Following Tanya’s advice, I changed into the outfit she gave me, and after downing a few more drinks at her urging, I found myself once again standing at the door of room 603. Taking a deep breath, I braced myself before knocking.

Pierce opened the door, surprised to see me.

He hadn’t gone to bed yet, and his clothes were still neat.

“What are you doing here?”

Fueled by the alcohol, I didn’t say a word.

Instead, I threw myself into his arms.

He smelled incredible.

As my jacket slipped off, I wrapped my arms around his neck, my exposed skin pressing against the cool fabric of his shirt. Pierce stumbled back a couple of steps, startled, trying to push me away, but in the end, he just closed the door behind us.

“Why are you dressed like this?”

I half-closed my eyes, tilting my head up to lock my gaze with his.

There was a flicker of tension in his eyes, the stern look on his face softening slightly.

He opened his mouth to say something, but I pressed a finger to his lips.

Standing on my toes, I leaned in close, feeling his warm breath. “Pierce, it’s been three years... haven’t you missed me at all?”

As soon as the words left my mouth, the strap of my loose dress slipped down, revealing the delicate curve of my collarbone and a swath of pale skin.

He swallowed hard, looking away.

“I’m fifteen years older than you. How could I ever have feelings for you? Back then, I was only with you for the thrill.”

Pierce said those words while instinctively touching his nose.

He was lying. He was trying to deceive me.

Without hesitation, I reached up to touch his cheek, forcing him to look at me.

A soft laugh escaped me as my eyes fell on the ring on his finger. “If you don’t feel anything for me, then why are you still wearing the ring I gave you—three years after we broke up?”

Before Pierce could answer, I boldly pressed my lips to his.

They were soft and warm.

I heard his breathing grow heavier.

The atmosphere between us thickened with tension, and I could feel the temperature rising in the room. He made a half-hearted attempt to push me away, struggling against his own desire, but he couldn’t bring himself to do it. Whether from inner conflict or reluctance, he didn’t let go.

Our lips intertwined, the quiet sound of our kiss echoing through the stillness of the room.

Pierce pressed me against the door, his eyes narrowed, casting shadows under his lashes. His gaze, filled with emotion, locked onto mine, captivating and irresistible.

I gently wiped the fine sweat from his forehead.

The strap of my dress slipped to my ankles, and in a panic, I tried to cover myself, but Pierce grabbed my wrists, holding them firmly.

"Don’t cover yourself. I want to have a good look at you."

His voice was low, laced with a loss of control. The grip on my wrist tightened, making me wince in pain.

"Be gentle, Pierce," I whimpered.

He leaned into my neck, the wet warmth of his lips sending a shiver through me.

"Florence, I have a new girlfriend. You’ll regret this."

Tears welled in my eyes as I bit down on my lip. "You’re lying. You promised you’d never leave me. I know you’re deceiving me."

He paused for a moment, then suddenly laughed.

“Smart.”

What did that mean? Was he admitting that the woman earlier was just a lie to deceive me?

But before I could think further, his cold fingers slipped under the hem of my dress, his rough fingertips grazing my skin.

I leaned closer to his ear, my breath hot and heavy.

Pierce stroked my face, his thumb tracing over my lips before he lowered his head and kissed me.

The veins on his hand stood out, and the sound of his ragged breathing filled my ears. His lips, soft yet firm, gently sucked on mine.

The kiss hit me like a storm, overwhelming my senses, and leaving my mind blank. Without thinking, I clung to him, holding him tighter.

He laid me on the bed, and I heard the sound of a belt being pulled free. He leaned over me again, my face burning with heat.

I turned my head, unable to bear watching his movements or the possessiveness burning in his eyes.

His restless hand gripped my waist, testing his control with a gentle squeeze.

Nervously, I wrapped my arms around his neck, torn between fear and anticipation of what was about to happen.

The cold metal of the ring on his finger grazed against my skin, sending shivers through me.

In that instant, a flood of memories from countless nights with him rushed back, and I trembled, closing my eyes and holding him even tighter.

I didn’t regret dressing up like this tonight to seduce him.

Sensing something was different, Pierce suddenly stopped his movements.

His hesitation made me both anxious and embarrassed, like a fire igniting deep in my belly.

Frustrated, I let out a soft, discontented hum and leaned against his shoulder, whispering in his ear, “Pierce, let’s just do this… consider it payback for the three years I spent looking for you.”

After a night of passion, I had no idea how I even fell asleep. When I woke up, my head was pounding.

That alcohol from last night really packed a punch.

Rubbing my temples, I sat up and exhaled deeply.

Suddenly, a low, husky voice from behind startled me.

“Awake?”

I shuddered, feeling an overwhelming sense of anxiety, as though I’d been caught doing something wrong. Instinctively, I swallowed hard, pulling the blanket up to cover the intimate marks on my skin.

I forced an awkward smile and glanced at him, my mouth opening and closing before I finally managed to say, “Pierce…”

He was lying on his side, propped up on one elbow, his gaze intense and almost mischievous, as if he could see right through me.

“That’s not what you called me last night.”

My mind immediately flashed back to the madness of the night before, and my cheeks flushed with heat.

Did we really…?

He leaned down, burying his face in the crook of my neck, inhaling deeply as if savoring my scent, the scent that only belonged to him. His soft hair brushed against my chin, and before I knew it, my hand was gently stroking his head, relishing the long-lost intimacy between us.

The warm sunlight filtered through the gaps in the curtains, casting a soft glow over the rumpled sheets.

In the center of the light was a stark, unmistakable stain of blood.

Pierce lifted his head, following my gaze, a fleeting expression of surprise crossing his face before he kissed my cheek gently. “Does it still hurt?”

Even the smallest change in his demeanor didn’t escape me—something was off about Pierce.

Noticing the doubt in my eyes, Pierce coughed lightly, and once again, his hand instinctively brushed his nose as he smiled. “Need me to remind you of what happened last night?”

That was when it hit me—the blood on the bed was proof of my virginity.

Flushing with embarrassment, I buried my face in my hands, too shy to speak.

Just then, Pierce’s gaze darkened, and he coughed again, pressing his lips together as if in thought.

He wrapped me snugly in the blanket before standing, turning his back to me as a faint cough escaped him again.

He hurriedly dressed, fumbling a bit in his haste—so much so that he nearly buttoned his shirt unevenly until I pointed it out.

This wasn’t like the calm and collected Pierce I knew.

As I watched him walk away, I couldn’t help but ask, “Pierce, what’s going on with you?”

His body tensed, but he quickly turned and walked back over to me.

“Don’t worry, it’s just a little cold. I need to head to the office for a bit. Be good and stay home.”

I watched his retreating figure with suspicion. Was something wrong at his company?

After getting into the car, Pierce pulled out the medication hidden in the corner and swallowed it dry, which only triggered a more violent coughing fit.

The bitter taste spread through his mouth as he stared in despair at the blood staining his palm.

I stood by the window, watching as Pierce’s car slowly disappeared from view, a heavy weight settling on my chest, making it hard to breathe.

His unusual behavior kept gnawing at me, and I couldn’t shake the feeling that something serious had happened.

By noon, I was standing outside Pierce’s office building, carrying a homemade lunch. My steps quickened as I replayed his strange behavior in my mind, my heart racing with anxiety.

I stepped out of the elevator only to see Pierce’s assistant hurrying toward me. Thinking he might have forgotten me after all this time, I was about to introduce myself, but before I could speak, he grabbed my arm and pulled me into a corner.

Before I could ask what was going on, the assistant raised a finger to his lips, signaling me to stay quiet and leave.

Suddenly, the sound of glass shattering from Pierce’s office made my heart lurch, and I stumbled back a step, panic rising in my chest.

Through the frosted glass, I could make out Pierce’s furious figure, throwing everything off his desk. His violent coughing fit followed as he doubled over, his chest heaving.

What was happening to him?

I moved to rush in, but the assistant blocked my path firmly.

“Miss Lambert, Mr. Donovan is busy. You can’t go in.”

I was frantic now, my voice rising. “Busy? Look at him! Let me in!”

Through the glass door, I saw Pierce leaning over, bracing himself against the desk, struggling to catch his breath.

My worry spiked—was he sick?

I couldn’t understand why the assistant was stopping me. Finally, I yanked free from his grip and pushed the door open, storming into the office.

The assistant followed behind me, panic written all over his face. “I’m sorry, Mr. Donovan, Miss Lambert—she just…”

I raised my hand to cut him off, my eyes widening in disbelief at the scene before me.

The once-pristine office was now a disaster. Shattered glass littered the floor, and everything was thrown into chaos—except for one thing: the photo of Pierce and me from three years ago, still standing perfectly intact on the desk.

Stepping carefully over the shards of broken glass, I made my way to Pierce’s side. My hands trembled with uncertainty, cold sweat slicking my palms as I hesitated, unsure of what to do.

Finally, my cold hand reached out, gently cupping his pale cheek. I whispered softly, trying to soothe him, “It’s okay, I’m here now.”

Pierce slowly closed his eyes, his head dropping weakly.

I wrapped my arms around his shoulders, supporting his weight as he leaned heavily against me. Though the effort left me unsteady on my feet, I gently patted his back, trying to comfort him.

His breathing was faint, and when he spoke, his voice was hoarse and exhausted. “I scared you… I’m sorry.”

There was a deep sense of guilt in his tone.

I stayed quiet, wanting to get closer to him, but as soon as I lifted my foot, I noticed the bright red blood on the ground.