The entire floor fell in complete silence.

  Trying to avoid his gaze, she stared at the elevator buttons instead.

  Lu Chen’s gaze stayed on her and Albert as if he was scrutinizing the both of them.

  Somehow, she felt weirdly guilty.

  ’I wonder why? Somehow, she feels so guilty as if she was cheating on him.’ Is what is currently in her mind right now.

  "Aren’t you gonna get off?" Lu Chen said flatly. He was pressing the open button outside to keep the elevator from closing.

  "Ah?"

  She paused to think for a few seconds before finally realizing what he was saying.

  "Oh! Yeah, uh, I’m getting off now." She said sheepishly as she scrambled to get off the elevator. She didn’t know why but she felt like she was a naughty kid standing in front of her teacher waiting to get scolded. Kinda felt like the old times.

  "Mr.Lu." Albert greeted, bowing slightly to him.

  Lu Chen sharply stared back at him whilst nodding his head as a brief response to his greeting.

  Albert briefly glanced at Xiu Mei’s direction before shifting it back to the big boss.

  "Then I’ll be going first, Mr.Lu." And the next second, the elevator doors are closing. The three people left on that floor fell into silence again.

  Eventually, it was Xiu Mei’s assistant who first broke the ice.

  "I’ll just go to the pantry to get a cup of instant coffee." Then she stood up and ran to the pantry as if someone was chasing her.

  "……"

  In the end, she just escaped and saved herself.

  Xiu Mei bit her lip and kept staring at the floor. Lu Chen kept staring at her figure for a few seconds before speaking.

  "Let’s talk."

  Hearing that, Xiu Mei raised her head and looked at him with a stunned expression on her face……

  Is he gonna tell her everything now?

  Xiu Mei followed him back to his office.

  As soon as the door closed, Lu Chen suddenly pulled her into a tight hug. Before she could even react, he tightened his hold on her waist and shoulders while burying his face on her shoulders.

  "I’m sorry." He whispered, pausing Xiu Mei’s movements.

  Her hand that was pushing against his shoulders temporarily stopped trying to push him away.

  "For which one? For not being honest with me last night or is it an apology because you wouldn’t tell me at all?" As soon as she finished her words, she stopped and regretted it.

  She bit her lip while feeling frustrated. She carelessly blurted out words without thinking again.

  "For breaking my promise." Is what he briefly said. He pulled his face away and cupped her face, looking straight in her eyes.

  "I let you down last night, isn’t it?"

  This time, she bravely returned his gaze and covered one of his hands that was cupping her face. She took a deep breath and calmed down her nerves. She composed herself and her thoughts and finally voiced out all the things that were bothering her all day.

  "I would like to apologize to you too. Last night, I got too emotional I didn’t even let you explain. I’m really sorry."

  "But it was my fault. I wasn’t completely honest with you that’s why y——"

  "No, it’s not." She cut him off. "Lu Chen, I grew up in a military family. My parents and brothers keep secrets from me. I grew up getting quite used to But when I married you, I…… I wasn’t prepared at all."

  "Maybe it’s just that fact that we had a very short time and no opportunity to get to know each other that well. Our relationship is like thin ice that is very vulnerable and could be broken anytime. We skipped a lot of things that a married couple went through first. We committed ourselves to each other, yes, but both of us lack love, time, trust, and communication."

  She caressed his face, brushing the stray hairs away from his face.

  "We jumped into the wagon of marriage without those things that’s why arguments like this could easily break us. This time, our argument is just a given because it was bound to happen sooner or later."

  "Xiu Mei, I——"

  "Do you get it? Soon, we will have fights like this again. Maybe we’ll even get to the point that we’ll raise our voices to each other. And then once we’ve reached that maximum point, this marriage…… will definitely be dissolved."

  With the topic of divorce being raised again, Lu Chen became anxious. No way, is Xiu Mei already determined to divorce him? Panic set within him as he gripped into her shoulders.

  "Xiu Mei……" His tone almost begging when he murmured her name.

  "Lu Chen, should we rethink about all of this for a little longer?" She suggested. Xiu Mei was suggesting to reconsider their marriage of one year again. If this goes on, then it would be better for them to break it up earlier than later. So that they could still at least keep whatever respect they have for each other and the fact that they are still coworkers at work.

  "NO." Lu Chen resolutely declined.

  "No?"

  He pulled her to his arms once again. This time, he completely forgot about his thoughts before of not letting Xiu Mei feel uncomfortable with him.

  Right now, all he could think about is to stop her from really divorcing him. Ending their relationship like this.

  No. He couldn’t allow that. Not when he finally realized he loves her. Not when all he could think about every day is her. Not when he already imagined spending the rest of his life with her.

  Lu Chen went straight for her lips, catching Xiu Mei unprepared. This time, he ignored her reaction and dived inside her mouth. He ravaged and drank her in like she was his oasis in a desert. He swept every inch of her mouth like a tornado and encaged her tongue with his tongue.

  He bit and sucked on her lips like it was the tastiest thing in the world. Slowly, he could sense Xiu Mei gradually responding to his actions so this triggered him to be a bit more aggressive.

  He tilted her head slightly, trying to find a better position when locking lips with her. Her soft little tongue now trying to fight for dominance within their mouths.

  The two of them fought each other through this kiss. They bit, licked, sucked, and explored every area of each partner’s mouth. It was only when Lu Chen felt Xiu Mei slightly punching him on his shoulders that he pulled away from her mouth for a bit.

  Xiu Mei, finally getting pardoned and the opportunity to breathe again panted heavily. She tried to glare at Lu Chen but she was completely unaware of her appearance at that very moment. Because of their intense and passionate kiss just now, her face was filled with blush and added with her panting, she looked very attractive and hypnotizing like a drug in front of Lu Chen’s eyes. She was like a fresh fruit that looked very yummy waiting to be eaten and enjoyed on.

  And that he did.

  Placing his hand at the back of her head, he pulled her into another round of kiss again. This time, he lingered a little longer on her mouth. Compared to his aggressiveness awhile ago, it felt like Lu Chen was savoring her slowly this time. He lingered in every part of her mouth that this kiss made her knees weaker than the one before.

  His kisses right now felt like he was loving her, caressing her and pampering her. Xiu Mei slowly fell in Lu Chen’s spell as she shut her eyes trying to enjoy the moment. She desperately clung to his body, feeling her knees go weak with the intensity of their intimacy at this very moment.

  She fell into a trance and she didn’t even notice she was already unconsciously m.o.a.ning when they were kissing.

  Hearing that melodious sound, Lu Chen got even more encouraged into doing something more. His control and sanity completely out of this window.

  He finally stopped ravaging her mouth, so he slowly trailed his kisses from the corner of her mouth to her cheeks, chin, neck, and until he finally landed last on her collarbone area. He didn’t think twice and bit the soft skin between his lips.

  "Ha……" Xiu Mei’s breath hitched as she let out a strained m.o.a.n. Her breathing turned heavier feeling him continuously suck and bite on her skin without any signs of stopping. She was too entranced with what they’re doing that she didn’t even notice that she was already pushed to the wall with one of her legs being supported by Lu Chen’s hand to wrap around his waist.

  Her skirt riding up and her blouse completely messed up by Lu Chen as he tried pulling on her clothes, trying to remove the distraction while he was savoring her skin.