The bathroom was filled with steam, Selena Harper pressed against the clear glass.

She felt like she might fall apart. After their frenzy, Leon Blackwell held her against his waist, planting light kisses on her cheeks and lips.

The phone on the bathroom counter started ringing.

Selena gave him a small shove. “Your phone.”

Leon carried her over to the counter without letting go.

Not bothering to check the screen, she slid her finger to answer. Her voice was tired: “Hello?”

“Selena, are you busy?” It was her mom’s voice.

Selena froze for a second. “Mom, what is it?”

“Remember the chat we had about meeting Ethan Myers for a date? Have you thought it over yet?” Mrs. Harper’s voice was crystal clear, echoing in the misty bathroom.

Selena instinctively glanced at Leon.

Unable to see his expression through the fog, she could only feel how sharply his fingers dug into her waist.

The pressure almost made her yelp.

She mumbled incoherently. “Yes, I got it. I’ll think about it. I’ll talk to you later, I have to go now!”

Without waiting for a reply, she quickly ended the call.

“You’re going on a date?” he asked."My family's pushing me to get married." She gasped softly, putting down her phone and reaching up to touch his devastatingly handsome face. "I wouldn't have to go if you were willing to... hmm!"

He kissed her, cutting her off.

As the rush of pleasure flooded her senses, he murmured, "I'll be moving out in a bit."

Selena Harper felt her blood turn cold instantly.

Later, Leon Blackwell had already changed into his clothes.

The tailored, expensive suit fit him perfectly, accentuating his tall, refined physique—broad shoulders, a narrow waist, long legs. Every detail was flawless.

Selena walked over, wrapping her arms around his waist, her voice low, almost pleading, "Are you really never going to marry me?"

He tilted his head slightly as he adjusted his tie, his tone calm and detached. "Three years. We agreed on this from the start."

Three years.

They’d been together for three years.

She loved Leon deeply, while he seemed to love her body.

Only her body.

He gave her everything she wanted—except for commitment or love.

"So you're really okay with me meeting someone else, marrying someone else?" Her hand slipped under his shirt, lingering on the firm muscles of his chest. "Does that not bother you?"

He wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her closer to him. "Then don’t get married. Let's keep things the way they are."

Keep things as they are? Living in the shadows forever? Selena Harper felt a sharp pang of bitterness in her heart. "I’m twenty-six already. I don’t have time to waste."

"Then go get married." Leon Blackwell bit her full, red lips teasingly, his voice tinged with intimacy. "Be good now. I’m leaving."

He walked away without so much as a glance back, his departure swift and unhesitating.

Selena sat on the bed, hugging her knees tightly, her chest heavy with pain and regret.

Three years ago, she had found him drunk on the roadside and brought him home.

Fueled by alcohol, the two of them had spent the night in passionate abandon.

The next morning, once the alcohol wore off, he told her they clicked well together. He had suggested that they partner up for a while, and when she found someone to settle down with, she could just let him know, and he’d leave.

And that’s exactly how things had played out.

...

Under pressure from Mrs. Harper, Selena finally agreed to meet with Ethan Myers for a date.

Their first one-on-one dinner was awkward.

Fortunately, Ethan turned out to be quite the conversationalist, skillfully steering the conversation toward common interests and easing the tension. By the end of the meal, they were chatting like old friends, making the interaction unexpectedly pleasant.

After dinner, the two found themselves standing at the restaurant’s entrance.

Ethan suggested they take a stroll and watch a movie next. Selena Harper wasn’t particularly interested at first, but as she glanced sideways unintentionally, her gaze landed on the other side of the restaurant—Leon Blackwell, sitting there casually enjoying a meal.

Opposite him sat a stunningly gorgeous woman, her beauty bold and captivating.

Beneath the table, the enchanting woman went as far as to teasingly nudge Leon's leg with her foot.

Selena felt a suffocating ache in her chest.

She couldn’t help but admire Leon’s cool demeanor. Just last night he’d left her place, and here he was, already finding someone new to warm his bed.

He really didn’t mess around when it came to chasing after the "perfect match."

Just as Selena was about to pull her gaze away, Leon suddenly turned his head, and their eyes met.

Her instinctive response was to break eye contact immediately.

Meanwhile, Ethan Myers was still chatting, and Selena absentmindedly nodded in agreement to his invitation.

The two went to the cinema, where the hottest romance movie was screening.

The place was packed, full of couples who had clearly booked their tickets online ahead of time.

Selena and Ethan, buying their tickets on-site, were left with few options and opted for seats in the very last row.

As the movie approached the finale, Ethan received a work-related phone call and stepped out of the theater.

Not long after, Selena saw the message he’d sent her. It was a heartfelt apology, explaining he needed to handle something urgent and promising to make up for it with dinner next time. Selena Harper paid little attention to the movie and didn’t care much about how it ended.

The whole time, her mind was a tangled mess. She used the quiet atmosphere to zone out, letting herself breathe for a moment.

Getting up before the crowd, she headed out of the theater, hoping to avoid the rush at the end.

She barely turned a corner when a strong arm grabbed her and pulled her into the dark, secluded emergency exit.

Before she could react, Leon Blackwell pinned her against the cold wall and kissed her hard.

That familiar taste—she recognized it immediately and almost let herself fall into it.

She could never say no to him.

But then, the image of the woman playing footsie with him at lunch flashed through her mind, snapping her sanity back into place.

Pushing at his shoulders, she hissed through clenched teeth, “Leon Blackwell! Are you out of your mind?!”

He eased up, just slightly.

His intense, smoldering gaze locked onto hers, his breath hot against her cheek.

Gripping her chin, he forced her to look up, his voice low, almost taunting, “Was the movie good?”

She struggled but failed to break free, glaring at him fiercely. “What do you even want from me?”"Let's see just how heartless you can be," Leon Blackwell murmured, his thumb brushing over her lips. "Last night you begged me not to leave, and today you're here watching a romance movie with another guy? Quite the role switch, isn't it?"

Selena Harper flushed with embarrassment and anger at his crude words. "That’s still better than you, Mr. Blackwell, jumping into bed with someone new so quickly!"

He chuckled lowly, leaning closer to lightly nip the tip of her delicate nose. "What’s this? Jealous?"

Her eyes turned red in an instant.

Why did he always have to act so casually, so effortlessly? It was like he had mastered the art of keeping her on edge. Only someone like her, blinded by love, could let herself be played over and over again.

"If he can’t give you what you need, you know you can always come back to me."

The gentle murmur of his voice right at her ear pierced through her defenses, his closeness equal parts intimate and cruel.

At that moment, Selena swore she heard the sound of her own heart breaking.