Telkia couldn't help but steal a few glances at Stephan. However, memories of their intense moments flooded her mind, prompting her to look away, out the window. Stephan seemed to notice and gave her a teasing smile.

Fearing his teasing, Felicia steered the conversation. "You have to be careful of Maurice. He's crazy and unpredictable!"

"Okay," Stephan responded casually, but Felicia saw a flicker of ruthlessness in his eyes. It wasn't directed at her; it was for Maurice. The two clearly harbored a deep-seated grudge—a feud that would likely end only with one of them dead.

Felicia decided it was best to keep her distance from both men, to avoid becoming caught in their crossfire. Soon, the car stopped before a villa.

Felicia unbuckled her seatbelt and was about to exit when a warm hand gripped her wrist. She turned to find Stephan's face inches from hers. "You…" she began, but Stephan silenced her with a kiss.

It was soft and gentle, catching Felicia completely off guard. Stephan quickly pulled away. "Felicia, you like me," he chuckled softly, less a question than a statement—assertive, even arrogant.

Felicia's heart pounded. She wouldn't just accept this. "Mr. Russell, I like your face, but not you as a person. I'm a sucker for good looks—the more handsome, the better." She was being honest. Nobody disliked aesthetically pleasing things, especially a handsome face, and Stephan was the most handsome person she'd ever met.

As for their two previous encounters, they meant little to Felicia. The atmosphere had been right, but that didn't mean she would give her heart away. So, she didn't like him. She thought, perhaps irresponsibly, that Stephan would accept this. To her surprise, he stared, smirked, and said, "In that case, I think you won't find other people attractive. Even if you do, I'll end them."

Felicia was stunned, then understanding dawned. She stared, her gaze meeting his dark, turbulent, unreadable eyes—as dark as ink. He wasn't joking.

She couldn't recall escaping the car, only his handsome face. Her breath quickened as she felt herself drawn to his dangerous allure. Her gut told her he was serious, but her reason screamed to stay away from this dangerous man; anyone too close would suffer the consequences.

Felicia dashed into the villa and leaned her back against the door, pressing a hand to her chest where her heart hammered wildly.