The sunlight was like a mother's hand, gently caressing Renée's exposed skin.

She walked along the winding path, pausing briefly in front of the tree at the corner. The pear blossoms on the tree bloomed with an almost tender ambiguity.

Pear trees weren't common in this country.

Renée closed her eyes and took a deep breath, reminded of her childhood in Kachin, where a pear tree grew in their yard. A woman, more delicate than the pear blossoms themselves, used to sit beneath that tree. Her slender, pale fingers would rest on the Saung, the fragmented notes flowing like petals occasionally drifting with the wind.

Every time Renée remembered that scene, the only word that echoed in her heart was "desolate."

"Sis." The girl in the wheelchair was being pushed by a young, unfamiliar man wearing a light blue nursing center uniform, coming around the corner. 

Renée lowered the brim of her hat, walked over, and gently pressed down on the girl who was struggling to get out of the wheelchair. 

She bent down and kissed her cheek. "Mya, have you been naughty lately? "

"Sis, I'm almost 12! Stop treating me like a little kid, okay? I've been good. You can ask Thandar." 

Renée looked up at the man standing behind Mya. He had honey-colored skin, short hair, and a sunny smile that made him feel approachable and warm. 

"Hello," he said, walking up to greet her. "I'm Thandar, an intern nurse. I've been assigned to take care of Mya's daily needs." 

Renée nodded slightly in acknowledgment, hiding most of her face beneath her hat's brim. But in that brief moment of eye contact, she caught the admiration in his gaze. 

"Mya talks about you every day. She says she have a gentle, intelligent sister who's a thousand times more beautiful than herself. Seeing you now, she wasn't exaggerating. You're truly breathtaking," Thandar complimented without reservation. 

"I told you, my sister is the most beautiful woman in the whole world," Mya chimed in. "You never believed me." 

Thandar's eagerness made Renée feel flustered, and she just wanted to leave quickly. 

"Thank you for taking care of Mya. I was thinking of taking her for a walk. Is that alright?" 

"Of course. But Mya will need to undergo a routine check-up in half an hour." 

"Okay, I'll bring her back on time." 

Mya glanced over at the figure standing beneath the pear tree in the distance before turning to Renée. 

"Thandar is really handsome, isn't he? So many of the nurses here have a crush on him. Sis, are you interested? I'm the closest to him. I can talk to him for you." 

Renée smiled and gently ruffled Mya's hair. "What are you daydreaming about now?" 

Mya furrowed her brows and shook her head. "I'm not daydreaming! Sis, you should get a boyfriend. You're always so busy and never have time to visit me. Find a man to share some of your burdens." 

Renée laughed and took a deep breath. "Little girl, what's going on in that head of yours? If you feel like I don't visit enough, just say so. I'll make sure to take time off to be with you." 

Renée glanced at the statue-like figure standing in the distance and sighed inwardly. A healthy, positive man like that wouldn't be right for her. Not to mention, if he ever found out about her work, who knows how he would react. 

Even if he accepted her, that man wouldn't let her go. She didn't want to drag anyone else into this messy situation.

🎩

To avoid Thandar, Renée pushed Mya in a large loop around the nursing center.

But no matter how much she tried to dodge him, she couldn't escape his persistent pursuit.

"Miss Sein."

Renée didn't look back. Her steps faltered slightly before she quickened her pace, continuing to move forward.

"Miss Sein, leaving already?"

Thandar caught up and stepped in front of her with a bright, harmless smile.

Renée stopped, her head slightly bowed. "Yeah, I have to work this afternoon."

"Oh. Work must be tough. I noticed you rarely visit Mya. She's always talking about you."

"Thank you for taking care of Mya. I really have to go now."

The coldness in her tone made Thandar freeze for a moment. Seizing the opportunity, Renée sidestepped him and continued walking. 

Thandar instinctively reached out and grabbed her arm.

"When will you be free?"

Renée glanced down at the hand gripping her arm. His fingers were long and slender, with well-defined knuckles. She then looked back up at him.

Thandar, feeling a little embarrassed under her gaze, quickly let go of her arm.

"When will you be free? I'd like to invite you to dinner."

"Sorry." Renée hurriedly fled, jumping into the car that had been waiting outside for her.

🎩

Renée changed back into her male attire in the apartment she had purchased. She had borrowed money from Madam Hnin, with the agreement to repay her by deducting 90% from her earnings each time.

She spent most of her time at Tipsy Lounge. This apartment was just a temporary residence she had bought, occasionally bringing Mya over to stay for a day or two. She kept all her women's clothing here, changing every time she went to see Mya.

This apartment felt like a transitional space between her two parallel lives. Sometimes, she left here as René, the male escort at Tipsy Lounge; other times, she left as Renée, the sister working as a white-collar employee at an international company.

She liked to temporarily trap herself here, amidst the rush of life. 

The world was vast, yet this small apartment was the only place that was truly hers. 

Within these walls, she could finally be herself—here, she was Renée Hlaing, a woman free to cry, laugh, scream, sing, or dance. Here, she lived not for anyone else, but for herself alone.

🎩

Renée wandered to Nanda's room and paused at the door, watching her apply makeup in front of the mirror while humming a light, cheerful tune.

"You seem pretty happy. Haven't seen you in a while. Where have you been lost to?" Renée teased.

When Nanda saw Renée, she jumped up with excitement and rushed over, wrapping her arms around Renée for a big hug.

"René, I missed you so much!"

Renée, with a sigh, pushed the woman away gently, "If you missed me, how come you disappeared for so long?"

"Has it been that long? It's only been a week. It feels so short. Did you miss me so much you couldn't sleep?" Nanda asked, leaning in again, attempting to flirt with Renée, but was once more playfully pushed away.

Nanda pouted in mock frustration before turning excitedly to share the latest news. "Remember the guy I told you about last time? Min Zew, the general manager of Menke—tall, handsome, great in bed, and super cool?"

Renée remembered him all too well—the man with naturally curly hair, deep-set features, and a perpetually serious expression, always carrying himself as if he were someone important. Thiri—the one who had been clinging to Renée recently—was his sister.

"He asked me to accompany him to Vietnam on a business trip. Look, I even got a little tan from it. Oh, by the way, I brought you a set of Áo dài. You should try it on for me—it'll look stunning on you," Nanda added with a wink.

The black silk Áo dài shimmered with a subtle glow.

Renée took the clothes from Nanda, biting her lip. "Are you serious this time?"

Nanda paused, her smile fading. She turned away, retrieving a cigarette and lighter from her bag. With practiced ease, she lit the cigarette and took a deep drag. A cloud of smoke unfurled before her, forming a hazy, opaque mask that obscured her expression.

"Even if I am serious, what difference does it make?"

"Nanda, you shouldn't keep drifting like this. You deserve to be happier."

"Happier? So to be happy, I need to find a man, have a bunch of kids, and disappear into a family life? Is that what you think happiness looks like for a woman?"

"But..." Renée started.

"Heh, I didn't realize you were such a traditionalist, René." Nanda smirked, tilting her head. "How about you marry me, then?"

Men were not inherently creatures of stability. Mediocre men were ignored by women like Nanda, while exceptional and rebellious men—though irresistibly alluring—were also the deadliest poison.

With a wife, they could still have mistresses. With children, they could keep sowing their seeds.

And sometimes, they could ignore ethics and morality altogether.

🎩

Dressed entirely in black, the tall and imposing Rex strode into the banquet hall, his arm wrapped around Renée, who looked small and fragile beside him in an equally black formal suit.

It wasn't just their striking beauty that drew every gaze in the room—it was Rex's commanding, almost imperial presence that demanded attention.

Renée could feel the reverence and fear directed at Rex, as well as the disdain cast upon her.

She was wearing men's clothing again, and some people here knew her as René, the male escort from Tipsy Lounge. Rex's hold on her waist appeared casual, yet it carried a possessive intensity, a silent declaration of ownership.

If she were truly a man, this would have been a humiliating display. That was what allowed him to torment her so brazenly in front of others.

Like now.

Rex carried on his conversation with others, his expression natural, yet his arm remained firmly around Renée, as if she were nothing more than an accessory. He ignored the fine beads of sweat forming on her forehead and the tip of her nose, the barely perceptible tremors coursing through her body as she endured.

One of the women, dolled up and clearly intrigued by Renée, had been watching her closely. She noticed the unnatural stiffness in Renée's posture, the way she trembled slightly, as if struggling to hold herself together.

"René, are you okay? You don't look well."

Completely oblivious to the warning in Rex's eyes, the woman inched closer, eager to comfort the handsome man—and perhaps take advantage of the opportunity to get a little closer.

Renée felt the vibrations in her body intensify. She frowned slightly and, without making a scene, smoothly sidestepped the woman's advances.

All her energy was spent on maintaining a facade of composure. She could only manage to say, "I'm fine."

"How can you be fine? You're so pale, and you're sweating. Are you hot? Do you want to step outside for some fresh air? I can take you to the lounge to rest."

"That's not ne—"

"Thank you for your concern," Rex interrupted. "I'll take him to rest for a while. Excuse us."

With that, he tightened his hold on Renée and led her away.

Behind them, the woman still wasn't ready to give up. "Should I call a doctor?"

Rex waved her off without a backward glance, his stride long and purposeful.

Renée stumbled slightly as she tried to keep up, her heart sinking.

She knew all too well—he was about to lose control again.

Rex strode into the dimly lit lounge at the end of the corridor, dragging Renée with him. With a flick of his wrist, he pushed her onto the sofa.

He didn't move closer, didn't touch her—just stood there, towering over her, his presence suffocating.

Renée bit her lip, trying to steady her erratic breathing. Her chest rose and fell sharply, betraying her unease.

Rex reached out, brushing a fingertip across the sweat beading on her temple before bringing it to his lips, tasting it with slow deliberation. His gaze darkened, the flames of desire burning within them.

"Playing innocent now? You really have no limits, do you? Flirting with women too? Is this how you act at Tipsy, seducing all those wealthy ladies and socialites?" His voice was laced with mockery.

"I didn't," Renée murmured, forcing the words out, but the effort left her lightheaded.

Rex let out a sharp breath, his lips curving into a cold, humorless smirk.

"You're a natural born bitch." he muttered. "A whore just like your mother."

Renée's eyes flashed with fury as she pushed herself upright. "Don't talk about my mother like that."

Rex tilted his head, his grip tightening on the remote in his hand, suddenly pushing it to the maximum. He watched with satisfaction as Renée fell back, a moan escaping her lips uncontrollably.

"Moaning like that—are you just begging for a man to fuck you?"

Renée's trembling hands reached for her pants, desperate to rid herself of the thing that tormented her.

"So impatient? You'd better keep that thing inside you where it belongs," Rex said coldly, his voice like ice. "You wouldn't want me to bring your sister into this, would you?"

Renée tumbled off the sofa, crawling to his feet, clutching his pants as she pleaded with him, "No, please, don't! She's just a child... you can't...She is your half sister..."

"Then show me what you can do."

Renée's nails dug into her palms. She forced herself to swallow the rising lump in her throat, blinking back the sting in her eyes.

Clenching her teeth, a few moans escaped through the gaps.

"Louder." Rex was clearly dissatisfied.

Renée listened as her own debauched moans echoed through the empty lounge.

Her knees pressed against the marble floor, the pain sharp and unrelenting. The vibrator inside her slowly wore down what little willpower she had left.

Soon, Rex was no longer satisfied with simply standing there, watching Renee's solo performance. He yanked her up and threw her back onto the sofa.

Her fake moans ceased, replaced by the sound of fabric tearing. He tore off her black dress pants, followed by her soaked underwear. The fabric was durable, cut into her inner thighs like a blade, leaving behind streaks of blood.

A tremor ran through her body as the device was suddenly pulled out. Just as Renée thought she could catch her breath, his huge, burning hardness invaded. The overwhelming sensation forcing her to hold back a gasp.

Fortunately, her body was already wet enough, so the invasion didn't hurt so much. However, the relentless and ruthless penetration, the violent thrusts, brought her no pleasure—only waves of pain coursing through her body.

"Moan for me. Why did you stop? Weren't you quite good at it just now? Eh?"

She clenched her teeth and remained silent.

His eyes darkened as they bore down on her, brimming with menace. "Are you sure you want to keep defying me?"

A single tear slid down Renée's cheek. She parted her lips slightly, letting her long-buried pain pour out in a torrent.

"Ah..."

A long, haunting cry echoed through the empty lounge. It was not the moan he had expected—there was no pleasure, no pretense—only an undeniable sorrow and despair.

Rex froze for a moment, an unfamiliar emotion rising in his chest.

Renée's piercing scream had clearly startled the guests outside. There was a brief commotion at the lounge entrance, but it soon quieted down. Htet had likely stepped in to block any curious onlookers.

As silence settled once more, Rex realized he had already withdrawn from her body. Renée lay on the sofa, her face streaked with tears, barely clinging to breath. The sight of her—like a flower ravaged by a storm—was desolate, yet carried a strange, ruinous beauty.

Beauty. A sorrowful beauty. A heartbreaking beauty.

Rex didn't like the feeling that surfaced from deep within him at this moment. It made him feel fragile, almost breakable. Weakness, vulnerability, sensitivity—these emotions did not belong to him. He despised the feeling of losing control. He was born to be a king, to possess everything he desired, to control everything he wished to dominate.

His teacher had taught him from a young age—anything that could sway his emotions, anything that could cloud his judgment, had only one solution: destroy it.

He pulled out his belt, folding it in his hand, and raised his arm high...