เข้าสู่ระบบTHIRTY
RYAN'S POV"You're really going too far, Michael," Melody said, her voice sharp. "Do you think Sarah and the rest of us are blind? It's obvious you're going after her! She's down to her camisole! What else do you want?"Michael tilted his head, calm. "I won. That means she should take off her clothes, right? Since when is that too much? If you want, you can help her out."Melody stood, speechless. The heat had made the room hot, and she was wearing aCATHERINE'S POVMy phone buzzed on my office desk. I looked down at the screen."Okay."It came from the man I met that night. He'd accepted my payment without another word.I leaned back in my chair, staring at the screen. What kind of man just takes the money and says nothing?At least he wasn't the type to bother me.Still, what had even happened that night? My head ached just thinking about it. The memory was hazy, blurred like fog over glass. I tried piecing it together: the club lights, the bathroom, the bottle of water the waiter handed me. Then nothing. A gap.Something wasn't right.After a long pause, I opened my contact list and scrolled to Jason Carter's number. He picked up after two rings, his voice lazy as usual."President Clark? What's up?""I need a favor," I said, tapping my pen on the desk. "You co-own The Celestial Lounge, right? I think something weird happened there last
CATHERINE'S POVMy head throbbed as I rubbed my temples. The headache from last night's drinking was intense. As I moved, my blanket slipped, leaving me shivering in just a thin camisole.I frowned. What happened last night?I was about to pull the blanket back when something caught my eye. A man lying next to my pillow. He was topless, asleep, his hair messy, but his features strikingly handsome.I froze. My mind raced.Did I sleep with a stranger? Last night was a blur. I remember drinking too much, feeling upset, and then... Ryan? No, it wasn't him. Did I really just...Panic surged. I couldn't look at him anymore. I scrambled for my clothes, hurriedly dressing, my hands shaking. When I reached for my purse, it was gone. Not on the floor, not on the chair. I searched again, my heart hammering.Then I noticed the notepad on the desk. A string of digits was already written down someone had left their number, probably wo
THIRTYRYAN'S POV"You're really going too far, Michael," Melody said, her voice sharp. "Do you think Sarah and the rest of us are blind? It's obvious you're going after her! She's down to her camisole! What else do you want?"Michael tilted his head, calm. "I won. That means she should take off her clothes, right? Since when is that too much? If you want, you can help her out."Melody stood, speechless. The heat had made the room hot, and she was wearing a thin spaghetti strap dress. No way was she going to make herself look foolish to help Sarah.I stepped forward, placing my coat over Sarah's shoulders. "It's late. Let's call it a night." My tone was flat, almost bored.Michael glanced at me. Without looking at him, I added, "I'll ask my accountants to transfer thirty million dollars to you tomorrow morning. The Brooks Group will drop the Snowite deal. I'll have my team help you acquire it instead."Michael smirked sl
CATHERINE'S POVI was already irritated, but receiving a gift from Caleb who was in Palmont surprised me in a way that lifted my mood. I opened the message, smiled, and slipped the small ring onto my finger. It covered the faint mark from my old wedding ring perfectly. The delicate diamond glimmered under the club's lights, and for a moment, I forgot all my worries.Then I felt Ryan's gaze. He noticed the shift instantly. My light smile made his eyes darken, and I could feel a cold weight settle over him.Cynthia, standing nearby, had not expected such an extravagant present. Her lips pressed into a thin line as jealousy and irritation swirled together. She leaned forward, her voice raised just enough to grab attention."Catherine Clark, didn't you say your boyfriend is Michael? You even used his name to get into this club. And Mr. Caleb, the male model people have been gossiping about he's sending you gifts now? You two must be more than friends
CATHERINE'S POVThe moment he stepped into the lounge, it was like the room tilted slightly toward him. His black coat fit perfectly the kind of cut that made people notice without daring to approach.My heart skipped. I looked down automatically.Even after all this time, he still has that effect on me.Sarah perked up immediately. "Ryan, you're here!" She smiled, but I noticed how quickly the smile masked an edge of calculation. "I heard you've been busy. Did you come to pick her up?"He gave a brief nod, polite enough. But when his gaze lingered on me for a fraction too long, his frown was just faint enough to be dangerous.He's not happy about this.When he reached Sarah, he lowered his voice. "You were coughing this afternoon. Why are you playing poker now?"Sarah shrugged, giving a tiny smile. "It's just a little cough. Don't worry. Besides, Melody's in town, and I wanted to show her around."
CATHERINE'S POVThe noise inside the lounge was sharp and restless, like everyone was pretending not to notice who they were staring at. I sat near the end of the long table, pretending I belonged, pretending I didn't feel every whisper crawling toward me.Sarah's laughter carried over the hum of music. She leaned against Ryan's arm, brushing her hair back with the kind of movement that begged to be noticed. The light hit her gold bracelet, and it flashed like a dare.I dropped my gaze."You'd think someone would open a window," I murmured.Rebecca leaned closer. "You mean you'd like to escape?""Is it that obvious?"My lips twitched. "Only to those who know what pretending looks like."Rebecca's tone was calm, but her eyes cut across the table. Sarah's voice rose again playful, but edged like glass."So, Ryan," Sarah said, "you never told us how it feels being back. Must be hard keeping up with al







