He stood up abruptly, pulling her up with him thanks to the handcuffs, and pinned her against the wall. His grip on her wrist tightened.
Ni-ki leaned in closer, his voice a cold whisper. "You're playing with fire, angel. Don't think for a second tha...
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Five years later
NI-KI HAD HARDLY CHANGED AS A BUSINESS LEADER. He had always been a perfect one. As he stood overseeing the main NishiCo store in the city, his presence was as commanding as ever.
His sharp features remained the same, his dark eyes still held that ever-present intensity, but now there was an air of quiet calm about him.
He was no longer the hot-headed young man who acted on impulse, the one who often found himself caught in the chaos of his emotions. Now, he was a steady force—one of the most respected CEOs in the country.
His calm demeanor and ability to handle any situation with grace had earned him admiration from employees and competitors alike.
Today, he was supervising the store with Sunoo, who was speaking animatedly about the latest expansion plans for the brand. Ni-ki nodded thoughtfully, listening to his friend's ideas, but his mind was elsewhere, lost in the memory of things that had come and gone.
It had been years since he'd seen Rhaine, but he had never truly moved on. Even with all the success, the growth of the company, and the constant influx of new faces, a part of him remained tethered to her—her absence felt in everything he did.
He had made his peace with it, convinced himself that it was the way things had to be. But even now, there were moments when he caught himself wishing she were here, that maybe he could fix things, that he could somehow make it all right again.
As Sunoo spoke, Ni-ki's attention drifted. A pretty young woman had approached him, her steps light and confident as she flashed him a bright smile. Ni-ki caught the glint of curiosity in her eyes and immediately knew what she was after.
She was attractive, no doubt, but he had become used to the occasional attention by now.
"Excuse me, sir," she said, leaning in just a little too close for professional comfort, her voice tinged with flirtation. "I just wanted to say how amazing your brand is. It's so impressive, really. You must be very proud."
Ni-ki nodded politely. "Thank you. We've worked hard to make it a success." He looked around for backup, just to see that Sunoo had ditched him. Asshole.
She giggled lightly, flipping her hair back in a way that was both coy and intentional. "I'm sure you have. I also couldn't help but notice how... well, you stand out. I mean, a man like you must have a lot of admirers."
He glanced at her, maintaining the same calm demeanor, though a hint of unease began to settle in. He had been through this routine many times before, but it never stopped feeling somewhat uncomfortable. "I don't pay much attention to that," he said smoothly, giving her a polite but distant smile.
She raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued, her eyes narrowing just a bit. "But... you've been single for so long. Don't you ever feel like... I don't know, you're missing out on something?" She took a step closer, lowering her voice as if she were sharing some secret. "Maybe someone who could... you know, make you feel special?"
