I let him fume for a moment, letting the tension build. Drunk or not, he was clearly looking for a fight—or at least a scene.

Claire squeezed my hand lightly again, a small warning, but I gave her a reassuring nod.

"Relax," I murmured.

The ex stumbled a step closer, eyes blazing. "You think you can just waltz in and brag? After everything?"

His classmates quickly jumped in, grabbing him by the shoulders, trying to hold him back.

"Come on, man, chill!" one of them shouted, struggling to keep him steady.

He wrenched against them anyway, veins standing out in his neck.

"No. You don't get it," he slurred. "She's mine. She always was. That guy stole her from me! He used his money to get her!"

One of his friends shook their head, trying to reason with him.

"Dude—stop. You're drunk. Everyone's staring. This isn't worth it."

He shoved back against them, glaring at me. "She's mine! She should be with me!"

I stood up and looked him straight in the eye.

"Stop embarrassing yourself," I didn't raise my voice. Didn't need to. "This didn't happen because of me. It happened because you never learned how to treat her right. Look at you acting violent."

I shook my head. "No wonder she left you."

"V… violent?" His face twitched, confusion cutting through the rage for half a second.

Once, he might've be her perfect boyfriend. But she was mine now.

"Just let it go," I spoke slowly, letting each word hit. "You should just leave, move on, and stay as far away from her as possible."

His jaw locked, hands balling into fists, yet his friends' grip kept him from taking another step.

In the end, his classmates finally dragged him away, muttering under their breath and shaking their heads.

Even as he disappeared from sight, the mood in the room stayed heavy. Whispers lingered, chairs scraped back, and the earlier excitement of the reunion had dulled.

Lina clapped her hands together a little too loudly, forcing everyone's attention to her.

"Alright. Drinks are still cold. Music's still playing. Let's not let one idiot ruin the night."

The event restarted. I spent some time chatting with people who suddenly wanted to "network", and before we knew it, it was already nine in the evening.

The sky was dark now, the city lights glowing beneath it.

"Thanks for coming with me," Claire muttered softly "I knew Gerald would be here. I'm sorry if I used you."

Her voice dropped at the end, almost swallowed by the night air.

I squeezed her hand gently. "Hey. You didn't use me. If anything, I enjoyed this little break."

She met my gaze, her pupils expanding, from excitement.

"I love you, and it's not just because of what you did tonight. Ever since the hospital… I can't get you out of my head. Any other man who tried to get close just made me feel disgusted. But you… you're different."

Her fingers intertwined with mine, a warmth spreading from her touch

I felt happy and guilty at the same time because I was the one who planted that idea.

"Claire… how would you feel about working for my guild?"

She blinked, caught off guard.

"I don't want to force you. My guild has its own clinic. I can assign you there as a head nurse. The pay would be ten times what you're making now, so you would be able to provide more for your mother… and your family."

She processed the offer, her hands tightening slightly around mine.

"I'll take it—if you're okay with me,"

"Of course I'm okay with you," I replied, chuckling as I leaned in to kiss her, memories of our time together flooding back.

The kiss left me wanting more. I couldn't wait, so I drove us back to the guild building.

We went through the exclusive entrance, hidden from the public eye, where a sleek elevator waited to take us straight to the top floor—my office.

The doors slid open, and she was surprised by what she saw.

"It's a good view, right?" I said, gesturing toward the city stretching out below us. "This district isn't nearly as crowded as the center, so I like it here more. Quieter, easier to think."

Claire nodded. "I can see why. It feels… peaceful. But that thing really stands out."

She pointed toward a tower , its form dark against the city lights.

"Ah, yeah. I can't really do anything about that. It just… popped up after I bought the building."

She laughed softly, shaking her head. "Of course it did. Nothing ever stays simple around you, does it?"

I smirked, leaning back slightly. "Not even close."

Before she could reply, I leaned in and kissed her again, letting my lips trace slowly from hers down to the curve of her neck.

"Ace!"

Claire let out a soft gasp, her hands instinctively resting on my shoulders, but she didn't pull away.

"Tell me to stop if you don't like it," I murmured, my voice low.

She didn't. Instead, she tangled one hand in my hair, guiding my lips back to hers.

The kiss was deeper this time.

Her back met the cool, smooth surface of the oak table with a soft thud, her legs wrapping securely around my waist, pulling me against her

I leaned over her, my body pinning her down as I claimed her mouth again.

My hands roamed up her sides, thumbs brushing against the soft fabric of her dress before moving higher to cup her breasts.

I pulled back just enough to look at her, my eyes filled with lust.

My hands found the edge of her dress… and well, I just lifted it a bit. God, her skin was soft. Super soft. Every curve felt like it was daring me to do something… and, I wasn't about to say no.

I ripped her dress open, unable to hold back any longer.

"I'm going to fuck you on this table until you can't remember your own name."

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