That night, the wind picked up, making the white curtains by the glass door flap quietly.

Behind the thin curtain, two bodies intertwined, tangled in a mess of passion—his strength meeting her allure, heavy breathing mixing in a rhythm only betrayal would understand.

White sheets and bronze skin, a mix of softness and raw desire.

A wild night like this? Classic setup for cheating.

Anna Green pressed herself against the balcony's windowpane, her whole body tense, her face a mix of calm and—well, unreadable.

She was here on a mission: catch her boyfriend in the act.

The guy tangled up in that mess inside? Yep, the very one. After hearing some rumors, she'd decided to stake out the scene herself and give the cheater the scare of his life. Ideally, she would burst in mid-wrongdoing and leave him speechless, shamed, and hopefully pants-down.

Solid plan, every detail covered.

Buuut... even the best plans hit snags.

A faint cologne drifted up to her nose—masculine, subtle, definitely not from her boyfriend—and she suddenly became hyper-aware of a breath, warm and slow, brushing across the bare skin of her arm.

Tingly. Kind of electric. Like someone running a feather down her skin.

Trying not to panic, Anna shifted slightly, uncomfortable, then turned her head—

Right into the personal space of another man squatting next to her on this ridiculous excuse of a balcony.

He wore a snug black Italian suit that screamed craftsmanship, every line on his tall figure looking like something off a magazine spread. His face was sharp yet elegant, and those deep, almond-shaped eyes carried a kind of lazy charm that could probably melt glaciers. Tight lips, calm posture, with just enough distance to appear aloof and expensive.

Anna had seen her share of good-looking dudes. Actors, models, influencers—nothing new. She'd always thought herself immune.

But this guy?

He didn't belong here. He belonged at a gala, with red wine in one hand and a stunner on his arm, violins playing in the background—not crouched here beside her like a co-conspirator in a breakup stakeout.

Damn, the awkwardness level was off the charts. She could feel her brain lagging, scrambling for something—anything—to kill the tension.

Forcing a sugary-sweet smile, she gave it her best shot.

"Wow, small world. You here to catch a cheater too?"

Seriously, Anna? That's what you came up with?

"...So, the woman inside—she's your girlfriend?"

Julian Blake was about to shake his head, deny it cleanly. But when he locked eyes with Anna, something made him pause. The words caught in his throat, and instead, he just accepted the ridiculous label. Even if it wasn't true, not really.

Anna gave a half-hearted nod, messing with her phone and scrolling through the photos she'd just snapped of the cheating couple. She mumbled, "Well, since we've both been played, I guess that makes us comrades in misery. Want a copy, bro? I'll send it to you—just in case she pulls a fast one when you break things off."

She really meant well.

The guy was almost too good-looking to be true. Sure, her own boyfriend wasn't bad, but compared to this man? Total mismatch.

It was like comparing street food to a Michelin-star meal. Plastic shiny toy to a real gold ring.

Why that woman in bed would ditch this man for Anna's, who the hell knew. Must've had something loose in her head. But if this man wanted to break up, no way that chick would take it lying down.

"You're not upset?" Julian sounded genuinely caught off guard. This girl's reaction totally blew past what he'd expected.

Where the heck did his nephew find someone like this?

"Upset?" Anna glanced away from her screen and blinked, "What's the point? It is what it is. Better to find out now than later and waste even more time on trash like him."

She sounded cool and detached, but deep down, yeah, it still stung a little. Just not as much as she thought it would.

Maybe it had something to do with the guy next to her going through the exact same mess.

Okay... maybe it was wrong, but part of her kind of found it ironic. A little satisfying even.

The soft glow from inside the room spilled across Anna's face through the window, tracing the curve of her cheek.

And that's when Julian had a wild idea.

"Want revenge?"

His voice, low and rich, slid through the dark like it carried a secret.