Stepping out of the consultation room, Melinda collected her prescribed medication and made her way briskly toward the hospital exit.

The memory of a male physician instructing her to remove her trousers for the examination replayed in her mind, and the recollection alone caused heat to surge into her cheeks.

Should anyone ever learn about what had happened inside that room, she was certain she would not have the courage to face them.

From that day forward, she silently vowed to seek out only female doctors and never again allow an unfamiliar man to conduct such an intimate examination.

At that exact moment, a sleek black Bentley rolled to a gentle stop in front of her.

Assuming it must be the ride she had ordered, Melinda leaned slightly to glance through the tinted window, and her breath caught when she saw a sharply defined and a remarkably handsome face framed behind the glass.

For a fleeting instant, their gazes locked, and an odd sense of familiarity stirred within her.

Recognition dawned as she focused on his eyes.

Without a doubt, he was the very same doctor who had examined her just minutes earlier.

Air seemed to leave her lungs as Melinda instinctively held her breath.

A flush bloomed across her face once more, betraying the turmoil rising inside her.

Never had she imagined that she would encounter him again within minutes of leaving the hospital, and certainly not right at the entrance.

Lowering the car window slightly, Lorenzo spoke in a calm but firm tone. "Get in. I will take you home."

Startled by the offer, Melinda waved her hands lightly and shook her head. "That will not be necessary. Thank you."

They were practically strangers. Accepting such a favor felt unbearably awkward to her.

More than that, the memory of lying on the examination table while he conducted such an intimate check still lingered in her mind, and he was honestly the last person she wished to face again so soon.

It would be far easier if they acted like strangers should they ever cross paths again.

A subtle shift darkened Lorenzo's gaze, and the slight arch of his brow carried a quiet yet unmistakable authority.

Until this moment, no woman had ever declined him so directly.

"I appreciate the offer, but there is no need. My husband is on his way to pick me up." Melinda added the words quickly as she sensed the change in his expression.

Deliberately stressing that single word, she hoped the reminder of her marital status would draw a clear boundary between them.

Silence was Lorenzo's only response.

At the corner of his mouth, a faint and distant smile appeared, carrying a trace of chill.

Without another glance in her direction, he instructed the driver to pull away.

Relief washed over her as she stood there watching the black Bentley disappear into traffic, and only then did Melinda release the breath she had been holding.

The doctor's earlier words drifted back into her thoughts, especially his remark that her condition stemmed from prolonged abstinence.

According to him, the medication would merely manage the symptoms rather than solve the root cause.

And true recovery required a healthy and active marital relationship.

Kevan was scheduled to return from his business trip that very evening.

Determination slowly replaced her embarrassment, and she decided she would not let this chance slip away.

With renewed purpose, she headed straight to a nearby mall and selected an elegant yet enticing nightgown that matched her husband's taste, along with a subtle but captivating fragrance.

Once she arrived home, she retrieved a bottle of aged red wine that she had carefully preserved for years.

A plan formed in her mind to share a few glasses with Kevan, allow the atmosphere to soften naturally, and then gently rekindle the intimacy that had long been missing from their marriage.

As a germaphobe, Kevan had never touched her.

Throughout the year since their wedding, every attempt she made to draw closer to him had been gently but firmly refused.

Repeated rejection had weighed heavily on her, and the strain had seeped into both her body and her emotions.

Because of the diagnosis she had received earlier that day, she felt compelled to take matters into her own hands and follow through with her carefully crafted plan.

Although the room was arranged exactly as she intended, a sudden wave of nerves caught her off guard.

Never before in their marriage had she tried to entice her husband with such a deliberate purpose in mind.

Inside her chest, her heartbeat drummed loudly and refused to slow.

To steady herself, she lifted a glass of red wine and took a measured sip, hoping the alcohol would ease her tension.

...

By eight o'clock that night, the sound of the front door signaled Kevan's return from his trip.

With a crisp click, he pressed the switch on the wall, and light immediately flooded the once dark bedroom.

Lying beneath the covers and pretending to be asleep, Melinda flinched at the sudden brightness and felt her body tremble faintly.

Slowly, she lifted her lashes and let her gaze settle on the tall silhouette framed by the doorway.

"You are finally home."

A bright smile spread across her face as she threw aside the blanket and hurried toward him.

A faint crease formed between his brows as Kevan studied her.

The deep burgundy slip she had chosen dipped low at the neckline, and against her silky skin, it made her appear luminous while emphasizing the curves of her body.

Paired with her delicate features and that blend of innocence and quiet allure, she presented a vision that many men would have found impossible to ignore.

When she closed the distance between them, a subtle yet intoxicating scent drifted through the air and reached him. For a fleeting second, a natural masculine impulse stirred within him in response.

Objectively, she looked captivating, and her charm was undeniable.

At the same time, the combination of purity and sensuality she embodied felt strikingly vivid.

Despite all that, she did not match the image of a partner he desired.

The brief spark in his eyes dimmed almost instantly and gave way to cool detachment.

Without hesitation, Kevan placed a hand against her shoulder to create distance and said, "I'm exhausted!"

His blunt refusal struck her like a splash of cold water, and much of Melinda's earlier excitement faded at once.

Even so, she forced herself to remain steady because giving up was not an option tonight.

Since the doctor had made it clear that intimacy was essential for her recovery, she knew she had to find a way to bridge the distance between them.

After all, she had carefully prepared her appearance and arranged the atmosphere with such effort.

Stopping halfway would make everything she had done feel pointless.

"Would you like me to help you relax with a massage?" she asked, reaching for his arm and softening her tone.

Revulsion flickered across his face, and Kevan shrugged her off as though her touch had offended him. "No."

Without another word, he turned and headed straight for the bathroom.

As he brushed past her, an unfamiliar fragrance drifted into her senses. The scent carried a polished and refined quality, yet it was certainly not the perfume she had applied earlier.

For a brief moment, she stood completely still. A shadow of doubt crossed her eyes as a troubling thought took root.

Was Kevan having an affair?

Reason quickly followed her rising suspicion, and she reminded herself that his schedule was filled with formal dinners and business gatherings. It was entirely possible that a trace of someone else's fragrance had lingered on him by coincidence and meant nothing at all.

Considering his fear of germs to the point that he rarely even touched her, the idea of him being involved with another woman felt almost contradictory.

Clinging to that reasoning, she quietly worked to calm her restless thoughts.

With renewed determination, she moved toward the table and poured a glass of red wine for him, resolved to carry out her original plan of loosening him up first.

About thirty minutes later, the bathroom door finally opened.

Wrapped in a simple white bathrobe, Kevan stepped out, and the untied belt allowed a glimpse of his well-defined chest.

Under the gentle amber glow of the bedroom lights, his presence seemed effortlessly captivating.

Long, straight legs carried him forward with quiet confidence, and the composed, handsome expression on his face held Melinda's gaze in place.

A sudden dryness crept into her throat, and she became acutely aware of her own breathing.

Whether it was the time they had spent apart or the familiar chill he carried himself with, something about the way he looked at that moment unsettled her composure.

Without meaning to, she swallowed to ease the tightness building inside her.

Before she realized it, her gaze dipped lower, and the glimpse she caught made her pulse quicken.

An undeniable heat began to gather within her, and she sensed her longing intensifying once again.

"What are you staring at?" Kevan's voice cut through the air without warning.

Startled by the sharpness in his tone, Melinda blinked and forced herself back to her senses.

Panic flashed across her face as she shook her head quickly. "Nothing at all."

She feared he might misinterpret her glance and look at her with even greater disdain.

Trying to recover her composure, she reached for the glass resting nearby and offered a tentative smile. "Would you care for some wine, baby?"

She knew he had a habit of taking a drink before going to bed.

Instead of responding at once, Kevan allowed a heavy silence to stretch between them.

Unease crept into her chest, and Melinda wondered if he had already guessed what she was trying to do.

With forced sweetness, she edged closer and called gently, "Baby."

She had intended to coax him into accepting the wine, yet Kevan turned toward her before she could continue and studied her with an unreadable expression. "It's getting late. Should you not be heading to bed?"

Hope flickered across her face as Melinda interpreted his words differently.

Without hesitation, she placed the wine glass onto the nightstand beside the bed.

A spark of anticipation lit her face as she hurried forward. "I will lie down right away."

Hope propelled her steps, and she reached toward him before thinking twice.

In an instant, his fingers closed firmly around her wrist. With a slight lift of his brow and a trace of ridicule in his tone, Kevan looked at her coldly. "Surely you were not under the impression that I intended to have sex with you tonight?"

Color drained from her face, and Melinda stood there as though time had suddenly stopped.

A brief shadow of hurt passed through her eyes, and Kevan noticed it clearly.

Despite that silent plea, his tone remained distant. "I have explained this to you repeatedly. My fear of germs is not something I can simply ignore."

Desperation edged into her voice as Melinda tried again. "But, baby, I..."

The diagnosis echoed in her mind, and the restless ache within her body reminded her that she needed relief more than ever.

Patience had long since worn thin, and she felt as though she were standing at the brink of collapse.

"Please. I truly do not feel well. I need you." Her lower lip quivered between her teeth, and her eyes shimmered with unshed tears.

Air slipped in and out of her lungs in uneven breaths.

An intense craving stirred within her, and it refused to quiet down.

Thoughts of intimacy circled through her mind.

Every attempt to suppress those urges only made them return with greater force.

A crease formed between his brows as Kevan studied her expression.

Irritation flickered in his eyes because he had always disliked the way she appeared so openly desperate in front of him.

A chill entered his voice as he rebuked her. "If you are that desperate, then handle it on your own."

The contempt in his tone struck her like a slap, landing precisely where she was most vulnerable.

Without sparing her a hint of sympathy, he dismissed the pain in her expression and continued in the same detached manner, "And I do not want to see you dressed like that in front of me again."

Light faded from Melinda's tearful eyes almost instantly.

An ache, sharp and bitter, unfurled across her chest.

The reality that Kevan still refused even the smallest touch cut deeper than she had expected.

"I understand." Barely lifting her gaze, she forced the words out in a faint whisper.

"From now on, you will not be sleeping in my room." Cold finality laced his next statement as Kevan looked at her with open distaste.

Shock flashed across her face as Melinda met his eyes. "What do you mean?"

A frigid warning slipped from Kevan's lips. "I will be staying in the next room from now on. Do not step into my space without my consent."

Without sparing her another glance, he rose and walked out.

Left alone, Melinda stood motionless.

Moisture gathered along her lashes before she could hold it back.

More than a year had passed since their wedding, yet the absence of intimacy and his constant detachment had slowly driven her into a fragile emotional state.

Instead of offering support as a husband should, he chose this moment to distance himself even further by separating their bedrooms.

To Melinda, that decision felt like a fresh wound layered over an old one.

The warmth that had briefly filled the room vanished as soon as he stepped out, and a hollow chill settled in its place.

Inside her, however, the restless yearning refused to quiet down and seemed to burn with renewed intensity.

Kevan's rejection cut deeply, and the emotional strain began to spiral once more.

Discomfort spread through Melinda's entire body, leaving her feeling tense, unsettled, and painfully alone.

An intense wave of unmet desire swept over her and left her trembling.

A strained whisper escaped her lips. "This feels unbearable. I want it so badly."

Heat flooded her cheeks as her thoughts betrayed her, and the memory of the doctor standing over her during the examination surfaced without warning.

Alarmed by the direction of her mind, Melinda shook her head as if that alone could scatter the image.

Confusion tightened around her heart because she could not understand why his face would appear at such a moment.

She was a married woman, yet her imagination had wandered somewhere it should not.

Guilt pricked at her conscience, and she questioned how she had allowed herself to become so reckless in thought.

Still, the truth remained that Kevan continued to keep his distance and refused even the smallest gesture of closeness.

Despite the title of wife, she often felt as though she lived alone.

Once more, the doctor's image crept back into her mind, especially the way he had looked at her outside the hospital when he told her to get into his car.

He possessed a striking charm that rivaled, and even surpassed Kevan's.

For a fleeting and dangerous second, a forbidden impulse stirred within her.

Startled by herself, Melinda pressed her lips together and forced that unethical desire back into the shadows.

Even though Kevan had never once laid a hand on her, the thought of entertaining another man still felt like a betrayal in its own quiet way. To her, even a wandering mind counted as a form of unfaithfulness.

However, discipline slipped through her fingers tonight, and she no longer had the strength to restrain herself.

A nervous tremor ran through her fingers as she reached for the drawer beside the bed and slowly pulled it open. From its shadowed interior, she retrieved the item she had hidden there.

Throughout their marriage, each time Kevan turned her away, and her emotions spiraled out of control, she had soothed herself by imagining that it was him. That had always been her way of calming the storm inside her chest.

However, this evening carried a strange shift she could not ignore.

Instead of picturing her distant husband, her thoughts drifted elsewhere. The face that surfaced in her mind belonged to the doctor.

...

Time dragged on before relief finally washed over Melinda's weary body.

A thin sheen of moisture clung faintly to the corner of her lips.

Exhaustion pressed down on her limbs until she felt hollowed out from within.

As she struggled to steady her breathing, a sobering realization settled over her that she could not continue living like this.

Without wasting another second, she forced herself out of bed, seized her handbag, and searched for the medication the hospital had prescribed earlier that day.

Not a single drop of water remained in her bedroom.

In response, she hastily slipped into a loose garment and made her way downstairs, intending to fetch a glass of water from the kitchen so she could swallow her medication.

While moving past Kevan's room, an unusual and restrained groan drifted through the door, stopping her in her tracks.

As a mature woman, Melinda did not need anyone to explain what that kind of sound suggested.

Compelled by unease, she edged closer and glanced through the narrow gap of the half-open door.

Under the faint glow of the bedside lamp, Kevan came into view as he sat at the edge of his mattress, touching himself while fixated on a photograph in his hand.

A strained sound caught in his throat as his Adam's apple moved, and in a hoarse whisper, he said, "Sloane, you are the only one I desire. You are the only woman I love."

Shock rooted Melinda to the floor. For a fleeting moment, her thoughts deserted her completely.

Disbelief flooded her expression as her eyes grew wide.

Sloane Douglas was none other than the daughter of her father's lawful wife.

Simon Douglas lived a double life, dividing his loyalties between a lawful marriage and a long-standing affair.

By his side stood Belen Douglas as his legal wife, and together they had a daughter named Sloane.

Beyond that marriage, he kept Kathryn Phillips as his lover, and she bore him two children, a son and a daughter, the latter being Melinda herself. Because of his wealth and influence, he did not bother to hide Kathryn, and he installed her openly in his residence.

At the moment Alec Douglas was born, Simon ensured that Belen would raise this "precious" male offspring as if he were her own child.

Unlike her brother, Melinda remained with Kathryn throughout her childhood.

Even so, warmth and tenderness were things she rarely received from Kathryn.

In truth, Kathryn's affection leaned heavily toward Alec, and she even treated Sloane with more care than she ever showed Melinda.

When it came to Melinda's future, Kathryn showed no real concern and allowed Alec and Belen to make decisions about her marriage.

Before accepting Kevan as her husband, Melinda had discreetly gathered information and discovered that he was seeking a bride from the Douglas family, and that knowledge ultimately persuaded her to go through with the wedding.

Back then, she had firmly believed that she was the woman who held his heart.

Only now did the truth begin to surface, and it became painfully clear that she had misread everything.

In reality, the person Kevan cherished had always been Sloane.

Because his status as an illegitimate son placed him beneath Sloane's standing, he chose Melinda as a substitute instead.

After the wedding, however, he consistently avoided sleeping with her and claimed that his extreme aversion to physical contact was due to a fear of germs.

And Melinda had accepted that explanation without question.

She finally saw how foolish she had been.

Rather than reach for his own wife, Kevan chose to satisfy himself in solitude.

He was saving every part of himself for Sloane.

From the time they were children, the entire Douglas family had revolved around Sloane.

In Simon's eyes, Sloane had always been the one who could do no wrong.

Affection from both Belen and Kathryn had always centered on Sloane, and they treated her as someone precious beyond measure.

By contrast, Melinda had long understood that she stood at the very bottom of the Douglas family hierarchy.

Neither Simon nor Belen, nor even Kathryn, who had given birth to her, ever showed genuine fondness toward her.

Marriage once appeared to her as a doorway to a different future, one where she might finally belong somewhere.

Instead of finding comfort, she discovered that even Kevan's devotion had never been hers to claim.

A sharp sense of irony settled in Melinda's chest, and it left a bitter taste she could not ignore.

Each time Kevan whispered Sloane's name with longing, the sound cut into her like a blade.

Through the haze clouding her thoughts, memories surfaced of Kevan visiting her family before their wedding.

During those visits, he had carried himself with calm restraint and unfailing patience, and he had looked every bit the considerate gentleman.

Whenever he arrived, he made sure to place a carefully chosen gift in her hands.

Because of those gestures, she had gradually formed a deep impression of him.

Only now did the truth reveal itself with cruel clarity, and she realized that those visits had never been meant for her.

From the very beginning, his footsteps had always led him there for Sloane.

Sleep had completely abandoned Melinda that night.

Between the hollow ache in her body and the sting of what she had witnessed, rest never came to her.

Morning arrived nonetheless, and she managed to reach the office without being late.

The moment she stepped inside while stifling a yawn, an unusual tension seemed to ripple through the workspace.

"We have a new CEO starting today," Rosanna Baxter, her closest confidante at work, said as she leaned closer with excitement to share the latest gossip.

Only then did Melinda understand why every woman in the department had been fussing over compact mirrors and lipstick when she walked in.

Grabbing her by the arm in disbelief, Rosanna pressed her into a chair. "Melinda, how can you stay so calm at a time like this? Your makeup is barely there. Sit still and let me help you look presentable."

Shooting to her feet immediately, Melinda responded with indifference, "Why should the arrival of a new CEO concern me? I already have more than enough on my plate."

Following her university graduation, Belen had arranged for her to join this company under the pretense of broadening her horizons.

Behind that polished excuse, however, lay the real motive, which was to ensure that she would never hold any meaningful authority within the Douglas Group.

From the very beginning, the future of the Douglas Group had already been reserved for Alec and Sloane.

Given that she was born to Simon's mistress, no amount of academic excellence or tireless effort could ever earn Melinda a place within the family corporation, even if she surpassed both Alec and Sloane.

Unlike Alec, who carried the Douglas name as its rightful male successor, she brought no pride to the lineage, and unlike Sloane, she did not possess the effortless charm that won everyone's affection.

As a result, the moment she received her diploma, Belen ensured that the doors of the Douglas Group were firmly closed to her.

Adding to that silence, Kathryn never once stepped forward to argue on her daughter's behalf.

Years of such disregard had shaped Melinda's outlook, and over time, she had learned to endure it without protest.

Awareness of Belen's distaste for her potential and certainty of Kathryn's indifference had kept her cautious.

For that reason, she spent the last two years maintaining a low profile in this unremarkable company while steering clear of any overlap with Alec or Sloane.

Ambition no longer tempted her, and financial reward did not motivate her either. Therefore, the arrival of a new CEO truly bore no significance in her world.

Irritation flashing across her face, Rosanna forced Melinda back into the chair. "A brand new CEO is arriving, and you are acting as if nothing has changed. What's wrong with you? The whole company is polishing its image so it might impress him at first glance. You were born with a beautiful face, so why are you refusing to make the most of it? Word is that he is young and good-looking, and I doubt we would regret putting in a little effort."

With a dismissive flick of her gaze, Melinda replied, "If that excites you, then go and shine as much as you like. I truly have no interest in this. There is already too much on my desk waiting for me."

Determination tightening her grip, Rosanna kept her seated. "Even if I do not catch his attention, you might. I have come to understand something important. In this office, ability and diligence will only take you so far. What truly protects you is influence. Once the new CEO favors one of us, no one here will dare cause trouble again."

By the time the clock struck ten, the ground-floor lobby of the office building had filled.

Anticipation rippled through the crowd as everyone faced the entrance with a rigid posture, waiting for the moment he would appear.

Seizing her chance, Rosanna tugged Melinda along and maneuvered through the mass of employees until they secured a place in the very front row.

Unease crept into her voice as Melinda whispered, "We are standing far too close."

Then she attempted to retreat at the exact moment the new CEO made his appearance.

Without warning, a fleet of more than a dozen security vehicles rolled in ahead of a gleaming Rolls-Royce, which glided to a flawless stop before the entrance.

Through the open door emerged a tall figure clad in a tailored suit, dark sunglasses concealing his eyes.

Authority radiated from him so intensely that he resembled a sovereign stepping into territory that already belonged to him.

Encircled by a formation of bodyguards, he advanced toward the building with steady and commanding strides.

Grandeur and dominance defined the spectacle, and the atmosphere carried a weight that left the crowd breathless.

Not a single person dared to move, and many simply stared with parted lips as his presence overwhelmed them.

Compelled by curiosity, Melinda lifted her gaze toward him and found herself rooted in place.

Recognition struck her without mercy, and disbelief widened her eyes.

Standing before them was not a stranger in power, but the very doctor who had conducted her examination yesterday.

Astonishment clouded her thoughts.

For several heartbeats, she questioned her own senses and wondered if her mind had begun to deceive her.

In disbelief, she squeezed her eyes shut and shook her head as if that could erase the sight before her.

Upon opening them again, she discovered that the man had already halted directly in front of her.

A sharp intake of breath escaped Melinda's lips.

With deliberate calm, the man angled his face in her direction.

Given the narrow space between them, there was absolutely no chance of confusing him with anyone else.

Standing only steps away was the doctor from yesterday, his sculpted features unmistakable, and he was the very man who had occupied her thoughts last night.

Shock gripped Melinda so completely that she could barely remain upright.

Thought itself abandoned her, leaving nothing but hollow silence inside her mind.

For no more than a fleeting moment, his eyes rested on her before sliding away with cold detachment, as though she were a stranger he had never encountered.

Once he passed, the crowd seemed to awaken all at once and called out in unison, "Good morning, Mr. Harvey!"

As she watched him step into the private elevator designated for the CEO, a heavy weight dragged her heart downward.

To reassure herself that this was real, she dug her fingers sharply into her own arm.

Pain shot through her arm, and that sting confirmed she was not trapped in a dream.

Despite that, she refused to abandon the last explanation available to her, which was that the newly appointed CEO merely resembled the doctor.

Desperation pushed Melinda to hold tightly to that fragile possibility.

With a mixture of shock and curiosity, Rosanna gripped her sleeve. "Melinda, do you actually know him?"

Startled by the question, Melinda blinked and replied, "What are you talking about?"

Excitement flickered in Rosanna's eyes as she leaned closer. "I clearly saw him stop for a couple of seconds when he reached you. Do you think you might catch his eye?"

A weary breath slipped from Melinda before she answered, "That is impossible. You must have misunderstood what you saw."

Without offering another word, she spun around and rushed toward the restroom, where she bent over the sink and let cold water splash against her face in an effort to steady herself.

Left behind in the bustling lobby, Rosanna remained motionless, confusion written all over her face.

...

Upon stepping back into the office, Melinda was met with a wave of excited chatter revolving entirely around the new CEO.

"Have you heard? Mr. Harvey's mother serves as the director of Ocean Medical Center, and his father is the senior official who frequently appears on the evening news. He studied overseas, where he completed two master's degrees in medicine and finance. Everyone assumed he would return to manage his mother's hospital, but instead, he suddenly took charge of our company."

Each word she overheard tightened the knot forming in Melinda's stomach.

The name Ocean Medical Center struck her sharply, because that was the very hospital she had visited for her recent examination.

Connections began to line up one after another, and the fact that the CEO's mother managed that institution while he himself had a medical background made her pulse race.

Dread crept in as the evidence seemed to confirm what she had been trying to deny, which was that the CEO was indeed the same doctor who had examined her.

At the precise moment she wished the possibility away, reality appeared to solidify before her.

Since that appointment, the only thing Melinda had desired was distance from him.

Fate had placed him not only inside her workplace, but at the very top of it as the new CEO.

Oddly enough, a small measure of comfort came from the distance between their positions, because he commanded the entire company while she remained an unnoticed employee at the bottom rung.

On that basis, she convinced herself that their worlds were too far apart to collide again.

Before she could cling to that reassurance, Danny Foster, their manager, approached with a stern expression and said, "Melinda, Mr. Harvey has personally requested that you report to his office immediately."

At those words, Melinda's heartbeat faltered.

All around her, colleagues lifted their heads in unison and stared as though they had just witnessed something unbelievable.

Instead of responding with composure, Melinda inhaled sharply.

A crushing weight settled deep in her chest.

Fear tightened its grip as she realized that escaping his presence might not be possible after all.