Katubari

* At night
He was rugged and untamed. That one steamy night left Grace utterly captivated. She coyly stretched out her dainty, snow-white feet, hooking them around his waist as she softly laid down her terms:
For the first time, no staying overnight.
The second time, the moment he got himself a significant other, she'd vanish from his side.
Later on, their liaison would remain strictly on a physical level.
No strings of money attached, no emotional fetters, just the most primal and unadulterated desires that flared up when night fell, entwining them like a web spun by countless spiders.
And once the moment had passed, she'd straighten her skirt and turn her back on him, cold as ice.
*During daytime
He was the heir to a vast business empire, now impeccably dressed in a sharp suit, exuding an air of aristocratic reserve. He extended his hand to her with a polite smile, 
“Hello, Grace.”
Grace gritted her teeth in secret dismay. She hastened to call off whatever was brewing between them, only to find herself cornered against the dressing room by the man, with no way out.
In that cramped space, he was a relentless predator, and she, his irresistible quarry. His firmness pressed against her soft curves, setting every inch ablaze.
Outside the door, her female colleagues were swooning over his chiseled abs.
Just a thin partition away, he locked his arm around her willowy waist, seized her delicate hand, and guided it to rest on his taut abdomen, his voice dripping with a sultry allure, “Thought you could slip away? It's far too late for that.”

Dangerous: Don't cross the line!

Grace Quinn looked at him, stunned. She hadn't expected to hear those words from him.

All her life, she'd seen the powerful and wealthy as symbols of authority. They used their privileged status to bend rules and get what they wanted.

Before coming here, Grace had even expected him to take advantage of the situation and make unreasonable demands.

It was the typical trope in CEO romance novels—set up the female lead, toy with her, then force her to beg for help.

But John's voice was calm as he spoke, "Grace, I want to treat you as an equal, not use your body to get what I want."

His hand gently cupped her cheek. "You're too good for that."

His words, soft yet firm, broke down the wall inside her heart.

"So, please, don't push me away. Let me get closer, okay?"

Grace stared at him, disbelief in her eyes. She examined his sharp features. His dangerous and cold expression softened in the warm light.

Reject her