*** Grace made her way to the photocopy machine, despite the fact that there was one in the opposite direction. She simply wanted to avoid James's curious stare. Little did she know that evading James's curious gaze would only invite another annoying one. Susan, from the moment she stepped out of the office, had been glaring at her. Why? Grace wondered. *** As Susan watched Grace exit the office, her blood boiled with anger. How could such a person, a nobody with no background, be working under Creed? "No matter which bastard I associate with, I could never secure such a position. I'm his cousin, and yet look at me," Susan muttered angrily. How had Grace managed to bend the unyielding Noah Creed to her will, even to the point of conflict with his own mother? Unforgivable. Susan suddenly stood up, her steps purposeful as she made her way over to Grace. *** “Ah... Here comes the devil," Grace murmured as she caught a glimpse of Susan walking up to her. "Oh God, give me the stren

***As they settled at a table near the window, Grace couldn't help but relish the cool breeze that wafted in. She took a deep breath, savoring the moment.When was the last time she had enjoyed such peace and quiet? She pondered, a small smile tugging at the corners of her lips.The shopkeeper approached, a jovial grin on his face. "What can I get for you folks tonight?" he asked, his eyes twinkling with mischief.Grace glanced at the menu before deciding, "I'll just have a beer, please. The cheap one with low alcohol," she said with a shrug. She had made a promise to herself to stick to one drink, and she intended to keep it.The shopkeeper chuckled. "Ah, going for the budget-friendly option, I see. Wise choice, my dear. And for you, sir?" he asked, turning to Noah with a knowing look.Noah grinned back. "I'll have whatever she's having," he replied, flashing a mischievous wink at Grace, “Oh, don't forget to add my usual,” he added.“Sure, Mr. Creed,” The shopkeeper said.Grace roll

***"Ahhhhhhhhh!" Grace screamed, as she snapped her eyes open, her heart racing as she sat up in bed. "Seriously, not again," she groaned, rubbing her temples. "I thought those nightmares were behind me." She mutters, trying to shake off the remnants of her unsettling dream.As she glanced around, taking in her surroundings, her confusion deepened. "Where am I?" she mumbled, her voice barely audible in the eerie silence of the room, still scanning the room. Her eyes fell upon the familiar sight of her closet, the furnishings of her apartment slowly coming into focus. "This is my apartment, but how...?" did I end up here?Memories from the previous night trickled back like a rushing tide, fragmented and hazy. She remembered drinking with Noah, the laughter and warmth of their conversation but then... everything went blank. "What happened after that?" she wondered aloud, anxiety creeping into her voice.Her pulse quickened as she searched the room, panic rising within her. "Oh my God,

***Noah sighed heavily as he glanced at his still-evident arousal. Being near Grace was like walking on a tightrope; one wrong move and it could spell disaster.If anyone had ever told him that there would come a time when he would have to restrain himself or heed a woman's words, he would have scoffed. But last night had been a wake-up call for him.Despite his strong desire to pound her, he couldn't bring himself to take advantage of her, even under the influence of alcohol. He knew how much she opposed the idea, and he respected her boundaries.He recalled a past experience where he had spent a night with a drunken woman who had seduced him intentionally.The memory made him shudder. He had unleashed his full sexual desire on her, fucked her like crazy, and then left her physically sore for days afterward.He had always prided himself on his stamina and never shied away from expressing his brute sexual desire, especially when his partners begged for more. But Grace was different.

***Even though Grace was initially reluctant to have Noah tag along with her, the grocery shopping trip went smoothly. There were no prying eyes or cameras, yet she couldn't shake off her self-consciousness.The weekend passed without any major hiccups, and true to his word, Noah spent the entire weekend with her.However, Grace found it difficult to fall asleep, as Noah continuously sought to steal kisses and perhaps more.The following week, Noah departed on a business trip to Australia. The launch of the new overseas branch kept him incredibly busy. His secretary, James, was left behind to compile all the necessary documents required for the trip. Since the call came suddenly, there was no time for farewells, and Noah had to leave without even saying goodbye.Whenever she was alone, like right now, Grace couldn't help but reminisce about the fun times she shared with Noah. It brought her happiness, a feeling she hadn't experienced in a long time. With her father deceased an