It was a route renowned in the climbing world for its brutal difficulty, a true test of strength, technique, and endurance.

A fresh wave of excitement rippled through the onlookers.

"Shouldn't we be competing on mountaineering knowledge?" I asked, confused. Such a challenge seemed beneath his status as team leader.

"A knowledge competition would be unfair," Cole said, closing the distance between us until his presence was an aggressive, physical force. "It'd be me bullying you. This is the challenge. Scared?"

Alright, damn it.

Was he trying to intimidate me or humiliate me?

But a few minutes of this were nothing compared to the ten-year nightmare I’d already survived.

Besides, we were married for a decade. I knew his climbing habits better than he did. I should see all his little tricks coming.

"Let's start," I said coldly.

The moment the words left my mouth, the playful look in Cole's eyes vanished.

He didn't just plan to use words. The moment my feet hit the mat, he trapped me against the wall.

It was an incredibly possessive move. One hand slammed against the wall by my ear, caging me against his hard chest.

I instinctively wanted to resist, but he was too close.

An intense, masculine scent, a mix of cedar and leather, washed over me like a tide, threatening to drown my senses.

The wave of heat rolling off him was so intense I wanted to flee, but his breath ghosting over the nape of my neck sent a shiver down my spine, and a part of me wanted to surrender.

My knees went weak.

I froze, feeling myself about to melt against his scorching chest.

Cole lowered his head, his hot breath fanning over my ear.

"Focus, Luo Li."

But he didn't stop. He buried his nose in the crook of my neck and took a deep breath, his low voice vibrating against my ear.

A jolt of electricity shot from the base of my spine to the top of my head.

I went rigid, all but melting into his embrace.

The cheers and whistles from the crowd faded away.

My world narrowed to his dominant scent, chipping away at my resolve as he staked his claim in his own unique way.

I lifted my head, meeting his gaze in a daze.

No. I snapped back to my senses.

This was just his damn need for control acting up.

He'd been cold in our past life, and his methods now were just as calculating.

He wasn't used to being rejected. He wanted me fawning over him, just like all the others.

I was done with this charade of intimacy.

With my last ounce of clarity, I fought the instinctual trembling of my body and pushed him away.

He stared in shock, as if he couldn't imagine anyone breaking free from that kind of pressure—or daring to refuse his advance.

After all, the line of female climbers who wanted to be his partner could stretch from one end of the climbing gym to the other. The old me included.

I took a deep breath to calm my racing heart and spoke coolly,

"I lose."