Victoria’s fingers tensed around the glass as memories of the previous night returned.
Jayden had held her tightly in his arms, kissing her face, nose, and ears. He pressed his forehead to hers, his voice deep and magnetic. “Victoria, you don’t know how much I’ve missed you.” It’s been over 400 days since your departure. Why did it take you so long to return? But I’m glad you are here now.
“I’m sorry. I was wrong. I blamed you. You can hit me, yell at me, whatever you want, but don’t leave me again. You said we were even, but how could we ever be? I still owe you so much. We can never be even.”
Her delicate fingers clenched around the wine glass, swirling the liquid and shattering the image of his face. She tipped her head back and finished the wine in one gulp. Her expression became icy as she fixed her gaze on the empty glass.
“Jayden, even if you want to call things even, that’s up to me. You hurt me deeply back then, and now, I’m going to make you pay it back twice over.”
Victoria entered CoreTower with a stack of documents in her hand. A receptionist greeted her with a polite smile. “Good morning, miss. Who are you here to see? Do you have an appointment?”
Victoria returned the smile while holding up the files. “I’m here to see Mr. Lewis. I’m the project manager from Pioneer Corporation, and I’ve already arranged a meeting with his assistant.”
The receptionist’s expression changed slightly, and her smile tightened as she gave Victoria a quick once-over. “Very well. Please, go on up.”
Just as the lift doors closed, Victoria caught the receptionist’s disdainful murmur: “Another one putting on a show. Just wait, Mr Lewis will teach you the true meaning of ‘pain’ soon enough.”
Victoria chuckled quietly to herself. “Show me the meaning of pain?” “she thought.” Too bad. This time, there’s only one possible outcome. He is done for.”
On the 28th floor, Mr. Lewis’s assistant visibly relaxed as soon as he saw her, as if a weight had been lifted from his shoulders; he hurried over and grabbed her wrist. “Thank goodness you’re here! Mr. Lewis told me to send you in as soon as you arrived.”
Jayden sat behind his desk, radiating a cold, unapproachable aura that seemed to chill the entire room. He ushered her into the office without saying anything else, and she could see why the assistant was relieved.
Victoria cleared her throat and approached, her steps slow and deliberate. “Mr. Lewis, please find attached the development proposal for the Brainstorm project. “I would appreciate it if you could review it,” she said softly.
Jayden’s icy demeanour thawed slightly as he glanced at the document, hovering his pen over the papers for a moment before nodding. “Leave it. You can leave.”
Instead, Victoria leaned over his desk, resting her chin on her hands and smiling up at him. “Mr. Lewis, I worked on this proposal for a week, putting in long hours. Look, I have dark circles under my eyes. Can’t you just take a quick look?”
Jayden pressed his pen down hard, leaving a deep mark on the document, his gaze lingering on the curve of her cleavage, a flicker of desire crossing his deep-set eyes. Her voice had a flirtatious, lilting tone that made the air feel suddenly thick and sweet.
Victoria smiled as she saw his reaction, deepening as she thought, “Looks like I picked the right outfit.” All of her preparation this morning had paid off.
She circled around him, coming to a halt just behind his chair. Leaning over his shoulder, she opened the document with a delicate touch, her voice smooth and alluring.
“Mr. Lewis…” she murmured, letting her lips lightly brush against his cheek as she spoke.
The gentle contact made Jayden tense, and his grip on the pen tightened. He tossed it onto the desk, his voice husky. “Read.” Victoria turned and leaned against his desk, then began reading the proposal aloud in a clear tone. As her voice filled the room, Jayden found it harder to stay in control. His gaze darkened, and he leaned back, crossing his legs to hide his growing tension.
Suddenly, she let out a soft gasp.
Jayden sat up straight, concern in his eyes. “What happened?””
“Oh…” Victoria blushed and looked at him with wide eyes. “I think my bra clasp just came undone.”
A glimmer of desire deepened in his gaze, concealing something unfathomable.
She took a step closer, her lips parting. “Mr. Lewis, could you…? Can you help me?”
Jayden noticed her shy expression, and a vivid memory of Victoria flashed before his eyes.
She once stood in front of him, smiling seductively, and asked, “Jayden, could you help me figure out why I can’t get this clasp to stay?””
When a woman asked for help in this situation, the implication was clear.
He was, after all, only a man.
In an instant, he drew her onto the desk, pressing her beneath him. His warmth and strength radiated through her as he gripped her waist, his voice low and rough. “Then let’s just leave it unclasped.”
Moments later, the office was filled with the sounds of deep breathing and intimate murmurs.
Who knows how much time had passed, but the two of them lay exhausted and tangled on the lounge bed, their skin damp from sweat.
Jayden looked down at the woman beside him and met her gaze. He saw his reflection in her clear, bright eyes, but something felt off.
It was not her.
He remembered how Victoria’s left eye had always appeared listless when she looked at him.
Jayden lay back, pressing his clenched fist to his forehead.
A week passed, then two.
Time passed like water, and she didn’t realise it had been two months.
At some point, she and Jayden had developed an effortless connection, like dry tinder and fire, and whenever they were together, sparks flew.
However, their relationship was limited to the bedroom; no matter what she asked him afterward, he always replied with a single word, “Yes.”
She was so tender and affectionate, it was almost as if she had become his treasure again.
Unexpectedly, a softness developed in her heart.
