08|Complicated little mind.

Rowan pov.

"Do you know that the human mind is a complicated little thing?" I began, my voice low and emotionless as I rested my head on my hand.

"It’s fascinating how it makes you feel so many things, happiness, sadness, pain, pleasure, and relief. That small organ holds an entire world of emotions and thoughts. But do you know what’s even more amusing? The way it pushes you to make unexpected decisions and take surprising actions, especially when you’re cornered. It reveals a side of you that even you didn’t know existed."

I tilted my head slightly, lost in thought.

"Take, for instance, someone who wouldn’t hurt a fly. They're kind, compassionate toward every living creature, holding firmly to the belief that no one should suffer pain. But what if that person’s life were suddenly threatened? What if they were faced with a choice— kill or be killed?"

I leaned back, a humorless smirk tugging at my lips.

"What do you think would be going through that person’s mind at that moment? Do you think they’d cling to their beliefs? Or..."

I picked up the table knife and tapped it against the photo in the file before me with mild interest.

"Would they kill without hesitation?" I murmured those final words just as Craig, my butler, placed a cup of coffee in front of me. He quietly cleared the untouched food, bowed his head, and walked away without a word.

“How the hell would I know?” Li Mei's voice pulled my attention away from the file, and I shifted my gaze to her.

“God, Rowan, why do you always seem like you're in another world? I literally just asked if it was true you slept with a woman last night, like, a real woman and you started going off about this.”

She rolled her eyes, stood from her seat, and stormed over, slamming her hands on the table. Her short raven hair fluttered from the sudden movement.

“Do you even realize I flew all the way from China just to hear it from your mouth because I couldn’t believe that idiot? Knight called me in the middle of the night with just one sentence: ‘Rowan Wolfe just got laid.’ You? With a woman? That’s impossible! I’d believe the world was ending more than you sleeping with a woman!”

I raised a brow at her words, but instead of responding, I calmly reached for the cup of coffee and took a slow sip. For a brief moment, the image of the trembling, helpless woman from last night flickered through my vision, causing my smirk to deepen.

The human mind was truly fascinating, and last night was proof of it. A helpless wife craving a night of pleasure, what had made her feel so cornered that she chose to sleep with a complete stranger?

The answer was pretty obvious, if you asked me. Still, it was amusing all the same.

“Who the fuck are you calling an idiot?” a scoffing voice came from behind me, and I didn’t need to turn around to know who it was.

Li Mei’s eyes snapped past me, narrowing into a glare as Knight stepped forward, stopping just inches from her with a scowl.

I watched silently as he puffed out his chest and pointed at Li Mei with a scolding expression.

“Why don’t you ever believe me? I said Rowan got laid last night, do you think I’d lie?” he asked, and Li Mei gave him a deadpan stare, prompting him to clear his throat and rephrase.

“Well… do you think I’d lie about something like that? You know I didn’t believe it either when I saw him walking away with that woman!” he added with a teasing grin, running a hand through his hair before turning to look at me with a smirk.

“Who knew this bastard’s type was married women after all? Haha.”

“Oh my God!” Li Mei gasped, slapping a hand over her mouth as she shot up from the table and grabbed Knight’s arm.

“A married woman? Wow so it wasn’t just any woman, but a married one? That’s such a bold step. I don’t know if I should be impressed or disappointed.”

I chuckled at her words, casually picking up the folder from the table without giving them much attention.

“You should be thanking me, you know,” Knight said with amusement as he slumped into a seat, reaching out to grab the coffee on the table and downing it in a single gulp.

“Last night, I was tending the bar, and I saw this woman crying her heart out, going on about how her husband cheated on her with her best friend. And like the good bar owner I am, I stayed and listened… mostly because the moment I saw that furious glint in her eyes, I knew her story would be interesting.”

“So?” I asked, not lifting my gaze from the file as I flipped through the pages. “You sent her my way like the rest?”

Knight chuckled darkly at my words.

“I mean, it was amusing at first, watching all those girls throw themselves at you, only to get ignored or brutally rejected. But this one… she was different. She looked really hurt, like she just wanted to feel something again, maybe get back at that cheating husband of hers. And sure, I could’ve volunteered because, you know, she was hot and broken but something told me you’d be the better man for the job. So, I sent her your way.”

He tapped the table in boredom.

“Though I won’t lie, I didn’t expect the cold, emotionally unavailable couples therapist to actually touch a woman, let alone sleep with one. Honestly, I wouldn’t have believed it myself if I hadn’t heard all the moaning coming from the hotel room last night—”

Before he could finish, a loud yelp escaped him as he cried out in pain.

“Damn it! Why did you hit me?!”

“Shut up, you disgusting pervert!” Li Mei snapped. “It’s men like you that remind me every day why I prefer women.”

Then her gaze shifted to me. “Okay, so from what I’m getting, this douchebag purposely sent a married woman your way because he’s insane but what I still don’t get is why you went through with it. I mean, don’t get me wrong, I’m glad you finally had a fun night, but it’s not like you to do something like that without a reason. So, spill it.”

I lifted a brow at her words, my gaze flicking to hers before a slow grin curled on my lips.

“Yes, for once I actually agree with Li Mei,” Knight chimed in, rubbing the back of his head. “What’s the catch, Rowan?”

“The catch?” I murmured, reaching for the empty cup and holding it up. Almost immediately, Craig stepped forward and refilled it with coffee. “Her mind is simply… amusing. I wanted to understand why one of my clients would choose to cheat on her husband.”

The moment the words left my mouth, both Li Mei and Knight jumped up, gasping in disbelief.

“Client?!” they exclaimed in unison, staring at me like they were waiting for me to laugh and call it a joke. But I didn’t. Instead, I calmly dropped the file onto the table, and a photo slipped out from between the pages.

Their eyes immediately snapped to it. Knight grabbed the photo and let out a loud, shocked yell.

“Oh my God! T-this is the woman from last night!”

Li Mei’s eyes widened, and she pointed at the picture.

“Don’t tell me… that’s Ethan? The Ethan? That rising politician everyone here worships?!”

“Wait—” Knight pointed at me, staring like I’d lost my mind. “Don’t tell me you knew who this woman was and still slept with her. Are you crazy?!”

The corner of my lips lifted as I brought the cup to my lips without a word.

The answer was yes.

If a human suddenly felt cornered, it would reveal a side of them even they didn’t know existed.

So yes. That person would kill without hesitation because it’s in human nature to fight for survival, even if it means going against every belief they once held.

That’s why the mind is such a complicated little thing and something tells me that this particular woman, Celeste Maddox, was going to be an exciting one to explore.