~Violet's POV~
A few seconds ago, I was certain he wouldn't take my outburst lying down but he proved me wrong in the most unexpected way.
"Truly, I know nothing about you… maybe aside from the little you whispered into my ears last night. But let me give you priceless advice no one out there will ever give you," he murmured, his voice calm and steady, the opposite of the harsh response I had braced myself for.
He pushed off the sheets and rolled toward the edge of the bed before turning his gaze back to me.
His calmness didn't just melt my anger, it made me hungry for whatever he was about to say.
"Who says you can't rebel? Who says they're the only ones allowed to do whatever they please while you remain the perfect sister, daughter, and girlfriend, hmm?" he demanded, a vein popping at his temple, as though he was the one living my life.
He stared straight into my eyes, and for a moment, it felt as though he could see right through me, into every hidden corner where I buried my fears, secrets, and insecurities. The intensity forced me to lower my gaze.
"Even Superman has moments he takes off his superhero robes and so can you," he said fiercely.
"Trying to be the perfect daughter, girlfriend, and sister all at once is suffocating. And trust me, taking those robes off now and then is not a bad idea. You deserve that much, in case you don't know… or nobody has ever told you." His words were a balm I didn't realize I'd been begging for.
His voice triggered memories, and scars, I kept locked away.
The first month of living as Violet Thompson, second daughter of Thompson Corporation, had been blissful… a world apart from the hard life I lived with my biological mother. But everything collapsed after the accident that killed my father and left my mother in a coma.
Despite being a child, Mrs. Thompson blamed me for everything. She claimed I had taken her husband from her and robbed her daughter of a father, as if I hadn't lost both my parents in a single night.
In exchange for her paying my mother's hospital bills, I became her shadow, her servant, the invisible hand behind every comfort she and her daughter enjoyed. Even the corporation became my silent burden.
For years, I was the perfect daughter and sister. The one who wasn't allowed to cry. The one who wasn't allowed to break.
And when I entered a relationship with Sebastian Grey, CEO of Grey Group, I believed my life would finally change for the better.
Instead, it got worse.
Much worse.
To convince the world I was happy, despite their whispers, insults, and online harassment, I wore the brightest smile every day… even while I cried inside.
"Humph…" His voice snapped me back to the present.
Pretending to fix my hair, I wiped the tear threatening to escape.
"This penthouse is reserved just for me. You can stay here for as long as you want, no expenses to worry about," he said simply. Then he got out of bed and walked toward a white door in the corner.
My eyes followed him, all of him. From his slightly messy black hair to his broad shoulders to the muscles carving his back.
And then… his waistline.
I swallowed hard. The little demon inside me wished he hadn't worn those underwear.
His perfectly shaped butt was practically sculpted. My imagination spiraled before I could stop it. I licked my lips unconsciously, fingers tightening around the hem of my dress.
"You have until I'm out of the shower to make up your mind," he said in a husky tone. I blinked rapidly, horrified at myself.
"While you're at it…" He paused, turned slightly, and studied my face. "In whatever decision you make, put yourself first. It's about what makes you happy, not them. It's perfectly fine to be selfish sometimes."
He pulled the door open and slammed it shut behind him.
Although I already knew what I wanted, hesitation still crept in. But then his words echoed again in my mind.
If Superman can take off his robe and the world doesn't end, then so can I.
"Fine," I hissed and tossed my handbag onto the enormous bed.
For once, I would not think about consequences. I would focus on healing my own heart.
Earlier, when I woke up, I hadn't spared a single glance at the penthouse. Guilt and panic consumed me then.
Now I finally saw it.
Luxurious. Expansive. Decorated like a master suite rather than a hotel room. Though the place still carried hints of sex and sweat, beneath it lingered the clean scent of mint and flowers.
Through the glass wall, I noticed a mini bar.
"Another lover of wines," I muttered as I drifted toward it, drawn like a moth to flame.
The shelves were stacked with expensive whiskeys, liqueurs, and wines. I didn't even need to read the labels, I knew every brand by heart.
Thanks to my mother and stepsister… I had an education in alcohol no child should ever have had.
My gaze landed on Sebastian's favorite whiskey, and my stomach twisted.
Memories swept me like a wave. Nights of laughter, warmth, kisses, passion, moments that once made me smile but now haunted me like nightmares I couldn't wake from.
"If you were going to make me fall in love with my birthday again only to throw me back into hell, you shouldn't have ignited something so raw inside me," I snarled.
I grabbed the closest bottle, yanked it open, and gulped down the burning liquid.
The fire in my throat was nothing compared to the pain in my chest.
I didn't know how long I sat there drowning my heartbreak, not until an angry voice cut through the haze.
"Keep gulping that down and your organs will pay the price for your recklessness," he growled.
I flinched and shot to my feet.
Williams stood there, half naked, a towel around his waist. Droplets of water slid from his damp hair, down his chest, disappearing into the knot of the towel.
I stared like a fool. Alcohol or not, I couldn't look away.
He cleared his throat sharply. "Humph."
Heat rushed to my face as I jerked my gaze away.
"W-w-what were you saying again?" I stuttered, fidgeting like someone caught stealing.
At that moment, I wished the ground would open and swallow me whole.
Because how in the world did I get so mesmerized by another man's half naked body?
A man who wasn't Sebastian?