"No... I didn't..." Suddenly tongue-tied, Essie desperately scrabbled for a coherent response to Zac's
loaded question, but her brain seemed to have stopped functioning at that moment.
"The way you looked at me revealed what you were thinking. You want me." Amusement and dark
promise tinted his voice. His fingers slowly, deliberately slid down from her neck to rest on her sleep
shirt placket, which was placed directly over her pounding chest. The warmth of his fingertips seemed
to burn a hole in her pajamas. The heat started to burn her skin and transfer to her heart, which
seemed to spontaneously combust.
"I'm sleepy," she announced to the room at large. All of the fight drained out of her. She could only
close her eyes and feign sleep.
With a mischievous smile on his lips, Zac slowly lowered his head to kiss her lightly on the lips. With
him that close, Essie could smell the refreshing aroma of his body wash pervading the air that she
breathed. He had always used a shower gel that smelled like magnolia flowers. The elegant, pure
scent wafted from his warm skin to her nose to awaken her senses and fan the current coursing
through her.
She felt dizzy and weak, and her mind was a blank. She had no strength to resist and think. Zac took
advantage of Essie's stillness and kissed her lips while he skillfully undid her pajama top, one button at
a time.
A draft of cold air touched her bare chest, but it was immediately chased away by the warmth of Zac's
body against hers.
When Essie felt Zac's hands wander to her waist, she suddenly regained her senses.
"Are men all like this?" she whispered bemusedly. "Can you all have sex without any feelings
involved?" she added. Zac stopped his exploration. After a few heartbeats, he let out a helpless sigh.
The flame burning in his bright eyes dissipated as if doused by a cold current until only an
unfathomable darkness remained.
No feelings?
Did she mean on her end or his?
He released a deep, pent-up breath, let go of Essie, and turned to lie on his back on the bed. Without a
light in the room, his handsome profile was obscured by shadows. There was a slight frown on his
eyebrows, and the expression in his eyes was inscrutable.
A silence, thick and fraught with tension, descended upon the occupants of the room. Between them,
the air of hopelessness was so palpable. They could not see each other clearly through the thick fog of
emotion. It was like their hearts were thousands of miles apart even though their bodies were
separated by mere inches.
Essie could feel her emotions crashing down on her in waves, with all their ups and downs.
Once again, his silence proved that he had no feelings for her. In his eyes, she was only a momentary
plaything to divert him from his boredom.
Resolutely, she told herself that she did not care one whit about what Zac thought of her. His feelings
and opinions were of no consequence.
Simply put, their relationship was one of convenience, which suited them both. Once they separated,
they would no longer be of any concern to each other. Just two ships passing each other in the night.
The next day arrived.
Essie officially moved into the new house. After seeing their daughter and son-in-law's stable married
life and steady relationship, Lucy and Bob headed back home secure in the knowledge that the couple
would be just fine.
As soon as they had left, Essie packed up Zac's belongings and immediately transferred them into his
bedroom.
Their days of cohabiting and sleeping together in the same room had finally come to an end. The ever-
present threat of triggering that danger alarm was finally lifted.
Everything went on as usual. At last, they did not have to put on a show or pretend to be in love with
each other to reassure Essie's parents.
This return to normalcy appeared to have liberated Zac. He disappeared without a trace early that
morning.
As for herself? She headed to Ikea to shop for home decors.
On the way to the store, she passed by a five-star hotel. Unexpectedly, her eyes landed on a familiar
handsome figure.
Zac?
She was shocked.
That morning, she was confused at his mysterious disappearance, and she became curious regarding
his whereabouts. Little did she know that the luxurious hotel was his destination.
What could he be doing in a five-star hotel? Was he perhaps closing a deal with a rich business
partner?
She was so deep in thought that she almost missed it when a beautiful woman made an appearance.
When the woman saw Zac, she approached him with a bright smile and linked her arm through the
crook of his, looking cozy and intimate with him.
Essie's eyes widened.
What was going on?
Perhaps... was the rich woman his sugar mommy?
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