Liyana sat in the backseat of her car, her fingers clutching the fabric of her skirt, her heart still betraying her. She should hate him. She should despise what he did. Yet, every time she recalled Damien's touch, the way his lips claimed hers as if he would die without them, she felt nothing but a strange, intoxicating warmth.
"You should be furious, Liyana," she told herself. "He took advantage of the moment. He crossed the line."
And yet, she hadn't pushed him away.
The weight of his hands, the rough possessiveness in his kiss, the way he called her Mei-Mei in a voice laced with obsession—those memories refused to leave her mind. Instead of disgust, a sinful shiver ran down her spine.
She clenched her fists. No. I won't let myself be affected. I am not the kind of woman who lets a man dictate her emotions.
As the car pulled up in front of her villa, she exhaled sharply, pushing aside the storm in her chest. The moment she stepped out, her staff greeted her.
"Welcome back, Miss Xu," her housekeeper, Aunt Wen, said warmly. "Would you like dinner?"
Liyana shook her head. "No, I'm not hungry."
"You should at least drink some tea before sleeping. It'll help you rest," Aunt Wen insisted, already preparing a cup of chamomile.
The butler, Mr. Song, approached. "Miss, your weekend plans with Young Master Lu Yuhan and Miss Lu Meilin are still set. They called earlier to confirm."
Liyana nodded. "I'll be ready in the morning."
She took the tea and headed upstairs, stripping off her blazer. As she glanced in the mirror, her eyes widened.
Her cheeks were flushed, her lips slightly swollen. Strands of her usually pristine hair were loose, messy. Her blouse—she sucked in a breath—one button was still undone, a subtle reminder of Damien's impatient fingers.
She swallowed hard and forced herself to turn away. After a long shower, she slipped into silk nightwear and collapsed onto her bed, exhausted. Sleep came, but not before the ghost of Damien's lips lingered on her skin.
The Next Morning
The sun was bright, the air crisp with the scent of freshly baked pastries as Liyana arrived at the amusement park. Dressed casually in a white off-shoulder top and high-waisted jeans, she looked different from her usual powerful CEO self. Today, she wasn't Liyana Xu, the feared businesswoman—she was just an older sister figure to the Lu siblings.
"Jiejie!!" Lu Yuhan shouted, running toward her with his usual bright grin.
"Gege, you're so slow," Meilin whined, tugging on her brother's arm as she followed.
Liyana chuckled. "You two look excited."
"Of course! We finally have you to ourselves," Yuhan smirked.
The trio entered the park, the siblings eagerly pulling Liyana toward different attractions.
The Roller Coaster:"You're not scared, are you, Jiejie?" Yuhan teased as they fastened their seatbelts.
"I should be asking you that," Liyana countered, smirking.
As the ride shot forward, Liyana felt the rush of wind against her face. The sudden drops had Meilin screaming while Yuhan shouted excitedly. Liyana? She laughed. Really laughed.
The Carousel:"This is too childish!" Yuhan groaned.
"Not for Meilin," Liyana pointed out as the younger girl happily climbed onto a white horse.
Meilin pouted. "Even Jiejie is enjoying it!"
Liyana smiled, running her fingers over the intricately carved mane of the horse. She felt… carefree. Ordinary.
Snacks and Games:They stopped for cotton candy and ice cream, Meilin and Yuhan making her try different flavors.
"You have to taste this!" Meilin insisted, pushing a spoonful of mango sorbet toward Liyana.
Liyana let the cool sweetness melt on her tongue, shaking her head. "You act like I've never eaten ice cream before."
"Not the fun way!" Yuhan grinned, smearing a little on her nose.
"Lu Yuhan!" Liyana gasped, glaring.
The boy burst into laughter, running away before she could retaliate.
The Shooting Game:Liyana narrowed her eyes at the targets, lifting the toy gun with confidence.
"Jiejie, you can't beat me," Yuhan taunted.
"Watch me," she smirked.
The next second—BANG! BANG! BANG!—three perfect shots.
"Whoa," Yuhan gaped. "Marry me, Jiejie!"
Liyana rolled her eyes. "Shut up, brat."
The Ferris Wheel:As they neared the end of the day, they took the Ferris wheel, the city lights glowing beneath them.
"It's beautiful," Meilin whispered, leaning on Liyana's shoulder.
Liyana hummed in agreement, the warmth of the siblings making her feel a sense of belonging.
She hadn't felt like this in a long time.
But just as she was about to let herself sink into this fleeting happiness—
Liyana felt it. The unsettling weight of someone watching.
Her fingers tightened around the safety bar of the Ferris wheel cabin, her relaxed mood vanishing. She hadn't realized it before, too caught up in the fun. But now—she was certain.
Someone was following her.
Once they exited the ride, she scanned the crowd.
Nothing.
"You're imagining things."
But when they walked toward the exit, she caught the faintest shadow—a man, dressed in black, standing near a lamppost. The moment her eyes met his, he turned away.
Her blood ran cold.
This wasn't random. This wasn't paranoia.
Someone was tailing her.