Chapter 4: Just Who Is This Man?

From the first floor to the sixteenth, in just a few short seconds, Vivian felt the man’s gaze nearly strip her bare. Her heart hammered against her ribs like a drum, terrified that something would go wrong at this critical moment. When the elevator doors finally slid open again, she walked out with feigned composure. Hearing no footsteps behind her, she finally let out a long, heavy sigh of relief as the doors hissed shut. No matter who he was, just like her history with Adrian, it was time to put a full stop to it. She didn't see the flash of lonely desolation in the man’s dark, somber eyes as the elevator descended.

The interview went perfectly. She secured the position she wanted using her new patent, but the processing of her relocation documents for the overseas office required layers of approval; HR informed her it would take a month. Coincidentally, a month was exactly the length of the cooling-off period required from signing the divorce papers to receiving the certificate. One month was enough time to orchestrate everything and vanish before Adrian could even react. The only difficult thing left was the severing of her feelings for this relationship. Vivian had no objections. After signing the contract, a massive weight felt as though it had been lifted from her chest. In a rare good mood, she went to a nearby mall to shop.

She was picking out jewelry for herself when she looked up and saw Chloe Bennett at a counter not far away, clutching Adrian’s arm while they browsed accessories. The sight stung her eyes. She and Adrian had never shared a moment like this. In the past, Adrian would simply bring a random gift home to appease her. Later, he had even delegated the task of choosing annual holiday gifts to his assistant, making it feel like a chore; he didn't care if she actually liked them. Much less had he ever accompanied her to pick them out in person.

As if noticing her gaze, Chloe glanced in her direction. Upon seeing Vivian, she suddenly curled her red lips into a triumphant smirk and spoke to the man with a coquettish whine, "Adrian, this ring is beautiful. Put it on for me, okay?" The sales associate chimed in eagerly. "Sir, this is our latest wedding ring design. It’s inspired by the 'Flowers of Three Lifetimes,' symbolizing a passionate love that remains steadfast until death. It suits you both perfectly." Chloe was even more satisfied. She shook the man’s arm, begging him to buy it. With a look that was both indulgent and helpless, the man playfully tapped her nose and nodded elegantly to the associate. "Take it out and let her try it on."

Chloe lifted her chin arrogantly, like a victorious soldier. The look she cast toward Vivian was filled with utter disdain and contempt. She was so focused on her display of power that she didn't even notice Adrian handing her the ring. Sensing something was wrong, the man followed her gaze. His entire body froze instantly, and he instinctively pushed Chloe—who was nestling in his arms—away. The panic in his eyes was both ironic and pathetic. Vivian quickly reined in her emotions. As she moved to dodge his line of sight, she suddenly noticed someone behind him. A dark glint flashed in her eyes. She looked up again, acting as if she hadn't seen Adrian at all, and waved her hand with a cheerful shout, "Honey!" With that, she walked over leisurely in her high heels.

Adrian’s breath hitched. He was already frantically composing an explanation, reaching out his hand with forced ease. As if he were simply waiting to welcome her. Chloe, however, was consumed with anxiety. Refusing to back down, she grabbed Adrian’s arm again, thrusting her chest out to intentionally flaunt her healthy, proud figure. While the two of them harbored their own dark schemes, Vivian—despite her heart bleeding—acted as if they were invisible. She strode past them, her voice filled with even more joy. "I was just thinking of you, and here you are. We really are soulmates."

Adrian’s arm froze in mid-air. He turned back in shock, only to see Vivian throw herself into the arms of another man—his older brother, Lucien—like a bird returning to its nest. She hooked her arms around his neck, her smile blooming like a flower. It looked exactly like they did when they were madly in love—completely inseparable. "I'm hungry. Will you take me to dinner?"

A look of startled bewilderment flashed through the man's eyes. Vivian’s heart was also pounding with trepidation. She didn't know how this stand-in would react right in front of Adrian. The familiar, chilling scent of his cologne wafted into her nostrils, ravaging her senses. It reminded her, over and over, of those absurd nights spent drowning in a sea of desire. And all of this seemed as though the veil was about to be ripped away in the next moment, exposing the truth to the world.

Perhaps due to nerves, or perhaps from the thrill of revenge, the corners of her eyes were tinged with a flush of peach. On her upturned face, her shimmering eyes looked as if they held a thousand words of confession. Seductive, yet wordlessly provocative. The atmosphere hung in a brief, heavy silence. Then, the man’s deep, resonant voice slowly broke the quiet. "Okay."

That one word caused the whirlwind of emotions in Vivian’s heart to settle instantly. But in the next heartbeat, she clearly saw a familiar, intoxicating flash of desire in the depths of the man’s eyes. It was as if he wanted to devour her whole at any given moment. Insatiable. Her legs couldn't help but tremble slightly; her entire body felt uneasy, and the tips of her ears grew uncontrollably hot. Instinctively, she tried to pull away from his embrace, but a large hand clamped firmly around her waist. The heat of his palm through the thin fabric stimulated her skin, sending wave after wave of indescribable, tingling tremors through her. The man leaned down slightly, his warm breath ghosting against the tip of her nose. "What do you want to eat?"

Vivian’s body was stiff; she didn't know how to answer. Her mind was a complete muddle. Under the pressure of the man’s large hand, her soft abdomen was pressed tightly against his own. Erotic and ambiguous. She really couldn't take much more of this. She exerted a bit of force to pull away slightly and hooked her arm through his, leading him in the opposite direction. "Western food. I'm craving Wagyu."

...

Watching the two of them walk away together, Adrian’s face had turned green with rage. Yet he couldn't chase after them. Chloe looked horrified, having not yet processed what had happened. She said blankly, "Adrian, that man looks so much like you." Adrian was in no mood to explain. He brushed her off with a perfunctory, "You saw wrong." He turned and walked away, his face clouded with gloom.

...

Through the glass windows of the mall, Vivian confirmed that Adrian hadn't followed. Feeling the absurdity of the situation, she tried to pull her hand back. The man suddenly stopped, turned, and pinned her against the wall. His large hand unhesitatingly reclaimed its place at her waist. "Being distracted... don't you think you deserve a punishment?"

The slight lilt at the end of his sentence made Vivian’s head ring. Back when her suspicions were deepening, she had often been distracted in bed. Trying to find evidence that the man was indeed Adrian. Every time she did, the man would catch her with precision, nipping at her earlobe while thrusting heavily, his voice raspy and fierce. "Vivian, being distracted... results in punishment." The result of that punishment was being carried to the floor-to-ceiling windows, or the bathroom sink, and being taken over and over again until she cried.

"Why is your face so red?" The man’s thumb, slightly calloused, brushed across her cheek, snapping her back to reality. A surge of fear, separate from the fluttering in her heart, suddenly rose within her. Just who was this man? If he was willing to act as Adrian’s stand-in, he must be under Adrian’s control. Yet the bespoke suit he wore, the cufflinks at his wrists, and the diamond brooch on his chest were all exquisite and luxurious. And just now, she didn't believe for a second that he hadn't seen Adrian. Being intimate with the employer’s wife right in front of the employer... Wasn't he afraid of being fired?

The man’s thumb rubbed against her lip, causing a slight sting. Vivian quickly forced herself to calm down. She dodged his touch unobtrusively, her gaze turning meaningful. "Honey, didn't you tell me you had a very important meeting this afternoon and couldn't get away? I can't be selfish and let you miss work. I'm going home now."

She tried to find a trace of panic in the man’s eyes. But there was none. In those eyes as dark as a deep sea, her own face was clearly reflected. Beyond that, there was nothing. The more calm someone was within a lie, the more uncontrollable the danger they radiated. Vivian didn't linger; she turned and hurried away. The man didn't stop her. His gaze never wavered for a second as it followed her retreating figure. The possessiveness surging in the depths of his eyes was like the glowing embers left after a volcanic eruption. Seemingly cold and still, yet hot enough to burn everything to the ground.