Chapter 4

When they arrived home, Lucien went to park the car while Christina entered the house. She stopped at the doorway, her eyes falling on Vanessa, who was curled up on the sofa in a nightgown, surrounded by snacks, and watching TV.

Christina paused deliberately and said, "Didn't you say you wouldn't be home tonight because of a mixer?"

Vanessa glanced up, curling her lips into a sly smile. "Oh, Christina, I forgot to tell you. I actually had a fight with my boyfriend, so I decided to go to the mixer to make him jealous."

She stretched out her neckline, revealing a scatter of hickeys across her skin, then looked at Christina with a provocative gaze. "I told him about it, and he didn't seem to care at first. But as soon as I arrived at the party, he showed up and dragged me away."

Laughing lightly, she added, "I didn't expect him to be so jealous. He went at it with me three times in the car."

Christina's nails dug into her palms, the sharp sting spreading through her body. She forced herself to breathe and asked, "Since when did you have a boyfriend? You never mentioned it."

Vanessa tilted her head and smiled lazily. "Three months ago."

Three months ago—that was exactly when Vanessa moved into their home. Back then, she had just started working in the city, and Lucien's best friend had asked him to look after her as a favor.

So, from the very first day she moved in, she had been entangled with him.

Christina's breath quickened, and just as she opened her mouth to speak, a pair of warm hands gripped her shoulders from behind.

Lucien's voice was gentle. "Christina, you've had a long day. I'll run a bath for you so you can relax, alright?"

Before she could say anything, he nudged her toward the bathroom.

Once inside, Christina started undressing, ready to wash away her exhaustion. But she suddenly realized she had forgotten to bring clean clothes.

Opening the door, she froze.

Across the room, Lucien was pressing Vanessa down onto the sofa and tugging at her nightgown with a rough urgency. His hands gripped her waist tightly, trailing kisses along her collarbone and downward.

Vanessa breathed heavily, her voice lilting. "Ah... not so hard. Christina's in the bath! Didn't you have enough in the car?"

Lucien's movements grew more intense, his breaths ragged, and Vanessa's whimpers turned almost tearful.

"Shut up!" he growled. "Don't you dare meet other men again!"

Vanessa smirked as though she had won, then suddenly locked eyes with Christina, who stood frozen in the doorway. Her gaze sparkled with mischief.

"Fine, I won't. I'm yours, okay? Jealous fool."

Unable to bear the sight, Christina grabbed her clothes and shut the bathroom door.

Sinking into the water, her mind spun with the image she had just witnessed.

Five years ago, during their honeymoon on a tropical island, he had sulked just because she glanced at a shirtless man on the beach.

He had dragged her back to the presidential suite and kept her there for seven days. By the end, they'd run out of strawberry-flavored rubbers, and the bed had collapsed.

Holding her tightly afterward, his eyes had reddened. "Christina, I have everything they have. Don't look at other men. Don't leave me."

It took endless reassurances before his jealousy subsided.

Since then, she never dared look at another man.

But now, he was just as crazed for Vanessa.

Christina surfaced from the water, taking a deep breath. When she stepped out of the bathroom, Lucien was alone in the room.

On the table, there was a plate of freshly cut fruit and a steaming cup of tea.

Seeing her, Lucien quickly handed her the cup with a warm smile. "I checked your cycle. Your period's coming soon, so I prepared this for you. It'll ease the pain. Drink it while it's hot."

Christina held the cup, feeling no warmth from it.

She couldn't understand how he could act so devoted, fresh from another woman's arms.

The question gnawed at her, keeping her awake all night.

Just as she was about to drift off, Lucien stirred beside her. Suddenly, he shouted her name.

"Christina!"

He woke in a panic, groping blindly until he found her. Pulling her into his arms, his voice trembled. "Don't leave me!"

Christina stiffened. "What's wrong?"

His eyes reddened. "I had a nightmare. I dreamt you left me. But it was just a dream. You're still here."

Lowering her eyes, Christina swallowed her words: Soon, I won't be.

Maybe it was that dream that spooked him, but the next day, Lucien insisted on taking her to work with him.

Christina refused, but he pleaded until she gave in.

Once in his office, she noticed it was filled with photos of her. Seeing her stare, he wrapped his arms around her from behind, rubbing his face against her neck.

"A lot of women try to get close to me, but these photos help keep them away. Don't worry, baby. I'm very faithful."

Christina lowered her eyes, saying nothing.

Just then, his assistant knocked, reminding him of a meeting. Reluctantly, Lucien let go of her and told her to look around while he worked.

Christina wasn't in the mood to explore, but she didn't want to stay in his office either. So she wandered through each floor.

Around noon, her phone rang. It was immigration services.

"Miss Mason, we need you to come in and sign one more document for your emigration application."

Just as she was about to respond, a familiar voice came from behind her.

"What emigration?" Lucien asked.