vows and vendettas the luxury liner

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Transcript

00:00:00I got fired and nearly arrested just for touching a co-worker's abs.

00:00:04Desperate for energy, I hide myself in the most boring black suit I can find and interview

00:00:09to become the personal assistant to Ethan Frost, New York's coldest, most untouchable

00:00:14billionaire suit.

00:00:15The moment I see him, every filthy instinct wakes up.

00:00:18I want to ruin him with my mouth from those cold lips down his chest until I'm wrapped

00:00:22around his thick throbbing cock, sucking him dry and breaking his perfect control.

00:00:26Suddenly, Ethan snaps his pen clean in half.

00:00:30He stares at me, jaw-tight, voice rough.

00:00:32You're hired.

00:00:33He can hear every filthy thought in my head.

00:00:36I'm Jade Summers.

00:00:37One second I was the most seductive succubus in the abyss, drunk on desire and raw sexual

00:00:42energy.

00:00:43The next I blinked and found myself dumped on a crowded street in New York City.

00:00:47This place is insane.

00:00:49The whole city reeks of lust, yet everyone struts around acting like they're above it,

00:00:53preaching self-control, purity, and proper behavior.

00:00:56A few days ago I was so starved I could barely hold my human shape.

00:01:00All I did was run my hand over my co-workers' abs to steal a little energy, and I got

00:01:05dragged

00:01:05into HR, publicly fired for sexual harassment, and almost arrested.

00:01:09No legal identity here means I starve.

00:01:12End of story.

00:01:13So I squeezed myself into the most buttoned-up black blazer I could find, every button fastened

00:01:18tight to my throat, and walked into Frost Capital, one of Manhattan's most cutthroat

00:01:23firms, for a personal secretary interview.

00:01:25The man interviewing me was the one who runs everything.

00:01:29Ethan Frost.

00:01:30Everyone called him untouchable.

00:01:32Cold privileged, disciplined to the bone.

00:01:35A man so controlled that women could throw themselves at him all night and he would not even

00:01:39blink.

00:01:39But the moment I stepped into his office, a thick wave of pure, scorching masculine energy

00:01:45slammed into me.

00:01:46My succubus instincts went feral.

00:01:48Oh my god.

00:01:50Look at those broad shoulders, that tight waist, those powerful thighs.

00:01:54Those dress pants are stretched so obscenely I can see the outline of every inch.

00:02:00I bet he's thick, heavy, and perfect.

00:02:02I wonder how long this tightly wound ice prince can keep his control, before he snaps.

00:02:08I want to shove him back onto that desk, tear that expensive suit off him, and ride him

00:02:13raw until he's shaking and begging.

00:02:15I was deep in that filthy fantasy when a loud snap cracked through the room.

00:02:20Ethan's luxury pen broke in half, black ink spilling over his fingers.

00:02:24He slowly lifted his gaze.

00:02:26It was cold.

00:02:27Dark eyes pinned me like a predator.

00:02:29His voice came out low, rough, and dangerously controlled.

00:02:32He paused, jaw-tight, eyes burning with something dark and volatile.

00:02:36Jade Summers.

00:02:38You're hired.

00:02:41I stood there, completely stunned.

00:02:43You really just hired me?

00:02:44After I had mentally stripped him naked and imagined riding him senseless?

00:02:48Not that I was complaining.

00:02:50This job gave me legitimate, daily access to the most powerful source of energy I had ever

00:02:55felt.

00:02:55I had barely stepped out of his office when Victoria, the senior director, cornered me

00:03:01in the hallway.

00:03:01She looked at me like I was something filthy that had just crawled in off the street.

00:03:05She marched up in her sharp heels and shoved my shoulder hard.

00:03:09Button that collar all the way up.

00:03:11If I ever see you throwing yourself at Mr. Frost, you won't even make it through tomorrow.

00:03:16Do you understand me?

00:03:18I let myself stumble back and quickly put on my most innocent, obedient face.

00:03:22Of course, director.

00:03:23I'll be completely professional.

00:03:26But inside, my succubus side was burning with contempt.

00:03:29Throwing myself at him?

00:03:30Please.

00:03:31You look at him like you own him.

00:03:33You have no idea how good it feels to be flooded with that kind of raw, masculine energy.

00:03:37It would probably kill you.

00:03:38A body like his deserves to be claimed every single day.

00:03:41I want to wrap myself around him, drain him with my mouth and hands until he has nothing

00:03:45left to give.

00:03:45A heavy footstep sounded behind me.

00:03:47Ethan stood just a few feet away in his perfectly tailored black suit, his presence filling the

00:03:52hallway.

00:03:53His dark, intense eyes were locked directly on my face.

00:03:57Victoria spun around instantly, flashing a sweet, adoring smile.

00:04:01Mr. Frost!

00:04:02I was just giving the new assistant some orientation on proper office standards, making sure the

00:04:07wrong kind of woman doesn't cause you any problems.

00:04:09Ethan ignored her completely.

00:04:12His gaze never left me.

00:04:13I watched his throat tighten as he swallowed slowly, something dark and heated flashing

00:04:18in his eyes.

00:04:19His voice came out low and commanding.

00:04:22Coffee.

00:04:23Now.

00:04:26Five minutes later, I walked into the CEO's office with a cup of black coffee.

00:04:30The second I stepped through the door, that devastating masculine energy wrapped around me again,

00:04:35hot and clean and way too close.

00:04:37It clung to my skin like a second layer.

00:04:39Ethan was leaning back in his chair, reviewing documents like nothing in the world could shake

00:04:44him.

00:04:45Shirt buttoned.

00:04:46Tie straight.

00:04:47Face cold enough to freeze over hell.

00:04:49But my eyes had no loyalty to my brain.

00:04:52They kept drifting lower, straight to the tight stretch of his dress pants.

00:04:56That energy is so thick and pure it's making me dizzy.

00:04:59The way those pants hug him should be illegal.

00:05:02If he ever let loose on me, he would completely wreck me.

00:05:05God, I wanna-

00:05:06I was so busy staring that I completely missed the vase beside me.

00:05:09My heel caught the edge of it and rolled.

00:05:11Ah!

00:05:12I lost my balance and pitched forward straight into him.

00:05:15The entire cup of scalding coffee splashed across his lap.

00:05:18Every single drop.

00:05:20He's-

00:05:20A low, ragged groan tore out of him.

00:05:23The documents in his hand scattered all over the floor.

00:05:26My soul nearly left my body.

00:05:28I scrambled up, grabbed the tissue box off his desk and started frantically dabbing at

00:05:33his thighs.

00:05:33Mr. Frost, I'm so sorry.

00:05:35Please don't move.

00:05:37I'll clean it up.

00:05:38The second my fingers pressed against the soaked fabric, I froze.

00:05:41Even through the thin material, the heat under my hand was overwhelming.

00:05:45Hard.

00:05:46Tense.

00:05:47Very, very alive.

00:05:48My fingers started to shake.

00:05:50Wait.

00:05:50Is he getting hard?

00:05:52God, he's huge.

00:05:53Ugh.

00:05:54I just wanna rip these pants open and put my mouth onto his monstrous cock.

00:05:58Ethan's hand, which had been reaching for the tissues, stopped dead in Medair.

00:06:02For one terrifying second, the whole office went silent.

00:06:06Then his large, burning hand came down on my lower back.

00:06:09He seized me and pulled me hard against his chest.

00:06:12My breath caught.

00:06:13His body was solid against mine, his breath hot and uneven on my face.

00:06:17That perfect frozen composure finally cracked, and what leaked through was dark, hungry and

00:06:22dangerous.

00:06:23His voice dropped low.

00:06:25You really can't stop looking there, can you?

00:06:29His voice was low against my ear, and that thick, impossible bulge pressing against me

00:06:34was impossible to ignore.

00:06:35My succubus control was hanging by a thread.

00:06:38This man was plain dirty.

00:06:40And the worst part was, I was almost sure he knew it.

00:06:43I swallowed hard, my whole body going soft against him.

00:06:46My arms slid around his neck before my brain could stop them.

00:06:49I leaned in, lips parting, the tip of my tongue just barely brushing out.

00:06:53One more inch.

00:06:54Just one.

00:06:55Then the memory hit me like a fire alarm.

00:06:58HR dragging me out of my last job in front of everyone.

00:07:01Security watching me like I was dangerous.

00:07:03The threat of handcuffs, police and a permanent record, all because I touched a co-worker's

00:07:08abs when I was starving.

00:07:09My blood went cold.

00:07:11This was not some random office.

00:07:13This was the CEO's office in New York.

00:07:15And this was Ethan Frost, one of the most powerful men in the country.

00:07:19Throwing myself at him was not a cute little workplace mistake.

00:07:23This could destroy my life.

00:07:24All my succubus confidence disappeared in an instant.

00:07:28No.

00:07:29I came here to survive, not to end up in prison.

00:07:31I shoved him back with a sudden burst of strength, slipped out of his arms and dropped

00:07:36hard onto the floor.

00:07:37Mr. Frost, I'm so sorry.

00:07:39I swear I'm a respectable woman.

00:07:41I just slipped.

00:07:43That's all.

00:07:43I wasn't trying anything.

00:07:45Please don't call the police.

00:07:46I'm not some kind of predator.

00:07:48I fumbled with the door, yanked it open, and ran.

00:07:50But as the door swung shut behind me, I caught one last glimpse through the narrow crack.

00:07:56The famously celibate, untouchable ice prince was still standing exactly where I had left him.

00:08:02His shirt was wrinkled.

00:08:04His breathing was rough.

00:08:05His hands were empty, like he had not expected me to escape.

00:08:09And the look in his eyes was not anger.

00:08:11It was hunger.

00:08:12The kind that made my knees weak even from the other side of the door.

00:08:17That afternoon I went to the break room to get some water and calm myself down.

00:08:21The coffee disaster was still replaying in my head, along with Ethan's hand on my waist,

00:08:26his rough breathing, and the way he had looked at me before I ran.

00:08:30I needed water.

00:08:31Possibly an exorcism.

00:08:33The second I turned around, Victoria was walking straight toward me with a full basin of ice

00:08:37water in her hands.

00:08:39She stopped right in front of me, a small, vicious smile tugging at her lips.

00:08:43Then she let her foot slip on purpose.

00:08:46The entire basin came crashing down over me.

00:08:48Ice water soaked through my thin white blouse in seconds.

00:08:51The fabric turned almost transparent, clinging to every curve and leaving far too much on display.

00:08:57Co-workers rushed over from every direction.

00:09:00Seriously?

00:09:01She wore that under a white blower?

00:09:03That is not exactly office appropriate.

00:09:05I'm not surprised.

00:09:06She walked into Mr. Frost's office for her interview and came out hired, connect the dots.

00:09:10And now she's acting shopped, people are staring?

00:09:12Please, you don't dress like that by accident.

00:09:14Victoria stood at the front of the crowd, savoring every second of my humiliation.

00:09:19Her voice was sweet, but every word was meant to cut.

00:09:22Everyone seeing this?

00:09:23Our new secretary shows up on day one with lingerie under a white plouse and expects us to believe she

00:09:29is here for spreadsheets?

00:09:30I hugged my soaked blouse to my chest, shivering.

00:09:33This is his frost capital, not some club bathroom.

00:09:35I'm reporting you to HR myself.

00:09:37Enjoy your last day.

00:09:38I lowered my eyes, looking weak and humiliated.

00:09:41Inside I was burning.

00:09:42Get me fired?

00:09:43Go ahead and try.

00:09:44If Ethan sees me like this, he won't be able to look away for days.

00:09:47This body was made to drive a man like him wild.

00:09:49I could wrap myself around him and drain every last drop he has.

00:09:52You're nothing compared to that.

00:09:53Victoria took my silence for fear and reached for my wet collar.

00:09:57What, nothing to say now?

00:09:58You were so good at playing innocent earlier.

00:10:01Come on, let everyone see what kind of professional you really are.

00:10:04The crowd suddenly went silent.

00:10:06What is going on here?

00:10:09One low, cutting voice was enough to freeze the entire break room.

00:10:13Everyone fell silent and stepped aside at once.

00:10:16Ethan walked in.

00:10:17His gaze landed on my soaked, almost transparent blouse.

00:10:21For one long second, he said nothing.

00:10:24His jaw tightened and his throat moved once hard.

00:10:27Those eyes usually cold enough to keep the whole office at a distance.

00:10:31Darken the moment they saw me.

00:10:33Mr. Frost, look at her.

00:10:35I don't know what kind of stunt she pulled to end up like this,

00:10:38but she's been standing here, putting herself on display and trying to make everyone uncomfortable.

00:10:43Ethan did not even look at her.

00:10:45He shrugged off his jacket, still warm and carrying that clean cedar scent,

00:10:49then stepped in front of me and wrapped it around my shoulders.

00:10:52The jacket swallowed me almost completely, cutting off every stare in the room.

00:10:57The second his warmth touched my skin that rich, dangerous energy of his rolled over me.

00:11:02My knees nearly gave out right there.

00:11:04Without a word he took my wrist and led me out of the break room.

00:11:08No one dared to stop him.

00:11:09The moment we reached his office, he pushed the door open with one hard motion and pulled me inside.

00:11:15Then he locked it.

00:11:16The click of the lock went straight through me.

00:11:18Every bit of suppressed succubus instinct I had been trying to bury came roaring back to life.

00:11:23A locked door.

00:11:24Just the two of us.

00:11:25Oh, I know exactly where this is going.

00:11:27He is going to push me against that floor to clearing window, tear off this ruined blouse,

00:11:32use that tie to trap my wrists, and punish me until I forget how to stand.

00:11:35Yes, daddy.

00:11:36Punish me like I'm a bad girl.

00:11:38Ethan stopped.

00:11:39His back went rigid.

00:11:41For a moment, the office was so quiet I could hear my own heartbeat.

00:11:44Then a vein jumped at his temple and he took one slow breath like he was trying very hard

00:11:49not to lose control.

00:11:50When he turned around, his expression had gone dangerously still.

00:11:54The next second he crossed the room, caught me by the waist and backed me against the window.

00:11:59His hands landed on either side of my head, caging me in completely.

00:12:03The glass was cold against my back.

00:12:05He was burning hot in front of me.

00:12:07His voice came out low, restrained, and rough around the edges.

00:12:11What exactly goes on in that little head of yours all day, Jade?

00:12:16Pinned against the window by a man that tall, that close, and that intense,

00:12:20I pulled my shoulders in and gave him my best helpless, wide-eyed look.

00:12:24Mr. Frost, I wasn't thinking anything.

00:12:27I was just scared after getting soaked like that.

00:12:30Ethan let out a low, cold laugh.

00:12:32His fingers closed around my jaw and tilted my face up.

00:12:35His breath brushed over my lips, warm and dangerously uneven.

00:12:40He did not answer me.

00:12:41Instead his other hand went to his tie.

00:12:43He pulled it loose in one slow, deliberate motion like he had all the time in the world.

00:12:48Then he dropped it onto the desk.

00:12:50My pulse jumped.

00:12:51Then he undid the top two buttons of his shirt.

00:12:54That collarbone.

00:12:55That shadow beneath the open fabric.

00:12:57That hard, controlled body he kept locked away under expensive suits every single day.

00:13:02He stepped right into my line of sight and stayed there.

00:13:05This man was baiting me on purpose.

00:13:07I stared at his open collar and swallowed hard.

00:13:10My traitorous hand started rising on its own, reaching for that warm,

00:13:14firm chest like I had no survival instincts at all.

00:13:17Screw it.

00:13:18He started this.

00:13:19Just touching him would be worth it.

00:13:27My fingertips were one breath away from touching him.

00:13:30Then the alarm in my head screamed.

00:13:32Flashing lights.

00:13:34Cold handcuffs.

00:13:35Iron bars.

00:13:36A full criminal case with my name on it.

00:13:39Getting fired for touching a co-worker's abs was bad enough.

00:13:42Putting my hands on the CEO of Frost Capital, that was a life sentence in heels.

00:13:47Self-preservation kicked in.

00:13:49I snatched my hand back, ducked under his arm, and slipped away.

00:13:52Mr. Frost, my eyes are closed.

00:13:55I didn't see anything.

00:13:56Please keep your shirt on.

00:13:58I have absolutely zero inappropriate thoughts about you.

00:14:01I spun toward the door and got my hand on the lock.

00:14:03But before I could turn it, a rush of cedar and heat swept over me from behind.

00:14:08Ethan was suddenly there, his shirt still undone.

00:14:11One hand braced against the door, trapping me in place.

00:14:14His chest pressed close against my back, and his breath brushed over my ear.

00:14:19Zero inappropriate thoughts.

00:14:20His voice was low and rough, with an edge that left no room to hide.

00:14:25His fingers found my jaw from behind and turned my head, forcing my gaze back to the

00:14:30open stretch of his shirt and everything it revealed.

00:14:32How disappointing.

00:14:35I have plenty of dirty thoughts about you, Jade Summers.

00:14:39That line, spoken from that close, nearly made my succubus tail come out.

00:14:44I stood trapped between the door and his heat, completely unable to move.

00:14:49Just when I thought he was about to forget every last bit of restraint and do something

00:14:53about it right there in his office, the pressure suddenly lifted.

00:14:56He reached into the pocket of the jacket wrapped around me and slipped in a black and gold invitation

00:15:01card, along with a handwritten note.

00:15:03Tomorrow night's finance charity gala.

00:15:05You're attending as my executive advisor.

00:15:07Go to this address today and get a gown.

00:15:09By the time I made it back to my desk, the note was still warm in my palm.

00:15:13The next evening, a black Maybach pulled up smoothly in front of an elite boutique on Fifth Avenue.

00:15:18The store manager had clearly been briefed in advance and met us at the door with a polished,

00:15:23professional smile.

00:15:25Miss Summers, right this way, to the fitting area.

00:15:28She looped the tape around my chest, then drew it in at my waist.

00:15:31A second later, she gasped.

00:15:33Good lord, Miss Summers.

00:15:35These measurements are unreal.

00:15:37This kind of figure comes along once in a lifetime.

00:15:41She immediately pulled out a red gown.

00:15:43Deep V neckline.

00:15:44Open back.

00:15:45A slit that started high on the thigh.

00:15:47I recommend this one.

00:15:49Wear this tonight, and you'll be the best thing that ever happened to Frost Capital's public image.

00:15:55I stared at that gorgeous, barely-there piece of fabric, and my succubus instinct sat straight up.

00:16:00With this body in that dress?

00:16:03Absolutely lethal.

00:16:04So that is why he kept looking at me like that yesterday.

00:16:08He has been wanting to see me in this all along.

00:16:11Fine.

00:16:12I'll wear it to the gala and watch his eyes drop straight to my neckline.

00:16:16That will be entirely his fault.

00:16:19Then the memory of being trapped against the door last night came back in full detail, and

00:16:23my survival instinct seized the wheel.

00:16:26No.

00:16:26Low profile.

00:16:27Boring.

00:16:28See?

00:16:29If he lost control in front of everyone at the gala, I would lose the job and then I would

00:16:33starve.

00:16:33I backed away from the dress like it had personally threatened me, both hands clamped to my collar.

00:16:38No.

00:16:39Absolutely not.

00:16:41High neck, long sleeves, ankle length if possible.

00:16:44I am a professional.

00:16:45The words had barely left my mouth when a quiet, unmistakably amused laugh came from

00:16:50just outside the heavy fitting room curtain.

00:16:52Ethan had appeared on the other side, perfectly dressed, perfectly composed, and somehow right

00:16:57there.

00:16:57He glanced at the manager, his expression unreadable.

00:17:00Give us a moment.

00:17:21Mr. Frost, what are you doing?

00:17:27I swallowed hard.

00:17:28My palms were damp.

00:17:30Ethan set the gown aside and picked up the measuring tape.

00:17:33Drop straight to your neckline?

00:17:35I leaned unsteadily against the mirror and stared at him.

00:17:38How was he hearing every single thought in real time, even the ones from yesterday?

00:17:42He did not give me a second to figure it out.

00:17:45He spread his arms with the tape between them and wrapped it around my waist, pulling me in

00:17:49from behind in a way that felt far too close to an embrace.

00:17:52His energy washed over me all at once and my legs nearly gave out.

00:17:56Help.

00:17:57He is so close.

00:17:59He is so warm.

00:18:01This is going to drown me.

00:18:03Those shoulders, that waist, right here, within reach.

00:18:09I want to push him back against this mirror, tear that suit off him, and make him lose every

00:18:15bit of that perfect control.

00:18:17Ethan's breathing changed.

00:18:19He dipped his head, his lips only a breath from my ear, and his voice came out low enough

00:18:23to make my knees weaken.

00:18:25Jade, let me find out for myself exactly how extraordinary you are.

00:18:33His hand moved slowly up my back.

00:18:35The other cradled the back of my head.

00:18:37His face tilted closer and his lips were one second away from mine.

00:18:42One second before contact, the coward in me took over.

00:18:45I dropped, tried to slip under his arm and aimed for the narrow gap beside him.

00:18:49This time he did not let me get away.

00:18:51His arm caught my waist and pulled me back hard against him.

00:18:55For a second, my feet left the floor and my back hit the mirror with a low, solid sound.

00:19:00His chest was pressed against mine with no space between us at all.

00:19:04Those dark eyes were done pretending.

00:19:06Every bit of restraint he had been wearing like a second suit was gone.

00:19:09His voice came out rough and absolute.

00:19:12Stop thinking about ruining me and then running the second things get real.

00:19:17His grip tightened at my waist, firm enough to make it clear that this time he was not letting me

00:19:22slip away.

00:19:23Jade, you are wearing that red dress to the gala tonight.

00:19:28His eyes moved over my face, then lowered briefly to the gown beside us.

00:19:33Because right now, I want to see you in it.

00:19:40I ran, but it did not matter.

00:19:42That night at the charity gala, I was still wearing the red dress Ethan had personally approved.

00:19:47The venue was all crystal chandeliers, champagne towers, and people pretending they were not staring.

00:19:53We had barely made it through the entrance when Victoria appeared with a glass of wine and a sweet, innocent

00:19:58smile.

00:19:59Miss Summers, Mr. Frost left a backup document in the storage room at the end of the hall.

00:20:06Be useful and go get it, for him.

00:20:08I was lightheaded with hunger and too distracted to think clearly so I went.

00:20:12The moment I stepped through the old wooden door, the lock clicked shut from the outside.

00:20:17Heels clicked away into silence.

00:20:20Victoria, obviously.

00:20:21The storage room had no windows and no ventilation.

00:20:24It was dark, cramped, and sweltering, like I had been sealed inside an oven.

00:20:29In that kind of heat with my body already starving, my succubus instincts kicked into full overdrive.

00:20:34The hunger rose from somewhere deep inside me burning through my veins, turning my legs weak.

00:20:40All I could think about was the fitting room.

00:20:42Ethan's arms around my waist.

00:20:44His breath at my ear.

00:20:45That clean, intoxicating energy pouring off him and sinking into my skin.

00:20:49I just need him to hold me right now.

00:20:52That's it.

00:20:53Just hold me.

00:20:55If he came through that door and completely took me over, I don't know how much longer I can hold

00:21:00back.

00:21:01The lock turned again.

00:21:03The dark silhouette slipped inside and shut the door behind him.

00:21:06Then he locked it again.

00:21:08My breath caught.

00:21:09How long are you going to keep driving me crazy like this, Jade?

00:21:13Mr. Frost?

00:21:13How did you get in here?

00:21:15I didn't do anything.

00:21:16I didn't even say anything.

00:21:17You didn't have to.

00:21:18Every single word.

00:21:19He moved closer.

00:21:21That overwhelming heat rolled over me, rich and controlled and dangerous.

00:21:25His hand pressed to the wall beside my head, and he backed me into it with his body without

00:21:30ever fully touching where he should not.

00:21:32In the dark, he leaned down until his nose almost brushed mine.

00:21:36His voice was low, rough, and far too steady.

00:21:39Then he repeated my own thoughts back to me, word for word, calm and merciless.

00:21:43I couldn't stop imagining Ethan's thick cock pushing against my pussy.

00:21:48Jade Summers.

00:21:49You've been undressing me in your head every day since the interview.

00:21:52Did you really think I couldn't hear you?

00:21:55From the moment you walked into my office on day one, every single word, I heard all of it.

00:22:02His voice was low and steady in the dark, but it carried a weight that made my knees want

00:22:07to give out.

00:22:08I stood there completely still, my mind like, day one?

00:22:12That means every thought?

00:22:15Every single insane thing I've been thinking about him?

00:22:19Every single one.

00:22:20He answered like he was reading from a file, his lips almost brushing my ear.

00:22:25Including?

00:22:27I want to tear him apart.

00:22:29My face burned with humiliation.

00:22:31I wanted the floor to open up and swallow me straight back to the abyss.

00:22:35A thousand years of dignity, gone.

00:22:38Destroyed in one storage.

00:22:39Heard that too.

00:22:41His breath scorched my skin as he pressed closer.

00:22:43Through the thin fabric of his dress pants, I could feel the unmistakable heat and hard shape

00:22:48of him pushing firmly against me.

00:22:50I tried to back away on instinct, but there was nowhere to go.

00:22:54The wall was already pressed against my spine.

00:22:57Still trying to run from me?

00:22:59There was something dangerous in his voice now.

00:23:01Not anger exactly.

00:23:03Something darker.

00:23:04Something tightly leashed.

00:23:06I wasn't running.

00:23:07I just, I mean...

00:23:09I could not form a proper sentence.

00:23:11My mouth was denying everything while my thoughts were already betraying me.

00:23:15I don't want to run.

00:23:17I'm just scared.

00:23:18Scared of jail.

00:23:20Scared of losing this job.

00:23:22Scared I'll actually let him do whatever he wants.

00:23:25Ethan let out one quiet laugh.

00:23:28Jail?

00:23:28That is what you're scared of?

00:23:30His fingers caught my jaw and tipped my chin up.

00:23:33Those eyes were always so cold.

00:23:35Not now.

00:23:36Now they looked like they could burn me alive.

00:23:38You weren't scared when you were imagining my pants on the floor and taking everything I have.

00:23:45My breath caught.

00:23:46That was private.

00:23:48Not to me.

00:23:49His thumb brushed along my jaw, slow enough to make my entire body tighten.

00:23:54Jade, listen to me.

00:23:55His voice dropped lower.

00:23:57I'm not calling the police.

00:23:59I swallowed hard.

00:24:00I'm not firing you.

00:24:03He leaned closer, every word deliberate.

00:24:06I'm done holding back.

00:24:08I'm going to give you every filthy thing you've been begging for.

00:24:13My breathing fell apart completely.

00:24:16Every word out of his mouth landed like a hook, catching on every nerve in my body.

00:24:20Give me what I want.

00:24:22Healy just said that.

00:24:24Does he even understand what he's offering?

00:24:26I do.

00:24:27He dipped his head, the tip of his nose brushing mine, his voice rough and low.

00:24:31From the day you walked into my office, I knew exactly what was going through your head.

00:24:35I didn't send you away.

00:24:37I didn't let you go.

00:24:38I kept pulling you closer on purpose.

00:24:40His hand settled firmly on my waist, strong but not forcing.

00:24:44Like he was giving me one final chance to back out.

00:24:46Ask yourself why.

00:24:48I opened my mouth, but no words came out.

00:24:50Why?

00:24:51Unless you actually want me just as badly?

00:24:54There it is.

00:24:55Then he pulled me in and kissed me hard.

00:24:57It was not tentative.

00:24:58It was not polite.

00:24:59It was not the careful, controlled kiss of a man asking permission with every breath.

00:25:03It was hunger finally breaking through restraint.

00:25:06Weeks of cold composure cracked open all at once, and the man underneath was anything but calm.

00:25:12One hand held the back of my head, keeping me from retreating.

00:25:15The other traced my waist, his touch leaving heat everywhere it landed.

00:25:19I could not breathe.

00:25:20My hands found his shoulders on their own.

00:25:22Fingers digging into the expensive fabric of his suit jacket.

00:25:26This man cannot be real.

00:25:27No one this controlled should kiss like this.

00:25:30Ethan pulled back half an inch, his mouth still brushing mine.

00:25:32Stay with me.

00:25:34Then he kissed me again.

00:25:35Deeper this time.

00:25:37Slower.

00:25:38More deliberate.

00:25:39Like he had decided I was done running, and he intended to make sure I remembered it.

00:25:44The storage room felt hotter by the second.

00:25:46His hand found the slit of my red dress and slipped beneath the fabric, his fingers grazing

00:25:51the inside of my thigh.

00:25:52The sound escaped before I could stop it.

00:25:55My whole body went soft against him.

00:25:57Ethan's breathing turned rougher.

00:25:58His hand moved higher, careful but devastating, stopping just short of the place that would

00:26:03have ruined every last bit of my self-control.

00:26:06Don't stop.

00:26:07Please don't stop now.

00:26:08His fingers tightened slightly against my thigh.

00:26:11I heard that.

00:26:12His hand was just about to move again when...

00:26:14The storage room door exploded inward from a single kick.

00:26:19Victoria's voice rang down the entire corridor.

00:26:22Everyone, get over here.

00:26:23I found her.

00:26:24Frost Capital's new assistant is locked in a storage room during a company gala with

00:26:27some random man.

00:26:29Security, get them out here now.

00:26:31Victoria had brought security guards, senior executives, and half the gala with her.

00:26:36Her face was twisted with triumph, like she had been waiting all night to turn one private

00:26:41mistake into a public scandal.

00:26:42This is exactly what I warned you about.

00:26:45She is a liability.

00:26:46She disappears during work hours, drags some man into a restricted area, and puts the entire

00:26:51company's reputation at risk.

00:26:53The flashlight swept wildly across the room.

00:26:55Then the beam landed on us.

00:26:57On Ethan.

00:26:58On me, pressed against the wall in his arms.

00:27:01Victoria's scream died in her throat.

00:27:03Ethan's jacket came down over my shoulders, heavy with cedar and body heat, covering me completely.

00:27:09He pulled me back against his chest, shielding me from every stare in the doorway.

00:27:14His shirt was rumpled.

00:27:15His collar hung open.

00:27:17His belt was half undone.

00:27:19And those eyes, usually distant and untouchable, were burning now with something dark enough to

00:27:24make every person at that door step back.

00:27:27He turned his head and swept the room with one look.

00:27:29Who the hell gave you permission to kick down my door?

00:27:32Mr.

00:27:34Mr. Frost.

00:27:35Her legs gave out.

00:27:36She dropped straight to the floor, her face white as paper.

00:27:40She had spent the whole night setting a trap for me.

00:27:42She had dragged half the company here to watch my downfall.

00:27:45But she never imagined the man she would catch with me would be Ethan Frost himself.

00:27:50I stayed tucked against Ethan's chest, feeling his heartbeat under my cheek.

00:27:54And for once I did not even try to hide my satisfaction.

00:27:57Well, surprise Victoria, you tried to ruin my night, and now he's about to ruin, ruin,

00:28:03your entire career.

00:28:05Honestly, I could not have planned it better myself.

00:28:07Ethan's arm tightened possessively around my waist.

00:28:10He looked down at the woman collapsed on the floor with total indifference, his voice

00:28:14cold and final.

00:28:16He looked toward Leo, who had just pushed through the crowd.

00:28:19Take her to accounting.

00:28:20Have her office cleared before midnight.

00:28:22Then make sure she never sets foot inside Frost Capital again.

00:28:27The corridor was so quiet you could hear champagne bubbles popping in the next room.

00:28:32Victoria was still screaming as security dragged her away.

00:28:36Mr. Frost!

00:28:37You can't fire me over this!

00:28:39That little slut sedust you!

00:28:42You're not thinking clearly because of her!

00:28:45Her voice faded toward the elevator bank, then disappeared.

00:28:49Ethan did not even look in her direction.

00:28:51He bent down, scooped me up over his shoulder like I weighed nothing and started walking.

00:28:55Mr. Frost!

00:28:56Put me down!

00:28:57I can walk!

00:28:59I hung upside down against his back, half-heartedly patting his shoulder blades.

00:29:03He didn't stop.

00:29:04He carried me straight through the executive corridor and up to the penthouse suite at the

00:29:08top of the building.

00:29:09The suite door flew open with one powerful kick.

00:29:12Then it slammed shut and locked.

00:29:15The world spun, and I landed on the enormous soft bed, somewhere between being thrown and

00:29:20placed.

00:29:20Before I could even sit up, Ethan came down over me, all that intense, controlled power

00:29:25aimed straight at my body.

00:29:26His tie was already in his hand.

00:29:28He dropped it to the floor.

00:29:30Both palms pressed into the mattress on either side of my head, and those dark eyes had completely

00:29:35given up any pretense of being cold.

00:29:37We got interrupted earlier.

00:29:38His voice was rough and low, his breath hot against my face.

00:29:42We were way past pretending.

00:29:44He could hear every thought in my head.

00:29:46There was nothing left to hide.

00:29:47Something inside me finally broke.

00:29:50I reached up, grabbed his collar, and looked him straight in the eyes.

00:29:54We barely got started.

00:29:57You've been listening to every dirty thought.

00:30:00I've had this whole time, haven't you?

00:30:03I've been holding back for weeks.

00:30:06Tonight I'm done holding back!

00:30:08I let one finger trace slowly down the center of his chest.

00:30:12Something dark shifted in his eyes.

00:30:14The last bit of restraint in him snapped.

00:30:16He repeated my own thoughts back to me, his voice low and deliberate.

00:30:21That body looks incredible.

00:30:22I could ride him into the ground.

00:30:26Jade, if you say stop tonight, we're not stopping.

00:30:30He pulled me into a deep, demanding kiss.

00:30:32The man everyone knew as cold, composed, and completely uninterested in women turned out

00:30:37to be absolutely devastating the moment the door closed.

00:30:42That night, I learned exactly what happens when a man with that much self-control finally

00:30:46lets it snap.

00:30:47He was relentless.

00:30:48Thorough.

00:30:49Like a man who had spent years starving in the desert and had finally found the one thing

00:30:53he wanted.

00:30:54Once he had me he had no intention of letting go.

00:30:56He found every weak spot I had and used them against me again and again, until I was clinging

00:31:01to him and begging him to slow down.

00:31:03I'm a succubus.

00:31:04I don't beg.

00:31:05And yet here I was.

00:31:06By morning, pale light spilled through the floor-to-ceiling windows.

00:31:11I opened my eyes feeling like I had survived a wreck.

00:31:14Every part of me ached in ways that were far too specific to ignore.

00:31:18Cold, restrained, and completely uninterested in women?

00:31:21What?

00:31:22What a joke.

00:31:23I am a thousand-year-old suffogos who came to this world to feed on men, and last night

00:31:29I was the one who had to tap out.

00:31:31The humiliation is unreal.

00:31:32I had barely finished my internal rant when a strong, warm arm wrapped around me from behind

00:31:37and pulled me back against his solid chest.

00:31:40Complaining about me again?

00:31:41His voice was low, rough, and far too relaxed for a man who had ruined my dignity only a

00:31:46few hours ago.

00:31:47His lips brushed the back of my neck.

00:31:50Sounds like last night still wasn't enough.

00:31:52My whole body went tense.

00:31:54Ethan gave a quiet laugh and was already rolling me back toward him when every phone on the nightstand

00:31:58lit up at once.

00:31:59The mood snapped.

00:32:01In half a second, Ethan went from lazy and satisfied to ice cold.

00:32:05The temperature in the room seemed to drop 10 degrees.

00:32:08I leaned over to look.

00:32:10The financial gossip pages in social media had exploded.

00:32:13Frost Capital's new female assistant has a history of workplace sexual harassment.

00:32:18Woman accused of touching multiple male co-workers at previous firm, nearly arrested.

00:32:23The article included a clear surveillance photo.

00:32:26Me.

00:32:27My very first day in this world.

00:32:28Hand slipped inside a co-worker's shirt.

00:32:31Right below it was the official termination notice from my old job.

00:32:35The evidence looked damning.

00:32:36I went completely rigid.

00:32:38Victoria's final parting gift?

00:32:40She must have leaked it on her way out.

00:32:43Ethan stared at the screenshot.

00:32:45A vein throbbing in his temple.

00:32:47His grip on the phone so tight his knuckles turned white.

00:32:50He turned to me, his eyes burning with a mix of fury and something far more dangerous.

00:32:54You were terrified of the police.

00:32:57Scared I'd report you.

00:32:59That's because you actually almost got arrested.

00:33:03For this, isn't it?

00:33:05My stomach dropped.

00:33:06Mr. Frost, please hear me out.

00:33:08I had just arrived in this world.

00:33:10I was so starved I was about to lose my physical form.

00:33:12I only needed a little energy to survive, and that guy was barely worth anything.

00:33:16His energy was like a 3 out of 10.

00:33:18I barely touched his hand and HR was already dragging me out.

00:33:21He was a sad little street stack.

00:33:23You are a full 5-5 course meal.

00:33:26Why the hell would I even look at anyone else after tasting you?

00:33:28The murderous look on Ethan's face faltered for just a second.

00:33:32The jealousy in his eyes didn't fade.

00:33:34If anything, it burned even hotter.

00:33:36He let out a sharp, humorless laugh and moved toward me.

00:33:39So what you're saying is I'm not satisfying you enough,

00:33:42and you're already thinking about going somewhere else?

00:33:44How many men's abs have you touched exactly?

00:33:46Before I could figure out how to handle a jealous, possessive CO,

00:33:49his personal line rang.

00:33:51Leo's voice came through on speaker, tense and urgent.

00:33:54Mr. Frost, Victoria and her father, board director Warren,

00:34:00have taken over the top floor conference room with six other board members.

00:34:06They've seen the morning news.

00:34:08They're claiming you're protecting someone with a sexual harassment record,

00:34:13and it's destroying the firm's reputation.

00:34:17Warren is demanding you hand over operational control right now.

00:34:20They've also called the police.

00:34:22Officers are already waiting in the lobby.

00:34:26The jealousy in Ethan's eyes turned ice cold in an instant.

00:34:30He threw back the covers and stood up,

00:34:32grabbing a fresh white shirt from the wardrobe.

00:34:34He buttoned it with slow, precise movements,

00:34:37each one cold and calculated.

00:34:39His hands paused on his tie.

00:34:41He glanced over his shoulder at me, his voice sharp.

00:34:44Get dressed.

00:34:45Come deal with the mess you started.

00:34:48Anyone who thinks they can come after me is going to learn exactly what that cost them today.

00:34:55Thirty minutes later, the top floor conference room at Frost Capital.

00:34:58The moment we pushed open the doors, the entire room fell silent.

00:35:02Board members lined both sides of the long table,

00:35:04watching with barely hidden anticipation.

00:35:07Warren sat at the center, his pampered face arranged in smug confidence.

00:35:11Victoria was right beside her father.

00:35:13The second she saw me, she shot out of her chair.

00:35:16There she is.

00:35:17That shameless woman has the nerve to show her face here after everything she's done.

00:35:21She slammed a stack of surveillance screenshots onto the table.

00:35:24Look at these.

00:35:26Your precious new assistant is a predator.

00:35:28Because of her disgusting scandal,

00:35:30the company stock hit its lower limit this morning.

00:35:33Mr. Frost, if you don't hand her over to the police downstairs right now,

00:35:36you are just as guilty.

00:35:38The room buzzed with whispers.

00:35:39Every eye in the room turned on me like knives.

00:35:42Ethan sat at the head of the table,

00:35:44expression completely blank.

00:35:46Fingers tapping slowly against the surface.

00:35:48The silence was suffocating.

00:35:50The board members took it as a sign that Ethan was about to fold and cut me loose.

00:35:55Victoria clearly read it the same way.

00:35:56She stormed around the table in her heels and came straight for me,

00:36:00arm already swinging.

00:36:01You worthless little tramp!

00:36:03Let me do this company a favor!

00:36:34A sharp crack echoed through the room.

00:36:35I looked down at Victoria with a slow, cold smile.

00:36:38You want to dig up the past?

00:36:40Fine.

00:36:41Let's dig deep.

00:36:42I walked to the table, picked up one of the surveillance photos, and held it up for everyone

00:36:46to see.

00:36:47Yes.

00:36:48That's me.

00:36:50I touched a co-worker.

00:36:51I got fired for it.

00:36:53We were both single and I accepted the consequences.

00:36:56Is that really worth calling the police?

00:36:58I dropped the photo directly onto Victoria's face.

00:37:01What's more interesting is you, Victoria.

00:37:04Last night, you paid a hacker to illegally break into my former employer's servers,

00:37:10stole that footage, and used company money to buy trending spots, and bought traffic.

00:37:15I pulled a black USB drive from my jacket and slammed it down in the middle of the table.

00:37:20Wire transfers, chat logs, a signed confession from the hacker, everything.

00:37:28You want to talk about who deserves prison time?

00:37:31Start with yourself.

00:37:35Victoria's face went from gray to deathly white.

00:37:37She was shaking so hard she could barely stay upright.

00:37:40You're making all of this up!

00:37:43None of that is real!

00:37:44I kept my expression calm while internally I was counting down.

00:37:48Three, two, one.

00:37:50Babe, your turn.

00:37:52I just laid every card I have on the table.

00:37:54If you don't back me up right now, tonight I'm gonna find a delivery guy to feed on,

00:37:58and you can deal with the consequences.

00:37:59Though honestly, even when he's just sitting there looking serious,

00:38:03why does he have to be so damn attractive?

00:38:05I want to crawl into his lap and kiss him until he loses his voice.

00:38:09Ethan's fingers, which had been steadily tapping the table, suddenly stopped.

00:38:13A flash of something crossed his face.

00:38:16He shot me a quick look that clearly said, control those thoughts right now.

00:38:20His ear had gone noticeably red.

00:38:22He looked away, regained his composure and gave Leo a small nod.

00:38:27Leo stepped forward and pressed a button.

00:38:29The large screen came alive, showing every transaction Victoria had made the night before,

00:38:34followed by a confession video Leo had clearly secured himself.

00:38:37The room erupted.

00:38:39Warren watched his daughter collapse and finally dropped his smug smile.

00:38:43But this was a man who had survived decades on Wall Street.

00:38:46He recovered quickly.

00:38:47Mr. Frost, impulsive decisions have consequences at your age.

00:38:52Victoria made a mistake and I'll handle her privately.

00:38:54But don't forget, that hundred billion cross-border acquisition, I brookered it.

00:38:58The other party trusts me and only me.

00:39:00He lifted his chin arrogantly.

00:39:01You move against us today and that deal vanishes immediately.

00:39:06I leaned against the table and studied the old man's self-satisfied face.

00:39:11Something twisted in my stomach.

00:39:13I closed my eyes and fully opened the succubus ability I had been holding back all week.

00:39:18Great.

00:39:18Plus.

00:39:19Hidden secrets.

00:39:20They came to me like a clear scent.

00:39:22Within seconds, Warren's entire dirty hand was laid out in my mind like an open book.

00:39:27Hundred billion deal.

00:39:28Please.

00:39:29Sweetheart, this man has three mistresses, four offshore properties in the Cayman Islands

00:39:35and Kypris, paid for with laundered money from this very deal.

00:39:40The shell companies are even named after his mistress's initials.

00:39:44He's actually that stupid.

00:39:46He moved 40 million into one of them just this month.

00:39:50At the head of the table, Ethan's fingers went completely still on the folder.

00:39:54He was receiving every shocking detail straight through my thoughts.

00:39:57He slowly raised his head.

00:39:59The way he looked at Warren now was pure predator.

00:40:02The look of someone who already knew every card on the table and found the whole game boring.

00:40:06The corner of his mouth curved slightly.

00:40:09The hundred billion acquisition, Warren?

00:40:11You really think I was only looking into your daughter last night?

00:40:14The confidence drained from Warren's face degree by degree.

00:40:17Mr. Frost?

00:40:18Ethan pressed the remote without another word.

00:40:20The screen switched to a full forensic audit report.

00:40:23The critical findings highlighted in stark red.

00:40:26Page after page of transactions, layered offshore shell company charts.

00:40:31Every thread leading back to one name.

00:40:33Warren.

00:40:33Ethan rose slowly from his chair, then slammed a thick stack of documents onto the conference table.

00:40:39Papers flew everywhere.

00:40:41Five years.

00:40:43Four hundred million dollars.

00:40:45Every transaction, every count, every shell company named after your mistress.

00:40:48It's all right here, Warren.

00:40:49With this kind of evidence staring you in the face, you don't even get to beg for mercy.

00:40:53The senior directors who had been backing him went pale.

00:40:56One by one, they quietly scooted their chairs back, desperate to distance themselves from the father-daughter disaster.

00:41:03Warren's legs gave out.

00:41:04His face turned ash-white as he collapsed back into his chair, lips trembling, unable to speak a single word.

00:41:11I leaned against the table and watched Ethan backlit, spine straight, completely dismantling the old fox without breaking a sweat.

00:41:19I couldn't help myself.

00:41:21God, he's unreal.

00:41:22My knees are gone.

00:41:24There it is.

00:41:25My Secubia instincts are firing hard.

00:41:27I want to throw him down on this conference table, right now and ride him until he can't think straight.

00:41:33Ethan's posture stiffened slightly.

00:41:35At an angle no one else could see, the tips of his ears turned a deep red.

00:41:40He swung his head around and shot me a sharp look that said,

00:41:43Control yourself right now.

00:41:44I stuck my tongue out at him.

00:41:45Just then, the conference room doors burst open.

00:41:48Several officers from the financial crimes unit walked in, faces grim and determined.

00:41:53Warren, you're under arrest for embezzlement and large-scale money laundering.

00:41:57Come with us.

00:41:58The cold click of handcuffs snapped around Warren's wrists.

00:42:01Victoria went wild next, thrashing and screaming that I had done this to her.

00:42:06But two officers pinned her down and cuffed her anyway.

00:42:08The pair who had been untouchable minutes earlier were dragged out of the room like common criminals.

00:42:13Dead silence fell over the room.

00:42:16The remaining directors were sweating through their suits, barely daring to breathe.

00:42:20Ethan swept the room with a cold, measured stare.

00:42:23Does anyone here have a problem with Ms. Summers staying at this company?

00:42:27Every director shook their heads frantically.

00:42:30No problem.

00:42:31Absolutely none.

00:42:32We're done here.

00:42:33In under ten seconds, every director bolted, clutching their files and nearly tripping over each other to get out.

00:42:39The moment the door clicked shut, Ethan grabbed the remote and locked the conference room doors.

00:42:44The floor-to-ceiling blinds descended slowly, cutting off every bit of the Manhattan skyline.

00:42:49The room went dark.

00:42:51I was reaching for my glass of water, still riding the adrenaline when Ethan crossed the room in long, powerful

00:42:57strides.

00:42:58His presence hit me before he even touched me, that rich cedar scent mixed with raw heat.

00:43:03He grabbed my wrist and pressed me hard against the edge of the conference table.

00:43:08Warren and Victoria's bill is paid.

00:43:10Now it's time to settle ours.

00:43:12He leaned down, eyes locking onto mine with intense focus.

00:43:15Answer me.

00:43:16How many guys' abs have you actually touched?

00:43:19That one with the energy score of three, was it really worth it?

00:43:21Worth it?

00:43:22Please.

00:43:24Nothing compares to that insane waste of his.

00:43:27He's in a completely different league and he knows it.

00:43:29That was all it took.

00:43:30Whatever control he had left snapped.

00:43:33He grabbed me by the waist, lifted me off the ground and set me down in the middle of the

00:43:36paper-covered conference table.

00:43:38Set me down in the middle of the paper-covered conference table.

00:43:39Cameras are off.

00:43:41Now I want you to show me every dirty thought that's been running through that head of yours.

00:43:46All of it.

00:43:47He pressed forward and kissed me hard.

00:43:49Several hours later, after we had thoroughly used every inch of that conference room, an anonymous investigative report landed at

00:43:56a media office somewhere in New York.

00:43:58The document was clear.

00:43:59Jade Summers.

00:44:12The heat from the conference room had barely faded when the story exploded the next morning.

00:44:18A major feature titled Frost Capital's Executive Advisor, Who Is She Really?, tore through every financial outlet.

00:44:25The piece questioned my complete lack of digital footprint or work history before five years ago.

00:44:30I sat at my desk staring at the blazing red headline, palms sweating.

00:44:34This was bad.

00:44:35My five years ago, belonged to someone else's body in another life.

00:44:40There was no paper trail because there couldn't be one.

00:44:42Around me, the interns and junior analysts had dropped all deference.

00:44:47I was nervously tugging at the hem of my blazer when the executive suite door opened.

00:44:51Ethan walked out holding a printed copy of the report, his expression ice cold.

00:44:56He didn't look at anyone else.

00:44:57He caught my wrist and pulled me straight into his private lounge.

00:45:01The door shut.

00:45:02He pressed me down onto the sofa, sat across from me and stared at the report in silence for a

00:45:07long moment.

00:45:07Here it comes.

00:45:08He's going to ask who I really am and how I appeared out of thin air.

00:45:13What do I even say?

00:45:14That I'm a suck-a-bore who needs men's intimate energy to survive?

00:45:18Is he going to think I'm a monster and try to lock me away?

00:45:21My mind was spiraling into disaster scenarios.

00:45:24Across from me, a vein ticked in Ethan's temple.

00:45:27He finally took a slow breath and set the report down.

00:45:30What do you want for dinner tonight?

00:45:32I froze completely.

00:45:35Every lie I had prepared got stuck in my throat.

00:45:37I just stared at him.

00:45:39You're not going to ask?

00:45:41The whole internet is calling me a spy or a sleeper agent?

00:45:44Ethan stood and straightened his cuffs with that same calm composure.

00:45:48I'm curious.

00:45:49Then why aren't you-

00:45:50Because I've already heard every single thought.

00:45:53He met my eyes, patient and certain.

00:45:55The ones when you can't sleep.

00:45:56The ones when you're panicking about prison.

00:45:59The ones where you imagine me locking you up.

00:46:01I heard all of it.

00:46:02He stepped closer and caged me against the sofa with his body.

00:46:05I know what you are.

00:46:07A creature who survives on men's energy.

00:46:09That's it.

00:46:10What else do you want me to ask?

00:46:12He had known all along.

00:46:13And still draped his jacket over me in the break room.

00:46:16Still protected me.

00:46:17Still put Victoria and her father behind bars.

00:46:20A thousand years of watching people's faces twist in fear, disgust, or greed when they learned the truth.

00:46:26And this man acted like it was nothing.

00:46:28My eyes stung.

00:46:29My toes burned.

00:46:30He's not right in the head.

00:46:32He's supposed to be allergic to women.

00:46:34He's supposed to run.

00:46:36But he's not afraid of me at all.

00:46:39Fine.

00:46:40If you're not scared, then tonight I'm going to wreck you completely.

00:46:44You'll be the one begging.

00:46:45Ethan's cufflinks slipped from his fingers.

00:46:48Jade.

00:46:49Shut up.

00:46:51I laughed through the tears and winked at him.

00:46:55Ethan didn't seem to care about the rumors, but the internet and his competitors did.

00:47:00Rival firms smelled blood and moved fast, coordinating with the media and calling board members directly, questioning whether Frost Capital

00:47:07could be trusted.

00:47:08That afternoon, Ethan called an emergency board meeting.

00:47:11I sat in the corner, officially just observing.

00:47:14The atmosphere was even worse than last time.

00:47:17Two old guard directors slammed the morning paper on the table and came out swinging.

00:47:21Mr. Frost, Jade Summers has no background.

00:47:25All of Wall Street is laughing at us.

00:47:28Our partners are questioning if she's a corporate spy.

00:47:31You need to fire her immediately and hand her over for investigation.

00:47:36Ethan sat at the head of the table, turning a pen slowly between his fingers, the air around him freezing

00:47:42cold.

00:47:43Done.

00:47:43His voice was flat.

00:47:45He didn't even look up.

00:47:46Mr. Frost, watch your tone.

00:47:48This affects the entire firm.

00:47:49Ethan finally looked up, eyes empty and cold.

00:47:52He slid two documents across the table.

00:47:54These are records of the internal accounts you two leakered to a competitor.

00:47:58On the subject of spies, you two seem far more experienced than my advisor.

00:48:02Sign the resignation and share transfer papers now, or I call the financial crimes unit in five minutes.

00:48:07Your choice.

00:48:08Less than two minutes later, both directors signed with shaking hands and left as fast as they could.

00:48:15The room fell deathly quiet.

00:48:17The remaining directors stared at the table like it was the most fascinating thing in the world.

00:48:21Ethan straightened his tie, signed the latest restructuring document with one smooth stroke, and spoke calmly.

00:48:28Effective immediately, the senior director position is dissolved.

00:48:31Jade Summers is now my executive advisor, with authority equal to mine on all matters.

00:48:36I nearly jumped out of my seat in the corner.

00:48:38Okay, wow, that's a serious power move.

00:48:40But he fought that hard for me and didn't even ask if I wanted it.

00:48:43Sure, the position gives me better access to high-quality energy, but I was planning to stay low-key.

00:48:48This dominantic man. I want to wrap my legs around him and make him pay for it.

00:48:53Ethan went completely still at the head of the table.

00:48:56He set his pen down and looked straight at me across the room.

00:48:59You don't want it?

00:49:00Every director turned, completely confused about who he was talking to.

00:49:04My face burned. I forced a gracious smile.

00:49:07Of course I do, Mr. Frost. It's an honor to serve under you.

00:49:10The tiniest smirk touched the corner of Ethan's mouth before disappearing behind his usual cold mask.

00:49:17The new title called for a new look.

00:49:20That evening, Ethan took me to a black-tie multinational finance dinner at one of Manhattan's most exclusive hotels.

00:49:26I ditched the conservative blazer and wore the red gown, deep V-neckline open back, thigh-high slit.

00:49:33The moment we entered the ballroom every head turned.

00:49:35The contrast between my bold dress and Ethan's cold, untouchable presence was electric.

00:49:41The whispers about my mysterious past followed us.

00:49:44Before I could even take a sip of wine, rival executives approached with sharp smiles.

00:49:49Congratulations on the rapid rise, Ms. Summers.

00:49:52We've all been wondering, what exactly is your background that managed to captivate our famously unavailable Mr. Frost?

00:50:00All eyes turned toward us.

00:50:01I twirled my wine glass slowly, keeping a perfect polite smile while my succubus senses scanned the table.

00:50:08This one looks like an overfed French rye, energy level 2 at best.

00:50:12Looking at him longer should count as emotional damage.

00:50:16The rest of the table is even worse.

00:50:19Combined, they don't come close to one finger of my man.

00:50:23Across the table, Ethan's fingers tightened slightly around his glass the moment I thought,

00:50:27my man.

00:50:29He was clearly fighting a smile.

00:50:32Ethan lifted his glass to hide the small indulgent smile tugging at his lips.

00:50:37His dark eyes found mine across the room, sending heat straight through me.

00:50:43Nothing to say, Mrs. Summers?

00:50:46Could the media be right, that you have no real history at all?

00:50:50I was about to handle it my way when Ethan set his glass down.

00:50:53The entire room went silent.

00:50:55He stood, walked around the table, and stopped directly behind me.

00:50:59In front of every major player in Manhattan, he laced his fingers through mine and held my hand tight.

00:51:05Does anyone here have a problem with what's mine?

00:51:09His voice was quiet, but the word mine landed like a hammer.

00:51:12Hammer flashes exploded around us.

00:51:15Oh my god, that was the hottest thing I've seen in a thousand years.

00:51:21I'm in trouble.

00:51:22His energy is pouring into me and I need to drag him to the nearest bathroom right now.

00:51:28Ethan's grip tightened.

00:51:30He leaned down, voice low against my ear.

00:51:33Jade, enough.

00:51:37The next morning, photos of Ethan claiming me publicly spread like wildfire across Wall Street.

00:51:43Frost Capital's official account then posted a rare personal statement confirming I was his full representative for all business and

00:51:50personal matters.

00:51:51The spy stories vanished overnight.

00:51:53I sat in Ethan's executive chair reading the flood of congratulatory messages when he appeared in the doorway, jacket off.

00:52:03Comfortable in that chair?

00:52:06I stood and wrapped my arms around his neck, pressing myself against him.

00:52:11Crisis handled.

00:52:12Time to deliver on my promise to drain him completely and make him beg.

00:52:17Right here.

00:52:18Right now.

00:52:19The thought hit him hard.

00:52:20His eyes dropped to the slit in my skirt.

00:52:23His control finally broke.

00:52:24He pressed me against the door and locked it.

00:52:28You've been driving me crazy with those thoughts every day.

00:52:30If you try to run now, you're not leaving this room for three days.

00:52:36His lips moved down my collarbone while his hands worked urgently at the red dress.

00:52:41His raw energy washed over me in powerful waves.

00:52:44I was losing control fast.

00:52:46He was definitely holding back before.

00:52:48This is too much.

00:52:49I'm not going to survive.

00:52:51Wait.

00:52:51He's actually tearing the dress.

00:52:53We're in the executive suite.

00:52:55There are people right outside this door.

00:52:57Survival instinct kicked in hard.

00:52:59I yelped, ducked, and slipped out of his grip, scrambling behind the desk.

00:53:04Mr. Frost, please control yourself.

00:53:07It's still business hours.

00:53:09If Leo walks in, we're both finished.

00:53:12I crouched behind the desk, trying to fix my ruined dress.

00:53:16Ethan stood against the door, chest heaving, staring at the spot where I had been.

00:53:19The vein in his temple pulsed.

00:53:21You spend every waking second fantasizing about this.

00:53:24But the moment it starts happening, you run faster than anyone I've ever seen.

00:53:28Are you torturing me on purpose?

00:53:32I stayed behind the desk and tried my most innocent look.

00:53:36I'm just being a responsible employee.

00:53:38Modern society values restraint and professionism.

00:53:42Okay, mostly I don't want to die of embarrassment.

00:53:45But what I just saw was terrifying.

00:53:47If we actually do this, he might break me.

00:53:50I'm genuinely not sure I'd survive.

00:53:53He heard everything.

00:53:54The panic and the helpless desire underneath.

00:53:57Some of the fury left his face.

00:53:59He exhaled, crossed the room, and gently pulled me out from behind the desk.

00:54:03Instead of continuing, he carefully fixed the broken strap of my dress with surprising patience.

00:54:09I stared at his profile and felt my heart do things it had no right to do.

00:54:13This man isn't fair.

00:54:14Top-tier energy is one thing, but this?

00:54:16I've been doing this for a thousand years.

00:54:18I cannot be falling for a human CEO.

00:54:20I refuse.

00:54:22His hands stilled.

00:54:23He looked down at me with quiet certainty.

00:54:26Tonight, my place in the hills.

00:54:28We're not in the office there.

00:54:29I never said I was going home with...

00:54:35You don't have a choice.

00:54:42That evening, the Maybach pulled up to Ethan's private estate in the hills.

00:54:47An extravagant glass and stone property with sweeping views.

00:54:50I stood in the grand marble entryway, giving myself a pep talk.

00:54:54Keep it together.

00:54:55This is just strategic energy access, nothing more.

00:54:58I'm not getting attached to a repressed CEO.

00:55:01I'm a cold-blooded suck-a-boss here for the buffet.

00:55:04I'm not getting domesticated.

00:55:05My suitcase suddenly lifted.

00:55:08Ethan had taken off his jacket.

00:55:10He carried my heavy bag with one hand like it weighed nothing.

00:55:13Strategic resource acquisition?

00:55:14I short-circuited.

00:55:15I always forgot he could hear everything.

00:55:17Can you let me finish a thought before you respond?

00:55:20He walked a few steps, then stopped and turned around slowly.

00:55:23His dark eyes held mine with complete certainty.

00:55:26Jade.

00:55:27Just my name low, rough, and warm.

00:55:29Like he had been saying it for years.

00:55:30My heart dropped.

00:55:32It's over.

00:55:34I'm completely done for.

00:55:37The first week at the estate wasn't the chaos I expected.

00:55:40Every night Ethan pulled me against his burning body, but outside of that he showed surprising

00:55:45restraint.

00:55:46That only made my instincts scream louder that something was wrong.

00:55:50He had been coming home later and later, holding closed-door meetings with Leo in the study.

00:55:55Every time I approached the conversation died instantly.

00:55:57I leaned against the hallway wall, fruit plate in hand, spiraling.

00:56:03Does he think I'm too much trouble?

00:56:05Is he about to cut me loose at the next board meeting?

00:56:08Or has he already arranged with some secret lab to study me and lock me away in a cage?

00:56:14The study door opened.

00:56:16Ethan caught the full tail end of my spiral.

00:56:19His expression shifted rapidly.

00:56:21The vein in his temple throbbed.

00:56:23He took the plate from my hands, pulled me into the study and pressed me against the desk.

00:56:28Jade Summers.

00:56:31Out of all the thoughts that run through your head, is even one of them capable of trusting

00:56:35me?

00:56:40I looked sideways, avoiding his eyes.

00:56:43I'm just reading the signs.

00:56:44The internet already says I'm nobody.

00:56:46You were gonna cut me loose eventually.

00:56:48Ethan laughed without humor.

00:56:50His fingers tightened on my waist, forcing me to meet his gaze.

00:56:53Cut you loose?

00:56:54Take a look at this.

00:56:57He dropped a thick legal document in front of me.

00:57:00The title was clear.

00:57:02Irrevocable Permanent Declaration of Asset Consolidation and Joint Equity.

00:57:06He had transferred half of all his core assets, including Frost Capital, into my name permanently.

00:57:11I couldn't speak.

00:57:13He just handed me half his life behind my back?

00:57:16On Wall Street, where everything is calculated.

00:57:19He split his entire fortune with a woman who barely exists?

00:57:23Is he insane?

00:57:24My eyes filled with tears.

00:57:26Ethan gently wiped the tear from my cheek.

00:57:29The media can't find your past.

00:57:31That's their failure, not yours.

00:57:32If they say you have no history, then I'll give you the strongest one in America.

00:57:36Starting today, you're my full partner at Frost Capital and my future wife.

00:57:41I stared at the documents, speechless for a long time.

00:57:45He gave me half of everything just because I was scared?

00:57:48This man must have some kind of beautiful brain damage.

00:57:52No brain damage.

00:57:53I snapped my head up and glared at him.

00:57:55Can you stop finishing my thoughts?

00:57:58Then stop thinking them so loudly.

00:58:01I took a deep breath and laid everything out.

00:58:04Ethan, I'm not from this world.

00:58:06I crossed over a few months ago.

00:58:07The person in those old photos isn't me.

00:58:09Every record I have here is fake.

00:58:11You just split your billion dollar empire with someone who doesn't legally exist?

00:58:14Are you actually crazy?

00:58:15Are you done?

00:58:16He leaned back, completely calm.

00:58:17First, I don't care if your identity is real.

00:58:20Second, I didn't do this out of pity.

00:58:21I did it because I wanted to.

00:58:24Third, you crossed over?

00:58:25That makes this even simpler.

00:58:27He leaned forward, his presence overwhelming.

00:58:29If you have nothing in this world, then you need a home even more.

00:58:32Home?

00:58:33This pure, golden energy man just offered a Sukvo a home.

00:58:36I want to rip his clothes off and destroy him right now.

00:58:39We're just employer and employee.

00:58:40As of now, we're full partners.

00:58:42And you're my fiancé.

00:58:43I never agreed to that.

00:58:45And in your heart, you haven't refused either.

00:58:46I raised my hand in frustration and he caught my wrist mid-air, fingers scorching and precise.

00:58:51Jade, I don't care what abyss you came from.

00:58:55You're here now, on my turf.

00:58:57I'm not letting you starve and I'm not letting anyone lock you away.

00:59:01His dark eyes burned with raw possessiveness.

00:59:04This isn't a transaction.

00:59:06It's a choice I'm giving you.

00:59:09That night I didn't sleep at all.

00:59:11My head was too loud.

00:59:13For a thousand years in the abyss, men were nothing more than quick snacks to me.

00:59:17When I crossed into this world, all I wanted was to steal enough premium energy to survive.

00:59:23Somehow I ended up owning half a billion dollar empire and becoming the fiancé of Manhattan's most celibate man, completely

00:59:30wrapped around his finger.

00:59:31Did I completely flip the suck-a-poor survival manual upside down?

00:59:35I was supposed to be the one running circles around him.

00:59:38How did I end up the one getting reeled in with property deeds and warm milk?

00:59:42This is dangerous.

00:59:43The more I think about it, the hungrier I get.

00:59:46My legs are going weak again.

00:59:48I tossed on the silk sheets until two in the morning, then gave up and headed to the kitchen for

00:59:53water.

00:59:54The moment I pushed the door open I froze.

00:59:56Ethan stood at the counter in a loose black silk robe, collar open, warming milk.

01:00:00Moonlight poured through the window highlighting his collarbone and the hard lines of his chest.

01:00:05That rich, intoxicating wave of pure masculine energy slammed into me.

01:00:09Figured you couldn't sleep.

01:00:10He turned, dark eyes carrying a lazy heat and handed me the warm mug.

01:00:14I swallowed hard, fighting the urge to lunge at him, and hesitated.

01:00:18You really don't mind?

01:00:19I'm not even human.

01:00:21And I constantly narrate every dirty thought I have about you.

01:00:25No one here knew the old me.

01:00:27Doesn't that make me some kind of dangerous freak?

01:00:29Ethan leaned against the counter and let out a low, rough laugh.

01:00:32You think someone who's heard every greedy, filthy, calculating thought people have since Yashday

01:00:36has any room to judge a straightforward little suck-a-vra?

01:00:39He stepped forward, took the mug from my hands, and set it aside.

01:00:44You're the cleanest thing I've ever met.

01:00:46You think it, you say it, at least in your head.

01:00:48You're hungry, you admit you want to devour me.

01:00:51You're scared, you admit you're scared.

01:00:53Even when you're trying to get to bed, you're completely honest.

01:00:55No games.

01:00:56No lies.

01:00:57He bent down, lips brushing my ear, breath hot and heavy.

01:01:00Jade, for me that's more than enough.

01:01:03Oh my god.

01:01:04This man who barely flirted in his life just said something ten times deadlier than any dirty line I could

01:01:09come up with.

01:01:10My legs are done.

01:01:11I want him to pin me against this counter and take me right here, right now.

01:01:17The next day at Frost Capital, everything looked normal on the surface.

01:01:20I sat in my new executive office, tugging at my collar, replaying his low, burning voice from the kitchen.

01:01:27How does a man made of ice become even more dangerous when he gets warm?

01:01:30Did he secretly take an advanced flirting masterclass?

01:01:32My phone buzzed.

01:01:35Embarrassment shot through me.

01:01:36I jumped up and stormed down to the executive suite in my heels.

01:01:41Ethan Frost!

01:01:42Can you stop eavesdropping on my thoughts every single second?

01:01:45Ethan looked up from his contracts, leaned back in his chair, tie perfect, expression cool and untouchable.

01:01:51When you think things that loudly, it's impossible to ignore.

01:01:55I fell apart.

01:01:57What do you mean loudly?

01:01:58I was just doing an objective review of your body from last night.

01:02:01What if I think about you locking that door right now and pressing me down on this desk?

01:02:05Is that loud enough?

01:02:07Three seconds later, Ethan set down his pen.

01:02:09He stood, shrugged off his jacket, and locked the door with a click.

01:02:18Yes.

01:02:18He walked toward me with calm certainty and planted both hands on the desk, caging me in.

01:02:23We either quiet down in there, or we handle it right now.

01:02:26I forgot how to breathe.

01:02:28My body melted against him even as I tried to keep up the act.

01:02:32What do you mean, handle it?

01:02:34Ethan lowered his head until his lips nearly touched mine, voice rough.

01:02:38For example, finishing what we started in the kitchen last night.

01:02:42This man is flirting while his ears are turning bright red.

01:02:45That contrast is criminal.

01:02:46It should be illegal.

01:02:48Jade, don't look at me like that.

01:02:50I can hear you.

01:02:53That evening, Ethan drove me to a quiet private restaurant in Manhattan.

01:02:58Candlelight, expensive red wine, no staff hovering.

01:03:01I wore a tight black slip dress.

01:03:03He had loosened his tie and undone the top button of his shirt.

01:03:07Without the tie, he looks a little less like a monk, but that tiny hint of recklessness makes him even

01:03:12more dangerous.

01:03:12That throat, that collarbone.

01:03:15He's perfect.

01:03:16Ethan's fingers tightened around his wine glass.

01:03:19Thank you for the review.

01:03:20I bit into my stake and shot him a look.

01:03:23I was thinking that in my head.

01:03:25I heard every word.

01:03:27I gave up fighting and slid my hand under the table, squeezing his thigh through his pants.

01:03:32Since you have a direct line to my brain, can you at least mute it sometimes?

01:03:36Give a girl some privacy?

01:03:38Can't turn it off.

01:03:42He poured wine and brought the glass to my lips, eyes dark in the candlelight.

01:03:47But I can promise not to take every wild thought you have seriously.

01:03:50Oh yeah? Which ones don't you take seriously?

01:03:52Like when you tell yourself every night that you're gonna get on top and drain me until I'm begging for

01:03:57mercy.

01:03:58I nearly choked on the wine.

01:03:59For the record, I meant every word of that.

01:04:01Ethan's hand froze, his eyes ignited with raw hunger.

01:04:05Is that so?

01:04:05Then starting tonight, I'm taking that thought very seriously.

01:04:08Is this man reverse trapping me right now?

01:04:11Yes.

01:04:13I laughed, equal parts delighted and furious, and pinched his thigh hard.

01:04:17Ethan Frost, you're supposed to be Wall Street's coldest predator.

01:04:21When did you learn to talk like a damn romance hero?

01:04:24Ethan leaned across the table and caught my wrist, voice low and gravelly.

01:04:28I'm a businessman in the boardroom.

01:04:30But when it comes to you, I'm your man.

01:04:33And I plan on making every filthy idea in your head real.

01:04:36In bed.

01:04:37It's over.

01:04:39A thousand years of experience, and this human is about to take me down.

01:04:45The dinner lasted two full hours.

01:04:48By the end, my legs were weak from the constant wave of his energy.

01:04:51Ethan barely spoke, but his thumb kept tracing slow circles over my knuckles.

01:04:56Proper on the surface, but full of promise underneath.

01:04:59I set down my fork and stared at his handsome, cold face.

01:05:03I've always wondered, when exactly did you realize I wasn't human?

01:05:09Day one.

01:05:10The second you walked into my office.

01:05:13Day one?

01:05:15All you knew was that I had a very active inner mana law shock.

01:05:19It was more than that.

01:05:21He leaned back, exuding pure power.

01:05:24When you walked in, something about you felt different.

01:05:29I've sensed greed and corruption in people since I was a child.

01:05:33But with you, it was bold, yes.

01:05:37Your thoughts about me were wild.

01:05:39But your desire was pure.

01:05:42It wasn't until you screamed internally that you were a succubus, that I confirmed it.

01:05:48So you knew I was some kind of energy-hungry creature?

01:05:52Who wanted to devour you, and you still hired me?

01:05:55What kind of risk management is that?

01:05:57Ethan suddenly leaned across the table, gripped my jaw, and tilted my face up, eyes burning.

01:06:02The most desire I see is full of lie and power plays.

01:06:06Yours was honest.

01:06:08You wanted me because your instincts said so.

01:06:10That makes you more real than anyone who's ever walked through my door.

01:06:15Help.

01:06:16I spend all day mentally trying to get into this man's pants, and he calls that clean and pure?

01:06:23My values are fine.

01:06:25I've just finally found the real thing.

01:06:30When we left the restaurant, a light rain had just stopped.

01:06:34Ethan draped his jacket over my shoulders without a word and took my hand, fingers tightly laced.

01:06:39We walked slowly down the quiet sidewalk.

01:06:42This might be the first time it's just us.

01:06:44No reporters.

01:06:45No drama.

01:06:46Just him walking with me like a normal boyfriend.

01:06:49Hmm.

01:06:51What's the M for?

01:06:53I heard everything you just thought.

01:06:56I laughed and leaned into him, going soft against his shoulder.

01:07:01Tell me, Mr. CEO.

01:07:02You've really never dated before?

01:07:04No Harris's or models ever caught your eye?

01:07:06No.

01:07:06Then how are you so good at all of this?

01:07:08You talk like you came with built-in charm software.

01:07:10Ethan stopped under a street lamp.

01:07:11He cradled the back of my head and tilted my face up.

01:07:14Because with you, I don't need experience.

01:07:17The second I hear your thoughts, I just know what to do.

01:07:20He kissed my forehead then the bridge of my nose stopping just at the corner of my mouth.

01:07:26Let's go home.

01:07:29He said home.

01:07:31Not the estate.

01:07:33Home.

01:07:36My position as executive advisor grew stronger every day.

01:07:40The old board members now avoided eye contact when I passed.

01:07:44In public Ethan remained the icy, lethal CEO.

01:07:47But the second the office door locked, all that restrained power came rushing out for me alone.

01:07:52Like when he brought me warm milk late at night and just watched me with that hungry look.

01:07:56Like when I got caught staring at his body in a meeting and he abruptly ended a billion dollar call.

01:08:00Like waking up on the office couch wrapped in his jacket and his arms.

01:08:04How does he do it?

01:08:06Ice god in public and completely addictive behind closed doors.

01:08:09This breaks every law of biology.

01:08:12Ethan looked up from his reports.

01:08:13A faint glint of amusement in his eyes.

01:08:16Because you spend all day loudly complimenting my body in your head.

01:08:19My face burned.

01:08:21I do not.

01:08:23You just finished planning exactly which position you want to use tonight.

01:08:27To drain me completely.

01:08:29I gave up pretending.

01:08:31I walked over, straddled his lap and hooked a finger in his shirt.

01:08:34Since you hear everything anyway, this weekend.

01:08:37You and me at a normal movie theater.

01:08:39No suit.

01:08:40No Leo.

01:08:41No meetings.

01:08:42A real date.

01:08:43You in?

01:08:44Ethan's hand slid slowly under my skirt, resting on my inner thigh.

01:08:48Yes.

01:08:49As long as you don't run halfway through.

01:08:52I'll go anywhere with you.

01:08:57That Saturday, Ethan showed up in a black turtleneck and long coat, looking dangerously casual.

01:09:02Every woman nearby stared.

01:09:04I wrapped my arm around his, claiming him.

01:09:06Look at you.

01:09:07Out of your suit and still causing chaos.

01:09:09Hearts are breaking left and right.

01:09:11The corner of Ethan's mouth curved slightly.

01:09:13I never cared before.

01:09:16But now I only wait for one person.

01:09:19I'm done.

01:09:19This ice prince saying sweet things so sincerely is more lethal than anything from the abyss.

01:09:25In the dark theater, his energy rolled over me in waves.

01:09:29Halfway through the movie, I put my hand over his.

01:09:32He turned his palm and locked our fingers together, tight and burning.

01:09:35By the time the lights came up, we were both breathing harder.

01:09:39In the lobby, I teased him lightly.

01:09:41Your palm was sweaty the whole time.

01:09:45Your body temperature was running higher than mine.

01:09:48That's because you had a death grip on my hand.

01:09:51Ethan pulled me out of the crowd, bent down, and brushed his lips against my ear.

01:09:54That's because you never once thought about letting go.

01:10:00On the ride home, Ethan and I sat in the back with our hands still locked.

01:10:04Leo drove in professional silence.

01:10:07Ethan, hypothetically, if there was no energy connection between us,

01:10:13would you still have kept me that first day?

01:10:16Yes.

01:10:17No hesitation.

01:10:18The moment you walked in, I saw your eyes.

01:10:22There was no calculation.

01:10:25No interest in power or money.

01:10:28You just looked at me like I was a person.

01:10:32He pulled me closer.

01:10:33In this city, no one has ever looked at me like that.

01:10:41My heart skipped.

01:10:43Even the man who owns Manhattan has been starving for something real.

01:10:50Leo stiffened visibly in the front seat.

01:10:52Leo heard nothing.

01:10:54Correct, sir.

01:10:55I heard nothing.

01:10:57In fact, I'm already drafting my resignation.

01:11:00You're not resigning.

01:11:02I'll increase your equity another half point.

01:11:04I buried my face in Ethan's chest and laughed until I shoved.

01:11:09Late that night at the estate, Ethan found me on the sofa scrolling news.

01:11:13Don't waste energy on that garbage.

01:11:16He took my phone and pulled me against him.

01:11:20I'm worried the resonance between us could drag Frost.

01:11:26Capital down one day.

01:11:28Ethan hooked an arm around my waist and held me tight.

01:11:31The resonance isn't a curse.

01:11:33You're not draining me.

01:11:35It goes both ways.

01:11:37I need you too.

01:11:39You gave me something I never had.

01:11:41The feeling of being truly alive.

01:11:44You're scared I'll run.

01:11:46To protect you.

01:11:49Yes.

01:11:49I'm scared.

01:11:51He admitted it straight, no shields.

01:11:53You were ready to disappear.

01:11:55Alone to keep me safe.

01:11:56Jade, I don't need protection.

01:11:59I need you to stay.

01:12:01Right here with me.

01:12:02I wrapped my arms around his neck and bit down on his collarbone, leaving clear marks.

01:12:07Fine.

01:12:08If you want me to stay, promise me one thing.

01:12:13If the resonance ever acts off, you tell me immediately.

01:12:17No hiding.

01:12:18Ethan looked at the marks, then at my eyes and pulled me closer.

01:12:22Deal.

01:12:22I promise.

01:12:25The next afternoon, I walked into Ethan's office during a serious international video

01:12:30call.

01:12:31He hit mute, waved me in and pulled me into the chair beside him.

01:12:35He continued the call in fluent, ruthless German while I watched him work.

01:12:40Who would believe it?

01:12:42The hardest man in America is secretly this earnest guy who doesn't know how to say he

01:12:49loves me without looking lost.

01:12:51Ethan missed half a beat in his sentence, then recovered with icy precision and ended

01:12:56the call.

01:12:57He pulled off his tie and stood towering over me.

01:13:02Jade, you're getting bolder every day.

01:13:05What exactly did you just call me?

01:13:08I poked his leg with my foot innocently.

01:13:10I didn't say anything?

01:13:12His hand shot under the desk and gripped my ankle.

01:13:14You called me an emotionally stempid idiot who can't express himself.

01:13:19That was in my head.

01:13:21You can't punish thought crimes.

01:13:23Ethan leaned in, breath hot against my lips.

01:13:25You're right.

01:13:26I'm not great at this in front of others.

01:13:29So tell me, Miss Advisor, where and how exactly do you want to give me that hands-on lesson?

01:13:34The most repressed man in the world just asked me to teach him how to express feelings

01:13:38and suggested positions.

01:13:40Nothing's wrong.

01:13:42You showed up and all my old rules went out the window.

01:13:47Later that afternoon, Leo came into my office looking nervous.

01:13:53Miss Summers, there's something I need to tell you, even though Mr. Frost told me not to.

01:13:58What's he been doing behind my back?

01:14:00He's been using every contact the Frost family has, top legal teams, private networks, even Washington, to research ways for

01:14:07non-human entities to gain legal identities.

01:14:10He's building you a complete, legitimate identity in this world.

01:14:14No more hiding.

01:14:15A real one.

01:14:18My throat tightened.

01:14:20He's been doing this quietly since I moved in.

01:14:23He never planned for me to stay in the shadows.

01:14:26Leo left.

01:14:27I stared out at the glittering Manhattan skyline, eyes blurring with tears.

01:14:32My phone buzzed.

01:14:37Not that many.

01:14:39It's the necessary investment of a husband.

01:14:42I laughed and cried at the same time.

01:14:44Can you please turn off the telepathy for five minutes, you compulsive eavesdropper?

01:14:49Business hours are over.

01:14:51Come home.

01:14:51I'll walk you through everything in the penthouse.

01:14:56That night, Ethan took me to the new rooftop terrace overlooking the city.

01:15:00He handed me a glass of wine and stood at the railing in his white shirt.

01:15:04Where do you want to start, Mrs. Partner?

01:15:07I let my leg brush against his through the slit in my dress.

01:15:10Leo said you're building me a real identity?

01:15:13Independent?

01:15:14Legal?

01:15:15Do you actually think that's possible?

01:15:17On Wall Street, when I decide I want something, impossible doesn't exist.

01:15:23He stepped close, trapping me against the railing.

01:15:26The European trust structure is done.

01:15:27You'll be recognized as the heir of an ancient private dynasty.

01:15:30It's complicated, but it will hold.

01:15:32Why go this far?

01:15:34Hiding in your assets would have been safer for you.

01:15:36Because I'm done watching you think you belong in the shadows.

01:15:40And I'm not letting you keep one eye on the exit because you're scared of hurting me.

01:15:45He tucked my hair back, then pressed his fingers firmly against my inner thigh.

01:15:50That highest seat has always been yours.

01:15:53Not out of pity.

01:15:54You earned it.

01:15:55I'm completely done for.

01:15:56No succubus could resist a cold, celibate man who decides to love this obsessively.

01:16:01I dropped my glass, slid my hands into his collar and straddled his waist.

01:16:06Since your plan is this perfect, I think we've earned some very high returns.

01:16:09Up here, with no one to interrupt us, don't you think?

01:16:15That night on the rooftop, we lost ourselves and each other under the Manhattan skyline.

01:16:20Straddling him, taking everything he gave, I told him between broken breaths about my life in the abyss and how

01:16:26scared I'd been when I first crossed over.

01:16:28Ethan held my waist, eyes blazing.

01:16:31You're really not scared?

01:16:33In the abyss.

01:16:35All I thought about was draining men like you completely.

01:16:40He drove deeper, drawing a helpless moan from me.

01:16:43You came from there, but now you're in my bed.

01:16:47By normal logic, shouldn't you have called a priest to exorcite me?

01:16:52Ethan gave a rare, wicked smile.

01:16:54Send you back so you can put your hands on some other man's body?

01:16:59Not a chance.

01:17:01He kissed my collarbone.

01:17:05It's complicated here.

01:17:08But you chose my company as your buffet.

01:17:11That means for the rest of your life, you only eat at my table.

01:17:16After a thousand years of hunger, this feels like like the luckiest detour in existence.

01:17:22Ethan went still then laughed and gave my ass a sharp smack.

01:17:26In the middle of this, the best you can think is cosmically lucky.

01:17:31Try I'm the lucky one, 30 years old.

01:17:34And I finally found my little monster.

01:17:41Weeks later, the dust on Wall Street finally settled.

01:17:44Leo and the legal team completely dismantled the Cross Foundation's network.

01:17:48Warren got 12 years.

01:17:50Victoria got three years for defamation and illegal hacking.

01:17:53She wouldn't show her face in New York again.

01:17:56I watched the footage of her sentencing with zero emotion.

01:17:59Natural consequences.

01:18:02If she'd focused on doing her job instead of trying to destroy me, she'd still have a career.

01:18:07Speaking of the sofa, the leather is nice.

01:18:11But last week when Ethan had me pinned here and used his tide...

01:18:16Across the room, Ethan's pen nearly tore through the contract.

01:18:20He looked up slowly, eyes blazing with barely contained fire.

01:18:23Jade Summers, you've replayed last week on that sofa at least 10 times today.

01:18:29I tucked my dress lower and looked at him innocently while turning up the heat in my thoughts.

01:18:34So, quality control?

01:18:38And if I'm also thinking about a live demonstration, right now on this sofa, with the door locked.

01:18:46Ethan took a slow breath, stood and started unbuttoning his shirt, revealing hard lines of muscle.

01:18:52Then he drew his belt free.

01:18:55You are the highest level of trouble this office has ever seen.

01:19:04But since you've been sending that invitation all afternoon, if you even think about hiding under the desk again...

01:19:13You won't like...

01:19:15What happens next?

01:19:17It's when the most controlled man in the world turns dangerous with a belt and that look...

01:19:20That's not a man anymore.

01:19:22That's a natural disaster.

01:19:24He pushed me down onto the sofa, pinned my wrists and wrapped the belt around them.

01:19:28He bit my lower lip voice wrecked.

01:19:30I heard that.

01:19:31Focus.

01:19:34Three months later, in deep autumn, the first snow fell on Manhattan.

01:19:39Ethan had bought a new penthouse with a breathtaking view over the city.

01:19:43I stood at the floor-to-ceiling windows when a hot, bare hand pulled me back against his solid body.

01:19:48New place. Do you like it?

01:19:50I love it.

01:19:52So, Mr. CEO, you bought the penthouse with this exact view, just to recreate our first real night together?

01:19:58Ethan laughed low, the sound vibrating through me.

01:20:00Not a recreation. I want every day you spend in this world to have this view. Your city and mine,

01:20:06together.

01:20:07I turned, let my hand slide down his abs, and hooked into his robe.

01:20:10One thing, though. You've gone public with me. Split your fortune. Told the world I'm yours. And you still haven't

01:20:20given me one proper engagement ring.

01:20:22On human timelines, that's a violation.

01:20:24That bulletproof asset declaration outrangs any diamond. For a Sukfa who only cares about energy. Does it really matter?

01:20:32I thought stubbornly. Probably not. Because whether it's the assets or that insane body of his, I decided long ago

01:20:40I'm keeping both. For life. No returns.

01:20:44Heard every word.

01:20:45The last of his cool distance melted. He pulled out a small velvet box. Inside was a simple, elegant, antique

01:20:52silver band.

01:20:53Had it ready since the day you moved in. Last night, after you wore me out and fell asleep, I

01:20:57measured your finger.

01:20:58He slid the ring onto my finger with complete ownership. Perfect fit. Of course it is. This man is precise

01:21:05about everything.

01:21:06For the first time in forever, I didn't run. I rose on my toes and kissed him deep, real and

01:21:11full of everything I felt.

01:21:13Ethan Frost. Thank you for finding a stray little monster and giving her a real reason to stay.

01:21:22Thank you for falling out of whatever clack in the universe you came from and landing in my office.

01:21:27He cupped the back of my head and kissed me back, deep and warm.

01:21:32Outside, snow fell quietly over the glittering city.

01:21:35After countless years of hunger, my soul had finally found home.

01:21:39And that's hea white Johnny.

01:21:40Feels out of theureally

01:21:41For us to be아� wilicky. And this was a few words that are hidden in my eyes open for Hills.

01:21:41And this was many words.

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