I stood there for what felt like forever.
My back still pressed against the wall.
My breathing uneven.
My heart refusing to calm down.
The hallway suddenly felt too quiet after Greyson walked away.
"Forget it ever happened."
The words echoed painfully inside my head.
Forget it?
How was I supposed to forget any of that?
The way his hand had tightened around my waist.
The way his breath felt against my neck.
The dangerous look in his eyes.
My knees still felt weak.
I pressed my fingers against my lips, trying to steady myself.
"Get yourself together, Vicenza," I whispered shakily.
But my body refused to listen.
Because for the first time…
Greyson's perfectly controlled walls had cracked.
And I had seen what was hiding underneath.
My phone buzzed again from the living room.
Right.
The call.
I walked back toward the couch on shaky legs and grabbed my phone.
Li Wei.
For a moment, I hesitated before finally answering the video call.
The screen lit up instantly.
And there he was.
Li Wei leaned lazily against what looked like his apartment balcony railing. The city lights behind him glowed softly against the dark Beijing skyline.
His black hair looked slightly messy, like he had been running his fingers through it repeatedly.
And somehow,
Even through a screen,
He looked unfairly attractive.
"There you are, Deer," he said softly.
His voice immediately felt calming.
Safe.
I swallowed hard before forcing a smile.
"Hi."
Li Wei tilted his head slightly.
"You look flushed," he observed carefully. "Did something happen?"
My heart nearly stopped.
Could he tell?
"No," I lied quickly. "It's just hot here."
His eyes narrowed slightly like he didn't fully believe me.
But thankfully,He didn't push.
Instead, he smiled softly.
"I missed you for those few minutes you were away."
My chest tightened unexpectedly.
No one had ever said things like that to me so naturally before.
Not in real life.
Not sincerely.
And maybe that was what made Li Wei dangerous.
He made me feel seen.
"You barely survived one minutes without me?" I teased lightly.
He chuckled.
"Minutes?" he scoffed dramatically. "Deer, do you know how hard it is not talking to you?"
I laughed softly.
And slowly—
The tension inside me began to ease.
An hour later, I ended the call and dragged myself toward my bedroom.
The mansion was silent again.
But tonight—
It felt different.
Because now I was hyperaware of the room next to mine.
Greyson's room.
Ever since the kidnapping incident, he had started sleeping there "for security purposes."
At least…
That was the excuse he gave.
I changed into an oversized shirt and slid beneath the blankets, turning off the bedside lamp.
Darkness swallowed the room.
But sleep never came.
Every time I closed my eyes—
I remembered his voice.
"Do you have any idea what you're doing to me?"
I groaned into my pillow.
This was bad.
Very bad.
And somehow—
The worst part was that a tiny part of me wanted it to happen again.
The next morning.
I woke up late.
Sunlight spilled through the curtains, warming the room softly.
My phone buzzed beside me.
Li Wei: Good morning, Deer ☀️
A sleepy smile appeared on my face instantly.
Li Wei: Did you sleep well?
Me: Barely 😂
Three dots appeared immediately.
Li Wei: Why?
I stared at the screen for a second too long.
Because of your rival and my emotionally unavailable butler.
Obviously I couldn't type that.
Me: Just overthinking again.
Li Wei: Then I should come there and personally stop you from overthinking.
My breath caught slightly.
Me: Kenya is far away 😂
Li Wei: Maybe not that far for me.
I blinked.
Then another message came through.
Li Wei: What if I told you I actually want to visit?
I sat up straighter in bed.
Wait.
Was he serious?
Me: You're joking.
Li Wei: No. I want to see you properly this time.
My heart skipped violently.
Before I could reply—
A knock sounded at my bedroom door.
My stomach immediately tightened.
"Come in," I said quickly.
The door opened.
Greyson stepped inside carrying a breakfast tray.
And somehow—
He looked even more unfairly attractive in the morning.
His black dress shirt sleeves were rolled slightly to his forearms, revealing toned veins beneath his skin. His hair was slightly messy, like he hadn't slept properly either.
But his expression?
Cold.
Professional.
As if last night had never happened.
"Breakfast, Miss Vicenza," he said calmly.
I swallowed hard.
"O-oh. Thank you."
He placed the tray carefully on the table near my bed.
His movements were controlled.
Precise.
Too precise.
Like he was trying very hard not to look at me too much.
My phone buzzed loudly again.
Greyson's eyes flickered downward instinctively.
Li Wei: I mean it, Deer. I want to come to Kenya.
The atmosphere changed instantly.
I saw it.
The slight tightening of Greyson's jaw.
The coldness settling deeper into his gaze.
But his voice remained calm.
"Will there be anything else, Miss Vicenza?"
I locked my phone quickly.
"N-no."
He nodded once.
Then turned to leave.
But just as he reached the door—
He stopped.
My breath caught.
Without facing me, he spoke quietly.
"You should be careful with people online."
The words hung heavily in the air.
I frowned slightly.
"What does that mean?"
Finally, he turned.
And something unreadable flashed across his eyes.
"It means not everyone is who they pretend to be."
Then he walked out.
Leaving me staring after him.
Confused.
Again.
___________
Three days later, I became occupied with school projects and preparations for an upcoming one-week school trip.
My parents finally returned from their business trip.
The mansion immediately regained its usual rhythm—staff moving around endlessly, phones ringing nonstop, and business conversations echoing through the halls.
But despite their return…
The house still felt cold.
I sat quietly at the kitchen counter, scrolling through my messages with Li Wei while my parents discussed stock investments and overseas meetings as though I wasn't even there.
"Singapore was exhausting," my mother sighed, barely looking up from her tablet.
Father simply hummed in response while typing on his laptop.
Neither of them asked how I had been.
Not once.
And somehow…
That still hurt.
Even after all these years.
I lowered my gaze back to my phone.
Me: I have to tell you something. We're going on a one-week school trip.
Li Wei: Really? Where to?
Me: The coastal circuit. We're visiting national parks, conservancies, beaches, and historical sites around the region.
Li Wei: Woah. Then you better send me pictures, Deer 😊
A small smile appeared on my face.
Suddenly, Greyson entered the kitchen.
My eyes lifted instinctively toward him.
And for one brief second—
Our gazes locked.
The memory of that night in the hallway crashed into me all over again.
His hand on my waist.
His breath against my neck.
"I am a man too."
Heat rushed to my cheeks and I quickly looked away.
Greyson remained perfectly composed, carrying himself with the same cold professionalism as always.
Like nothing had happened.
Like he hadn't almost kissed me.
"Coffee, sir," he said calmly, placing a cup beside my father.
Then another beside my mother.
His movements were smooth. Controlled.
But when he passed by me—
I noticed the faint bruise still lingering near his knuckles.
The one he got while protecting me.
My chest tightened slightly.
And then—
My phone buzzed.
Li Wei: Deer… I booked the flight.
My entire body froze.
Another message appeared almost immediately.
Li Wei: I'll be in Kenya in two weeks.
My heart nearly stopped.
Because suddenly—
Everything was becoming real.