Four years later, at Haicheng Airport...

Evelyn Mercer stood by the arrivals exit, handling work on her phone while waiting for someone.

It wasn’t until the noise and shrill screams crashed into her ears that she finally looked up. Her gaze fixed ahead just in time to see a man walking out with one arm around a graceful, curvy woman.

Evelyn put away her phone and walked over at an unhurried pace. Only when she got close did a faint smile finally appear on her calm, unreadable face. "Mr. Mercer, the car is ready. Would you like..."

She stopped mid-sentence and lifted her eyes toward the woman beside Sebastian Mercer. Right in front of her, Sebastian leaned down and pressed a kiss to the woman’s cheek, then said slowly, "I’m heading back first. I’ll come find you when I’m done."

The woman nodded shyly. Then, just as Sebastian turned around, she called after him in a soft, clingy voice, "Sebastian, I’ll be waiting for you..."

Sebastian only gave a perfunctory tug at the corner of his mouth. He didn’t respond again, and simply left the airport with Evelyn and got into the car.

"Mr. Mercer, are we going to the office first, or home?" Evelyn asked. She thought he would give her an answer, but instead he said coldly to the driver, "Get out. Without my order, don’t come back."

"Yes, sir." The driver answered and got out.

Before Evelyn could even ask what was going on, a dark figure flashed toward her. Caught completely off guard, she was shoved down beneath him in one swift move.

"Mr. Mercer, you..."

"Still calling me Mr. Mercer?" Sebastian let out a low chuckle. The cold indifference from a moment ago vanished in an instant. His black eyes, usually flat as still water, now rippled with something alive. He stared at Evelyn, then lifted a slender finger to brush a strand of hair from her forehead and tuck it behind her ear. "Evelyn, your self-control gets stronger by the day."

"What else am I supposed to do, hmm, husband?" Evelyn called him that softly, the tail of her brow lifting just a little. Then she sat up with a teasing smile and wrapped both arms firmly around Sebastian’s neck.

That one word, husband, obviously pleased him.

He curved his lips and raised a brow slightly.

To be fair, he really did like this woman. Not because she was some once-in-a-lifetime beauty, but because in the three years of their marriage, she had never clung to him or made a scene. Every time he came back from outside, she played the role of wife perfectly. Even though he knew full well Evelyn had never been sincere.

Just like that time when he had asked her, "Evelyn, why did you agree to marry me three years ago?"

And she had answered without dodging it at all, "I needed money. You needed a wife who could act along with you, even please you if necessary. We both got what we wanted."

At the thought, Sebastian’s eyes, dark as a bottomless pool, locked tightly onto Evelyn. He lifted a brow. But just as he was about to kiss her, Evelyn abruptly turned her head away and said stiffly, "Don’t kiss me."

Sebastian’s gaze on her deepened.

But only for a second.

The next moment, a glint lit up in his eyes, and the smile at his lips grew a little more wicked. With a hint of teasing, he asked, "Why do I suddenly feel like the car smells kind of sour?" As he spoke, he leaned close to her ear and blew out a warm breath. "Evelyn, are you jealous?"

"Hmph. Jealous? Not really." Evelyn’s bright eyes shifted onto his face. She blinked, then tossed out two words, "You’re dirty."

"Dirty?" Sebastian rubbed his lips with those long, distinct fingers, then smiled lazily. "Then how about you help your husband wash them clean?"

At Sebastian Mercer’s words, Evelyn Mercer’s cheeks flushed red on the spot. She lifted her soft little hand and smacked his chest, half annoyed, half shy. "You really should let people see this. Mr. Mercer, the big shot who’s always so sharp and ruthless, is actually such a total menace."

Sebastian raised a brow. His gaze locked onto her ink-dark eyes as she blinked. Her long lashes trembled lightly, casting two faint shadows beneath her lids. Looking at her like this, all soft and vivid and way too tempting, he felt a wave of heat rise straight through him.

Evelyn knew exactly what was going through his head. The corners of her red lips curled up, almost wickedly, and her slender fingers slid lightly across his protruding Adam’s apple. Sure enough, the next second, his kiss came down all at once, fierce and overwhelming, leaving her no room to dodge.

Only after a long while did Evelyn lean back against the soft leather seat, head tilted up, breathing hard.

"What, did the women outside fail to keep you satisfied?"

Sebastian just smiled and said nothing. He lowered his head and brushed soft kisses over her brows and eyes.

Right then, Evelyn’s phone suddenly rang. She pushed him away and pulled it out, but the moment she saw the caller ID, the smile that had still been hanging on her face froze and disappeared.

The ringtone kept going. Sebastian watched her and asked, "Why not answer it?"

Evelyn hung up without hesitation. She pressed her lips together in a faint smile, but there was a flash of helplessness and pitiful grievance in her eyes. "Who else could it be? Your scandal-rumor girlfriends. Do you even know that in the one week you were gone, the people calling to book a meeting with you could probably line up around all of Haicheng by now?"

"That exaggerated?" Sebastian laughed, then casually reached out with his long fingers and ruffled her hair.

Evelyn gave a cold snort, quickly fixed her clothes, then shot him a glare with those bright black eyes. "I’ve got things to do. Not staying with you."

As she spoke, she pulled open the car door. Then she paused, turned back, and looked at Sebastian, whose face was still full of teasing amusement. "Tonight, are you going home, or..."

"Going home," Sebastian murmured. His big hand came up to cup her cheek, then he lightly tapped the tip of her nose.

"So shameless. Fine, then I’ll wait for you tonight." Evelyn slapped his hand away as soon as she finished.

Just as the car door was about to fall shut, her voice drifted over again, soft as spring wind, brushing right across Sebastian’s heart. "Your door’s not closed properly. Be careful, or someone might sneak in and take advantage."

Sebastian lowered his eyes. But by the time he looked up again, Evelyn had already walked away. Watching that slender yet graceful figure retreat into the distance, he curved his lips and let out a low chuckle. "Little minx..."

Not long after Evelyn left the airport, her phone rang again. She answered in a rush, only to hear Sophie Calloway’s anxious voice from the other end. "Evelyn, I’m sorry. I know you’re busy, but Lily’s got a fever. She keeps calling for Mommy..."

"I got it. I’m coming right now."

As soon as she said that, Evelyn hurriedly raised a hand and flagged down a taxi. The moment she got in, she didn’t notice that a pair of dark eyes had been watching her from not far away.

"Mr. Mercer, should we follow her?" the driver asked carefully.

But Sebastian said nothing. His eyes darkened a little as he recalled the look on Evelyn’s face just now...

He pressed his lips together. Forget it. As long as it wasn’t anything out of line, he’d let her be. After all, this was part of the agreement they had made before marriage: neither of them would interfere in the other’s life.

Sebastian withdrew his gaze, his expression settling back into calm, and said evenly, "Back to the company."