The café was tucked away in a quiet corner of the city, dimly lit and almost too cozy for a business meeting. Jiho sat nervously in a booth, stirring his untouched coffee. He kept glancing at the entrance, heart hammering.
When Yura finally walked in, it felt like the air shifted.
Tall, confident, wearing a sleek black blazer over a silk blouse that dipped a little too low — Yura was the kind of Alpha who didn't need to say a word to dominate a room.
Jiho stood quickly, bowing.
"CEO Kang."
Yura smirked and slid into the seat beside him instead of across. Too close. Her scent — sharp mint and something darkly sweet — wrapped around him instantly.
"Jiho," she said warmly, voice dripping like honey. "No need to be so formal. We're practically... partners now, aren't we?"
Jiho stiffened, unsure whether to move away or stay frozen.
He chose wrong — he stayed.
Yura leaned closer, reaching out casually to fix the crooked collar of his shirt. Her fingers brushed lightly against his neck — just enough to feel his pulse racing under his skin.
"You're so tense," she murmured, her breath teasing the shell of his ear.
"Did Zoey notice?"
Jiho flinched. "N-no, I don't think so..."
Yura chuckled low in her throat.
"Good boy," she praised, patting his cheek gently.
"Keep it that way. Our little secret."
Jiho's cheeks burned.
He tried to focus on the documents in front of them — real reports, real numbers — but Yura made it impossible. Her hand stayed dangerously close to his thigh under the table, fingertips brushing just enough to make him lose his place reading.
"Relax," she said, voice laced with amusement. "You're so serious. It's adorable."
He swallowed hard.
Then, before he could react, Yura leaned in fully — pressing a light kiss to the corner of his mouth.
Jiho froze, lips trembling, mind blank.
She pulled back slowly, savoring his wide-eyed shock.
"You owe me, Jiho," she whispered, tracing a finger under his jawline.
"For covering for you... for teaching you things Zoey never will."
His heart pounded in his ears.
Yura tapped the stack of documents between them with a sharp smile.
"Study these," she ordered, playful but firm. "We'll have a... private review session soon. Very private."
Jiho nodded helplessly, unable to find his voice.
As Yura stood and walked away, hips swaying with effortless power, Jiho knew one thing for certain:
He was already in too deep — and sinking fast.
End of Chapter 10}