"Don't think for a second you can swoop in and steal her from me!"
Geoffrey slowly released his grip, his gaze turning cold.
"I've arranged a project for you overseas. Three months. Your flight leaves tonight."
"Three months from now, everything goes back to the way it should be."
"I'm the heir to the Harding Group. I'm the only one who gets to marry Cindy."
On the other side of the door, I heard every word.
But Cornelius had one thing wrong.
Whoever I chose to marry would be the heir to the Harding Group.
Years ago, Old Mr. Harding had asked me to choose between Cornelius and Geoffrey for my engagement.
The three of us had grown up together. I knew both of them had feelings for me.
What finally made me choose Cornelius was an accident.
When I was eighteen, I was kidnapped by a rival of my family.
Just as the kidnappers were about to kill me, Cornelius appeared and took a knife meant for me, saving my life.
After he was discharged from the hospital, I told Old Mr. Harding my answer was Cornelius.
That day was both my engagement to Cornelius and the day the Harding Group announced its heir.
He saved my life once, and in my last life, I repaid that debt with my own.
In this life, we owed each other nothing.
Footsteps approached the door.
I turned on my heel and walked away quickly, pulling out my phone to make a call.
"Set up a meeting for me. I want to see Old Mr. Harding alone."
That night, Geoffrey didn't listen to Cornelius. He didn't get on the plane. Instead, he came to the bridal suite.
When he opened the door and stepped inside, I was lying on the couch with a glass of wine.
A flicker of surprise passed through me, but I sat up, poured a second glass, and held it out to him.
"Drink?"
Geoffrey took the glass. His gaze burned, fixed on the trace of wine still glistening on my lips.
"That's not the only thing I want to taste..."
His Adam's apple bobbed, his voice rough.
"Cindy."
His shadow fell over me as he cupped my face and kissed me.
Maybe it was the wine.
I didn't pull away. I rose on my toes and kissed him back.
That was all the encouragement Geoffrey needed.
He grew bolder.
From the living room to the bedroom, from the couch to the bed, until they reached the very last step.
He stopped.
"Cindy, do you know who I am?"
He lifted a hand to my cheek, his eyes a storm of restraint and want.
I looped my arms around his neck, tilted my head up, and pressed my lips to his ear.
"Geoffrey."
Before the name had fully left my mouth, his weight came down over me.
Moonlight spilled through the glass, their shadows tangling beneath it.
It wasn't until the first pale light crept above the horizon that the room finally went still.
The next morning, I was woken by Geoffrey's phone ringing.
"The project lead tells me you never got on that plane last night."
"Geoffrey! Where the hell are you right now?"
Cornelius's voice tore through the speaker.
Geoffrey rubbed the bridge of his nose and answered lazily.
"It was my wedding night. Where do you think I was?"
His voice was still hoarse.
A beat of silence, then Cornelius's pitch shot up.
"Geoffrey! That's not funny! Get on a plane to the project site. Now."
"I'm on a cruise ship. Signal's about to cut out."
I'd been dragged awake by the noise and couldn't help muttering under my breath.
"So loud..."
Silence on the other end. A few seconds. When Cornelius spoke again, his voice shook.
"Was that Cindy?"
"She's with you? You slept with her?"
Before Geoffrey could answer, the line went dead.
Probably lost signal on the cruise ship.
Between the early hour and that phone call, any hope of falling back asleep was gone.
