Some souls seemed cursed from birth.

Elise Scott lost her mother in her childhood. Her father remarried soon after.

The stepsister from that new union constantly conspired against her. Everyone in the household became accomplices in those schemes.

Despite growing into an accomplished woman with stellar academic records and remarkable talents...

Her stepsister framed her, forcing Elise into an unwed pregnancy that brought endless troubles. She gained notoriety throughout Crestwood.

The scandal got her expelled from an elite university. Her father disowned her and cast her out.

She wandered foreign streets alone, surviving by sheer determination.

Elise once believed she'd found genuine love. She gave that man her entire being.

Only to discover he was secretly betraying her with her stepsister.

Later, she thought she'd finally discovered true affection. She gathered courage to embrace life again...

Just to realize it was another elaborate deception.

Still, she persisted in living.

Being born into this cruel world wasn't easy. She wanted to live fully.

She couldn't disappoint her deceased mother's final wish. "Even after I'm gone, carry my love within you and live. Be happy."

Whenever life became unbearable, Elise remembered those words. She'd clench her teeth and endure whatever came.

Tears streamed down Elise's face uncontrollably. She would survive this too.

It was merely another experience, similar to the tragedy at eighteen.

Just... another instance of fate crushing her.

Perhaps it had happened so frequently that she felt numb.

BAM! The door suddenly exploded inward.

Samuel Mitchell, who had been eagerly exploring Elise's body, jolted in shock.

Before he could react, someone yanked him off Elise, threw him to the floor, and delivered a brutal kick.

The impact was so violent Samuel nearly suffocated from pain. Countless blows rained down before he could recover. The assault was so merciless he couldn't even plead for mercy.

He was dying! He felt blood seeping from wounds, soaking him crimson. His vision blurred moments later. He couldn't distinguish tears from blood, feeling death's approach.

"Mr. Levine," Samuel Wilson called out, attempting to restrain William. "Stop! You'll kill him at this rate."

William's face contorted with rage, appearing unwilling to cease until he'd taken a life.

"He's not worth staining your hands," Samuel insisted, using all his strength to control his enraged boss.

He understood the fury completely.

William had mobilized every resource to find Elise.

After discovering her last phone call was to police, he immediately obtained surveillance footage from the area. The videos showed Elise collapsing outside the station before Samuel whisked her away.

Tracking Samuel's route through cameras, they finally located this suburban villa.

Without hesitation, William raced there at maximum speed.

Sitting in the passenger seat, Samuel had mentally drafted his will during the terrifying drive.

After surviving the dangerous journey and arriving at the villa, William brutally kicked down the door and burst into the bedroom to find Samuel on top of Elise...

Samuel had never seen his boss in such a terrifying state. His eyes held unspeakable fury that seemed unstoppable.

Samuel genuinely believed someone would die tonight.

Sure enough, William went berserk, beating Samuel until he lay motionless in a pool of his own blood.

Continuing would mean certain death.

Though understanding William's rage, their country still operated under laws.

If William killed someone, he'd pay with his life.

Samuel couldn't let his boss accompany this worthless man to the gallows.

Samuel wasn't worth it.

Besides, Samuel was now in their custody.

Samuel was certain he'd face a miserable existence afterward.

There was no need to rush.

However, William ignored Samuel's pleas and shoved him away violently.

He couldn't contain his rage, seeming determined to murder Samuel.

Samuel was stunned.

William had always been rational, never losing control in such a frightening manner.

"Mr. Levine, Mrs. Levine seems like she can't hold on much longer!"

Samuel tried another approach, the idea coming instantly. He needed the right solution for the right problem.

Only Elise could bring William back to sanity now. Only she could save him.

As expected, William's frenzied assault halted immediately at the mention of Elise.

He turned to look at her.

Elise was curled under the blanket, her face flushed crimson, writhing uncomfortably. She looked exactly as she had at eighteen.

The fury coursing through William's veins intensified.

He remembered all too clearly the damage he'd inflicted on Elise back then.

This woman, whom he'd treated so carefully he hadn't even touched her finger until now, had been tortured to this state by Samuel!

"Take that man to the police station," William snarled. "Gather all evidence and charge him with attempted rape and assault."

If Samuel didn't get the death penalty, he should at least serve extensive prison time.

"Rest assured, Mr. Levine. I'll handle this properly. Please take Mrs. Levine away. I know what to do."

Samuel had served William for years, and William never questioned his capability. He strode to the bedside and bent to gather Elise in his arms.

Elise was in disarray.

Several buttons were torn away, her shirt hanging in tatters.

If William had arrived slightly later...

William suppressed his inner rage, though his expression remained fierce.

Yet his actions became exceptionally gentle and careful when approaching Elise.

Removing his jacket, he wrapped it tightly around her before lifting her and departing quickly. He settled her in the back seat before entering the driver's seat and speeding away.

While driving, he called his personal physician. "Drugged with aphrodisiacs. Any alternative solutions?"

"Mr. Levine, the optimal solution is satisfaction," the doctor stated bluntly. "This type of drug affects the nervous system directly. Any medication with such effects requires careful handling. Carelessness could cause permanent side effects, and also—"

William grunted suddenly as Elise leaned forward from the back seat. Heat waves crashed through her, making her extremely restless as she squirmed.

"Mr. Levine?" the doctor called cautiously.

William swallowed hard, taking a deep breath before responding. "Continue. I'm listening."

"Alright," the doctor said. "If you insist on using medication to counter the effects, we'd need comprehensive body examinations to find suitable antidotes. This is necessary to prevent organ damage, but the process requires several hours. Essentially, the drug would have run its course by then, so we don't recommend hospital visits afterward. The fastest, most effective method without side effects remains simple satisfaction."