Country A, Feicheng.
Soft sunlight spilled into the luxurious room, casting a golden glow. On a premium king-size bed draped in warm gray linens, a man and a woman slept close together, everything calm and quiet.
No one knew how long it had been when the woman’s long lashes finally fluttered open. The moment her eyes landed on the firm, pale chest in front of her, her cheeks flushed crimson.
“You’re awake.” The man’s deep, slightly hoarse voice rang slow and lazy, his black eyes already open. He gently pulled back the arm draped around her waist—clearly, he’d been awake for a while.
“Yeah.” Cynthia Harrison sat up, still a little shy, wrapped herself tighter in the blanket, and slid toward the edge of the bed. Spotting the fresh clothes on the nightstand, she reached out and grabbed them.
Lyndon Blake curved his lips into a faint smile, pushed the covers toward her, and took his time getting dressed on the other side of the bed.
Yesterday had been one of the darkest days in Cynthia’s life since her step-parents passed away.
Her childhood friend and fiancé, Daniel Scott, had betrayed her—he was seeing Amber Donovan, the girl they had taken in off the street six months ago.
While Cynthia was working late at the office, Daniel was at home with Amber, fooling around. If she hadn't changed her mind about staying out and come home unexpectedly, she wouldn’t have caught them red-handed. She might’ve still been kept in the dark, like an idiot, working her heart out for Daniel’s company.
“Cynthia, you've always kept your distance from me emotionally. All these years, you were there every day, but never acted like a woman in love. What did you expect me to do? Amber gets me. She knows when I’m hot or cold, and she cares. Someone like her—it’s hard not to fall for. You’re like a sister to me, not someone I could spend my life with. We’re just not meant to be, and I hope you can accept that.”
His self-justifying words still echoed in her ears, making her sick. He made it sound like she was the one desperately clinging to him. As if.
That night, Cynthia had packed up in a hurry, left the apartment, found a random hotel to crash at, and ended up going to a bar to drown her sorrows. She just wanted to drink her pain away—but things spiraled. She blacked out and somehow ended up booking a room with a stranger.
Lyndon was in town for work. When he got back to the hotel, a heavily buzzed woman practically launched herself into his arms, muttering nonsense. He tried to push her away, but one look at her stunning face, and he was smitten. His body reacted before his brain could catch up.
He never believed in love at first sight. Until that moment.
Her features were sharp and delicate, makeup-free, but she had that kind of raw, natural beauty that drew him in.
When her blurred eyes shimmered with tears, looking helplessly into his, Lyndon felt something stir deep inside—like a sprout breaking through earth in early spring. He couldn’t leave her like that, so he opened his suite with his key card and helped her inside. He even managed to get her to drink some lemon water.
She’d had way too much to drink and ended up throwing up. Lyndon carried her to the bathroom so she could throw up properly, then started running a bath for her. Once she was soaking, he gently cupped her flushed cheeks, chuckling, “Shout for me when you're done. If you need help getting dressed again.”
“I’m not a kid or something,” Cynthia pouted. Her cute little lips puffed up as she waved her damp hand at him. “Shoo, out!”
He laughed lightly and walked off to take his own shower in the next room.
But when he got back, he found an unexpected guest in his bed.
