Chapter 1 You Dropped Something
The cemetery was eerily silent, so quiet that one could hear the snow falling onto their shoulders.
Cynthia Sutton slightly turned her head, gazing at the snow on her shoulder. The black and white contrast was striking, much like how some rejoiced while others mourned at the passing of Loid Jenkins, silently maintaining some delicate balance.
From the corner of her eye, she saw a tall figure, whose presence commanded attention, walk into the still scene of mourners with heads bowed.
The sound of his footsteps crushed the snow that had accumulated through the night.
Everyone raised their heads in unison and looked toward the sound.
“You came,” said Brian Shears, the eldest grandson of the Jenkins family. Taking his mother’s surname, he had been officially recognized by the Jenkins family at the age of eight and was now the executor of today’s grand funeral.
Brian was standing a slight distance away from the grave. Regardless of the occasion, he always made sure to leave room for one person. Yet, each time, his thoughtful gesture went unnoticed by this person.
Outsiders saw it and whispered unkind words behind the person’s back. While Loid was alive, a semblance of peace had been maintained. But now, with the Jenkins family on the brink of a power shift, what awaited them was sure to be a storm of conflict.
“Colin, you finally came,” Brian said, a hint of relief crossing his face as he stepped aside. In the intricately tangled Jenkins family, he was always tactful. He was never intrusive and even made concessions when necessary.
However, without exception, Colin Jenkins never acknowledged it.
Colin walked straight to the gravestone, lit some candles, and paid his respects, fulfilling Loid’s last wishes.
“Grandpa loved you the most. I’m sure he can rest peacefully now,” Brian said.
Both were members of the Jenkins family, but Colin and Brian were worlds apart.
Brian had devoted years of hard work to the Jenkins family, while Colin, even when given the chance to see Loid one last time before his death, had refused. When Brian went to invite Colin, he was turned away. And by the time he returned, he had missed Loid’s final words.
Perhaps Loid would have given Brian a legitimate position in the family before he died.
In contrast, the day after the funeral, rumors spread about Colin’s scandal with a celebrity.
Cynthia thought it was unfair, but at best, she was just an adoptive daughter of the Jenkins family. Without Brian’s protection over the years, outsiders would have seen her as insignificant, barely different from a maid. She had neither the right nor the power to change anything.
Cynthia gritted her teeth, the anger she had long suppressed now rising to the surface. She turned her gaze toward Colin, who remained silent, his disdain obvious.
Colin stood tall before the gravestone, his back to her. She didn’t know whether he felt sorrow, but seeing Brian being publicly ignored yet again made her furious.
Once the funeral ended, people began leaving, with friends and acquaintances departing first.
Cynthia stood not far from Brian, waiting for him to finish with the final guests before they left together.
After seeing off the last elder, Brian turned around and immediately spotted her. A smile appeared on his face as he started to walk toward her, but then he noticed that Colin was still standing there.
His smile faltered, and his steps came to a halt.
Cynthia had already approached him. For the first time, she wanted to draw his attention. She reached out and tugged at his arm. “Brian, let’s go back.”
She didn’t realize there was a hint of urgency in her tone.
Brian didn’t notice it, either. He patted her on the back as usual and gently said, “Go wait in the car. It’s cold outside.”
With that, he walked toward Colin.
Cynthia hurriedly turned around, intending to stop him once more, but she saw that Colin was already looking their way. Their eyes met unexpectedly, and she quickly turned and walked briskly toward the exit.
Just then, Zoey Yale’s call came through, perfectly timed as the funeral was wrapping up. “Cyn, is it over? Don’t hurry back just yet.
“Stay a little longer with Brian. He needs someone by his side right now. Be more perceptive.”
Cynthia was all too familiar with Zoey’s intentions, and she sighed helplessly. “Mom, can you stop saying the same thing every time…”
Zoey, already used to Cynthia’s resistance, interrupted with a serious tone, “I heard Brian is planning an arranged marriage. Now that Loid is gone, no one is going to rush him.
“Given the situation with the Jenkins family, it’s normal for Brian to want to fight for power. He’ll need help, but you’ll have to suffer some grievances. He’s always been so kind to you.
“Listen to me—be proactive. Find a chance to solidify your position. Even if he marries a noble young lady, you still came first.
“Otherwise, we could be cast aside with just a word. I think… you should stay the night and not come back. Get on with it.”
Cynthia’s footsteps faltered. She had been walking quickly, and now both her breathing and thoughts were in disarray. She couldn’t pinpoint which part of Zoey’s long speech had affected her so deeply.
Suddenly, a voice spoke from behind, startling her. She quickly hung up the phone.
“You’ve dropped something.” The man’s voice was deep, smooth like snow settling softly on branches.
Colin didn’t address her directly, as he was never one for unnecessary pleasantries.
Cynthia instinctively turned around, searching the ground behind her. It was empty.
She lifted her gaze, and there he was, smiling subtly. He said pointedly, “Last night. On my bed.”
Cynthia’s face flushed instantly, her cheeks burning with embarrassment. What burned even more was the memory of waking up this morning, disheveled, in his bed.
She hadn’t expected him to speak so openly about it. Her first instinct was to look around and check if Brian had heard her or not before she began to question his motives.
Was Colin trying to embarrass her on purpose? Or was he aiming to use that incident for some other reason? Either way, she was growing increasingly suspicious that his presence today was not the result of the “consideration” he had mentioned last night.
She had been foolish, allowing herself to get drunk and seeking out Colin, thinking the alcohol might give her the courage to snap him out of his arrogance.
She had succeeded in yelling at him, but somehow, she ended up in his bed. The details were still a blur, her memory clouded by the alcohol.
It seemed Colin noticed her discomfort, as he stepped forward with long strides and bent down to look at her. He said in a low voice, “Still want more?”
The suggestive tone was identical to the one he had used last night.
Cynthia’s heart skipped a beat, and she instinctively took a step back. Her face flushed with such awkwardness that it felt painful. She shook her head and her hands at the same time, saying, “No, no. I don’t want anything.”
She repeated herself twice.
Cynthia had intended to emphasize it once more, but when she saw Colin’s mischievous smile, she immediately closed her mouth.
Colin raised an eyebrow and nodded, as if taking her words seriously, but his words were dripping with sarcasm. “Looks like Brian has deep pockets. He treats everything like it’s disposable. He even sent his precious little sister right to my bed.”
