t. Not only could she not do anything, but she also had to watch as Holden steadily took over the family business.
The Smith family mansion, at least in her hands, would be worth over a billion once Old Mr. Smith passed away, not to mention the priceless artifacts and collections inside.
But now, Holden was planning to get rid of all the Smith family servants and bring in his own people to take over everything.
Nicola felt a bit weak in the knees. She couldn’t believe this was happening. She had just stepped out for a bit, and now the Smith family was in turmoil.
Samuel was fuming. “I’ve told you before, don’t be so biased toward Uncle’s family! But you just wouldn’t listen! Treating Linda like your own daughter! Look where that got us! Do you really think someone as ruthless as Holden won’t kick us out someday? We’ll have nowhere to go!”
Nicola looked pale. “What are you talking about? That’s your uncle! And Linda is your cousin!”
Samuel was even more upset. “All those years, you gave your savings to my uncle, and he just wasted it at the casino. It would’ve been better off in my hands!”
Nicola sighed, feeling a bit of regret. But no matter what, to save face for the Smith family, she still had to apologize on behalf of Linda.
The outcome was predictable. No one wanted to give Nicola a friendly reception. Not even the younger generation wanted to acknowledge her, as if just speaking to her would tarnish their own reputation.
She could even hear their remarks and criticisms about her.
“Old Mr. Smith must be blind to let a woman like her in; she’s embarrassing the Smith family.”
“I heard her niece grew up here. If she could raise such a niece, she must have some tricks up her sleeve… Holden lost his parents at a young age; I wonder how he survived in the Smith family all these years.”
“Let me tell you, I know the inside story. Thomas went crazy because of her. If it weren’t for her, he wouldn’t have died.”
At that, Nicola’s face twisted in anger. Did they think that just because she had flirted with Old Mr. Smith at the bedside of Holden’s grandma, everything that went wrong after was her fault?
She hadn’t had an easy time either!
Fuming with rage, Nicola turned to leave, only to see Holden standing right across from her, his cold eyes fixed on her. Despite the lack of warmth, a slight smile played on his lips.
Nicola couldn’t hold back any longer. “It’s you! This is all your doing!”
Holden smiled calmly. “Can’t handle it? Grandma, your tolerance is really low.”
Nicola’s face turned ashen.
Holden continued to smile. “I told you, however, you came into the Smith family is how you’ll leave. The entire Smith family belongs to me, and you can’t take anything with you.”
Nicola’s eyes blazed with fury.
Over the years, she had to keep up the image of a loving, forgiving elder in front of Holden, even trying to win him over sometimes. There were moments when she almost convinced herself that she really was that person.
But Holden was cold-hearted by nature and would never be swayed by a little kindness.
“Smith family is yours? Why is it all yours? You still have two uncles!” Nicola’s face turned red with anger. “Holden, don’t be so ruthless; you’ll get what’s coming to you!”
“I never believed in karma stuff,” Holden replied calmly. “If karma really exists, then I’m the one dishing it out to you.”
Nicola gritted her teeth. “I shouldn’t have let you live this long! You’re just like your crazy dad.”
Holden had long stopped caring about her words; instead, he coldly mocked her, “Don’t you want to get rid of me? You just don’t have the ability.”