November, deep autumn.
A BMW slowly drove through the gates of Globrico University, stopping on a path covered with red maple leaves, drawing the curious gazes of several students.
"Madam sent me to pick you up. Get in the car."
The driver spoke disdainfully, showing none of the respect one might expect towards the daughter of an employer.
Jocelyn Hemsworth cast a cold glance at the driver.
Today was the day of her engagement to the Romain family. The fact that her stepmother Vanessa had sent someone to fetch her at this moment hinted at ulterior motives.
Nonetheless, Jocelyn boarded the car without betraying any emotion.
Seeing Jocelyn's silence, the driver sneered inwardly: just a wild girl who had been sent to the countryside, she really thought of herself as the heiress of the Hemsworth family?
Recalling Vanessa's detailed instructions, a glint of calculation flashed in the driver's eyes.
Feigning ignorance, Jocelyn casually flipped through her textbook, just as some sarcastic voices drifted from outside the car—
"Did I hear that right? Jocelyn's family is so rich, they can afford a BMW and a private driver?"
"Pfft! Look at her pretending! A girl who has to apply for a poverty grant to pay her tuition can't possibly be rich." One of the accompanying girls sneered bitterly, "Jocelyn's dad is just a junk collector. Who knows, maybe she's being kept by some rich old man, desperate to cash in on her youth!"
"Exactly! If she doesn't make money while she's young and beautiful, is she going to wait until she's old and unattractive to find a sugar daddy?"
The girls' faces were full of mockery, their words venomous.
Jocelyn didn't respond, merely opened a bottle of mineral water and casually poured it outside.
The water splashed precisely onto the sneering girls, drenching them.
"Ah—"
Screams erupted as they became drenched.
"Jocelyn! Are you crazy?"
As they raised their heads to curse, the BMW sped away, kicking up the maple leaves and dust, leaving the group even more disheveled.
...
Jocelyn spread her textbook across her lap, her slender fingers expertly twirling a custom pen, occasionally glancing at her watch.
The journey from Globrico University to Los Angeles took three hours, including a stretch of secluded country road.
That road was the perfect place for the driver to make a move.
Jocelyn waited.
Waited for the driver to make the first move.
However—
Before the driver could act, a tragic accident occurred on the road ahead, forcing the car to a stop at the roadside.
From one of the black cars involved, four or five burly men immediately surrounded the crashed Rolls-Royce, their stance intimidating.
A man stepped out from the driver's seat of the Rolls-Royce.
He had long legs, a lean figure, and wore a white shirt with the sleeves rolled up, revealing muscular forearms.
His deep-set eyes were cold and stern, a stream of bright red blood trickling down his forehead, adding a touch of allure to his sharp features.
The group of burly men rushed him, but the man dealt with them effortlessly.
Within a minute, the previously aggressive men lay groaning on the ground.
Brian's lips curved into a slight smile. After dealing with the nuisances, he walked towards Jocelyn's car.
He opened the back door and bowed, asking, "Miss, my car is wrecked. May I hitch a ride?"
His voice was magnetic and deep, with a casual, almost indifferent tone, pleasing and alluring.
However, Jocelyn didn't look up. She leaned back against the leather seat, slowly flipping through her textbook, her cold face exuding a lazy air.
"Sorry, this car doesn't take passengers."
Jocelyn was also looking out for him; after all, there were still matters to settle between her and the driver, and bringing along a stranger would be inconvenient.
But Brian seemed not to hear her, settling into the seat. He pulled out a wad of cash from his wallet, handing it over.
"This is for the ride. If it's not enough, I can give more."
He smiled lightly, the coldness in his eyes replaced by a shining light, as bright as the stars.
But Jocelyn remained unmoved, lazily lifting her cold eyes to glance at him before saying bluntly, "Please get out. Thank you."
Brian's smile froze slightly, then he chuckled.
Many people would spend a fortune just for a chance to meet him, and now, even as he shamelessly offered money, he was being turned away.
Interesting!
Brian leaned back, looking amused, "Then name your terms. As long as you can get me to Los Angeles, I'll agree to anything."
He had been separated from his men, and his phone was shattered in the crash.
He wasn't sure if his people or the pursuing assassins would find him first.
He needed to leave this place.
Jocelyn's car was his only option.
The man's features were exquisitely chiseled, his Adam's apple moving seductively as he spoke, exuding a unique allure.
His white shirt, partly unbuttoned, revealed a glimpse of his strong chest muscles, adding to his charm.
But Jocelyn merely glanced at him indifferently, then calmly said, "Sir, your blood is dripping on my book."
Her tone was as casual as if commenting on the weather.
Brian: ...
He looked down and saw bright red spots blooming on the previously clean, white pages of Jocelyn's book.
Brian felt a twinge of guilt. Before he could explain, a loud crash interrupted them.
The two cars blocking the road had been rammed off the road by several approaching black cars, breaking through the guardrail and tumbling down the hillside.
"There he is! Get him!"
A large group of men surged out of the cars, charging aggressively toward them.
Seeing they were about to be surrounded, Jocelyn kicked the back of the driver's seat. "What are you waiting for? Drive!"
Jolted by her command, the driver finally reacted, slamming the gas pedal and speeding away.
Brian, not quite settled in, was thrown by the car's sudden acceleration, landing precariously close to Jocelyn.
As Jocelyn pushed him away, their faces were mere centimeters apart.
The faint scent of ambergris mingled with the metallic tang of blood, enveloping her. His vast, starry eyes seemed to hold a magnetic pull, drawing her in.
Even the usually indifferent Jocelyn found herself momentarily dazed.
Before she could react further, Brian's deep, magnetic voice broke the silence.
"Miss, have you touched enough?"