登入Flora's POV The rest of the night was an absolute blur of laughter, shouting over board game rules, and empty snack bowls. It was a massive success. For a few beautiful hours, the heavy dark cloud over the house completely vanished. I sat on the carpet, entirely squeezed between Emily and Sophia, feeling a sense of warmth I hadn't felt in a very long time. "I am telling you, Marcus cheated!" Sophia laughed loudly, throwing a decorative pillow across the lounge at her boyfriend. "There is no way you had that many property cards hidden under your coaster." "Hey, it's called strategy, babe," Marcus grinned, ducking as the pillow bounced off his shoulder. "Vance Financial material right here, Mr. Vance." Eugene was sitting in the single armchair near the corner, a glass of bourbon in his hand. He wasn't playing, but he was watching us, his lips tucked into a rare, subtle smile. Every time my eyes drifted to him, my stomach did a little flip. *I love him.* The realization was still hu
Flora's POV The cool night air hit my bare back as Eugene slowly let my feet touch the stone floor. My knees buckled instantly, completely weak from the intensity of what we’d just done, but his heavy arms caught me around the waist, holding me up against his chest until I found my balance. For a long moment, neither of us said a word. The only sound was our ragged breathing syncing up in the darkness, and the faint, muffled thud of a bassline coming from the lounge inside. I leaned my forehead against his shoulder, my heart hammering a frantic rhythm. My skin was hot, my mind completely spinning from the revelation that had hit me in the middle of the heat. *I love him.* The words felt massive, terrifying, and completely undeniable now. I smoothed down my white sundress, my fingers trembling as I adjusted the fabric, while Eugene fastened his trousers with a slow, deliberate calmness that didn't match the fierce look still burning in his dark eyes. He didn't let me step away. Hi
Flora's POV My legs were shaking so violently I wasn't entirely sure they would support my weight. Beneath the table, my thighs were still tingling, the phantom sensation of Eugene’s heavy, calloused hand still burning into my skin. Across from me, Sophia was happily launching into a detailed breakdown of her corporate thesis, her eyes bright and completely oblivious. Next to her, Marcus was nodding along, and across the table, Emily was leaning into Josh’s side, smiling softly. They were all perfectly normal. And I was sitting here, drowning in my own heat, completely wrecked by the man sitting less than a foot away from me. I kept my hands locked around my glass of lemonade, my knuckles practically white. I didn't dare look to my left. I could feel the absolute gravity of Eugene's presence, the quiet, arrogant satisfaction radiating off him as he casually sipped his wine and listened to Sophia. He was a monster. A beautiful, wicked monster who had just thoroughly compromised me
Eugene's POV "Dad, you actually outdid yourself," Emily said, happily piling grilled chicken onto Josh’s plate. "This is incredible." "I know how to manage a grill, Emily," I replied, sitting back in my chair at the head of the table. Flora was sitting right next to me, at the other side of my chair, with Emily sitting opposite her. She cleared her throat, her cheeks still sporting that light pink blush as she caught my eye. "Eugene," Flora said, her voice clear and formal for the sake of the table. "I didn't get a chance to properly introduce everyone. You know Josh, of course. But this is Marcus from college, and his girlfriend, Sophia." Marcus stood up halfway, extending a hand across the table with a respectful smile. "It’s an honor to meet you, Mr. Vance. Flora’s told me a lot about the firm." "Nice to meet you, Marcus," I said, shaking his hand with a firm grip. I looked at him, then glanced at Sophia, who gave a polite nod. A heavy, quiet sense of satisfaction settled i
Eugene POV The heat from the charcoal rolled against my face, a stark contrast to the freezing shower I’d taken twenty minutes ago. I kept my eyes locked on the grill, flipping the seasoned chicken breasts with steady, deliberate movements. For the first time in an entire week, the suffocating weight in my chest felt just a fraction lighter. Looking out across the sprawling green lawn, I watched the two most important women in my life. Emily was standing near the edge of the stone steps, a genuine, bright smile lighting up her face as Josh whispered something in her ear. She threw her head back and laughed—a sound I hadn't realized I was starved to hear. All week, she had been carrying the heavy, bitter burden of her mother’s sudden return, walking through the halls like a ghost. But right now, with Josh’s arms wrapped around her waist, she looked light. She looked like a normal twenty-something girl, completely safe and completely happy. A deep sense of relief washed over me. I
Flora's POV I stood in the center of my bedroom, staring at the closed door, my chest heaving as if I had just run a marathon. My hands were shaking so badly I could barely zip up my shorts. *What the hell did I just do?* I pressed my palms against my hot cheeks, my mind spinning into a chaotic blur of guilt and panic. I had promised myself distance. I had sworn, right here in this very room, that I would put up a wall to protect my peanut and keep things simple while Victoria was invading our space. But the moment Eugene touched me—the second I saw that raw, uncharacteristic desperation bleeding through his hard exterior—every single one of my defenses had turned to ash. I had melted. I had let him pull me under, and worse, I had wanted it just as fiercely as he did. "Get it together, Flora," I whispered fiercely to myself. I stripped out of my wrinkled clothes, walked into the bathroom, and turned the shower on. I stood under the warm water for a long time, letting it wash awa







