Lili stepped into the room. It was beautiful, decorated in soft creams and golds, with a balcony that overlooked the sleeping city. She changed into the silk pajamas she found—they were soft, expensive, and fit her perfectly.
But sleep wouldn't come. Her mind was still buzzing from the project and the intense encounter in the kitchen. She felt restless. After tossing and turning for thirty minutes, she decided to step out onto the balcony to get some fresh air.
The night was quiet, the only sound being the distant rustle of leaves. As she leaned against the railing, she realized the balcony next to hers wasn't empty.
A few feet away, separated only by a small stone divider, stood Leo. He was still wearing his dress trousers, but his shirt was unbuttoned at the top, and he held a glass of water in his hand. He looked like a king surveying his kingdom in the moonlight.
"Can't sleep, New Girl?" Leo asked, his voice a low, intimate rumble in the darkness.
Lili started, clutching her silk robe tighter. "The project... I think I have too much caffeine in my system."
Leo turned toward her, the moonlight catching the sharp angles of his face.
He stepped closer to the divider, his gaze dropping to her lips before returning to her eyes. "My brother told me you finished the work. You should be proud.
"I'm learning," Lili whispered, her heart hammering against her ribs.
"Good," Leo murmured, his voice dropping an octave. "Because I have a feeling you're going to be around for a long time, Lili. And I'd hate for you to be uncomfortable."
He reached out, his fingers grazing the cold stone between them, almost touching her hand. For a moment, the world stood still. There was no college, no bullies, and no friends downstairs. There was only Lili and Leo.
Lili stopped, her breath catching. "I... I just needed something to help me sleep."
Leo didn't speak. He walked toward her, his movements slow and deliberate, like a predator who had finally found what he was looking for. Before Lili could step back, he reached out and gently caught her wrist. With a sudden, firm movement, he guided her back until her shoulders pressed against the cold, smooth marble of the wall.
He leaned in, placing one hand on the wall beside her head, effectively trapping her. The scent of sandalwood and expensive soap was overwhelming. Up close, his eyes weren't cold; they were burning with an intensity that made Lili's knees weak.
"You've been running through my mind all day, Lili," he whispered, his face inches from hers. "Ever since I saw you at that club... ever since I read that note."
Lili looked up at him, her heart hammering so hard she was sure he could feel it. "Leo..."
"Shh," he murmured. He leaned closer, his gaze dropping to her lips.
Lili felt herself drifting toward him, her eyes fluttering shut. She could feel the warmth of his breath on her skin. She wanted this—the mystery, the danger, and the man who had protected her when she was at her lowest. She tilted her head up, her lips just a fraction of an inch away from his.
The sharp sound of a metal tray hitting the floor echoed through the hallway.
Lili jumped, her eyes snapping open. Standing at the entrance of the kitchen was Maria, the maid, who had stayed late to prep for breakfast. Her eyes were wide with shock as she stared at the CEO and the young guest.
"Oh! Master Leo! I... I am so sorry! I thought everyone was asleep," Maria stammered, frantically picking up the fallen spoons.
The spell was broken. Leo straightened up instantly, his face returning to a mask of cool, professional calm, though his jaw remained tight with frustration.
Lili's face burned a deep crimson. Without looking back, she ducked under Leo's arm and bolted for the stairs. She didn't stop until she was back in her guest room, her heart racing and her fingers trembling as she pressed them against her lips.
She had almost kissed her bffs brother . And she knew, deep down, that her life would never be simple again.
The rest of the night was a blur of moonlight and racing thoughts. Lili lay in the center of the massive guest bed, staring up at the intricate molding on the ceiling. Every time she closed her eyes, she felt the cool marble of the wall against her back and the heat of Leo's breath on her lips.
The silence of the mansion, which had seemed peaceful before, now felt heavy and charged with a secret.
She turned onto her side, hugging a silk pillow to her chest. She thought about her life just a week ago—a girl afraid of a big city, worried about bus schedules and mean comments in a classroom. Now, she was caught in a gravitational pull toward a man who was as dangerous as he was protective.
"What are you doing, Lili?" she whispered into the dark.
She knew she should be focusing on the project and her friendship with Luca. Luca was her anchor; he was the one who had truly saved her first day. But Leo... Leo was like a storm she couldn't look away from. The way he had looked at her in the hallway wasn't the look of a big brother's friend. It was the look of a man who wanted something—and Leo always got what he wanted.
As the clock on the bedside table ticked toward 4:00 AM, the sky outside began to turn a pale, dusty grey. Lili watched the shadows retreat from the corners of the room. She felt exhausted, yet her nerves were so high she couldn't even yawn.
She was terrified of the morning. She would have to sit at the breakfast table with Luca, Maya, and Rohan, acting like everything was normal, while the man across from her knew exactly how close they had come to crossing the line.