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VELVET RAIN

VELVET RAIN

Romance
last updateLast Updated : 2026-03-06
By:  caiderffaOngoing
Language: English
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Synopsis

Sweet Love

Third-Person POV

Independent

Forbidden Love

Cultivation

Winter, 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.

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Chapter 1

Chapter 1: Rainy Night at the Manor - First Encounter

In the winter of 2025, Seattle was already chilled to the bone.

It was Catherine's first time here. She was helping her mentor, Professor Evans, deliver a newly restored antique porcelain piece.

The winter night in Seattle was bitingly cold, with moisture seeping into every pore. The wind whipped the rain like countless icy needles, tapping densely against the car window. Soft jazz played inside the car, but it couldn't soothe the anxiety in Catherine's heart.

She held the heavy rosewood box tightly in her arms, her knuckles turning white from the grip. This was not only a priceless Song Dynasty porcelain but also her key to the future—her mentor had promised that if this trip went smoothly, he would write her a recommendation letter for Stanford.

It got dark very early; it was only five in the afternoon, but the entire city was already shrouded in a hazy twilight.

The road to The Highlands was long and quiet. Large trees on both sides of the road flashed by like shadows. Catherine couldn't help shrinking her neck, trying to find some sense of security in her thick scarf. She was a girl from the seaside, accustomed to waves and beaches; this damp, cold mountain forest instinctively made her a little afraid.

"Is this your first time here, Miss Catherine? This weather is indeed quite grueling," Old Chen, the driver, broke the silence.

"Yes, I'm a student at Seattle University," Catherine answered softly, her voice carrying the clear brightness unique to seaside girls. "But my home is in Port Townsend."

The car slowly drove into a heavy iron gate.

Before her eyes was a beautiful English-style manor. The huge main building was hidden behind dense fir trees and neat shrubs, exuding a quiet majesty settled by time.

Catherine took a deep breath, trying to suppress the timidity in her heart. This was the territory of the Sterling family, a world she usually only saw in magazines.

After the car stopped steadily, Martha, the housekeeper, led her through a long corridor.

"Sir is waiting for you in the study."

Martha stopped in front of a carved rosewood door, knocked gently, and then signaled for Catherine to enter.

Catherine pushed the door open.

The main lights weren't on in the room; only the fire in the fireplace was dancing, making soft crackling sounds. There was a faint scent of cedarwood in the air, mixed with the smell of old books, which felt reassuring but also carried a hint of oppression.

By the dim firelight, she saw a person sitting on the large sofa by the window.

The person had his back to her, seeming to be watching the rain outside, radiating a cold aloofness that kept people a thousand miles away.

"Mr. Sterling?" Catherine called out tentatively, her voice as small as a mosquito's hum.

No movement.

The room was frighteningly quiet, with only the sound of rain beating against the window.

Catherine's heartbeat involuntarily sped up, and her palms were sweaty. Her mentor had said that William Sterling had an eccentric temper and was moody. Was she late? Or had she done something wrong?

She hesitated for a while, but still plucked up the courage to walk a few steps forward and gently placed the box on the coffee table nearby.

"Mr. Sterling, I am Professor Evans' student, Catherine. This porcelain piece has been restored, and I brought it specifically for you to see."

Still silence.

Just as Catherine thought he had fallen asleep and planned to slip away quietly, the person moved.

"Put it there."

His voice was deep, carrying the laziness and huskiness of someone just waking up, like fine sand grinding over the tip of the heart.

Immediately after, the sofa turned around.

By the firelight of the fireplace, Catherine finally saw his face clearly.

It was an excessively young and handsome face. His features were deep, his contours defined, and there was a natural nobility between his brows. He was wearing a loose dark grey cardigan with a white T-shirt underneath, looking quite homey and casual.

Only those dark brown eyes, although carrying a bit of grogginess from sleep, were bottomless, as if they could see through the secrets in one's heart at a glance.

Catherine was stunned, her breathing skipping a beat.

She had expected to see a serious, old-fashioned old man, not expecting such an... aggressively young man.

William rubbed the center of his brows, lazily swept a glance at the box on the coffee table, and then his gaze settled on Catherine, who was standing aside, at a loss for what to do.

The little girl in front of him was dressed warmly, looking like a round sticky rice ball, except for those eyes—clear and bright, examining him cautiously, looking exactly like a startled little deer.

Interesting.

The bit of grumpiness William felt from being woken up vanished instantly. Usually accustomed to those socially adept socialites with exquisite makeup, this plain-faced, panic-eyed little girl before him actually gave rise to a bit of teasing interest in him.

The man was very tall, visually approaching 1.8 meters, but he didn't give off an excessive sense of oppression. He wore a dark grey cashmere cardigan with a white shirt underneath, the collar slightly open, revealing a slender neck and distinct collarbones.

He walked up to Catherine, his line of sight just level with hers, carrying a gentle inquiry.

"Is this that Song Dynasty Meiping vase?"

His tone was unexpectedly gentle, completely lacking the rumored airs, yet carrying a calmness of being in control of the overall situation.

"It's very cold outside, isn't it?"

Catherine nodded subconsciously, then shook her head immediately. "It's okay, it was quite warm in the car."

She was lying.

In fact, her toes had long been numb from the cold, and the tip of her nose was blown red by the cold wind.

William chuckled lightly, seeming to see through her bravado.

He glanced at the dark night outside the window, then looked at the box that hadn't been opened yet.

"The light here is too dim to see the details of the porcelain clearly. And..."

He paused, his gaze falling on Catherine's slightly pale face, a trace of imperceptible playfulness flashing in his eyes.

"You haven't had dinner yet, have you?"

Catherine just wanted to decline, but her stomach let out a disappointing sound.

"Growl—"

In this quiet room, this sound seemed particularly loud, simply deafening.

Catherine's face turned red instantly, burning all the way to the roots of her ears. She wished she could immediately find a crack in the ground to crawl into and vanish from this awkward air.

The smile in William's eyes deepened, and the corners of his mouth hooked up into a good-looking arc.

He didn't expose her embarrassment but naturally turned and walked towards the door, as if this was just a common occurrence.

"Let's go, to the dining room next door first."

He looked back at her, his tone carrying a gentleness that allowed no refusal, and a trace of elusive indulgence.

"I happen to be hungry too, join me for a meal."

Catherine stood frozen in place, looking at his upright back, having mixed feelings in her heart.

Shame, nervousness, confusion, and a trace of... inexplicable expectation.

She bit her lip, hugged the box in her arms tightly, and quickly followed.

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8 Chapters
Chapter 1: Rainy Night at the Manor - First Encounter
In the winter of 2025, Seattle was already chilled to the bone.It was Catherine's first time here. She was helping her mentor, Professor Evans, deliver a newly restored antique porcelain piece.The winter night in Seattle was bitingly cold, with moisture seeping into every pore. The wind whipped the rain like countless icy needles, tapping densely against the car window. Soft jazz played inside the car, but it couldn't soothe the anxiety in Catherine's heart.She held the heavy rosewood box tightly in her arms, her knuckles turning white from the grip. This was not only a priceless Song Dynasty porcelain but also her key to the future—her mentor had promised that if this trip went smoothly, he would write her a recommendation letter for Stanford.It got dark very early; it was only five in the afternoon, but the entire city was already shrouded in a hazy twilight.The road to The Highlands was long and quiet. Large trees on both sides of the road flashed by like shadows. Catherine co
last updateLast Updated : 2026-02-24
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Chapter 2: Accident and Tenderness - More Than a Gentleman
To get to the dining room, one had to pass through a long glass corridor.Both sides were planted with various rare plants. When the courtyard lights shone on them, the shadows were dappled, like a flowing painting.Catherine hugged the rosewood box tightly, following behind William.She walked very slowly, her eyes not enough to take it all in. Being an architecture student, she saw at a glance that the design of this corridor was extraordinary. That curvature, and the combination of glass and steel structure, possessed both modern and classical beauty; it was simply superb."So beautiful..." she exclaimed inwardly, gaining a new understanding of this Mr. Sterling's taste."That was remodeled from Tadao Ando's early sketches."William, walking in front, seemed to have eyes in the back of his head and suddenly spoke.His voice echoed in the empty corridor, carrying a bit of magnetism, sounding so good it could make one's ears pregnant.Catherine raised her head in surprise. "No wonder
last updateLast Updated : 2026-02-24
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Chapter 3: Rejection and Disguise - Secrets in the Rainy Night
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
last updateLast Updated : 2026-02-24
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Chapter 4: Undercurrents - The Vanishing Cinderella
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
last updateLast Updated : 2026-02-24
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Chapter 5: The Library Encounter
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
last updateLast Updated : 2026-03-03
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Chapter 6: An Unexpected Invitation
Seattle 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
last updateLast Updated : 2026-03-04
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Chapter 7: Lakeside Banquet: The Hunted Heir
On a Seattle winter night, the rain fell like a gray veil, clinging to the eaves, window frames, and the distant lake, so fine it seemed almost constant. The air was thick with the damp scent of earth, mingled with the faint, resinous aroma of burning pine from the fireplace—a fragrance that whispered of ancient forests. Sterling Manor was eerily quiet, save for the soft crackling of the wood popping in the fireplace, like an echo of a suppressed heartbeat. The study was warm, the heat wrapping around the room like a woolen blanket, yet William Sterling's fingertips remained cold—a chill that seemed to seep into his very bones, a persistent reminder of the weight he carried.He clutched the gold-embossed invitation, his knuckles turning slightly white. The invitation, from Sheng Yin Media, was politely restrained, highlighting only one line: Mr. Morgan's Sixtieth Birthday Banquet. On the surface, it was a birthday celebration, but at its core, it was a dinner for capital exchange."Yo
last updateLast Updated : 2026-03-05
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Chapter 8: Lakeside Banquet: Misunderstandings and Confession
The private estate on the shores of Lake Washington sparkled like a brilliant pearl in the night. Sheng Yin Media's sixtieth birthday celebration for Old Morgan had drawn nearly all of Seattle's elite. An enormous crystal chandelier descended from the ten-meter-high dome, its millions of Swarovski crystals refracting dazzling light, illuminating the entire banquet hall as bright as day. The air carried a fragrance specially blended by a top French perfumer.Catherine stood before the floor-to-ceiling windows in the black evening gown Jessica had prepared for her, her fingers unconsciously stroking the velvet fabric of the skirt. The gown was simply cut, with fluid lines that perfectly accentuated her slender waist, yet it made her feel profoundly uncomfortable."Relax," Jessica approached with two champagne glasses, handing one to her. "You look absolutely stunning tonight, really."Catherine took the glass, her fingertips icy. "I just feel... like I don't belong here.""Nonsense," Je
last updateLast Updated : 2026-03-06
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