As he reached the bed, Cassius leaned over, the sculpted muscles of his abdomen flexing. His handsome face filled Chasel''s stunned vision, every line and angle a deliberate seduction. Propped against the headboard, Chasel''s breath hitched.


    *Damn it.* He could still feel his heart flutter. *You''re pathetic, Chasel. So damn pathetic.*


    Cassius braced a muscr arm on either side of Chasel''s head, his dark eyes overflowing with a tidal wave of love, a reflection of the desperate, consuming passion of the night before. "Chasel," he murmured, "does it still hurt?"


    "Go to hell!" Chasel''s fox-like eyes zed red. He swung his hand, pping Cassius hard across the face.


    The force of a man''s blow was no joke. A red handprint immediately bloomed on Cassius''s cheek, but he felt no pain. His heart was already shattered beyond feeling.


    "Cassius... I don''t just hate you now. What you did... it makes me sick," Chasel spat, shoving him away with a violently trembling body. "Who gave you permission to touch me?! Who the hell told you to touch me?!"


    Cassius stood stiffly, a wave of helplessness washing over him, leaving him as pathetic as a stray dog caught in a downpour. "You were at the clubst night... someone drugged your drink..."


    "That''s none of your business! Who are you to me? In my eyes, Cassius... you are nothing!"


    Chasel scrambled to pick up his clothes from the floor, dressing quickly. He pulled his wallet from his trousers, yanked out a thick wad of cash, and pped it against Cassius''s bare chest. "Consider yourself paid for your servicesst night. Now get out of my sight and never let me see you again!"


    With that, his elegant, slender back turned, and he stormed out of the room.


    The suite fell silent, filled only with the heavy, lonely beat of Cassius''s heart. "Hex!" Winston rushed in, frantic. "Mr. Bright is gone! You finally found him! You have to go after him, even if you have to use dirty tricks to get him back!"


    But Cassius stood frozen, his face pale, as if turned to stone.


    It was maddening. Winston had witnessed Cassius''sst rtionship from its hopeful beginning to its agonizing end, and he couldn''t bear to watch him go through that soul-crushing pain again.


    "Chasel despises me," Cassius''s voice was a ragged whisper. He crouched down, gathering the scattered bills one by one, clutching them in his palm. "Winston, maybe... maybe I really should let him go."


    "What the hell are you talking about?" Winston''s voice rose in disbelief. You can''t believe things said in anger When I''m pissed off, talk about blowing up the White House! Why are you being sodense right now?!"


    "I could give up my pride, my dignity, and chase him for the rest of my life. But what would be the point?"


    Cassius curled into a ball, as


    l.ne


    crushed and discarded as an empty can. It''s been over between me and Chasel for a long time, I was just


    only one who refused to wake up


    the


    from the dream."


    ...


    As Chasel exited the hotel, the gloomy sky looked as if it had been torn open, and rain began to pour down in sheets. A luxury Lincoln glided to a stop in front of him.


    "Mr. Bright, isn''t it?" The hotel manager hurried out with a weing smile. "A gentleman arranged for a car for you. It''s raining so hard; please, get in before you catch a cold."


    Chasel eyed the car coolly. "Is this from Cassius?"


    "Oh? No, the gentleman who ordered the car was not Mr. Cassius Ashbourne."


    Chasel''s brow furrowed. "If not him, then who?"


    The manager smiled. "The gentleman didn''t leave his name."


    Chasel scanned the surroundings but saw nothing out of the ordinary. "That won''t


    be necessary. Thank him for me."


    Without another word, he dashed out into the downpour.


    At the same time, in a corner of the hotel lobby''s coffee shop, a man in a ck baseball cap took a sip of his Coffee He watched Chasel''s retreating figure, his eyes as dark and ominous as a gathering storm.


    ***