Louis sat at the office cafeteria table, enjoying his simple lunch of pasta and mac n cheese—a small escape amid his heavy workload. He had just lifted a forkful of pasta when Cleopatra Thompson suddenly appeared, her graceful steps drawing the attention of everyone in the room. Without asking, Cleopatra sat down across from Louis, making the entire area fall silent.

Louis froze, his hand holding the fork suspended mid-air. Cleopatra flashed a subtle smile and took a lipstick out of her purse. Moving slowly yet confidently, she applied the red lipstick to her lips, perfectly highlighting every curve in a way that felt mesmerizing. Her gaze occasionally flicked toward Louis, and after finishing, Cleopatra closed the lipstick and looked at him with a smirk.


'Aren't my lips tempting enough for you to try?" she said in a sweet tone, making several people nearby glance over with curiosity.

Louis clenched his fists, struggling to contain the anger simmering within him. He set down his fork slowly and looked at Cleopatra with a cold gaze. 'I know I signed a contract," he said firmly, 'but that doesn't mean you can act like this in front of me."

Without waiting for Cleopatra's response, Louis stood up, took his tray, and walked away coldly from the table. Cleopatra watched him, momentarily stunned, as if she couldn't believe he had dared to walk away from her just like that. But unwilling to give up so quickly, Cleopatra stood up and followed him.


They ended up outside the cafeteria, Cleopatra's quick steps finally catching up as she managed to grab Louis's hand, stopping him so they could face each other.

'I don't like the way you spoke to me just now," she said, her tone growing serious. 'Take back your words, Louis."


Louis met her gaze with steely determination. 'I won't take back anything," he replied coolly. 'Your behavior, Cleopatra, is no different from that of a cheap woman. And I'm not interested in being part of your game."

Hearing those words, Cleopatra's face paled briefly, then flushed red with anger. Her ego and pride were wounded. She clenched her fists, restraining herself from unleashing the rage building within her. Her piercing gaze bore into Louis, but he remained unfazed.

He shook her hand off and, without another word, walked away with steady steps, not looking back once.

Cleopatra, still standing in place, called his name angrily, 'Louis! How dare you—Louis!" But even as her voice grew louder, Louis continued walking without turning around, leaving Cleopatra to stare at his retreating figure.

In her heart, Cleopatra felt a mix of anger and something deeper she had never felt before—a sense of challenge beginning to stir, masked by both fury and pride.

Louis returned to his desk with a steady stride, trying to calm his still-roiling emotions after his confrontation with Cleopatra. He intended to focus on his work immediately, handling the financial reports that needed to be completed that day. As he was talking to a colleague in the same room, an office boy suddenly came over and handed him a small package.

'This is a package for Mr. Louis," he said politely before returning to his duties.

Louis frowned, puzzled. He rarely received personal packages at the office. After thanking the office boy, he returned to his desk and opened the box carefully. Inside, there was a handwritten note that read, 'Date me tonight?"

Louis took a long breath as he saw the contents, especially upon noticing the same red lipstick Cleopatra had worn earlier in the cafeteria. The very same lipstick, now lying in the box as a provocative reminder. Feeling uneasy, Louis quickly closed the box and threw it in the trash bin by his desk. He rubbed his face, trying to push Cleopatra out of his thoughts and refocus on his work.

The day dragged on slowly, seeming to add to the weight already on his shoulders. When the workday finally ended, Louis hurried home, hoping the comfort of his house would calm his restless mind.

Upon arriving home, Louis found his mother, Linda, sitting in the living room with a cheerful expression. Seeing Louis, Linda stood and hugged him warmly.

'Louis, I heard from those people that our debt has been paid off," she said with a tone full of relief. 'How did you manage to pay it all off so quickly?"

Louis gave a faint smile, though he felt a heaviness in his heart. He didn't want his mother to know about the problems and agreements he had made with Cleopatra. 'I… received an early bonus from the company, Mom," he said, trying to sound convincing.

Linda smiled widely and hugged him tightly. 'Thank you, son. You really are a dutiful child. Your father would be proud of you."

Louis returned his mother's hug, but behind her, his smile slowly faded. In his mind, Cleopatra's image lingered, along with a sense of frustration and helplessness that refused to fade.

After chatting briefly with his mother, Louis finally went to his room, hoping he could rest and banish all thoughts of Cleopatra. He lay down on his bed and closed his eyes, trying to forget everything that had happened that day. But just as he started to relax, his phone rang, displaying an unknown number on the screen.

Reluctantly, Louis answered, and a soft yet assertive voice immediately came through.

'Louis, did you receive my package?" Cleopatra's voice sounded with a teasing tone that clearly tested his patience further.

Louis took a deep breath, holding himself back from exploding. 'Cleopatra, please, stop bothering me. Let me have some time to myself," he said firmly.

Cleopatra simply let out a small laugh, as if unfazed by Louis's discomfort. However, before she could add anything else, Louis pressed the button to end the call. Quickly, he blocked the number, hoping Cleopatra would stop disturbing him.

He tossed his phone to the side of the bed, staring at the ceiling in bubbling frustration. In desperation, he grabbed a pillow, pressed it against his face, and screamed into it as loudly as he could, trying to release the pent-up irritation. 'Why did I have to meet a woman like her?!"

On the other side of town, in a nightclub filled with loud music and glittering lights, Cleopatra sat with a sullen expression, staring at her phone screen, which had just gone dark after Louis ended the call. She tried calling Louis again, but the message that appeared only fueled her anger: the number had been blocked. Cleopatra clenched her fist, muttering in annoyance, feeling slighted.

'How dare he hang up on me like that. Looks like I'll have to give him something bigger than just lipstick," she said to herself, thinking hard about a new way to get Louis's attention.

As she sipped her drink, trying to calm her irritation, someone approached her with light steps and tapped her shoulder gently. Cleopatra turned, and her eyes widened with surprise. Standing before her was Noah Walter, her former boyfriend from school. Noah, with the same warm smile she remembered, looked at her fondly.

'Noah?" Cleopatra's voice sounded disbelieving. 'What… how can you be here?"

Noah chuckled softly, nodding, and said, 'Finally, we meet again, Cleo. I've been waiting for this chance. I don't want you to disappear again."

Cleopatra, usually in control of any situation, suddenly felt awkward. Memories of their past slowly resurfaced, making her want to avoid the encounter. She tried to stand up, but Noah gently held her back.

'Don't go, Cleo," he said softly. 'I really want to talk with you."