Rion Vale's POV :
I sat at the head of the long conference table, watching the presentation unfold on the screen. The new skincare line — Pure Skin — was the center of today's discussion. Around me, department heads spoke eagerly, pitching strategies and projections.
Gen, my secretary, stood beside the screen, laser pointer in hand. "This project is crucial, sir," he said, his tone firm but respectful. "Especially since Lee Biohealth System is launching a similar product next quarter. If we secure the market first, Vale Biotech will lead the skincare division globally."
I leaned back in my chair, fingers tapping lightly against the table. The product, the competition, the numbers — everything should have held my attention. But my thoughts drifted elsewhere… to someone I hadn't seen in a week.
My mind wasn't in the meeting. It had been a week since I last saw Evan Lee. A week since that night. And no matter how many times I'd tried to arrange a meeting, his office rejected every request.
"Sir?" Gen's voice pulled me back. The room is empty now, the meeting long over. He looked at me nervously.
"What's the update on Evan Lee?" I asked, adjusting my cufflinks as I turned to face him.
"I tried to schedule a meeting again," Gen said carefully. "But Mr. Evan's secretary said he's… unavailable. He doesn't wish to meet you."
I stood, the chair scraping against the marble floor. "Really? He's that stubborn."
Gen hesitated. "Sir, with all due respect… maybe we should leave it for now. The press already loves the rivalry between Vale Biotech and Lee Biohealth. If you suddenly show up at his company, it might spark more rumors."
I slipped my hands into my pockets, my tone calm but final. "Let them talk. I don't care about rumors."
I turned toward the door. "We're going to his office."
Gen blinked, startled, then hurried after me. "Sir—are you sure this is wise?"
"I'm done waiting," I said quietly, my voice low and edged with something I didn't want to name. "I need to see him."
Evan Lee's POV
I sit in my office, quietly analyzing the files spread across my desk. It's been a week since that night — a week just to recover, to feel even slightly normal again. Sex with Rion Vale didn't just break my body; it tore at my mind, too. I sigh, fingers tightening around the pen. That bastard. I don't want to remember. I can't remember.
The door suddenly bursts open. Arem rushes in, his face pale, eyes wide with panic.
"Arem, what happened?" I ask, without looking up.
He stammers, "Sir… Mr. Vale—"
My grip freezes on the pen. "I already told you I don't want to meet him," I cut in coldly. "Tell his secretary that Mr. Lee has no interest."
Arem takes a shaky breath. "Sir… he's here."
I look up sharply. "What?"
He nods, swallowing hard. "Mr. Vale is already here."
"Call the security," I order, standing abruptly. "Don't let him enter my office. I don't want to see—"
The door swings open before I can finish. He's already inside.
Rion Vale.
Cold. Sharp. Composed. His presence alone feels like a shadow crawling across the room.
"Hello, Evan Lee," he greets, voice smooth as silk.
I glare at him, rage surging through my chest. What does this bastard want from me now?
He walks closer and sits down in front of me like he owns the place. "You're so stubborn," he says calmly. "So I thought I should pay you a visit myself."
My secretary still stands near the door, tense. I glance at him — just a slight motion — and he understands, quietly leaving the room.
Now it's just the two of us. Silence wraps around us like static.
I speak first, voice cold. "What do you want?"
Rion's gaze doesn't waver. "I want to meet you. I want to talk about that night."
I cut him off immediately. "Mr. Rion Vale, I don't want to talk. I don't have time for nonsense. You may leave."
He leans back in the chair, still calm, unbothered. "Really?"
I glare at him — furious, helpless — but then something strange happens.
That scent again. Subtle, deep, intoxicating. Black orchid.
Why does my body suddenly feel warm? Too warm. My throat feels tight; my skin prickles. I tug at my tie, loosening it, but it doesn't help.
He's still watching me — eyes sharp, too observant — like he already knows.
"What are you waiting for? Get out," I snap.
But my fingers move almost unconsciously to the spot between my neck and shoulder. The warmth there pulses, spreading deeper beneath my skin. It's faint, but real — and it feels alive.
Rion suddenly stands. His expression changes — calm fades into something else. Shock.
I stumble toward the window, trying to breathe. The air feels heavy. "It's so… hot," I whisper, fumbling with the buttons of my shirt.
"Evan Lee," he says, voice low.
He grabs my wrist gently, stopping me from unbuttoning more. My face burns; I can barely meet his eyes.
"What's happening to you?" he asks, his gaze trailing up to my neck.
His breath catches when he sees it — the faint mark glowing softly under my skin. His eyes widen.
"I…" He pauses, voice rough, almost reverent. "I marked you."
I blink, confused. "What… what are you saying?"
He doesn't answer — only stares at me with that same intensity, that scent of black orchid surrounding me like poison and comfort all at once.
It's too much. My vision sways. My body feels light, my breath uneven. I lose balance.
The last thing I feel is the warmth of Rion's arms catching me before I fall.
His voice fades in my ears — a whisper, low and shaken. "I didn't mean to…"
Then everything goes dark.