"Victoria," Julian whispered, his voice raspy as he held her flushed face, "there are actually things far more enjoyable than just kissing."
Something even better?
Victoria’s dark, hazy eyes flickered with a trace of childlike curiosity.
In her manic state, she looked almost adorable. Julian gently took her hand, his voice dropping into a soft, persuasive purr. "Victoria, come with me."
Holding her hand, Julian led her out of the training hall and toward the master bedroom suite.
The bodyguards lying scattered across the padded floor stared in absolute astonishment as the door closed behind them.
"Is... is Miss Sterling completely fine now?"
"In the past, whenever Miss Sterling had an episode, we had to take a beating as human punching bags for two whole hours!"
"Master Vance calmed her down with just a single kiss?!"
The guards exchanged awestruck glances. If they hadn’t witnessed it with their own eyes, they would have called it a hallucination.
Butler Chen was equally stunned, wiping a tear of profound relief from the corner of his eye. "Yes... Miss Sterling seems entirely restored."
"Master Vance is an absolute god!" a guard exclaimed.
"From now on, whenever Miss Sterling’s condition flares up, we just need to bring Master Vance to her!"
"Master Vance is officially our young mistress’s husband—nobody can convince me otherwise!"
"Thank heaven... thank heaven..." Butler Chen clasped his hands together in heartfelt prayer. "Miss Sterling was truly blessed to meet Master Vance."
With Master Vance around, he no longer had to worry about Miss Sterling’s terrifying condition destroying her body. Though, it would certainly prove a bit exhausting for Master Vance...
Inside the master bedroom, Julian gently pushed Victoria down onto the soft, massive mattress.
Victoria lay back against the silk pillows, looking up at him with dark, expectant eyes, wondering what "even better" thing he had in mind.
Taking a deep breath, Julian unbuttoned his shirt, shedding his clothes piece by piece.
Victoria’s gaze darkened as her eyes traced the sculpted lines of his chest and shoulders. His lips were impossibly sweet, and his body was flawless. A intense, possessive desire flared in her chest—she wanted to claim him completely, to make him her absolute private possession...
Once his clothes were off, Julian pinned Victoria to the mattress, leaning down close. "Victoria, the thing that makes you even happier is starting now."
A thick, intoxicating atmosphere settled over the dimly lit room.
Victoria’s eyes widened slightly as the realization hit her. This... really is infinitely better than kissing...
Suddenly, with a swift movement, Victoria rolled over, pinning Julian beneath her against the mattress. She preferred being in control.
Julian: "..."
"Good boy... you’re so delicious—" Victoria’s red lips brushed against his ear, her warm breath smelling faintly of sweet orchids.
Julian sighed inwardly, feeling utterly drained. What is her obsession with calling me ’good boy’? She called him that when she was lucid, and she still called him that when her episode flared up!
The only small comfort was that she only used the term behind closed doors. If she ever shouted that in front of outsiders, where would he hide his pride as a man?
"And don’t call me Victoria right now... call me Master," she whispered mischievously, biting his earlobe softly. "Be a good boy and say it... or I’ll punish you."
Julian: "...."
Master
Hearing his surrender, Victoria’s eyes sparkled with intense excitement.
Julian let out a silent groan. Victoria was fierce when she was sober, but unexpectedly, she was even wilder when her dark side took over.
When morning came, Victoria opened her eyes to the soft sunlight streaming through the sheer curtains. Remembering everything that had transpired the night before, a radiant, satisfied smile touched her lips.
Downstairs, her personal secretary, Evelyn, arrived at Rose Manor in a sleek black sedan to pick Victoria up for work.
When Victoria stepped into the back seat, the dark, visible love bites scattered across her fair neck immediately caught Evelyn’s eye.
"President Sterling..." Evelyn stammered nervously, her eyes wide.
"What is it?" Victoria replied, her voice instantly dropping into its usual cool, aloof demeanor reserved for outsiders.
Evelyn pointed subtly at her own collar. "There are... quite a few red marks on your neck, ma’am. Would you like to change into a high-collared blouse, or should I have a makeup artist apply some concealer?"
Those crimson marks were far too conspicuous. If President Sterling walked into the corporate headquarters looking like this, every single board member and employee would know the ice-queen CEO had a man in her bed!
Besides, those passionate marks clashed hilariously with her ice-cold, unapproachable reputation...
"No need," Victoria stated flatly, adjusting her cuffs. "Leave them."
Evelyn looked at her with growing suspicion. She had a distinct feeling that President Sterling was doing this entirely on purpose—deliberately flaunting those marks so the whole world knew she belonged to someone!
Sure enough, Victoria’s arrival at the Sterling Group headquarters caused an absolute uproar.
"Did you see that?! There are love bites all over President Sterling’s neck!"
"I saw it too! The ice-queen CEO actually has a man!"
"I’m dying to know who he is! How handsome does a guy have to be to melt President Sterling’s heart?!"
During the morning executive board meeting, senior directors repeatedly stole subtle glances at Victoria’s exposed neck.
After the meeting concluded, a brave senior vice president finally mustered the courage to ask, "President Sterling... do you have a boyfriend?"
"Mhm." Victoria’s red lips curved upward into a subtle, proud smile.
The entire board room went silent. Holy crap! It’s real! She actually admitted it!
As soon as Victoria left for her private office, the executives crowded around Evelyn like a swarm of bees.
"Secretary Evelyn! Spill the news! Who is President Sterling’s boyfriend?!"
"Yeah, he’s never shown his face at the company! You must know something!"
Evelyn touched her nose, replying with a completely straight face, "I don’t know either. I only know that he exists."
Master Vance was President Sterling’s ultimate treasure. If even she hadn’t been allowed a proper introduction yet, how could she tell these old executives?
"Secretary Evelyn, please keep an eye out! The moment you find out his identity, let us know immediately!" an executive urged.
"Sure, I’ll keep an eye on it," Evelyn nodded vaguely. As if I’d ever tell you unless President Sterling reveals him herself.
Meanwhile, at the entrance of the towering Sterling Group skyscraper...
A young man dressed in simple attire stood near the glass doors, clutching his phone tightly. His name was Eathan Mercer.
"Son," his mother’s frail voice echoed from the speaker, "the hospital said my treatments will cost another twenty thousand dollars. We really don’t have any savings left... Maybe I should just give up."
"Mom, don’t say that," Eathan comforted her hurriedly. "Just focus on recovering in the hospital. It’s only twenty thousand dollars—I’ll definitely earn it for you."
Hanging up the call, Eathan stared up at the massive corporate headquarters before him.
In his previous life, before his rebirth, he had worked for the Sterling Group as an executive consultant, earning a massive six-figure salary. He knew he could land the same lucrative position in this life.
Taking a deep breath, Eathan stepped through the grand glass doors into the main lobby.
The moment he walked inside, his eyes landed on a grand procession walking toward the private executive elevators. Surrounded by dozens of bodyguards and assistants, Victoria Sterling stood at the center of the crowd.
Scenes from his terrible past life flashed through his mind—the dark room, the heavy chains, and her possessive, unhinged eyes staring down at him.
A wave of arctic coldness washed over Eathan.
He instinctively lowered his head, pressing himself against a decorative pillar and trying his absolute best to blend into the shadows.
If Victoria Sterling spotted him right now, she would recognize him from her dreams and drag him straight back to Rose Manor to lock him away forever! He refused to live that nightmare again—a life completely stripped of freedom!
If it weren’t for his mother’s urgent medical bills, he wouldn’t have set foot inside the Sterling Group ever again!