เข้าสู่ระบบAs night fell and the city lights began to glow, Eclipse Royale—the most enigmatic club in Meridian City—came to life.It wasn’t famous merely for its scale or luxury, but for its mystery. No one knew who truly owned it. Rumours ran rampant—some claimed an overseas tycoon, others whispered of a shadowy power with influence both above and below the law. Yet one fact never changed.No one had ever seen the owner.At that moment, inside the top floor’s most exclusive VIP suite, three men were already gathered.Julian Crest, the general manager of Eclipse Royale; Leo Hart, Meridian City’s most formidable lawyer; and Theo Cooper, the easygoing young master of the prestigious Cooper family from the capital.Together with Damian Cross, they were known as Meridian City’s Four Gentlemen.They were heirs of powerful families—men whose sharp looks and composed charisma could grace magazine covers with ease. Cold, refined, and commanding, each carried an aura that made others instinctively keep t
Aria stood frozen, staring at the man whose cold presence felt like an approaching storm.Damian locked eyes with her—silent but sharp—his gaze piercing, as though he could see straight through her.Taking a shaky breath, Aria forced herself to speak again.“Hey… did I do something wrong? Are you mad at me?”Her voice was soft, almost pleading. She reached out, lightly tugging at the hem of his sleeve—but before she could touch him, Damian seized her wrist roughly.“Cut the act.”His voice was biting, edged with scorn. There was a trace of cruel amusement in his eyes as he watched her flinch.“Even if you’re not tired of lying, I’m done being your audience.”The words cut deep. His eyes were red-rimmed, fury simmering beneath an icy façade.Damian was holding onto control by a thread.Victor Sloan’s words replayed relentlessly in his mind—the hug, their closeness, the familiarity. The thought alone made his blood boil.His anger was a wildfire—uncontrollable, destructive.In his world
Victor Sloan’s hand went straight to the kiss mark on Aria Knight’s collarbone—the one unmistakably left by Damian Cross—and pressed down without restraint.The mark, already vivid, darkened beneath his fingers, standing out even more cruelly against her skin.Aria gasped in pain, her eyes instantly filling with tears, that fragile, pitiful look she once knew could soften him.But not this time.Victor’s expression remained cold, unmoved.He knew her tricks too well.She had lied to him once. Now she was lying to Damian.Always playing the gentle, innocent girl—drawing men in, making them want to protect her. And once they did, they were trapped.Aria trembled with rage as she glared up at him, her eyes blazing red.“You creep. Let me go.”Those beautiful eyes—once filled with affection for him—now held only disgust and distrust.“Not a chance,” Victor replied flatly.A flicker of pain crossed his usually mild face. His voice lowered.“You used to love oven-baked ribs. I made them jus
"Huh? Why won't this door open?""Aria, Mr. Cross—Mom and Dad sent me to find you. Is everything alright in there?"Footsteps drew nearer, followed by the jiggling of the doorknob and Liana's deceptively sweet voice. That’s when it hit Aria:Liana was right outside.If Liana saw her and Damian emerging together from a locked bathroom… the scandal wouldn’t just hurt her—it would tarnish Damian’s reputation, too.He had just taken over the Cross Empire. Now was the worst possible time for rumours."Hey… my sister's outside. Could you let me go, please?"Aria’s body went rigid. She gave Damian a light push, but it was useless.She bit her lip, wrapping her soft arms tighter around his waist, looking up at him with tear-filled, pleading eyes.He remained utterly calm, almost amused.His voice was a low, steady murmur, like steam curling in a quiet room."Why so nervous? We're engaged."Outside, Liana kept calling. Aria grew more anxious by the second. She could easily picture Liana retur
Damian Cross’s sudden move made Aria freeze on the spot.She blinked her large, round eyes in confusion, staring up at him like a startled kitten.“Big brother… what are you doing?”This was the bathroom, for heaven’s sake.“Something you definitely won’t forget.”His low, teasing voice brushed against her ear, threaded with a wicked charm that instantly sent heat flooding her cheeks and made her knees weaken.He knew exactly how to fluster her. Aria had always been helpless against that tone—and Damian had never once felt guilty about exploiting it.But really, who told her to keep testing him?That little performance at dinner—leaning into him, looking up with those soft, pleading eyes—had lit a fire he’d spent the entire evening suppressing. Now she was going to face the consequences.He hadn’t expected that side of her.And damn it, it drove him wild.He’d been holding himself back all night, waiting patiently for the moment he could get her alone and properly teach her a lesson.
“Mr. Cross, please don’t worry. Even if this ungrateful brat refuses to apologize, I’ll drag her out myself!” Rowan laughed awkwardly, his tone obsequious as he scrambled to curry favour.The moment the words left his mouth, the atmosphere at the table turned sour. Several people exchanged glances, their expressions openly disgusted. No one bothered to hide it.Damian, however, didn’t even acknowledge Rowan’s existence.His gaze never left Aria.It was steady, unyielding, and unmistakably protective—layered with something deeper, something heavier. There was no anger in his eyes, only quiet dominance, as though he were telling her without words, I’m here. I’ve got you. No one touches you while I stand.Aria felt it instantly.How could she not?Her fingers slipped naturally into his palm, clutching his hand as though it were the most instinctive thing in the world. His warmth seeped into her skin, grounding her, steadying her racing heart. For a fleeting moment, everything else faded







