A man and a woman alone—it took only a spark to ignite dry tinder. Passion swept through the room instantly.
In bed, their chemistry was undeniable. A single glance from Adrian, and Sara knew exactly what he wanted.
But right at the critical moment, his phone buzzed.
"Adrian, can you help me…"
Eva James.
For convenience, he'd answered on speaker, not expecting the unfamiliar number to belong to his ex-girlfriend.
The lust in the room evaporated.
Adrian glanced at Sara, grabbed his phone, and walked out to the balcony.
She couldn't hear the conversation, but through the glass, his brow furrowed deeper with every passing second.
It looked urgent.
*The hero saving the damsel in distress*—a classic cliché. But if he left tonight, it would prove his earlier coldness toward Eva was nothing more than an act.
When he returned, he was already buttoning his shirt.
"Are you going out?" Sara asked, though she already knew the answer.
Adrian loosened his tie slightly. "Hoping I'll leave?"
Before she could respond, he grabbed her ankle under the duvet and pulled her toward him.
Staring into his eyes—black whirlpools threatening to drown her—Sara felt momentarily dazed.
Feelings aside, he was a qualified husband. Handsome, wealthy, attentive in bed. Occasionally, when his mood was right, he'd take her shopping or dining. There were moments she almost deluded herself into thinking he loved her.
But the spell shattered as quickly as it had formed.
After a brief, rough round of intimacy, they fell asleep tangled together.
In the middle of the night, thirst woke her. She reached out—
The space beside her was cold.
Sara checked the time. 4:00 AM.
Adrian was gone.
Only a set of discarded pajamas lay crumpled on the floor.
Cast aside.
Just like her.
When she went downstairs for breakfast, a WeChat message from Adrian was waiting.
He didn't hide his absence, but he wasn't exactly honest either. A few curt words explained that an unexpected issue had arisen with a company project, requiring his personal attention at the site.
*What kind of project demands the CEO's presence at a construction site at 4:00 AM?*
Sara stared at the absurd excuse.
Did he think she was a toddler?
Was it true that a man could never forget his first love?
True or false, it didn't matter. At least now, if Bonnie asked, Sara had a cover story to protect the family peace.