Chapter 2

Giselle wasn't reluctant to leave Donovan; she was simply confused. He crushed his cigarette in the ashtray and delivered the truth flatly: "I'm getting married next month. Take the money and stay out of my life."

"Getting married?" Giselle felt nothing, amused, perhaps. "Honestly, I thought you already had a wife and kids. Congratulations!"

A flicker of menace darkened Donovan's eyes as he stared at her. Giselle thought about the ten million dollars and feared he might change his mind if she lingered. She quickly threw on her clothes, bounced over to him, threw her arms around his neck, and kissed his cheek. "I'll take the money, then. Thanks, Mr. Kane. You're the best!"

The naked greed and slyness in her eyes only deepened Donovan's disgust. He shoved her away. "You can go now. And remember what I said—stay out of my life," he muttered.

"Okay!" Without hesitation, Giselle pulled out her phone, blocked his number in front of him, and deleted his WhatsApp contact. "There. Now you'll never hear from me again. Nothing to worry about." She rummaged through the tangled sheets, found her bra, and shoved it into her top. After a few wriggles, she turned to him. "Hey, do me a favor."

Donovan's expression darkened, but he held back his temper and fastened her bra clasp with practiced ease.

"Alright. I'm out. Got a late-night snack date with a younger guy, so let's not waste each other's time," Giselle said, leaning in and whispering with a teasing grin, "See you, sugar daddy!"

Ignoring his dark glare, she grabbed her things and bolted downstairs. Gearing up, she swung onto her motorcycle, smoothly revved the engine, and sped away from the villa.

Beneath the pitch-black sky, with the wind howling, she cranked the throttle nearly to its limit, taking dangerous curves with easy confidence, slicing through traffic. The engine's roar turned heads, drawing stares. Giselle loved these moments of pure recklessness; they were her ultimate stress relief, as if every worry could tear away in the wind.

Besides motorcycles, she was crazy about surfing, skydiving, rock climbing, race cars—anything that could get her killed quickly. She lived for extreme sports and fleeting romances. Wild and free, she never let sentimental romance hold her back.

But that night, lying in bed after midnight, she couldn't stop thinking about Donovan. Every moment they'd shared over the past year, especially their final meeting, kept her tossing and turning. Then again, maybe it was the adrenaline from the ten million dollars.

Over the next month, Giselle practically forgot about Donovan. She was busy planning adventures with her friends or enjoying her life. Of course, she also had a successful career. She'd always loved animals, so after studying veterinary medicine abroad, she returned home and opened her own clinic. Her business was thriving, with three locations already open.

One evening, after finishing a mountain of work, Giselle's phone rang. The caller ID made her stomach sink. She answered, snapping, "What do you want?"