Chapter 5- a pull toward destiny

Regina felt like her head was about to explode, and a strange heat spread through her body... She kept shifting on the bed, the silk blanket sliding over her skin outside her nightgown, making her shiver with every touch. The sensation was so prickling it felt like thousands of ants were crawling on her skin. 

A soft moan escaped her lips as Regina lightly licked her dry lips. She felt awful, so hot, as if her whole body was on fire. Her throat was so dry it felt like it was about to smoke. 

"Mmm..." 

Regina gasped faintly, trying to open her eyes. The chaotic thoughts in her mind felt like a heavy stone pressing down on her, preventing her from moving freely and making it impossible to open her eyes fully. 

Struggling, Regina swallowed hard. With the little consciousness she had, she tried to force her eyes open. Slowly, she managed to crack her eyelids, her head spinning as she looked around the unfamiliar surroundings... 

The dim wall light, the luxurious space, the silky textures... everything seemed to remind Regina that her current environment was strange. 

She weakly blinked, trying to recall the last moments before she passed out. As her chest heaved with violent breaths and anger mixed with sadness filled her eyes, she threw the blanket off. Due to the effects of the drug and alcohol, she felt incredibly weak and drained of all strength, but she knew she couldn't stay here, she couldn't! 

Biting her teeth hard, Regina struggled to hold onto whatever she could. Gasping for breath, she scanned the room, and after confirming no one was there, she dragged her limp body toward the door... 

Once outside, Regina's feet landed on the thick carpet, and her powerless body collapsed onto the ground, unable to hold itself up due to the lack of strength. 

The strange heat within her body intensified, and as the heat surged, Regina became even weaker. Her gaze was unfocused as she looked around, but all she saw were two long, curved hallways. She couldn't tell exactly where she was... 

Using all her strength, Regina propped herself up, holding onto the wall as she staggered toward the left. However, after only a few steps, she heard faint voices approaching... 

"Did they send over a fresh one?" 

"Is it real...?" 

"Haha, I love pure little wild rabbits the most..." 

As the voices grew closer, Regina's eyes were filled with anxiety, and her forehead was slick with fine beads of sweat. 

"Of course, I'll take care of your younger brother's business... Don't worry... Your side won't be checked..." 

The voices were getting closer, their lewd tones echoing in the otherwise quiet hallway. 

Regina could no longer pay attention to anything else. She leaned against the wall and began walking in the opposite direction... She was almost certain of her fate if she couldn't escape. From the conversation, she had already figured it out—she had been drugged and sent to "serve" those so-called high-ranking people. 

Regina's face was tightly scrunched with worry. She struggled to move forward, but because of the drug, her movements were agonizingly slow... 

The voices were getting closer. Regina glanced back, her eyes filled with a glimmer of hope as she saw another door ahead. Summoning the last of her strength, she moved toward it. Just as she was about to knock, she noticed the door wasn't fully closed! 

At that moment, Regina didn't have time to think any further. Gritting her teeth, she pushed the door open and stepped inside. Just as she entered, the man who had been on the phone turned the corner... 

Regina silently let out a sigh of relief, leaning against the wall as she breathed heavily. But at that moment, she felt a deep, oppressive force. The air around her seemed to thin, and it felt as though even breathing had become difficult. 

Instinctively turning her head, Regina met a penetrating gaze—one that seemed capable of pulling a person into an abyss of no return with a single glance...

Waldo, wrapped only in a bath towel, had just come out of the bathroom, his hair still damp. His eyes narrowed as he looked at Regina, whose face was flushed. In the faint light near the entrance, he couldn't see her clearly. Added to the fact that he had been out in the snow for too long and caught a chill, his head felt slightly heavy. He stared at the woman who was breathing heavily, and for a moment, he was momentarily distracted. 

Regina frowned in distress. She swallowed painfully and weakly said, "Sorry... I... I'll leave... soon..." 

The few short words were hard for her to say, and she struggled with every syllable. 

Due to the burning sensation in her throat, she could only breathe lightly through her nose. She looked at the man's sharp, cold features, her heart trembling... In the dark night, the man seemed like a lord of hell, like Satan who ruled everything in the shadows. He was someone who couldn't be looked at directly, yet his captivating features drew one in, making it impossible not to become intoxicated. 

Waldo stood still, his wolf-like eyes half-closed, gradually becoming more intense as he looked at the figure leaning against the door. After a long while, his thin lips curled into a subtle, self-mocking smile... 

He was really drunk—he had imagined seeing Cecilia! 

Waldo lowered his gaze slightly, hiding the faint loneliness and sorrow in his eyes... 

A soft groan suddenly came from Regina as her legs gave way. She gasped in pain, her breathing becoming more rapid and disordered. Her vision was blurry as she looked at Waldo, her back pressed tightly against the door, her hand gripping the door handle desperately to support her weakened body. 

Waldo shook his head to clear the dizziness and then stepped toward Regina. He wanted to see clearly who was standing by the door... Perhaps, even now, he still harbored a faint hope. 

The faint scent of mint mixed with a male presence grew closer, completely disorienting Regina. As Waldo approached, her hand, still holding the door handle, could no longer support her body. She collapsed, falling toward Waldo... 

The faint, refreshing mint scent mixed with the warmth of his body made Waldo frown slightly. He instinctively wanted to push her off, but midway through his action, he froze... 

At that moment, Regina had completely lost control of her thoughts. Her disordered consciousness took over all her senses, and as she struggled in discomfort, she unintentionally slid her body across Waldo's well-defined chest. 

"Damn it!" Waldo growled, his voice hoarse and magnetic, carrying a dangerous, cold charm as he said, "Let go!" 

Waldo grabbed Regina's arm and pulled her away from him... 

With a soft "Hmm," Regina let out a faint cry as pain shot through her wrist. She tilted her head slightly, gazing at Waldo. In her eyes, the flicker of pain glistened, and her face, flushed from the alcohol and the effects of the medicine, was as red as a boiled shrimp.

Waldo met her pitiful gaze, his eyes gradually becoming deeper. In that moment, his eyes seemed to merge with those of Cecilia...

The next moment, his large hand suddenly wrapped around Regina's waist, his cool lips pressing onto her fiery ones...

As the kiss deepened, a strange sensation washed over Regina—an inexplicable, almost ethereal pull, as if the Moon Goddess herself were guiding her in this moment. The feeling was too overwhelming to resist, and her consciousness faded entirely. Everything seemed to continue on instinct, guided by Waldo, but in the back of her mind, there was a whisper—a pull toward destiny. It was as if the Moon Goddess herself had decreed this path, offering her release, as if this was the only way she could escape.