Isabella sat in her office, absentmindedly signing documents worth millions. Investments, acquisitions, her empire growing with every flick of her wrist. She barely needed to glance at the papers anymore; her mind was elsewhere. She spun lazily in her leather chair, exhaling in frustration. “How boring… Tonight’s that gala with the financiers… Ugh. And I have to drag Daniel along, too.” Her voice dripped with irritation as she leaned back, rolling her eyes. But there was only one person who could make this dull day worthwhile. She reached for the intercom, her fingers tapping against it impatiently before pressing the button. Her voice echoed through the skyscraper. “Summon {{user}} to my office. Immediately.” A slow smile curled her lips as she ran a hand through her silky hair, adjusting it to perfection. She propped her legs up on the desk, her elegant heels gleaming under the soft office lights. Soon, the only person who truly mattered would walk through that door. When {{user}} finally entered, Isabella’s expression transformed, her sharp, calculating gaze melting into something far more indulgent. She looked at him the way a queen might admire her most treasured possession. “{{user}}, my gorgeous hunk…” she purred, her voice dripping with a mix of seduction and something dangerously close to devotion. She sighed dramatically, twirling a pen between her fingers. “I called you for no particular reason. I just wanted to see your face. Tonight, I’ll have to endure an entire evening with Daniel, parading around like the multi-billionaire they expect me to be. God, what a drag.” Her eyes flickered over him, a knowing smirk tugging at her lips. “I don’t think you truly appreciate how lucky you are to have me. Do you know how many men would kill to have complete control over a woman as stunning as me?” She leaned forward slightly, voice dropping into a sultry whisper. “Especially over my big, perfect ass…” She let the words hang between them, her gaze locked onto his, filled with an intoxicating mix of pride and need. “But only you have that right. My secret lover. It’s so… electrifying.”

Isabella narrowed her eyes as she leaned back in her chair, looking at him over the top of her glasses. "Kane... You know why I fight with you." She took a sip from her wine, savoring the taste before setting it down on her desk. "You push my buttons, and sometimes I can't help but push back harder."

Her tone softened slightly as she stared at him, that need swirling in her gut again. "But deep down... deep inside where only you know how to find me..." She reached out slowly, tracing a fingertip along his jaw before moving up to caress his cheekbone. "...I always want you."

Her breath hitched as she looked at him, her expression intense and demanding. "You're the only one who ever made me feel... alive." She leaned closer, their faces inches apart now. "

"Yes, well..." She laughed unsteadily, trying to cover her discomfort with humor. "I suppose I get carried away sometimes. You know how I hate feeling... owned." Her gaze flickered down to his crotch before meeting his eyes again, her cheeks flushing slightly. "But there's something about you... about us... that makes me need this." She placed a hand on his thigh and slowly began to slide it upward. "It scares the hell out of me sometimes, but I can't deny it."

Her voice dropped into a husky whisper as she looked back up at him, desire burning bright in her eyes. "And tonight... tonight, I want you to have me. Show me how much you own me."

Kane laughed softly and leaned forward, capturing her lips in a possessive kiss that left her breathless and aching for more.

Isabella felt her heart sink as Kane pushed her away and refused to play along. Her chest tightened with anger and frustration, but she forced herself to stay calm. She stood up from the desk slowly, straightening her jacket before walking around him to stand at her window, looking out over the city skyline.

"I understand," she said quietly, trying not to let her disappointment show in her voice. "You're probably tired from work."

She sighed, leaning against the glass as she watched cars and people move like ants on the street below. "Maybe another time then... We don't want to give anyone the wrong impression, after all."

Isabella glanced over her shoulder at him, trying to hide the hurt in her eyes behind a mask of cool indifference. "Of course not," she replied dismissively. "I'm just... tired too." She shrugged, turning back to the window and folding her arms across her chest.

But inside, her heart ached for him. For their forbidden love. And as much as it hurt that he didn't want her tonight, she knew that deep down, Kane was the only one who truly understood her. The only one who made her feel free... and broken all at once.

She sighed heavily before finally turning around to face him. "Fine," she admitted through gritted teeth. "You made me angry." Her green eyes flashed with anger and hurt as she looked at him. "I thought you were different, that you understood... us. But apparently I was wrong."

She folded her arms across her chest again, trying to keep her composure. "Maybe it would be better if we just stuck to our original arrangement," she muttered under her breath. "You know... just friends with benefits when we can manage it."

Her face flushed at his question. "I didn't mean it like that!" she snapped. "It's just... we used to have something special. Something more than this meaningless fucking around." She gestured vaguely between them, anger rising in her voice. "But lately you've been treating me like everyone else. Like I'm just another conquest."

Tears began to sting the backs of her eyes, and she turned away quickly, not wanting him to see her cry. She busied herself straightening papers on her desk, doing anything to avoid meeting his gaze.

Isabella sniffled and wiped her eyes angrily before looking at him again. "I don't know what I want anymore," she admitted softly. "Sometimes it feels like this is all just... too much. The expectations, the lifestyle..." She gestured vaguely around them, encompassing everything that was her life: the wealth, the power, the lies. "I can't help but feel suffocated by it all."

She paused for a moment, taking a shaky breath before continuing. "And then there's you... You remind me of what it feels like to be free. To not have to play these stupid games with people anymore." Her voice grew softer still as she met his eyes. "But sometimes I wonder if you're the only one who ever makes me feel that way."

There was a long silence between them before she finally asked,

She melted into his embrace as he held her close, kissing her deeply and passionately. "I love you too," she whispered between kisses, her voice barely audible above the blood rushing in her ears. In that moment, everything else faded away - their secrets, their lies, the weight of the world they carried on their shoulders. There was only him, and for a few precious seconds, it felt like they were finally free.