The heavy rain continued pouring until the middle of the night.


    ...


    At 1:50 am, Vespera roused from a deep sleep. She was too exhausted to lift a finger. Azy satisfaction lingered on her face. Her skin felt as if it were coated in glue. This made her wary of sticking to the sheets with every move, leaving her ufortable and desperate for a shower. She squirmed slightly, like a caterpir.


    "Don''t move," a voice murmured, as the arm draped over her chest pulled her closer, and a gentle kiss was ced below her earlobe.


    "Where do you think you''re going? This is your home."


    Vespera''s cheeks flushed a deep red. She wasn''t nning to leave.


    "I just want to take a shower," she admitted.


    Dominic opened his eyes and gazed at her.


    "I''ll help you," he offered.


    "No, it''s okay," she quickly replied. "I don''t need a shower anymore!"


    If he "repaid" her one more time, she felt she might just perish. It was more than enough for her. It seemed like all the estrogen in her body, which should have been bnced over the years, had been bnced all at once.


    Despite this, Dominic got up, dressed, and insisted on carrying her to the bathroom. "You want to shower. How could I not grant your wish? You can sleep after you''re done."


    Vespera clung tightly to the bedsheet. "I... I don''t want to shower anymore. I want to sleep!"


    He gently peeled her fingers off the sheet.


    In the bathroom, the bathtub was filled with water. As she had requested, rose petals floated on the surface, surrounded by bubbles. Vespera sank a bit deeper into the water.


    She nced at the man standing beside her, lowered her head, and murmured softly, "Mr. Reid, you... You can leave now."


    Dominic''s handsome face turned slightly cold. What was this woman suggesting?


    He crouched down and gently pinched her cheek. "Ms. Gildon! Are you just tossing me aside after using me? Do you really think I''m just a gigolo to you?"


    "No, no, I wouldn''t dare," Vespera quickly shook her head.


    She denied it, yet in the next moment, she tried to wriggle out of the situation once again.


    "This is just mutual enjoyment between adults. You can''t im I treat you like a gigolo. And asking you to leave doesn''t mean I''m going back on what happened."


    "If you''re not backing out, then what are you doing? Exin yourself."


    She was at a loss for words. Dominic tried to contain his frustration and sat on the edge of the bathtub.


    "Vespera, you can''t just pretend nothing happens every time we sleep together, can you?"


    Vespera also felt guilty for acting that way.


    "Alright... Then let''s go with what you suggested in the car earlier."


    She would pretend to be his girlfriend, as long as she didn''t actually fall for him or get emotionally involved.


    Dominic hesitantly agreed, "Okay then."


    Vespera chimed in, "But let''s keep it under wraps for now. It might not be wise to go public with our rtionship at work, right?"


    Her tone was quite logical. Deep down, she thought that once the initial excitement faded. Dominic


    might also prefer to keep things


    private which would be the best way to end it. Neither of them should be too attached.


    Dominic remained silent for a while before replying, "That''s fine." Then he touched


    his neck, "I''m feeling pretty sticky all over, too."


    Vespera swallowed nervously and pointed to the shower room across the way, "You can use that."


    Dominic shook his head, looking at


    the rose petals in the bathtub, "I want to enjoy a fragrant rose bubble bath too." As he spoke, he began unbuttoning his shirt.


    Vespera covered her face with her hands, "I''ll let you have the bath..." She grabbed a towel and started to climb out, one leg already out of the water.


    In the next instant, she found herself and the bath towel being pushed back into the tub.


    He took a seat while still holding her,


    speaking in a stern and serious


    voice. "Don''t waste water. There are


    parts of the world suffering from severe drought. It''s fine if we bathe together."


    Vespera sat on hisp and felt a certain part of his body stirring. She shut her eyes in silence. This was truly unbearable.


    At 8:00 am, Gerard arrived at the apartment.


    He noticed Raymond hadn''t prepared breakfast. Instead, Raymond was busy


    feeding small dried fish to a kitten.


    "Isn''t Mr. Reid here?" Gerard asked.


    "No, he didn''te backst night," Raymond replied, ncing up. "Didn''t he inform you?"


    Gerard suddenly recalled seeing Vespera''s car in the garage.