As she stepped out of the hot spring, she spotted a fresh set of clothes neatly draped on a nearby chair, just her size. Taking her time, she got dressed and took a moment to rx. The soak had left her feeling rejuvenated, as if every pore had been cleansed and her mind was sharper than ever.


    She reached for her phone to send him a message but noticed one from Scarlette instead, asking about her whereabouts. She hadn''t realized an entire hour had slipped by.


    Hastily, she got up to leave, but as she rounded a corner, she bumped into a maning from the opposite direction. He was tall, with amanding presence, and wore a silver mask. Unlike Dn''s cool and reserved demeanor, this man had an aura that was sharp and dangerous, like a de ready to strike.


    ra winced from the impact, quickly muttering an apology before ducking into the elevator. The man didn''t follow; instead, he disappeared into the shadows.


    As the elevator descended, ra rubbed her still-tender nose, feeling a strange sense of déjà vu about the masked man.


    Downstairs, she finally spotted Scarlette waiting at the entrance. Scarlette''s eyes were bright with curiosity. "What happened?"


    "I bumped into someone a guy with a silver mask and a really intense vibe."


    Scarlette raised an eyebrow, a sly smile on her lips. "The only one gutsy enough to wear a silver mask here is the mysterious owner. You''re lucky; I''ve been here so many times and never caught a glimpse of him."


    ra was surprised. Was he really that hard to find?


    Walking outside with Scarlette, ra couldn''t shake her worry for Z. Noticing her distracted mood, Scarlette teased, "What''s up? Who left a mark on you?"


    Her fingers brushed against ra''s neck. ra hadn''t noticed the mark before. After getting out of the hot spring, she hadn''t checked the mirror. Now, she quickly covered it with her hand. "My boyfriend."


    As they settled into the car, Scarlette was quiet for a moment before speaking. "It wasn''t Simon, was it? If so, that''s a dealbreaker. I''ve heard Simon''s in some hot water with the Ferguson family and might lose his engagement to Quinn, who''s now aughingstock in the Capital."


    Could it be that ra''s years of persistence were finally paying off? ra sighed, her feelings a jumble. "No, it''s someone I met at the club, a waiter."


    Scarlette''s expression turned skeptical. "One of those ''special service'' waiters? ra, you know they''re all charm. You didn''t fall for some sweet talk, did you? No wonder you liked Simon; you''re such a romantic."


    ra leaned back. "He''s not like the others."


    Scarlette thought it was a lost cause. Everyone who fell for someone in nightlife said the same thing: "different from the others." But in reality, it was all just business.


    Just as the car started moving, a luxury car abruptly cut them off, stopping inches away. Scarlette mmed on the brakes and saw Nichs stepping out.


    Sighing, she handed the keys to ra. "ra, could you drive my car back tonight?"


    ra moved to the driver''s seat, watching Nichs grab Scarlette''s wrist and pull her toward his car. Scarlette pped him, but Nichs cupped her face and kissed her fiercely. The club was tucked away in a remote area, and at this hour, there weren''t many cars around.