LOGINBuying an outfit in a place like this meant it would cost a small fortune. She honestly couldn’t afford to keep accepting his kindness."I'm just a secretary. It should be fine even if I go in my work uniform; nobody's going to pay attention to me anyway." Chloe Bishop tried hard to explain, genuinely wanting no part of his generosity.Xavier Grayson's cold gaze landed squarely on her, and she instinctively looked away.Was she trying to avoid him?A heavy stone seemed to press against his chest, inexplicably suffocating him. Xavier Grayson instantly put on his businessman persona, his expression chilling."Secretary Chloe, you're accompanying me to a charity gala. As the CEO of the Grayson Corporation, the two of us will be representing the company there. We can't afford to embarrass the Grayson Corporation or lose face. Have you forgotten what happened at the last banquet?"His strictly professional attitude left her with no room to argue. The incident last time had indeed embarrass
"Bro, you are seriously lacking loyalty here. How could you keep such a sweet girl a secret from me?!"Samuel Grayson pushed on relentlessly, refusing to drop the subject.At the head of the dining table, Xavier Grayson sat like a stone statue, ignoring their chaotic gossip entirely as he ate his dinner in silence.Feeling a bit foolish, Samuel sighed. "Fine, don't tell me then. See if I care."Muttering under his breath, he casually cut himself a slice of the cake and took a bite. The texture was entirely average, and the flavor paled in comparison to the high-end pastries he usually bought."Honestly, the taste is pretty mediocre—"Xavier Grayson’s expression darkened instantly, like the quiet terrifying calm before a violent storm."Did I give you permission to eat it?"Samuel looked up abruptly. Meeting his brother's sinister, shadowy gaze, he couldn't help but shudder. Did he really have to flip out that fast?!The cake tasted completely average—was he not even allowed to state f
A subtle, enigmatic smile tugged at the corner of Xavier Grayson’s lips.As he looked deep into her eyes—clear and bright as an autumn lake—a quiet ripple stirred within his chest."Thank you."He had never felt that birthdays held any real meaning. Year after year, the date slipped by, buried under endless mountains of work. Yet tonight, with her standing by his side, a birthday suddenly felt like something capable of bringing genuine joy.Hearing his thanks, Chloe lifted her eyes, only to collide directly with his gaze.Looking up, she found herself caught in eyes as deep and hypnotic as a starry midnight sky—a dark vortex capable of drawing anyone in, trapping them in its spell.The smile froze on her lips as her heart launched into a chaotic, traitorous pounding."Y-You're welcome, Mr. Grayson! Enjoy your lunch. I'll take my leave now!"Desperate to escape the intense pull of his gaze, Chloe spun around and fled the office. She darted out so fast that Xavier Grayson didn't even ha
The next day.Outside the CEO's private office.A large, elegant cake box sat on her desk, and Chloe couldn't stop fretting over it. Even if she had made it out of pure gratitude, an undeniable social chasm separated them. How did a lowly secretary find the nerve to shower the big boss with personal favors?If she made even a small attempt to curry favor, people would inevitably accuse her of cozying up to him with ulterior motives.Countless socialites and ambitious women in Vegas were practically clawing over each other just to get close to Xavier Grayson. She had barely been working by his side for any time at all, yet here she was, baking him a custom cake. Even the most naive person would jump to the wrong conclusion!Sitting at her desk, Chloe clutched her head and ran her fingers through her hair in frustration.How on earth am I supposed to hand this over to him?Remembering how she had previously gone out of her way to remind Mr. Grayson that she was a mother of two, turning
Inside the DIY dessert shop.Chloe Bishop leaned over the stainless-steel counter, meticulously spreading a layer of rich, glossy chocolate ganache over the freshly baked cake base.If this were for her own kids, she would have churned out a sweet, pink strawberry cake in a heartbeat. But knowing Xavier Grayson's frosty, no-nonsense personality, he certainly wouldn't care for anything overly flashy. A classic, refined chocolate cake was the safest bet.Once the rich coating was perfectly smooth, she arranged fresh, vibrant strawberries around the edges, carefully piping the words Happy Birthday across the top.Done!Admiring her handiwork, she gingerly lifted the cake into a sleek, transparent display box. With the box cradled in her arms, she hopped onto a crowded city bus and headed home.At the entrance of the residential compound, Ruby was leading Adrian by one hand and Sara by the other, fresh off their return from the clinic. They bumped right into Chloe at the gate.The second
Grayson Corporation, CEO's Office."Knock, knock."Chloe walked in, carrying a package and a small bag."Come in."Xavier Grayson was seated at his desk, deep in work as usual.With his head bowed over a stack of documents, his striking, flawless bone structure, a nose as straight as a Greek sculpture, and sharp, sculpted lips pressed into a faint line, his cold, aristocratic features were enough to make anyone's heart skip a beat.Just thinking that this very same, ice-cold man had spent his night sitting in a hospital waiting room with her made it all feel like a surreal dream.She set the bag containing his suit onto the corner of his desk. "Mr. Grayson, I've had your suit dry-cleaned and neatly pressed. Thank you so much for everything last night—I honestly don't even know how to begin to express my gratitude. But I won't forget what you did for us."Gratitude? That's not the kind of repayment I want from you.Or perhaps... she could offer herself instead?A thoughtful gleam flick







