Chapter Four

A strange sensation surged through his body, causing him to tremble at the mere thought of seeing Shawn again, this time in person. Most of his encounters with Shawn had been through magazine pages. Secretly, he had been following Shawn's online presence using an anonymous account. He had even mustered the courage to reach out to Shawn, asking if he would be interested in meeting or talking.

When he caught a glimpse of Shawn the first time after five years, Ivan's mouth began to water, driven by a strong curiosity to find out what he had been up to since college.

From just looking at his picture to closely watching his numerous televised interviews, it was undeniable that Shawn had a commanding presence. Standing tall at an impressive height, he emitted an aura of confidence and charm. His piercing deep blue eyes, highlighted by well-groomed dark eyebrows, sharp jaw, and his jet black hair styled to perfection seemed to hold a spark of ambition, determination, and something else that Ivan couldn't describe that made his blood run cold.

Shawn's chiseled jawline boasted a precisely groomed beard, which subtly added a touch of refined maturity to his magnetic allure. His thick, dark hair, flawlessly styled, served as a testament to his meticulous attention to detail. Draped in tailor-made designer suits that accentuated his slender yet statuesque physique, Shawn effortlessly exuded an air of sophistication and elegance.

At one moment, Ivan could have sworn that the way Shawn looked directly into the camera as he spoke was as if he were peering directly into his soul. Ivan's breath nearly hitched as he observed Shawn moisten his lip with his tongue, while the thumb of his middle finger casually and lazily brushed circles against the knee of his crossed legs, over and over, sending tingling sensation surged through ivan lower belly.

This seemingly casual act of Shawn sent a surge of blood straight to Ivan's hardness, causing his erection to intensify as he continued to gaze at Shawn. The way Shawn laughed, moistened his lip, and locked eyes with the camera ignited Ivan's desire, lust, and hunger, primarily directed towards Shawn.

"Babe, I'm home! How have you been?" Sara's voice interrupted his train of thought as she gleefully walked over to him where he stood at the closet, greeted him, planting a tender kiss on his lips.

Swiftly, Ivan regained his composure, embracing her and reciprocating the kiss. Sara pulled away and gazed at him, her eyes filled with curiosity. "What's wrong, honey? You seem pensive. Did you miss me that much?" She inquired, giving him another quick peck before stepping out of his arms and heading towards the bed.

Observing the disheveled state of the bed, with large damp patch in the center, Sara turned to look at Ivan with questioning look.

Internally, Ivan berated himself for neglecting to change the sheets beforehand, foolishly assuming Sara would not return until noon, only to be caught off guard by her unannounced arrival. Urgently, he spun her around to face him, pressing a kiss upon her lips. " You can't blame me babe, I've been longing for you all night," he fibbed, offering her a forced smile that didn't reach his eyes.

Sara's face lit up with a sweet smile. "Oh, my darling, I too have been thinking of you throughout the night, pondering how you managed to spend it without me by your side during the heavy storm, now i see how you did spend the night" Sara remarked, with a soft laughter, capturing Ivan in another passionate kiss, pulling him closer as they both tumbled onto the bed, allowing Ivan to make love to her.

Minutes later, entwined in each other's arms under the bedcover, Sara traced lazy circles and lines on Ivan's bare chest, relishing his gentle inhalations and exhalations.

"Baby, remember today is the reunion? You told me to remind you, and I'm so excited to attend with you," Sara giggled, raising her eyes to meet Ivan's gaze.

Her expression faltered upon seeing the distant look on Ivan's face. Sara was unable to articulate the expression she observed on Ivan's countenance. It seemed as though he was physically present, yet his soul and attention were miles away from her. She gently shook him to redirect his focus towards her.

Lost in his thoughts, Ivan remembered after graduating, he found himself single and in search of employment to support himself and his family. The pain of losing his mother to cancer two years prior still haunted him.

They had fought relentlessly to keep her alive, with Ivan working tirelessly to cover the extensive medical bills. However, cancer prevailed, tearing his mother away from their family. This devastating loss not only shattered Ivan but also his father, leaving Ivan as the sole caretaker for his ailing father, and his sister who then was just getting into college.

Witnessing his father slowly deteriorate, Ivan felt the weight of his mother's death heavily upon him. Within a year, his father succumbed to the unforgiving grasp of life, leaving Ivan and his younger sister to face the harsh and indifferent world on his own.

For the next two years, Ivan toiled to accumulate enough money to leave his childhood home and seek a better life in a new country. It was during a job interview that he encountered Sara. Sara Grayson, a woman who embodied beauty and perfection, had the ability to captivate any man she wants, she could have them wrapped around her fingers If she wants.

However, as fate would have it, it was Ivan who had captivated Sara and wrapped her around his fingers with his presence and his looks. He was offered the job almost immediately, which made him feel indebted to Sara, he had seen the way she looked at him during the interview, giving him that familiar look.

As time went on, their professional relationship evolved into something deeper. However, deep down, Ivan knew that what he felt for Sara was not totally based on love. While he held her in high regard, he couldn't help but give in to her advances, viewing it as necessary to maintain his position in the job. After all, he had been fortunate enough to secure a coveted job that thousands of others were tirelessly pursuing.

A year later, following the passing of Sara's father, Ivan found himself as the CEO of Grayson Enterprise, a multimillion-dollar company. He understood that, in order to maintain his position as CEO, he had to take the necessary steps: he had to marry Sara.