Felix leaned in, drawing me fully into his arms.

He pressed his face into the curve of my neck, breathing in deeply.

Startled, I froze, my breath catching as my body tensed beneath him.

A moment later, he spoke through clenched teeth. "Tonight, I'll show you exactly what I'm capable of."

He reached up and turned off the overhead light, leaving only the soft glow of the bedside lamp behind. In the quiet dimness, my heartbeat roared in my ears.

All of a sudden, Felix's mint-scented lips met mine.

I tried to resist, but my efforts were weak. With one swift motion, he pinned my arms above me using a single hand. The other slid beneath the hem of my nightgown.

The thin fabric gave way with a rough tear, and I felt the heat of his fingers as they moved slowly across my skin.

A shiver rippled through me. Sensing my reaction, Felix placed a kiss on the crown of my head.

"Don't be nervou

For a moment, my heart seemed to stop. My body stiffened, and I couldn't bring myself to say a single word.

There had been so many guests at the wedding yesterday, yet no one had suspected a thing. So, how had Vivienne seen through me?

I gripped the edge of my clothes and looked up, only to find Harry staring at me, his expression grave.

Had I been exposed?

Just then, Yelena let out a soft chuckle and tugged on Vivienne's arm. "Mom, this is Helen. You saw her just yesterday. Don't you remember?"

Hearing Yelena's words, my heart slowly began to steady.

I wiped the cold sweat from my brow and stepped forward. "Grandma, it's me, Helen. I used to come here all the time to play when I was little."

It was true; my grandfather and Donald had been close friends for years. When Helen and I were kids, we often visited the Affleck residence.

While the two men played chess in the courtyard, 

I hadn't felt much during the wedding itself, but now, the emotions hit me all at once.

As I watched Felix drive, a surreal feeling crept in—like I was dreaming with my eyes wide open.

When we finally got home, I sat at the vanity, feeling a little awkward under Felix's persistent gaze.

I quickly wiped away my makeup and hurried to the bathroom.

The hot water rushed over me, and only then did my racing heart start to settle.

A knock on the bathroom door startled me.

"What is it?" I asked, my voice coming out sharper than I meant.

After a pause, Felix's voice came through, tinged with amusement. "You forgot your nightgown."

I wanted to disappear into the floor. Could things possibly get any more awkward?

Through the frosted glass, I caught a glimpse of his figure stepping away. I cracked the door open just enough to grab the nightgown.

After my shower, I unfolded it, only to be taken aback by its bold, provocative style.

As my fingers brushed over the delicate fabric, a wave of helplessness overtook me.

Wearing it was embarrassing, but not wearing it wasn't an option. I couldn't exactly walk out of there in the nude.

After a long mental struggle, I gritted my teeth and pulled the nightgown over my body.

Besides, Felix was sexually incapable, so there was nothing to worry about.

I cautiously opened the bathroom door. At the sound, Felix lifted his head.

His intense gaze made me uneasy, and I instinctively pulled at the nightgown, which barely covered my hips.

Felix's Adam's apple bobbed. He set down his documents and slowly moved toward me.

My heart raced as his hand reached out. But to my surprise, he simply tugged a lock of my hair free from the strap of my nightgown.

"Sit down," he said. "I'll dry your hair."

His fingers moved gently through my hair, the soft hum of the blow dryer filling the room. Neither of us uttered a word.

Once Felix had finished applying hair oil to the ends, his deep, husky voice broke the quiet. "I'm going to take a shower."

I couldn't tell if it was real, but for a moment, I felt a brief kiss on the top of my head.

Shaking off the thought, I took a moment to glance around the room, taking in the space.

The villa was beautifully decorated in a refined Volkaran style, perfectly matching my own taste.

But the bed was enormous.

How was I supposed to share a bed with a man I had no emotional connection with?

Just then, an idea came to me. In the walk-in closet, there was an extra silk comforter. I quickly pulled it out and laid it across the bed.

While sleeping apart wasn't an option, at least we could have separate blankets.

This way, I could protect Felix's pride. It felt like a win-win solution. Honestly, I felt a bit proud of myself.

Just then, Felix stepped out of the bathroom. He was only wearing a towel around his waist, casually drying his hair.

Droplets of water clung to his skin, tracing a path down his neck and across his chest. They disappeared into the defined muscles of his abdomen, following the contours of his waist.

I swallowed, unable to ignore how stunning Felix's body was.

My gaze slipped downward, but the moment it landed on his waist, I quickly looked away.

It was such a shame. No matter how flawless his physique was, it didn't change the fact that he couldn't perform sexually.

Felix's gaze shifted to the bed, pausing on the extra comforter I had laid out. His brow raised slightly in confusion. "What's this?"

I hurried to clarify. "Don't get me wrong. This is for your sake."

It wasn't that I disapproved of him. I just wanted to preserve his confidence as a man.

Without saying a word, Felix discarded his towel and slowly made his way toward the bed.

He climbed on, half-kneeling as he leaned in closer. His face drew near, and I could smell the faint trace of his body wash. He was way too close.

Felix's gaze remained fixed on me. "For my sake? Is this really what's best for me?" he murmured.

Under his unwavering stare, my throat went dry. I instinctively tried to move back, creating a gap between us.

"Yeah," I whispered.

Felix caught my movement in an instant. His fingers wrapped around my ankle, and with one swift pull, he closed the distance I had tried to create.

In fact, he was even closer than before.

"Tell me, how is sleeping apart supposed to be good for me?" he asked.

I mumbled incoherently, struggling to find the right words.

I couldn't exactly tell him it was to preserve his self-esteem, could I?

His slightly calloused fingers brushed against my ankle, sending a shiver up my spine. The sensation made me flinch and instinctively pull away.

"Go on. Say something," he murmured.

His gaze felt like it could burn right through me. I steadied myself and said, "I just didn't want to upset you, alright?"

Felix's brows furrowed, clearly confused. "Why would I be upset?"

I turned my face away and whispered, "Well, isn't it because you're not sexually capable right now? I thought it would be better if we slept separately. Otherwise, wouldn't it just make you feel worse?"

Felix's expression darkened instantly. "Not sexually capable? Who told you that?"

"W-Well, there were rumors that you injured your private parts in the accident."

Felix's gaze darkened, almost like he was about to consume me. I instinctively recoiled, scrambling to reassure him.

"Don't worry. Now that I'm your wife, I would never look down on you."

But the more I spoke, the darker his expression became. I rushed to add, "And I swear, I won't tell anyone. My lips are sealed."

Yet, his face remained unchanged, his eyes narrowing further.

"M-Medical technology these days is incredibly advanced. I'm sure it can be cured. So... don't worry too much—"

But before I could finish, Felix snapped. In an instant, he lunged toward me.


Felix leaned in, drawing me fully into his arms.

He pressed his face into the curve of my neck, breathing in deeply.

Startled, I froze, my breath catching as my body tensed beneath him.

A moment later, he spoke through clenched teeth. "Tonight, I'll show you exactly what I'm capable of."

He reached up and turned off the overhead light, leaving only the soft glow of the bedside lamp behind. In the quiet dimness, my heartbeat roared in my ears.

All of a sudden, Felix's mint-scented lips met mine.

I tried to resist, but my efforts were weak. With one swift motion, he pinned my arms above me using a single hand. The other slid beneath the hem of my nightgown.

The thin fabric gave way with a rough tear, and I felt the heat of his fingers as they moved slowly across my skin.

A shiver rippled through me. Sensing my reaction, Felix placed a kiss on the crown of my head.

"Don't be nervous," he whispered.

But how could I not be, in a moment like this?

Felix's lips brushed over my brow

Chapter 5