Yin's hands tightened around Luong's waist as her drunken words echoed in his skull.
*"I've even met his mother… but he probably only sees me as his boss."*
The night air froze in his lungs. All this time—*all those stolen glances, the way his pulse spiked when she laughed*—she'd felt it too.
**"Luong—"** His voice cracked.
She swayed, her finger poking his chest. **"You're lucky, you know. Getting to work with him every day. Does he…"** Her bravado faltered. **"Does he ever talk about me?"**
Yin's breath hitched. Before he could answer, her knees buckled. He caught her—*too hard*—and they stumbled back against his car.
**"Sorry! Are you hurt?"** He brushed hair from her face, fingers trembling.
Luong's drunken grin faded. She pressed a hand to her chest, voice breaking: **"Here. It hurts *here*."**
**The Kiss That Shattered Everything**
As Yin lifted her into the passenger seat, Luong's drowsy eyes flickered to his phone—still glowing with Li's damning text:
**>> Chen Ying leaked documents…**
**>> They prove your father ordered your mother's murder.**
Her breath caught. *Was that why Yin looked so torn?*
Then—*she played her trump card.*
Feigning a drunk whimper, she fisted his collar and *yanked him into a kiss.*
For one heartbeat, Yin resisted—*the truth about her father burning his tongue*—then surrendered. His hands cradled her face as he kissed her back with *years* of pent-up longing.
When they broke apart, gasping, his thumb traced her swollen lips. **"Luong… I love you."**
**Juice-Box Confession**
Halfway home, Luong "woke" with a dramatic stretch. Yin handed her a juice box—*banana-flavored, her favorite.*
**"Drink. You'll feel better."**
She sipped obediently, stealing glances as he drove. Then—
**"Luong."** His voice was steady now. **"I love you."**
**"Pfft—!"** Juice sprayed across the dashboard. **"W-What did you just say?!"**
Yin laughed, swerving slightly. **"I. Love. You."**
Luong didn't let him finish. She *lunged* across the console, kissing him until the car horn blared against a lamppost.
As they pulled up to her penthouse, Yin's phone buzzed again. Luong glimpsed the screen before he could hide it:
**>> Chen Ying: Tell her the truth, or I will.**
Yin stiffened—but Luong just smiled, her fingers intertwining with his. **"Whatever it is… we'll face it together."**
*(But her grip was too tight. Her eyes too sharp. She'd seen the text.)*