"Freeze. Make a sound and you're dead."

The warning came out of nowhere, cold and laced with fury.

Scarlett Johnson caught the sharp scent of blood. Her thoughts started to clear, and when she looked up, she was staring right into a pair of pitch-black, hawk-like eyes.

She was in the swimming pool, and some guy had her by the throat, not letting go.

Her confusion spiked.

What the hell’s going on? Hadn't she been chucked into the ocean by her family and left to become shark food?

Why was her body burning up like this, making her feel—ugh...

The man’s face was pale, lips practically colorless, yet he looked ridiculously good. Even in that weakened state, there was a fragile beauty to him.

Scarlett felt like she was on fire, drawn toward the coolness of his body. She licked her lips without thinking.

His hand stayed clamped around her neck like he wanted to say something, but before he could, she leaned in and kissed his cold lips.

She pushed him up against the edge of the pool. Her slender fingers tightened around his jaw, forcing him to take the kiss as her tongue slipped past his lips.

"You’ve got a death wish!"

His voice was low and angry, eyes flashing with rage. "Get off me!"

Scarlett ignored him. She latched onto his wrist tighter and slowly trailed her lips down to his throat, gently licking his Adam’s apple.

"Be good and I’ll go easy on you."

Her fingers found his buttons and undid them one by one, sliding over his chest and down his abs. She murmured, "Trust me, I didn’t plan this either. But I won't treat you badly after."

She wasn’t holding back anymore, teasing out the desire he was clearly struggling to suppress.

Chris Collins’s lips were set in a tight line, a dark look flickering in his eyes. He looked like he wanted to strangle her right then. But with an injury to his shoulder and her surprising strength, there wasn’t much he could do.

Her touch was driving him insane. His jaw clenched tighter. Yet he could only watch, helpless, as she climbed on top of him.

Her moves were awkward and unpracticed, which somehow made it worse—he was losing it.

Stupid woman!

He snapped. Grabbing her waist, he flipped her beneath him in one swift motion.

Their heavy breathing and gasps echoed in the pool area, the moonlight painting tangled shadows across entwined bodies.

When Scarlett came to, the sky was already getting light.

She forced her eyes open, everything aching like hell.

Then came a cold, furious growl right by her ear. "Awake now?"

Her neck was suddenly in a vice grip. She gasped, catching sight of the man who had a deep, jagged scar on his bare shoulder and nothing but fury on his gorgeous face.

His hands were shaking violently as he choked her. "You’ve got guts... even dared mess with me!"

Scarlett froze.

She hadn’t died?

She blinked at the surrounding scene—not ocean waves but an endless borderline pool. The water reflected her own confused, youthful face.

For a second everything blurred, then it hit her—hard.

She’d been sent back. Back to the night when Ava Johnson’s so-called friends drugged her and locked her up here, where she ended up losing everything to a total stranger.

God must’ve finally opened his eyes. In her previous life, she was humiliated and paid off like trash—never even learned his name.

She calmly reached for his wrist, using just enough force to peel his hand off.

"How much do you want?" she said flatly. "Just name your price."

Chris’s face turned even colder.Yesterday, on his way home from work, he'd been ambushed by some desperate thugs. That’s why he ended up hurt and hiding here. Never thought he’d run into such a gutsy woman.

“Hah… What, you think I’m some guy you can just pay to sleep with?”

He grabbed her chin, forcing her to look up. “Don’t you know who I am?”

Scarlett Johnson studied him.

Back in her last life, she hadn’t looked too closely. But now, face-to-face, she realized—this man was ridiculously good-looking, the kind that would make people do a double take. His presence was cold and imposing, like a sharp-edged sword dressed in velvet.

But right now, he was a mess—shirt torn and stained with blood and dirt, a knife wound on his shoulder, and that haughty attitude that screamed street trouble.

Not someone she wanted to get involved with.

Scarlett frowned, clearly not interested in stirring up this kind of drama. She shook off his hand, dug into her soaked bag, and pulled out an anonymous bank card. Lifting her chin slightly, she said coolly, “There’s five million on here. The PIN is six eights—you could cover ten guys like you with that. Take the cash, and let’s pretend last night didn’t exist.”

“Sure, what happened was my fault. This should be more than enough. But if you don’t back off, don’t blame me for being rude.”

Chris Collins stared at the card, his brow twitching hard.

Was this woman serious? Five million to get rid of him?

Between the anger, blood loss, and soaking in cold water all night, his head was spinning. He was so pissed he couldn’t even get the words out.

Scarlett mistook his silence for shock and grinned like she’d won.

Without another word, she got dressed, slung her bag over her shoulder, and left.

Chris’s vision was going dark with rage when his phone rang, snapping him out of it.

Face pale as hell, eyes stormy, he picked up.

“Sir, where are you?” came his assistant’s panicked voice on the line.

Chris gave an address, voice cold as ice.

The assistant rushed over. When he saw how beaten and disheveled his boss looked, he nearly dropped to his knees.

Chris flung the bank card at him. “Find out who owns this card.”

His voice was low but chilling. “I want her found. And I want her to regret ever messing with me.”

Meanwhile, Scarlett had already flagged down a car and was on her way back to the Johnson house.

Expression blank, she pushed the door open and headed straight upstairs, ready to pack up and leave.

But before she could, a door slammed open nearby—Catherine Lee stormed out, face full of anger.

“You were out all night! Where the hell have you been?!”

“Why are you always causing trouble? Why can’t you be more like Ava?! Sometimes I wish—”

Scarlett cut her off with a cold chuckle. “Yeah, Ava’s your perfect kid. You wish I didn’t exist.”

Catherine froze. She hadn’t expected her normally timid daughter to talk back. “You, you…”

“Got something to say?” Scarlett glanced at her. “Say it now. You won’t get another shot.”

“What do you mean no more chances?! What nonsense are you talking?”

Catherine’s face twisted with frustration, still clueless.

“I’m just gonna come out and say it—Ava and James grew up together. Even if you’re my real daughter, we were never planning to break them up. You go tell Mr. Collins yourself. Hand over the engagement.”

The contempt in her eyes was obvious. “You’re just a country bumpkin. You’re nowhere near good enough for the Collins heir.”

Scarlett looked at her without flinching. “Fine. It’s hers.”

She had no interest in the Johnson family. Or that fiancé.

Catherine had assumed there’d be arguments and tears. But faced with Scarlett’s calm resignation, she was momentarily stunned.