I wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed him. His lips crashed against mine with the same intensity, then he lowered his head to trail kisses along my neck his hand sliding up into my hair. Alexander’s movements were slow, careful, as though he feared one sudden motion would chase me away. His lips traveled lower, pressing kisses along my exposed chest.

His hand found mine, interlacing our fingers like it was the most natural thing in the world. The small gesture made my heart tremble more than anything else had.

The room was filled with intimate sounds. Even the moon seemed too shy to show itself, hiding behind the clouds...

Alexander’s POV

Long after the room had gone quiet, I was still awake.

‎Alicia lay beside me, her head resting on my chest, her breathing soft and even. Strands of damp hair were scattered across the pillow, half-covering her face. In sleep, she looked younger somehow—less guarded, less distant, stripped of the quiet defenses she wore so naturally when awake.

‎I lowered my head, looking at her face in the darkness.

‎The moon had slipped free from the clouds now, casting pale silver light through the curtains. It traced over her bare shoulder, the curve of her cheek, the rise and fall of her breathing. Carefully, I reached out and brushed the strands of hair away from her face. She stirred faintly but didn’t wake.

‎A small smile touched my lips.

‎Tonight, for the first time in what felt like forever, she hadn’t pushed me away. She had let me hold her, let me near her, even if only for a while. Though I could still feel her reluctance toward me, it was as if she wanted to trust me but didn’t know how to anymore.

‎What existed between us was still fragile. One warm night could not erase years of neglect. One moment of closeness could not undo everything she had gone through.

‎My gaze dropped to her sleeping face again, and something heavy settled in my chest.

‎Whether it was love or something deeper, I didn’t know. But one thing was certain—the affection I felt towards her was undeniable. Yet I had let myself be fooled by guilt and confusion, and I had almost lost her. My mind drifted back to all the times I had ignored her.

‎I slid closer, if that was even possible in our position, and gently pulled the blanket higher over her shoulder. Then I rested my hand lightly over her waist, careful not to wake her.

‎She shifted in her sleep and unconsciously moved nearer, pressing softly against me once more.

‎My breath caught for a moment.

‎Even half-asleep, she still leaned into me. Did I even deserve that much trust?.

‎I lowered my head and pressed a kiss to her hair.

‎"I’ll do better," I whispered into the darkness, though I didn’t know if I was speaking to her or to myself.

‎Outside, the city was silent.

‎Inside that room, with Alicia asleep in my arms, I stayed awake a long time—thinking of everything I had almost lost.

Alicia’s POV

In the morning, I woke to find myself nestled against Alexander’s strong chest, marked with noticeable scratch marks.

There were several hickeys on his neck, positioned so cleverly, out of habit that they would remain hidden under a shirt.

This was my guilty pleasure—always had been.

I had thought I wouldn’t fall like this again. Yet after being so close to him, I couldn’t help but slip back into that sweet, dangerous indulgence.

I shifted slightly, a dull ache lingering through my body. Thinking back to last night, I felt the corner of my lips lift into a small, unguarded smile.

He had stubbornly insisted he would be done soon, yet he never stopped. By the end, my consciousness had begun to blur.

It had actually been a long time since we were this intimate—ever since his business trip in July.

And yet nothing about it felt unfamiliar.

His skill was undeniable, and I had found myself lost in every moment without resistance.

"Awake already? What are you thinking about so early? Your face is all red," Alexander teased softly, leaning in, his striking features dangerously close.

I immediately shook my head. "Nothing. Why aren’t you up yet?"

Typical Alexander would have already been up and getting ready for work, especially since we were still on a business trip."Jane will take care of things at the office this morning," he said calmly.

A moment later, Alexander spoke again. "Now I finally understand why there’s that saying."

"What saying?" I asked casually.

"A woman’s tenderness is a man’s tomb."His arm tightened gently around my waist, his gaze softening as he looked at me.

"Want to sleep a little longer?" he asked.

"Mm," I murmured. "Let’s sleep a bit more. I’m still tired."

We had stayed up too late last night... and barely slept at all.

Third Person POV

Sophia arrived at the office with unease gnawing at her nerves. The moment she stepped into the building, she had expected someone to approach her and say that CEO Blackwood wanted to see her.

But no such thing happened.

Instead, she was informed that he had not arrived yet.

That only made her more anxious.

What if something had gone wrong after last night? What if he had fallen sick because of the substance she slipped into his wine?

She had planned everything carefully. She had personally prepared the drink before proposing the toast, making sure he would take it. Yet in the end, nothing had gone according to plan.

Beneath her frustration was an even greater fear—fear of the consequences if he had discovered the truth.

By almost lunchtime, Sophia could no longer sit still. She went to get coffee, only to hear two employees gossiping nearby.

"Hey, did you see CEO Blackwood today? He just arrived."

Sophia’s breath hitched.

So he was here.

"No, I didn’t. What happened?" the other asked curiously.

"Let me tell you, there are hickeys on CEO Blackwood’s neck, right under his collar. You can see them whenever he turns his head."

Sophia’s eyes widened.

"Really?"

"Go look for yourself. Ugh, I’m so jealous. I wonder what woman managed to catch the eye of such a handsome CEO."

"Enough." Sophia’s sharp voice cut through their chatter. "What are you gossiping about? How dare you discuss CEO Blackwood’s personal life during office hours? Return to work immediately."

The employees startled and quickly scattered back to their desks.

Sophia stood there for a moment, gripping her coffee cup so tightly it nearly bent. Then she turned and walked back to her office.

Once inside, she shut the door and closed her eyes.

The bitterness in her chest spread like poison.

She knew now that she had merely been used as a pawn for someone else last night.

Alicia Sinclair.

Just thinking of her made Sophia’s nails dig hard into her palms.

From the moment she saw Alicia at the airport, she had known things would not be simple. CEO Blackwood was no longer hiding their closeness. Everyone knew Alicia had nothing to do with this business trip, yet she had still come. While the staff stayed in the hotel, Alicia was living in the CEO’s private villa.

What kind of siblings behaved like that?

They were not even pretending anymore. Alicia had not appeared at the branch office once, making it obvious she was only here to accompany him.

Did Lilian even know about this?

Sophia’s jealousy burned hotter the more she thought about it.

Just then, the phone on her desk rang sharply.

She opened her eyes and picked it up.

"Director Sophia," Jane’s calm voice came through the line.

"CEO Blackwood would like to see you. Now."

She glanced at the screen. It was an internal call from the CEO’s office.

Her breath hitched before she quickly picked up.

"Hello, CEO Blackwood."

"Director Sophia, come to my office." Alexander’s voice was calm, distant, and completely devoid of emotion.

"Okay."

She ended the call and hurried to check herself in the mirror. She adjusted her hair behind her ears and took a deep breath. CEO Blackwood probably had no idea she was the one who slipped something into his drink.

Reassuring herself with that thought, she stood and walked toward his office.

She knocked twice, then pushed the door open.

"CEO Blackwood, you wanted to see me?"

Alexander looked up at her briefly. Without inviting her to sit, he picked up a file from his desk and slid it across the table.

"This is your transfer order. I’m moving you to a branch office."

His clipped tone made it clear the decision had already been made.....