Chapter 13

Rowan’s face stiffened, his lollipop twisting between his teeth as he bit down in frustration. He scoffed coldly, then turned and walked away.

A few hours later, after evening classes ended, he ran into Stella again. This time, she was snuggling happily next to Randy as if nothing had happened. Rowan found it laughable. At times, he even felt like she was asking for it.

It was true that, as Stella had pointed out, he had never been kind to her before. But back then, seeing her lower herself, seeking approval and trying to please a man who didn’t care about her, even mistreated her, made it impossible for him to show her any kindness.

Over the years, Rowan often wondered—if she had given him just a fraction of the smile she gave Randy, he would have been over the moon. And now, it was like a beautiful dream come true. Stella was there, smiling sweetly at him, saying she loved him, that she wanted to spend her life with him, that she wanted to kiss him.

The more he looked at her, the more he heard her teasing whispers, and the more his long-muted emotions surged. His emotions surged like a wildfire, burning through the cold, guarded exterior he had held onto for years, threatening to break free at any moment. His palm, pressing against the back of her neck, hummed with intensity.

The dizziness hit him hard, and for the first time, he felt his blood boil as the coldness inside him melted away. He froze for a moment, giving her one last chance to pull back. But Stella didn’t understand his hesitation. She didn’t obey. In that instant, all the coldness inside him vanished.

Rowan’s hand on her neck moved forward, cupping her face. He silenced her whimpering with a deep kiss. But just as they were lost in the kiss, a voice broke through from the door.

Someone had entered the room, and their voice preceded them, "Rowan, what happened? Did you get bitten by a dog or something? Why do you need a rabies shot..." The voice stopped abruptly, followed by a stunned exclamation. "What the hell!"

Stella froze the moment she heard the voice. She immediately lowered her head and buried her face in Rowan’s neck. Rowan’s hand rested on the back of her head, pulling her close as he turned his cold gaze toward the intruder.

Joseph stood by the entryway, watching the two people hugging in the open- concept kitchen. It was as if he had been struck by some kind of spell. Though it was just a glance, he saw everything. Just moments ago, Rowan had been kissing someone. This kiss was worlds apart from the light peck they had shared in the hotel banquet hall. Even though Stella had her back to him, Joseph could tell—it was an intense kiss. He never imagined Rowan had this wild side to him.

He didn’t react immediately. It wasn’t until Rowan’s cold, deadly gaze met his that he snapped back to reality. With a smirk, he awkwardly said, "I didn’t see anything. You guys carry on, keep going, pretend I’m not here..." He quickly turned and hurried out, shutting the door behind him. Leaning against it, he let out a sigh. Damn, that was intense, he thought.

The elevator chimed, and Conner stepped out with a medical kit in hand. Upon seeing Joseph, he raised an eyebrow. "What are you doing standing here?" Then, his gaze shifted to the door behind him. He asked curiously, "Does Rowan really have a dog?"

Joseph thought for a moment and nodded. "Yeah, he does." He paused and added with a knowing look, "Not just a dog, but a cat too. And right now, the cat and dog are fighting. Don’t worry, we’ll wait until they’re done."