Chapter 102

He swiftly regained his composure and awkwardly asked, "Did Mr. Rodriguez tell you that?"

"Yes," Winnie held his gaze, not missing his subtle reaction, and her heart sank. "Isn't it true?"

"If Mr. Rodriguez said so, then it must be true!" Benjamin replied, guilt palpable. He offered quick reassurance, "Winnie, Mr. Rodriguez's heart belongs solely to you. Before you, there was no other woman in his heart."

Except for the girl who saved him, but she couldn't be found.

Benjamin believed he wasn't lying. "You're quite astute. Challenging Mr. Rodriguez about Darcy won't lead to anything positive. Besides, dealing with Mr. Rodriguez isn't simple. You must understand his disposition; there are valid reasons behind it..."

His tone grew solemn, "Due to his upbringing, Mr. Rodriguez rarely trusts others. Trust, to him, equates to vulnerability. You don't know how much he has suffered... Nevertheless, Mr. Rodriguez is thawing his icy heart for you, a transformation that hasn't gone unnoticed.! Don't be misled by his apparent insensitivity; beneath that exterior, he is fragile. He easily gets angry because he already cares about you. Don't let him down, otherwise, he will go insane..."

His serious caution caught Winnie off guard, and she also sensed Mr. Rodriguez's unusual emotions. His jealousy, in particular, sent shivers down her spine.

So, all his suspicions were because he had been hurt before? He's resistant to trust due to past pain, yet is he really opening up to her? Is it truly the case?

Winnie must have been crazy to believe Benjamin's words. Yet, women are sensitive creatures, and she had actually harbored suspicions that he lived alone with Madam Rodriguez, guarded closely. His background...

It must have been incredibly difficult for him.

Winnie couldn't help but soften her heart a little, yet she still felt great frustration that he believed Darcy.

"Think about it carefully. If you choose to be with him, you'll need to tolerate his ways more." Benjamin sighed and briskly made his way back to the banquet hall. He was akin to an emotional advisor, giving advice left and right.

Winnie stood still, unsure of whether to leave or stay.

The parking lot was on this side, adjacent to the garden. The lights were dim, and her car was just ahead. Suddenly, a figure approached her.

Swiftly, Winnie turned around and met the unfamiliar gaze of a portly man.

"Miss Anderson, I'm Mr. Taylor. What can I do for you?" Mr. Taylor asked drunkenly, looking at Winnie with a fanatical and urgent intensity.

Winnie suddenly realized that there was something off about his breath.

"Let's find a quiet place to talk. Are you considering renting a Triton counter in a mall?"

Mr. Taylor grinned. This woman had been trying to seduce him at the banquet. Why else would she have spilled wine on his wife? Now that the older lady had left, Mr. Taylor found it hard to resist temptation.

"I didn't look for you, Mr. Taylor. There's something wrong with you. Consult a doctor."

Winnie retorted, pushing away his hand as it reached her.

She swiftly began to walk towards her car.

Suddenly, Mr. Taylor lunged from behind and forcefully covered Winnie's mouth and nose with a damp cloth.

There was a smell! Winnie struggled desperately, "Mr. Taylor! Let go of me, mm..."

She was quickly smothered and was no match for a man's strength. Mr. Taylor dragged her, heading toward the garden.

Within the garden's darkness, he swiftly carried Winnie to a ground-level guest room.

He cautiously unlocked the door, revealing another man - Mr. Collins. They exchanged glances and smirked.

"I wonder who gave us this golden opportunity. She's all alone tonight, her reputation tarnished. We can do as we please with her!"

Upon hearing their conversation, fear gripped Winnie's heart. She sensed herself being laid on a bed. Clinging to the last vestiges of consciousness, she searched her dress pockets and found a sleeping pill. She placed it in her mouth, hoping that the excessive amount of drugs she had inhaled would take effect.

"Look at her, so desperate that she's opening her own skirt!" Mr. Taylor rubbed his hands together and chuckled.

Eva watched everything unfold on the monitor and burst into triumphant laughter!

She quickly called Darcy, bubbling with excitement. "Darcy, I'm all set. Where is Mr. Rodriguez at the moment?"

Darcy's eyes gleamed with depth, but her face remained indifferent as she said, puzzled, "Eva, don't indulge in any mischief. Mr. Rodriguez is still in the lounge."

"Darcy, come over and watch the show. Tonight, Winnie will utterly lose Mr. Rodriguez's favor, and then my opportunity will arise!" Eva exclaimed.

No, it was her opportunity. Mr. Rodriguez had always been hers. Darcy thought bitterly, standing up gracefully.

Unbeknownst to them, someone had witnessed the scene in the garden.

Rock's assistant rushed back to the banquet hall and whispered a few words, a perplexed look on their face.

Rock's elegant and handsome face suddenly changed, and he immediately asked, "Which direction did they go?"

The assistant immediately led the way.

Within the lounge, Benjamin almost choked on the smell of smoke. The man sat there, cold as an ice sculpture, with his eyes closed.

Risking a sardonic comment, Benjamin quipped, "Cut back on the smoking. It hasn't been that long since you started dating Winnie. Don't let lung cancer take you away first."

"Winnie is obedient. A little display of affection and her eyes soften. Women like her, proud and delicate, are actually quite easily tamed. I can't understand why you're perpetually short-tempered and furious, Mr. Rodriguez. I'm aware of your skepticism, doubting her connection to Triton. You even think that a woman in the business world can't possibly be pure. Yet, her gaze is as clear as crystal. Even if she sought Rock as a supplier, there's absolutely nothing between them. At most, she has inadvertently disappointed your good intentions."

"I saw her intentionally fall into Rock's arms that day in the private room. I don't appreciate such tactics!" Mr. Rodriguez said.

Women in the business world often excel at theatrics. Benjamin knew he couldn't afford to provoke him.

"As a high-ranking individual like yourself, you'd be better off with a simple maid, someone with no social connections, to cater to your needs and share your bed. But who compelled you to fall for a female CEO?"

"Who said I like her?" The man fixed him with a dangerously intense stare.

Benjamin pursed his lips, not confessing outright, but his possessiveness wouldn't have driven him to the brink if he were indifferent.

"People have come looking for you tonight. And who knows, she might still be outside, waiting for you, hopefully. Let off some steam, after all, the pregnant woman isn't carrying your child, is she?"

Mr. Rodriguez extinguished his cigarette slowly, glanced outside the window, sensing the chill in the air. The man stood up abruptly with a cold expression, "Where is she?"

Benjamin was about to mention that she was in the parking lot when the door was suddenly swung open and Eva burst in, her face contorted with a peculiar expression as she shouted, "Mr. Rodriguez! Something has happened. A bunch of people outside are claiming that Winnie and Mr. Taylor were seen together in the garden and talking. They went into a guest room on the first floor! There seemed to be another man with them. How could Winnie act that way? Even if she argued with you, she shouldn't betray you..."

"Eva, don't talk nonsense!" Darcy interjected at that moment, cautiously addressing Mr. Rodriguez, as if treading of fragile ground. "It's true that there's a lot of chatter outside. Mr. Rodriguez, I wanted to avoid Mrs. Rodriguez's affairs, but she might have been taken hostage by Mr. Taylor. Maybe she just wanted to talk business and was misunderstood by Mr. Taylor. Please rescue her!"

An icy aura radiated from Mr. Rodriguez's entire being.