Chapter 1 Chapter 1 Seduction Denied, Secrets Revived

A slender figure slipped into the VIP suite at the top floor of the GrandSphere Hotel.

Sabrina Lionhart shrugged off her black trench coat, revealing a sheer red lace nightdress that left little to the imagination. The delicate fabric barely concealed her curves - the plunging V-neck teased a glimpse of cleavage, while the short hemline skimmed the tops of her thighs.

She walked over to the full-length mirror, turned once, and stared at her reflection.

Sultry. Unfamiliar. Bold.

She drew in a deep breath and climbed onto the king-sized bed, her hands clutching the soft bedsheets as her heart pounded like a drum.

"Don't ever show your face to me again."

She could still remember the way Cedric Strickland had looked at her when he'd said those words - his eyes glacial, like shards of ice cutting straight through her.

And yet, here she was.

She had worked tirelessly for this moment.

Years of sleepless nights, of clawing her way up from a clueless nobody to the industry's most sought-after skincare expert. She had gone from knowing nothing about beauty to becoming the woman everyone wanted to collaborate with.

All for one reason - to stand in front of him again, as his equal.

But now that she'd made it... she realized some things never changed. Between them still stood an unscalable wall - the past.

Five minutes later, the door opened.

Sabrina immediately straightened, her lips curling into a seductive smile. She propped herself up on one elbow, letting the strap of her dress slip down her arm just enough to be suggestive, her eyes fixed on the door with practiced allure.

But her smile froze when she saw not just Cedric-but two security guards behind him.

What the hell? After all these years, how is it that he still reads her like a book?

"Take her out."

Cedric didn't even blink. He tossed those three words out and turned away, heading toward the floor-to-ceiling window. The city lights outside became a perfect excuse to avoid seeing her.

But in the glass reflection, he saw her stretched out on the bed in that over-the-top lingerie. She hadn't really changed-still full of fake confidence and little tricks up her sleeve.

Back then, he'd been stupid enough to fall for it. And it had cost him his grandmother.

Cedric's gaze dropped, shadows clouding his expression.

Seeing the guards step forward to grab her, Sabrina instantly sat up and snapped, "Touch me and I'll file a harassment claim!"

The two guards froze. Move forward? Retreat? Neither seemed like a good idea now.

If it were anyone else, it'd be easier. But this one? Trouble.

After all, if Mr. Strickland really didn't care about her, she wouldn't have made it in here in the first place. Letting her in, only to have her dragged out? Yeah... men are confusing.

"Cedric, if you're not interested, that's fine. We can just talk," Sabrina said, slipping on her coat and walking barefoot to stand behind him, close enough for her body heat to brush against his.

"I heard you recently took over-"

"I said, take her out!"

Cedric's voice erupted, cold and sharp. That smile she threw at him had lit every nerve in him on fire. He'd allowed her to come in, hoping-stupidly-that she'd offer a real apology.

Instead, she acted like nothing had ever happened.

Like someone's death was no big deal.

That shout of his could've frozen fire. Everyone there flinched.

Sabrina didn't even get another word out before both guards grabbed her arms and hauled her out.

It was clean, swift, practiced. They didn't just dump her at the hotel entrance-nah, they blocked the door afterward too, like they'd been dying for an excuse.

Thinking through her next move, Sabrina's phone buzzed in her pocket. Annoyed, she yanked it out. It was her apprentice calling.

"Make it quick. You've got five seconds."

"Ma'am! The Pama Conglomerate just contacted us. They're offering a fortune to buy the exclusive rights to your Twinkle!"

"Decline," she said, leaning against the icy hotel wall, her voice hoarse but resolute.

"But ma'am, it's Pama! The biggest skincare group on the planet!"

Sabrina paused for a beat but doubled down, voice firm. "I don't care if they offer me shares. I'm not selling. I made this for my man."

She ended the call and walked into a nearby convenience store, downing two ice creams in silence. Only when her body had chilled did her mind start to clear.

Ding.

A new email appeared on her screen.

From: Gracewell Skincare Group.

A concise, formal invitation: they wanted to discuss a possible collaboration on Twinkle.

*****

Upstairs, in the very same room, Cedric stood by the window as his assistant reported to him.

"Sir, I heard Pama's aiming to launch some luxury cream this spring, with a major focus on skin recovery. And here's the kicker-they've reached out to a top beauty expert to buy her latest skincare product, called 'Twinkle'. It's got lab data backing real skin regeneration! If they land this deal, that cream could be a huge win-both profits and reputation! It might even become their next long-term bestseller!"

"Beauty expert? Twinkle?" Cedric raised an eyebrow. This wasn't a movie, but the way the assistant said it made it sound just as ridiculous.

"Oh! Mr. Strickland, you just joined Gracewell, so maybe you haven't heard. The skincare field's packed with researchers, but this woman's been at the top the past few years. She's got some serious results, and this 'Twinkle' is her latest..."

"That's enough," Cedric interrupted. He didn't need a skincare lesson. "If Pama's talking to her, then Gracewell will too."

"But Mr. Strickland, this expert is really -"

"No need to know more. All I care about is that we block Pama from finalizing anything. They can't get this cream out by spring. That's our goal, period." His brows tightened.

Being a guy running a skincare company wasn't something he signed up for.

All thanks to his sister bailing, leaving him stuck with the entire enterprise. Still... this was something his grandma left behind. He couldn't just walk away from it.

"Understood, Mr. Strickland," the assistant said before the call ended.

*****

Sabrina stared at the email, her lips slowly curling into a genuine smile for the first time that night.

A sly glint flickered in her eyes.

Well, Cedric...

Looks like this time, we'll be meeting on equal footing.