Masuk"A setup, Miss Pascual?" William purred raspy, taking a slow, predatory step toward her. "Whatever could my mother possibly be trying to accomplish by trapping me in a private ocean suite with my gorgeous, hyper-efficient secretary?"
Jane backed up until her knees hit the edge of the plush king bed, her gray eyes widening as her heart started hammering against her ribs.
“She knows about us!”
“So?” William smirked."William, I'm serious. BoundaryWilliam stood up from his chair, his tall frame looming over the desk as he stared at her rigid spine. The dark satisfaction he had felt all afternoon suddenly tasted like ash in his mouth. He had wanted to provoke her, to break through her icy professional shell, but seeing the quiet, guarded hurt in her eyes felt like a self-inflicted wound."Make sure..." William began, his throat tightening as he struggled to find the words without completely surrendering his pride. "Make sure you stay until the setup is completely finished."Jane didn't turn around. "Of course, Mr. Reynold. It's my job."She stepped out and closed the door behind her—not with a slam this time, but with a quiet, hollow click that echoed much louder through his empty office.By 6:45 PM, the executive private dining suite on the 40th floor looked like the set of a high-budget romantic drama.Jane stood in the doorway, her arms crossed tightly over her yellow suit, eyeing the room with a look of pure, malicious calcu
She slammed a ceramic coffee mug onto the granite counter with enough force to send a micro-fissure rippling down its side. Her stomach let out a loud, miserable growl—the deadly combination of a lingering hangover, pure fury, and complete starvation finally catching up to her.Without a single shred of hesitation or corporate decorum, Jane marched over to the executive fridge, yanked it open, and snatched the artisanal smoked-turkey-and-avocado sandwich William’s private chef had delivered for his lunch two hours ago.She didn't care if he asked about it later. She didn't care if he launched an official internal investigation. She ripped open the parchment paper and shoved half the sandwich into her mouth like a starved cow, chewing aggressively while pacing in her rumpled yellow suit."Jane, breathe," Allan sighed on the other end of the line, the sound of a coffee grinder whirring in the background of his apartment. "You're going to choke on his luxury turkey.""I hope I do choke!"
"Right away, Jane!" Julia squeaked, yanking the door open so fast she nearly pulled it off its hinges."Working on it now, sir!" Emma added frantically, and within half a second, both women bolted out into the hallway, leaving the double doors to slam shut behind them once again.The heavy silence returned to the executive suite, thick, suffocating, and charged with electricity.Jane didn't break eye contact for a single second. She slowly smoothed down the front of her wrinkled yellow suit jacket, adjusted her clip, and gave him one final, icy nod."If that is all for your brand strategy, Mr. Reynold... I’ll go draft your ex-girlfriend's offer letter.""Good," William said, his baritone practically dripping with dark, mocking satisfaction. "Make it quick. And while you're at it, arrange a private dinner date for Miss White and me later tonight. Somewhere exclusive. Add some dramatic ambiance—a quiet corner table, red roses, champagne—and order a diamond necklace from our flagship jewe
William ran both hands over his face, a deep, quiet exhale escaping his lips as he looked down at his bare feet and his rumpled, tie-less shirt.He was the CEO of a global conglomerate, a man who negotiated billion-dollar acquisitions without blinking, yet he had spent the last thirty-six hours acting like an unhinged, possessive teenager—stalking her neighborhood, throwing thousands of dollars at late-night delivery apps, and letting her snore like an engine on his leather sofa just to keep her near him.He walked slowly over to the glass wall, looking out over the Manhattan skyline.The cold, unforgiving armor he had worn since discovering the red card had finally shattered, but the pride that kept him from dropping to his knees was still very much alive.
"Yes! His boyfriend!" Jane wiped a stray lock of hair behind her ear, glaring up at him with tear-trimmed eyes. "The only person I was with was my best friend and his partner! So you sat in your fancy sports car across the street, throwing thousands of dollars at late-night delivery apps out of spite, just to mark your territory while acting like you didn't care?!"William opened his mouth, his sharp executive mind suddenly utterly paralyzed. He looked at her—at the woman who had spent the night weeping over him, who knew him better than anyone on earth, and who was currently standing in his office calling out his most pathetic, desperate act of possessive love."I..." William began, the great titan of Manhattan completely lost for words, his hands twitching as if he desperately wanted to reach out and pull her into his arms, but his stubborn pride kept him anchored to the floor. "The soup... was meant to keep you from starving.""Oh yeah? Is that why you said all those things to Miss
She frantically checked her wrist, realizing her watch was missing, before looking up at him in absolute horror. "Oh my God. Did I just sleep through the entire morning?!""We did," William replied calmly, resting his chin on his steepled fingers, his gaze never leaving her frantic face. "And according to my phone, you also stole my espresso, threatened to jump out my window, and told me, your boss—to 'shut the fuck up'."Jane froze mid-motion, her hands hovering over her messy bun. The memories of her hungover, furious outburst came flooding back in agonizing, crystal-clear detail."I..." Jane swallowed hard, her grey eyes wide with sheer panic. "I... Mr. Reynold, I can explain—""I don't want an explanation," William interrupted softly.He slowly stood up, towering over the coffee table as he walked over to his desk. He picked up a fresh bottle of mineral water, unscrewed the cap, and walked right back, handing it directly to her.Jane took the bottle with trembling hands, staring u







