My blood ran cold.I kept my head lowered, my fingers absently rubbing the handle of my coffee cup. Then, suddenly, my grip tightened, and a cold gleam flickered in my eyes. 'Who does Michele think she is? Just some shameless woman throwing herself at a man, desperate for attention, fawning over someone who doesn't care about her. 'Without my son's heart, she wouldn't be alive today,' I mused. 'And she has the nerve to come here and humiliate me? On what grounds?'My fingertips clutched the cup's handle more tightly than ever, and the temptation to fling the hot coffee straight into Michele's smug face was overwhelming. But I knew that the time was not right, and for now, I had to endure.After what felt like an eternity, I released my grip on the cup. I slowly picked up the bank card that had been lying on the table between us. Calmly, I pushed it back across to her, put on an innocent expression, and said, "Mrs. Langley, you've got it all wrong. There's nothing between m
"Ah!" In a swift, instinctive motion, I ducked behind Scott, my expression the picture of a frightened little deer seeking refuge."What are you doing here?" Scott's earlier warmth vanished, replaced by an icy indifference as he fixed Michele with a sharp gaze. Without a moment's hesitation, he positioned himself between us, his arms wrapping protectively around me.Michele's face contorted with fury when she saw that, her knuckles whitening as she clenched her fists. "Adrianna! You wretched—" Her voice cracked, thick with rage.Scott's face darkened, and his voice was cold and cutting as he ordered, "Michele, apologize to Adrianna now."I could hardly believe it. He wasn't holding back at all. He offered Michele no dignity, no escape. Her face paled, and her voice, shrill and trembling with disbelief, rang out. "Why should I apologize to that shameless woman? She's the one who seduced you—""Shut up!" Scott's sharp retort sliced through her accusation before she could finish.
"Are you afraid of Michele?" Scott asked, his voice low with concern. "Don't worry. I won't let her lay a finger on you.""No!" I shook my head frantically, my voice choked with emotion. "Our statuses are different, and I'm not worthy of you."My expression of despair was finely tuned to stir up a man's protective instincts.As I anticipated, Scott's expression softened with concern, and he pulled me closer to him. "Who told you that?" His voice was gentle yet firm. "Adrianna, to me, you are the most precious thing in this world.""Here," he said, his tone changing as he momentarily let go of me to retrieve something. He pulled out a small, elegant jewelry box. "I have something for you.""What is this?" I asked.When I opened the box, I had to catch my breath. Inside lay the newly released Ocean's Embrace diamond bracelet, a collaboration piece by Kairos Jewels. It featured 108 diamonds arranged to mimic stars circling the moon, each stone sparkling with an intense brilliance.
His hands slid up, tugging my clothes higher as his hot lips traveled down my body, trailing over my skin until they finally paused at my breasts. Without hesitation, he took one of my breasts in his mouth and sucked my nipple fervently."Ah…" A soft moan escaped my lips.My body reacted instinctively, like an animal in heat.The excitement built so intensely that Scott's eyes shone with a wild fervor as he roughly pushed me down, his hands eagerly fumbling to pull off my skirt.Just as our passions were about to crest, the sharp ring of a phone sliced through the heated atmosphere.He froze, his actions halted just as he was about to succumb fully to his desires. The interruption visibly frustrated him, and his handsome features twisted with impatience.At first, he tried to ignore it, but the phone continued to ring persistently."Damn it!" he cursed under his breath, his expression darkening with irritation as he reached for the phone beside him.Reluctantly, I slid off hi
"Be good, darling. I've got something important to handle right now, but once I'm done, I'll spend some real time with you," Scott's voice was smooth, soothing like he was coaxing a child."Oh, by the way, what would you like?" he asked after a pause, thinking perhaps material gifts would placate me. "Jewelry? Accessories? I'll buy you whatever you want.""I don't want anything," I replied softly, infusing my tone with a natural allure. "But can you take me to tomorrow's charity auction? I'd like to experience it.""Of course! No problem at all," Scott answered without hesitation.After exchanging a few more sweet nothings, he finally hung up. I tossed the phone onto the bed carelessly, a cold smirk playing at the corner of my lips.I was aware that I didn't yet hold significant sway over Scott, but that didn't concern me. My confidence in my ability to not only entangle him further but to bring him down with me was unshaken.…The next day, Scott and Michele arrived at the char
"Hey, have you all heard? Kairos Jewels just released a limited-edition diamond bracelet called Ocean's Embrace, with 108 diamonds encircling it like stars surrounding the moon. There's only one in the entire country!" one socialite exclaimed excitedly."I saw it in a magazine. It's absolutely stunning!" another woman chimed in enthusiastically."But it's so expensive! I wonder who could possibly afford it," someone added thoughtfully."Bet you didn't know—I've got some insider news. Our very own Mr. Langley bought it," another woman revealed.As soon as those words were spoken, all eyes turned immediately toward Michele.A flicker of surprise flashed across her gaze, but she quickly masked it with a sweet, almost bashful smile. She beamed, reveling in the moment before responding, "Oh, my husband… He just loves pulling surprises on me."The crowd of elegant socialites and wealthy wives buzzed with even greater envy."I knew it! Mrs. Langley, only you could be worthy of owning
"Ha!" A soft, mocking laugh escaped my lips. Instead of fear, a thrill surged through me as I stepped away from the crowd, seeking a secluded spot to make a crucial call. Taking a deep breath to steady myself, I pulled out my phone and dialed Scott's number.The moment he answered, I burst into pitiful sobs. "Mr. Langley, we need to end this."His response was immediate as he coaxed me in a soft and soothing voice. "What's wrong, sweetheart? Don't cry. Tell me what happened."My voice shook as I spoke, each word tinged with hurt and worry. "Your wife just saw me wearing the Ocean's Embrace. The look in her eyes—it was as if she wanted to tear me apart. She won't let this go."Scott's brows creased, his concern evident. "Adrianna, I'll—"He never finished his sentence. I knew he meant to say, "I'll protect you," but I interrupted him sharply. "Mr. Langley, I need to leave now. I'll resign and then stay far away from you, disappearing from your life forever."He objected instan
But then, in the next instant, the oppressive weight was lifted from me.It was Scott, and he hadn't come alone, but with a crew of his men.Without a moment's hesitation, he seized the yellow-haired thug who had been pinning me down and, with a swift, forceful motion, flung him across the room.The thug hit the wall hard and crumpled to the floor, blood spilling from his mouth.Scott's gaze quickly found mine, filled with concern. By then, I had managed to sit up, tears streaming uncontrollably down my cheeks. I hugged my knees tightly to my chest, a pitiful sight.Scott moved closer and gently draped his suit jacket over my shoulders, his expression pained.Then, wordlessly, he pulled me into a tight embrace. His chin rested on my head, his touch gentle as he stroked my hair. His voice, low and rough, carried a tender edge. "Don't be afraid, Adrianna. I'm right here."I knew he would come the moment I called to end things between us. His arrival couldn't have been more time