Olivia stepped out of the hospital, her mind a tangled mess as she struggled to figure out her next move.

She only had two choices.

The first was to tell Brayden about her condition and ask him to sleep with her.

The second was to bury her embarrassment, let go of her hesitation, and take the initiative to seduce him.

Despite the fact that they never had sex, their relationship had always been good. In the three years they had been together, they had never once had a serious argument. If she explained everything honestly, she knew Brayden would agree without hesitation for the sake of her health.

But that wasn't what she wanted. Something as intimate as that needed to come from genuine desire, not responsibility or obligation.

After countless moments of hesitation, Olivia finally made her choice. She would stop overthinking it and seduce her own husband.

That night, she forced herself to gather her courage. After changing into a set of alluring lingerie, she picked up her phone and called Brayden. "When are you coming home?"

"I won't make it home tonight." Brayden's voice came through the phone, deep and gentle. "Tomorrow's international meeting starts early, so I'll spend the night at the Harborview Apartments."

Their marital home sat out in the suburbs, a spacious villa that kept him far away from the office.

Brayden had bought another place closer to work—a two-level unit at the Harborview Apartments.

Olivia fell silent for a moment before asking, "So... are you alone tonight?"

If he couldn't come home because of work, then she would simply go to him.

A low chuckle came through the phone. "Of course, I'm alone. What, are you worried I have another woman here?"

Olivia gave an embarrassed laugh, quickly covering her true thoughts. "No. I was just asking."

If he had colleagues there for a late-night meeting, showing up out of nowhere would only make things awkward.

After ending the call, Olivia slipped a long coat over her lingerie, grabbed the meal she had carefully prepared, then picked up some condoms before leaving for the Harborview Apartments.

By the time she arrived, it was already eight o'clock.

The door code was one she had chosen when they bought the place, so she entered it without hesitation and stepped inside.

The moment the door opened, the rich aroma of food filled the apartment.

Then Brayden walked out of the kitchen, an apron tied around his waist and a steaming dish in his hands. The scent alone was enough to make it clear he had put real effort into it.

Olivia stared at him, caught completely off guard. "Brayden?"

After knowing him for so many years, she knew better than anyone that he was hopeless in the kitchen. He couldn't even tell salt from sugar. So when did he learn how to cook?

Brayden's head snapped toward the doorway the instant he heard her voice. A flash of panic crossed his features before he could hide it.

Bathed in the warm light spilling from the entrance, Olivia stood there in her long white coat, carrying herself with effortless grace.

She tilted her head slightly, giving him a sweet, teasing smile.

Once, that expression alone would have been enough to break through every bit of his restraint. Back then, he would have walked straight over, wrapped his arms around her, and held her close without a second thought.

But the man standing before her no longer looked at her the way he used to; his eyes carried only tension and irritation. "What are you doing here?"

Olivia's gaze shifted past him and landed on the food spread across the table. "Since when did you learn how to cook?"

"I... I don't know how." Brayden broke eye contact, his gaze shifting aside. "It's just takeout. I only warmed it up."

A moment later, his brows drew together as he queried, "Why aren't you at home?"

"Because you weren't coming back." Olivia inhaled slowly, gathering the courage she had built up all the way here. Then she finally let the words she had practiced over and over spill out. "You couldn't come to me, so I came to you instead."

The moment the words left her lips, she slipped the coat from her shoulders, revealing the delicate, revealing lingerie underneath.

Brayden's entire body went rigid. The sight before him struck like a sudden shock, leaving him completely speechless for a moment.

But the surprise quickly gave way to anger. His brows furrowed deeply, his expression turning glacial. "Olivia, what the hell are you wearing?"

Before she could respond, he snatched up the coat and pushed it back toward her. "Put it back on. Go home. Throw that thing away, and don't ever wear something like this again."

The smile on Olivia's lips slowly disappeared.

She had imagined countless reactions from him. She thought he might be stunned, tempted, maybe even unable to hide his desire. She never expected this.

Yet she refused to back down.

For an entire year, Brayden had avoided being intimate with her.

Tonight, she had already made her decision. No matter what it took, she was going to sleep with him.

She couldn't wait any longer.

Swallowing the embarrassment burning in her chest, Olivia reached out, took his hand, and slowly guided it toward her. "Brayden..."

Her voice softened, carrying a hint of desperation. "We've been married for a year. You've never even touched me. Do you know how lonely that makes me feel?"

She held his hand tighter, her eyes filled with vulnerability. "Please... just touch me."

The second his palm was in her grasp, she felt his entire hand stiffen.

And right as she was about to move it against her skin, a voice suddenly floated down from the staircase. "Olivia, are you seriously that horny?"