He reluctantly released her, his thumb carefully tracing her beautiful lips, feeling the slight tremor she gave off. He smiled. "We belong to each other." After a circle of contemplation, he finally understood what he cared about.
"No!" Sophie suddenly awoke, stretching her arms to push against his chest, as if this could block his allure.
"No?" Nathan narrowed his eyes dangerously. "Explain yourself."
"We shouldn't be like this!" Sophie felt the warmth of his body through her palms, which made her withdraw her hands and instead wrap them around herself. "We can't be together."
"Why? I never care about nationality or occupation when it comes to choosing a mistress." He thought she was concerned about that.
Sophie looked up in shock. Ah, so she had overthought it. How could he… how could he possibly want to marry her? She laughed at herself for being so presumptuous. The tears she was about to spill were forcefully suppressed, and her heart, which had been wounded by his unintentional words, felt a mix of bitterness and pain—blood and tears mingled together, a pain no one else knew.
Sophie forced a smile. "Thank you for thinking so highly of me. But in TWAN, being a mistress isn't such a noble job." She didn't refer to him as "Viscount," not wanting to lower herself further in his eyes. In his view, she was nothing. The only thing she had left was her dignity.
He was disgusted by her tone, referring to being a mistress as a "job." He had never failed to get what he wanted!
"Name your price!" This was a new experience for him. Every woman he'd ever asked to be his mistress had been deeply moved, never requiring him to talk about money or a transaction.
Sophie straightened her back. "I'm not for sale!" How could he hurt her like this?! Her heart was already in tatters; she couldn't take any more pain.
Nathan sighed. "If that makes you feel insulted, I apologize. You know, I don't have much experience with this." He was usually good at coaxing women, but he had never met someone like her—someone whose body clearly screamed for him, yet who still refused to give in.
She had changed. She had become smart and independent, and that transformation only made him more fascinated.
"I'll pay any price, as long as you agree to be my mistress." He decided to make a concession. Maybe, after spending some time with her, he'd figure out the reason he couldn't stop thinking about her and finally stop wondering about his own feelings.
"I won't be anyone's mistress. In fact, I'm about to get married," Sophie said firmly, hoping this would make him give up.
The thought of her lying in another man's arms enraged Nathan. He took a step forward, pulling her into his embrace, holding her tightly until their bodies were fully pressed against each other.
His foot wedged between her legs, forcing her to feel his heat, one arm wrapped around her body to prevent her escape, while the other slowly moved up her thigh, pleased to hear her soft gasp.
"Who? Was it the guy from earlier? Is he able to provoke your passion so easily?" He whispered in her ear.
Reason and desire were two equally strong forces, pulling at her fragile resolve. She stubbornly closed her eyes, refusing to be seduced by the warmth of his brown gaze.
"Yes, it's Roman." She felt his grip on her waist tighten, as if he was trying to break her in half. As long as she could hold on to her heart, she didn't care!
She widened her eyes, intentionally adding fuel to his anger. "In fact, we're already very close."
Nathan's brown eyes flared with anger, like a child who had had his toy taken away, no longer concerned with politeness. "Since you're no longer a virgin, what's the difference if you become my mistress?"
Sophie couldn't believe he would say such a thing. Without thinking, she raised her hand—
He could have stopped her, but he didn't. Because the raw pain in her eyes pierced his heart.
Smack!
Ignoring the burning sensation on his cheek, Nathan remained indifferent as he looked at her. If this made her feel better, he didn't care.
He always annoyed people and then made them feel moved. She should have been angry for his impolite words. But by letting her slap him, he extinguished the fiery anger in her instantly.
She gently touched the red mark on his face. "I'm sorry." A man as noble as he had never been treated like this before!
"Be my mistress," he insisted. It seemed that this was the only thing he truly cared about.
Sophie gazed steadily into his burning eyes, seeing care in them.
How long could his indulgence last? Would he lose his heart in the process? She knew she would fall into this trap again, perhaps she had never climbed out of it. Whether three years ago or now.
She told herself: this is the last time, to fulfill the dream that was left unfinished three years ago. At least now, they liked each other, unlike three years ago when it was one-sided love. Even if... even if it's short-lived, it will be enough for her to savor for the rest of her life. Rejecting him, her heart couldn't return to its original innocence, so she might as well fall completely.
Maybe, only by feeling the greatest pain could she achieve rebirth.
He saw the struggle in her eyes, and frankly, he didn't like this feeling of not being able to control the situation.
"I agree. I don't want your money. During your time in TWAN, I will cooperate with you as much as I can. If you want to end it early, please notify me first." She said it without being servile, as if she were negotiating a business deal.
He didn't like her businesslike attitude. He kissed her fiercely, kissing away her defenses and her feigned calmness.
As a light blush tinted her cheeks, he released her, satisfied. "Good. I like the way you're fascinated by me."
Sophie felt a pang in her heart, but she didn't want to think about anything anymore. Now, she just wanted to let herself love for once. She stood on tiptoe, pulled his neck down, and kissed him.
"You know where my room is, right? I want to see you tonight."
He was a king, ruling over everything. Everything he wanted, he would have, and she was willingly offering her precious heart.