CEO's Secret Play

"Rachel, come here."

He suddenly called her, just as she pretended not to notice anything.

"What is it?" She asked, looking out at the scenery through the window, her heart inexplicably racing without turning her head.

"I'd like to ask you for a favor."

"Hmm?"

She slowly turned around, relieved to see that he was already dressed.

He looked at her. "Come here."

She hesitated, struggling internally, but eventually walked over.

The curtains on this side of the window were drawn, diming the light. His figure appeared somewhat shadowy yet still tall and straight.

While fastening his watch, he said to her, "Help me with my tie."

She was taken aback.

Noticing her expression, he frowned slightly. "Can't do it?"

Of course, she could; she often helped Jasper with his tie, but...

He finished with his watch, and seeing her still unmoving, his gaze deepened. "Can't do it, or don't want to?"

She remembered how her mother used to help her father with his tie, a scene always filled with warmth, their eyes always full of affection. This made her think it was something only couples did.

"I don't think I can help you," she replied softly, turning to leave.

He pulled her back, encircling her waist, his voice low and indulgent. "Don't be difficult... I can't do it and must attend the press conference soon. You don't want me to look disheveled, do you?"

His tone was like coaxing a sulking girlfriend, instantly making the atmosphere intimate.

She quickly broke free, glaring at him in embarrassment.

He chuckled again. "Shuman always helps me with my tie; I truly can't do it."

Her heart inexplicably jolted, and she immediately pictured Luna helping him with his tie, not to mention their loving relationship.

Without a word, she turned away.

But his arms came from behind this time, wrapping tightly around her waist. "Jealous?" He rested his head on her shoulder, his breath warm against her delicate neck, subtly tempting her.

His pleasant scent surrounded her, flushing her heart and face. She struggled to break free, but his hands remained firmly locked around her waist.

"Let go of me..."

"You have two choices: help me with the tie, or I'll hold you like this, and we'll stay here."

"You..." So shameless.

He seemed to hear her internal curse, chuckling, his warm breath by her ear, subtly stirring her body's natural desires. "At this moment, I suggest you choose the former. If you choose the latter, what happens next might not just be holding you."

Rachel's face turned even redder, feeling his body heat against hers. She immediately chose to compromise or perhaps to buy time. "Fine, let go of me first."

"Why do I feel like your little brain is plotting something?" As soon as Kingsly finished his sentence, Rachel kicked backward with force. Fortunately, he was on guard and not hit in a sensitive area.

She was embarrassed and frustrated, but before she knew it, he had spun her around, making them face each other, his voice dangerously low. "Seems you're not behaving."

She suddenly turned around, and her nose brushed against his expensive shirt, nearly colliding with his chest. She was startled and struggled, but his arms tightly held her slender waist.

"Let go of me!"

He lowered his head slightly, his chin resting on her pretty forehead. He could see her thick, curled lashes trembling with tension, her delicate face turned somewhat in embarrassment. The light filtering through the curtain highlighted the rosy hue on her cheeks, casting an enticing glow that stirred his senses.

She felt his gaze fixed on her unblinkingly, but she was trapped and couldn't move; she could only protest. "Let go of me, let go!"

He seemed to revel in her mix of shyness and frustration, tightening his hold around her waist and pressing her lower body even closer to him.

The warmth of his body transferred to her immediately, along with the undeniable hardness pressing subtly against her most private area.

Her face flushed to the roots of her hair, ready to scold him, but as she lifted her head, her nose brushed against his lips, catching his pleasant masculine scent and warm breath. Startled, her face reddened further as she tried to squirm away, only for him to hold her tighter, bringing their noses to touch. He gazed intently at her, heat spreading in their shared breath.

She finally felt nervous and afraid, her long lashes trembling violently. She did not dare move for fear of accidentally touching that part of his body. She bit her lip lightly, trying to hold back, and said, "You're going too far!" Her voice was small, fearing that speaking too loudly would anger him.

Seeing her look so innocent and frightened, like a naive little girl, he chuckled softly, his deep voice teasing. "Are you playing hard to get now?"

Taking advantage and then humiliating her, she was furious, glaring at him angrily. "What are you saying..."

He maintained the slight curve of his lips, gazing at her sardonically. "Your reaction makes me think that despite supposedly being with your boyfriend for years, you're still an inexperienced girl." He disliked hypocrisy, yet this woman before him always pretended to be pure.

She almost saw a flash of disdain and contempt in his eyes, and her previously pounding heart suddenly stopped. She looked at him in disbelief, seeing such revulsion in his gaze, and slowly lowered her hands that had been pushing against his chest.

He observed her face shift from red to pale, his deep eyes narrowing slightly. He then allowed her hands to fall away from his chest.

She had moved in with Jasper five years ago. To outsiders, they were already intimate, so his misunderstanding didn't particularly bother her. But the trace of sarcasm in his words and eyes shook her deeply.

She knew that, given his current status, he considered her insignificant. However, such a dismissive gaze was still profoundly unsettling.

Perhaps he merely saw her as prey and didn't need to care about the prey's feelings.

She took a breath, turning her now pale face away. "It's rare for someone to find used goods so valuable, Mr. Scott."

She might not be able to fight him, but at least she could avoid being bullied by him. An inexplicable pain tugged at her heart, and she felt the change in someone she once loved. He had become someone she no longer recognized.

He wasn't considerate of her hurt, even thinking she was just playing hard to get. Unfortunately, he had already seen through who she was, but he did admire her sharp tongue.

"Why are you upset? Did I say something wrong?" he feigned innocence, gently lifting her chin, his voice soft and soothing.

She coldly shook off his hand, looking at him with no emotion. "What exactly do I have to do to see my brother?"

He scrutinized her expressionless face and spoke softly. "Seems you're outraged."

She didn't respond.

He chuckled lightly, releasing his grip on her waist. "If nothing goes wrong, the press conference should start soon. If you help me with the tie, I'll give you ten minutes alone with your brother before it begins."

Her eyes widened. "Are you serious?"

He smiled warmly, nodding slightly.

After a few moments of internal struggle, she finally raised her slightly trembling hands and tied his tie.

The silence around them was almost surreal, as if the entire world had shrunk to just the two.

He watched her tie his tie, his face devoid of any expression. For some reason, how she helped him seemed so serene, reminiscent of when he taught her to play the piano, and she was just as pure and calm.

This feeling brought him a sense of peace.

"It's done."

At some point, she had finished her task.

Snapping out of his daze, he noticed the perfectly tied knot around his neck and asked blandly, "Is this how you usually tie your fiancé's tie?"

"This is my private matter; Mr. Scott doesn't need to know."

Kingsly looked at her proud face for a long moment and suddenly laughed.

His laughter unsettled her because, despite his smile, a trace of anger was hidden beneath it. She could only try to maintain her composure to conceal her anxiety.

Silence enveloped them once more, his smile contrasting with the sharpness in his eyes as they locked onto hers. She felt increasingly frightened, sensing the danger looming, and then he spoke. "What about what we discussed? Can you give me an answer now? Your time is running out."

Her heart nearly stopped from fear until she heard his question, which allowed her a moment of relief. She gathered her courage and answered, "I already told you it's impossible."

His smile vanished, replaced by a piercing gaze. He watched her coldly, his voice turning icy. "What if I say your time is up?"

His voice, like a whisper from hell, surrounded her. She looked at him in fear and confusion. The next moment, his long arm pulled her into his embrace, his voice dangerously low in her ear. "Just now, I lost the last bit of my patience. Now, I'll show you the consequences of that."

Before she could understand his sudden change in demeanor, they were already falling onto the large bed behind them.