LOGINMeanwhile, in Adrian’s office, the atmosphere was anything but calm. The sharp sound of a glass shattering against the marble floor had only just faded, followed by Kara’s raised voice cutting through the room. Her face was flushed, her anger barely contained.
“You humiliated me!” Kara snapped, her eyes blazing as she glared at Adrian. “In front of the commissioners and the staff. In the meeting room!”
Adrian stood half-leaning against his des
Tara’s body was shoved back several steps before she even had time to react.“Why are you here?!”Her eyes widened in shock.She had never expected to run into Adrian in a place like this. Her heartbeat quickened, not only because of the surprise of seeing him there, but also because she couldn’t ignore the look in his eyes.Dark.Sharp.Completely consumed by emotions he could barely control.“Let go,” Tara said calmly, though the slight tremor in her voice betrayed her.Instead of releasing her, Adrian tightened his grip around her wrist.Ever since he saw her inside the auction ballroom, he had wanted to confront her immediately. There were too many things he wanted to ask Tara, including—“What are you doing here, Tara?” Adrian demanded, his voice heavy with pressure.“Am I not allowed to come to a place like this?” Tara tried pulling her
“You’ve been admiring the hotel’s interior this whole time?” Victor asked after catching Tara staring in fascination at several details around them more than once.“Yes, especially the flower arrangements. They’re beautiful.”Victor followed her gaze for a moment. Layers of white and blue flowers were arranged in elegant clusters, soft yet undeniably grand. “I didn’t know you liked lilies.”A faint smile touched Tara’s lips. “It’s not exactly important for other people to know. I just think lilies look incredibly beautiful when they’re arranged like that.”“In the right hands, even ordinary flowers can become extraordinary.”“You’re right.”Tara continued walking into the ballroom that had been transformed into a luxurious auction venue.The farther inside she went, the more the atmosphere enveloped her in warmth and elegance. Golden light reflected from the crystal chandeliers hanging high above the ceiling, casting a soft shimmer th
The question came so suddenly that Tara almost smiled at it.There was no fear in her expression when she answered.“I’ll face the consequences.”Victor glanced at her briefly before giving a faint nod. “You’re starting to act more boldly now.”Tara stayed quiet for quite a while before finally speaking again.“It’s not that I’m suddenly becoming bolder.” Her voice was calm but firm. “This mistake genuinely wasn’t mine. I was only following orders. I already tried to contact him and confirm everything, but there was no response. Is that still my fault?”Victor smiled faintly. “No. You did nothing wrong, Tara.”“In that case...” Tara turned to look directly at him, her gaze unwavering, completely free of hesitation. She had clearly thought this through carefully. Tara had no intention of wasting the opportunity in front of her. “
“Just as I thought, this dress suits you perfectly.”Victor’s voice was calm, free of exaggeration, as though he were merely stating an undeniable fact.Tara stood in front of the boutique mirror, her body slightly stiff as her fingers unconsciously smoothed the delicate folds along the side of the dress she was wearing. The gown Victor had chosen was simple in design, falling gracefully along the lines of her body without any overly striking details.And yet, that was precisely where its luxury lay.The soft navy fabric caught the light with quiet elegance, emphasizing every small movement Tara made.She stared at her reflection a few seconds longer than she should have. The woman in the mirror was still her... but something felt different. Maybe it was the dress. Or perhaps the way her appearance had been styled so differently this time.“I look strange,” she murmured softly.Victor, who stood not too f
Adrian gave a small shake of his head. “Why would I?”Kara smiled in satisfaction.And perhaps because of that answer, her touch wandered farther across Adrian’s stomach, slow and teasing enough to draw a quiet breath from him before her hand finally settled on a far more sensitive spot.“You’re already hard?” she whispered with a pleased smile.“Your touch drives me crazy, Darling,” Adrian murmured, making no attempt whatsoever to stop her.“I don’t want you thinking about her for even a second.”“As if that’s possible,” Adrian replied, though the answer came out far too quickly.Kara didn’t question it. Instead, her smile deepened. Her fingers moved more boldly now, making Adrian’s breathing gradually grow heavier.“Forget about her,” Kara whispered. “Focus on me.”And Adrian obeyed.He let Kar
“Darling?”As Kara slowly opened her eyes, her hand instinctively searched the other side of the bed. She had expected the man who held her all night to still be there beside her, but... nothing.“Adrian?”She pushed herself up from the bed and stepped out of the bedroom. Her reflection briefly caught her attention in the vanity mirror. She looked utterly disheveled, hair sticking out in every direction, reddish marks scattered along her shoulders and chest where Adrian had left them. Her nightdress barely clung to her body, enough to make it painfully obvious just how rough and desperate they had been with each other the night before, too consumed to care about anything else.Adrian’s voice echoed clearly from outside the room. His tone wasn’t as soft as usual either.Kara guessed he was talking to one of his staff members or perhaps... Tara?“I don’t care what your excuse is, Tara!” Adr







