Even though Celine had an unhappy childhood, she never lost the courage to love. Whether it was Lucy or Adam, she had always loved passionately and unreservedly. Loving someone didn't make a person weak or inferior, and love should never be used as an excuse to take advantage of her. Besides, she had already given up on him—she no longer loved Adam.

Adam's cold gaze locked onto her resolute expression; a mocking smirk played on his lips.

"Really? You're over me?"

Before Celine could respond, Adam lowered his head and forcefully kissed her.

Celine's mind went blank; her eyes widened in disbelief. Adam was kissing her! This wasn't their first kiss. The last time, in the bathroom, she had clung to him and initiated it. But this time, he was taking the lead.

Celine struggled, pushing against him. "Let go of me!"

Adam's tall, imposing frame pinned her slender body firmly against the wall. His cool, unyielding lips pressed down on hers with an air of dominance and conquest. He seized the moment she parted her lips to deepen the kiss.

In that instant, his unique presence consumed her senses—a clean, fresh, masculine scent distinctly his. Celine had never been close to another man. She was as pure as a blank canvas, and her inexperienced body reacted sensitively to their closeness, a fiery blush spreading across her face. Her hands, which had been pressing against his chest, slowly curled, clutching the luxurious fabric of his shirt. Her knees grew weak.

Noticing her legs giving way, Adam wrapped his strong arms around her waist, holding her firmly. Slowly releasing her, he ended the kiss.

"You" Celine stammered, her face flushed crimson.

Adam's voice dripped with mockery. "Is this what you call being 'over me'? Look at yourself—you can barely stand after my kiss." He recalled Celine teasing him about being a bad kisser. Now, he was smirking, and she was speechless.

The mockery hit Celine like a bucket of cold water, extinguishing the lingering warmth in her cheeks. Only then did she realize the kiss was meant to humiliate her. Adam hadn't even bothered to close his eyes; instead, he had coldly watched her disarray, which he found amusing.

Gazing at her dazed expression, Adam added, "Is that all it takes to get you flustered?"

As a man in his prime, Adam knew exactly how to wield his power, and his unrelenting cruelty was razor-sharp. Celine felt embarrassed and deeply humiliated. She hated him, but what she detested even more was herself. Her body still reacted to him. Perhaps, deep down, she still harbored feelings for him—and he had turned that into a weapon to ridicule her.

However, Celine wasn't the kind of woman to be trampled on. If someone struck her, she struck back just as hard. After collecting herself, she leaned closer, her chin held high. "That's right. And that's why I'm looking for someone else. If you can freely please Carly, then I can find another man to fulfill my needs. What are you so smug about, Adam? If Nathan kissed me, I'd react the same way."

She deliberately emphasized Nathan's name.