Dropping the Act

Elena Youngblood sat by the upstairs lounge window, looking placid as she focused on sculpting the marble block before her. On the table beside her was a sketch, the design on it refreshingly unique.

She wore a white bodycon dress, and her hair was styled in a way that seemed at odds with her overall disposition, held in place by a hair clip. Her nimble fingers seemed to dance over the marble block, her chisel clinking against the stone as she worked.

The dim light in the corner illuminated her face, accentuating her alabaster, near-translucent skin.

Elena was the adopted daughter of the Youngblood family, who were busy entertaining guests downstairs. Only she had been asked to sketch her designs in the upstairs lounge.

Suddenly, the door of the lounge flew open. Talia Youngblood, the real heiress of the Youngblood family and Elena's older adoptive sister, barged in with a savage expression. "Everyone downstairs won't stop talking about you. You must be pleased."

It was Talia's birthday banquet that evening, yet Elena had stolen the spotlight just by gracing the banquet at the beginning.

While Elena went upstairs not too long after showing her face at the party and had not reappeared since, everyone wouldn't stop talking about her. She became the talk among the upstanding young men who had supposedly attended the party for Talia.

Elena was not the least bit startled or anxious. She graciously set the marble block aside and continued sketching her design.

Realizing she'd been ignored, Talia lunged for Elena maniacally. She snatched the latter's pen away and fisted Elena's hair before slapping her hard across the face.

Elena fell off her chair, scraping her arm in the process. She sat on the floor with her arm bleeding, her nails digging hard into the cracks between the floor. Even as resentment colored her face, the words that came out of her mouth were sharp enough to draw blood. "It's not my fault you aren't beautiful enough to capture men's attention."

New grudges mixed with the old ones, and Talia lost all sense of reason. "You're a shameless piece of shit just like your dead mother! I'll ruin you, you bitch!"

Since young, Talia would never get to stand in the spotlight whenever Elena was around. Talia's father was protective of Elena, and Talia's older brother was fond of Elena, too.

Talia was the real heiress of the Youngblood family, yet she couldn't even compete against the family's lowly adopted daughter.

At that moment, Elena noticed the gleaming dinner knife in Talia's hand. A cold glint flashed, and Elena raised her hand to block the assault. The dinner knife sliced across her arm, and blood flowed before dripping on the floor.

"Let's see if anyone likes you after I ruin your pretty face!" Talia cackled maliciously as she closed in on Elena again.

Elena was hurt, and her face looked so pale it was practically translucent. Her gaze darted to the side, and before Talia could cut her with the knife again, she grabbed a sculpture and struck Talia's hand with it.

The dinner knife clattered to the floor as Talia cradled her hand and howled in pain.

"You idiot!" Elena pointed at the security camera above her.

The security camera had been installed in the lounge under her darling older brother's orders so that he could monitor her every move, and it had captured Talia attacking Elena earlier.

Talia screeched, "How dare you set me up? I'll break the urn carrying your mom's ashes!"

"Go ahead and break it if you dare." Elena did not cower at the threat and simply scrambled to her feet before bolting out the door.

Talia chased after her. "I'll kill you!"

With no plans to get caught up in Talia's crazy antics, Elena rounded a corner and opened the door to the adjacent bedroom, ducking into hiding. As things were, she had evidence of Talia hurting her. The latter wouldn't escape punishment tonight.

"You bitch! Come out on your own! If I find you, I'll kill you with my bare hands!" Talia's furious cursing grew softer until it disappeared at the end of the corridor.

When Elena was sure the coast was clear, she opened the door to leave. But at that moment, a noise sounded behind her. The air around her suddenly grew too warm, and she didn't even realize what was happening before she was dragged into the bathroom the next second.

The bathroom was as cold as a frozen abyss, and the hand gripping her wrist was hot to the touch. Her back was against the wall, her slight frame shaking at the opposing temperatures of her freezing surroundings and the heated touch of the stranger's hand.

"Did Marcus send you?" The stranger's voice was low and husky, edged with barely-restrained desire as he murmured in her ear.

Elena lifted her gaze. The bathroom was bright enough that she got a good look at the man's face.

He was so handsome that he looked like he'd stepped out of a painting. His dark eyes were like inky, bottomless pools, and his nose was straight and finely chiseled. He had an enticing mouth, his pink lips slightly glistening under the lights.

His bone structure was perfect.

Elena had never seen such a beautiful man. For a second, she couldn't resist reaching out to touch his face. She reckoned that if she could make a sculpture out of him, it would be a fine masterpiece.

The stroke of her warm hand awakened Nicholas Montgomery's lust. The leash on his primal urges snapped free, and he clasped his hand around her neck and kissed her.

Only then did Elena realize there was something wrong with the man. For one, his face was flushed, and his body, pressed tightly against hers, was scorching hot. It dawned on her with certainty—he'd been drugged!

When Nicholas pulled away from the kiss, he dipped his head to study Elena's face.

She was petite and had a face as gorgeous as a fine painting, her nose pert and pretty. She wore only a bit of lip gloss, yet her lips glistened and beckoned to him like a siren's call.

The corners of her mouth dimpled when she smiled. She was the portrait of a demure and innocent young woman, yet for all her naive disposition, she did not seem intimidated by Nicholas. She even lifted her head to look him in the eyes as if to ask why he stopped.

Elena was caught off guard when Nicholas suddenly pulled her into his arms. As his tall and strong build enveloped her, she looked even smaller.

The next second, her breathing was cut off by a heated and demanding kiss. Nicholas' hot breath filled her lungs. Startled by the heat, she nudged him, only to find his muscular chest as unyielding as an iron wall.

Her silent protests seemed at odds with her encouraging response, spurring Nicholas' desires on.

The buttons on her fitted dress came undone one by one.

Nicholas grew hungry at the sight of Elena's exposed curves. He ran out of patience and immediately tore her dress off.

Elena's hands got busy, too. She dragged them down Nicholas' sculpted chest and abs. She'd been searching for a suitable model lately, and the man before her fulfilled her expectations in terms of both looks and figure.

Although she knew she was wading into dangerous territory, she didn't mind sacrificing for art.

She was prepared to take things all the way with the man, but he unexpectedly shoved her away just as he was on the verge of losing control.

"Leave," he said hoarsely, his deep voice alluring.

Drained, Elena leaned against the wall, her legs trembling like a newborn fawn's. The man before her was dripping wet as he leaned against her while catching his breath, his muscles so tightly coiled that his skin looked close to bursting. He was like a living, majestic sculpture.

"Am I not pretty enough for you?" Elena asked.

She had been praised for her beauty since she was young, and countless boys had wanted to go out with her during her school days. Even the oldest scion of the Youngblood family was infatuated with her and wanted her for himself.

And yet, the man standing before her had managed to restrain his urges even while he was drugged. She couldn't wrap her head around it.

Nicholas turned away from her and went to stand under the shower. He twisted the tap and let the water run. "You're too small. I'm worried I might kill you."

What, so he was actually concerned for her safety?

Elena suddenly had newfound respect for him. He'd sooner restrain himself and suffer than hurt her. Who would've thought he was such a gentleman?

"In that case, thank you for not sleeping with me." She'd already touched him all over anyway. She'd gotten what she wanted, and whether or not they slept together didn't matter to her.

Elena straightened her clothes and left the bathroom without a backward glance. She'd been gone for too long, and the Youngbloods would go ballistic if they didn't find her soon. She needed to get back to the Youngblood Manor before they came looking.