Two

They say love is stronger than lust. But Niu believed otherwise. Love might be powerful, sure—but the pull of raw desire? That was even stronger. Still, maybe it depends on the person.

When someone cheats, they know the risks. They know they’re about to hurt someone they love. But the thrill? The rush? It’s so intoxicating that it’s almost impossible to resist. Once you give in, it becomes easier to do it again… until you’re hooked.

Niu had always loved Leanne—for as long as he could remember. But the night he saw Kate dancing wildly on the floor, temptation hit him so hard that he forgot about everything—his feelings for Leanne, his vows to Claire, even his marriage itself.

It was like a curse. No matter how hard he tried, Niu just couldn’t stay loyal to one woman. He had tried—God knows he had. Even with Claire, he fought to stay faithful. But something in him just wouldn’t let him settle.

“Sir?”

The voice of his secretary snapped him back to reality. Niu blinked, suddenly aware of the board members staring at him with suspicion. He was supposed to be in the middle of a board meeting, but his mind had drifted far, far away.

He cleared his throat, trying to mask his embarrassment.

“What is it?” he asked.

Glancing around the conference room, he realized the presentation had just ended. Damn it—he hadn’t absorbed a single word.

Shit.

He had been so lost in last night’s memories that he’d completely tuned out.

“What do you think about the proposal, Mr. Altamirano?” one of the directors asked.

Straightening in his seat, Niu grabbed the folder on the table and pretended to skim through it. His head was pounding, his body restless, his cock straining against his pants.

Dammit!

“Mr. Altamirano? Do you like the concept?” the man repeated.

“You’ve clearly worked hard on this,” Niu said curtly. “The concept’s fine, but that’s it for now. This meeting is adjourned.”

He didn’t give them a chance to argue. He pushed back his chair, stormed out, and stalked down the hall with his secretary trailing behind—doing his best to hide the bulge in his pants.

Once inside his office, Niu collapsed into his swivel chair, groaning as his temple throbbed.

“Sir, you still have a mee—”

“Cancel all my meetings. I need to go somewhere,” he cut her off.

“Sir, Mr. Chan is expecting you this afternoon. That meeting is important—he’s been waiting for weeks,” she reminded him gently.

“Cancel that too. He can wait,” Niu said sharply. His mind was too chaotic to focus on business today.

“Understood, sir. Should I still order lunch for you?”

“No. Just order for yourself.” He waved her away, signaling he wanted to be alone.

“Okay, sir.” Brenda bowed slightly before leaving.

As soon as the door closed, Niu pulled out his phone and dialed Leanne’s number again. She still wasn’t answering. Sometimes she rejected his calls. Other times, she just let it ring until it died out.

It had been like this for days—ever since their huge fight a week ago. She had found out he got another woman pregnant. And that same night, she walked away from him for good.

Now he was stuck deciding whether to marry Selene, the woman carrying his child, or not. His marriage with Claire was already over—she had fallen for his own brother, Sebastian. And Niu… well, he had managed to get another woman pregnant.

But did that really mean he had to marry her? Did a man always have to marry a woman just because he knocked her up?

Niu pressed his fingers against his temples and leaned back in his chair. His life was a fucking mess. And to make it worse, Kate was haunting his mind. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t stop thinking about her—and the things they did together.

Because you can’t keep your dick in your pants, idiot.

The thought made his headache worse. Everything he valued was slipping through his fingers—his position as CEO, his broken marriage with Claire, and the woman he truly loved.

“Fucking hangover…” he muttered.

Last night had been a blur of booze and Kate. He never really talked to her before—she was Claire’s friend, but she always kept her distance. He never imagined she had this wild, reckless side. Being with her felt like breathing fresh air.

She was loud, vulgar, unapologetic—and he liked that. She didn’t care about keeping up an image. She just said whatever the hell she felt. And God, she was incredible in bed.

Just the thought of her made his blood heat. She had awakened something raw in him, something primal.

He smirked remembering the way she cursed out her ex-boyfriend. She was so damn cute when she was angry, shouting profanities like a sailor. Unlike other women who acted prim and proper just to impress men, Kate was real. She didn’t put on a show.

The moment his lips met hers, everything had spiraled. One thing led to another, and before he knew it, they were naked, tangled together. Too far gone to stop. And he didn’t regret a thing.

But this morning, when Kate realized what had happened, she had exploded with rage. Her fist connected with his face so hard his brain rattled. Then she cursed him out, accused him of seducing her.

Sure, he’d initiated the kiss—but she had kissed him back. He knew she had wanted it too.

She even threatened to tell Claire. But instead of being scared, Niu had found her even more attractive. That fiery aggression in such a small frame—it was a huge turn-on.

Now, alone in his office, he groaned, cupping himself. He wanted her again. He wanted that warmth, that tightness.

“Fuck…” he muttered, closing his eyes. He unzipped his pants and began stroking himself, lost in the avalanche of memories from last night. His hand moved faster, rougher, chasing release with Kate’s face—her body—burned into his mind.