At fifteen minutes past eleven, David was standing beside his black car in the underground parking lot of the DRAKE GROUP building. His navy blue tie had been partially removed, leaving the collar of his shirt slightly open. He looked agitated, occasionally glancing at the employee entrance.His mind was still stuck on one moment last week-when he accidentally saw a man who looked a lot like his father enter the building. Silvery gray hair, tall sturdy build, and... the same look in his eyes. But David couldn't be sure. It could be an illusion. Or maybe...The automatic parking lot doors opened, and Selena emerged from the elevator with hurried steps. Her hair was tied low, her lips looked pale. Before exiting, Selena and Dominic kissed on the lips. Selena forgot she hadn't put on lipstick. "Sorry I'm late," she said as she got into the car.David smiled briefly, starting the engine. "Relax. I just got here too."The car drove slowly out of the basement. There was no music, just the
In the restaurant, the clinking of spoons and the conversations of other diners provided the backdrop for Selena and David's lunch. But Selena barely tasted the flavor of her own food. Her mind was far away, thinking about Dominic's offer.She glanced at David who was busy stirring his drink, as if looking for the right time to open his mouth."David..." Selena said quietly."Hm?" David turned his head, his eyes calmer than before."I want to talk about something. It's about my work."David took a sip of his drink. "What?"Selena sighed. "Next week I've been asked to join a business trip to Paris."David frowned. "Paris? With whom?""My boss, and some of the management team," Selena half-lied. "He said it would be a refreshing trip too. But mostly it's still work."David put down his glass and leaned back in the chair. "How long?""A week."David looked at Selena skeptically. "A week? That long?"Selena bit her lip. "I know it's impromptu, and you definitely won't let me go. But this
"Why are you still with him?"Lillian's spoiled voice was soft, almost a whisper, but clear enough to pierce the ears of Selena, who stood transfixed in front of the hotel room door."I'm going to divorce him, darling. Believe me, I just need the right time. You know how much my mom loves that woman."Selena's heart stopped beating. Her hand clutching the cell phone shook violently, while her legs felt weak. Her breathing was ragged, as if her chest were being crushed by something heavy.From the corner of the slightly open door, she could clearly see the scene that shattered her world—David, her husband, with Lillian, the friend she had trusted.Lillian rubbed David's face with her fingertips before pressing her body closer. "I'm tired of waiting, darling. I want you to be completely mine. I want Mrs. Smith's status to be mine alone."David gave a small grin, his hands wrapping around her slender waist. "And you're going to get it, darling."Without hesitation, David's lips kissed Li
Selena squirmed softly, her head feeling heavy as if it had been hit by a hammer. She groaned, trying to open her eyes, but the glare from the sunlight coming through the window made her squint.As her consciousness began to return, she felt something strange.Wait...The sheets under her body were warm. And... wait a minute. This wasn't her room! Her eyes flew wide open. She froze, turning her head to the side.There, a man slept soundly with his chest exposed, displaying perfectly formed abdominal muscles. His skin was slightly tanned, his face masculine, with a sharp jawline and a perfect nose. His black hair was a little messy but still looked incredibly seductive.But that's not what shocked Selena. She looked down, seeing herself without a single thread on her body. Instantly, her blood rushed.When her eyes caught sight of the faint red stain on the white sheets, her heart sank.Oh my!A trembling hand covered her mouth. She tried to remember what happened last night, but there
Selena was still standing still with her wallet in her hand, while David was again busy checking his cards, not noticing the change in his wife's expression."Your real father?" Selena repeated, her voice hoarse and almost a whisper.David nodded without looking at her. "Yes. I haven't seen him in fifteen years. After divorcing my mother, he went somewhere. No news, no trace. Until now, I don't know where he is either."Selena swallowed hard. She felt like laughing sadly. She knew where David's real father was. He had just slept with her last night!The thought made her stomach turn. She couldn't accept this reality. There was no way her life could turn into a living hell this quickly.Before she could say anything, David's cell phone suddenly rang. The man glanced at the screen briefly, then quickly walked toward the balcony to pick it up.Selena just watched in silence.David's voice sounded softer, more intimate. There wasn't that gruff tone like when he spoke to her. And Selena kn
Dominic sat in his study, staring at the laptop screen with a sharp expression. In front of him was a full report that had just been sent by his confidant, Selena Vaughn.Her marriage to David Laurent had never been made public. In fact, none of the media were even aware of their relationship.Dominic had only discovered a fact that was enough to make him pity her: Selena's mother had been in a coma in the hospital for a year.Dominic closed his laptop and then reached for his cell phone. He called Selena, inviting her to his private apartment located in the city center.An hour later, Selena appeared at the door.Once inside, she immediately scanned the room with her gaze. "How luxurious," she murmured with a small smile. "No wonder you can give away a billion just like that."Dominic only smiled slightly. "Have a seat."Selena walked over to the sofa and sat down casually. Her eyes looked at Dominic quizzically."What brings me here, Uncle?" she asked directly.Dominic sat opposite
Selena arrived home earlier than usual. She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down after what she had seen at the hotel."Calm down, Selena. You have to stay calm."Her steps were light as she entered the house. She turned on the kitchen light and then started preparing dinner.If David thought she was going to cry and beg for his attention, then he was sadly mistaken.Selena knew he was tired of her, but she was going to make him turn to her.She cooked David's favorite dish—a medium-rare steak with black pepper sauce, mashed potatoes, and sautéed vegetables. The aroma of grilled meat filled the kitchen, tantalizing her senses.Just as she finished arranging the food on the table, the sound of the door opening was heard. David came home.Selena turned around, smiling softly. "You home, darling?"The man took off his tie carelessly, looking tired and lazy. "Hn."Selena walked over, grabbed the tie, and hung it on the hanger neatly. Then, she picked up her jacket, folding it c
Selena lay still on the bed, staring at the ceiling of the room with empty eyes. She wasn't really sleeping, just waiting. And finally, as the clock passed twelve o'clock at night, she heard the sound of the bedroom door opening very carefully. David came out. Selena held her breath, waiting a few seconds before slowly getting up and following him in silence. She had expected this. She saw David walking down the hallway towards the guest room where Lilian was staying. Selena pressed her body against the wall, hiding in the shadows as she watched her husband knock softly on the door. It didn't take long before the door opened slightly, then wide enough to let David in. Selena bit her lip, holding back the anger that rumbled in her chest. She approached with silent steps, standing just outside the room. "Are you asleep?" David's voice sounded low and soft. Selena closed her eyes for a moment, trying to restrain herself from breaking down the door and slapping her husband.
In the restaurant, the clinking of spoons and the conversations of other diners provided the backdrop for Selena and David's lunch. But Selena barely tasted the flavor of her own food. Her mind was far away, thinking about Dominic's offer.She glanced at David who was busy stirring his drink, as if looking for the right time to open his mouth."David..." Selena said quietly."Hm?" David turned his head, his eyes calmer than before."I want to talk about something. It's about my work."David took a sip of his drink. "What?"Selena sighed. "Next week I've been asked to join a business trip to Paris."David frowned. "Paris? With whom?""My boss, and some of the management team," Selena half-lied. "He said it would be a refreshing trip too. But mostly it's still work."David put down his glass and leaned back in the chair. "How long?""A week."David looked at Selena skeptically. "A week? That long?"Selena bit her lip. "I know it's impromptu, and you definitely won't let me go. But this
At fifteen minutes past eleven, David was standing beside his black car in the underground parking lot of the DRAKE GROUP building. His navy blue tie had been partially removed, leaving the collar of his shirt slightly open. He looked agitated, occasionally glancing at the employee entrance.His mind was still stuck on one moment last week-when he accidentally saw a man who looked a lot like his father enter the building. Silvery gray hair, tall sturdy build, and... the same look in his eyes. But David couldn't be sure. It could be an illusion. Or maybe...The automatic parking lot doors opened, and Selena emerged from the elevator with hurried steps. Her hair was tied low, her lips looked pale. Before exiting, Selena and Dominic kissed on the lips. Selena forgot she hadn't put on lipstick. "Sorry I'm late," she said as she got into the car.David smiled briefly, starting the engine. "Relax. I just got here too."The car drove slowly out of the basement. There was no music, just the
At ten in the morning, the office air was quite calm. The sound of typing on the keyboard and the whirring of the air conditioner were the only sounds that dominated the floor. Selena, cream-colored folder in hand, stood tall in front of Dominic's room. Her hand knocked lightly."Come in," Dominic's voice sounded from inside.Selena stepped inside, her steps sure, though her heart still held a residual beat of panic from this morning's events. She handed in the report she'd just finished at dawn-the deadline had been tight, but she'd managed to get it done."This is this week's report, Mr. Dominic. I have recapitulated all the data. Including the revisions from yesterday's meeting," Selena said in a professional tone.Dominic took the folder, opened it sheet by sheet, then nodded slowly. "You work fast and neatly. As usual.""Thank you, my sugar daddy."Dominic placed the folder on his desk, then looked at Selena with his trademark lopsided smile. "Selena, you know what, since you cam
Selena had just gotten out of the office car, her steps stopped, Mr. Dominic's personal assistant approached her. "Good morning, Miss Selena. Mr. Dominic asked you to go straight to his office. It's important."Selena furrowed her brow. Having just parked her steps in the lobby, she now had to return to striding quickly to the highest floor-the floor where Dominic's power was located.Arriving at the door of the large dark wood room, Selena took a breath and knocked twice."Come in," Dominic's heavy voice sounded from inside.Selena pushed open the door and entered quietly. Before she could say anything, Dominic immediately stood up and grabbed Selena's hand roughly but passionately, pulling her body into his warm embrace. "Selena... you finally came too," he whispered hoarsely in Selena's ear.Selena was startled. "Mr. Dominic, don't start teasing me..."But Dominic didn't care. His hands wrapped around Selena's waist, his lips began to move down towards her neck-until his eyes cau
The room air was still warm, left over from the heated battle that had just ended. The blankets were rumpled, the pillows scattered, and both of them were still breathing hard. David hugged Selena from behind, his chest pressed against his wife's sweaty back."Thank you, wife..." whispered David softly, as he gently kissed Selena's forehead.Selena was silent. Then, she slowly smiled a small smile. It wasn't entirely genuine, but it was enough to put David at ease."I'm going to take a shower first," Selena said as she got out of bed. She picked up the towel lying on the floor and started walking towards the bathroom.However, before she could go any further, David's hand grabbed her wrist."No work today," he said. "Just take a pass, honey. Or, resign altogether. I want quality time with you."Selena turned her head, her expression both surprised and amused. "Resign? Are you serious?""Very serious. You must be tired, honey. I'm also tired of seeing you work all the time. Besides, wh
It was five in the morning when Selena opened her door. The sound of the key turning in the lock was soft, barely audible. The house was still dark, only the small lamp at the corner of the stairs was lit.She had taken off her high heels at the door. Now she walked slowly, silently, towards the main room. Once inside, her eyes immediately caught David's body still lying on the bed. He seemed to be fast asleep."CIH! That bastard must be exhausted from having sex with that female fox," Selena said to herself. Selena didn't say anything. She just stared at him for a while, then walked towards the bathroom. Every step was heavy, but her mind was focused. She undressed, stepped into the shower and let the warm water pour over her body. It was as if she wanted to wash away all the disgust, pain, and anger that had built up since last night.A few minutes later, Selena came out of the shower. Her hair was still wet, her body wrapped in a towel. When she opened the bedroom door, David was
Rose's small apartment was on the third floor, with no elevator. Selena stepped out with stumbling steps, and Rose was already standing at the door, her face full of questions. As soon as the door opened, Selena hugged her best friend tightly."Selena... " Rose immediately greeted Selena with a warm hug. "I don't know where to go, Rose," Selena's voice was barely audible, but full of hurt.Rose nodded, not asking many questions. She knew that if Selena came over at this time of night, there must be something big going on. They went inside, sitting on the worn sofa that had witnessed many of Rose's life stories."You must not have eaten yet, right? I'll make you some noodles. ""Don't bother, Rose. I'm not hungry," Selena replied shortly. She stared blankly at the window.Rose sat down beside her. "Tell me about your problem, Selena," she whispered softly.Selena closed her eyes briefly, took a deep breath, then opened them again. "I saw them, Rose. On my own bed. My own husband and b
Dominic grinned, then leaned down to whisper something near Selena's ear. His voice was low, almost a murmur."You'll find out soon enough, Baby."Then Dominic grabbed Selena's face, looking down at her. His lips slowly drew closer to Selena's. Selena closed her eyes when Dominic's lips touched hers. "Ah ... " Selena sighed when Dominic's lips moved to kiss her neck.After that, Dominic stood up and walked towards the door, glancing at Selena once more before exiting. The look in his eyes was full of meaning-full of something that had yet to be fully spoken. As the door closed again, Selena sighed, shaking her head softly with an amused smile. Her hands went back to typing."What a perverted CEO," she muttered.Meanwhile, at homeDavid had just finished showering. His hair was still wet, his body clad only in a thin T-shirt and casual shorts. He walked out of the bathroom while wiping his hair with a small towel. His steps towards the closet are halted when the door to the room slow
David had just parked his car in the garage when his eyes caught the shadow of someone behind the living room curtains. His steps were fast, his body tired, his mind no less chaotic.As soon as the door to the house opened, the smell of cooking greeted him. But that's not what made his forehead immediately crease. Standing at the door, with a sweet smile and a strawberry apron, was... Lilian."Welcome, darling," Lilian greeted him softly, as if this was her home, as if there was nothing awkward between them.David stepped inside, hanging his coat on the hanger. His eyes swept the living room, not finding the person he was looking for."Where's Selena?" he asked directly."Not home yet," Lilian replied casually as she walked into the kitchen. "Probably still busy."David nodded slowly, though his heart was a little uneasy. It was late, and Selena hadn't heard from him at all.He turned around, looking at Lilian with a serious expression. "By the way... why haven't you moved into my mom