Chapter 4: Who Exactly Is This Man?

From the first floor to the sixteenth, in just a few short seconds, Vivian Hale felt as though the man’s gaze was stripping her bare.

Her heart hammered against her ribs like a drum, terrified that something might go wrong at this critical moment.

When the elevator doors finally slid open again, she stepped out, feigning a calm she didn't feel.

She didn't hear any footsteps following her. Only when the doors fully hissed shut behind her did she finally let out a long, shuddering breath of relief.

Regardless of who he was, he—along with Adrian—was part of a past that needed a final period.

She didn't see the fleeting loneliness that flickered in the depths of the man's somber eyes inside the elevator.

The interview went perfectly.

Using her new patent, she secured the position she wanted. However, the HR department informed her that the processing of documents for her overseas relocation would take a month for full approval.

Conveniently, the cooling-off period from signing the divorce papers to receiving the final certificate would also take exactly one month.

One month. Enough time to orchestrate everything and vanish before Adrian could even react.

The only difficult part left was severing the emotional ties to this twelve-year relationship.

Vivian didn't mind the wait. After signing the contract, a massive weight felt as though it had been lifted from her shoulders. In a rare good mood, she went to a nearby mall to do some shopping.

She was picking out jewelry for herself when she looked up and saw, at a nearby counter, Tiffany Rose clinging to Adrian’s arm while they browsed for accessories.

Her eyes stung at the sight.

Adrian had never done this with her.

In the past, Adrian would simply bring home a random gift to appease her. Later, he had even delegated the task of choosing holiday gifts to his assistant, treating it like a chore on a checklist, indifferent to whether she actually liked them.

He had certainly never accompanied her to pick something out in person.

Sensing a gaze upon them, Tiffany glanced over.

Upon spotting Vivian, Tiffany’s red lips curled into a triumphant smirk. She leaned into the man, acting spoiled. "Adrian, this ring is so beautiful. Can you help me put it on?"

The sales assistant took the opportunity to push the sale.

"Sir, this is our latest wedding ring design, themed around the 'Flower of Three Lifetimes.' It symbolizes a passionate love that remains steadfast until death. It suits the two of you perfectly."

Tiffany was even more delighted.

She shook the man’s arm, begging him to buy it.

With a mix of indulgence and helplessness, the man lightly tapped her nose and gave the assistant an elegant nod.

"Take it out and let her try it on."

Tiffany raised her chin arrogantly, as if she had won a great battle.

She shot Vivian a look filled with disdain and contempt.

She was so focused on her display of power that she didn't even notice Adrian handing her the ring.

Confused, the man followed her gaze. His entire body froze instantly. He instinctively and sharply pushed Tiffany out of his embrace.

The panic in his eyes was as ironic as it was pathetic.

Vivian quickly composed herself. Just as she was about to turn away, she noticed someone behind him.

A deep glint flashed in her eyes.

She looked up again, acting as if she hadn't seen Adrian at all. She raised her hand and gave a cheerful shout.

"Honey!"

She walked toward them gracefully in her high heels.

Adrian’s breath hitched. He was already frantically rehearsing an explanation as he stepped forward with a fake, easy smile, reaching out his hand.

He acted as if he were calmly welcoming her.

Tiffany, however, was burning with anxiety. Refusing to back down, she grabbed Adrian’s arm again, thrusting her chest forward to flaunt her healthy, proud figure.

While the two of them harbored their own hidden agendas, Vivian—despite her heart bleeding—acted as if they were invisible.

She walked briskly past them, her voice filled with even more joy.

"I was just thinking about you, and here you are. We really are on the same wavelength."

Adrian’s arm froze in mid-air. He turned around in shock, only to see Vivian throw herself into someone else’s arms—his brother, Silas Vance—like a bird returning to its nest.

She hooked her arms around his neck, her face beaming with a radiant smile.

It looked exactly like they had during their honeymoon phase—intimate and inseparable.

"I'm hungry. Can you take me to dinner?"

The man’s eyes flickered with surprise and bewilderment.

Vivian’s heart was pounding.

She didn't know how this substitute would react in front of Adrian.

A familiar, cool fragrance filled her nostrils, assaulting her senses.

It reminded her, over and over, of those absurd nights spent drowning in a sea of desire.

And all of this seemed like it might be stripped of its veil at any moment, exposed to the world.

Perhaps due to nerves, or perhaps from the thrill of revenge, the corners of her eyes were tinged with a flush of peach.

On her tilted face, her shimmering eyes looked as though they held a thousand unspoken confessions of passion.

It was an alluring, invisible provocation.

The atmosphere remained frozen for a short moment.

The man’s deep voice finally resonated.

"Okay."

That one word caused the turbulent emotions inside Vivian to settle instantly.

In the next second, however, she clearly saw a familiar, intoxicating lust flickering in the depths of the man's eyes.

It was a look that suggested he could devour her whole at any moment.

Insatiable.

Her legs began to tremble involuntarily. She felt a wave of unease wash over her, and the tips of her ears began to burn.

She instinctively tried to pull away from his embrace, but a large hand clamped firmly around her waist.

The heat of his palm through the thin fabric stimulated her skin, sending wave after wave of indescribable, tingling tremors through her.

The man leaned down slightly, his warm breath grazing her nose.

"What do you want to eat?"

Vivian’s body was stiff; she didn't know how to answer.

Her mind was a complete jumble.

Under the pressure of the man's large hand, her soft abdomen was pressed tightly against his.

It was erotic and intimate.

She really couldn't take much more. She used a bit of strength to pull away slightly and took the man’s arm, leading him in the opposite direction.

"Western food. I'm craving Wagyu."

...

Watching the two of them walk away together, Adrian's face had turned a livid shade of green.

Yet, he couldn't chase after them.

Tiffany was frozen in horror, her mind failing to process what had just happened.

She said blankly, "Adrian, that man looks exactly like you."

Adrian was in no mood to explain. He brushed her off with a perfunctory, "You saw wrong."

He turned and walked away, his face clouded with gloom.

...

Through the mall's glass window, Vivian confirmed that Adrian hadn't followed them. While she found the situation ridiculous, she tried to pull her hand back.

The man suddenly stopped, turned, and pinned her against the wall.

Without any hesitation, his large hand claimed her waist once more.

"Being distracted... shouldn't you be punished?"

The slight lilt at the end of his sentence made Vivian’s head hum.

When her suspicions were deepening, she had often drifted off in bed.

She had been trying to find evidence that the man was Adrian.

Every time she did, he would catch her instantly. He would nip at her earlobe, driving into her with heavy, rhythmic force, his voice raw and harsh.

"Vivian, being distracted deserves a punishment."

The result of that punishment was being carried to the floor-to-ceiling window, or the bathroom vanity, where he would take her ruthlessly over and over until she cried.

"Why is your face so red?"

The man’s slightly calloused fingertip brushed against her cheek, snapping her back to reality.

Suddenly, a feeling of dread—separate from the fluttering in her heart—surged within her.

Who exactly was this man?

He was willing to be Adrian’s substitute, so he must be subordinate to Adrian in some way.

Yet the bespoke suit he wore, the cufflinks at his wrists, and the diamond brooch on his chest were all exquisite and luxurious.

Furthermore, she didn't believe for a second that he hadn't seen Adrian just now.

To be entangled with the employer's wife right in front of the employer...

Wasn't he afraid of being fired?

The man’s thumb brushed against her lip, bringing a slight sting.

Vivian quickly forced herself to calm down. She avoided his touch inconspicuously, her gaze full of hidden meaning.

"Honey, didn't you tell me you had a very important meeting this afternoon that you couldn't miss? I can't be selfish and let you neglect your work. I'm going home."

She tried to find a trace of panic in the man's eyes.

There was none.

In his eyes, dark as a deep sea, her small face was clearly reflected.

Beyond that, there was nothing.

The more composed he remained in the face of a lie, the more it revealed an uncontrollable danger.

Vivian didn't linger. She turned and hurried away.

The man didn't stop her.

His gaze never wavered for a second, following her silhouette closely.

The possessiveness surging in his eyes was like the smoldering ash left after a volcanic eruption.

Seemingly cold and quiet, yet hot enough to burn everything to the ground.