Mag-log inThe next day, the opening ceremony of the Cocoon-Breaking Exhibition arrived.
At the Knight Art Center, the high dome caught the morning light. It sent the glow cascading down in glittering waves.Media crews swarmed the hall. Cameras flashed, microphones raised. Collectors and celebrities flowed in like an unstoppable tide.I stood at the entrance. I greeted guests with a faint, poised smile.I wore an ivory silk shirt that hid the bandage beneath it. My long hair was pulOne week later. SoftVoice Studio. Afternoon sun. "Lisa! Song! Your favorite aunt is here!" Clara's voice arrived before she did. She burst through the door, carrying bags of fancy pastries. She dropped them on the center table. "Fresh. Top-tier macarons. Hand-brewed coffee. Everyone grab some." Song Sheng looked up from her screen. Her eyes lit up. "Clara. That's an expensive visit." "Obviously." Clara dropped onto the beanbag. Looked around. "Hey. Where's Elena? She works here now, right?" "Meeting. New client." I saved my file. Took a sip of coffee. "What brings you here? Skipping work again?" Clara put her hands on her hips. "Sis! That's harsh. I call it strategic relaxation." "And research. Checking out my future workplace." Her eyes sparkled. "Even Elena works here now. I'm the only one stuck at Knight Group with no one to gossip with." Song Sheng grabbed a macaron. "Want to quit? Com
Luke blinked. Then he understood. She'd jumped to the wrong conclusion.He rubbed his temples. Headache. And a strange urge to laugh."Elena. Listen. Last night—""Listen to what?"Elena cut him off. Tears spilled down her cheeks."That you didn't mean it? That I started it?"She remembered. She'd reached for him first. Kissed him.Her tears hit him like a punch to the chest. He reached for her face."You started the kiss, yeah. But I—""But what!"She slapped his hand away. Humiliation and rage burned together."You did that. And then you changed my clothes. Left me with nothing underneath!"The more she thought about it, the more convinced she became. Her body felt different. She remembered how it felt with him before.Luke was trapped. Drowning in a mess he didn't make.He breathed deep. Tried again."You got sick. Your dress was ruined. I was just trying to—""Stop!"Elena thre
The car glided smoothly into the underground garage of The Haven. Luke killed the engine. Turned to look at her. Elena was slumped in the passenger seat. Dead to the world. Her breathing was soft. Her lashes lay like tiny fans against her skin, casting faint shadows beneath her eyes. Her cheeks still held that drunk flush. Her lips were parted in a small, unconscious pout. Completely defenseless. Like a small animal that had finally found its den and let go. Luke watched her for a moment. His throat moved. He unbuckled his seatbelt. Leaned over. The distance vanished. Her scent hit him. Faint alcohol mixed with something soft and sweet. His hand hovered near her face. In the end, he only brushed a strand of hair from her cheek. "Sweetheart. We're home." Elena stirred. Annoyed at being woken. Her nose scrunched. She mumbled something and turned away. Luke almost smiled. He got out, walked around, and opened her doo
Elena Voss didn't know how she had made it through the night.The contract was signed, but the ink was a blurry mess in front of her eyes.The clients had finally been escorted away by their assistants, and she had managed to maintain a polite, professional smile until the last shadow vanished down the hallway.The moment she was alone, the strength left her spine.She slumped against the cold wall to keep from falling.The world was spinning.Her head felt like it was filled with lead."Mmm...""Go home..."She mumbled, stumbling toward the exit.Her footsteps felt like she was walking on clouds.Her heel caught on a piece of carpet, making her stumble.She frowned, pulled the shoes off her feet, and continued barefoot.The cold carpet grounded her slightly as she wobbled toward the parking garage.The night air hit her, and the alcohol hit her even harder.She leaned against a concrete pillar, squinting at
Alexander's voice dropped to a low, hungry growl as he buried his face in the crook of my neck, inhaling deeply.He needed more.The lingering powerlessness from that plot control needed to be burned away, replaced by the raw, undeniable reality of me.His arms tightened around me like iron bands, his voice thick with a raspy ache."Lisa, I'm hurting."Before I could ask where, he swept me off my feet and strode toward the penthouse terrace.There, a massive, custom built stone tub was already filled with steaming water, perched right at the edge of the glass railing, overlooking the entire city."Lisa, do you remember this tub?"I looked at the swirling steam rising into the night air, high above the glowing Manhattan skyline, and my heart skipped a violent beat.Memories flooded back. I couldn't help but let out a soft, wicked laugh."How could I forget?"I poked a finger against the hard, rhythmic muscle of his chest, my eyes
Alexander hiked me higher against him, his nose grazing the sensitive curve of my neck. His breath was a scorching brand against my skin."Yeah. I did it on purpose."He admitted it with a raw, unapologetic honesty. His voice was so raspy it was barely a whisper."I needed to bring you back here. I needed you to remember..."He nipped at my earlobe, his voice dropping into a low, predatory vibration."The first time you came here... how recklessly you tried to seduce me."A jolt of heat shot straight down my spine. I braced myself against his shoulders, forcing a playful glare."Mr. Knight, I didn't realize you were into this kind of thing."I let out a shaky breath."Is the office play not enough anymore? Now you're doing role-play reenactments?"Alexander's lips brushed the corner of my mouth, teasingly close but not quite landing."It's a significant anniversary, don't you think? It deserves a revisit."My heart skipped
A lingering gloom hung over the White Mansion.Since the scandal at Nebula Hotel and the ten million ransom, the White family had been severely weakened. Chloe White stayed home all day, her former arrogance gone.Winnie Carter’s visit felt like an unwelcome intrusion."Chloe
Ethan's head spun. A vein bulged at his temple.She dared to call him that?He instinctively took it as a vicious insult, payback for the things he'd hurled at her back at the cove."Lisa!"His voice came out as a low growl. His fists clenched tight at his sides.He wante
Copying sutras?Last time, he’d done it with such ruthless focus because desire had burned inside him with no release.Copying scriptures had been the only way to force down the urge to pin her right on the pages and take her apart.But last night, she’d calmed that res
Every word I'd said hit Song right in the chest.She sucked in a sharp breath.Then she grinned, excitement flickering in her eyes."So we just sit tight? Watch her dig her own grave? Wait for her to show her hand?""Exactly."I leaned back in my chair."Winnie's the







