Guarding the Rose: The CEO's Secret Duty

Tessa Langley accidentally stumbled upon the scene of her crush, Lorcan Steele, mapping out his intended future with another woman after he rejected her confession. To make things worse, her family had gone into bankruptcy overnight. Depressed and heartbroken, she decided to fly overseas. Ten years later, Tessa makes a comeback to her home country. Unexpectedly, she ends up reuniting with Lorcan once again at work. To think that the pathetic teenager from back then is now the decisive and ruthless business mogul who has major influence over the entertainment industry… At first, Tessa doesn't want to have anything to do with Lorcan. But he keeps causing her trouble at work no matter what she does. Feeling furious and helpless at the same time, all Tessa can do is insult Lorcan time and again. This dynamic goes on until Lorcan sustains heavy injuries after he protects Tessa in a car accident that's staged by an unknown mastermind. As Tessa takes care of Lorcan, they begin unraveling the misunderstandings that had once separated them, thus revealing the truth. It turns out that Lorcan has been secretly helping Tessa this whole time. He even helps her uncover who the actual murderer of her father is. However, Tessa feels really guilty for insulting Lorcan in the past, so she tries to flee. At the airport, Lorcan stops her from boarding her flight before confessing his feelings to her. The two of them finally get together as a couple after going through far too much drama in life. Chapter 1 Lorcan Steele was my bodyguard, and I'd been in love with him for ten years. On my 18th birthday, I bounded up to him with a huge rose bouquet and proposed happily, "Marry me, Lorcan. I can give you a complete family." He'd frowned at me in disdain. "Scram, and stay the hell away from me!" I knew Lorcan hated me. After that, I fell from my pedestal, the silence of my disgrace deafening. And yet, Lorcan backed me up against the wall and asked, "Will you take me if I offer myself to you right now?" I replied icily, "That's cheap of you, don't you think?" Ten years later, I returned from abroad. The moment I stepped off the plane, my phone blew up with messages from my best friend, Zoey Morrison, informing me that the head boy from our class in high school was setting up a class reunion that evening. A decade ago, my father's company crumbled overnight. Then came the scandals and the debts. Out of love, my father sent me abroad during the crisis. I ended up staying abroad for ten years. The crowd streamed past me as I stepped out of the airport, my shades perched atop my nose bridge as I beheld the man on the large, commercial poster. His towering figure and hard expression aside, the man was also a renowned business tycoon. It seemed a lot had changed in ten years. A smirk tugged on my red lips. The formerly proud red rose had withered away while the strong-but-silent, lone black wolf had continued forward. And now, he stood at the apex of the social pyramid. I changed into plain, casual clothes and showed up at the class reunion at 8:00 pm that night. I hadn't wanted to attend at first, but somehow, Zoey talked and needled me into going. I was an heiress back in high school, spoiled and loved by my dad. I'd come from an affluent background, had great manners, and I was sincere and generous to my classmates. As a result, none of my old classmates sneered or tried to humiliate me even when I showed up at the reunion in plain, nondescript clothing. On the contrary, they volleyed warm, passionate greetings and pleasantries at me. "Oh my gosh, Tess! You've come home at last! You've no idea how much we've missed you!" "Yeah! When Zoey told us you were back, I called her and demanded that she invite you to the reunion!" The crowd swarmed me as I sipped my red wine, smiling as I scanned the spacious lounge several times. Alas, I didn't see the familiar figure I'd hoped to see. At that moment, someone in the crowd piped up, "Hey, is Lorcan taking a rain check again this year?" Everyone at the dining table went hush. Some of them shot glances in my direction, but an unspoken agreement seemed to pass through them, for they immediately changed the subject with renewed enthusiasm. The question was soon drowned out by the chattering around me and disappeared unanswered. 20 years ago, my dad changed bodyguards. The new one had brought with him a fine-looking little boy who bore the same vicious look as he did. They moved into our villa, and the little boy went to school with me. I'd been young at the time. An eight-year-old spoiled rotten by my dad, I'd grown accustomed to having my way and forcefully appointed Lorcan as my bodyguard. It was quite the status symbol then; I'd never felt more powerful in school than when I walked around with Lorcan. There was no telling when my feelings for Lorcan started to change, but I'd like to think it was during junior high. He'd grown into a young man with strong, chiseled features, and he shot up and towered over me by at least a foot or two. I was five feet five, but even then, I barely reached his shoulders. When we went home from school together, I'd watch our shadows merge and part under the setting sun, only to unconsciously draw closer and closer to him. Chapter 2 "Tess." Zoey gave me a pat, snapping me out of my thoughts. "Yes?" "Lorcan hasn't attended any of our class reunions since the high school graduation party," Zoey whispered in my ear. I hummed lightly in response, then rose to my feet. "Excuse me while I use the washroom." I knew Lorcan hated me, and by extension, he hated his high school days. After all, my affluent background was the total opposite of his unfortunate one. I'd ordered him around time and time again—demanding and unreasonable. Between the ages of 8 and 18, Lorcan had always done as I asked without protests—until that fateful day. If I hadn't heard him tell me to scram and stay the hell away from him, I might have forgotten that he was a young man with his fair share of pride. My guilt deepened at the thought. I approached the door with my head hung. As I reached for the doorknob, someone pushed the door open. My eyes widened with shock as I met the dark, steely gaze on the other side of the door. As it turned out, a lot could change in ten years. The fine-looking little boy with a hard expression had grown into a grounded, impassive man. He was taller than when I last saw him, looking dapper in his well-tailored black suit that accentuated his long legs and broad shoulders. His eyes were dark and depthless as he held my stare. Another man at the door exclaimed, "Tessa Langley? It really is you!" "In the flesh." I nodded and offered the man a smile. "Long time no see, Callum Sullivan." I paid no mind to the dark, weighted gaze on me as I spoke and simply stepped aside to let them through. While heading out the door, I heard Callum's boisterous voice ringing out behind me. "Hey, Lorcan, Tessa's back! I thought you'd be more excited than this!" The tissues crumpled in my grip as a wry smile tugged on my lips. Lorcan wouldn't be excited to see me. I was a reminder of his pathetic past. If anything, seeing me would make him hate me more. The easy, partying mood seemed to wane a little after Lorcan's arrival. He sat right across from me. Everyone at the table sneaked a furtive glance at him, then me. But in the end, they suddenly became interested in their meals and began to eat in silence. Perhaps they didn't know how to behave now that Lorcan's and my dynamics had been reversed. After all, I had once been at the apex of the social pyramid. Callum, being the life of the party and a chatterbox, immediately sensed tension in the air. Thinking on his feet, he broke the silence. "Hey, how about we play a game of Truth or Dare?" The idea won favor with those who'd been dying of toe-curling second-hand embarrassment and awkwardness. When we moved away from the dining table to the rest of the lounge, Lorcan still chose the seat across mine. He was half-sprawled on the couch, his eyes heavy-lidded as he spread his mile-long legs. I felt his gaze on me, but whenever I looked up, he was always looking somewhere else. I thought I'd been hallucinating. The atmosphere in the lounge eased after several rounds of truth or dare, at least until… the beer bottle spun and stopped right before me, its bottom pointed at Lorcan. I looked up and met his eyes. "Oh, I'll start! I'll start!" Callum rubbed his hands together deviously, as if hoping to get some juicy gossip out of this game. He asked unabashedly, "How many boyfriends or girlfriends have you had?" The game called for the party on both ends of the bottle to either tell the truth or be punished. In other words, Lorcan and I were in for a punishment. The lively crowd around us grew quiet, and an odd tension permeated the air once again. Zoey sat beside me, her hand tightening around my arm. I gently patted her arm and said softly, "I'll be okay. Go get me a glass of wine." "Hey, what gives? Why the hesitation?" Callum pestered with the impatience of a petulant child. "It's a simple yes or no question. Why are you getting shy all of a sudden?" When his eyes slid to me, he deliberately emphasized the word "no". I cocked my head to one side and suppressed the inexplicable urge to laugh. After that, I cast a sidelong glance at the man across from me, my lips curving. Lorcan was blessed with good looks. Ten years had passed, but he looked even better than before. He boasted defined features and a strong, well-defined jaw. His height was tall, and his build was masculine. In short, he was a work of art, lovingly crafted by the heavens themselves. Zoey returned with the wine I'd asked for, and it was only then that Callum realized Lorcan wouldn't spill. As such, he turned to needle me instead. "Come on, are we still playing this game or not? You're dragging this out longer than necessary!" "Three." My answer earned a sharp look from Lorcan. I sipped my wine, then met his stormy gaze with a smile. "One of them was Credean, and the other two were foreigners." The crowd fell silent, and even Callum held his tongue. I was barely pulling myself together as I finished my explanation with a smile, my palms sweating profusely. A tempest brewed in Lorcan's eyes, but it wasn't long before he snapped out of it. His eyes were near-obsidian, like a sea at night, as he stared at me. A long pause later, he said hoarsely, "None." I chuckled inwardly, disbelieving. Was he keeping his true love like a dirty secret? Chapter 3 Ten years ago, our class had a graduation party. I wore the couture dress my dad gave me for my 18th birthday and happily bounded up to Lorcan with a huge rose bouquet. My grin was wide, so dazzling that even the roses in my arms seemed to come to life. "Marry me, Lorcan. I'll give you a complete family." The air that night had been chilly with an evening breeze. Everyone had been cheering for us and my proposal, even our homeroom teacher. Everyone and nature itself had been on my side. Lorcan, however, only looked out for himself at my expense. He'd frowned at me in disgust and snapped, "Scram, and get the hell away from me!" The breeze tousled my carefully styled hair and scattered red rose petals all over the ground. That night, I went home without Lorcan for the first time in ten years. I stayed out late partying. I slipped off my shoes under the silver moonlight, then gingerly opened the front door of my family villa. That was when I heard a familiar male voice coming from the corner of the house. "Don't worry, I'll bring you to Ashfield." The young woman to whom he was speaking exclaimed, "Really?" He sounded as dispassionate as ever. "Yes." I stood barefoot on the icy tiles, my expression dazed. My heart felt like it had been pumped full of lead. It was as if someone had stolen the air from my lungs. No wonder Lorcan had told me to scram and get the hell away from him. He'd wanted Sabrina Porter, not me. A bitter smile curved my lips, but my heart was hollow and full of misery. … Our class reunion ended with a torrential downpour. Those who drove here disappeared into their vehicles, while others without cars asked for lifts home. Zoey tugged on my arm and offered, "Tess, why don't you come with me? I'll get my boyfriend to drop you off at home." "It's fine, I can manage," I turned her down with a smile. Lorcan approached us from behind and stopped about six feet away from me. Zoey pressed, "Did you drive here?" I shook my head, smiling as I held up my phone and waved it. "No, someone's coming to get me." "Oh…" As if on cue, a black car drove through the rain and pulled up by the curb. A towering man with a refined bearing stepped out of the car, holding up a black umbrella. He came toward me and grumbled in stiff Credean, "This is some weird weather!" Something about the way he said it must have tickled my funny bone, for I couldn't help laughing. I linked arms with him with practised ease. "Yes, you'll get used to it." I felt a dagger-like stare sweeping across me from six feet away. I found it odd and glanced over my shoulder at Lorcan, whose lips were pressed into a thin, hard line. Beside me, Zoey went still with astonishment. "Is he one of your foreign boyfriends, Tess?" Lorcan's eyes darkened dangerously, his heart tightening. With my arm still looped through Jonathan's, I said without answering Zoey's question, "Bye, guys. See you around!" The car wasn't parked far from the hotel entrance. As I walked alongside Jonathan, I felt Lorcan's dark, heavy stare on me like the sharpened point of a knife, ready to plunge through me at any second. "It seems you've used me to ward off unwanted suitors again," Jonathan grumbled after we got in the car. I put my hands together. "I'm truly grateful for your help, Jonathan. This is the last time, I promise." "Yeah, we'll see about that." Jonathan shrugged speechlessly. I broke into a wide grin at his resignation. Jonathan Kilbourne was my co-worker abroad, and he came to Credea with me this time because headquarters had arranged for us to scout new talents with celebrity potential to participate in the company's upcoming commercial production. It so happened that Sabrina was a candidate, too. The downpour grew heavier and more relentless. Since getting off the plane, I hadn't gotten used to the time difference before attending a class reunion. I was exhausted. As the rain drowned out the rest of the world outside, I leaned against the window and dozed off. Sabrina and I were nothing alike. Zoey had once told me I reminded her of a winter fox treading through snow—aloof, elegant, and gorgeous. Sabrina, on the other hand, was an energetic and bubbly beauty whose mother happened to be our family cook. Sabrina's mother, Nancy Danes, had been our family cook since I was five. Her husband had died from heavy drinking, leaving her to raise her two-year-old daughter. Generous and kind as he was, my dad took Nancy home and gave her a job. My mom had passed away when I was little, and Nancy practically raised me as her own. She and I were close-knit, and I'd always treated Sabrina like a younger sister. Two years ago, with some help from my father, Nancy and Lorcan's father, Vincent Steele, settled down together. After that, Sabrina became Lorcan's younger stepsister. She'd been in elementary school when Lorcan and I were in junior high. As continuity would demand, she'd been a freshman in junior high when we were in high school. I could only blame myself for missing all the signs between Lorcan and Sabrina. When had they developed feelings for one another? The suffocating memory of what happened during those wee hours of the morning suddenly flooded my mind. Doomsday hit faster than any of us could expect it. Five hours later, my dad's company was plagued by a financial crisis and went bankrupt three days later. After a week, scandals and dirty rumors befell the company. I packed up and left on a plane, flying far away from the land I called home. My dad had died because of them. He'd jumped off a building, and I'd seen his death reported on the internet. Chapter 4 "Tess!" I woke up with tears streaming down my face, only to see Jonathan staring at me worriedly. I grabbed a tissue and dried my tears, my voice hoarse. "I'm fine." Jonathan handed me an opened bottle of water. I took it and let the water soothe my grainy throat. "Head over to Skylark Entertainment without me tomorrow, Jonathan." Skylark Entertainment was the largest entertainment agency in the country. Lorcan acquired it five years ago. "Why?" Jonathan asked, baffled. A humorless smile tugged on my lips as I opened the car door. My voice was drowned out by the sound of the pouring rain. "Because I've still got some pride left." Alas, an ordinary person's pride and integrity were only worth so much. While researching potential celebrity candidates in the hotel, I'd only just come across a decent-looking young man when Jonathan called. "Tess, it's best if you come to Skylark Entertainment." I looked no better than a bedraggled goblin as I leaned into the swivel chair behind my computer. "Did something happen?" "The reps at Skylark Entertainment think your absence is a show of insincerity on our company's part," Jonathan explained. Insincere? Those pricks! I bolted for the shower. "Give me half an hour." Half an hour later, Jonathan and I found ourselves waiting in the CEO's office at Skylark Entertainment. We were given a simple task—talk Sabrina into signing with us. Ten minutes later, the CEO of Skylark Entertainment finished his meeting and strolled through the office door, his silhouette dashing and confident. I stood up and met the CEO halfway, smiling as I reached for a handshake. "Pleasure to meet you, Mr. Steele." Lorcan hummed in acknowledgment, then turned his gaze on me. "Sit." "Mr. Steele, our company has already reached out to Skylark Entertainment with an invitation. We were hoping to—" Before Jonathan could finish speaking, Lorcan crossed his legs on the couch and gave the documents he held a cursory glance. After that, he lifted his gaze to us and interrupted coolly, "Co-workers?" "Uh, yes…" Jonathan was thrown off his curve by Lorcan's unexpected question. My brows furrowed. "Mr. Steele, we came today to invite Ms. Sabrina Porter, a talent managed by Skylark Entertainment, to collaborate on our company's commercial production. If you're agreeable—" "I'm not." Lorcan's gaze was as dark as obsidian, and he said in a cold, hard voice, "If your company is interested in working together with one of our talents on an upcoming commercial production, we're happy to let other excellent candidates collaborate with you. But Sabrina—" "Fine, then," I cut him off brusquely and stood up to leave. "I hope we'll get to work together with Ms. Porter the next time." I'd delivered that statement through gritted teeth, then dragged Jonathan with me as I left the office. Lorcan was happy enough to let us hire any candidate under his management except Sabrina. I ought to commend him for his loyalty and dedication. I was fuming, and it was a surprise smoke hadn't come out of my ears. A week later, I attended a star-studded dinner party in an expensive cocktail dress. Skylark Entertainment wasn't the only agency I could reach out to. There were plenty of fish in the sea. I helped myself to a glass of champagne, and with a winning smile, graciously approached a nearby, fresh-looking young man. He was the high-potential candidate I'd found and researched back at the hotel. Unfortunately, the entertainment industry was nothing more than murky, shark-infested waters. Before I could get close to the young man, a greasy, stout, bald man approached me. His clammy, fleshy palm immediately found its placement on my waist as he leered at me. "Hey, gorgeous, why haven't I seen you around before?" I scowled. "Let go." "Oh, don't play coy with me. Women who come to these things are always looking for a rich man to go home with." "Didn't you hear her? She told you to let go!" The next second, a long leg shot out and landed a swift, hard kick on the greasy bald man. He fell, landing on his backside. Lorcan straightened, his face grim with the promise of violence as he slowly approached the bald man. The sole of his leather shoe, polished to the point of gleaming, pressed against the greasy man's right hand. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry! Mr. Steele, please spare me! I'm not worth your time!" the greasy man pleaded, practically prostrating at Lorcan's feet as despair twisted his face. Lorcan stared down his nose at the creepy man, scowling. "Which hand did you put on her? This? Or this?" He stepped on the man's fingers even harder until a distinct crunch rang through the air. The man let out a howl as his fingers were crushed under Lorcan's shoe. I stared at Lorcan in bewilderment. It was as if he'd become the brash young man he'd been ten years ago. My heart wrenched over and over. I mourned for him, as I did for myself. He would have been better off without me. I was an accessory to his most miserable, most humiliating moments. … While I was in a daze, the security came and dragged the greaseball away. It was only when Lorcan turned to look at me that I snapped out of my thoughts. Flashing him a smile, I said politely, "Thank you." With that, I spun on my high heels and made to approach the young, high-potential candidate I'd been eyeing earlier. "Tessa Langley." Lorcan's large palm suddenly wrapped around my arm. Chapter 5 "You want him?" I turned around and met Lorcan's dark, depthless gaze. My smile grew contemptuous as I noticed the way he was gripping my arm. "What about it, Mr. Steele? He's not part of Skylark Entertainment, is he?" There was a long silence, then Lorcan swallowed and said in a grainy voice, "I'll let you sign whoever you want in Skylark Entertainment as long as it's not Sabrina." "Let go!" I shrugged him off, grimacing in anger. It was always "Sabrina" this and "Sabrina" that with him. I'd lose my mind if I heard her name again! Lorcan stared at me for a heartbeat, then narrowed his eyes. In a show of compromise, he released me. "Fine." I appraised him critically, then turned to leave. The next second, I felt the world spin and go out from under my feet. Before I knew it, I was slung over Lorcan's broad shoulder like a sack of potatoes. "What the hell are you doing, Lorcan?" Blood rushed to my face as I screamed and smacked him. In a seamless series of movements, he carried me out of the hall, tossed me into the car, and took me home. His abode was much fancier than the home I'd lived in before my family went bankrupt. It was an overtly resplendent house, as expected from the wealthiest man in the country. "What the hell, Lorcan?" I demanded, whirling to fix him with an angry, indignant look after he'd taken me here against my will. However, I'd only just turned when I noticed how deathly pale Lorcan looked. I was so startled that I asked, "Hey, what's the matter with you?" Lorcan glanced at me, beads of cold sweat forming on his brow, and said nothing. The next second, his towering figure went slack, and he collapsed. Panic had me lurching forward to catch him, though I made a clumsy job out of it. I carried him to the couch, which later proved to be a laborious endeavor that left me breathless. Lorcan sank into the couch, his brows knitting together as pain etched on his face. This was the first time I'd seen him like this, and I couldn't help feeling sorry for him. My tone softened. "What's wrong with you, Lorcan?" He couldn't speak, and his brows remained drawn. At that moment, a piercing ringing sliced through the air. It was Lorcan's phone. He didn't respond even though it had been ringing for over ten seconds. I decided I was past asking for his permission and leaned forward to dig his phone out of his pocket. I slid my thumb across the screen and put the call through. "Hello?" "What the hell?" The person on the other line boasted a rather familiar, if not annoying, loud voice. "Tessa?" My head throbbed. "Yes." "Why do you have Lorcan's phone? Are you with him? Hold up, when did you two get so chummy? Also—" I cut him off, "Stop. I have only one question now—does Lorcan have a medical condition or something? He's now—" I lowered my gaze and assessed the man lying on the couch. His face was ashen, and he'd broken into a cold sweat. Whatever it was he had, it looked serious. "Did that punk drink again?" Callum cried, "He's got gastritis!" "Is it serious?" I asked. "Well, yeah. During the class reunion last week, the punk downed so much alcohol while I wasn't looking and ended up in the hospital emergency room with a bleeding stomach." I hung up, but Callum's words still echoed in my mind. I was in the kitchen making hot tea with honey when Jonathan called. For what it was worth, Lorcan's way of living was decent by conventional standards. At least his fridge wasn't empty. "Tess, where are you?" I brought the honeyed tea out of the kitchen. "What's up?" "Hurry over! I found you a decent Credean man!" It was all flashing neon lights and white noise on Jonathan's end. From the looks of it, he was at a bar. I put the call on speaker and set my phone on the couch. Then, propping up a very weak and vulnerable Lorcan, I said to Jonathan, "Go have fun without me! I can't make it." "Why not?" Jonathan looked scandalized. "Are you planning to use me to ward off unwanted suitors again? You know what my sweetheart will think of that! She'd be livid!" I shot him an odd look. "You don't have a sweetheart." Lorcan seemed to be doing better after recuperating for a few minutes. He opened his eyes lazily, held my stare, then dropped his gaze to the cup of honeyed tea in my hand. He said nothing. "I just met her! She's super cute, and so, so beautiful—" Jonathan rambled on like a lovesick fool, only to snap out of his trance a second later. "Wait, don't change the subject, Tess! I'm serious about that Credean guy. I found you a match, and a handsome one at that!" I handed the honeyed tea to Lorcan as he lay awake on the couch and turned to grab my phone. "Alright, fine, give me his number. I don't have time today, though…" There was a loud crash, followed by the sound of porcelain shattering. My back stiffened as I spun to look at Lorcan. Chapter 6 Lorcan had knocked over the cup of honeyed tea and grabbed me forcefully by my wrist. I barely registered what was happening as he flipped me around and pinned me under him. He leaned over me, biting my lip with newfound ferocity. As the sparks went off in my head, I felt his weight crushing me, holding me down so completely that I couldn't budge. I turned my head to the side and snapped, "You're out of your mind, Lorcan!" "Yes, I am." Lorcan clutched my jaw and turned my face to his. He stared at me intently, his voice rough. "I'm out of my mind because I miss you too much and I'm jealous of all those men leering at you." I froze, but Lorcan continued to kiss me. A few seconds later, tears sprang to my eyes, and I tried my best to shove him away. "Lorcan, what are you doing? What about Sabrina? Aren't you worried she'd catch you doing this?" "What does any of this have to do with Sabrina?" Lorcan paused, though he pinned me in place as he frowned at me. "But you and Sabrina are together…" I turned away from him to hide the tears glistening in my eyes. I avoided his gaze. But Lorcan wouldn't allow it, for he turned my head to face him again. There was no room for negotiation in his tone. "Look at me, Tessa." I sounded resentful. "Why? You're a bastard for trying to hook up with another woman when you're already seeing someone!" Lorcan sputtered, the sound angry and bitter. "Which idiot told you Sabrina and I were dating?" I made no reply. He pinched my jaw and kissed me hard once. "Can't you tell who I'm in love with?" Panic, bitterness, and resentment wove through me as I pushed him away and bolted. He grabbed my wrist and sat upright, pulling me into his arms. "Where do you think you're going?" I found this to be a total farce. Lorcan had protected Sabrina and shielded her from the world. Besides, he told me to stay away from him. Even if he and Sabrina weren't dating, I'd been stung once, and that was enough to leave a scar. I regarded Lorcan pensively as clarity entered my red-rimmed eyes. "But I'm not in love with you anymore, Lorcan." Lorcan clutched my wrist tightly. I tried to pull away, only to realize it didn't take much to shake off his grip. After a long while, he finally said in a gravelly voice, "It's late. You'll stay in the guest room tonight. I'll drop you off at the hotel tomorrow." The torrential downpour happened again the next day. Lorcan gave me a ride to the hotel and remained silent for most of the drive. I was about to open the car door to get out when I realized I couldn't. I gaped at him incredulously. His expression was veiled in shadows, and his eyes were as dark as treacherous whirlpools, threatening to suck me in and spit me out the other end in pieces. "Tessa." His voice was imposing and hoarse. "Will you leave again?" My heart skipped a beat. It felt like time had stopped, and for a moment, all I did was listen to the whooshing sound of the torrential downpour. I replied softly, "I will." "Half a month," Lorcan suddenly said. I lifted my gaze to his. "I'll take you to see Sabrina after half a month. Just stay away from that no-good Xander Townsend." So, he was keeping Sabrina in a gilded cage somewhere and hiding her away from the world. Disgust overcame me, and I roughly wiped my mouth with the back of my hand. Xander Townsend. He was the candidate I'd been reading up on. Sensing my incredulity, Lorcan pressed a button and unlocked the car door, explaining, "He's bad news." I suppressed the discomfort working to lodge itself in my chest, then nodded as I opened the door. "Tessa," Lorcan called out to me after I left, frowning. "Did you hear me? Stay away from him!" I held up the umbrella and stepped out into the rain, answering nonchalantly, "Yes, I heard you." Lorcan was a grown, grounded man. If he said Xander was trouble, I believed him. Headquarters tasked Jonathan with procuring another female celebrity who happened to be shooting out of town. After he left on that assignment, I was left in the hotel alone. Since then, someone new had occupied Jonathan's room. Lorcan moved in right across the hall from me, and after learning that, I'd stopped going out. The last thing I wanted was to run into him. On this rainy day, however, I suddenly craved a pastrami sandwich. Although I had no family here, I still missed Credea and everything about it. It was 5:00 pm. Lorcan must still be in the office. With an umbrella in hand, I gingerly snuck out of the room. Chapter 7 I'd just entered the elevator when a tall figure followed me in, his long legs closing the distance between us easily. I instinctively clutched the umbrella tighter. Lorcan followed me for quite some time. I had to cross a wide street to get to the delicatessen where they sold pastrami sandwiches. The green light of the pedestrian crossing lit up, and without paying any attention to the people around, I headed toward the street across from mine. The rain got heavier, ruthlessly splattering against my umbrella. More puddles began to form on the road, and even my sandals were soaked. Suddenly, a large truck burst forward, the puddles spraying as it drove past them. I stood frozen under the umbrella like a deer in headlights. The next moment, I felt a gust of wind behind me. Someone had lunged for me, his warm, strong body wrapping around me as we hit the ground and rolled to safety. The rain soaked through our clothes as we clung to each other. There was red in the rainwater. A loud ringing filled my head as I lay on the ground. I propped myself up slightly and found Lorcan lying prone as well, blood trickling down his body. I peeled the strands of hair clinging to my face, shivering with the cold as I leaned over and picked up my phone. Without wasting time, I dialed 911. "Why are you crying, Tessa?" Lorcan asked, his eyes suddenly opening as he flashed me a smile. "I'm not dead yet, you know." The rainwater merged with my tears as I held him, propping him up. I snapped, "I'm not crying!" A smile played on his lips, his heavy-lidded eyes closing. Terrified he'd fall asleep, I held him and kept talking to him. "Why did you run over, Lorcan?" He chuckled, only to cough out a mouthful of blood. "Because I… am your bodyguard… of course." I tasted the rainwater. It was salty. The surgery went well. Lorcan pulled through the critical stage, but remained unconscious for now. The doctor couldn't give me a straight answer on when they expected him to regain consciousness. I gaped at the man now lying in the hospital bed. He looked as brusque as ever, though his brows were still tightly knitted. My mind turned blank. Countless emotions, most of which were inexplicable, built up within me until they threatened to carve my neck out. It was a bittersweet feeling. Callum entered the room then with a paper bag. "Here, Tessa. Get changed before you catch a cold." "Okay…" I opened the bag to find my clothes from back in high school nestled within. I lifted my gaze to Callum, waiting for an explanation. "No, it's not what you think!" Callum quickly defended himself. "I was in such a hurry and came across these clothes in his car. He'd stored them for years. I thought they were just regular spare clothes he often used." Just then, I felt emotions crawl through the crevices in my heart, which wrenched at the thought of it. In the end, Lorcan went back on his word, for he was unconscious for a long time. He'd promised to take me to see Sabrina in half a month, but he didn't wake up when it was time for us to call in our orders. The doctor also mentioned that if Lorcan did not wake up, he'd live like this forever. I'd been so terrified that the tips of my fingers turned white. I moved out of the hotel and into the VIP hospital room. In the quiet of the evening, I opened the window and let in the evening breeze. If I had to be honest, Lorcan was far better-looking than the celebrities on the internet. He was full of masculinity, with strong, chiseled features and luscious lips. He also sported a very attractive build. I propped my chin up in my hand and subconsciously reached out to touch Lorcan. He was soft in some places and hard in others, his skin hot under my fingers. I blinked and felt the blood rushing to my face. There was a sweet-sounding snort that came from the door, startling me so much that I turned to look at the visitor. "My, my, Tess, are you only capable of doing something so depraved and pathetic?" The woman took off her shades and mask, revealing a face that was both familiar and not. It was none other than Sabrina. Chapter 8 I was stunned, not because of Sabrina's sudden appearance here, but her looks. She'd lost a terrifying amount of weight. Her face was gaunt, and she wore her pallor like a second skin. Gone was the young woman and little girl who'd been bubbly and warm. "Oh, don't look at me like I'm some creature to be pitied on," Sabrina chided, quirking her mouth. "Don't worry, I'm recovering well. I should be back to normal after New Year's." I said nothing, but Sabrina continued anyway, "What happened to Lorcan? Don't tell me he's actually sleeping when the person he's missed the most is right in front of him! Has his intelligence gone down?" "He got into a car accident," was all I said. "Oh." Sabrina grabbed a stool and planted herself beside me. "So he lost some of his intelligence due to the accident." I gaped at her speechlessly. "Say, Tess, you look different." I met Sabrina's gaze. "What, you got a problem with that?" "No…" Sabrina couldn't help snickering at my inexplicable hostility. Her eyes glittered with amusement as she said, "I was just going to say, you look better now." I was taken aback by her frankness. "There's something wrong with you." "There is," Sabrina readily admitted, grinning. "But seriously, though, I came to talk business." "What?" The word had only just left my mouth when she smacked my head. "I'd like to hunt down the bastard who told you Lorcan and I were an item. If that were true, my mom would have crawled out of her grave and beaten me into a pulp!" I… Damn. I shot her a dirty look. "My sources are none of your business. I'm not telling." Sabrina eyed me wordlessly, then grabbed me on both sides of my head and enunciated, "Let me make this clear—you are the only person Lorcan has ever loved." Sabrina's gaunt face was magnified before me. She clutched my jaw so hard that my mouth was forced into an "O", and my eyes were as wide as saucers. "Tessa." Sabrina waved a hand in front of my face and asked with a frown. "Did you hear me?" I still said nothing, but in my daze, I thought I saw Lorcan's hand twitch on the bed. Sabrina grew exasperated. She seemed to be in a hurry to leave. She stood up and swung her Chanel purse down, hitting Lorcan as she chided, "Better wake up soon, Lorcan, or Tessa's gonna leave you!" This time, it was my turn to be rendered speechless. I sputtered. "How childish." However, the next second, Lorcan's fingers twitched, and his voice was hoarse and full of pleading. "Tessa, please don't go…" Everyone else called me "Tess", but only Lorcan had a thing for calling me by my full name. My name sounded nicer when he said it—more pleasant, somehow. Sabrina flashed me a triumphant smile, then turned and gave me a haughty look. But she panicked when she saw me crying. "Don't cry, Tessa. For the record, I didn't pick on you. If Lorcan sees you crying when he wakes up, he'd kill me!" A soundless laugh escaped me as I took in her panic. The tears in the corners of my eyes began to flow like rivulets. Sabrina left us that night. Lorcan woke up the next day. My throat tightened at the sight of him. I wondered if he still remembered what happened last night. After some hesitation, I could only thank him. I ignored the emotions and guilt building up in me as I got up to leave with my suitcase. "Tessa," Lorcan called out to me in bed, his tone grave. "A life for a life. Is this how you intend to repay me? By brushing me off and leaving?" I stopped in my tracks and turned to look at him. "What more do you want?" "What more do I want?" Lorcan snorted, then stood up and slowly approached me. "What if I wanted you to give yourself to me? Would you agree?" He backed me up against the wall, and I couldn't help but keep my eyes down. "If you refuse, I can always give myself to you. How about it?" He pressed his forehead against mine, his eyes bright and dark as they flickered with something like joy, hope, and fear. This reminded me of who I'd been ten years ago. I was just like Lorcan now, waiting for the person I loved to notice me. "Lorcan." I willed myself to meet his glittering, near-obsidian eyes. There was no warmth in my voice, and my words were like a dagger ready to slice his heart open. "That's cheap of you, don't you think?" Chapter 9 Lorcan released me. A week later, the mastermind behind the car accident was revealed to be Gregory Townsend, Xander's older brother. It didn't take long for the news to climb to the top of most-read articles. After all, Lorcan's accident had been a big deal. As I scanned the pictures in the news, I thought there was a vague familiarity about this Gregory person. I was stewing in my thoughts when Skylark Entertainment retaliated a few minutes later. They uploaded a few pictures and documentary evidence that all pointed to Gregory's betrayal and destruction of Moondust Corporation, prefaced by his battle to usurp the last CEO. I knew Moondust Corporation. When I was younger, Dad would carry me while he stood in the yard of our house. He'd gaze up at the moon and miss my mother, Luna. My mom died of childbirth shortly after I was born. Every time my dad watched the moon, I knew he was thinking of her. My dad had found Gregory on the streets. He'd been a young man who got the short end of the stick in life and wanted to end his own, but Dad took him under his wing and gave him a job at Moondust Corporation. After that, Gregory rose through the ranks. He then cornered my dad—the man who'd found him at his lowest and given him a second lease on life—into choosing death so he could become CEO. Lorcan wasted no time after Gregory's scandal made it to the news. He immediately acquired Moondust Corporation, adding salt to Gregory's injuries. The whole process took less than two hours. I gaped at the intimidating man in the video and thought I saw some of Vincent, my dad's bodyguard, in him. Dad had hired Vincent Steele as his bodyguard when I was eight, and the man had devoted most of his life to protecting Dad. Ten years later, his son stepped up and saved Dad's company. I recalled the way Dad had frog-marched me out of the house the night before I went abroad. "Don't come back after you leave, Tess! Promise me you won't look into this or meddle with it! "It's too dangerous for a young woman like you to get involved, do you understand? All I want is for you to live a peaceful, simple life. Promise me, Tess! Promise me!" Tears streamed down my face as I got into the car. I nodded and promised him, "Okay." I stopped checking in on Dad after I went abroad. I did nothing as his name and reputation were dragged through the mud. But Lorcan had been working behind the scenes for me, silently avenging my dad. I didn't see Lorcan after that. One day, Sabrina reached out to me and asked that I meet her at the cafe just outside the hotel. I quickly put on a change of clothes and headed out. Sabrina was still wearing shades when she raised her hand and beckoned me over. "Hey, Mrs. Steele! Over here!" "Shh, don't call me that!" I surveyed our surroundings and claimed the seat across from her. "What did you want to see me for?" "Lorcan was the one who dug up all that dirt on Gregory on the internet. He did that for you, you know. If that doesn't make you Mrs. Steele, what does?" Sabrina countered under her breath, but I heard her anyway. My heart tightened, but she continued, "Lorcan told me about your company's upcoming commercial production. I was hiding from Gregory and the others before while receiving treatment for my illness. I had to lie low and avoid the media." "Gregory?" I repeated in surprise. "Yeah." Sabrina sipped her iced black coffee and added teasingly, "Lorcan found all the information released through Skylark Entertainment's official channels, you know. He told me to keep an eye on them. What a genius, huh?" My fists clenched at the explanation. I paused for what felt like a long moment, then uncurled my fingers. I smiled at Sabrina and said, "Yes, he's quite the genius." At the end of our conversation, Sabrina and I reached a consensus over the terms of our collaboration. Before she left, she turned on her heels and asked, "By the way, did your company reach out to any other celebrity?" I shook my head. "You're the only one we need." I meant it, too. I booked a plane ticket for a flight back to headquarters after wrapping up negotiations here. Jonathan had accomplished his assignment three weeks ago and missed his girlfriend back home terribly. He didn't even bother staying a night in the city and flew off the first chance he got. As for me, I doubted there was any reason to keep me here, so why should I stay? A bitter laugh escaped me. Chapter 10 On the morning I was waiting at the airport with a ticket in hand, a familiar voice suddenly rang out behind me, the owner practically grinding out his words. "Tessa!" The stunning, imposing man who'd ambushed me at the airport stepped forward and tore my ticket into pieces. Then, cornering me against the wall, he stared at me with red-rimmed eyes. He sounded menacing but wounded as he said, "How dare you leave me like this? You promised to give me a complete family, remember? You called me cheap, well, guess what? I am—" I rose on my tiptoes and kissed him on the mouth. I couldn't bear to hear him degrading himself. I'd been so hung up on Lorcan's rejection of me ten years ago that I couldn't resist bringing it up during my conversation with Sabrina. She'd sputtered in disbelief. "He wanted you to stay away from him? Please. That was because he had low self-esteem and believed you were too good for him. You may not know this, but given the chance, he'd work himself to death to propel you upward." My heart dropped to my stomach, but I decided to leave anyway. After a week of hanging out with Lorcan without properly defining where we stood with one another, I secretly bought a plane ticket. I'd built a life for myself in a foreign country, and I had friends, co-workers, and mentors to see and bid farewell to. I'd only just landed when my phone blew up with countless calls from Lorcan. I called him back. "Hello?" "Well done, Tessa," Lorcan bit out. I could hear him gritting his teeth. "I'll teach you a lesson when you come back!" I laughed and taunted him, "Alright, then. I'll be waiting." "You're only getting away with this because I'm busy right now," Lorcan pointed out. However, his tone softened considerably when he asked, "So, when are you coming back?" I smiled but made no reply. Three months later, a southeast-bound plane took me back to Credea. A tall, strong, well-dressed man waited for me outside the arrival hall. I grinned at the sight of him and ran toward him, leaping into his open arms. Before he could speak, I said, "I've come to give you a complete family, Lorcan. Will you marry me?" Lorcan gripped me under my thighs, his face warming with a smile. "Yes." I started work at the headquarters' Credean subsidiary, but Lorcan wanted me to run Moondust Corporation. I didn't have the acumen to run a business like that, so I shook my head and said with a smile, "What, can't my husband step up and help my dad manage the business?" "Of course I can. I'm happy to be of service." Lorcan wrapped an arm around me, his fingers toying with my hair as amusement worked its way into his voice. "But now, I've got bigger things I need to do for your dad." Burrowing into his arms, I looked up at him in confusion. "What?" "Continuing his bloodline, of course." I barely had time to register what he meant before he flipped me over and pinned me to the couch. I could practically taste the testosterone rolling off him as he kissed me slowly, reverently, then trailed his lips down south. He was relentless and demanding at night, refusing to cut me some slack. A week later, I'd visibly lost weight from all the extra exercise. One night, he was kneading my waist and hinting at what he wanted, but I furiously warned him, "If you don't start controlling your urges, Lorcan, we're calling off the courthouse appointment tomorrow!" I'd never seen a man so big and tall panic like a child. "Okay, okay, I promise it's just a massage and nothing more. I'll keep myself in check." "That's more like it." I savored the snacks he made me and luxuriated in his massage, but I didn't expect the massage to grow into something heated. I gradually felt a burning need pooling under my stomach, yet Lorcan seemed content to stop just before I could ask for more. He even smugly added, "I can't risk losing my soon-to-be wife over a night's enjoyment, right?" I could have combusted on the spot. Gritting my teeth and suppressing the urge boiling in me, I snapped, "Stop being a tease and take me like a man, Lorcan!" He grinned, though I couldn't tell if he was doing this out of sheer retaliation. "You're being difficult, Tessa. You didn't want me to touch you, but now, you want the total opposite."