A kiss swallowed the moment, Rachel Foster's voice lost to the thinness of his lips, leaving no room for a cry. She struggled, but his grip was unyielding, and all she could do was watch as he, with reluctance, pulled away.
Due to the disparity in their heights, he looked down at her, his gaze heavy and low. She stared at his face, so close to hers, utterly bewildered and barely daring to breathe.
The silence around them was deafening; the air filled only with their breathing.
At that moment, his phone rang.
He remained unmoved, his eyes still locked on her.
His intense gaze was so overwhelming that she dared not move a muscle.
The phone continued to ring, its urgency growing, and she pressed against the liquor cabinet, couldn't help but speak, "Um... it might be your wife calling. Shouldn't you answer the phone?"
He gave her one last look, then released his grip on her, turning away calmly.
She felt her body go limp, finally releasing a considerable breath she didn't know she'd been holding.
She grabbed his suit jacket and wrapped it tightly around herself as he bent to pick up his coat from the floor and retrieve his phone.
Seeing his expression soften, she knew she'd guessed right about who was calling.
She assumed he'd answer the call, but surprisingly, he continued speaking into the phone while walking toward her.
His gaze remained heated as it settled on her.
She shrank into a corner of the sofa, but he pulled her into his arms, resting his chin on her forehead. He spoke gently to the person on the phone, "Yes... Honey, tell me, what nightmare did you have last night?"
Rachel could hear Luna Bennett's pleasant and gentle voice on the other end. Luna vaguely recounted the details of her nightmare.
He listened attentively to the call, planting soft kisses along Rachel's neck.
She held her breath, terrified Luna might hear any sound over the phone.
After a while, he reluctantly pulled away from her neck, speaking softly to Luna, "Okay... if you're still scared, I'll stay on the phone with you, alright?"
Seeing this, Rachel removed his hand from her waist, stood up, and picked up her dress from the floor.
Kingsly, still on the phone with his wife, glanced at her but did not stop her.
She turned her back to him to get dressed, and only then did she face him again.
He was undeniably handsome, no matter the angle.
She looked at him too intently, causing him to lift his eyes to hers.
Blushing, she quickly lowered her head, picked up her handbag from the sofa's edge, took out her phone to type a few words, then showed it to Kingsly.
"It's late; I'm heading back... We've reached an understanding. I hope you'll keep your promise."
He glanced nonchalantly at her message, and as she turned to leave, he suddenly caught her hand.
Startled, she turned back to him.
While speaking with Luna, he retrieved a pen and a checkbook from his suit pocket, scribbling a note on the back: "No need to go back tonight. Sit quietly by my side for a few minutes; we'll go to the hotel later."
Go to the hotel together? Did he mean...
Rachel's cheeks flushed with two rosy spots. She hesitated for a few seconds before nodding.
In truth, she had no intention of returning to Jasper's home tonight, knowing he would be looking for her everywhere. She planned to find a hotel to stay at instead.
Kingsly continued his affectionate conversation with Luna. Not wanting to intrude on their privacy, Rachel moved to the floor-to-ceiling window in the living room.
From this mountaintop villa, worth over ten billion, the view was indeed exceptional. The vast transparent windows offered a panorama of the city's nighttime scenery, with the villa's roof sprinkled with countless stars.
A sense of tranquility washed over her as she gazed at the twinkling stars. She remembered when she and Kingsly had also watched such a star-filled sky. It was their first outing together, and at ten o'clock at night, she had sneaked out, finding him waiting at her door. They had then held hands, marveling at the starry night...
Her eyes inexplicably felt dry, and she saw him talking to his wife.
Time had passed, and he now had the love of his life, with no trace of that girl remaining in his memory.
Convincing herself not to dwell on a past that could never return, she gazed over the city's nightscape.
She didn't know how much time had passed before he came up behind her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "Do you like the night view here?"
Though still uncomfortable, she didn't pull away, simply saying, "I just like the stars here more."
He leaned against her shoulder, gazing at the sky outside the window, "That's why I bought this place, for the bright, big stars."
She turned to look at him, "Do you like stargazing too?" Could it be that he still harbored some memories?
He smiled and stepped away, "It's not me; Luna values this place. She loves the stars."
So it wasn't him... But just because his wife liked the stars here, he had spent billions to build a villa on this mountaintop?
His love for his wife was evident.
He didn't bring a driver and drove her to the hotel himself.
His secretary, driver, and bodyguards usually accompanied him everywhere. This was the first time she'd seen him alone, and his expression was not as stern as usual, which, for some reason, made her look at him a few more times.
Noticing her gaze, he asked, "Is there something on my face?"
His sudden question startled her. "No... It's just that every time I see you, you're always surrounded by your secretary or bodyguards. This is the first time I've seen you alone."
"Is there a difference?"
"Yes, when they follow you, you seem especially aloof, but now you seem more approachable."
"Do I seem difficult to talk to usually?"
"Not really, just that you're always so serious."
He chuckled, "Maybe. Dealing with endless documents and meetings leaves little room for a good mood."
His words amused her.
He glanced at her, "You seem in a good mood."
Her heart raced again, and she whispered, "Of course, I achieved what I came for tonight."
He laughed again, "I think you're just scared of staying with me at the hotel later, so you're trying hard to relax now."
A chill rose within her at how easily he saw through her.
"Am I right?" he smiled, "Our relationship is just beginning, and if you're this afraid of me, your future won't be easy."
She said nothing, and he continued, "By the way, I don't like sharing. I hope you and Jasper can end things soon."
Having chosen this path, she knew she and Jasper couldn't continue. She had already come to terms with this before seeking him out.
She said calmly, "Don't worry, I won't cause you trouble."
"That's good."
She didn't respond further, turning to look at the scenery outside.
After a few minutes of silence, he spoke, "I must remind you, I won't set a time limit. The only limit is when I'm ready to let go, so before we begin, you should prepare yourself mentally."
She turned back, surprised, "Even when I'm old and gray?"
"You flatter yourself. Even a beauty like Natalie Lewis has only interested me for a month."
Yes, what did she have to worry about? Even if he initiated the breakup, it wouldn't be long.
As he said, he would end the relationship once he got bored. If she could bore him in less than a month, she'd be free in no time.
With that thought, she turned her head back to the window.
"I advise you not to harbor any illusions in this relationship. I've told you, I love my wife very much. Don't try to undermine my marriage; the consequences would be severe."
She had to turn back and look at him, "Don't worry, I won't have any illusions."
When they entered the Grand Hyatt Hotel, it was past midnight, and the place was nearly empty.
The hotel's staff quickly greeted them, bowing and scraping as they recognized him with a woman.
She kept her head down, not wanting the staff to see her face.
But as they stepped into the VIP elevator, he unexpectedly wrapped an arm around her waist, making her jump, her face fully exposed to the staff.
She was sure the staff recognized her, but they seemed well-trained, showing no sign of surprise even if they did.
He held her close as they exited the elevator, instructing the staff behind them, "From now until noon tomorrow, I don't want anyone disturbing us. If my secretary calls, tell them all meetings and appointments are postponed until tomorrow afternoon."
The staff replied respectfully, "Yes, sir."
Kingsly pulled cash from his wallet for the staff before leading her to their room.
Rachel recognized the room; it was the same one where he'd let her sleep soundly once—the best sleep she'd had in years.
Thinking back, he wasn't all bad. At least he didn't take advantage of her vulnerability and had principles.