LOGINWinter, 2025. Seattle is shrouded in the cold mist of its endless rainy season. For the sake of a single recommendation letter to Stanford, Catherine Hale—a destitute but proud art student—knocks on the doors of the Highlands Manor to return a restored Song Dynasty porcelain. She intends to leave as quickly as she came, but instead stumbles into the world of William Sterling, the young, enigmatic patriarch of an old and powerful family. Cold, noble, and unfathomable, William draws her into a game of testing and maneuvering that plays out in the cracks between social class and self-esteem. From their first meeting on a rainy night to a silent rescue amidst the vanity fair of high society, Catherine fights to escape a glittering vortex she doesn't belong to, only to find herself falling step by step into William's gentle trap, lingering with the scent of cold cedar. In this rain-soaked city, a forbidden attraction blooms across the divide, unaware that fate has already secretly marked the price of its gifts.
View MoreSeattle mornings are shrouded in a light mist, with fine drizzle falling like a veil on the windowpane. The streets are not yet fully awake, and the occasional, slow, low foghorn from the distant harbor adds to the city's tranquility. It was in this tranquility that Catherine was awakened by a series of phone calls from Jessica."Kate! You didn't even tell me you weren't going home for winter break? Don't you even consider me your best friend?" Jessica's voice is always bright, like sunlight suddenly streaming in on a sunny day.Catherine propped herself up in bed; the wound on her leg had scabbed over, but it still ached with every movement. She looked at the pale gray water stain on the ceiling, a wave of weariness washing over her. The hostel she was staying in was small; the old wooden floorboards creaked underfoot, but a pot of mint sat on the windowsill. "I've been busy these past few days and didn't want you to worry, so I didn't tell you," she said softly."Come out and see
Suzzallo Library at the University of Washington was the closest thing to a magical world on this campus, affectionately dubbed "Hogwarts" by the students. On a late autumn afternoon, sunlight streamed through the soaring Gothic stained-glass windows, casting kaleidoscopic shadows onto the ancient oak tables. The air was thick with the distinct aroma of old paper—the scent of centuries of accumulated wisdom—mingled with faint dust and wood wax, creating a sense of profound tranquility. As a top student in Art History, Catherine's favorite hiding spot was the innermost corner of the Special Collections. There was a massive floor-to-ceiling window facing the famous century-old red maple on campus, which was currently ablaze with fiery red leaves. But today, she had no mind to appreciate the scenery outside. The pressure of finals week was crushing her like a mountain. It wasn't just about maintaining the 4.0 GPA required for her full scholarship, but also about that damn thesi
Midnight, twelve o'clock.The private club "The Vault" in downtown Seattle.This place was the social ground for the top circle, membership-based, with extremely high privacy. There was no ear-splitting electronic music, only a top jazz band humming softly, the sound of the cello flowing slowly in the air, yet it couldn't soothe the irritability in William's heart.William sat in the corner booth, his slender fingers playing with an empty wine glass, his expression lazy, but his eyes revealing an indescribable boredom.He didn't want to come originally.He was long tired of such occasions of exchanging toasts and fake politeness.But returning to the empty manor, that inexplicable sense of coldness upset him, as if that figure wearing a beige coat was still swaying before his eyes, and the air seemed to retain the faint fragrance from her body."Heard you brought a girl back to the manor tonight?"Julian leaned over, his face wearing that signature bad smile. He was William's childhoo
Dinner was over, but the rain outside hadn't stopped; instead, it was falling harder, pattering against the window, sounding annoying.William swirled half a glass of red wine in his hand, sinking into the soft sofa, staring at the girl opposite through the dark red liquid.After a few glasses of wine, Catherine's originally pale face finally had some color, like a touch of pale pink spreading on white paper, revealing a fragility that made one want to protect her. Her eyes were a bit glazed, but she sat straight, her hands placed dutifully on her knees, looking exactly like a primary school student accepting a teacher's inspection.Watching her tense appearance, an impulse to tear this layer of disguise to shreds inexplicably rose in William's heart."Where are you staying tonight?" William asked casually. His tone sounded nonchalant, but his mind was clear.Catherine froze for a moment, her heart skipping a beat."Four Seasons Hotel."She blurted it out, answering very quickly, even












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