Xavier's face went rigid with anger.

“Don't listen to him. He's just buying time!”

But looking at Sebastian's beautiful, broken face, I felt an invisible hand close around my heart.

I had loved this man desperately.

Loved his cool, restrained exterior. Loved the rationality I thought lay beneath it.

Now that rationality had crumbled. The unreachable man had fallen to his knees just to beg me for seven days.

My fingers slowly clenched inside my sleeves.

I hated my weakness.

Hated even more that this startling transformation made my heart beat in a way I couldn't resist.

“All right.”

I agreed.

“Seven days. After that, you leave me alone.”

Sebastian immediately stood and firmly took my bags, ignoring Xavier's murderous stare.

“Let's go home.”

His voice was hoarse, hiding an obsession only he understood.

Before long, we were back at the Summit Residences.

I had erased every trace of myself before leaving.

Now Sebastian had put them all back.

The fluffy rug I liked. The warm yellow cushions. Even the balcony workbench was stocked with my favorite equipment.

He cooked himself, too.

I sat on the couch and watched his busy figure in the kitchen, feeling a little dazed.

Sebastian really had changed.

For three days, he hadn't answered a work call or touched a patient file.

He got up early to buy the freshest ingredients, did all the housework, and even checked the temperature of my drinking water himself.

In the kitchen, he was chopping vegetables.

His rolled sleeves revealed the firm, smooth muscles in his forearms as he worked.

The disinfectant smell that had always clung to him was gone, replaced by the light woody fragrance I loved.

I swallowed and quickly looked away.

It seemed he was constantly showing off his masculine appeal.

Whenever he brought food over, he bent just enough that his broad, warm chest brushed my shoulder, almost casually.

When he passed me a glass, his long fingers settled precisely over mine, stroking lightly before withdrawing as though nothing had happened.

That cool, restrained air, mixed with deliberate provocation, held my heart in a merciless grip.

“The soup's ready. Try it.”

He brought a small bowl to the couch and sat right beside me.

The cushion sank beneath his weight, tilting me toward him.

He scooped up a spoonful, blew gently across it, and brought it to my lips.

“I can do it myself...” I reached for the spoon.

He moved it away, his dark eyes fixed on mine.

“You agreed to let me take care of you. Won't you even let me feed you some soup?”

He was too close.

His warm breath touched my cheek as he spoke, making me shiver.

My body was more honest than my reason.

Blushing, I parted my lips and drank the spoonful.

Just then, my phone rang on the coffee table.

Xavier Sutton's name flashed on the screen.

Sebastian's eyes turned cold, a dark flash of violence passing through them.

He hid it quickly and didn't stop me.

I answered.

“Hello, Uncle Xavier.”

“How are you feeling today? Any headaches?”

His voice was warm with concern.

“I've had someone clean the Paris apartment. The course schedule has been sent to your email...”

I was about to answer when Sebastian moved.

He turned slightly and braced one hand on the couch behind me, half enclosing me in his arms.

With the other, he lifted another spoonful of soup to my mouth.

I shook my head to show I didn't want it.

He persisted.

Lowering his head, he brought his lips almost against my ear.

“Open up. Be good.”