What happened next was almost inevitable; she''d definitely been neglecting himtely. Afterward, she instinctively reached for the drawer beside her bed to grab some pills. He noticed and asked, "What are you taking?"


    His hand lingered gently on her waist.


    To ra, Z was just an ordinary bartender. She hadn''t really gotten a good look at


    his face-probably average-but his physique was surprisingly impressive.


    "Birth control pills," she replied.


    His grip tightened slightly. "You don''t want to get pregnant?"


    ra had already swallowed the pill. "Not right now."


    "You shouldn''t take those," he said with concern. "I''ve heard they can be bad for your health. Maybe I could take something instead?"


    ra was caught off guard, surprised by his thoughtfulness.


    There were actually male contraceptives avable now, and she smiled a little as she nestled back into his arms. She knew she wasn''t ready to think about kids anytime soon-at least not in the next five years.


    She yawned, exhausted from thete night, and was just about to drift off when he asked, "Do you not like kids?"


    "It''s not that,” she answered. "It''s just that the next few years are going to be crazy with work. I''ll be meeting clients all the time, and it''s just not the right time for a baby."


    She turned over, pressing her back against his chest. As he spoke, his chin rested softly on the top of her head, their closenessforting.


    "Sleep," he murmured, nting a gentle kiss in her hair.


    ra had already secured some big deals-one with Kaitlyn, another with Jackson. These were enough to keep the Bradford family going for the next two years. All she needed was to find the right direction for the family and ensure Justin reached his full potential under her wing.


    She felt confident about the future.


    Meanwhile, Ryan spent the night memorizing yet another book. The pain asionally shooting through his body was unbearable. In his agony, he scratched at his skin, desperate for relief.


    Earlier, Sarah had brought over some wine, suggesting he try it if things got too rough. Ryan, though he''d been quite the rogue in his youth, rarely touched such strong liquor. But now, he was willing to try anything.


    He took a deep breath and gulped down half the bottle.


    Sarah watched him, a cold smile touching her lips, then called Megan.


    "Megan, should we go ahead tonight?"


    Megan''s brow furrowed. "Didn''t I tell you not to call unless it''s urgent? Decide for yourself when to act. If you think it''ll work, go for it. Ryan''s much easier to manage than his sister. Be there for him during this tough time, and he''ll value you forever."


    Sarah didn''t like Megan''s patronizing tone, but she couldn''t deny the woman''s savvy.


    After hanging up, she slowly sat next to Ryan. Ryan was new to romantic entanglements, so when Sarah touched him, he froze.


    Sarah was indeed beautiful; otherwise, ra wouldn''t have chosen her as a stand-in. She''d sent away everyone stationed outside and leaned in to kiss him.


    Before Ryan even realized what was happening, it had all unfolded.


    The next morning, he woke up, his head pounding, and immediately noticed someone else in his bed. Startled, he almost fell off.