Looking at the man sitting beside her, Lemira realized that compared to her past life, she had already gained so much.

She was more than satisfied.

Hearing her claim that a person couldn't be too greedy, a complicated emotion flickered in Orion's eyes, but he didn't push the issue.

Before long, the sleek car pulled up to the university gates.

She glanced out the window. "I'm here."

"Lemira."

"Yeah?"

She turned back, only to have him lean in and capture her lips in a sweet, lingering kiss.

Blushing furiously, she pushed him away. "What are you doing? I haven't officially agreed to be your girlfriend yet."

"Then I'll just have to play the role of the devoted secret boyfriend."

"You can't do that. Wouldn't that be a massive downgrade for the Everhart heir?"

Orion ran his tongue over his bottom lip, his gaze locked onto her with a scorching intensity. "Not a downgrade at all."

At the very least, he still got to kiss her and hold her whenever he wanted.

If he didn't have the official title yet, so be it. He could wait. She was going to be his eventually, anyway.

Unable to handle the intoxicating tension suffocating the car, Lemira threw the door open and practically sprinted away.

If she had stayed a second longer, she had no idea what might have happened.

Orion watched her disappear onto the campus before rolling down the window, letting the crisp night air cool his feverish blood.

He picked up his phone and dialed Thaddeus. "I need a favor. Look into the negotiations between Asher and the PZ Group. See if there's an angle we can exploit."

"What for? PZ Group's terms are famously predatory. They love executing hostile takeovers when companies are bleeding out. The Langston Group is effectively dead in the water. Are you planning to swoop in as their white knight?"

"That company was my future parents-in-law's life's work," Orion replied calmly. "I'm not going to sit back and watch it get cannibalized and sold off for scraps."

When the PZ Group acquired a business, they notoriously gutted it, split the assets, and liquidated everything.

He wasn't going to let that happen to the Langston Group.

A burst of loud laughter crackled over the line. "Oh, wow! 'Parents-in-law,' huh? Have they even acknowledged your existence yet?"

Orion's expression darkened into a scowl. "At least I'm not a pathetic bachelor like you."

Thaddeus audibly ground his teeth. "Fine. You win this round, you bastard."

After they finished discussing the logistics, Orion hung up. He looked back toward the campus, feeling a strange sense of warmth spread through his chest

His usually empty, calculated life suddenly felt overwhelmingly full.

So this was what it felt like to genuinely care for someone.

He glanced up at the ink-black sky, deciding that the stars looked exceptionally beautiful tonight.

Back in the dorms, Lemira's heart was still doing backflips as she replayed the steamy encounter in the car.

She managed to sneak back into the room right before curfew.

Quietly pushing the door open, she noticed the lights were off. Assuming her roommates were already asleep, she let out a sigh of relief.

But the moment she tiptoed past the beds, Janice violently yanked her privacy curtain back "Tsk, tsk.

Carming back this tate Honestly you

didn't have to come back at all."

"Ahem, of course I had to come back," Lemira stammered.

"Spending the night out is standard protocol! Rumor has it that when a domineering CEO books a hotel room, he only books the penthouse."

Lemira shot her a flat look. "Do I look broke to you? I can afford my own penthouse."

It was true. While her bank account couldn't compete with Orion's limitless wealth, she was practically set for life.

Stella popped her head out from her own bunk. "Well, seeing that gorgeous flush on your face, I'm guessing the date was a massive success?"

"It was... pretty good."

A faint blush crept up her neck. She had finally decided to stop fighting her feelings.

She was genuinely falling for Orion.

And she wanted a future with him.

Stella let out a heavy sigh. "You look so happy, I almost feel bad ruining your vibe with some terrible news."

Lemira's head snapped up. "What happened?"

"According to a highly reliable source, Mrs. Amanda suffered a stress-induced collapse and was rushed to the hospital. Apparently, they found something wrong during the check-up, and Mrs. Amelia has been glued to her side, playing the devoted best friend 24/7 Whether she's faking her illness or not, I'm worried the Sinclair family is going to use this to emotionally blackmail your man."

Lemira froze. Mrs. Amanda was hospitalized?