Sidney spoke up, "Miss Powell, since you're awake now, I'll head out."Fawn suddenly said, "Let’s get married.""What?" Sidney froze, staring at her in disbelief.Fawn had sat up, her hands braced behind her, her cheeks flushed, but her eyes were filled with sincerity. "I’m not joking. I’m serious. Everything I said before is true—my parents want to marry me off for business. The guy’s an old man, and his son’s older than me. I don’t want to marry him, but my parents won’t listen. They’ll do whatever they can to force me into this. I need to find a way out of this mess."She laughed bitterly as she spoke, her voice full of self-mockery. "I thought I could live a carefree life, that I was the princess in my parents' eyes. But it turns out, I’m just a tool. The moment the family ran into trouble, their first thought was to use me to trade for their benefit."As the alcohol fueled her emotions, Fawn’s large eyes filled with tears, and soon they began streaming down her cheeks.She wiped
“What kind of deal did Miss Powell offer you?” Maria asked leisurely.Sidney froze, surprise flashing in his eyes as he looked at her.“Don’t look so shocked,” Maria said, flipping her hair with a casual grin. “I’ve got some connections in Cloudflare City now. The circle isn’t that big. I hear things when something stirs.”Though his initial surprise faded, Sidney’s expression remained cold. “That’s none of your business.”“Oh?” Maria raised an eyebrow, her gaze drifting from his face to admire her freshly manicured nails. “She wants a fake marriage to avoid an arranged one, right?”Sidney’s face grew even colder. The idea that his private matters were so easily known left a bitter taste in his mouth.“Sidney, are you really going to agree? You already don’t know what to do with me. How do you think you’ll handle the Powell family?”She took a step closer, reaching up to touch his face.Sidney quickly pulled away from her hand, his voice even frostier. “I told you, this has nothing to
Aveline was surprised—she hadn’t expected Maria to actually fall for Sidney. If that was the case, things were about to get complicated. Sidney knew Maria’s true intentions from the start, which meant he was likely guarded and resentful toward her. If Maria hadn’t developed feelings, it wouldn’t be a big deal, but now that she had...What was she going to do?After a moment of contemplation, Aveline asked, "What do you plan to do next?"Maria sighed. "I’m not sure. I’ve been wondering if I should try to be with him. But it feels like such a long and difficult path ahead, and I don’t know if I have the endurance to see it through."Maria was someone who hated complications. That was why, unlike Brian and the others who practiced martial arts, she had only pursued her expertise in computers. Learning to fight seemed like too much hassle. Pursuing Sidney, with all the challenges it entailed, felt equally daunting.What was she supposed to do?Aveline’s voice softened. "Maybe you need t
Maria let out a short laugh, almost as if she had just heard the most absurd joke.Fawn frowned. "What’s so funny?"Maria took a sip of her coffee, then said calmly, "Miss Powell, you’ve misunderstood. I didn’t stop him from doing anything—it was his decision.""That’s impossible!" Fawn didn’t believe her. "If you hadn’t said something, he wouldn’t have refused so decisively!"Tears began streaming down Fawn’s face, her expression filled with frustration. "You ruined it for us! Now I have to marry that old man! He’s nearly sixty, and I’m only twenty-three! Why should I marry him? Don’t you worry about karma for what you’ve done?"Maria raised an eyebrow at her, a bit surprised by the outburst. "Miss Powell, am I your parents? Am I the one forcing you into that marriage?"Fawn bit her lip. "If you hadn’t said anything to Sidney, he would’ve agreed!"Maria’s eyes grew cold. "You’re only thinking about yourself. You believe marrying him would solve your problems, but have you thought abou
Maria’s gaze lingered on Sidney like someone eyeing their favorite toy. His expression grew colder as he looked at her and asked, "Can we talk now?""Here?" Maria smirked, "I’m not really fond of standing in doorways. It’s exhausting."Sidney remained silent, unmoving.With a casual smile, Maria unlocked the door with her fingerprint and stepped inside. Sidney followed her in, and as the lights gradually brightened, Maria stopped, her back to him.Sidney stood near the entrance, quietly watching her.Without turning around, Maria spoke. "Miss Powell came to see me today. She wanted to know why I stopped you two from getting married."She chuckled, finally turning to face him. "Sidney, you didn’t handle things well. Now I’ve got this mess, and she’s blaming me for everything. I’m not exactly pleased—what do you suggest we do about that?"Sidney frowned, his tone apologetic. "I didn’t know she would go to you. I’m sorry."Maria raised an eyebrow. "Why are you apologizing?""I’m apologiz
"But what?" Sidney asked, still puzzled.Maria sank into the couch, her slender body relaxed as she gazed at Sidney. "Miss Powell's suggestion actually gave me an idea. If you and I got married, the studio would become shared property. You wouldn’t have to pay a cent to run it, and I could take off and live my carefree life."Sidney stared at her, utterly bewildered. "Marriage?""That’s right." Maria nodded, resting her chin on her hand and giving him a playful wink. "What do you think? Interested?"Without a word, Sidney turned and headed for the door.This was insane.First Fawn, now Maria—was every woman in his life losing their mind?"I’m telling you, if you walk away now, this opportunity won’t come around again. I’m being reasonable today, but who knows about tomorrow?" Maria called after him, her tone teasing but calm.His only response was the sound of the door closing behind him."Tsk..." Maria muttered to herself.He had his principle, huh? Men with that kind of integrity we
"Mmm..." Maria sat on Sidney’s lap, genuinely contemplating his offer, though she certainly wasn’t sitting still. Her soft hands wandered, occasionally brushing against his chest muscles, then his abs.Her legs were no better—tightening and loosening, shifting against him in a teasing rhythm.Sidney’s throat tightened, and with a sudden grip on her waist, his voice came out hoarse. "Can you stop moving?"Maria shook her head, a playful glint in her eyes. "Nope."Without warning, she leaned in and kissed him.This time, Sidney didn’t pull away—he couldn’t. Her lips were soft, full of temptation, and her cool hands slid under his shirt, exploring his toned muscles.Every inch of Sidney’s body tensed, his Adam’s apple bobbing as he swallowed hard. Suddenly, he took control, cupping the back of her head and deepening the kiss.A flash of triumph passed through Maria’s eyes as she let him take the lead, enjoying the way he kissed her back.The car was soon filled with the sound of heavy bre
Sidney glanced down at Maria in his arms. Her eyes were closed, and a soft blush still colored her cheeks, her expression one of complete satisfaction. The hint of seduction lingered in the curve of her lips, which were now swollen from their earlier kiss.His breath deepened as he recalled what had just happened in the car. Tightening his hold on her, he strode purposefully toward the apartment building.Maria remained still, enjoying the warmth of his embrace. The corners of her lips tugged upward in a subtle smile.When they reached her door, Sidney said, "Unlock the door."Maria, half-asleep, lazily lifted her hand from under the jacket and pressed her fingerprint to the lock. The door clicked open.Sidney shook his head with a trace of amusement. "Still too weak to do anything?"Maria nestled closer into his chest, murmuring, "Mmhmm.""Not even enough strength to open the door?" Sidney asked, his tone teasing.She chuckled softly. "Maybe just enough for that."She reached out