2 As If Made Just for Him

Outside the door, Anna took a step back. Her high heels sank into the carpet, completely swallowing the sound of her footsteps.

It was clearly summer, yet a chill spread through her entire body.

It must be the air conditioning. It had nothing to do with being betrayed.

Then why did her heart hurt so badly?

When she was ten, her mother taught her through death that neither love nor marriage could be trusted.

Never trust men. Never place expectations on them.

During the years she was sent abroad, Anna grew from a pampered little girl into an independent and resilient woman.

She swore to reclaim the shares that belonged to her and the dowry her mother left behind. She armored herself with indifference and forced herself to grow stronger.

Even knowing that her grandfather Billy had given her an almost impossible task, she still accepted it.

She would produce results, secure Billy support, and enter the Whitmore Enterprises Group.

Lucas appeared like sunlight breaking through, warming a heart that had been sealed for years.

Since she was destined for a strategic marriage anyway, why not choose Lucas, someone who loved her?

What she thought was a perfect match turned out to be a carefully planned deception.

He approached her for nothing more than youthful arrogance, a game, and a bet.

A cold and distant beauty like her stirred an unexplainable desire to conquer in men.

She should have realized it sooner. With his background, what kind of beautiful women had he not seen? There was no such thing as love at first sight.

Her heart felt like it was bleeding.

She was the foolish one. She forgot her mother warning and ended up in such humiliation.

She looked at the plain ring lying in the velvet box.

In that moment, she had truly wanted to marry him and spend her life with him.

She sat in a dark corner, drinking glass after glass.

She watched Lucas wrap his arm around that female model and step into the elevator. There were rooms upstairs for rest.

So on those nights when he did not come home and claimed he was watching games with friends, this was where he spent his nights of indulgence.

Of course. In New York, Lucas could have any woman he wanted.

If she would not do something, someone else would.

A man like him would never wrong himself.

Her tolerance for alcohol was strong, built over years of business dinners.

But tonight, she was truly drunk.

She staggered as she left. Her steps uneven, she suddenly pitched forward.

The expected pain never came.

A powerful hand caught her slender waist.

Her head fell against the man firm chest, making her feel even dizzier.

Are you alright?

A low, magnetic voice sounded beside her ear.

Anna lifted her head. Through the haze, she met a pair of black eyes as deep as the sea.

The man was dressed in a tailored suit, his features sharp and defined. The way he looked at her carried a dangerous edge that sent a chill down her spine.

She did not know if it was an illusion, but he resembled Lucas a little.

Only their presence was completely different. One was mature and composed. The other was roguish and bright.

The image of Lucas leaving with the woman flashed through her mind again.

A thought of revenge crossed Anna mind. Her red lips curved slightly.

Do you have a woman?

She did not know how much she had drunk, nor how much reason she had left.

She only remembered the way he studied her. After a brief pause, he answered in a low voice.

No.

She stepped closer, hooked her arms around his neck, and smiled at him.

Now you do.

Her face was already stunning. When she smiled, she was dazzling beyond comparison.

That was why Lucas had spent three years trying to conquer her and refused to let go. She carried a fatal attraction for men.

You?

The man lowered his gaze. His eyes were deep like a night without stars.

If she were sober, she would have stayed far away from someone this dangerous.

But now she gathered her courage.

I am offering myself. Do you want it?

What love? She wanted nothing to do with it anymore.

Did Lucas want her to willingly let him have her?

Then he was bound to lose this bet.

Under the neon soaked night, desire and indulgence filled the air.

Between men and women, it often took only a glance.

The man in front of her surpassed Lucas in both looks and physique. She lost nothing.

She pulled him toward the elevator. If Lucas could go there, so could she.

The man stopped.

Somewhere else.

The next moment, she was taken into a car and driven to a hotel.

By the time they reached the elevator, she could barely stand. Seeing this, he wrapped an arm around her waist and pressed her against his chest.

A cool pine scent filled her senses, making her feel more at ease.

She was led into a luxurious suite. The man met her unfocused gaze.

He pointed at the door, still slightly open.

If you regret it now, there is still time.

Instead, Anna rose onto her toes and breathed softly by his ear.

You are not scared, are you?

His answer was the dull sound of the door being kicked shut.

The next second, her body was lifted into his arms. His heated breath brushed against her ear.

You have no room for regret now.

She was placed on the bed. His long fingers pulled off his tie.

The refined and composed man gained a hint of recklessness as he undid the buttons at his collar.

The way he looked at her was like a beast surveying its territory, full of invasion.

Anna heart tightened.

I need to shower first.

The man knelt on one knee on the bed, caging her beneath him. He leaned down slowly, domineering and forceful.

After.

Her pale feet pressed against the soft bedding. The little reason she had left urged her to retreat. She instinctively tried to escape, her hand pushing against his chest.

He lifted her chin. His gaze was deep, his voice laced with temptation.

Try it. See if I am scared or not.

The fire she started was hers to put out.

Anna thought she had truly gone mad.

What she never gave to her boyfriend in three years, she was handing to a stranger without hesitation.

The velvet box rolled onto the bed.

The man opened it.

Inside lay the men ring, the same box she had clutched in her hand the entire way.

In front of Anna, he took it out and slipped it onto his middle finger.

Perfect. Seamless. As if it had been made just for him.

Not bad.

He lowered his head, examining the ring that matched the one on her finger.

Anna panicked and reached out to snatch it back.

Give it back…

Her words were cut off.

His kiss came without warning. The hand wearing the matching ring clasped her fingers, threading through them one by one, lifting her hands above her head.

Rough and domineering, he stole every bit of her breath.

Clothes fell like scattered petals onto the carpet. His shirt covered her lace garments.

Spring filled the room, murmurs rising without end.