Chapter 2: A Night-Long Cuddle

Annabel didn't realize she was in the wrong room. Upon discovering the bathroom contained only men's toiletries, she assumed the Bentons were deliberately antagonizing her.

"What an incredible family!" she muttered sarcastically, before showering.

She only had to endure this for three months—the duration of a bet with her grandfather. If she still harbored no feelings for Rupert after three months, their marriage would be called off.

A maid delivered dinner after Annabel’s shower. She ate and fell asleep almost immediately.

It was midnight when Rupert returned from a business dinner. He knew Annabel had arrived that day. Bruce had suggested he pick her up, but Rupert refused, citing a heavy workload. He had no interest in his fiancée; as far as he was concerned, the marriage would be canceled sooner or later.

Exhausted, Rupert showered and went straight to bed. Very drunk, he didn't notice anyone else in the room until he lay down. A large bulge under the covers startled him. He moved away abruptly. The dim light prevented him from seeing the woman's face clearly.

Before he could react, she rolled over and hugged him, murmuring, "Teddy, don't be naughty. You should sleep now."

Rupert froze. The woman's scent was incredibly familiar, like that girl… The scent was soothing as his nose pressed against her neck. For some reason, he hugged her back and fell asleep with Annabel in his arms.

Surprisingly, for an insomniac, Rupert slept soundly throughout the night, dreaming of an event from ten years prior: a dark room, a girl embracing him tightly, whispering, "Don't be scared. No harm shall come to you. I'll protect you." Later in the dream, he encountered the girl again; it felt incredibly real.

The next morning, Cathy awoke at dawn, hoping to hear that Annabel had been ejected from Rupert's room. The maid reported nothing of the sort. Why? Hadn't Rupert returned last night? His car was in the garage. Rupert detested anyone invading his space; he couldn't possibly have slept in the same bed as a stranger.

Consumed by curiosity, Cathy knocked on Rupert's door.

"Hey, Rupert! Breakfast is ready. Don't you have a meeting this morning? You should get up now!"

The noise woke both occupants. Annabel instantly felt the warmth of another body; her head rested not on a pillow, but on a hard chest. Looking up, she met a man's sharp gaze. She sat up, instantly awake.

"Who are you?" Rupert's eyes darkened.

"Annabel Hewitt?"

Knowing her name, Annabel assumed he was Rupert, her fiancé. But why was he in her room? She was about to question him when he said, "You came to my room and slept in my bed on your first day here. I must say, you're something!"

"What?" Annabel was utterly confused. He claimed this was his bed? How was that possible? Was every member of this family mad? "Oh my!" she exclaimed, remembering the men's toiletries. Cathy had tricked her.

Annabel hastily got out of bed, addressing him coldly. "Just to be clear, I didn't intend to sleep here. Cathy said this was my room. No offense, but I'm not interested in you. Come to think of it, I fell asleep alone. Why didn't you realize someone else was in bed with you? And why did you hold me all night? Don't tell me you have a crush on me?"

Embarrassment clouded Rupert's face. He couldn't deny holding her all night. As the night before, he was stunned by Annabel's eyes—they were just like that girl's.

Annabel squinted, smiling. "What? Why are you staring like that? Are you obsessed with me?"

Rupert's face darkened. He coldly ordered, "Get out! And don't come into this room again!"

Annabel clicked her tongue, then left without hesitation. Their first meeting had ended with mutual dislike.

Cathy, still at the door, was surprised to see Annabel emerge.

Annabel smiled ambiguously. "Good morning! As you wish, your cousin held me in his arms and slept the whole night. We got along rather well. You must be happy."

"Nonsense!" Cathy's face was furious. She didn't believe it. In her opinion, Rupert would never like Annabel, let alone hold her for hours. But the fact that they had slept together was undeniable.