Chap ee Coins

The Carlyn residence, perched on the mountainside, was stunning and elegant, drawing admiration from my classmates. A classmate, Yael, remarked, "This is heaven! Do you live here with Mr. Taylor?"

"Will we be interrupting your family?" another asked.

"Not at all; they're excited to have so many classmates over for my birthday," he said with a laugh.

I pressed further, "Your brother is married?"

"Not yet, but he does have someone he cares about."

"I saw him with a girl named Whitney before. Is she his girlfriend?" I asked, watching Yael closely.

"Yes, Taylor likes Whitney, but her health isn't great. She can't handle the wind, so she stays inside most of the time. She weakens sometimes, which makes my brother angry."

I was struck by how casually Yael spoke about it, making me wonder if I had misjudged him. "What illness does Whitney have? Her face looked so pale when I saw her."

"She has a heart condition. Taylor's very protective of her, afraid that anything might trigger it. That's why he keeps her indoors all the time."

Just then, I caught a glimpse of a woman standing by a window on the top floor. Most of her body was hidden behind the curtains, so I couldn't get a good look.

"Wow, Yael, your house is amazing! You're so low-key, always taking the subway. If we hadn't seen it, we wouldn't have imagined you lived in such a villa!" a classmate exclaimed.

Sadie snorted. "His villa is just average." She might not have possessed the wealth of an heiress anymore, but she still wanted to appear as if she did.

Yael remained calm and smiled, "Yes, it's nothing compared to the Gardners. Come inside; it's too cold out here."

I shifted my attention away from the woman on the top floor, though Yael's explanation seemed flawless. I still wanted to see Whitney for myself.

The banquet hall was lavishly decorated, filled with red wine, candles, champagne, pastries, and seafood. My classmates were in awe, enjoying the opulence.

Chapter 337: Do You Hide a Man?

"Sadie, I envy you. We're here to enjoy ourselves because of Yael, but you live like this every day," someone commented.

Sadie's face went blank for a moment. Her days of living as a high-profile heiress were long over, and she wasn't sure how long she could keep up this carefree life.

I noticed many people around me were curious about my background and where I came from. When I didn't answer, they turned to Sadie, but she wasn't about to reveal anything that might harm her. I pretended to sip from a champagne glass, but I didn't drink.

As the dance was about to start, I quietly excused myself to use the restroom. But instead, I slipped away. Whitney was on the fourth floor, so I pressed the elevator button and headed straight there. Based on the shadow I had seen earlier, I figured out which room she was in.

I knocked gently on the door. Her cold voice came from inside: "I told you, I'm not eating."

"It's me, Whitney," I whispered.

Whitney froze, obviously still remembering my voice. "Are you Ms. Gardner?"

"Yes, open the door."

A soft chime sounded from the door, followed by a click as it swung open. I saw Whitney again, the woman who had made such a strong impression on me the first time we met. In the cozy room, she wore a thin-strapped nightgown that revealed her figure. But what caught my attention were the silver anklets on her feet, adorned with tiny bells, making her look like a bird trapped in a cage. I couldn't help but feel sympathy for her. Even though she had a heart condition, she didn't deserve to be confined in such a way.

"Ms. Gardner, why are you here?" she asked.

I quickly shut the door behind me. "Whitney, after we parted ways last time, I couldn't stop thinking about you. You need help, right? There's no one around now. Just tell me the truth. I'll help you."

"Ms. Gardner, we barely know each other. Why would you be so kind to me?" Her eyes were filled with suspicion. She had every right to be cautious—it was only our second meeting, and I probably seemed like a stranger to her.

"I'm sorry if I came off too strong. I'm a woman, and I know how difficult things can be for us. Don't worry. I'm not after anything. I just want to help you—"

Before I could finish, we heard footsteps coming up the stairs, and a wave of tension swept over us both. "Ms. Gardner, you should hide," Whitney urged, pushing me into a nearby wardrobe.

Chapter 387: Do You Hide a Man?

I didn't want to hide. If we got caught, it would be awkward, but nothing more. Hiding would only make things harder to explain. Still, she was scared and didn't give me a choice. I quickly silenced my phone and tucked it into my bag.

Yael seemed sincere, but I couldn't be sure about Taylor. Whitney's behavior suggested he might not be as harmless as he appeared.

I peeked through a crack in the wardrobe, hoping it would be Yael looking for me. But when I saw the well-dressed Taylor, smirking as he walked in, my heart sank. Although he was handsome, his smile was chilling. Whitney trembled as he entered, clearly afraid of him.

"What's going on? Are you so nervous because a man is hiding in here?" he mocked.

His words made both of us tense up. Whitney whispered, "Is there anyone else here besides you?"

Taylor shut the door and reached up to gently stroke her face. "What's wrong? Are you upset? I'm just worried about your health. Your surgery went well, but you still need to rest. Once you're better, I'll take you out for a walk."

His tone was gentle. For a moment, I doubted myself. Maybe I had misjudged him, and he truly was a good person. But before I could think further, he shoved Whitney onto the bed.

"It's lively downstairs tonight. Let's have some fun, Whitney," he said with a smirk.

"No, let me go! I don't want to!" Whitney was aware of my presence and pushed him off as she tried to escape. "I don't want to! Let go of—"

But Taylor didn't stop. He casually pulled off her dress and tossed it in front of the wardrobe.