Chapter 1

LARA had just gotten home. She bought gifts from the mall for her family and friends. She placed the plastic bags on the wide table beside her sofa before heading straight to the kitchen in search of something to eat.

She hadn't felt hungry while she was at the mall, but now that she was home, her stomach suddenly demanded food.

She opened the refrigerator and searched for something to satisfy her hunger. Her eyes landed on a tray of eggs.

She didn't know why, but she suddenly craved them.

Without hesitation, she took a few eggs from the tray. They weren't particularly large, but they were enough to satisfy her appetite. She quickly turned on the gas stove, grabbed a kettle, and filled it with water before placing the eggs inside to boil.

Then, out of nowhere, she found herself singing.

"Eggs are round, eggs are round. If you inhale their fragrance, you'll be charmed by their smell. Eggs are round, eggs are round. If you crack them open, you'll be captivated by their unique aroma and won't be able to resist taking a bite. The inside is soft, warm, and delicious. Eggs are round, eggs are round. Don't swallow them too quickly. Take a moment to enjoy their unique scent. Slice them in half. Remember that eggs are round before you savor their delectable flavor. Eggs are round."

Her smile widened as she realized how ridiculous she sounded.

After placing the kettle on the stove, she walked back to the living room where the shopping bags were waiting. She grabbed the first plastic bag within reach and opened it.

She didn't know whether to laugh or feel embarrassed because she was currently holding a free XL brief that came with the package she had bought.

Curious, she stretched both sides of the brief with her hands and burst into laughter.

But her laughter stopped when something suddenly fell out of it.

Her eyes widened. She immediately dropped the brief and picked up the mysterious item from the floor.

It was a condom.

She shook her head in disbelief.

"Why would the shop include a condom in my shopping bag?"

Because of this silly freebie, she suddenly became painfully aware of how lonely being single could be.

Curiosity got the better of her. She picked up the condom and held it close to her face.

"XL..." she whispered.

That was what was written on the label.

A moment later, she found herself picking up the XL brief again before opening the XL condom.

She honestly didn't know whether to laugh or pity herself for what she was about to do.

She stretched the condom over the brief, comparing their sizes.

The moment she did, her cheeks burned as several inappropriate images flashed through her mind.

"Eh? What are you doing, Lara? You're such a pervert!" she scolded herself before quickly throwing the condom away.

She let out a long sigh and sat back down.

"But... Come to think of it..." she muttered. "Does that kind of size really exist?"

She was referring to the condom.

A sexy little laugh escaped her lips as those shameless thoughts returned once again.

"If a size like that really exists..." she murmured, "...it would probably reach the deepest part of the female reproductive system!"

She laughed loudly after saying those words.

A minute later, she finally calmed down. She pushed those ridiculous thoughts to the back of her mind, stood up, and decided to take a bath.

Tonight, she will visit an exclusive bar to unwind.

After all, she was single and ready to mingle.

No one could stop her from doing whatever she wanted. She didn't need anyone's permission because she was free.

***

Just as planned, she went to an exclusive bar.

Tonight, she would hunt for a man and make him her prey.

A smile spread across her lips as she remembered the XL brief and condom.

"Does that kind of size really exist?"

Her imagination ran wild once again. She opened her handbag and took out the boiled eggs she had cooked earlier. Somehow, she thought eggs would taste even better with wine.

Besides, she was sitting far from the other customers, so no one would notice how weird she was. She peeled one of the eggs, removed the shell, and took a bite.

While eating the egg, she casually sipped her wine.

One glass became two.

Two became three.

Before she knew it, she had already emptied several glasses.

Still wanting more, she reached for another glass the waiter had just served.

Before her fingers could touch it, someone grabbed her wrist and moved the glass away.

"You came here alone, yet you're drinking wine as if it's water. Tsk."

The authoritative voice came from behind her.

She couldn't be mistaken. She knew exactly who it belonged to. She turned around, hoping her intuition was right.

Her eyes landed on the tall man standing behind her.

Maximo Winston.

Her handsome, and incredibly annoying—boss.

She had never understood why he treated her so coldly. He was demanding, strict, and always criticizing everything she did.

Even now, outside the company, he was still lecturing her as if they were in the office.

Although she felt irritated, she forced a smile onto her face.

"Oh, come on, Boss. We're not at the company right now." She smiled as she rested a hand on his shoulder. "Relax. Stop being so uptight."

***

Meanwhile, Maximo's gaze remained fixed on his secretary.

He didn't understand it himself.

For some reason, she always managed to get under his skin.

"Is that really all she does to you?" his mind asked.

Without realizing it, his eyes drifted downward toward the obvious reaction beneath his pants.

He immediately shook his head.

"No," he muttered inwardly. "She's just getting on my nerves. Nothing more."

"Keep telling yourself that," his mind mocked.

His thoughts suddenly filled with images of Lara's beautiful face and alluring curves.

His body betrayed him once again.

"No... This is unacceptable—"

His thoughts came to an abrupt stop when he felt Lara's head rest against his shoulder.

He looked down at her.

His throat tightened as those strange feelings returned the moment she was this close.

"Cat got your tongue, Sir?" his secretary teased.

"Let's drink!" she demanded. "Why are you so quiet? Come on, let's drink!"

He ignored her.

A minute later...

She suddenly burst into tears like a child.

"Why?" she cried. "All of my friends are already married with children, while I'm still single and lonely! It's so unfair! Do you know that?"

He gently took the wine glass from her hand before drinking the remaining wine himself.

"Don't worry," he said calmly. "You'll find your special someone someday."

He had no idea where those comforting words came from.

He simply wanted to say them.

Her watery eyes met his.

"Really, Sir?"

He nodded.

"Yes."

His gaze shifted to the pile of empty wine glasses covering the table.

His lips twitched.

No wonder she was acting like this.

She was completely drunk.

He let out a quiet sigh.

"That's enough for tonight. I'm taking you home."

His tone left no room for argument.

He took her hand and helped her to her feet.

She immediately resisted.

"No!" she protested, shaking her head like a stubborn child. "I don't want to go home!"

"I want to drink! I want more!"

She burst into loud laughter.

Maximo grabbed both of her hands while wrapping his other arm around her waist to keep her from losing her balance.

"Stop it," he muttered. "You're such a pain in the neck, woman."

She shoved him away and pointed an accusing finger at his face.

"Boss, you're so mean! Why are you always bullying me?"

Her loud complaint caught everyone's attention.

To the people around them, she looked like a poor woman being mistreated by a terrible man.

And unfortunately...

That terrible man was him.

He pinched the bridge of his nose before pulling her back toward him.

She struggled the entire time, but he held her firmly until he managed to escort her outside.

After what felt like forever, he finally settled her into the passenger seat of his car.

Her eyes slowly closed. She mumbled something under her breath, but he couldn't understand a single word.

Giving up, he focused on driving.

A few minutes later, he glanced at her again.

She had leaned her head against the window and was now sleeping peacefully.

A faint smile appeared on his lips.

He knew he had been too hard on her.

There was simply something about Lara that he couldn't explain.

She was beautiful.

There was no denying that.

But he couldn't allow himself to cross the line.

She was his secretary.

Whatever these feelings were...

They should remain hidden.

Only now did he realize why he kept pushing her away.

It wasn't because he hated her.

It was because he was afraid of hurting her. He admired her talent, dedication, and determination. He didn't want his own desires to destroy the career she had worked so hard to build.

If being cold was the only way to protect her...

Then he'd rather let her hate him than risk losing control.