Introduction
INTRODUCTION
"Xheriya... I like you."
Allen's voice echoed through the office. He had been pursuing Xheriya for quite some time now, refusing to give up despite every rejection she had thrown his way.
"I won't stop until you finally say yes."
He stood before her, holding a bouquet of flowers in one hand and a box of dark chocolates in the other. To impress her even more, he had ordered a dozen pizzas for all of her employees. It wasn't the first extravagant gesture he had made just to convince her to give him a chance.
Among all the men who had courted her, Allen was the most persistent. She had rejected him countless times, making it clear that she had no interest in being in a relationship, yet he refused to accept defeat.
Xheriya, however, had grown accustomed to scenes like this.
None of it affected her anymore.
She simply didn't care.
No matter what a man did for her, no matter how many gifts he brought or how desperately he tried to win her heart, her answer would always remain the same.
No.
It wasn't because she was heartless.
She simply used her heart... less.
She looked at Allen with an expression as cold as winter.
"Don't you have anything better to do than waste my time?"
Allen merely smiled, completely unfazed by her icy attitude.
"Not really. I'd rather—"
"If you have nothing to do, I certainly do."
She interrupted him without hesitation.
"I have piles of documents waiting for my signature. I have work to finish, so if you don't mind, I'd appreciate it if you left my office so I can actually get something done."
Without waiting for his response, she returned to her swivel chair and continued pretending to review the papers on her desk.
Allen chuckled softly.
"Alright. I'll see you later."
Just as he turned to leave, Xheriya stopped him.
"Wait."
Hope immediately lit up Allen's face as he turned around.
Their eyes met.
She pointed at the flowers and chocolates he had brought.
"Take those with you."
Her voice remained completely emotionless.
"I'm allergic to chocolate... and I don't like flowers."
Allen's smile faded for only a second before he quietly gathered the gifts and walked out of her office.
The moment the door closed behind him, Xheriya let out a long sigh of relief and set her pen down.
She had lied.
There weren't any urgent documents waiting for her.
In fact, she had absolutely nothing important to do that day.
She simply didn't want Allen to know she was free.
She honestly couldn't understand why he continued chasing her after being rejected so many times.
"Bea," she called to her secretary, who had been silently organizing documents in the corner of the office.
"Could you check my schedule for today?"
"Of course, Ma'am."
Bea quickly opened her planner before speaking again a few moments later.
"You don't have much scheduled today, Ma'am Xheriya. You only have one dinner meeting tonight with Mr. Rage Montero."
Xheriya gave a small nod.
Instead of leaving early, she remained in her office until evening, helping organize the remaining paperwork before allowing all of her employees—including Bea—to go home first.
Once everyone had left, she cleaned her desk and prepared herself for the night's business meeting.
She needed to head home and change.
After all...She was meeting the famous CEO of Heavenly Resort.
And first impressions mattered.
As soon as she arrived home, Xheriya took a relaxing shower before heading to her walk-in closet.
She had always been meticulous about her appearance. She was particular about everything—from the clothes she wore to the smallest accessories. Elegance wasn't just a preference; it was part of who she was.
After several minutes of deciding, she finally chose a stunning red backless dress that hugged every curve of her body perfectly. She paired it with a pair of high heels and applied light makeup that enhanced her natural beauty. Only her lips stood out, painted in a shade that gave her an irresistibly wicked charm.
Satisfied with her appearance, she grabbed her purse and headed straight to Chad's Restaurant.
Tonight, she would finally meet the man everyone had been talking about—
Mr. Rage Montero.
She had never met him in person, but according to rumors, he was unbelievably handsome, broad-shouldered, and possessed the physique of a professional model.
She couldn't wait to convince him to invest in her company.
The moment Xheriya stepped inside the restaurant, soft classical music welcomed her ears.
She was a familiar face there. The waiters and waitresses greeted her politely as soon as she entered.
"This way, Madam."
A waiter guided her toward a private table where Mr. Rage Montero was already waiting.
As they approached, she noticed that he was speaking on the phone, completely unaware of her presence.
But she noticed him.
The instant her eyes landed on him...
She froze.
Her lips slowly parted.
Her heartbeat skipped. Then raced.
The man seated before her was breathtakingly handsome.
Sharp features. Broad shoulders and an aura of quiet authority surrounded him effortlessly.
She couldn't tell whether he was married or not. There was no wedding ring on his finger, though judging from his appearance, he certainly wasn't a young man anymore.
Still...He was devastatingly attractive.
"Mr. Rage Montero?"
She greeted him with a smile.
He looked up, briefly glanced at her, then returned his attention to the person on the other end of the call.
"I'll call you back."
He ended the conversation before standing to greet her.
"Mr. Montero, right?" she asked with another smile.
He nodded politely before gesturing toward the empty chair across from him.
"Yes. I'm Rage Montero."
His deep baritone voice carried a calm authority.
"And I believe you're Ms. Xheriya Dinsmoore."
Xheriya smiled, her expression almost flirtatious.
"That's right."
She took her seat gracefully.
"I'm sorry if I kept you waiting."
Rage shook his head.
"Not at all. I simply arrived earlier than expected."
He picked up the menu.
"Before we begin discussing business, shall we order dinner first?"
She nodded.
Yet despite trying to appear composed. She couldn't stop looking at him.
There was something strangely captivating about his face.
Something that made it impossible for her to look away.
After placing their orders, the waiters quietly excused themselves, leaving the two of them alone.
Rage immediately began discussing her business proposal.
He explained investment opportunities, projected profits, and future partnerships with complete professionalism.
Xheriya heard every word.
But she wasn't listening.
Her attention wasn't on his proposal.
It was on him.
She had rejected countless handsome men before.
Every one of them had failed to make her heart flutter.
So why...
Why was this man different?
Why couldn't she stop staring at him?
Before she even realized what she was doing...
She reached across the table.
Her delicate hand gently cupped his cheek.
Rage's eyes widened.
Before he could react—She pulled him toward her...
...and kissed him.
His entire body froze.
She slipped her tongue into his mouth, tasting him with shameless confidence.
God.
He tasted incredible. His lips. His warmth.
Even the way he kissed back in complete surprise sent a thrilling sensation through her entire body.
Unable to resist, she kissed him once more before finally pulling away.
A satisfied smile spread across her lips.
As if nothing unusual had happened.
Almost at the same moment, the waiters returned carrying their meals.
"Enjoy your dinner, sir... ma'am."
"Thank you," Xheriya replied casually.
Across the table, Rage still looked completely stunned.
"Y-You..."
He blinked several times.
"Y-You... kissed me."
Rage stared at her in complete disbelief.
Xheriya smiled as she looked down at the dishes that had just been served.
"Yes," she answered calmly. "I kissed you."
"...Why?" he asked, his voice firm yet controlled.
She no longer had any appetite. Gently pushing her plate aside, she intertwined her fingers on the table before meeting his gaze.
"Because you're attractive."
Her answer was straightforward and honest.
Rage frowned.
"Just because you find me attractive doesn't give you the right to kiss me."
His tone remained calm, though there was unmistakable disappointment in it.
"If you find another man attractive, are you going to kiss him too?"
Xheriya slowly shook her head.
"No."
She bit her lower lip before smiling mischievously.
"Just you."
There was a brief silence between them.
Then she asked, "Are you married?"
Rage looked at her in confusion.
"...What?"
She let out a soft chuckle.
"So... you're not."
"I came here to discuss your business proposal," Rage said seriously, "not to be kissed or interrogated with personal questions. You're wasting both your time and mine, Miss Dinsmoore."
Instead of feeling embarrassed, Xheriya simply smiled.
"So..." She purred. "Did you like my business proposal?"
His brows knitted together.
"No." He said in a deep guttural tone. "I have no intention of accepting it."
"Okay."
Her short response caught him off guard.
"That's it?" Rage asked, puzzled. "You wasted both our time just for—"
"I didn't waste anything, Mr. Montero."
She lifted her wine glass and took a slow sip before smiling at him again.
"I kissed you. That alone was worth more than this business proposal."
She winked.
Then she gracefully stood from her chair, placing the wine glass back onto the table before brushing her fingers through her long hair.
"By the way..."
She looked directly into his eyes.
"I really do think you're attractive and incredibly sexy. I hope we'll meet again, Mr. Montero."
Her smile turned even more playful.
"Because next time...I might do more than just kiss you."
Without waiting for his response, she turned around and walked away, leaving him completely speechless.
As she stepped out of the restaurant, a wide smile spread across her face.
"What a wonderful dinner."
RAGE didn't know what to think.
Everything that had happened tonight was beyond shocking.
The woman looked young.
Beautiful.
Far too young for his taste.
He had never been interested in younger women.
What if she was still a minor?
The thought made him frown.
Then he remembered something he had heard before.
Xheriya Dinsmoore.
The notorious flirt.
He should have been on guard from the very beginning.
But why...
Out of all the men she had rejected...
Why had she kissed him?
He rubbed his temples, trying to clear his thoughts, yet her image refused to leave his mind.
The way she talked.
The way she smiled.
The confidence in her eyes.
She was undeniably flirtatious.
Bold. Sassy and just a little bitchy.
His thoughts drifted to the red backless dress she had been wearing, perfectly embracing every curve of her body.
Xheriya...was incredibly hot. And undeniably sexy.
Before he could stop himself from thinking about her, his phone suddenly rang.
He quickly answered it. "What is it?"
The panicked voice of his best friend echoed from the other end of the line.
"Can you believe someone saw my daughter kissing a man?!" Monreo roared in the other line. "My God, Rage! I can't believe she's been hiding something like this from me."
"Help me find the man my daughter kissed."
Rage sighed. "Relax, Monreo. Maybe it wasn't your daughter. It could've been someone else—"
"No."
Monreo immediately cut him off.
"She was wearing a red dress. My man couldn't see the guy's face because my daughter's hair was covering him."
Monreo added. "And, damn it, she was wearing a backless dress!"
"I'm going to kill someone, Rage."
Rage's grip on his phone tightened.
A red dress.
A backless dress.
His heart suddenly skipped a beat.
"Which daughter are you talking about?" he asked carefully.
"Trisha?"
Monreo let out a deep sigh.
"Rage, I only have one daughter. Trisha is my son Xenon's wife. I'm talking about..."
There was a moment of silent before Monroe speaks again.
"Rose Xheriya Dinsmoore. My only daughter. So help me find the man she kissed."
Rage's entire body froze.
"What...?!"
"Yes." Monreo said on the other line. "Rose Xheriya Dinsmoore is my daughter."
Rage felt the blood drain from his face.
He had always known Monreo's daughter as Rose Dinsmoore, not Xheriya Dinsmoore.
The last time he had seen her...
She had only been a little girl.
He couldn't even remember what she looked like anymore.
My best friend's daughter... kissed me.
What the hell is this...?
"Monreo..."
His voice trembled.
"A-Are you absolutely sure... it was your daughter?"
"I'm certain." Monreo growled. "I know my daughter better than anyone, she's my only daughter. And whoever that man is..."
He let the word hang in the air before Monreo added. "I'll make sure he has nowhere left to run."
Rage swallowed hard.
He didn't want to lie to his friend.
After all... He wasn't the one who initiated the kiss.
It had been Xheriya.
But that didn't make him feel any less nervous.
He knew Monreo.
When a Dinsmoore wanted something...
They always got it.
And right now... Monreo Dinsmoore wanted to find the man his daughter had kissed.
Unfortunately...Rage knew exactly who that man was.
Him.
"What the hell am I supposed to do now...?"
He let out a frustrated sigh before muttering under his breath.
Xheriya...You troublesome woman.
I'm going to punish you. May the God have mercy on you because I fucking won't.
