Awakened by My Ex's Uncle

For Astrid Prescott, her twenty-sixth birthday held extraordinary significance.

Her boyfriend, Oliver Montgomery, knew how much she had been looking forward to this day.

He had mysteriously told her to wait at the venue first, saying he had prepared a surprise for her.

Astrid hadn't told him that she had also prepared a surprise for him.

Warm light from crystal chandeliers bathed the grand hall.

Being the birthday celebration for the heiress of a prestigious jewelry family, the elite of Cypress Bay had been arriving steadily.

Astrid checked the time for the third time.

Still half an hour before the party officially began, and Oliver hadn't arrived yet.

He wasn't answering her calls or responding to her messages!

"Astrid, don't worry. Traffic must be heavy at this hour," her best friend Rachel Wilson reassured her, standing up. "I'm going to use the restroom, and then I'll accompany you to greet the guests. As tonight's guest of honor, you can't keep hiding back here."

"Alright," Astrid responded softly.

As she heard the bathroom door close, her eyes inadvertently caught Rachel's phone screen lighting up on the table.

She was about to pick it up to tell Rachel when her hand froze mid-air, her expression turning to disgust.

In a group chat, someone had posted several screenshots, followed by a lewd comment: [This woman is super sexy. Her body is so hot it's making me thirsty.]

Not satisfied with just that, the person immediately added: [This gentleman says he's going to find a way to sleep with her tonight, then share with us how good she is in bed.]

Astrid felt nauseated.

Just as she was about to stand up, her pupils contracted sharply.

The person had posted another screenshot showing Oliver's account avatar.

Astrid instinctively tapped the screen to enlarge it.

When she saw the username, she forgot to breathe.

Oliver: [Guys, better keep some tissues handy—for your drool and nosebleeds.]

A: [Oliver, please livestream it. I'm begging you.]

B: [Oliver, you're the man! When you're done with her, maybe throw her our way for a taste?]

Oliver: [Back off. What's mine is mine!]

C: [Do you guys know who she is? You're talking pretty big.]

Oliver: [She's my girlfriend! None of you gets a chance until I'm done with her.]

Astrid's fingers stiffened with anger.

She quickly typed: [You're going too far!]

After sending it, she threw her phone onto the table and pushed the door open forcefully.

She couldn't believe that Oliver, who had been so devoted to her for three years, could be so perverted and disgusting behind her back!

Letting men evaluate her like an object! Memories flashed through her mind frame by frame.

The arranged marriage between the Prescott and Montgomery families had initially made her hesitant.

But Oliver, three years her junior, had pursued her relentlessly, even impressing her friends.

"He's only three years younger. Except for his age, everything else about him is mature. Astrid, we're jealous!"

"His youth doesn't matter. You have plenty of time to mold him. Train him to be the perfect boyfriend who's devoted only to you!"

Unable to resist the pressure, Astrid had reluctantly agreed.

For three years, Oliver had been the perfect boyfriend.

Astrid walked out of the venue, following the street with no destination in mind. She just wanted to escape.

In her haste, she had forgotten to wear a coat.

The flickering neon lights at the roadside caught her attention.

Drowning her sorrows in alcohol didn't seem like a bad idea.

She pushed open the door and walked in.

The music in the bar was deafeningly loud, perfectly matching her current mood.

Astrid approached the bar counter and ordered the strongest drink they had.

The fiery liquid burned her throat, making tears stream down her face and her heart tremble.

Why should she cry over a bad man? There were plenty of men in the world!

Today was her birthday! She deserved better!

Without love, she couldn't lose her career, too!

The Prescott family had a secret tradition: on their twenty-sixth birthday, the women of the family would gain the gift of authenticating treasures after their first intimate encounter.

With this talent, they could accurately determine the authenticity of gemstones by touch and had a special connection with the Four National Treasures.

Thinking about the complex relationships within the Prescott family, Astrid's gaze gradually cleared, and she began searching for her prey.

Her presence quickly caught the attention of men in the bar.

Several approached her, but they were either too old or unattractive.

None caught her eye.

In the dim lighting, a man in a black suit sat at a booth.

The top two buttons of his white shirt were undone, and he leaned back lazily against the seat.

His legs were long and crossed, and he held a glass, swirling it slowly, like a dignified wolf.

Not far from him, a group of women was whispering among themselves.

One of them straightened her back and slowly walked towards him.

Watching this scene, Astrid felt her blood boil.

He was the one!

"What a coincidence."

Astrid stepped lightly, as if she had spotted a familiar face.

She beat the woman to the man, accidentally bumping her shoulder, and sat down beside him.

"Honey, don't be angry anymore. Come home with me, okay?" Astrid's voice was gentle, her bright eyes blinking at him.

This was her first time drinking such strong alcohol, and she had consumed it quickly.

While her mind was still somewhat clear, she needed to leave the bar with a man soon. She couldn't sleep alone until dawn.

The woman beside them looked at their apparent intimacy with astonishment before slinking away, defeated.

The man glanced at the retreating figure, then at Astrid, who was now uncomfortably close.

His voice betrayed no emotion as he asked, "What did you just call me?"

Astrid noticed the woman had left and blinked her innocent eyes. "It's too noisy here. Let's go somewhere else to talk."

Under the influence of alcohol, her soft body unconsciously leaned against the man's shoulder, gradually falling into his embrace.

The man felt Astrid's unusual state and tried to push her away, but couldn't.

Looking down, he saw that Astrid had closed her eyes.

He couldn't tell if she was pretending or genuinely passed out.

If she were genuinely unconscious and left here, she would quickly be taken advantage of.

Silas Montgomery's face remained cold as he picked Astrid up and carried her out of the bar, heading toward the hotel upstairs.

The hotel staff saw him and then noticed the woman in his arms.

They hesitated for a moment before hurriedly opening the door for him.

Silas carried her into the room, and just as he entered, Astrid's hand seemed to move slightly. The door closed behind them.

As soon as he threw Astrid onto the bed, she grabbed his collar, pulling him down onto her soft, fragrant body.

Soon, the room was filled with passion.

Astrid had finally gotten what she wanted.

Lying on the bed, her body aching, she was just thinking about how to get rid of Silas when a sudden knocking came from the door.

"Astrid! Open the door! Someone saw you go in there!"

Oliver's voice! How had he tracked her down?

Astrid, whose consciousness had been foggy, instantly became clear-headed.

Before she could confront him about his betrayal, he was already enraged.