While I cursed at Bob under my breath, my sight caught Adam slowly moving his way toward us.

And fast as a flash, Bob morphed into a different persona. This time, one full of flattery. He grabbed my hand again as the couple got closer to us.

"Sir Adam, Miss Emily," he greeted them. "It's so nice to see you this evening."

I stood silent and wasn't planning to do anything until Bob squeezed my hand to warn me. Left with no choice, I lowered my head a little and greeted them hello as I tried to calm myself.

Though quick, Adam's gaze instantly fell on my hand, which Bob was holding after I finished speaking. Then, he shifted his gaze to meet my eyes and looked at me coldly as if mocking me. Something in his stare made my heart tremble again, so I didn't dare to look at him anymore.

"As I recall, you know my wife, Sophia, right?" When Bob mentioned me, I looked up and discreetly glared at him.

Adam didn't say anything, but his fiancee replied, "Oh, Adam? Do you know each other? How come?"

In a cold tone, Adam answered, "Just a colleague."

It was just three words, but I felt their gravity as my face turned pale, and I couldn't help but smile bitterly.

Polite as she seemed, the woman turned to me and extended her hand, saying, "Hello, I'm Emily, by the way. Adam's fiancee. It's nice to meet you."

I looked at the hand in front of me, and the engagement ring on her finger caught my attention. It was so bright that I felt like my eyes were burning.

After a few seconds, I accepted her hand and greeted her back. "Hello, I'm Sophia."

Oddly, when Emily heard my name, her eyes suddenly showed a bit of hatred. However, she quickly covered it up, and only I seemed to have noticed it.

Feeling strange, I began to wonder if she had seen me before or if we had met once.

A few minutes later, someone called Emily and Bob over, so they excused themselves and left. Before leaving, Bob threatened me again to behave myself or else. However, regardless of that, I went to the balcony outside to stay away from other people.

As soon as the night breeze hit my face, I felt my body shiver in the cold, but my mind and heart became more at ease and sober. At this point, because I was alone, I began to think about the situation more seriously.

It was clear that Bob had proof that Adam and I were together. He made this threat because he was aware of my relationship with Adam and had even used me to establish a connection and discuss business with him. If I argue about Bob's cheating, would anyone believe me? After all, I didn't have any proof that he and Eric were together. Plus, Bob was already set on the fact that I wouldn't blow the whistle on his relationship with my brother.

When I gave it more thinking, I realized how powerless I was. As I stared up at the skyscrapers, I hoped I could just leap off one of them and end my life.

Then, all of a sudden, I felt someone's hand around me.

I was shocked that I began to panic and fight back.

"Don't move," a warm breath whispered unto my ear.

When I heard his voice, it took only two words from him for me to freeze. I knew that voice. I knew Adam very well.

After I finally calmed down, he twisted my body around so I could face him. His eyes shone brighter than any star in the night sky. I was smitten, but I couldn't see what was hiding behind those eyes.

Apathetically, he ran his hands through my hair and murmured, "Your husband truly impressed me."

Even though I was mortified by Bob's behavior, I had to keep my mouth shut.

However, it was as though my silence roused Adam. All of a sudden, he was clinging to me even more firmly that his grasp began to hurt. I inhaled deeply to ease the pain.

"You dumped me because of a guy like that?" His hatred and rage filled his eyes even more so than before.

I smiled bitterly as I pulled away from him and said, "Adam, don't forget that you have a fiancee."

Adam's gaze was intense, and he kept pressing closer until I was backed up against the wall.

His hands were glued to me, and he soon found the sensitive spot on my waist. He ran his palm on it and teased. "Sophia, is your relationship too solid that he knows full well how sensitive this part of you is? When he touches you, does he do it like this?"

Adam's eyes grew much more fierce and full of hate as he looked at me. He narrowed his gaze as he gripped my hand tightly. He continued to touch me even when I resisted and tried to break free from his grasp.

Not going to lie; it fascinated me that even after many years, he still knew my body very well. Knowing precisely where to go, his hand traveled to parts that quickly softened and aroused me. However, his hands began to feel cold, just like his stare. They paced slowly as my skin touched his palm.

"Sophia, does he know you better than I do?" he teased, expressionless as his hands kept moving all over me. "Does he like to touch you here as much as I do?"

I wore a strapless dress, so when Adam pulled my skirt, I couldn't help but shout at him.

"No! Don't!" Suddenly, tears welled up in my eyes, and I shook my head, but I held back the sobs. The only thing I could do was cry hopelessly.

"No?" Adam's gaze grew fiercer and his force stronger. "What? Now you want to maintain your innocence? You don't want me to touch you? You just want your husband, right?"

"No..." In desperation, I begged, "Let me go!"

Adam, though, kept going. Not long after, his hand traveled down and gave me a good squeeze there.

The abrupt chill sent me into a state of mental blankness.

With a cold grin, he lifted his hand and held it to his lips. "Even if you tell yourself no, your body still goes against you. If I had to guess, I'd say your husband is failing miserably at making you happy."

His vision was cloudy, and his eyes were still cold and emotionless.

Although my entire being was like burning in fire, I felt an icy chill creeping into my heart.

Of course, I understood that he was deliberately trying to torture and insult me. And I couldn't believe that I responded to his teasing.

With everything going on, I felt like the world spun unusually fast on purpose on its axis and then flipped upside down for a split second. I wanted to smash my head against the wall, get myself amnesia, and forget about everything that had been troubling my mind. In fact, if it meant avoiding an insult from Adam, I'd rather die.

Then suddenly, someone opened the balcony door. At that moment, I felt like every strand of hair in my body stood up, and my blood seemed to clump together. With a grimace on his face, Adam hurried to zip up my skirt. He wrapped his arms around me and cautiously shielded me.

"What are you doing, Adam?" Sure enough, it was Emily's voice.

My body was trembling uncontrollably. Not even in Adam's arms did I feel anything but my body on the frozen surface.

"Get out!" Adam growled impatiently.

"Who's behind you?" Emily was curious and started approaching us.

I felt a sudden and intense chill, as though any second I might collapse totally.

"I said, get out. Don't let me say it a third time." Adam's voice was colder than ever.

Emily stomped her foot grudgingly, but she had no choice but to turn around and leave.

I didn't give in and collapse entirely until the balcony door was locked. I would have definitely passed out if Adam hadn't helped me up. When I met his gaze, I could tell that he was concerned.

How was that possible, though?

How could he act so concerned after treating me like that? After putting me on the spot?

Numbed, I snatched myself out of his grasp, smiled bitterly, and gave him a sound smack. "No, you're right, and I'm wrong. I betrayed you three years ago, so I'm giving you the right to call me names. Bitch? Shameless? Dumb? It doesn't matter, Adam. I'll take them all. Now, can you please just let me go?"

As I continued to study Adam's expression, I saw that there was more and more going on in his eyes than I could make out. But then, I don't have the patience and the ability to see things through them.

If anything, I thought I was so far gone in my fantasy that I actually believed he liked me.

As time ticked by, my face could no longer contain any more harsh comments and embarrassment from Adam. So without looking any further into his eyes, I ran out.

My eyes streamed thousands of tears as my feet continued to take me wherever they liked.

Recently, it seemed that I had become a dumpster of problems. Everything had already rendered me exhausted, and I had no more energy left to entertain more issues my way.

However, I halted from my track as my name echoed all through the corridor.

"Sophia!" Alexa called. She looked at me as she paused to catch her breath. "Go to the front desk. It seems like your mother-in-law was looking for you."

Instantly, I gulped. Nervousness crept into my veins, and it even worsened because the way Alexa uttered those words sounded somehow hysterical. Funny because I was just complaining about my problems earlier, and there seemed to be another one.

Sure enough, my heart immediately sank as I reached the front desk. I froze as my eyes darted to my mother-in-law, Emma, sitting on the floor, crying like a madman.

"Leave me alone!" she kept yelling while throwing a tantrum like a kid. "What part of what I said doesn't make sense to you? Are you all deaf? My daughter-in-law can't have a child, and since she can't, she's nothing but a disgrace! Women's essence is to bear a child, so she should just die if she can't even do that!"

My eyes widened in disbelief, and my jaw dropped off. I wanted to step up and defend myself, but seeing everyone at the front desk glaring at me made me want to bury myself alive.

As soon as my mother-in-law's eyes caught mine, she quickly stood up and walked towards me like a cheetah. Then, she fired up as her quivering index finger pointed at my face. "Sophia, you bitch! You can't give children to my son! Now, how are we supposed to have heirs in the family?!"

Emma's voice was as loud as the one coming from a megaphone, which prompted everyone to pay attention.

Confrontations were situations I never wanted to engage myself in, but before I could run away from embarrassment again, Emma raised her hand and waved it fiercely in the air to slap me.

However, her hand didn't meet my cheek.

Adam, fortunately, appeared on time and stopped her midway.

He frowned and sternly looked at Emma. Then, he clicked his tongue and brushed her hand impatiently away. "Get out of my sight."

Emma shivered, and her eyes widened. She still seemed hellbent on harassing me, but with Adam's imposing presence close by, all she did was flash a glare directly into my eyes.

"Sophia, you know what? You're not only useless but a slut! You even seduced a man to help you, huh?" she hissed before she turned around to leave. "Pathetic."

...

Emma had already left, but I was still frozen in my spot. It seemed that the remaining tiny amounts of my energy had depleted entirely.

I bit my lower lip as my head dropped off. Her words were too harsh that they pierced my heart.

But despite my bitterness, I mustered my courage and feebly glanced at the man beside me. "Thank you," I whispered.

But then, he didn't say any words and left.

Crestfallen, I heaved a deep sigh.

I didn't mind hearing such words from my mother-in-law because I had heard all sorts of curses and criticisms from many people since then. What bothered and pained me, however, was that Adam had to hear her humiliating me and witness how she looked down on me.

After the party, I went home and wanted to explain to Emma. Though something happened between Bob and me, I at least expected him to accompany me, but he was nowhere around.

At more than ten in the evening, the doorbell suddenly rang. So as a married woman who only had time for work and the house, I expected no one other than Bob, so I opened the door.

But then, a strong scent coming from a man reeking of alcohol overwhelmed me. Immediately after that, my eyes widened as a curse escaped under my breath.

It was Adam.

He looked at me so intently that I gasped. His eyes, which had always been deep, seemed to contain too much complexity this time.

Somehow frightened, I stepped back but didn't let go of the doorknob. I also did not dare widen the doorway for him. "You... what are you doing here?" I asked, emphasizing each word.

I was afraid that if Bob saw us, he would have another thing to use to threaten me. However, my words seemed to have infuriated Adam. His face sank as his hands abruptly clasped my chin. But before I could even get rid of his hand, his domineering lips claimed mine at the speed of light.

The smell of alcohol and cigarettes completely enveloped my nose as he did that. I groaned as I tried to push him away, but he quickly locked my hands and pinned me to the wall. Then, he closed the door with his feet and deepened the kiss.

Adam then carried me onto the sofa and slowly laid me on it. I wanted to struggle, but he quickly grabbed my waist, which made my body flinch. Then, in a snap, my legs softened and almost widened on their own accord for him.

Adam, on the other hand, remained silent. His eyes were red, and his face was gloomy with a trace of harm, like an angry leopard.

No matter how hard I tried to break free from his grip, Adam didn't falter and tore my shirt.

I then bit my lower lip, inwardly cursing myself because instead of feeling hysterical and exerting more effort to stop him, my body started to feel hotter and hotter.

Perhaps, I felt even worse because my body had been asexual for a long time, not to mention that it was Adam who was in front of me.

Halfway through my thoughts, he expertly caressed my wet private part.

And due to the dose of ecstasy his fingers made me feel, I willingly gave myself more to him to sustain what I had been feeling.

My body, as expected, trembled as the tingling sensation circulated inside me. "A-Adam!" I moaned.

Now, all my concerns dissipated at once. Bob might come home anytime, but who cares? All I wanted now was more of him— more of Adam.

However, Adam abruptly stopped and looked coldly at me. Confused, I looked back at him.

'Why did you stop?' I wanted to ask.