Chapter 6: Mysterious Kiss Marks

The first warm spill of morning light slipped into the room. Beneath the glaring red wedding quilt, the girl's skin looked porcelain-pale, and faintly, you could make out the tiny red specks left behind from the night before. Intimate enough to set anyone's imagination running wild. "Mmh…" Sia Thubron reached up and rubbed her eyes. A cool draft seeped under the blanket, and she shot upright. She scanned the unfamiliar room, then dropped her gaze to herself and sucked in a sharp breath. She was wearing nothing. Her wedding dress had been tossed onto the carpet beside the bed. Had she sleepwalked and stripped, or had something possessed her? Sia went blank. Her forehead throbbed. She touched it and winced. A bump had risen there. She didn't have a habit of sleepwalking, so what, she'd sleepwalked into a wall last night? And while she was at it, undressed herself completely? A cold, creeping dread washed over her. Knock, knock, knock. Someone rapped on the door. "Young Mistress, are you awake?" the butler called from outside. "I… I'm awake," Sia answered, clutching the quilt tighter to her chest. "Breakfast is ready. Once you've washed up, you may come downstairs." "Okay," Sia replied. Only after she heard the butler's footsteps fade did she lift the quilt and prepare to get out of bed. The moment she did, she discovered something even more terrifying. The marks had faded a little, but one on her chest was a vivid rose-pink. Had she scratched herself? It didn't look like it. There weren't even mosquitoes in here. She stared again and again until she had to admit the truth. It was a hickey, right there on a place that shouldn't have been touched. What the hell… … The dining room downstairs was bright, immaculate, and dripping with quiet luxury. What stunned Sia wasn't the grandeur, but the table itself. It was covered in food. An absurd amount of it. Was this… feeding pigs? Even pigs couldn't finish all this. It was beyond wasteful. "Is anyone eating with me?" Sia finally asked, turning to the butler at her side. Had Young Mr. Yoxal come back? The spread was complete: Chinese breakfast, Western breakfast, everything. Steaming dishes filled the long table, delicate and mouthwatering. "No. Only you will be dining, Young Mistress," the butler replied with practiced respect. Sia froze again. "I… I can't eat all this." "It's fine. Eat more of what you like. Anything you don't like, you may leave." "What happens to what I don't finish?" Sia asked. "If there are leftovers, the servants will eat them, or they will be thrown away," the butler said honestly. "Ah… it's not right for you to eat my leftovers, and throwing it away is such a waste." Sia's brows knit. "Let me make you a list. I don't eat much. You don't need to prepare so much. It's too wasteful." She was used to living frugally. Extravagance didn't sit in her bones. She'd grown up in the countryside with her grandmother. Every grain of rice, every leaf of greens had come from their own hands. She knew how hard it was to coax food from the earth, so she treasured it. The butler paused, clearly taken aback. This young lady from the Thubron family wasn't what he'd expected. And she didn't seem like she was putting on a show. She truly cared. "Why don't you let everyone eat together?" Sia continued. "If that's not appropriate, then at least have them clear some away. You all can eat it. I'll just have a little." She walked along the side of the table, eyeing the feast, and made her choices. One bowl of congee, a few bamboo baskets of soup dumplings, plus soy milk and fried dough sticks. She kept a small portion of steamed ribs and chicken feet, along with a fruit plate. Then her eyes flicked to the cake. She wanted to try that too. Even with several items left on the table, it was still only a sliver of the dozens of dishes laid out. "This…" The butler looked even more surprised. "Have them take these down for themselves," Sia said. "I don't have the habit of letting others eat my leftovers. Besides, I don't like waste. It isn't a good look." She still didn't sit. She held herself with careful restraint, and as she spoke, her star-bright eyes never left the butler's face. Her tone was sincere, with none of the spoiled extravagance people expected from a noble-born heiress. "All right," the butler agreed. He instructed the servants to remove the rest of the breakfast. Just then, Sia's phone rang. It was her academic advisor. She answered and murmured, "Hello?" A message came through the line that made Sia's heart leap. "I really can intern at Everglory Group?" Her eyes widened, and her heartbeat slammed hard in her chest. Bang, bang, bang. Even her breathing turned cautious, as if one wrong inhale might make her mishear a word. After listening in silence for a few seconds, she forced herself to stay calm and nodded faintly. "Okay. I understand." When the call ended, Sia still hadn't recovered from the shock. Her entire face had flushed, and her breath came a little fast. She had actually passed Everglory Group's intern selection. That was a position picked from the best of the best. And she got in. Sia gripped her phone to her chest. If this hadn't been the Yoxal family's house, she would have jumped on the spot. "Butler," she said, unable to hide her excitement, "I passed Everglory Group's assessment. I can start my internship tomorrow. Could you help me inform your Young Mr. Yoxal?" "Of course. I'll ask Young Mr. Yoxal shortly. Please eat first, Young Mistress," the butler said. He bowed and withdrew, stepping outside the dining room to call Liam Hawksford. Sia felt so happy it was like she was walking on clouds, unreal and weightless. Everglory Group was said to stand at the top of all conglomerates, with deep resources, a vast reach, and a threshold so high most people never even got close. Yet she'd made it through and secured one of only two spots. She finally sat down. Her bright eyes brimmed with disbelief and gratitude as she lifted her spoon, trying to steady her emotions while waiting for the butler's response. Not long after, the butler returned. "Young Mistress, Young Mr. Yoxal said he agrees to let you intern at Everglory. However, he wants you to protect yourself and not forget your status," he relayed truthfully. Sia nodded again and again. "I will. I'll keep my identity hidden. I won't embarrass your Young Mr. Yoxal." Young Mr. Yoxal was unexpectedly easy to talk to. Despite herself, Sia's impression of him softened a little. "Then please enjoy your breakfast," the butler said, retreating with the same respectful composure. Sia stayed wrapped in that joy. After she finished eating, she returned to her room at once and began preparing everything she needed for her first day at the company. The more excited she was, the more she would regret it after tomorrow… … At the same time, Liam Hawksford sat beside his elder brother's hospital bed. A message came in. He glanced at it. The butler reported that Sia Thubron's Everglory internship had been arranged. The man's cold expression eased. His lips curved slightly, a smile sharp with a hint of something unfathomable. He wondered what kind of reaction that little thing would have when she saw him. The thought stirred an unexpected anticipation in him.