With the word ’office’ and it’s ’space’, her treacherous mind drifted back to the day she had proposed the contract and made a bold move by planting a kiss on him—something she had never thought she would dare to do, especially not with someone like him, the devilishly handsome Cassian Crown from the mafia.

Her cheeks burned hotter than fire as she recalled each breathless moment they had shared. She shook her head once more and cursed her brain for going down lanes it should not have been going down.

She noticed another door tucked deeper within the office, and curiosity quietly drew her towards it. When she pushed it open, her steps halted at once, yet this time, not out of caution, but out of something almost like disbelief. 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢

As she reached for the switch, light spilled into the room. The space was nothing less than stepping into a beautiful dream.

It was a vast bedroom, and at the centre stood an expensive modern round bed that offered more than enough space for two, while the tall, upholstered headboard rose behind it with padded leather and a square mattress. On either side of the bed, a curved space was left that could serve as a place for a book or a glass after a quiet evening, without ever needing to leave the comfort of the bed.

One side of the wall had been decorated with heavy curtains. She noticed another switch on the wall near the curtains. With a hesitant press, the fabric began to move, folding upward before gathering above like garlands.

As they parted, the room transformed once more.

Sunlight poured in through the vast windows, spilling across the floor in warm, golden streams and dissolving the last traces of shadow.

The entire bedroom seemed to awaken under that light and it was tangible... quietly breathtaking.

Cixi then wandered towards the window, which had a view of a beautifully designed rose garden, simple in shape and yet rich in care.

"That," she whispered, "is beautiful."

She took a moment to admire the garden. Soon, a few people with gardening equipment arrived and started trimming the plants and trees. With a sigh, she turned back and observed the bed, which had a tempting appearance, making her want to nap instantly.

The clock had not even struck noon, and yet she felt her energy had been drained.

She walked closer and sat on the edge of the bed first, testing the mattress with her long, thin fingers. It was soft and warm. She then drew her feet up, moved to the centre, and lay on her back properly, telling herself she would only rest her eyes for a few seconds.

The instant she looked upward, her heart lurched, and she almost screamed, if not for quickly realising she was looking at herself.

The ceiling above the bed was covered with a large mirror.

Calming her heart, she simply stared, thinking Why would anyone need a mirror on the ceiling, and after a while, a horrified gasp escaped her lips.

"Oh my god, does he admire himself while he sleeps? How narcissistic is he?" Looking in the mirror, Cixi could not help but conclude that he must love himself far more than she had thought.

She kept staring at herself in the mirror—her scarf over her head, her face, the way the false belly rose beneath the fabric, the angle of her shoulders, even the care with which she had unconsciously lain down. She adjusted herself slightly and studied the belly with growing concern.

"Does that still look convincing?" she muttered, squinting at her own shape. "If Emily and Michael Crown believed it, then it should be fine, right?"

Her mind drifted to Cassian once more, remembering how she had seen him through the mirror a few times. What would he be doing? She asked herself.

A curiosity rose within her, and she focused on the mirror, wishing to see Cassian.

Something shifted inside the mirror at first, then the surface rippled lightly, as water disturbed by a stone dropped somewhere beneath it.

Cixi focused even more, her heart racing with anticipation.

The mirrored reflection of her body was replaced by Cassian’s face.

Her breath quickened the instant she laid her eyes on Cassian’s charming, wicked expression.

She focused and saw a bar set up in his surroundings. His posture looked perfect as he brought a whisky glass to his lips. He smiled faintly, looking at someone, then his lips moved as if he was having a conversation with someone beyond Cixi’s view.

What was he doing in the bar this early in the morning? Cixi muttered under her breath. The whole ambience looked like nighttime, as if it were deep into the night there.

When he lifted the glass again, another glass entered the frame and touched his with a clear, light click which she couldn’t hear.

Beautiful, slim fingers with red nails came into view. It was a woman’s hand.

A frown appeared on Cixi’s forehead, and for one stunned moment, she could only stare up at the ceiling, watching that unknown female hand intrude so calmly into his space, and something unreasonable twisted low in her chest.

Cixi had barely finished glaring at the mirror when she suddenly thought of calling Cassian—to see if he would receive her call when he was with someone, especially with a woman.

She twisted on the bed at once, half lying on her stomach, searching the blankets and the curve of the mattress with impatient hands before realising she had left it near the suitcase.

The movement made the false belly press awkwardly beneath her dress, and irritation flickered across her face. And somehow she thought to blame Cassian.

She lifted her head and looked up again, finding Cassian’s image still hovering in the mirror above. To her ease, the image of him had not vanished.

Pushing herself upright, she swung her feet onto the floor and crossed the room quickly, while her eyes kept darting back to the ceiling in between. She rushed to the living room, where she had left her suitcase and purse. Picking up her purse, she fumbled inside it and pulled out her phone with fingers that felt hurried.

She walked back to the bedroom and sat near the edge, one knee bent. Her gaze immediately went up, where she could still see Cassian, and she pressed his number on speed dial.