"Do you want to join my plan?"

His words were like a demonic whisper. Roxanne knew she should avoid him but she couldn't help being curious.

"Let me hear it first."

They had moved to the balcony at the end of the hallway, where the light was dark enough that no one would find them.

She crossed her arms, minding an appropriate distance from him. Unlike last night, she was sober tonight and she shouldn't make the same mistake again.

"So, what were you going to do just now?" Lance asked instead of answering. "Break down the door and yell at them? Then draw others' attention to give you justice?"

"It's none of your business." Being seen through by him, Roxanne was a little chagrined.

"This is still the mansion of the Laurent. Do you really think you can win by exposing them?" Lance reminded her, "Even if he's disgraced, Christopher is still the stepson of the Laurents."

"Maybe some people will sympathize with you, but no one would dare to ask a justice from the Laurents for you."

"So what do you mean? You led me there to that good show and now you want me to surrender?" Roxanne couldn't help but question him while clenching her dress.

She knew he was telling the truth. Her family was somewhat powerful but not enough to compete with the Laurents. And she had referred too many resources to Christopher. It was not the best time to tear up their engagement. But she just couldn't bear it, especially when Christopher cursed her family so viciously.

"I think your plan of last night is much more interesting." He implied meaningfully and Roxanne was more furious to realize that he had no intention to help her but to insult her.

"Last night is an accident. You are never part of my plan." She retorted disdainfully, and his face darkened to hear that.

Lance stepped forward and looked at her intensely. "Oh really? So why did you kiss me first?"

That scene flashed into her mind. With loud music around them at the bar, he rejected her at first but she refused to lose her hands holding his neck and kissed the knot of his throat boldly. Roxanne felt heat on her cheek again.

"I was drunk."

"But you called out my name."

"I said I was drunk." She argued and wanted to leave but Lance domineeringly held her waist to stop her.

"It is said that alcohol can stir up the most primal of one's desires." Lance leaned his head closer to her ear as he asked in a hushed tone, "We had a good time, didn't we?"

His breath sprayed between her neck, making her more sensitive. Not wanting to be influenced by him, Roxanne pushed him away.

"That's enough. If you're not serious about giving me any useful suggestions, I'd rather go now."

He caught her in his arms again before she could resist, "Did I say I wouldn't help you?"

"Then just say it." She put her hands between them as she met his gaze.

"Defeating a Laurent isn't easy unless you have another Laurent to be your back."

His words hit her. It was indeed a good choice but somehow she felt she had better not to mess up such a man who was too full of danger and mystery.

"So you mean an alliance with you? Do I have anything that you want?" She asked, mockingly.

"You."

The way he looked at her was so different that shocked her. For a moment, she didn't know whether she should be surprised or angry.

"If I remember correctly, you're engaged, Mr. Laurent." She reminded him coldly. She would not be fooled again.

"Weren't you also engaged when you slept with me last night?"

"That's not the same!" Roxanne argued as her face turned red.

"What's different? Do you dare to say you were not happier with me than with Christopher?"

"You lied to me yesterday. I would never pick you if I knew you're not single."

"I didn't!" Lance seemed to be annoyed as he held her more tightly. "I am also informed about the engagement just now. I didn't even know that woman."

"That's not what I should care. Let me go." Roxanne argued while struggling while Lance had no intention to let her go.

"Listen, Roxanne." He grabbed her chin forcefully."Never think to reject me especially after you slept with me."

"You bas..." Roxanne wanted to protest his dominance but his lips had fallen on hers.

A loud explosive and colorful bang of fireworks released behind them. At that moment, she felt his tongue penetrate her mouth once more and roam inside. When Lance hauled her up onto the thick railing of the balcony, another firework went off in the air.

Roxanne gasped and quickly glanced downstairs to make sure that no one had seen them. Fortunately, people seemed more fixated on the firework show than on whatever was happening in this corner.

"No way here, Lance." She pinched his arms and warned him when he stopped between their kisses.

"Don't you think this is the perfect place?" Lance stared her straight in her face, grinning like a demon. "Don't lie to yourself. When your useless fiancé is cheating on you nearby, don't you ever want to return him something same?"

It sounded so tempting that Roxanne forgot to reject it at that moment.

She moaned out when she felt Lance's finger caress her sensitive clit.

"Easy sunshine. It's just the beginning." Lance teased as he leaned in and kissed her neck, leaving a new mark on the same place.

Roxanne couldn't help but arch her back both the feeling of his fingers massaging her throbbing clit and the fiery feeling of his wet tongue against her skin. He knew too well how to awaken her body.

It was a combination that had slowly been making her lose all sense of reasoning and travel down the pleasure lane.

** ** ** **

By the grace of God, Roxanne made it on time when she rushed into her office the next morning.

She had no time to reprimand herself for making the same mistake as there was a huge project going on today.

"Oh, the bride-to-be, be glowing." Ella, her coworker teased as she stepped into the company, about to quietly slip into her office.

Roxanne forced a chuckle and a smile. "Knock it out, El."

"Why should I?" Ella asked as she picked up the files she had come for from Roxanne's desk and cradled them in her arms. "Everyone has been talking about it since the moment you stepped in. You're definitely glowing today."

Ella suddenly inched closer to Roxanne's table and asked. "A good night with Chris?"

"Minding your own business," Roxanne told her off with a serious look.

"Alright, if you don't want to share. No need to be so mean." Ella pouted as she stepped out of Roxanne's office.

Once she was alone, Roxanne sighed and pushed her white blonde hair backward and then her eyes landed on the picture on her table. A happy picture of her and Christopher when they had celebrated their second-year anniversary.

They were both smiling so happily at the camera that anyone would have pictured them as a perfect couple. not as they were now.

Shocking her head, she grabbed the picture and shoved it into one of her drawers. It's over. Now what she should focus on was to get all the things that belonged to her back.

BUZZ BUZZ

A new message popped out at that time. Even though she didn't save that number, she knew it was Lance.

「Sorry to bite you again, sunshine. Have a good day.」

Looking at his annoying message, her face scrunch up in distraught. God, why couldn't she be more determined and reject him last night?

It's not that easy to deal with Lance Laurent. Well, she should avoid him for a period first and then he would forget her just like other women.

She sighed as she deleted the message, and then her assistant knocked on the door and told her.

"Team manager, our new investor has arrived."

Roxanne nodded her head and walked towards the conference room after gathering the material in her hands.

'Pretty smile, Roxy.' She reminded herself as she took a deep breath and stepped into the conference room.

However, seconds later, her smile immediately froze as she spotted the familiar face sitting on the seat for their major investor.

The moment when his eyes met hers, Roxanne felt the heat of the hickey on her neck again.

Damn, why didn't anyone tell her that their new investor was Lance Laurent?

"Roxanne, take your seat soon."

The sound of her coworker snapped Roxanne out of her shocking thoughts. It was her workplace, she should be professional no matter who their client was.

Roxanne reminded herself as she headed to her seat.

"Everyone is present, shall we begin, Mr. Laurent?" Her boss politely asked Lance and the latter just nodded his head.

Somehow, Roxanne could feel his aura today was totally different from what he used to have. More abstinent but more charming.

'Charming? Keep your head, Roxy. You two only had a two-night stand. Let it go and focus on your work.'

Shaking off those messy thoughts, Roxanne forced herself to focus back on the meeting while not noticing Lance's face turned colder when she ignored his new message again.

The meeting lasted for several hours before it ended, mainly because of a picky assistant beside Lance. For some reason, Roxanne could feel that it was not that woman hate her design but hated Roxanne the person instead.

Several times, Roxanne couldn't help but glance at Lance to see if it was his idea but he didn't look at her anymore.

Weird. But it might be a good signal that he started losing interest in her.

Roxanne encouraged herself to think positively but the assistant suddenly blocked her way after the meeting.

"Long time no see, Roxanne. Hope we have good cooperation." The woman said to her with a provocative smile and then Roxanne's eyes widened as she remembered who the woman was.

***

"What? Do you mean Julie Curt, your nemesis in college? She is your client now! " Iris exclaimed after Roxanne shared her meeting with Julie that morning. Now, they were at a bar where they usually gather after work.

"Yeah," Roxanne sighed as she took a sip, "But she looked a bit different from before so I didn't recognize her at once."

"Well, good luck, sis." Iris hugged Roxanne and changed the unpleasant topic, "Putting that aside, how are things with you and Chris? "

Roxanne's fingers had curled up around her glass and froze there. Iris barely knew all that was going on. She had left her in the dark for so long and was now feeling guilty. But just as she opened her mouth, the sound of a loud chanting from the dance floor interrupted her.

Iris along with Roxanne turned their heads around slightly and saw a woman who was dressed in a red short gown actively swaying her hips to the music and dancing wildly on the dance floor, attracting the attention of many horny men.

With her red short dress, black heels, and loose blonde hair, the woman was without a doubt, pretty.

"Wait, that woman seems to be Julie Curt." It didn't take Roxanne a few seconds to recognize that face and Iris then squinted her eyes to get a better view.

"She changed a lot," Iris commented and a thought hit her when her eyes fall back on her best friend, "Don't you even realize that the face of Julie Curt now resembles yours."

"What?" Roxanne frowned to hear that. Was Iris mean that Julie got a facelift to look like her? What kidding. They both knew how much Julie Curt hated her.

Roxanne wanted to argue but suddenly noticed that Julie was straight up rejecting any guy who had come up to her as she walked seductively towards the VIP section, swinging her hips at every step.

Then the duo caught a dashing-looking young man there with a glass of whiskey in his hand. It was Lance Laurent.

"That sly little witch." Iris sneered as she watched Julie practically throw herself at Lance.

Iris had never liked Julie.

Not when they had been course mates during college and definitely not now when she was trying to use a face resembling her best friend to seduce her college senior.

No way in hell was she going to allow a leech-like Julie to have her way.

Without saying a single word, Iris stood up and approached Lance in the VIP section before Roxanne could say a single word.

She was stopped at the entrance by a few bouncers but once Lance recognized her, she was allowed in.

"Well if it isn't Lance Laurent." Iris greeted with a genuine smile happy to see her college senior after quite a while.

"Iris," Lance addressed her with one of those his usual bachelor smile. "You've grown."

"Right back at you," Iris said and turned her gaze to the leech seating beside Lance. Her smile dropped as she eyed her viciously and without acknowledging her presence, turned back to Lance.

"When was the last time we met like this, off work I mean?"

Lance chuckled and took a sip from his glass as he remembered the last time he had hung out with Iris and ended up spending close to a million dollars on drinks. "Three years if I recall correctly."

"Well, care to join this junior for a drink?" Iris said and pointed towards her table.

Lance's eyes followed the direction where she had pointed and when his gaze landed on Roxanne who had been watching them and she instantly avoided his eyes, he chuckled.

"I didn't realize you now went for fake copies, Lance." Julie cut their talk while having craftily wrapped her arms around Lance's upper ones.

Iris' smile faded at once. God she really can not stand Julie using that low version of Roxanne's face to do such disgraceful things.

She looked back at Lance. "I didn't expect your taste to diminish so much."

Before Julie lost her temper, Lance just chuckled and stood up, "Let's go for some drink."

Roxanne was nervous while watching them approach. Before Iris had her seat with Lance, she rose from her and dragged Iris by the arm.

"Please excuse us for a minute." She faked a smile at Lance but barely looked him in the eyes before rushing off.

In the restroom, Roxanne made sure they were both alone before asking. "What are you doing?"

Iris seemed confused. She didn't see anything wrong in what she had done.

"Inviting a friend over to join us and drink? Why? What's wrong?"

"A friend?" Roxanne asked and barked a laugh like she was some crazy person. "Unbelievable."

Iris was truly confused at this point and asked. "What's wrong? Roxy, did you do something that you're not telling me about?"

That question was all it took to make Roxanne burst.

"Yes. I slept with him." She admitted and felt like a lump had been removed from her throat, while Iris stared at her silently with wide eyes.

"You. you slept with Lance Laurent?" She had nearly screamed but calmed herself down at the last moment. "Wait, doesn't that mean you cheated on Christopher?"

Roxanne shook her head and pulled Iris closer before explaining the entire situation. By the time she was done, Iris's nostrils were flaring with anger toward Christopher.

"That douche bag." She gritted out. "I swear to God I'd kill him when I get my hands on him."

"Don't." Roxanne objected. "Not yet at least." She added seconds later.

Iris snickered before asking. "So, you and Lance?"

Roxanne felt heat rush to her cheeks and was about to dismiss the topic but before she could, Iris asked.

"Was he good in bed?"

Roxanne thought back to the night they had sex and licked her bottom lip. He had been more than good, fantastic was the word to describe his skills, but obviously she wasn't going to admit that.

"He was average." She told Iris with a shrug. "A bit disappointing if you asked me."

Iris laughed out loud. She couldn't believe what her friend had just said.

"You are crazy, scratch that, insatiable."

Roxanne swatted her teasing aside and leaned against the wash hand basin with a huff.

"Well now that you know, best keep that big mouth of yours shut." She warned.

Iris raised her hand in the air. "You can trust me, this secrete goes to the grave with me." Then she added in. "Shall we head back now?"

Roxanne glanced in the direction of the restroom door and shook her head. She felt like she needed to sober up a bit before going back out. She didn't want to face Lance right now as she seemed to have drunk a bit too much before.

"You go ahead; I think I need to clean my makeup up a bit."

However, when she stepped out of the restroom a few whiles later, she was suddenly picked up and thrown over a shoulder.

A harsh smack on her butt caused her to yelp and her movement to come to a standstill when she heard that familiar voice.

"Some little birdie told me you were quite disappointed with my bed skills. Then let me show you something tough tonight."

Lance entered Roxanne's apartment with the password that Iris sent him.

He was planning to give Roxanne some punishment in his car but this woman really fell asleep while they were kissing.

Carrying her towards the first bedroom that seemed like hers, Lance sighed as he placed her down on her bed and tucked her underneath her duvet.

He was about to step away when he felt Roxanne's fingers curl around the hem of his shirt. She stirred in her sleep almost as if she was having a nightmare, muttering incoherent words in the process.

Lance glanced down at her tiny yet slender fingers and tried prying her fingers off but failed on the first try. Just when he attempted a second try, a silent sob broke through her lips, startling him in the process.

"Don't leave me alone... Mom, Dad."

His heart suddenly softened to hear her murmuring. He gently hugged her in his arms as he comforted her, "Don't be afraid. You have me here."

His eyes lately fall on the family photo on her bed table and beside it, there was a bottle of wish sand, which brought some annoying memory back to him.

His eyes narrowed but when he was about to leave and calm himself down, Roxanne suddenly vomited all over his shirt.

"Fucking hell," Lance grunted out in annoyance while Roxanne quietly went back to bed, unaware of her actions.

Lance glanced at her and his jaws tightened. Exhaling through his lips as he unlatched Roxanne's finger from around his shirt, he walked towards her bathroom.

After everything he had done for her this night, the least she could offer him was a hot shower before he left.

Sooner or later she must have to pay for all these things she had done to him.

** ** ** **

Roxanne woke up sometime in the night feeling sticky and sweaty. Hearing the shower run in her bathroom, she believed it was Iris who sent her home.

She stripped from her stuffy clothes in her hazy state of mind and without any form of cautiousness, walked into the bathroom.

The hot water from the shower descended on her body almost instantly when she pulled the door open. Yet Roxanne just closed her eyes and moaned out in relief, unaware of the person who had been watching her from behind.

With his hands on his hips and body wash foam plastered all over his body, Lance quietly watched Roxanne. The storm was gathering in his eyes.

Even though it wasn't the first time he had seen her fully nude, he still found his stare lingering and her body. Easily aroused his desire.

"Ah!!" A surprised yelp escaped her throat when she turned around to reach for her body wash. Finally, she noticed his presence as

"Hello sunshine, sleep well?"

Roxanne stared on with wide eyes and became half sober at once.

"How. what are you doing here?" She questioned with her cheeks flushed cherry as she quickly tried to cover her body up.

"No need in trying to cover it up, I've seen all that there is." He teased with his eyes locked directly on hers.

Roxanne felt her cheeks heat up all the more and quickly averted her gaze. "You need to leave. Now."

However, when she began heading for the door and out of the shower, she was caught simultaneously by Lance.

"Is this the thanks I get after all I've done?"

Cracking her head up, Roxanne felt like she was being dragged into his game once more the moment she locked her gaze with him.

"You'd get your 'much-deserved thanks' but right now, you need to leave."

"And what if I say I don't want to?" Lance asked as he held her tightly in his arms.

"Lance." She called out in a warning tone but he ignored it and pressed her against the cold walls while the hot water poured down on their bodies.

"That's enough, Lance. This has to stop." Roxanne tried to remain firm but the moment his fingers danced along her skin, she felt her mind blur for a few seconds.

Why did he always have such a damn effect on her?

A single touch was enough to send her mind into Havana.

"You want me to leave, but your body says otherwise. So tell me, Roxanne. Do you really want me to leave?" While trailing his finger up her tights, Lance whispered in her ear and watched as she shivered from the sound of his voice.

"Words Roxy, I need words." He coaxed on and ran his finger against her exposed nipples

Roxanne shivered from the sudden jolt of pleasure and felt her mind sway all the more.

"See? You got so wet for me down there in seconds despite telling me to leave. What a naughty girl." Lance coarse as he pumped both his fingers into Roxanne's pussy and she moaned out in utter pleasure before she could stop herself.

Another wave of pleasure hit Roxanne hard as he inserted yet another finger and sped up his pace, pumping his fingers in and out of her at a mad pace that made her sense blur completely as her eyes slowly began to roll toward the back of her head.

"That's it, sunshine. Moan out and remember you are mine."

** ** ** **

Roxanne never expected that her one-night stand with Lance would turn out to be two nights and then three nights.

She hoped there won't be more, or things would get more and more out of her control.

She sighed as she finished her work and at that moment, Christopher's message popped out.

「I'll pick you up to have lunch together, babe.」

She couldn't help but sneer. Christopher was really a born actor. She had no mood to cooperate with him to play this love game. As long as she transferred her money and resource back, she would dump him at once.

Having no expectation to see his disturbing face anymore, Roxanne was going to make up a random excuse to reject him but Christopher seemed insistent.

By the time they met at the restaurant, she understood his intention at once as he pulled out the medicine soup.

"Mother did these medicinal cuisines specially for you. She was awfully worried that you left early from the party that day."

Worried? If Grace truly that cared about her, she should have called her to confirm her safety that night so that she wouldn't catching her son cheating on her and made the mistake with Lance again.

As she thought, Christopher had screwed the lid open and one whiff of scent had her face contorting in dislike.

She knew what they were planning. If she could have a baby with Christopher, they thought their marriage would be foolproof.

Too naive. Even if she really carried his baby, she would still kick him off as long as she found out Christopher was just a rotten man.

"...babe?" Roxanne flinched when Christopher called her while holding her hands. Geeze, she was getting more and more sick of his touch.

"Sorry, what were you saying? I was thinking about my new design." Roxanne faked a smile as she pulled her hand out.

"I asked if you would like to try the cuisine? Should I plate it?"

"Uh, sure." Roxanne blurted but soon regretted when she had the soup within her grasp. She hated this scent.

Pretending to check the new message from her phone, she excused to leave early. "Sorry, Chris. I have to go now as we just got a meeting on the fly."

She bowed apologetically as she got up and left the table. With that, she noticed the bag beside her seat.

"Oh, here is the jacket you asked me to bring this morning." She said as she handed the bag to him. "I should go now. Bye~"

Christopher had expected her to at least give him a kiss on the cheek as she stepped out, but she didn't. It wasn't the first sign of indifference she had shown him as of late.

There must be something wrong, but Christopher couldn't find the answer at a moment.

But when he later arrived at home, dipping his fingers inside his coat pocket to check, he was stunned to see the thing he pulled out.

A freshly used Condom!

Christopher could feel anger burning in his chest as he realized the truth.

Roxanne had sex last night but it was not with him.

She was cheating behind him with another man!