?


    "Payment?" Millie''s eyes moved stiffly, a hint of disbelief in her tone. "Didn''t it always juste out of my ount automatically?"


    "Sorry, your ount''s been frozen."


    "Frozen? Why?!"


    "The ount holder requested it."Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    Requested it...


    "Ha! Murray, you''re just merciless!" sheughed through her bitterness.


    After spending over a month in the hospital, Millie was finally discharged. As she walked outside, the bright sky and fluffy clouds seemed alien to her, as if from another life.


    ...


    Murray left the office early today.


    Once in his car, he instructed his driver, "Take me to the mansion."


    "Right away, Mr. Sherwood."


    He rested with his eyes closed, feeling the rush of the wind through the window, until the darkening sky and the oppressive air reminded him of the approaching storm season, a time he loathed for its damp, suffocating atmosphere.


    As they smoothly entered the gatedmunity, the sudden screech of brakes jerked Murray forward, his seatbelt the only thing stopping him from hitting the seat in front.


    "What''s wrong?" he snapped, his voice icy.


    "My apologies, Mr. Sherwood," the driver hurriedly exined, "A woman just ran out in front of us. I had to brake hard!"


    Murray looked up to see a woman standing in the rain, drenched, her hair clinging to her neck, her face deathly pale.


    Millie was wearing a simple white


    dress, makeup-free, her figure outlined by the wet fabric clinging to her skin, resembling a fragile flower struggling in the storm, poised between holding on and being torn away. Even the driver couldn''t help but be moved.


    Murray, however, withdrew his gaze coldly, unaffected. "When did our security be sox? Letting just anyone in. Notify security, have her removed."


    The driver snapped to action, reaching for his phone.


    After leaving the hospital, Millie realized she had nowhere to go. Abandoned by her mother and brother, unable to return to her.


    dorm Murray''s mansion was hel


    only thought of refuge. But...


    She looked desperately through the windshield at the man in the backseat, his profile cold and indifferent. He wouldn''t even look at her directly.


    Millie moved to the back window, pounding on it, "Murray, it''s me... I''m back... please, don''t ignore me, okay?"


    "I''ve lost everything, you''re all I have left. I know I was wrong, I swear I''ll do whatever you say from now on, I won''t cause trouble, I''ll be good..."


    But no matter how much she pleaded, the window stayed shut. Soon, the property manager showed up with security guards.


    "How did you get in here? Don''t you know this is a privatemunity? Leave now!"


    Millie tried to exin, "I''m a resident! I used to live here! You must have seen me!"


    "Sorry, we don''t remember you."


    "How can that be? I''m Murray''s girlfriend, he''s right there in the car, let me have him exin-" Millie pleaded, knocking on the window, "Murray, please, don''t send me away, I have nowhere else to go...


    The next moment, two guards, upon receiving a signal, forcefully dragged her away.


    Murray watched emotionlessly from inside the car, "Aren''t we leaving?"


    The driver, soaked in a cold sweat, managed a shaky, "Yes, Mr. Sherwood."