Rachel's mood was already bad , and running into Howard made it worse . She could feel her frustration rising . Her usually calm eyes narrowed with irritation . " Let go of me , or call for help . " " Are you going to call your husband ? " Howard laughed mockingly as he tilted his head toward the room , his eyes following the scene inside . " But he seems pretty busy . " His words cut deep . What seemed like a harmless joke felt like a knife twisting in Rachel's heart . She looked inside , her stomach tightening as she saw Samantha leaning against William's shoulder , her cheeks flushed . William , with a drink in his hand , was laughing and chatting with ane and the others , completely relaxed . It was a version of him Rachel had never seen before . No wonder Zane had said earlier that everything felt too stiff whenever she was around . He wanted to have fun but had to hold back because of her presence . Rachel's lips curled into a bitter smile . She really was a bother , wasn't she ? Howard was a madman , and the patriarch of his family was a retired military officer . In Yurelia City , only the Lewis family could rival the Ziegler family in terms of power . Rachel had once been under William's protection , and while Howard still had some respect for him , things were different now . She had no choice but to outsmart him . Furrowing her brow , she asked , " What do you want , exactly ? " " Nothing much . You embarrassed me back in college . How about you make it up to me with a drink ? A little apology for all that humiliation . " Howard tried to mimic sign language by making hand gestures to Rachel , but after a few moments of awkwardly flailing his hands , he seemed frustrated . " Damn , your ears are really a pain in the ass ! " At that moment , a waiter passed by with a tray of drinks . Howard grabbed two glasses , keeping one for himself . He raised the other toward Rachel , his eyes challenging . " Drink this , and we'll call it even . How about it ? " Rachel hesitated , but her only thought now was to leave . This place , this situation - she just wanted to get away . Besides , the drinks had been brought over by a waiter , so Howard probably hadn't known Ra ould be here . She picked up the glass . " I hope you keep your word . " 11 Howard's grin widened . "Yeah , drink up and you can go . " Rachel downed the drink quickly , then set the empty glass back on the waiter's tray . " I can leave now , right ? " Howard smiled and moved aside , gesturing for her to pass . " Of course . " Relieved , Rachel took a step forward , but before she could take another , her body suddenly felt weak . In that instant , panic surged through her . There had been something in the alcohol . Realizing this , she didn't hesitate . She turned and ran for the door desperate to get out . But before she could even make it , Howard grabbed her arm . His voice followed , dripping with smug satisfaction . " You were careless . But don't worry . Soon , we'll be right across from William . He'll have his fun , and we'll have ours . " Rachel struggled to break free , but her body was like jelly - completely powerless . She tried to scream , but the words barely left her lips . Chapter 12 +25 BONUS " L - let go of me !" Howard gave a cold , sinister laugh as he bent down , lifting Rachel to carry her into the private room opposite William's . In the moment he turned , Rachel caught sight of William , who was clinking glasses with Samantha . Her ears were tinted pink and her face was radiant with a shy smile , looking truly happy . Despair flooded Rachel as she closed her eyes , her heart feeling as though it was being tightly squeezed , threatening to suffocate her . Hot tears slid down her cheeks . As the door to the private room opened , Howard turned to the waiter behind him and tossed out a casual warning . " Keep your mouth shut . " The waiter nodded frantically . " Yes , of course . " Rachel opened her mouth to scream , but Howard clamped a hand over her lips . He shoved her onto a leather couch as the door slowly swung shut behind them . Her desperate gaze locked onto that narrowing sliver of light - her last hope - until it vanished with a final click . Howard's eyes raked over her with predatory leisure . Rachel was the kind of woman who made people do a double - take when they saw her . It wasn't just the elegant symmetry of her features ; every inch of her was calculated perfection , from the arch of her brows to the curve of her collarbones . Howard had met all kinds of beautiful women , but none like her . She seemed cold and distant , like she didn't care about anything . Yet , there was something about her - something fierce underneath , like a quiet fire . Howard licked his lips , his eyes dark with hunger as he reached for Rachel's clothes . " Tonight's gonna be fun , " he muttered . Howard was just unbuckling his belt when a cool , detached male voice cut through the air behind him : " Have you really sunk so low as to force yourself on women , Mr. Ziegler ? " Rachel could see Howard's face freeze momentarily before he turned with a thunderous expression . " Tyler Hunt ! " Howard spat . " Since when did you become so fond of meddling in others ' affairs ? " " Purely coincidental , " Tyler replied languidly . " This happens to be my private room . Can't afford a hotel room , Mr. Ziegler ? Is this where you conduct your business now ? In a place like this ? " Howard scoffed , running a hand through his hair . " The hell's it to you ? " He glance you want her for yourself ? But then , what'll William say ? " Rachel's pale face and sneered . " Wait …. Tyler didn't react . He just strolled to the couch , lit a cigarette , and took a slow drag . " You've got one minute . Pull up your pants and get out . " " You think you can threaten me ? Who do you think you are ?! " Howard snarled . Tyler blew out smoke , his voice lazy but sharp . " Touch her , and it'll be all over the headlines tomorrow . How do you think your grandfather will react ? " As Tyler spoke , he put out his cigarette and raised his phone , camera lens aimed squarely at Howard . For a second , rage flashed in Howard's eyes , but then he zipped his pants and grabbed his jacket . " Getting cozy with him ? Aren't you afraid the Lewis family will flay you for this ? " he hissed at Rachel . Rachel had no idea what he meant . What did Tyler have to do with the Lewis family ? Howard could do nothing but let his prey go . Swallowing his rage , he yanked the door open and stormed out . Tyler rose and approached Rachel , looking down at her flushed face with a frown . 273 Chapter 12 " Where are your survival instincts ? " he asked drily . " The drink … the waiter brought it . " She panted , her breathing uneven . " I didn't think- " 1 +25 BONUS Without another word , Tyler scooped her up and carried her out , taking her straight to the hotel next door . " Howard's drugs work fast . It's too late to send you to the hospital . Cold shower . Now . " Rachel clenched her fists , her vision already going hazy . " Yeah . " Steadying herself with trembling hands , she lowered herself into the bathtub and turned on the cold water . The icy shock against her skin should have helped , but it wasn't enough . The heat inside her only grew worse , crawling under her skin like a thousand ants . Her entire body burned , every nerve screaming with desperate need . Something primal clawed at her insides , demanding release . Outside , Tyler took a slow drag of his cigarette , watching through the half - open door . Her struggle told him everything " Should I call William ? " he asked . Rachel's fingers dug into the porcelain edge of the bathtub , her knuckles turning white with strain . " N - no , " she forced out between gritted teeth . But she wasn't sure how much longer she could hold on . If she went to a hospital now , she might not make it in time . What if she lost control on the way there ?